Job with a View

I was very lucky to spend this last weekend working.  Yes, I said I was lucky to be working!!!  In fact I had a great weekend alongside my good friend, Sue, serving up meals to a group of seven guys who have been friends for over 30 years!  We spent many hours in an amazing home literally sitting on the hillside over Lake Tahoe feeding and getting to know our clients - one who has even won six Emmy awards!! 

Our weekend meals were eaten with gusto and included:

Breakfasts:

*Herb-Parmesan biscuit sandwiches with scrambled eggs, pepper jack cheese, and Canadian bacon and fresh fruit. 

*Sausage-Mushroom Strata with fresh fruit.
*Buttermilk Waffles and Strawberries with bacon and sausage and fresh fruit. 

Lunches:

*Pulled Pork Sliders with Creamy Coleslaw and Salt & Pepper Kettle Chips. 

*California Chicken Club Wrap and corn tortilla chips with fresh pico de gallo and guacamole.

Dinners:

*Assorted meats, cheeses, and rolls with classic potato salad and assorted olives and peppers.

*Grilled Ribeye steaks, Twice-Baked Potatoes, Grilled Corn with herb butter, and mixed green salad. 

*Pancetta-Wrapped Pork Tenderloin, Green Beans with browned butter and toasted almonds, Herb-Lemon Orzo Salad, and Caprese Salad with Heirloom tomatoes.

Desserts:

*Chocolate-cherry cookies with vanilla bean ice cream, hot fudge sauce, and fresh cherries.

*Grilled peaches with vanilla ice cream, Snickerdoodles, and whipped cream.

*Banana splits with fresh strawberries, and assorted toppings.

The entire weekend was a success and enjoyed by all and Sue and I look forward to planning and cooking next year for this remarkable group of guys!

Summer cooking and reading

The sun is shining at Lake Tahoe and the first day of summer is just two days away.  Summer means time to cook and enjoy the bounty of the harvest found each week in my CSA farm box.  Unfortunately for my clients that cooking is done for only my family and close friends as the Meals By Maggie kitchen is shut down for the summer months.  But in the end everyone will benefit as I am recharged and rested and ready to resume regular Thursdays at the end of August.

Just this last weekend and as the kick-off to the summer I was lucky to make a Father's day dinner for four generations of the Browder family that included herb-garlic marinated shrimp and scallops, balsamic glazed grilled eggplant and zucchini, fresh tomato bruschetta on crostini, and chopped veggie orzo salad with a lemon vinaigrette.  The entire meal was topped off with peach-raspberry cobbler. 

On top of trying out lots of new recipes in the summertime that are overflowing with fresh produce I have decided to add some homework for myself this summer: read foodie books both fiction and non-fiction. 

Just yesterday I finished reading the first of my "foodie books" written by Nicole Mones called The Last Chinese Chef.  The book intertwined relationships with food in modern Beijing with a focus on traditional Chinese cuisine.  This was the first book I've picked up in a while that literally kept me turning pages (or in this case, clicking the forward arrow in my Kindle).  The combination of plot mixed with the descriptions of food was intoxicating.  I was drawn in by the main character of the book, Maggie McElroy, a food writer who travels to Beijing for personal matters where she is ultimately swept up in the customs and cuisine of the city.

This story introduces the concept of  "guanxi" -- the Chinese concept of relationships. Food is at the heart of Chinese relationships. Unlike in America where most meals, especially those in restaurants are individually plated, all meals are shared in China. Food there is a presentation of symbols, suggestions and references, connecting people not only to one another but to their culture, art, and history.  Food is art, food can heal, food is family, and food is love. 

Overall a great story that reinforces the love I find in cooking and feeding others. 

In the news

Meals By Maggie was recently recognized in our local newspaper the North Lake Tahoe Bonanza as the "Meet Your Merchant" feature.  Check out this link to read more !  http://www.tahoebonanza.com/article/20120503/NEWS/120509976/1061&ParentProfile=1050

Buried Treasure

One of my favorite things to do outside of my kitchen is reading.  I am an open-minded reader willing to take a look at almost any genre.  But the one genre that I find myself turning to for comfort and inspiration has to be cookbooks.  I can sit with a stack of cookbooks and literally turn every page.  Sometimes I look for a recipe to jump out at me and scream, "Try me!"   Other times I look for a recipe to incorporate specific ingredients I happen to have on hand.  No matter what, I always enjoy myself.  Within the last half hour alone I have thumbed through three different cookbooks looking for ideas for this weekend's Superbowl party.  So, what did I come up with?  An Olive Tapenade with Garlic Crostini to start things off, Honey-Cornbread to go with the BBQ and baked beans provided by my neighbors, and a classic peanut butter cookie topped with a dark chocolate kiss to sweeten things up.  But of course when I turn pages looking for specifics I often stumble upon just one more thing.  So, for those I love this Valentine's Day I will also be making dark chocolate truffles, just because.

