Renees Catering - Chef Richard's Blog

salmon

12/21/2009

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
3 tablespoons butter, melted
5 teaspoons honey
1/2 cup fresh bread crumbs
1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
3 teaspoons chopped fresh parsley
6 (4 ounce) fillets salmon
salt and pepper to taste
6 lemon wedges

Directions:

1.Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). In a small bowl, mix together the mustard, butter, and honey. In another bowl, mix together the bread crumbs, pecans, and parsley.
2.Season each salmon fillet with salt and pepper. Place on a lightly greased baking sheet. Brush with mustard-honey mixture. Cover the top of each fillet with bread crumb mixture.
3.Bake for 10 minutes per inch of thickness, measured at thickest part, or until salmon just flakes when tested with a fork. Serve garnished with lemon wedges.

cocktail

12/20/2009

•1 1/2 oz. Irish whiskey
•1 egg white
(for two drinks)
•1 oz. Irish Mist
•1 oz. lemon juice
•Nutmeg
•Orange slice

Mixing instructions:

Mix all ingredients, except nutmeg and orange, with cracked ice in a shaker or blender and pour into a chilled Delmonico glass or a wine glass. Sprinkle with nutmeg and garnish with orange slice.;Created by Jerry Fitzpatrick, Gresham Hotel, Dublin.

holiday cocktails

12/15/2009

The Poinsettia.

2 Parts Chilled Champagne (or other sparkling wine)
1 Part Chilled Cranberry Juice
Serve in Champagne flute

The Mistletoe.

2 Parts Chilled Champagne (or other sparkling wine)
1 Part Chilled Pomegranate Juice
Garnish with a few pomegranate seeds or blueberries
Serve in Champagne flute

Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail.

1 Part Chilled Pomegranate Juice
3 Parts Chilled Champagne (or other sparkling wine)
Dash of Campari
Serve in martini glass

Hot Chocolate and Kaluha.

1 Cup of favorite Hot Chocolate
Dash of kahlua at room temperature
Marshmallows are optional toppings
Serve hot in coffee cup or mug

shrimp scampie

12/15/2009

Makes 4 servings.
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes

INGREDIENTS
1/4 cup (1/2 stick) butter
1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 green onion, finely chopped
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 teaspoon Parsley Flakes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper, Ground
2 tablespoons white wine or 1 tablespoon lemon juice

DIRECTIONS
1. Melt butter in large skillet on medium heat. Add shrimp, green onion, garlic, parsley, salt and pepper; cook and stir 3 to 4 minutes or just until shrimp turn pink. Stir in wine or lemon juice.
2. Serve over cooked orzo, pasta or rice, if desired.

TipsTest Kitchen Tip: Prepare as directed, substituting 2 teaspoons Garlic with Extra Virgin Olive Oil or California Style Minced Garlic made from Fresh Garlic or 1 teaspoon Garlic Powder for the minced garlic

desser

12/11/2009

Ingredients:

1 ½ quarts lowfat frozen yogurt (2 different flavors)
1 (10.75 oz.) frozen butter pound cake
1 cup coarsely ground TWIX® Cookie Bars
1¼ cups DOVE® Brand Milk or Dark Chocolate
½ cup milk
Reynolds® Parchment Paper
9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan

Directions:

1. Soften one flavor if frozen yogurt by leaving it at room temperature or in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. To line the pan with Reynolds® Parchment Paper, turn the pan upside down and press a sheet of parchment paper over the inverted pan. Flip the pan over and drop molded sheet of parchment paper inside pan, pressing folds into corners to fit inside pan.
2. Cut pound cake into 12 slices and set aside.
3. Press a layer (four slices) of pound cake into the bottom of a loaf pan. Top with an even layer of frozen yogurt and sprinkle on half the ground TWIX® Cookie Bars. Arrange four more slices of pound cake on top and gently press into place. Cover with a layer of remaining frozen yogurt, then the remaining TWIX® Cookie Bars and finally top with remaining pound cake, pressing slices into place.
4. Freeze for at least one hour, until firm.
5. Chop chocolate and place in a bowl. In a small saucepan, bring milk to a near boil. Pour hot milk over chocolate and stir with a rubber spatula until melted. Place frozen mold upside-down onto a large tray or plate lined with Reynolds® Parchment Paper. Release cake by gently pulling it away from pan. Remove Reynolds® Parchment Paper. Working quickly, coat the surface of the cake with melted chocolate. Return to freezer.
6. Decorate and serve.

Tip: Freeze the TWIX® Cookie Bars before coarsely grinding them.

Tip: Try this with angelfood cake instead of pound cake for a lighter version.

holiday craft

12/11/2009

1. Melt a couple of pounds of wax in a double boiler. (try to keep at lowest melting point)
2. Add dye and scent (pine or cinnamon). (same as used in candles above)
3. Using tongs, dip pine cone into wax for a few seconds
4. Gently lift allowing excess wax to drip off
5. Place on wax paper, dip remaining cones
6. Starting with first dipped cone re-dip
7. Continue re-dipping until nice layer of wax has built up on cones
8. Make a nice tag, reminding the receivers not to store too close to the fireplace. After all they are used to start fires ( in a fireplace).

setting a table

11/30/2009

1. Place on the table first the dinner plates. Each person will have a place setting and the plate should be placed centered in the place setting.
2. A folded or rolled napkin with napkin ring is put in the center of each dinner plate.
3. Follow this simple rule of thumb to remember how to set the formal silverware. The meal will be eaten starting with the silverware to the outside. This means that the silverware closest to the plate will be used last.
4. For a typical formal place setting the right side of the plate, nearest to the plate, is where your knife will go. The sharp edge of the knife will face the plate. To the right of the knife will be your spoon. The dessert spoon has a special place directly above the place.
5. The silverware to the left is reserved for the forks. As a general rule there will be a salad fork closest to the plate. Unlike casual meals, the salad is served last for formal dining. The entrée fork will be to the left of the salad fork.
6. You will place the bread plate directly above the forks. A butter knife is placed across the bread plate.
7. Above and to the left of the plate is where you will place the water glass.
8. The dessert is served last, along with the option of serving coffee. The dessert fork, coffee cup, and coffee spoon are brought out with the dessert.

side dish

11/30/2009

Ingredients:
3 lbs. all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cubed
1-1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese (about 6 oz.), divided
1 cup Real Mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
3 green onions, finely chopped
6 slices bacon, crisp-cooked and crumbled (optional)

Instructions:
Preheat oven to 375°. Spray 2-quart shallow baking dish with nonstick cooking spray; set aside.

Cover potatoes with water in 4-quart saucepot; bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender; drain and mash.

Stir in 1 cup cheese, Real Mayonnaise, sour cream, green onions and 4 strips crumbled bacon. Turn into prepared baking dish and bake 30 minutes or until bubbling.

Top with remaining 1/2 cup cheese and bacon. Bake an additional 5 minutes or until cheese is melted. Garnish, if desired, with additional chopped green onions.

Just Pretend

11/24/2009

Step 1 Pick a team. Just pick one and then learn about them. Who are their top players? How many times have they played in and won a Super Bowl? Who are their good players from the past? You don't need to memorize stats. Just get this basic information. It also helps if you develop a back story as to why you like the team. For example, "Growing up in Texas I always loved Tom Landry. He was one of the most innovative coaches in football."

Step 2 Pick a team to hate. This should be the rival of the team you chose to love, but not always. Hate this team well. Pick two players from the team, usually good ones, and find fault with them: showboating, gun possession or other flaws. Proclaim your disdain for this team often.

Step 3 Listen to NPR. On Morning Edition, commentator Frank Deford gives his opinion on sports. Listen and copy. This is safer than copying an opinion from ESPN, because, odds are, most sports nuts in your life don't listen to NPR. You can also podcast it or read it online.

Step 4 Find someone to listen to. Find a lone sports fan you can confide in, ask questions of, and bounce ideas off of. They will be able to tell you what fourth and goal is.

Step 5 Share your opinion loudly. Don't be afraid to shout or yell or start a brawl. Sports fans are vociferous. Pick on someones favorite team, or knock down someones favorite player. This will give you the chance to control the conversation by spouting off what you know and show others that you can tell an Oiler from a Niner, even if you can't.

Fondue

11/24/2009

*Beer and Cheddar fondue*

Ingredients:
1 clove garlic, halved
1 cup light beer
1/2 teaspoon instant chicken bouillon granules
2 tablespoons cornstarch
2 tablespoons cold water
1 cup shredded American cheese (4 ounces)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese (8 ounces)
Assorted items for dipping (French or Italian bread cubes, breadsticks, broccoli florets, red sweet pepper pieces, soft pretzels, and/or precooked baby sunburst squash)
Directions:
1. Rub the bottom and sides of a heavy metal fondue pot* with the garlic halves; discard garlic. In fondue pot, combine the beer and bouillon. Bring to boiling over medium-high heat.
2. In a small bowl, stir together cornstarch and the water. Add cornstarch mixture in a steady stream to beer mixture while stirring with a heat-resistant rubber spatula or wooden spoon. Cook and stir until thickened and bubbly. Reduce heat to medium-low. Gradually stir in shredded cheeses, stirring after each addition until cheese melts.
3. Place fondue pot over fondue burner. Serve immediately with desired items for dipping. Spear item with a fondue fork or wooden skewer; dip into cheese mixture, swirling to coat. (Fondue will thicken as it holds over the burner.) Makes 6 to 8 servings.
4. Note: If you want to use a ceramic fondue pot, prepare fondue in a medium saucepan as above through Step 2. Transfer cheese mixture to ceramic pot and continue as directed in step 3.

*Original Chocolate Fondue*

Ingredients:
1 11-1/2-ounce package milk chocolate pieces
1/4 cup milk
1 tablespoon crunchy peanut butter
   Milk
   Assorted fruits (such as star fruit or carambola slices, orange sections, whole strawberries, pear slices, banana slices, apple slices)
   Angel-food cake or pound cake cubes
   Marshmallows
Directions:
1. In the top of a double boiler placed over gently simmering water, or in heavy small saucepan, combine the chocolate pieces and 1/4 cup milk. Heat, stirring constantly, over low heat until chocolate is melted and smooth. Stir in the peanut butter. Cook and stir till heated through. Stir in additional milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until desired consistency.
2. Pour mixture into a fondue pot; place over fondue burner set on low. With fondue forks or long skewers, dip fruit dippers, cake cubes and/or marshmallows into chocolate mixture. (Will hold up to 1 hour on low. If mixture gets too thick, add milk 1 tablespoon at a time.) Makes 5 (1/4-cup) servings.

*Sesame Soy Beef Fondue Marinade*

Servings: About 4 -6
Ingredients:
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
2 Tbsp. water
2 Tbsp. packed brown sugar
1-1/2 Tbsp. dark sesame oil
1 tsp. minced garlic
1 tsp. minced fresh ginger
1/4 tsp. pepper
Directions:
Combine all ingredients in small bowl; stir until sugar is dissolved.
For fondue
1. Trim all fat from 1 lb. of beef tenderloin for sirloin and cut into 1-inch cubes and place in shallow dish or sealable plastic bag.
2. Pour marinade over beef; refrigerate 2-3 hours.
3. To serve, heat fondue oil or broth according to manufacturer's instructions. Pat beef cubes with paper towels to remove excess marinade (to help prevent splattering.) Cook cubes to desired doneness and serve with dipping sauces.

