Showing posts with label north shore catering. Show all posts
Showing posts with label north shore catering. Show all posts

Monday, 26 May 2014

Monday’s Money Saving Recipe

Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients

2 big flat mushrooms
2 green onions, sliced
2 prosciutto slice (or bacon) diced
1 piece of bread, processed to breadcrumbs
Tbsp chopped Oregano
2 Tbsp Oil
2 cubes of feta

Method

Remove stalk from Mushroom, Place in the oven on 180’c for 10 mins
Meanwhile fry prosciutto and shallots in fry pan with 1 tbsp of oil for 5 minutes.
Turn off the heat and add oregano & breadcrumbs to mix. Add 1tbsp of oil to bring it all together.

Spoon into each mushroom top with square of feta and put back in the oven for 5 minutes.


 

Monday, 19 May 2014

Monday’s Money Saving Recipe


Lemon Meringue Pie

I had to make some sample desserts for a client this morning, so I made a couple extra for our dessert.

We ended up with a choice of one chocolate mousse, four mini sticky date puddings and two lemon tarts.

Here is the recipe for the lemon tart.

Makes 4 medium size tarts

Ingredients

1 x tin of condensed milk
2 x eggs
½ cup lemon juice
2 cups plain flour
150g butter
4 tbsp water
⅓ cup Icing sugar

Method

Put condensed milk, egg yolks and lemon juice in a saucepan and stir over low heat for 5-10 minutes.

Mix flour, butter and water in a processor (or with your hands) till a sticky dough forms. Divide and press into individual tart cases.
Blind bake for 10-15 minutes on 180’c

Beat egg whites, until soft peaks form, add icing sugar gradually until stifff peaks form.

Pour lemon mixture into tart cases.
Pipe or spread egg whites on top.

Put back in the oven for 10 minutes.

Eat warm or put in the fridge to eat cold later.


See our other Monday Money Saving Recipes Here!

Have a look at our dessert menu here!

www.saltoftheearthcatering.com.au
 

Tuesday, 13 May 2014

Recipe for cleaning Muffin Trays!


This is one thing that I can’t stand doing after baking. Cleaning Muffin Trays!

Here is a recipe I found to take the pain out baking muffins.

Unless you're baking fat-free muffins, chances are high that you've got some grease that has baked onto your muffin tins. Once baked on, it can be difficult to remove, especially if you used a cooking spray as your grease of choice. As the problem started with baking, so the solution starts as well. Additionally, no harsh chemicals or backbreaking work are necessary to remove the grease.   
                               
                                                   

Ingredients

                                               
  • 2 tbsp. baking soda
  • Pitcher
  • Dish soap
           
MORE - MONDAY'S MONEY SAVING RECIPE                

Method

                                               
    • Preheat your oven to 200’c                                   
    • Mix 2 tbsp. of baking soda with 1 qt. of warm water. Stir or shake (if pitcher is watertight) until baking soda is dissolved.                                                                   
    • Pour baking soda mixture into muffin pan. Do not worry if grease is all over the pan and not just in the muffin cups themselves.                                   
    • Bake muffin pan with baking soda mixture for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let cool.                           
                                   
    • Wash muffin pan in your sink with warm, soapy water and a dish sponge.                               
    • Rinse muffin pan thoroughly, dry, and put away.

Fingers crossed this does the trick!

#muffins #cupcakes #kitchentips #saltoftheearthcatering

Sunday, 11 May 2014

Twelve Tasty Time Saving Tips

During the week most of us have little time to be in the kitchen preparing gourmet dinners.
Here are a few things to help you save time but still whip up a tasty meal for the family or yourself. We suggest doing this on a Sunday arvo to save time during the week.


1. Poach two chicken breasts in chicken stock. Shred the chicken with your fingers i.e pull apart! And store in the fridge for the week. Use them for sandwiches, wraps or even add to pies for dinner.

2. Grate carrot, slice cucumbers and tomatoes and store in containers to use throughout the week.

3. Boil a couple of eggs! These can be used for a potato salad, caesar salad, any old salad, or mash them up and use for sandwiches.