To date my cookbook collection is rather small compared to many foodies.  I seem to have a handful that I reach for without fail.  But my collection is also rounded out by more specific books that I have picked up from various cooking classes I have attended....including a couple autographed by Joanne Weir.  My collection even includes a book of my own.  "A Taste of Siskiyou County" is a collection of recipes I compiled back in 1995 as a senior in high school for my senior project.  The recipes date back generations and represent family recipes from many residents of my old-stomping ground, Siskiyou County, California.  This is the cookbook I grab when I need my grandmother's recipe for red cabbage, a holiday favorite, or my mother's oven-baked crispy eggplant...amazing on its own or used as the base for eggplant parmesan.

So, the next time you are browsing your local bookstore, library, or your own bookshelves, I encourage you to stop and pickup a cookbook.  Thumb through the pages and let something catch your eye...then make it!!!!  You won't be disappointed.

New Recipe Yields Amazing Dinner!

Just last night I decided it would be New Recipe Night and tried a new pizza recipe I found in one of my magazines. From pretty modest ingredients I made a mouth-watering, gourmet pizza. The Roasted Butternut Squash-Red Onion-Radicchio Pizza was easy and amazing!!!

Meals through 2010

Sept. 9th
Sage-Parmesan Pork Chops with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, $22 for 2 servings.

Sept. 16th
Vegetarian Lasagna with Classic Chocolate Chip Cookies, $21 for 2 servings.
Sept. 23rd
Sundried Tomato-Crusted Chicken Breasts with Pasta Salad, $22 for 2 servings.
Sept. 30th
Summer Vegetable Quiche with Lemon Cookies, $20 for 2 servings.
Oct.7th
Closed for school break

Oct. 14th
Mexican Lasagna (chicken or vegetarian option) with Mexican Chocolate Cookies, $20 for 2 servings.
Oct. 21st
Slow-Cooked BBQ Pork on fresh rolls with Creamy Coleslaw, $21.50 for 2 servings.
Oct. 28th
Golden Potato-Leek Soup with fresh Whole Wheat Bread, $18.00 for 2 servings.
Nov. 4th
Chicken Potpie topped with Parmesan-Herb Biscuits and Snickerdoodles,
$22 for 2 servings.
Nov. 11th
Closed for Veteran's Day holiday.

Nov. 18th
Roasted Vegetable and Cheese-Stuffed Shells with Peanut Butter Cookies, $20 for 2 servings.

Nov. 25th
Closed for Thanksgiving holiday.

Dec. 2nd
Chicken-Corn Chowder with fresh Carrot-Cheese Bread, $19.50 for 2 servings.

Dec. 9th
Classic Meat Lasagna with Oatmeal-Chocolate Chip Cookies, $21.00 for 2 servings.

Regular Thursday dinners will resume on January 6, 2011.



Book your private holiday event now for Dec. 11th, 12th, 16th, 18th, or 19th

Future Dinners

During the months of June and July 2010 the kitchen will be open primarily for private party and event
catering. I am still available on a limited basis so give me a call at (775) 831-6015 or Email
maggie@mealsbymaggie.com to discuss your catering needs big or small.

Regular Thursday night dinners will resume on August 5th. Check out upcoming meals for August and September:

August 5 - Black Bean Burgers on fresh rolls with Sweet Potato Fries and Cilantro-Lime Aioli, $18.50 for 2 servings. (Vegetarian, contains wheat, eggs, and dairy)

August 12 - Vietnamese-Style Chicken Wraps with Ginger-Lime Dipping Sauce and Double Chocolate-Coconut Cookies, $19.00 for 2 servings. (contains wheat, and soy)

August 19 - Pork Egg Rolls with Crunchy Asian Slaw, $21.00 for 2 servings. (contains wheat, and soy)

August 26 - Spinach-Cheese Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms with Lemon-Orzo Salad, $20.00 for 2 servings. (Vegetarian, contains eggs, dairy, and wheat)

September 2 - Turkey Chili with Jalapeno-Cheddar-Corn Waffles, $20.00 for 2 servings. (contains wheat, eggs, and dairy)

September 9 - Sage-Parmesan Pork Chops with Garlic Mashed Potatoes, $22.00 for 2 servings. (contains dairy)

September 16 - Vegetarian Lasagna with Classic Chocolate Chip cookies, $21.00 for 2 servings. (Vegetarian, contains wheat, eggs, and dairy)

September 23 - Sundried Tomato-Crusted Chicken Breasts with Pasta Salad, $22.00 for 2 servings. (contains wheat, and eggs)

September 30 - Summer Vegetable Quiche with Lemon Cookies, $20.00 for 2 servings. (Vegetarian, contains wheat, dairy, and eggs)