Dessert

11/19/2009

Ingredients:
1 (15 ounce) box Pillsbury(R) refrigerated pie crust, softened as directed on box
1 (8 ounce) package cream cheese, softened
3 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 eggs
1 (15.1 ounce) box Pillsbury(R) fudge supreme hot fudge swirl premium brownie mix
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tablespoons water
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Directions:
1.Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Place pie crust in 9-inch glass pie pan as directed on box for One-Crust Filled Pie.
2.In medium bowl with electric mixer, beat cream cheese, sugar, vanilla and 1 of the eggs on medium speed until smooth; set aside.
3.Reserve hot fudge packet from brownie mix for topping. In large bowl, beat brownie mix, oil, 1 tablespoon of the water and remaining 2 eggs 50 strokes with spoon.
4.Spread 1/2 cup brownie mixture in bottom of crust-lined pan. Spoon and carefully spread cream cheese mixture over brownie layer. Top with remaining brownie mixture; spread evenly. Sprinkle with pecans.
5.Bake 40 to 50 minutes or until center is puffed and crust is golden brown. After 15 to 20 minutes of baking, cover crust edge with strips of foil to prevent excessive browning (pie may have cracks on surface).
6.In small microwavable bowl, microwave hot fudge from packet on High 30 seconds. Stir in remaining tablespoon water. Drizzle fudge over top of pie. Cool completely, about 3 hours. Store in refrigerator.

Serves 8

Thanksgiving Decor

11/19/2009

Step 1 Think about the size you would like your centerpiece to be and get a pumpkin that looks good on all sides and will sit straight on the table. Hollow out the pumpkin so that it is fairly clean inside. Scrape the inside bottom until it is flat so that it will hold a plastic dish steady.

Step 2 Take a piece of Oasis floral foam (or similar) and place it in water until it is soaked. Choose a plastic dish that will fit inside your pumpkin. Set the floral foam into the dish so that it will stay in firmly. Place the dish with the foam into the pumpkin. I should sit straight without wobbling.

Step 3 You can choose whether or not to use green leaves with your flowers. If you do choose green leaves, put them into the foam first. You can try to use green leaves from your garden, but they may not stay fresh looking for very long. Test your leaves first by cutting one and leaving it in a vase of water overnight. Cut each leaf stem at an angle and push it about 1/2 way into the foam. Do this sparsely so that you have plenty of room to add flowers.

Step 4 Choose the flowers you want to use. Fall colors such as yellow, orange, bronze and gold are usually used. Chrysanthemums are a flower that lasts a long time and come in all the fall colors. Carnations also last a long time. Think of the shape you want your finished arrangement to be. A nice shape is a "puff ball" coming out of the top of the pumpkin that is about 1-1/2 times the size of the pumpkin. Choose one kind of flower to start with and cut the stems at an angle to help with water absorption. Place each stem about 1/2 way into the foam. Put them all the way around the "puff ball" shape with space in between each one for other flowers. Repeat this with each kind of flower.

Step 5 Find fall colored leaves around your yard to finish the centerpiece. The stems may not be long enough to push down into the foam. You can use a small stick from the craft shop and tape it to the bottom of the leaf with some floral tape or a small wire. Then you can push each stick into the foam around the flowers. If you do this more than one day ahead of time you may have to refill the plastic dish with water. Be careful so it doesn't leak out of the pumpkin. You will be proud of your creation!

open a beer bottle

11/12/2009

Step 1 Grab the beer that you want to open near the bottle cap with your non-dominant hand on top of a table or something flat.

Step 2 Get another bottle on your other hand.

Step 3 Turn the bottle upside down with the cap in contact underneath the cap of the beer you are trying to open.

Step 4 Option 1Use your palm and your fingers to provide a tight grip on the two bottles. The index finger should keep the two caps together, while the middle finger will act as the fulcrum.

Step 5 Carefully pull down the upside down bottle until the cap pop off. And now you can drink your cold beer.

Step 6 Option 2If you are having a hard time, you can try on a different angle. You may position the other beer near your thumb side instead. Now the base of your thumb will act as the fulcrum when you try to pop off the cap.

Step 7 Now how do you open the last one if you’ve finished all the other beers? Simple… just put the cap back on in one of the bottles and repeat the steps.

Once you’ve done it, you won’t be looking for your bottle opener the next time you want to enjoy a nice cold beer. It takes more practice though to make those loud popping sound. It’s really fun! You don’t have to damage your lighter, keys, or your table… or even chip your teeth. Try it!

Thanksgiving Recipe

11/12/2009

INGREDIANTS:
1 egg
2 t vanilla extract
1 dash salt
3/4 cup self rising flour
1 lg can yams
6 t butter/margarine
1 sm pkg pecan pieces
3/4 cup LT brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar

DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to 375 coat 9x10 glass baking dish(or metal) with non-stick cooking spray(if you dont have spray coat with oil,lard,or butter)

Set aside 2t butter/margarine,1/4c sugar,1/4c Lt brown sugar,1/4c flour,and half pkg pecans

Soften 4t butter/margarine

In lg bowl beat egg,add butter/margarine,vanilla,and salt,mixing well

Drain half juice off yams(save in case u need it),add to egg mixture

Add sugars,and flour

Using potato masher or wisk stir or mash until mixture is blended together but lumpy.

stir in half pkg of pecan pieces

In coated baking dish sprinkle with alittle of both sugars

Add yam mixture to dish,set aside

(This mixture should be thicker than a reg. cake mix,if it seems to be too dry add some of the saved yam juice(discard the rest) if too wet add a smidgen of flour till right consistency)

In small bowl add remaining butter/margarine,flour,and sugars

With pastry cutter( 2 butter knifes instead if u dont have pastry cutter making crisscross motion) cut butter into mixture(this should become crumbly)Spoon over top of casserole adding remaining pecans on top

Bake for 45 miutes until top is browned nicely

Let set for 10 mins before serving

Serves 14 people

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

11/6/2009

Broiled Tilapia Parmesan

Ingredients

1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup butter, softened
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon dried basil
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon onion powder
1/8 teaspoon celery salt
2 pounds tilapia fillets

Directions

*Preheat your oven's broiler. Grease a broiling pan or line pan with aluminum foil.
*In a small bowl, mix together the Parmesan cheese, butter, mayonnaise and lemon juice. Season with dried basil, pepper, onion powder and celery salt. Mix well and set aside.
*Arrange fillets in a single layer on the prepared pan. Broil a few inches from the heat for 2 to 3 minutes. Flip the fillets over and broil for a couple more minutes. Remove the fillets from the oven and cover them with the Parmesan cheese mixture on the top side. Broil for 2 more minutes or until the topping is browned and fish flakes easily with a fork. Be careful not to over cook the fish

Serving 8

open a champagne bottle

11/6/2009

How to Open a Champagne Bottle with a Knife

First take the foil wrapper off to expose the cork and the wire that holds it in. Do not take the wire loose or off.

The most important step is to shake up the champagne bottle. This creates pressure inside the bottle so the cork will shoot out. Shake well!

Hold the bottle in your non-dominate hand. If you are right handed this will be your left hand. Grip the bottom half, fat part, of the bottle.

Point the cork away from anything you don't want to get hit by a flying cork.

Hold the knife in your dominate hand. If you are right handed this is your right hand.

Touch the knife blade to the bottle just above where your hand is holding it. Slide the knife blade up the bottle in a quick motion in order to cut the wire and allow the cork to shoot off. The idea here is to simply cut the wire that is holding the cork in and allow the pressure inside the bottle to shoot the cork out!

halloween recipies

10/28/2009

Black Opal

Ingredients:

1 ounce Vodka

1 ounce Gin

1 ounce Rum (light)

1 ounce Tequila (Gold)

1 ounce Chambord (Raspberry Liqueur)

1 ounces Sweet & Sour mix

1 ounce Lemon Lime Soda

1 ounce Sour Mix

Instructions:

Fill a pint glass with ice. Shake together all ingredients in a shaker, excluding the lemon lime soda. Pour into glass and top with the soda. Garnish with a cherry.

Mini Mummies

* Heat oven to 375°F.
* Unroll dough from a tube of Pillsbury crescent rolls onto a foil baking surface.
* Separate the dough at the perforations, creating rectangles. Press perforations to seal.
* With a knife, cut each rectangle lengthwise into 10 pieces, making a total of 40 pieces of dough.
* Cut each cheese slice into 4 pieces.
* Wrap 4 pieces of dough and one piece of cheese around each hot dog to look like bandages.
* Near one end of each hot dog, separate "bandages" so hot dog shows through for a "face."
* Place wrapped hot dogs (cheese side down) on baking surface.
* Spray dough lightly with cooking spray.
* Bake for about 15 minutes, or until dough is light golden brown and hot dogs are hot.
* Create features on the face using ketchup, mustard or cloves for the eyes, and ketchup, mustard or a horizontal knife slit for the mouth.

How To

10/20/2009

Vegetable –
*Trim and wash vegetables.
*Cut vegetables in half or into thick slices. Each piece should be about 1/2 inch thick for hard vegetables.
*Either use a marinade or brush vegetables lightly with oil.
*Preheat grill to a medium heat.
*Place small vegetables on skewers or use a grilling basket. Larger pieces can be place right on the grate.
*Turn vegetables frequently and brush with additional marinade or oil to prevent drying.
*Remove vegetables when the skin begins to blister and the middle becomes soft.
*Different vegetables will take different amounts of time to cook. Plan on grilling for 5 to 20 minutes.
*Remove when done and serve.

Corn on the cob –
*Take the husks off the corn and clean off the silks. Get a fairly large piece of tin foil. Put the corn in the middle of the foil. Rub the corn with butter and sprinkle with salt and any other seasonings. Place the foil wrapped ears on the grill or put them in coals (but not in direct fire). Roll the ears occasionally to make sure that they cook evenly.

*After about 10 minutes, stick a fork through the tin foil to test for doneness. Fork check in more than one spot, since cooking can be uneven. Kernels will be soft when the corn is done.

*Use a fork to check doneness. Kernels are soft when fully cooked.
*Remove from grill and cool a bit.
*Take foil off and eat.
*You'll have moist, buttery grilled corn with this method.

Burgers –
*Form patties about 1/2- to 3/4-inch thick. Make the diameter about 1/2 inch larger than the bun to allow for shrinkage.
*Build a hot fire in the grill. Lightly oil the bars with vegetable oil - pour oil onto a paper towel, then hold the towel with tongs to wipe the oil onto the grill bars.
*Season the burgers on both sides with salt and pepper. Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper give the best flavor.
*Place the burgers on the grill over direct heat. Cook about 3 to 4 minutes per side, turning once. Do not press down on the burgers with the spatula during cooking - this only squeezes out the juices, encourages flame-ups and dries out the burger.
*Check doneness by peeking inside a patty with a spatula, or use an instant-read food thermometer inserted into the center of the patty. (See Tips for recommended temperature.)
*Serve on fresh buns with any toppings you prefer: cheese, tomatoes, lettuce, onion, pickles and condiments such as ketchup, mayonnaise or mustard.

Chicken –
*Remove the chicken breast from the refrigerator and start your gas grill or light your charcoal grill.
*Give your grill or briquettes a good 15 minutes to warm up. Too often people make a mistake of putting the chicken breast on the grill before the coals or the grill are hot. If you are using a charcoal grill, spread the coals and place the grates above them to form the grilling surface.
*Cook the chicken breast over direct heat. This means you should place them on the grilling surface directly above the coals in the grill. It should take about 5 to 7 minutes on the first side of the chicken breast depending on thickness.
*Flip the chicken breast on the grill. Do not puncture the meat while flipping it. Use tongs to flip the chicken. If you puncture the chicken breast with a fork while flipping it, juices may escape while grilling, causing the chicken to dry out.
*Apply a finishing or barbecue sauce to the side that is face up after 4 minutes on the grill for the second side. Do this so that the sauce does not burn. Many barbecue and finishing sauces have high sugar contents, which result in the sauce burning.
*Wait 2 minutes. Flip the chicken breast and apply a coating of barbecue sauce or finishing sauce on the other side of the chicken breast. Let this cook an additional minute to start to caramelize, glazing the chicken breast. You can then remove the chicken breast from the grill.
*Allow the chicken breasts to rest for 5 to 10 minutes on a serving platter covered in foil. Serve to your guests with any side dishes you prefer.

