Packaging Baked Goods in Your Kitchen - Creative & Resourceful Ideas

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When I owned a catering company, I learned that it, indeed, is “all about presentation,” as they say.  I’ll never understand how someone can spend so much time and effort into making a delicious and beautiful treat, then put it into a plastic tupperware box or put it on a paper plate wrapped in plastic wrap.  Drives me crazy... I realize that most people do not have all the time in the world to dream up how to package their cookies.  Yes, I know there are more important things.  Buuuut, it is so easy with just a little effort.

Take a cue from you favorite retail boutiques, do they put your purchases in a plastic grocery stack?  No, they wrap your items lovingly in tissue sealed with a branded sticker and then into a color coordinated gift bag.  Packaging your kitchen goodies nicely might even make them taste better... if that is possible.

 Kitchen Packaging Supplies
   
    Cellophane Bags
    Large 4” circle labels
    Small Rectangle Labels
    Parchment paper
    Bakers twine
    Scissors
    Various Ribbons & Colorful Twine

Here are some of the examples of how I have used these materials throughout the year :


 The BEST Buttermilk Biscuits & Homemade Blackberry Preserves

Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies in bags with twine tie

Valentine's Day Sugar Cookies with Foldover Card 

Banana Bread packaged in parchment tied with twine

oohh... look what's inside!  (recipe here)

Black and White Cookies with Large Circle Labels, Ribbon & Cello Bags

Black and White Cookies with Large Circle Labels, Ribbon & Cello Bags 

Mini Chocolate and Salted Caramel Sandwich Cookies in Cello Bags with Foldover Card 

Mini Chocolate and Salted Caramel Sandwich Cookies in Cello Bags with Foldover Card packaged in a mailer box with parchment paper, then tied with natural twine.


Holiday Sugar Cookies in cello bag, tied with twine and card

Chocolate Brownie Cupcake... yum!

Tomato, Zucchini and Olive Bruschetta | Fresh Summer Party Food

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I love good party food.  I really do think there is an art to designing a menu for a party.   It should be fresh, really flavorful, not too complicated and look bountiful - no one likes to go to a party where they feel like the food is rationed out or they have to wonder what it is they're eating!   When I was catering, I was able to observe what people when crazy for, then I would think about why...  
Here are my rules for great party food :
- Goes great with a cocktail, beer or glass of wine- Easy to eat with one hand- Easy to eat in a couple of bits- Good hot, cold and/or at room temperature
These bruschetta fit the bill- in fact, most all bruschetta fit the bill.  I really like this combination of tomatoes, zucchini and olives - it feels very summery to me.  Another reason this is great party food?  Budget friendly.  The zucchini is a budget friendly way to stretch the more expensive tomatoes and olives.  Zucchini typically takes on the flavors you add to it, so the garlic and seasoning will make it taste very flavorful, not to mention the great green color it adds.  Don't feel like you have to splurge on heirloom tomatoes for this recipe- the seasoning and the other ingredients provide plenty of color.  Save your splurge for something else.  



 

Tomato, Zucchini & Olive Bruschetta
perfectly fresh party food for summer

serves 8 people for appetizers

1 zucchini, diced
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 small pinch of red pepper flakes
1 clove of garlic, minced
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of cracked pepper
..........
3 cups of diced tomatoes
1/2 cup of kalamata olives
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of cracked pepper
..........
1 large baguette, sliced into 24 slices
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 clove of garlic 

Heat oven to 425 degrees.  Place diced zucchini on a baking sheet and toss it in 2 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 small pinch of red pepper flakes, minced garlic clove, 1 teaspoon of sea salt and cracked pepper.  Roast it in the oven for 10 minutes until the zucchini begins to brown on the tips.  Remove from the oven and let cool.

Meanwhile, dice tomatoes and olives and place them in a medium bowl.  Dress the tomatoes and olives with  olive oil, salt & pepper.  Add the zucchini and toss.  Refrigerate until you're ready to use- I like to serve this cold, but it is great at room temperature, too.

Prepare the bread by slicing it into thin slices.  Toast bread just before serving.  You can do it under the broiler in your oven, or on the grill.  Brush the bread with olive oil on both sides.  If broiling, place them on a sheet and place them under the broiler for 1-2 minutes on each side.  Be careful not to burn!  If grilling, also grill the bread on each side for 1-2 minutes.  When you remove them from the grill or oven, let them cool slightly, then rub the raw clove of garlic on each piece.

Serve with the tomato mix and parmesan cheese on the side to be assemble by the guests, so the bread does not get soggy.  If you would like to serve them pre-assembled, I recommend assembling, then serving them immediately from a passed tray.