4. Better yet - make a potato salad to accompany a dinner for the week. You all know how to do that right……? N.B Use Aioli instead of Mayo...soooooo good!

5. Cut up some fruit, and store in the fridge for the week. Fruit salad for lunch boxes, fruit & yoghurt for breakfast or fruit and ice cream for dessert.

6. Cook up some mince, add diced tomatoes and chopped onion. Use it for bolognese, stuffed potatoes, tacos, burritos or a meat pie.

7. Use your overripe bananas (you can store these in the freezer) to make an easy banana bread for lunch boxes, breakfasts, morning or afternoon tea and snacks.

8. Obvious tip may be, boil the kettle and use the water for boiling veggies, rather than waiting for the pot to boil on the stove.

9. Don’t peel your veggies, we use pretty much every scrap of food. No need to peel your carrots or potatoes, it’s all good for you!

10. Don’t hesitate to use the microwave, although we almost never use it for catering, we don’t hesitate to use it to speed up the process of cooking at home. eg. potatoes and veggies - even if you are going to roast them afterwards, just don't forget to season with salt and pepper.

11. Dried herbs and Spices can lift your dish to no end! Always have these in your pantry! Sprinkle some Mixed herbs on your roast veggies, and spices on your meat! You will have a culture inspired dish before you know it.

12. If all else fails and you are stuck one night of the week, whip out a sheet of shortcrust pastry, lay it in a quiche dish, whisk 3-4 eggs, and throw in anything you can find in the fridge. When we say anything…. sundried tomatoes, capsicum, carrots, mushrooms, chives, shallots, fresh tomatoes, ham, salami, salmon, bacon whatever you can find. Obviously not all together! Use your instincts! Top with tasty cheese if you feel like it. Cook in the oven for 20-30 mins on 180’c.

#timesavingtips #quickcooking #fastcooking #savetime #saltoftheearthcatering

Thursday, 8 May 2014

The most creative ways to display cupcakes


On an old ladder
Line the ladder with coloured fabric and stack the a cupcakes along each rung for guests to take their pick

Cupcake Hunt
Have a Cupcake Hunt! You can give your guests clues or let them fend for themselves. This is obviously better done inside the house to avoid ant covered cupcakes, otherwise don’t hide them until just before the game.

Line the hallway
When it’s nearing the end of your party, have someone line the cupcakes along the hallway to the door. Guests can take one on the way out. Just make sure the pets are locked up!

Staircase
Similar to the one above, put a cupcake (or a couple) on each stair for guests to take on the way out.

Car Windscreens
Pretty ridiculous but have someone pop out towards the end of the party and put a cupcake or two on each guest’s car. Then hope it doesn’t rain for more reasons than one!

In a chest of drawers
Label each drawer with a different flavour and let your guests pick their favorite

On a bookshelf or dresser
Display on a bookshelf - make it a feature

Spin the bottle/Cupcake Roulette

Design your own
For kids parties, sit them at a table and let them decorate their own cupcakes, keeps them occupied for a while.

#cupcakes #decorating #saltoftheearthcatering
www.saltoftheearthcatering.com.au

Wednesday, 7 May 2014

How to make a fabulous feature out of your clothes line at a party

We all have one and you can’t exactly unbolt it from the wall or lift it out of the ground when you decide to have a party at home.


Here are some great ideas on how to make a fabulous feature out of your clothesline for a party.


Photo Display
Peg your favourite or relevant photos to it, we catered for a wedding who perfected this method. See photo below


Name Tags
If you are seating guests peg their names in alphabetical order with their table number included so that everyone knows where they are going


Lolly Bags
For kids parties, peg the lolly bags to the line as an incentive for being great guests and they receive it on their way out!


Piñata
Tie a  Piñata to it and let your guests swing away


Clothesline Roulette
This is specifically for the hills hoist owners, peg numbers (names or categories) around the line, let the guests place their bets, stand in position and swing the line.