Ribeye Steak –
*Get your Grill ready. We want to set the grill up with coals lit on just half of the grill for direct drilling. Leave the other half empty so that you can move the steak later on. We want the coals to get very hot so that we can sear the meat and lock in the flavors. For a charcoal grill this should take around 15-20 minutes. Perfect time to prepare everything else.
*Some people swear by a marinade. It can't hurt, however, a piece of beef like a Ribeye simply doesn't need it. The fat in the beef will provide plenty of flavors as well as keep it nice and moist. All I want is for the meat to be room temperature and rub it generously with salt and pepper.
*Take a nice garlic bulb and cut it in half across the equator. Place the half of garlic in a piece of aluminum foil and pour a little extra virgin olive oil on top of the garlic. We are going to roast this on the grill for a superior flavor.
*We also want to cut up some onion and place it in another piece of foil to put on the grill. pour a little olive oil on that as well.*By now the grill should be nice and hot. Go ahead and clean your grill grate with a sturdy wire brush. Then, oil the grill grate with some vegetable oil or cooking spray. Be careful with the spray, we don't want you to get burned. The Aerosol from the can could ignite.
*Place the Garlic and onion foil packs directly over the heat. Leaving enough room for your steaks. Carefully, place your Ribeye over the hot coals and LEAVE IT ALONE!!! We want to hear a nice sizzle that shows that will tell you that the meat is searing and locking in the flavor. A rule of thumb that I have always gone by and had great results is to sear the beef for a minute and a half for each inch of thickness. We would rather have the steaks a little rare than well done. After the allotted time, flip the steak. Once again, you should hear a nice sizzle.
*After you have seared both sides of the steak, take it off of the heat and move it to the cool side of the grill. Put the Cover of the grill on and let it bake in there for about 8-10 minutes. Remove the cover, flip the steak again, leaving it on the cool side and let it sit for another 8-10 minutes. If you want, throw a nice pat of butter on top of the steak and put the lid back on.
*Remove the steak, garlic and onions from the grill and transfer to a plate or cutting board. Remove the garlic from its packet. It should be brown and soft. Remove a couple of cloves from the garlic and place on top of the steak. Spread it around, it should spread like butter!!! Then place a piece of foil on top of the steak and let it rest for a few minutes. we don't want to lose all those juices.
*Once it has rested, place some of the caramelized onions on top of the steak and enjoy. It should be one of the tenderest steaks you ever had!

Ribs –
*Prepare your grill fire. Baby-back ribs cook best when there are both hot and medium-low sections of the grill.
*Make sure the ribs are at or fairly close to room temperature, but don't leave them out of the refrigerator for more than about an hour. For best flavor you should let the ribs marinate at least a few hours prior to cooking.
*Mix in some soaked wood with the charcoal to create more smoke.
*Place the ribs on the grill but don't put them directly over high heat. They're supposed to cook slowly for a couple of hours from the smoke and heat inside the grill.
*Turn them often as they cook.
*Note that the ribs will take about 2 to 2 1/2 hours to cook.
*Start brushing on extra sauce about 30 minutes before they're done if.
*Near the end of the estimated cooking time, use a knife to cut away one bone from the meat to check for doneness. Or use an instant-read thermometer; the meat is done when the internal temperature reaches 155 degrees F. For both doneness tests, be sure to check in the thickest part of the rack.

Hot dogs & brats –
*Prepare a charcoal or gas grill for cooking over high heat.
*Place meat on a clean grill
*Turn meat often until slightly blistered or charred on all sides, cooking for about 5 to 6 minute.
*Brush hot dog buns with melted butter and toast them briefly on the grill, if desired.

Salmon –
*Slice salmon fillet into 4 pieces. The skin can be on or off.
Measure the thickest portion of the fillet to determine the cooking time. The fillets should cook for 10 minutes per inch.
*In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, lemon juice, dill, lemon rind, salt and pepper, and pour into a shallow dish.
Add the fillets. Using tongs, turn the fillets to coat evenly.
*Cover with plastic wrap and marinate for up to 30 minutes in the refrigerator, turning once.
*Be sure to marinate the fish for no longer than 30 minutes, otherwise the fish will cook in the acids of the marinade and become dry. Grease the grill and barbecue the fish on medium-high, or 4 to 6 inches from medium-hot coals.
*Save the marinade and baste the fillets frequently, using up all the marinade.
Turn fillets over halfway through cooking by placing one metal spatula under the fillet and one on top.
*The fish is done when it flakes easily when tested with a fork.

Pork tenderloins –
* Cook the pork over medium high heat for 3 minutes, then turn with the tongs and continue heating each side for an additional 3 minutes.
*Check the internal temperature of the pork. It should read 165 F for well done. Remove the pork from heat, and let it stand on a cutting platter for 10 minutes if the desired temperature has been reached.
*Let the meat stand for 10 minutes, then slice it into the desired thickness and serve.

Shrimp –
* Wash and peel shrimp
*Preheat the grill as you skewer the shrimp.

*Grill the skewers for 3 to 5 minutes on each side

quesadilla & lemonade

10/6/2009

Turkey and Balsamic Onion Quesadilla

Soak onions in balsamic to bring out their sweetness. Do not use expensive balsamic.

Ingredients:

1 small red onion, thinly sliced
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar
4 10-inch whole-wheat tortillas
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
8 slices deli turkey, preferably smoked (8 ounces)

Instructions:

Mix onions and vinegar in a bowl and marinate for 5 min. Then drain excess vinegar. (Could us extra for salad dressing, etc.)
In a large nonstick skillet, place two tortillas and cook on medium-high heat (they will overlap). Cook for about 45 sec. than flip. Pull the tortillas up the edges of the pan so they are no longer overlapping (working on ½ of each tortilla). Sprinkle ¼ of the cheese, with 2 slices of turkey and then topped with ¼ of the onions. Fold tortillas in half, press gently with spatula to flatten and cook until cheese starts to melt (about 2 min.). Continue flipping to keep warm. Make two more quesadillas with the remaining ingredients.

Makes 4 servings.

Active Minutes: 15

Total: 20 minutes

Berry Lemonade Ice Tea

Ingredients:

1 can (12 oz) frozen lemonade concentrate
8 wild berry tea bags (suggestions: Celestial Seasoning Wild Berry Zinger)

Instructions:

Combined lemonade concentrates with the recommended amount of water (see specific instructions on can) in large pitcher, add tea bags and refrigerate overnight.

Remove tea bags and refrigerate until served.

Garnish with lemons.

**For alcoholic drink add citrus vodka.

autumn ideas

9/21/2009

Plum Autumn Punch

Ingredients:
4 medium purple or green plums, pitted and sliced
1 64-ounce bottle apple-cranberry juice
½ of a vanilla bean, split lengthwise
2 teaspoon whole cloves
1 750-ml bottle of fruity white wine
Ice cubes
Double thick 6-inch square of 100% cotton cheesecloth

Directions:
Place vanilla bean and cloves in center of cheesecloth. Bring all corners of cloth together. Tie together with a clean piece of string. Pour apple- cranberry juice into a large container or pitcher. Then add plums and clove/vanilla bag to juice. Cover and chill for 4 to 24 hours.

Then take and discard cheesecloth bag. Mix in wine and serve with plums over ice. (For hot drink, heat mixture and wine in 4 qt. Dutch oven until simmering.

Serving 10-12

For nonalcoholic drink, substitute wine for ginger ale!

Cinnamon Apple Glazed Chicken

Ingredients:
2 Tbsp. Dijon mustard
1/3 cup apple jelly
1 Tbsp. honey
2 Tbsp. applesauce
¼ tsp. salt
½ tsp. cinnamon
4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves

Directions:
Preheat grill. Combine all ingredients except chicken into small bowl and stir to mix. Oil grill rack when ready to cook. Coat chicken with the apple mixture and place on grill 4-6” from medium coals. Keep adding mixture as needed while rotating chicken on grill. Continue until chicken in no longer pink and the temperature reaches 170 degrees. Cook for 15-20 minutes.

Serves 4

4th of July cookout

7/2/2009

Tips on having a perfect cookout for the 4^th

The 4^th of July is just around the corner, and at Renee’s Catering, that means lots of grilling. Before I get started with my fun weekend of grill’n and chill’n, I reach for my favorite barbecue recipe book, “The Barbecue Bible” by Steven Raichlen. Here’re some great tips for your holiday festivities.

Cleaning and oiling the grate:

Cleanliness may be next to godliness when it comes to personal hygiene, but don’t overdo it when it comes to your grill. A firebox seasoned with smoke and spatterings produces better-tasting food than a shiny new grill just out of the box. Don’t be gross about it, though. Never leave whole pieces of food encrusted on the grill.

The one exception to the cleanliness rule is the grate, which you should clean, which you should clean thoroughly before and after each use. A clean grate helps prevent foods from sticking and makes the final product taste better. At Renee’s we follow this simple procedure.

Before cooking, when the grill has been preheated to high and the grate is hot, brush the grate vigorously with a long-handled wire brush to loosen any burned-on food or debris. (A metal spatula works well for scraping off large bits.) Brush the grill again when you’ve finished cooking.

If the grate is to be oiled, wait until it is hot, and oil it just prior to adding the food. There are three techniques for oiling. The first is to remove the grate form the fire and spray it with oil. (Use sturdy spring-loaded tongs and a heavy oven mitt or pot holders to lift the grill.) Never spray the grate over the fire: you’ll spark a Vesuvian flare-up.

For the second method, the grate remains on the grill. Pour ¼ to ½ cup of vegetable oil into a small bowl. Fold a paper towel to create a pad about ¾ inch thick, 1 inch wide, and 3 inches long. Holding this pad with long-handled tongs, dip it in the oil, then rub it over the bars of the hot grate.

The third method--my favorite—is also with grate in place. Rob the hot grate with a piece of beef, bacon, or chicken fat (hold the fat with tongs or with a carving fork).

Lighting the grill:

First, be sure you have enough gas (that’s where the gas gauge comes in). There’s nothing worse than starting to cook a whole brisket or ham and running out of gas halfway through.

Uncover the grill, set the starting burner on high, and light it with the ignition switch (or if you have an old model, a match). Make sure the burner is lit. Most gas grills have a peephole located under the burner control knob for viewing the burner.

Should the gas fail to light after you’ve pushed the ignition switch for a few seconds, shut the grill down, wait a few minutes to let the grill air out, and then try again. Many men (myself included), lack a patience gene (not to mention a common sense gene), so I mention this for anyone falling into that category: Do not keep the gas flowing while you keep pressing a balky ignition switch. The firebox will fill with gas, and when the spark finally comes, the gas will ignite with explosive force.

Once the master burner is lit, light the others, setting them all to high. Preheat the grill to the desired temperature. This will take 10 to 15 minutes. Don’t skimp on this preheating time—that’s one of the most common mistakes people make when using a gas grill. (it is best to preheat the grill to high the lower to the desired temperature.)

Making crosshatch grill marks:

Is there anything handsomer than fish steaks or veal chops neatly crosshatched with grill marks? You’ll be amazed to know how easy it is to achieve this professional look at home.