Piled high.  Don't you like the napkin?  I made it myself!
 
I gobbled up these three right after shooting... I would plan for 3 per person.  At least.

 



I think these work great for pre-dinner appetizers because they are not too heavy- light and fresh before dinner so your guests are still hungry!  Paired with some other hors d'oeuvres they are great for a cocktail party, too, as they are substantial enough to be satisfying... think of them as a side dish as party of a mini meal. 


I'm so ready for some Summer parties... and Summer cocktails.  What are your favorites to serve to a crowd?

Grilled Artichokes with Lemon Garlic Caper Aioli | Easy Summer Entertaining Recipes

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This is one of my all time favorite 'restaurant' recipes.  Anytime I go to a restaurant and I see grilled artichokes on the menu, I order them.  I've found that I like them best when simply grilled with a little bit of seasoning and a great dipping sauce.  I used to be intimidated by making a dipping sauce- especially those named 'aioli' until I discovered that 'aioli' is mayonnaise...  Now I use mayonnaise as a base to make all kinds of great dipping sauces- this lemon and caper is one of my favorites.  It is great with grilled shrimp, too- a favorite from my catering days.




Grilled Artichokes
with a Lemon Garlic Caper Aioli

3 artichokes, quartered
2 tablespoons of olive oil
1 clove of garlic
1 tablespoon of sea salt + 2 teaspoons
1 teaspoon of cracked pepper

for the aioli:
3/4 cup of mayonnaise
1/2 cup of sour cream
1 lemon, the juice of
1 clove of garlic
2 tablespoons of capers (or more, if you'd like)
1 teaspoon of sea salt
1/2 teaspoon of cracked pepper

Combine olive oil and 1 clove of garlic cut in slices.  Let the garlic infuse into the oil while you are preparing the artichokes.

Cut the artichokes in quarters, lengthwise.  Fill a medium saucepan with water with 1 tablespoon of sea salt.  Bring to a boil.  Add artichoke quarters and cook for 10 minutes until tender.  Remove from water and let them cool on a baking sheet.  If you are preparing these ahead of time, you can refrigerate them at this point up to over night.

Before grilling, brush the garlic infused olive oil onto all sides of the artichoke hearts.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side until there is a nice char on the leaves.

For the sauce, stir together mayonnaise, sour cream, lemon juice, garlic capers, salt and pepper.   Add more lemon, salt and/or pepper to taste.




The grilled artichokes are the perfect compliment to Grilled Prosciutto & Fresh Mozzarella toasts... recipe coming soon!

Brown Sugar Chili Lime Grilled Chicken and Vegetable Kebabs

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I think kebabs might be the single best Summer Entertaining recipe.  They are the perfect thing to serve at a every type of party.  Dinner party?  Make them big.  Cocktail party?  Make them small.  Vegetarian guest?  Leave off the meat.  They are made completely in advance, they are a full meal in one efficient package, and you can make them in endless varieties.  Need one more reason?  Budget friendly.  A pound of steak, chicken or shrimp can be stretched to serve 3-4 people by adding colorful (and inexpensive) summer produce like squash and peppers.  Oh, and they are healthy!
Here is one of our favorite versions... what's yours? 
Brown Sugar Chili Lime
Grilled Chicken & Vegetable Kebabs
Marinade :
1/4 cup of oil
3 limes, juiced - freshly squeezed
1 tablespoon chili powder
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 tablespoons of brown sugar
2 teaspoons sea salt
2 teaspoons of cracked pepper

3 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts, 2-inch cubes
2 medium zucchini, sliced
2 red peppers, 2-inch pieces
2 cups of mushrooms, thickly sliced
8 skewers

In a large bowl, combine all of the marinate ingredients.  Separate the marinade into two separate bowls.  Slice vegetables then place them in one of the bowls of marinade.  Cut the chicken into large cubes, then put them in the other bowl of marinade.  Let the vegetables and chicken marinate for 1 hour (or more, up to overnight) in the refrigerator.  Skewer the chicken and vegetables on wooden or metal skewers.  Grill for 3-5 minutes, on each side until the chicken has cooked all the way through.



For a complete grilling party menu, serve the kebabs with Grilled Artichokes with Lemon Caper Aioli and Grilled Prosciutto & Fresh Mozzarella Toasts.

