• Use a wine cork to lift hot lids off of pots.  Just slide a cork under the handle before you start cooking and the cork will stay cool and you won’t have to search for a pot holder.

• Don’t you hate running out of propane when you are grilling?  To check the propane level bring a cup of water to a boil and pour over the side of the tilted tank, feel the tank and where it is warm to the touch there is no propane!
• If you said real men/women don’t use propane, then try this one.  If your fire starts to go out before you even get anything on the grill you can revive it with your hairdryer. Turn the hairdryer on high and direct it on the base of the coals and the dryer will act like a bellows and get the fire going again.
• Need an extra cooling rack or don’t have one at all?  Lay dinner knives pointing in opposite directions on the countertop and place pan or cookie sheet on top.

• To help ease the pain of cleaning the microwave place a large bowl of water in the appliance and heat it on high for 10 minutes.  The steam will make it much easier to get rid of the spatters and spills.
• Do you get icing all over your hands when you try to fill a pastry bag or zip top bag?  Use a Pringle’s potato chip can or a tall thin glass (maybe a pilsner?) place the bag in the can/glass and fold the top over the edge. 
• I can never seem to simmer on a gas stove without getting some stuff stuck on the bottom of the pan.  To help keep your food at a low simmer make a foil ring with aluminum foil by cutting the foil to 3 feet and squeezing it into a “rope” and then shape it into a ring to fit your burner.

• How many recipes do you have where you can show someone what the sauce actually looks like because it is on the paper? Keep recipes clean by slipping them into a  gallon sized plastic bag or a sheet protector.  Even easier, use a glass pot lid to protect the recipe card.
• A dull vegetable peeler can really make peeling a chore, sharpen yours by using the backside of a paring knife (not the cutting edge!) to scrape the burrs off of the back and front sides of the blades.

So here are a couple of ideas to help you share the love:  Make your own paper valentine fortune cookies (http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/valentines-day-paper-fortune-cookies) This is especially fitting since the Chinese New Year and Valentine’s Day coincide this year. Go here (http://www.chinese-fortune-cookie.com/fortune-cookie-quotes.html) for a pdf with pre-printed fortunes all you have to do is print and cut them out!  I have started working on mine, here is a preview

 And of course, you need something sweet for your sweets!  Here is a recipe for chocolate truffles:



Truffles

8 ounces good quality semi or bitter sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

4 ounces unsweetened chocolate

8 T butter

1 14 ounce can of sweetened condensed milk

Liquor and coatings (see below)

Heat chocolates, butter and  milk in a pan until chocolates and butter are partially melted.  Remove from heat and stir until completely melted. Whisk in desired flavoring until creamy smooth.

Transfer to a bowl and let stand until firm enough to hold its shape- about 2 hours

Mold about one tablespoon of chocolate into balls, and place on a sprayed parchment lined cookie sheet

Place desired coating in a small bowl.  Working one at a time drop truffles into the bowl with greased fingertips shaking bowl back and forth to coat. Return to parchment may be refrigerated in airtight container up to 5 days or freeze up to one month.  Before serving let stand at room temperature to soften slightly.

*Hazelnut truffle-  add hazelnut liqueur to the chocolate mixture; coat in chopped hazelnuts,

*Espresso truffle- add about one tablespoon of espresso powder into the chocolate then add coffee liqueur  to the truffle mixture.

*Fruit flavored truffles – 2 tablespoons of fruit puree or jam (raspberry or blackberry) in place of  the alcohol.

So- what are you waiting on?  Get busy, the big day is a week away!

This is a great networking opportunity for any type of business professional. Last year, over 400 people attended this fun upbeat event.  Browse different local business’ booths and sample food from local resturants and other food purveyors including BAILEY’S EXECUTIVE CATERING!  We will be sampling two of  our signature items Grilled Chicken Parmesan and Angel Hair Pasta Salad along with our Homeade Granola and the ever popular Zucchini and Squash Casserole!

Let’s begin with something that I have found is very easy to do: stop using plastic bags.  Currently, there are 400 billion plastic bags used yearly in the United States. Yes, BILLION!   According to Worldwatch Institute (www.worldwatch.org) , only 0.6 to 1% of these bags are recycled.  Plastic bags can take 20 years to decompose when flying around as “urban tumbleweeds” and 1000 years when sent to landfills.  Plastic bags are the fifth most common trash found on our beaches and they are responsible for the strangulation and death of animals.

Okay, so plastic is bad let’s just use paper bags instead.  Wait; that isn’t necessarily the answer, paper bags ARE more biodegradable than plastic IF they are allowed to biodegrade (not placed in a landfill), they are made from renewable resources (trees) and they are recycled more than plastic.  However, paper bags do require more energy to produce than plastic and trees are not really easily renewed.  The best way to eliminate all of these issues is to use reusable cloth bags.  It is estimated that after reusing a bag 11 times you aid in reducing the impact of paper and plastic bags on the environment.