Preheat the grill to high and thoroughly clean, preheat, and oil the grate. Place the steaks or chops on the grill, all lined up in the same direction, After 2 minutes, use a spatula or tongs to rotate each piece 45 degrees to make a diagonal crosshatch or 90 degrees to make a square crosshatch. Cook until seared to taste, about 2 minutes more.

Invert the steaks and repeat the procedure on the other side. The exact cooking times will depend on what you’re cooking, the thickness of the steak or chop,, and how you like it cooked.

The ten commandments of perfect grilling:

1. Be organized. Have everything you need for grilling—the food, marinade, basting sauce, seasonings, and equipment—on hand and at grillside before you start grilling.

2. Gauge your fuel. There’s nothing worse than running out of charcoal or gas in the middle of grilling. When using charcoal, light enough to form a bed of glowing coals 3 inches larger on all sides than the surface area of the food you’re planning to cook. (a 22 ½ inch grill needs one chimney’s worth of coals.) when cooking on a gas grill, make sure the tank is at least one-third full.

3. Preheat the grill to the right temperature. Remember: grilling is a high-heat cooking method. In order to achieve the seared crust, charcoal flavor, and handsome grill marks associated with masterpiece grillmanship, you must cook over a high heat. How high? At least 500 degrees F. When using charcoal, let it burn until it is covered with a thin coat of gray ash. Hold your hand about 6 inches above the grate. After 3 seconds, the force of the heat should force you to snatch your hand away. When using a gas grill, preheat to high (at least 500 degrees F); this takes 10 to 15 minutes. When indirect grilling, preheat the grill to 350 degrees F.

4. Keep it clean. There’s nothing less appetizing than grilling on dirty old burnt bits of food stuck to the grate. Besides, the food will stick to a dirty grate. Clean the grate twice: once after you’ve preheated the grill and again when you’ve finished cooking. The first cleaning will remove any bits of food you may have missed after your last grilling session. Use the edge of a metal spatula to scrape off large bits of food, a stiff wire brush to finish scrubbing the grate.

5. Keep it lubricated. Oil the grate just before placing the food on top, if necessary (some foods don’t require that the grates be oiled). Spray it with oil (away from the flames), use a folded paper towel soaked in oil, or rub it with a piece of fatty bacon, beef fat, or chicken skin.

6. Turn, don’t stab. The proper way to turn meat on a grill is with tongs or spatula. Never stab the meat with a carving fork—unless you want to drain the flavor-rich juices onto the coals

7. Know when to baste. Oil-and-vinegar, citrus, and yogurt-based bastes and marinades can be brushed on the meat throughout the cooking time. (if you baste with a marinade that you used for raw meat or seafood, do not apply it during the last 3 minutes of cooking.) When using a sugar-based barbecue sauce, apply it toward the end of the cooking time. The sugar in these sauces burns easily and should not be exposed to prolonged heat.

8. Keep it covered. When cooking larger cuts of meat and poultry, such a whole chicken, leg of lamb, or prime rib, use the indirect method of grilling or barbecuing. Keep the grill tightly covered and resist the temptation to peek. Every time you lift the lid, you add 5 to 10 minutes to the cooking time.

9. Give it a rest. Beef, steak, chicken—almost anything you grill—will taste better if you let it stand on the cutting board for a few minutes before serving. This allows the meat juices, which have been driven to the center of a roast or steak by the searing heat, to return to the surface. The result is a juicier, tastier piece of meat.

10. Never desert your post. Grilling is an easy cooking method, but it demands constant attention. Once you put something on the grill (especially when using the direct method), stay with it until it’s cooked. This is not the time to answer the phone, make the salad dressing, or mix up a batch of you famous mojitos.

Above all, have fun! And be safe this holiday weekend.

Renee's Catering, your Austin caterer!

black bean & chicken soup

5/26/2009

I am a bit of a "traditionalist" when it comes to soups & stocks (one of my few quirks). I typically will always take the long road to putting soups, sauces & stocks together.

Have you ever wondered why restaurant food taste so damn good? We use real butter, heavy cream & many of us make our soups from scratch. Beginning with a great stock!

However, I have found a pretty good recipe for the time consumed. It takes about 20-30 minutes, depending on your culinary skills. The most time is in cooking & shredding the chicken, dicing the onions & garlic, then lastly dumping everything into a crock-pot & heading out to work or golf or whatever for 6-8 hours. Very awesome!

Enjoy!

Ingredients:
1 1/2 pound boneless chicken - cooked and shredded (3-4 large breasts)
1 can 1/4 diced tomatoes (15-oz)
2 cans black beans (15-oz)
1 can enchilada sauce (10-oz)
1 medium onion - diced
1 can chopped green chilies (4-oz)
1 clove garlic - minced
2 cups water
2 cans chicken broth (14 1/2-oz)
1 teaspoon ground cumin
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 bay leaf
1 package frozen corn (16-oz.)
1 tablespoon dried chopped cilantro
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
Tortilla strips - (garnish)

Serves: 8-10 people

Directions:
STEP 1

In a stock pot
bring water to a boil
place chicken in boiling water to cook (approximately 10-15 min)
once chicken is cooked, remove it from the water to a cutting board
shred chicken with 2 forks, pulling it apart

STEP 2

dice onion
dice garlic

STEP 3

In a crock-pot
combine shredded chicken, whole tomatoes, enchilada sauce, diced onion, green chilies and garlic
add water, chicken broth, cumin, chili powder, salt, black pepper and bay leafs
stir in corn and cilantro
cover and cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH 3 to 4 hours.

STEP 4

remove and discard bay leaf.

STEP 5

preheat oven to 400F
lightly brush both sides or tortilla with vegetable oil
cut tortillas into 2 1/2 x 1/2-inch strips
spread tortilla strips onto baking sheet
bake, turning occasionally, until crisp, (approximately 5-10 min)
sprinkle tortilla strips over soup
serve immediately

this recipe was adapted from one I found at cdKitchen.com

Renee's Catering is your Austin Catering company!

new you tube video

5/25/2009

We have been playing with making a new You Tube video; mainly to get ready for our montage of weddings, parties, holiday events, etc...

So, let us know what you think!

Your Austin, Texas caterer, Renee's Catering!

texans for tah-tahs

5/13/2009

Here is a great event we are very honored to be donating to. A big THANK YOU to Marathon Real Estate for inviting us! We will report the earnings of the event soon after.

Marathon Real Estate & Texans for Tah-Tahs are tickled pink to present the 2nd Annual...For Breast Cancer

Live Music, Dancing, Date Auction, & Good Philanthropic Fun for Everyone!
Wednesday, May 20th
Speakeasy
(412 Congress Ave, Austin)
6 pm – 9 pm
Bring your friends!

The PINK particulars…
Single? There will be bidding with cold, hard cash (or credit card) for Austin’s hottest & boldest bachelors & bachelorettes for breast savin’ fab fund raisin’!

Taken? Come for live music, to support a good cause, and kick off Memorial Day Weekend early!

DRINK UP…Speakeasy will donate 20% of all gross sales from the bar to the Texans Tah-Tahs!

"TEXANS FOR TAH-TAHS" is a team of 20 tenacious and audacious Austin women walking in the 2009 Breast Cancer 3-Day/60 Mile Walk in Seattle. This is our 4th Annual Walk.

VERY Special Thanks to…
Speakeasy   www.speakeasyaustin.com
OHN Band   www.letsgetitohn.com
Lisa Moguel   www.guzelphotography.com

Can’t make it, but want to support us? Here’s how…to make a donation to our team...

To make a donation to our team, mail a check payable to: "Breast Cancer 3-Day,” 4111 Medical Parkway, Ste. 200, Austin, TX 78756.
Interested in joining our team? It promises to be a rewarding experience full of memories for a lifetime!
Contact Tausha Carlson for more information: tausha@taushacarlson.com

Information on the 3-day walk can be found at: www.the3day.org

Your Austin Catering company is Renee's Catering & Events!

austin.com

5/5/2009

Some time ago we were introduced to a guy, Dan Viotto, working with a little company by the name Austin.com.

First, as everyone is, "very awesome domain name; how the heck did you land that deal?" Turns out the person that owns the domain has owned the domain for some 15 years, talk about foresight or just luck, either way...what a cool domain name to be working with.

Dan, myself & the Renee's team hit it off immediately and have been buds ever since. He has a passion for Austin.com that is genuine & energetic. We have spoken many times about the cool things a company such as Austin.com & Renee's Catering can team up on, i.e. - video recipes, recorded down on congress avenue with the capital in the background or something...keep in touch, we are going to see some great things with these two companies.

Austin, Texas is the iconic town finally on the verge of running with the big boys in terms of city maturity. Music...Austin most definitely has. Restaurants, growing; Medical, growing; Freeways, grid lock - I guess that means Austin has officially reached the "Show".

Aside from the crappy traffic, this town sits in the "Best of Texas" zone. Lakes, the Hill Country, Night Life, the University of Texas (which has every imaginable sport to watch & keep up with, because they're good) - you cannot beat living in this town!

Here is a little about Austin.com & what they are working towards.

the Austin.com Mission Statement:
Austin.com is a locally owned and staffed website that delivers quality content to our audience, delivers a return on investment to our advertising partners, and reaches out to the community in a charitable fashion. There are many people and companies to thank for helping make Austin.com possible.

Feel free to contact Austin.com at their website...Austin.com

I must say, they have definitely lived up to this mission since I have known them. We have been involved with several events where Austin.com always seems to be. Keep up the great work Dan & Austin.com!

We will be seeing you at the events of Austin, Texas; possibly through Austin.com.

what a cool logo! Austin.com, music - what else do you need??

Renee's Catering loves to be your personalized caterer in Austin, Texas!

vintage IT services catering

4/30/2009

What a great night. Taking standard, simple ingredients & turning them into something pretty damn good is a task we love to handle.

We catered for a local Austin IT company (Vintage IT Services) that was hosting a small “thank you” for their customers at Ballet Austin. A nice Pinot Noir & Pouilly Fume were poured as all the guests munched on smoked salmon crostini’s, caramelized onion topped baked Brie & a mediteranean bruchetta…to name a few.

Keeping it simple & bold was the theme of the night. Quite an awesome evening; life just doesn’t get simpler or better than that.

PS - if you are a small Austin, Texas business looking for help with your internal IT systems, contact Vintage IT Services or 512.481.1117.

big day premiere party

4/15/2009

So a couple Wednesday's ago we partnered with Amanda Dudley and her company Big Day Event Productions to help them have their company launching party.

The Event Date was: Wednesday, April 1, 2009
BIG DAY EVENT PRODUCTIONS PREMIERE PARTY
BENEFITING MEALS ON WHEELS – AUSTIN, TX

On the evening of Wednesday, April 1st, Big Day Event Productions hosted their premiere event benefiting Austin’s Meals On Wheels and More at Speakeasy, down on Congress.

The night was a full evening of entertainment, emceed by comedian Scott Hardy and featured one of Austin’s brightest new stars - Nakia!

What a FUN event - THANK YOU to Amanda & her team. They have made our new little company feel extremely welcomed into their world & we look forward to helping them look like hero's for many years to come.

Not only was the event a great night for all the guests who attended...the ladies of Renee's found a few minutes to goof off & have some fun.

Great job LJ, Amber, Kelly & Carolyn...this company would be nothing without the great spirit, hard work & energy all of you bring to every event!

Nothing but fun at Renee's Catering of Austin, Texas!

wine & food fest

4/8/2009

Sunday, April 4, 2009, we had the privilege to be a part of the Austin Loop 360 Circle of Friends "River Garden Trail Wine & Food Fest".