Truth or Dare
Peg the words truth or dare around the line and let the guests swing to find out what their fate is.


Garage/Clothes Sale
Hang your clothes on the line with price tags and let customers take their pick


Tent/Cubby House
Separate the kids from the adults with their own “Special” area!


Bar
Set the bar up underneath and hang some decorations from it with some bunting or signage indicating “BAR” for the guests easy access


Hang Plants or Lanterns
Hang plants, lanterns, bunting, wind chimes, fairy lights or paper pom poms from them, or plant a climbing vine at the post and let it work its way up and around the lines.


The NEW Wishing Well
Instruct Guests to peg their cards to the clothesline, decorate with coloured fabric and flowers.
Sprinkle flower petals underneath to make it prettier!


Weather proof
If you are stretched for space, cover the clothesline with a tarp to protect your guests from unwanted rain, hail or shine!


Music
Stick the DJ under it and hang some glow sticks etc from it.

Theme Parties
Have a hat party and hang them from the line for guests to pick one 
Make a tent for a fortune teller, tarot reader, make it into a haunted house

Baby Showers/Hen's Parties
Have the guests pin their advice on it 



#saltoftheearthcatering  #clotheslines #decorating #parties #wishingwell #pinata
www.saltoftheearthcatering.com.au

Monday, 5 May 2014

Monday's Money Saving Recipe

So this weekend the left over’s in my fridge are some Lamb fillets, Goats Cheese, Rocket, Bacon, Sour Cream and Potatoes….hmmmm


Things that come to mind are Lamb fillet stuffed with goat’s cheese and rocket, possibly wrapped in bacon but maybe too indulgent for a Monday, with mash or roast potatoes….
Slow cooked lamb & goat’s cheese ravioli with a bacon, sour cream and rocket sauce….
Lamb & Bacon Pie or Lamb & Bacon Casserole….


As much as I would love a nice warm casserole in this freezing weather, I must consider my fiancé who hates casseroles, so I’ll drop that option. A Pie is an easy option but I feel like more of a challenge so think I’ll take the pasta option. Actually I can never say no to pasta especially homemade Ravioli!


So here’s my plan for tonight. (Serves 2 hungry people)


Place Lamb fillets and beef stock in roasting pan. Use enough liquid to just reach the top of the lamb.
Place in the oven on 150’c for 2 hours. Top up liquid if needed throughout cooking process.


Meanwhile put, 1 cup of plain flour, 1 egg and a pinch of salt in a bowl, mix and knead to form a nice pasta dough.
Wrap with plastic film and place in fridge for an hour.


Remove lamb from oven, drain any excess liquid from pan (can save to add to sauce), let cool and then pull the lamb into shredded pieces. Mix the cooked diced bacon through the mixture.
Roll pasta into thin sheets, and lay flat on flour coated bench.


Place heaped spoonfuls of lamb mixture and a dollop of goats cheese in 5-10cm spaces along the first sheet of pasta. 

Brush edges of pasta with eggwash, or water. Place second sheet over the top of the first sheet and press down lightly with finger around each heap of mixture.


Use a cookie cutter or pasta cutter to cut each piece of ravioli. And set aside on baking paper. Sprinkle with flour if they are too sticky. Continue process until you have sufficient raviolis for two. (Depending on the size of them, I’ll probably make 5-6 each)






For the sauce, put a teaspoon of garlic, butter or oil and 2 diced rashers of bacon into a fry pan, cook till crispy (or however you like it). Add sour cream and stock juices and stir on a low heat. Season with herbs if you wish such as parsley, rosemary, thyme and salt & pepper. Add desired amount of rocket at the last minute and stir through.
Boil water on the stove, and cook raviolis for 2-3 minutes. Drain.










Add ravioli to sauce, or serve sauce on top. Voilà! 

Now to get the fiancé who thinks he’s a food critic’s critique!

#saltoftheearthcatering #cateringsydney #moneysavingtips #leftoverrecipes