Start by purchasing some reusable bags from your grocery store, they are usually around a dollar each.  Keep the bags in your car where you can see them when you get ready to shop (I keep mine in the backseat so they are visible to remind me).  You will be surprized by how much these bags hold.  Even better, recycle some old t-shirts into bags. (http://www.cutoutandkeep.net/projects/plastic_grocery_tote). 

Next time you go to the grocery store, use your reusable bags and recycle those plastic and paper bags you have been collecting.  Feel good about being green!

If you really want to do it up, make your own tortillas- stop laughing!  It’s not difficult but it does take some time, the results are worth it.

The only piece of equipment you might want is a tortilla press. (see photo below)  I purchased mine for around $7 at the local international market.

Use this link for the directions to make your own tortillas:

http://www.thekitchn.com/thekitchn/how-to/how-to-make-flour-tortillas-from-scratch-home-hacks-109734

As for the steak, I used a skirt steak.  These are readily available in grocery stores these days.  If you don’t see it, ask the butcher.  Skirt steak is a cut of beef that needs to be marinated and cut across the grain or it will be tough.  After marinating, the steak can be grilled (best) for about 5 minutes per side, broiled or cut into strips and cooked over high heat in a cast iron skillet.

Fajita Marinade:

• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 1/4 cup tequila
• 1 teaspoon crushed dried oregano
• 2 large cloves garlic, crushed
•  fresh cilantro, about 1/2 bunch, torn
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

Combine all ingredients and mix well. Pour marinade over meat in a 1-gallon plastic zip-top bag. Refrigerate overnight or up to 24 hours.

Makes enough to marinate 1 to 1-1/2 pounds flank steak. Makes 4 servings. 

 Pico de Gallo:

In my opinion, the best pico de gallo is made with fresh summer tomatoes but since I crave it all year long I will use the best looking/tasting tomatoes I can find.  This week the cherry tomatoes looked great so I picked up a carton.

The ingredients are:

• Fresh tomatoes, seeded and chopped
• red onion, chopped
• jalapeno pepper, seeded and chopped
• fresh cilantro
• fresh lime juice
• kosher salt and freshly ground pepper

The proportions are up to you.  I chop my tomatoes first and then start adding the other ingredients to suit my taste.  This is best if made the day before but it has been known to disappear before even getting chilled!

Assembly and Eating!!

I like to keep my fajitas fairly simple, meat, pico, shredded cheese and some sour cream.  You can add anything you like from black olives to black beans.

Serve with chips, refried beans and rice and maybe a margarita, or two!

 Don’t dread it this year… order Bailey’s Fresh Baked Granola in one pound bags.  Our granola features unfiltered honey from Collierville, TN, dried cranberries and cherries, pecans and almonds.  It is delicious alone as a snack, in yogurt or with milk.  One pound bags are only $9.95 and if you order at least 5 pounds we will deliver for a nominal fee.

Designed for groups of 50 or more guests, these menus are AFFORDABLE  & TASTY!  Perfect for Family Reunions, Customer/Employee Appreciation, Training Groups and hopefully, your next event!

My new favorite use for leeks is in Bacon-Leek Bowtie Pasta.  This creamy decadent dish is quick and easy- what more could you  ask for?  I served it with buttered, toasted Cibatta Bread. The recipe came from The Pioneer Woman website (http://thepioneerwoman.com) she used Pancetta which is Italian cured bacon that has not been smoked.  I didn’t have any so I substituted bacon. I also made a few minor changes such as not adding wine (didn’t have any of that either). 

A quick word about cleaning leeks- DO IT!!  Leeks are grown in very sandy soil and there is nothing worse than gritty leeks except gritty spinach!  To clean leeks, cut the tops and bottoms off just like scallions then slice and place in a bowl of cold water.  Allow the sliced leeks to sit a few minutes and the sand will fall to the bottom of the bowl.  Simply skim off the leeks with your hands or a slotted spoon onto a paper towel to dry and proceed with recipe.

 Bacon-Leek Bowtie Pasta

• 12 ounces, Bowtie Pasta, Cooked Al Dente
• Reserved Pasta Water, If Needed
• 3 ounces, weight Chopped Pancetta or 3 slices of bacon
• 3 whole Leeks, Sliced Thin
• 2 Tablespoon Butter
• ½ cups Heavy Cream
• Salt And Freshly Ground Pepper, To Taste
• Parmesan Cheese, Shaved

Cook pasta and set aside. Reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.

Saute chopped pancetta until fat is rendered and it starts to brown. Add sliced leeks and a couple of tablespoons of butter and cook for 8 minutes. After 8 to 10 minutes, reduce heat to low, then pour in cream. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in Parmesan shavings. Toss in pasta, adding a little pasta water to thin as needed. Serve with Parmesan shavings over the top