The most fun part about being involved was watching everyone donate like crazy & truly enjoy giving to a great cause.

So, what does the even actually benefit? I am glad you asked...here is a clip from their website childrensaustin.org

Building Dreams

Children's Medical Center Foundation of Central Texas serves as the fundraising arm for Seton Family of Hospital's new Dell Children's Medical Center of Central Texas. Through philanthropy, the Central Texas community helped us build this outstanding regional facility. Our goal now is to help make it one of the top children's hospitals in the country. This is the right thing to do - our children deserve this.

Dell Children's is a tremendous asset to our community. The state-of-the-art facility provides exceptional care, close to home, to thousands of children and their families. It continues the legacy of outstanding service of Children's Hospital of Austin (closed on July 1, 2007) with new space, new technology, new programs - and more hearts and hands to make it all happen.

Together, we are creating a new standard in pediatric care. We are growing a world-class medical center dedicated to the care of children and adolescents, regardless of their families' ability to pay. We offer help, hope, and healing to our children for generations to come.

The 2nd Annual River Garden Trail Wine and Food Fest was held on Saturday, April 4, 2009 from 6:30 pm to 11 pm.

This was a fun evening of hand selected wines, decadent foods and friends. The event featured a stroll around the Summit neighborhood with wine and food pairings at four residences.

I would like to persoanlly thank the host homes:
Linda and Michael McCaul, Jill and James Capela, Rosalind and Tim George, especially Abby and Mark Salter (our home, the desserts & cheeses).

Here are a few pics...

Find your caterer in Austin, Texas to be Renee's Catering & Events!

Easter's grilled leg of lamb

4/6/2009

When my family gets together for a holiday, we make it into a potluck event. I am sure you have seen National Lampoon’s “Christmas Vacation” with the Griswold’s…well, we are nothing like that; or at least in my mind. We are actually pretty civil, most of the time.

Planning is never our strong suit though, so we just throw up simply…everyone bring some kind of dish, your favorite pertaining to the appropriate holiday please (or else we get wacked out stuff). Being that I’m the chef of the family, I like to bring something that makes everyone ooooh and aaaah. And, when I think Easter, I think lamb.

Here is a great grilled leg of lamb recipe from www.recipetips.com .

Prep Time: 4 hours
Cook Time: 2 hours

Ingredients
1 ea 5 - 6 lb bone-in leg of lamb (salt for brining, preferably kosher or canning salt - optional)
3 cloves garlic, slivered
1 tablespoon minced rosemary
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

Directions

Trim any excess fat from the leg. If brining, put leg in a container that holds it with a little room to spare and cover with water. Remove leg, measure water and add 1/4th cup of salt for each quart. Stir to dissolve salt. Replace leg and refrigerate for 4 hours or overnight.
Heat grill. When hot, turn off heat on one side (gas) or rake coals to one side (charcoal).
When ready to cook, remove leg and pat dry. Rub meat with oil. Make small cuts into the meat and insert garlic slivers. Mash rosemary, salt and pepper together and pat on meat.
Put meat on side of grill away from heat. Cover grill. After an hour, turn meat so opposite side faces heat. If using charcoal, add 10 - 12 briquettes at this time.
Use a thermometer, preferably instant-read, to test for doneness. (Rare: 130; Medium-rare 140-145; Medium: 155. Lamb will taste best if not cooked past medium.) Allow 1 1/2 - 2 hours grilling time.
Remove from grill, cover loosely with foil and let stand 10 minutes before carving

Bon Appetite!

Renee's Catering loves being an Austin Texas Caterer!

NFL celebrity benefit

4/4/2009

Event Date: Friday, April 3, 2009
2nd ANNUAL MICHAEL HUFF NFL CELEBRITY BENEFIT
BENEFITING DELL CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER & WOMEN CALLED MOSES COALITION - AUSTIN, TX

On the evening of Friday, April 3rd, Big Day Event Productions & Renee's Catering helped to make the annual Michael Huff NFL celebrity benefit pretty dang awesome!

Close to 200 people showed for a Casino Night at the Gibson Guitar Showroom, located at 3601 S Congress Ave, Austin, TX 78704 for an "Evening with the Stars.

We served a killer slider bar with portobello, all beef & turkey patties with a finishing touch of our famous pulled pork topped with a green apple, jalapeno slaw. Next was the salsa bar with a grilled pineapple salsa, fancy quacamole, our Renee's salsa & finished with kick-ass queso...this proved to be easy walking food while everyone ate, drank & gambled.

Amanda (with Big Day Event Productions ) & here crew truly are experts in the field of general event & wedding planning. We could have not been more thrilled to have them on our team!

It is always fun to see the sport icons you enjoy cheering for on the College Day Saturday's & then NFL Sunday's taking the time to give back to the community that made them big (not like their tallent or hard work had anything to do with that).

Thank you Micharl Huff, Sir Rod Entertainment, the planning committee, Dell Children's Medical Center & the Women Called Moses Coalition - FANTASTIC EVENT!!!

Renee's Catering is the benefit power house in Austin, Texas!

tres leches

4/2/2009

Here is one of the best Tres Leches cake recipes I have ever made...please, take it, run with it & let me know how it turned out!

the CAKE
2.5 cups AP flour
1 tsp baking powder
- sift together
7 eggs, separated
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweet condensed milk
1 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup brandy

the FROSTING
6 egg whites
pinch salt
1/4 tsp cream of tartar
3/4 cup water
1.5 cup sugar
1 each zest of lime

the DIRECTIONS

Stage 1 - Cake
- Beat whites to frothy, add sugar & beat to stiff peaks, add yolks 1 @ a time, slowly.
- Add 1/3 four, 1/3 milk & repeat till smooth. Add vanilla.
- Bake 35-45 minutes.
- Cut into 3 layers
Stage 2 - In bowl
- Mix evaporated, condensed milk, cream & brandy.
- Pour evenly over all 3 layers.
Stage 3 - Frosting
- Beat whites, salt & cream of tartar to soft peaks.
- Cook water, sugar & lime zest to 238 degrees F (use a candy thermometer) softball.
- Add slowly to whites until beaten to stiff peaks.

Renee's Catering & Events is your wedding caterer in Austin, Texas!

big day event productions

3/25/2009

Recently, we have had some great fortune to meet & begin working with Amanda Dudley & her company Big Day Event Productions. These ladies are absolutely fabulous!

When we put our little catering company together, we went round & round..."how do we make sure we deliver hospitality, every experience?" Our true belief is that the food is the easy part & the bonus above & beyond our guest commitment & promise - personalized hospitality. This company has many of the same values & loves to build memories with their customers; we could not be more excited about several of the events coming up.

Here are two charity events we are helping out with:

Event Date: Wednesday, April 1, 2009
BIG DAY EVENT PRODUCTIONS PREMIERE PARTY
BENEFITING MEALS ON WHEELS – AUSTIN, TX

On the evening of Wednesday, April 1st, Big Day Event Productions will host a premiere event benefiting Austin’s Meals On Wheals and More at Speakeasy.

Expect a full evening of entertainment, emceed by comedian, Scott Hardy, and featuring one of Austin’s brightest new stars - Nakia!

A $5.00 donation will be accepted at the door the evening of the event. All charitable contributions will benefit Meals on Wheels.

Event Date: Friday, April 3, 2009
2nd ANNUAL MICHAEL HUFF NFL CELEBRITY BENEFIT
BENEFITING DELL CHILDREN'S MEDICAL CENTER & WOMEN CALLED MOSES COALITION - AUSTIN, TX

On the evening of Friday, April 3rd, Big Day Event Productions & Renee's Catering will be two of the vendors helping to host close to 200 people for a Casino Night at the Gibson Guitar Showroom; an "Evening with the Stars.

We plan to serve a killer slider & salsa bar...easy walking food while you eat, drink & gamble.

Amanda & here crew are experts in the field of general & wedding planning, which we are thrilled to be working with them! We feel confident that we will always live up to their expectations & them ours.

THANK YOU Big Day Event Productions!

Checkout their site:
Big Day - home page
Big Day - blog

Meet her team:

Amy Thompson, Cissy Stasio, Lauren Snow & Dondra Wilson

Renee's Catering loves being an Austin, Texas catering company!

the waters in horseshoe bay

3/23/2009

You got to love people whom you’ve never met, especially when they take a chance on your business. That has been one of the greatest pieces to launching our business in Austin, Texas; the people! Not only is everyone entrenched in the “Keep Austin Weird” attitude, but they are very willing to give locals a chance to prove their business sense amongst the big dogs.

Traveling to the hill country, where you are able to smell that meticulous lake water smell, dream of owning that lake home, boat & jet ski, are other bonus dream building activities to being in Austin.

We recently met a wonderful lady, Stephanie Mosher, who works for a resort developer that has properties all across the country. Two of which are near Austin...The Hollows on Lake Travis & The Waters in Horseshoe Bay. They had an event for their property owner's at The Waters in Horseshoe Bay; this was on a beautiful March Saturday. The event was to be something simple, fun & “to die for” food, bringing their spring break kickoff event to an open.

It was non-stop from the get go. We got there, and this place was absolutely gorgeous! Wind was blowing about 30 miles per hour, gusting so hard we could barely keep the chips from blowing out of the bowl & off the table. Next, we worked to keep these awesome mini flans from melting in the sun. Simply, we built a good looking dessert station, in the shade & all was still scrumptious. Prior to everyone’s arrival, keeping our sterno fires lit was fun, however, building the inevitable wall of lids did the trick. It is always fun to have events like this, they show you the needed extras above the extras you already have. The food truly was the bonus here, for these people were extremely hospitable to an outside caterer coming in and working to feed them some great food.

So we fixed up a Jamaican style buffet for these fine folks. Serving everything from Jerk style chicken & pork to a killer mini salsa bar with guacamole, grilled pineapple salsa & Renee’s salsa; accompanied with homemade sweet potato chips.

Thank you very much Stephanie! We truly appreciate being a part of your tenant’s spring break memories.

Renee's Catering is your Austin Catering company!

theknot.com

3/18/2009

We began advertising with theknot.com several months ago, and it has been fantastic. When you are working on becoming the “top” wedding caterer in Austin, Texas, you have a long way to go, especially when you have no clue whether these particular advertising avenues you go down will pay off.

I must say, it has been cool watching all the new clicks coming our way…thank you knot.com!

So…what the heck is theknot.com? It has to be one of the first places brides visit & begin to look for credible vendors. This is such an important day for brides & grooms that being asked to participate is truly an honor.

Here is a small write up from their “ About Us ” page:

The Knot (www.theknot.com) is the Internet’s most-trafficked one-stop wedding planning solution. Founded in 1996 to offer a much-needed alternative to the white-gloved, outdated advice of the available etiquette experts, The Knot has quickly become America's leading wedding brand reaching out to millions of engaged couples each year through our award-winning website, books, magazines, and broadcast offerings.

The brand’s trademark fresh voice and real-world sensibility can be found everywhere a bride looks: on newsstands in national and regional editions of The Knot magazine; in bookstores; in newspapers through Scripps Howard and McClatchy-Tribune News Services; online at major portals like MSN and Comcast; and on TV through original programming on the Style Network and a weddings-only, video-on-demand channel on Comcast Cable.

Check us out on theknot.com >>

We look forward to being that missing ingredient to making your perfect day with perfect food!