Grilled Prosciutto, Fresh Mozzarella Garlic Toasts with Fresh Basil | Easy Summer Entertaining Recipes

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Prosciutto & Fresh Mozzarella
on Grilled Garlic Toasts
makes 24 toasts
1 baguette
2 cloves of garlic, peeled
3 tablespoons of olive oil
8 ounces of fresh mozzarella, sliced
6 slices of prosciutto, thinly sliced
sea salt & cracked pepper
fresh basil, chopped

Prepare the bread by slicing it into thin slices.  Grill bread just before serving.  You can do it under the broiler in your oven, or on the grill.  Brush the bread with olive oil on one side.  If broiling, place them on a sheet oiled side up and place them under the broiler for 1-2 minutes.  Be careful not to burn!  If grilling, also grill the bread for 1-2 minutes.  When you remove them from the grill or oven, let them cool slightly, then rub the raw clove of garlic on each piece.

If grilling, brush the other side of the bread with oil, the put that side down on the baking sheet or tray.  If you are broiling in the oven, just keep the toasts on the sheet with their toasted side up. Top each piece of bread with small, thin slices of prosciutto.  Then, top each with a slice of fresh mozzarella.  Grill or broil the toasts for 2 minutes, or just until the mozzarella begins to melt.  Remove from the grill or broiler and top with salt, pepper and fresh basil.




Ready to go on the grill along with some artichokes (Grilled Artichokes recipe here).


The toasts have been grilled, now I'm ready to top them with prosciutto and cheese.


Hot from the grill - these are great as an appetizer or as part of dinner... like deluxe cheese bread.  I often serve them when we're having a vegetarian soup or pasta, then Mike feels like we've had something hearty with meat.



I like to serve these with another grilled appetizer favorite - Grill Artichokes with a Lemon Caper Aioli.  Both make great appetizers or as a side with a steak, grilled fish or kebabs.

Who first called Death "the Grim Reaper"?

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Search: grim reaper name origin

Why: I don't remember why, but yesterday, I read the Prologue and Chapter 1 of Flowers in the Attic. One time, Emily told me that book gave her her first "funny feelings" as a young Mormon in Oregon. I couldn't find any of the funny business on the Internet, but I did read:

I hated it every time someone asked how he died, and what a pity someone so young should die, when so many who were useless and unfit, lived on and on, and were a burden to society.

From all that I heard, and overheard, fate was a reaper, never kind, with little respect for who was loved and needed.

Grim, indeed!

Answer: The legend of the personified "Death" has been around for a long, long time, but as far as anyone can tell, he's only been "grim" for the last century or so. This is a weird thing that I found. Either a lawyer or a judge said it:

So far, the earliest reference was to a 1931 legal case in Florida. It’s the State of Florida ex. rel. Skillman v. City of Miami, 101 Fla. 585 at 591: "When one looks upon a funeral home, his thoughts naturally turn to the certainty of death and to the scenes of desolation and sorrow which, within his experience, have been occasioned by the grim reaper." The case, involving a funeral home, was heard in the Florida Supreme Court, the opinion dated May 12, 1931.

Someone else mentioned that the name "Grim" comes from Grimnir - aka the Germanic god Odin - who personified death in some legends. I don't know about that.

Source: Yahoo! Answers, The Eerie Side of Things,

The More You Know: One of my favorite movies ever is Bill & Ted's Bogus Journey. In fact, I have been thinking a lot lately that someday, I would like to have a pet named De Nomolos. Anyway,



You might be a king or a little street sweeper, but sooner or later, you dance with the reaper.
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Which came first: "Rolling Stone" or The Rolling Stones?

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Search: rolling stone magazine band

Why: This morning, Chandler was singing "Sunshine of Your Love," which made me think of Cream, which made me think of CREEM, which made me think of Almost Famous and that scene where they get their picture on the cover of the Rolling Stone:



(That song, by the way, was written by Shel Silverstein).

Answer: The band! Except they were named after a Muddy Waters song:

According to Richards, Jones christened the band during a phone call to Jazz News. When asked for a band name Jones saw a Muddy Waters LP lying on the floor of which one of the tracks was "Rollin' Stone." On July 12, 1962, the band played their first gig at the Marquee Club billed as "The Rollin' Stones"

(That 1950 song is is Waters' interpretation of "Catfish Blues," a traditional blues that dates back to 1920s Mississippi.)

Their first single was a version of the Chuck Berry song "Come On," released in summer 1963.



The first issue of Rolling Stone was published Nov. 9, 1967. John Lennon was on the cover.



Source: FunTrivia

The More You Know: The Rolling Stones have been on the cover of Rolling Stone 13 times, and Mick Jagger has been on a total of 29 times. Only John Lennon was on more, with 30.

1969:



1978:



1983:



2011:




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