Austin, Texas catering is done no better than Renee's Catering & Events!

yelp.com - integrity question

3/9/2009

So…on 3/5/09 I received an email sent from our website. Now, this email was a bit different, it was an email challenging our practices & more importantly our integrity. This does not come to me lightly, so much so, that it brought a pissed off rage to me about as fast as when we saw that our catering trailer had been stolen - that is bad.

After taking my 10 seconds to relax, breathing deep & trying to think rationally, I then realized that my entire team received this email as well. I was quickly very interested in learning what their initial reactions were & how they were coping with an email of this nature. Being a very young company, this is truly our first email of its kind.

Soon after gathering, we realized it would be a great thing that this happened. It literally created an “ad-hoc” round table, white boarding the pros & cons of what we had been doing & what this email was accusing us of doing.

The email:

From: noname@yahoo.com (fake email)
Sent: Thursday, March 05, 2009 12:07:16 PM
To: contact
Subject: renees-catering.com inquiry

Name: Hesitant Client
Phone: 512-464-1155 (they put our own number here)
Email: noname@yahoo.com (fake email)
Comments: I was actually considering Renee's until I visited your Yelp page and saw the obviously fake reviews from fake profilers. I appreciate your need for business but that smacks of questionable practices.

Did we “fake profile” our yelp.com page to build our reviews?

The easy answer is no, and that we can live with, since we know it is absolutely the truth.

We most certainly asked our customers to review us on yelp.com, and why the heck not?? What a wonderful platform for people to review your company.

In hindsight, we now get “why” we got an email of this nature…it can & does look like we are/did fake profile our reviews. This is primarily due to each reviewer having to have a profile on yelp.com, just to leave a review. And since all our current reviewers profiles are basically left empty & there are no other details except for them reviewing Renee's Catering, it could look suspecious. But how is what we did any different then posting an email or printing a form letter from a customer to show prospects, whether on our own website or in a media kit? That’s just it…there is no difference at all, because if any non-having integrity fool wants to fake anything, they can.

We know we will not be everyone’s favorite soufflé, but we can be the damn best for those folks who take a chance on an up and coming Austin catering company. Knowing we are not everyone’s catering company & not everyone is our customer is a great starting point to understanding your target market.

All in all our team says; THANK YOU Mr./Ms. Email. You have done our company a phenomenal favor. By allowing us to analyze some of our current marketing practices, you have opened our mind & we have been challenging ourselves ever since. We look forward to finding some great new ways to interact with our customers; we'll see you in the cloud!

Please feel free to contact us via phone (512.464.1155), email , website , yelp.com , twitter or just stop by…we welcome everyone into our kitchen!

1934 Rutland Drive, Suite 800, Austin, Texas 78758

Renee's Catering is your wedding caterer in Austin, Texas!

mac-n-cheese eatten

3/7/2009

Back on 2/23/09 I posted a "Mac-N-Cheese" blog about the history and one of my all time favorite recipes for a great mac-n-cheese.

Well a great customer of ours tried it, but not only did she try it, she sent us stage pictures.

1st Email read simply in the sunject: "hope it tastes as great as it looks!"

ending email: "stay tuned"

2nd Email read simply in the subject: "it was great"

THAT IS TOTALLY AWESOME!!!!

Thank you so much!! We could not be happier that our, sometimes, crazy chef ramblings are actually helping people eat great meals!

Please contact us is you have a request or would like us to post a different, but specific favorite.

If you would like to check out our last mac-n-cheese posting click here >>

Austin Texas is your home for Renee's Catering & Events!

mac-n-cheese

2/23/2009

Sometimes people ask...how creative are you? Do you really come up with your own ideas?

And the answer is "Yes" and "No". Why both, you might inquire?

Well, I love to cook, I mean there is nothing in this world I would rather be doing than immersing myself into a great cook book; literally reading from cover to cover. Or perhaps, cooking a great meal for my wife or a good friend gathering.

Food has been done for thousands & thousands of years and you would be hard pressed to truly find something new...but every now & then you do.

I love to create great comfort food on one end & then stretch the imagination with some new inspirations for a high-end blacktie cocktail party. Why not? Life is too short to complicate the hell out of it; have fun, dream big & do what drives that passion for you through the roof!

So let's talk about Mac-N-Cheese. Here is a site I have come across many times, and would like to now, pass it on...

Macaroni and cheese has an interesting history and patriotic past
by macaronicheeserecipes.com

It’s great as a side dish, and serves well as a light dinner or a satisfying lunch. It’s a food that kids from 2 through 102 can sink their gums or teeth into. Besides having a high likeability factor, this comfort food and American staple has an interesting history that reveals a patriotic past.

It is said that macaroni, a curved, tubular pasta made from flour that had its origins in China and was brought to Italy by Marco Polo, has been cooked and served with cheese in Italian homes, inns and restaurants for over 500 years. By the eighteenth century, the dish, in one form or another, had become popular throughout Europe, and colonists from England brought along their appetite and recipes for this cheesy treat to North America. In the 1800’s recipes for various versions of macaroni and cheese appeared in many American cookbooks. And so, a legend was born.

As times changed and women began to look for life beyond the confines of the kitchen, convenience foods were introduced into the marketplace. Since macaroni and cheese had already achieved status as a family favorite, Kraft decided the time was right to introduce a dinner in a box and called it Kraft Dinner. In 1937, Kraft macaroni and cheese hit the grocery shelves in the U.S. and Canada, and soon it became a huge success.

The product got a big boost with the start of World War II. As part of the war effort on the home front, rationing went into effect. Meat was at a premium. Fresh milk and dairy products were in short supply. And since millions of men were away from home and serving in the armed forces, many women joined the workforce. After a hard day or night at work, the Rosie the Riveters really appreciated the ease and speed of a ready-to-prepare macaroni and cheese dinner. The fact that it had the reputation for being a nutritious alternative to a meat dish also helped in making it a best seller.

Since then, dozens of variations of this iconic dish have been created. But the basic macaroni and cheese attraction still prevails.

A special thanks to www.macaronicheeserecipes.com/History.htm

NOW, for the greatest part; a favorite recipe of mine:

Alton Brown, Food Networks star of Good Eats, has one of my favorite recipes for this king of comfort dishes. Try this recipe and you’ll never go back to the box stuff.

Ingredients

1/2 pound elbow macaroni
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons flour
1 tablespoon powdered mustard
3 cups milk
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely diced
1 bay leaf
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1 large egg
12 ounces sharp cheddar, shredded
1 teaspoon kosher salt
Fresh black pepper

Topping

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup panko bread crumbs

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large pot of boiling, salted water cook the pasta to al dente.

While the pasta is cooking, in a separate pot, melt the butter. Whisk in the flour and mustard and keep it moving for about five minutes. Make sure it's free of lumps. Stir in the milk, onion, bay leaf, and paprika. Simmer for ten minutes and remove the bay leaf.

Temper in the egg. Stir in 3/4 of the cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Fold the macaroni into the mix and pour into a 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining cheese.

Melt the butter in a saute pan and toss the bread crumbs to coat. Top the macaroni with the bread crumbs. Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and rest for five minutes before serving.

Remember to save leftovers for fried Macaroni and Cheese

Catering in Austin, TX is best from Renee's Catering!

renee's on twitter

2/22/2009

We are very excited to be venturing down a path for our friends, family, staff members, raving fans & more to follow us at any time. Whether you are in Austin, TX or across the country, we want you to be involved! With today's stresses & the never ending war of being pulled in 10 different directions at once, it is always cool to think you are connecting to the ones that you care about & that really care about you.

How many times have you said..."call me" or "we really need to stay in touch" or perhaps even "the phone goes both ways" when you are both at fault? It is so easy to do. Get up at 3 AM for breakfast, then hammer out 200 people for lunch & then sometimes another 300 people for dinner. Who would have the strength to carry on a conversation? That is not only physically strenuous, but brain tiring as well.

So once again, technology to the rescue! I think embracing technology is smart, but becoming a slave to it, i.e. - crackberry, is a family & friend killer. It is merely a tool & should be used as such. Nothing ever takes away from a great phone conversation or awesome hug from an old friend you haven't seen in quite sometime...but why not be able to update them; if they are interested in following?

So, follow us on Twitter! Below is a great explanation of what Twitter is.

From the Twitter "About Us" page:

No, in fact, Twitter solves information overload by changing expectations traditionally associated with online communication. At Twitter, we ask one question, "What are you doing?" The answers to this question are for the most part rhetorical. In other words, users do not expect a response when they send a message to Twitter. On the receiving end, Twitter is ambient--updates from your friends and relatives float to your phone, IM, or web site and you are only expected to pay as much or as little attention to them as you see fit.

The result of using Twitter to stay connected with friends, relatives, and coworkers is that you have a sense of what folks are up to but you are not expected to respond to any updates unless you want to. This means you can step in and out of the flow of information as it suits you and it never queues up with increasing demand of your attention. Additionally, users are very much in control of whose updates they receive, when they receive them, and on what device. For example, we provide settings for scheduling Twitter to automatically turn off at dinnertime and users can switch off Twitter updates at any point.

Simply put, Twitter is what you make of it--receive a lot of information about your friends, or just a tiny bit. It's up to them.

Thank you Twitter! You ROCK!

Happy tweeting & we look forward to following you!

Austin TX catering is found at Renee's Catering & Events!

orange julius

2/16/2009

Remember those orange Julius stores in the malls back in the day? What ever happen to them?

Now is the time, especially since spring & summer are on the horizon that this drink sure comes in handy. Imagine the Austin heat, burning down, creating that beady sweat on your brow…this drink is perfect.

Nothing better than having a homemade orange Julius, just enjoying everything life has to offer.

Here’s a recipe you should try with the kids:

Ingredients

6 ounces frozen orange juice concentrate
1 cup milk, low fat okay
1 cup water
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla
8 ice cubes

Directions

Combine all ingredients, except ice cubes, in blender
Blend 1-2 minutes, adding ice cubes one at a time, until smooth

Let us know how it goes!

Renee's Catering is your Austin, TX caterer!

austin marathon

2/15/2009

Man was the Austin Marathon something or what? Fortunately, we were able to piggy back on the hard work of the Austin Child Guidance Center at water stop #23. All the volunteers were fortunate to see the 18th Austin Marathon on Sunday February 15, 2009, witness to almost 14,000 runners. What a site!

Now, personally, I am not the best runner & sure can't see myself running 26 miles to complete a marathon. I mean, the pain for me starts setting in around mile 1 and probably wouldn't go away until year 10...after the marathon.

And then to think of all the training that must go into preparing for a marathon, WOW, now that is dedication!

Let's review some training tips I have recently learned speaking with some runners.

you should be running consistently for about a year before really trying to train for a marathon
your training should be gradual with increasing miles per week, with most miles run on the last day of the week
work to get at least a 20 mile run under your belt prior to running your marathon
allow for 5-6 days of rest prior to running your marathon

*make sure you seek professional advice...I am just a chef, not a runner; but love to learn new stuff!

One last thing that is probably more important than even all the training, having a goal with the motivation & desire to achieve it.

Keep dreaming, because that is how we at Renee's stay alive!

If you are interested in running in the Austin Marathon , check out their website for more information; http://www.youraustinmarathon.com/

Austin, TX is home to Renee's Catering & Events!

yelp.com

2/10/2009

We are always working to get the name "Renee's Catering & Events" known more & more throughout Austin, TX.

Why not really start working the web? And how better than to have our customers leave unbiased feedback, reviews or testimonials.

So the big question...how the heck do you do this?

After some significant research, www.yelp.com looks to have come to our rescue. This site is extremely user friendly, clean and actually quite fun to work with. I have even begun to utilize it as a consumer myself.

Our Yelp.com page >>

Here are some cool facts about www.yelp.com :
( from their “about yelp” page )

Yelp is...

...the ultimate city guide that taps into the community's voice and reveals honest and current insights on local businesses and services on everything from martinis to mechanics .

...just real people, writing real reviews , and that's the real deal.

...a fun and engaging place for passionate and opinionated influencers to share the experiences they've had with local businesses and services.

...the definitive local guide in the San Francisco Bay Area, Chicago, New York, Boston, Los Angeles, Seattle... But really, we're everywhere in the U.S. and now Canada! From Austin to Edmonton and everywhere in between, reviews are coming in from all over!

...word of mouth marketing - amplified. Savvy local marketers now have a great channel to effectively target local consumers .

Since July 2004, co-founders Jeremy Stoppelman (CEO) and Russel Simmons (CTO) and their Yelp crew have been striving to make life better for people who love to patronize great local businesses. Discovering accurate information on local establishments has never been this entertaining. Writing reviews has never been this fun, easy and addictive !

This company is one that we truly hope to grow with. We are excited to hear what our customers have to say, because you are only as great as your last catering; no matter how big or small…a true report card!

Thank you Yelp.com!

Feel free to checkout our Yelp.com page .

Renee’s Catering is your Austin, TX catering machine!

blackened fish

2/5/2009

Blackened fish is a preparation of fish fillets or steaks. Though often associated with traditional Cajun cuisine, it is in fact a modern invention of chef Paul Prudhomme.

It consists of pieces of fish dipped in melted butter and then dredged in a mixture of herbs and spices, usually some combination of thyme, oregano, chili pepper, peppercorns and salt. The fish is then cooked in an extremely hot cast iron skillet.

The characteristic brown-black color of the crust results from a combination browned milk solids from the butter and charred spices.

While the original recipe calls for redfish, the same method of preparation can be applied to other types of fish and to other protein sources, such as steak or chicken cutlets.

When I was the chef of Gumbo’s Louisiana Style Café in downtown Austin, we used so much blackening spice that I had a local spice company blend fifty pounds at a time.

But, when I’m at home I use this resipe:

Ingredients

2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons dried oregano leaves
2 teaspoons dried sweet basil leaves
1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon white pepper
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
5 teaspoons sweet paprika

Directions
Combine until well blended.

Austin, Texas is a wonderful place to cater for Renee's Catering!

adopt a runner

2/2/2009

There are 11 people who are working very hard to raise money for Austin Child Guidance Center by running in the 2009 Austin Marathon. You can easily help them raise money—and you won’t have to leave your chair!

How? By “adopting” a runner. It’s fun, it’s easy and it works!

Check out the profiles below, click on their web pages and select the runner/fundraiser you want to “adopt.” Then just click on “Invite Others to Contribute” at the top. You’ll be directed to a page called “Help Us Get the Word Out!” where you can create a personal message and forward your “adopted” runner’s web page to your friends, family and colleagues. They will then be able to make a secure, tax-deductible donation to Austin Child Guidance Center via your “adopted” runner’s web page.

You may want to set a goal of asking 25 people to give $25 each, or even 100 people to give $10 each. Appeal to your contacts in such a way that it makes it very easy for them to give. The runners are doing the hard work; you’re asking for money from the comfort of your own chair.

Remember—our runners are supporting in mind, body and spirit an organization you think so highly of, you serve on its Board of Directors.

Questions? Contact Leslie Archambault at 512.451.2242 or larchambault@austinchildguidance.org

Also visit the Austin Child Guidance Center's website for more information.

Thanks in advance for “adopting” one of our runner/fundraisers!

Adoptees

Who: Tracy Tanner , LPC, LMFT
Vocation: Therapist, Austin Child Guidance Center
Avocation: Volunteering at ALL ACGC events
The “Awwww…” Factor: From the moment she walked in the door as an intern, Tracy has been volunteering at our events and hasn’t stopped yet!
Link to fundraising page: www.active.com/donate/austinchildpacepals/tracytanner

Who: Cecily Feerick, LMSW
Vocation: Social Worker, Brackenridge Hospital
Avocation: Running the half marathon by her 25^th (plus one day) birthday.
The “Awwww…” Factor: Cecily’s 25^th birthday is February 14, just one day before the Austin Marathon!
Link to fundraising page: www.active.com/donate/austinchildpacepals/cecilyfeerick

Who: Jeanne Wilson
Vocation: Finance Manager
Avocation: Training for her first triathlon
The “Awwww…” Factor: This thirty-something works full time, is the mother of a brilliant three-year-old and wife of a local musician -- and she’s running three marathons this year!
Link to fundraising page: www.active.com/donate/austinchildpacepals/jeannew

Who: Kathy Redden
Vocation: Master Fitness Specialist, Pure Austin; Trigger Point Therapy practitioner
Avocation: Competitive beach volleyball; sports involving a bike, the lake, the mountains or sand.
The “Awwww…” Factor: Kathy’s personal records include: 3:43:15 marathon: 42:20 10K, 19:21 5K and 1:04:25 Danskin Triathlon, and she was a nationally ranked triathlete in 1996 (USA Triathlon)!
Link to fundraising page: www.active.com/donate/austinchildpacepals/katredden

Who: Melissa Case-Vincent, M.Ed.
Vocation: Counseling Psychology doctoral student, Our Lady of the Lake University, San Antonio
Avocation: Live music
The “Awwww…” Factor: Chewy, her dachshund is her running partner. Check out a cute pic of Chewy in Longhorn regalia on her web page!
Link to fundraising page: www.active.com/donate/austinchildpacepals/melissacv

Who: Kimberley Robinson
Vocation: Austin family business
Avocation: Running her first marathon
The “Awwww…” Factor: Currently the top fundraiser and has well exceeded her fundraising goal!
Link to fundraising page: www.active.com/donate/austinchildpacepals/kimberleyrobinson

Who: MK Hyland and Meghan Gramatges
Vocation: Second year medical students at The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio
Avocation: MK—a new-found love of running; Meghan—traveling to Kentucky to spend time with her family.
The “Awwww…” Factor: MK—a strong belief in the multidisciplinary approach to patient treatment! Meghan—this is her third marathon for charity!
Link to fundraising page: www.active.com/donate/austinchildpacepals/MKHylandandMeghanGramatges

Who: Audrey Parker and Sammy Gonzalez
Vocation: Audrey—Austin Child Guidance Center, Infant/Early Childhood Consultant and Therapist; Sammy—Sales and Marketing Manager, Alamo Title
Avocation: Supporting each other in life’s endeavors, including running the marathon
The “Awwww…” Factor: Check out their cute couple pic on their web page!
Link to fundraising page: www.active.com/donate/austinchildpacepals/audreyandsammy

Who: Karen Watts
Vocation: Senior Executive Assistant, National Instruments
Avocation: Began running in 1993 and has made it a priority in her life.
The “Awwww…” Factor: Karen has completed four previous Austin Marathons!
Link to fundraising page: www.active.com/donate/austinchildpacepals/kwatts09

Who: Kristin Guftason
Vocation: Business Systems Analyst, Whole Foods Market
Avocation: Biking, running, triathlon training
The “Awwww…” Factor: Finished two triathlons last September! Now, she’s running in her first marathon!
Link to fundraising page: www.active.com/donate/austinchildpacepals/KristinG

Renee's Catering is the Austin, TX caterer!

kickass queso

1/28/2009

For me to call a recipe kickass it first must taste great and second be easy to make. This dip recipe is both. I have lived in several parts of Texas, but Austin Texas is by far one of the places this queso has seen some great mileage. However, I dare you to try this at any party, in any location in the world...you will not be dissapointed!

Super Bowl weekend is right around the corner, and if you show up to the party with this dip, you’re going to be the hit of the party.

Don’t forget the chips and beer!

Ingredients

2 lbs Velveeta cheese
1 yellow onion, chopped
1 can Ro-Tel tomatoes
1 (15 ounce) can whole canned tomatoes
1 lb ground beef
1 package taco seasoning mix

Directions

Cube the velveeta and place in a Crockpot on low.

Chop the onion and place it in a blender with the Ro-tel tomatoes and the peeled tomatoes.
Puree.

Add this to the cheese in the crockpot.

Brown the ground beef; drain; add taco seasoning according to the directions on package.

Add it to the cheese mixture in the crockpot and stir everything together.

It takes about 4 to 5 hours to cook on low.

Stir occasionally

Renee's Catering is your Austin Catering company!

banana bread

1/5/2009

We’ve started to sell some of our products whole sell to a local Austin, Texas coffee shop. One of my favorites is our banana bread. I love getting up on a Sunday morning and having a thick slice of banana bread with a hot cup of organic coffee.

If you’re feeling ambitious I’ve included the recipe, or if you’re like me...go to Progress Coffee on east 5^th just south of downtown Austin, and have someone else cater to you.

Banana Bread

Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoons baking soda
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
4 overripe bananas
½ cup sugar
½ cup dark brown sugar
¾ cup (1 ½ sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup pecans, finely chopped
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and lightly grease a 9 by 5-inch loaf pan.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

Mash 2 of the bananas with a fork in a small bowl so they still have a bit of texture. With an electric mixer fitted with a wire whisk, whip the remaining bananas and both sugars together for a good 3 minutes; you want a light and fluffy banana cream. Add the melted butter, eggs, and vanilla; beat well and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated; no need to overly blend. Fold in the nuts and the mashed bananas with a rubber spatula. Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan. Give the pan a good rap on the counter to get any air bubbles out.

Bake for about 1 hour and 15 minutes, until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean. Don't get nervous if the banana bread develops a crack down the center of the loaf; that's no mistake, it's typical. Rotate the pan periodically to ensure even browning.

Cool the bread in the pan for 10 minutes or so, and then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before slicing. Toast the slices of banana bread, dust with confectioners' sugar, and serve.

Find your Austin Caterer in Renee's Catering & Events!

happy new year

1/1/2009

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

2008 sure had some unexpected blips...especially for us "economically" challenged folks. We felt that opening our Austin catering company would sure be an awesome thing, and boy has it been. Building relationships that have lead to more and more business was our most prized fortune of the 2008 year.

We would like to thank everyone who has supported us in our dreams, no matter how wacked out they may have seemed.

Have you ever had a passion to live something so deep you just can't see yourself ever doing anything else? That is what this business means to our team.

"Food is the vehicle that brings people together"

This statement has some extremely deep meaning for us, since "YOU" the customer allows us the opportunity to be a part of your memories through daily lunches, cocktail parties, weddings, holiday parties, bat mitzvahs, etc...THANK YOU!

2009 looks to hold some great promise. It is exciting to hear people being to speak in a more positive mode. Granted, I think living in Austin, Texas has some pretty great attributes the rest of the country doesn't really have.

So keep plugging, find your dreams and fight like hell to bring them to the fore front of your life!

Someone once said to me..."that will take me 10 years to achieve my dream, I am not sure if I want it to take that long."

Are you serious? You are going to be 10 years older anyways; don't you want to be living your dreams rather than sitting there stating, "man, I should have started 10 years ago." Don't let that be you!

Live, Laugh, Love

Austin Catering gets no better than Renee's Catering & Events!

christmas time

12/24/2008

December is a wonderful time of year. Christmas is my holiday and it is such a blast. Watching my friends, family, nieces and nephews learn about giving, but of course loving the receiving side of things as well. Cooking like crazy and bringing everyone together for an awesome meal, with discussions and catch-up sessions because we haven't seen each other in so long.

Giving – to voluntarily give something to better ones life without expectation of having the favor returned.

That is what giving is…giving without expectation. Why must people place these standards on their gifts or have a set of expectations when handing out something. “I don’t want to give that person money because they are going to buy booze with it” How do you know that? Why not just give them something because they may need it more than you?

When you give without expectation or even harder for most humans, give without anyone knowing; then you truly understand what it’s all about.

Have fun with this. Start small by placing quarters in people’s parking meters so they have an extra 15 minutes and those crazy meter maids won't ticket them. Then, move up by having a courier service deliver cash to your favorite charity.

If you are sitting there worried about tax breaks at this point…STOP! Give to give, not receive recognition.

Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwanzaa or if you do not celebrate anything – have a wonderful week!

Renee’s Catering is your one stop Austin, Texas catering company!

austin child guidance

12/18/2008

I am proud to announce Ben Teague has joined the board of the Austin Child Guidance Center.

We have been looking for are great charity to be involved with, and for the last 4 months have worked and learned much about this organization. It is great to see an organization such as this one with a very proactive approach to the well being of our Austin children.

A little about the Austin Child Guidance Center:

Mission
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Our mission is to improve the mental health of children and their families through early intervention, diagnosis and treatment in order to help them develop the emotional skills for meeting life’s challenges.

Values
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The following are important principles that guide our work.

Assessing and treating children not in isolation, but as part of a family and community system. Sometimes children act out or develop problems as a result of living in chaotic situations, and therefore, part of any solution developed must take into account the role of the family and the greater community on the child’s emotional well being.
Providing services that are responsive to the needs of clients. This does not mean that we can be all things to all people, but it does mean we will remove barriers or obstacles that may be preventing a child or family from participating in a recommended course of treatment. We will also work collaboratively with other agencies in order to better serve our clients when we alone are unable to meet their needs.
Serving our clients in a manner that takes into account cultural differences. In order to effectively work with children and families we must recognize the continuing diversity of clients seen by staff and deliver services in a manner that is culturally sensitive and appropriate.
Adhering to the highest standards developed by the field to assure quality and to regularly assess the effectiveness of services delivered. The Center has a commitment to meeting nationally recognized standards of treatment and services as expressed in such bodies as the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. We are also committed to an ongoing process for collecting and analyzing data regarding the effectiveness of the services we deliver and to make the necessary modifications in order to improve client outcomes.
Being good stewards of the money and resources that have been given to us to operate the Center. Accordingly, we express our gratitude to our donors not only by making sure that they are properly thanked and recognized, but that we spend their money wisely and maintain all buildings and property in a responsible, cost-effective manner.

Who They Serve
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Austin Child Guidance Center provides mental health evaluation and counseling services to youth under 18 years old who are experiencing emotional, behavioral or social problems and their families.

Families seek our help when a child or adolescent may be experiencing such challenges as:

Angry most of the time,
Exhibiting poor concentration,
Engaging in risky behaviors,
Having problems in school,
Withdrawing from family and friends,
Experiencing prolonged sadness, and/or
Anxious or constantly worried.

We get referrals from various sources including former clients, school personnel, health or social service agencies, other professionals, court or law enforcement, and managed care.

I am very excited to see where this relationship goes. This is most definitely one of the best parts of our work.

Renee's Catering is an Austin, Texas catering company!

december holiday dinner

12/15/2008

Give yourself the gift of relaxation and let Renee’s do the cooking! Whether it’s a corporate holiday soiree, dinner with the In-laws or a New Year’s Eve Celebration, we offer custom catering menus for every occasion. So order now and spend the rest of your holidays relaxing with family and friends….’tis the season!

Renee's Southern Table Dinner

smoked turkey, ham or brisket (choice of one or combo)
choice of 3 sides (below)
bistro or spinach salad
mini pecan pies, bread pudding or apple crisp
freshly baked rolls

Side Options
homemade stuffing
roasted potatoes
cream of spinach
jalapeno & pecan cranberry chutney
green beans
jalapeno, bacon & goat cheese mac-n-cheese

Group Size
10

Price
$215 pickup at Renee’s kitchen
$250 delivery in Austin, Texas & surrounding areas

Call now to place your order: 512.464.1155

Renee's Catering & Events is your Austin, Texas Catering company

keep in touch

12/8/2008

I have a great friend that currently lives many miles from here, he is also a chef. He recently sent many of us an email, and I thought it appropriate to post this month; for it is so true.

“Just checking the e-mail and noticed that very few have said hello in a while. Well, you need to keep up with each other because you never know what tomorrow brings. Watering your plants is what my wife always says; water the ones that are important to you, the ones that mean the most. If you think about it, it's true. Plants die off like friendships…very slow, sometimes it takes years. Some are real friends, some of us are brothers and sisters, and of course some are just acquaintances. Reflection is a bitch, but I would like you to know, we miss all and hope that everyone keeps in touch. Thank you for the hello's and hello to the folks we have not seen in some time.”

December is a time many people actually reflect; about their life, life in general and think more of others than normal.

Chef – fantastic email! Thank you for all your support and I look forward to seeing you soon.

Renee’s Catering is Austin’s #1 catering company!

thanksgiving

11/27/2008

Thanksgiving is a time to give thanks for the harvest and express gratitude in general.
- Wikipedia

The attitude of gratitude is always highest during this time of year. Renee’s Catering sure has many wonderful things to be grateful for this year. We have conquered many obstacles and are constantly living daily to give back. The thought of being the top Austin Caterer will only come true because of our clients, who we look to take care of for many years.

Gratitude truly helps to create joy in life, especially when you practice it daily. Every day, wake up and think…what am I grateful for? This one simple task can and will change your life. Rather than seeing what you don’t have, you are able to begin cherishing the little things you do have…

the home that has great potential
your car that consistently gets you back and forth to your desired location, safely
that awesome family that stands behind you and your crazy dreams

Those are just a few great examples to get you started.

This thanksgiving, here in Austin, Texas, we are working to spread some new & traditional flavors of thanksgiving by bundling a great southern table style dinner. The items are listed below; call for more details – 512.464.1155.

Side Options
homemade stuffing
roasted potatoes
cream of spinach
jalapeno & pecan cranberry chutney
green beans
jalapeno, bacon & goat cheese mac-n-cheese

Have a wonderful Thanksgiving with your family and friends.

Renee's Catering is your Austin Catering company for the holidays!

austin catering

10/31/2008

What I love about Austin…

I love the activity abundance, live music, weather, water, people, business & most of all, being a part of everyday memories when we have the chance to be your Austin catering company at your event.

That is what Austin is all about! Sitting down & breaking bread with people who you may or may not know. The one thing we all have in common, we eat…and eating well is what we guarantee.

Whether you’re a vegetarian or meat & potatoes person, we do it all. Cocktail parties, weddings, home owners association BBQ’s, corporate lunches and even rehearsal dinners on tour boats of Lake Travis…what a blast.

We promise three things as your Austin Catering company…

Consistency

Great Food

Personalized Hospitality

Here are many more great reasons to live in Austin:

Austin TX ranks as the 4th best city in overall standard of living by Expansion Management, June 2006
Austin TX ranks 2nd among the Top 10 Best Big Cities in the country by cnn.money.com, 2006
Austin TX ranks as the 3rd Smartest City in the country by Bizjournals.com, Jun 2006
Austin TX ranks in the Top 5 "Smart Places to Live" by Kiplinger's Personal Finance and the Austin Business Journal, June 2006
Austin TX ranks 2nd in the 50 Best Places to live by Men's Journal, March 2006
Austin TX ranks as the 2nd Best Places to live for Moviemakers by Moviemaker Magazine, December 2005
Austin TX was voted the Best Place Place to live for Future Business Locations by Expansion Magazine, August 2006
Austin TX ranks 3rd in a list of America's Most Innovatice Cities by the Wall Street Journal
Austin TX is among the Coolest Cities for Younf Professionals accourding to Kiplinger.com, September 2005
Austin TX ranks 2nd on Vegetarian Times' Ten Greenest Cities list, July/August 2005
Austin TX ranks 11th in the 25 Best Runing Cities in America poll by Runners World, July 2005

Have a wonderful weekend & we look forward to becoming a part of your memories soon!

Austin Catering has been taken by the Renee's Catering storm

Renee's YouTube spot

10/21/2008

As Renee's Catering & Events continues to place our footprint as an Austin Caterer, we are consistently working to get our name out so people think "Renee's" first!

Recently our YouTube video was posted and it is pretty cool; check it out.

Have a great day & we look forward to being your #1 Austin Caterer!

holiday catering

10/15/2008

Let Renee’s cater your holiday party or family gathering! Our fine dining approach to catering presents clients with seasonally inspired menus, prepared to perfection and designed specifically for your holiday event. From seated turkey dinners at grandma’s house to corporate holiday celebrations, Renee’s brings your vision to life.

Renee's Southern Table Dinner

smoked turkey, ham or brisket (choice of one or combo)
choice of 3 sides (below)
bistro or spinach salad
mini pecan pies, bread pudding or apple crisp
freshly baked rolls

Side Options
homemade stuffing
roasted potatoes
cream of spinach
jalapeno & pecan cranberry chutney
green beans
jalapeno, bacon & goat cheese mac-n-cheese

Group Size
10

Price
$215 pickup at Renee’s kitchen
$250 delivery in Austin, Texas & surrounding areas

Call now to place your order: 512.464.1155

Renee's Catering & Events is your Austin, Texas Catering company

better business bureau

10/6/2008

We have officially become a part of the BBB of Austin, Texas.

As an Austin, TX Catering company, we wanted to make sure that all our present & future clients could feel comfortable that we are working hard to not only live up to our promise of Consistency, Great Food & Personalized Hospitality...but that we are protecting you by making our information available.

Please feel free to check us out at the Better Business Bureau

Renee's Catering is your bet for Austin TX Catering!

autumn

10/1/2008

I’m not sure why, but autumn is my favorite time of the year. Maybe it’s because I’ve spent most of my life in Texas, and autumn is the mark of the end of another long hot summer. Football season kickoff, finally there is something good to watch on TV. Or, it could just be that all my favorite vegetables come into season. Whatever it is, I absolutely love this time of the year. And, one of my favorite things to do is spend the day walking around the market smelling, tasting and savoring the fall flavors. And nothing celebrates fall like a delicious bowl of soup. Here is the recipe for one of my all time favorite soups.

combo of
ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH &
ROASTED PARSNIP SOUP

1st Soup: Roasted Butternut Squash

Ingredients

1 (1 1/2 pound) butternut squash, peeled seeded and rough chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/4 cup Italian sausage, removed from the casing
1 cup small dice onion
1/2 cup small dice carrot
1/2 cup small dice celery
1/2 cup small dice leeks
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
11/2 quarts chicken stock
2 teaspoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon fresh chopped sage leaves
Roasted Parsnip Soup, recipe follows
Tarragon Oil, recipe follows

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the chopped squash in a medium-size mixing bowl. Drizzle the squash with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place the squash on top of the sheet pan. Set the sheet pan into the oven and roast for 30 minutes, or until the squash is lightly caramelized and tender.

Remove the squash from the oven and set aside. Place a 1-gallon saucepan over medium high heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and render the Italian sausage. Cook, stirring often until the meat is caramelized and has released most of its fat, about 3 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, celery and leeks in the pan and sweat, stirring often for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and sweat for 1 minute stirring continuously. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and add the chicken stock to the pan. Place the squash in the pan with the maple syrup and sage.

Bring the pan to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook the soup for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are all tender. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to a smooth consistency and velvety texture. Alternately, you can puree the soup in batches using a blender. Taste the soup and re-season if necessary with 1/2 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Keep warm until serving.

2nd Soup: Roasted Parsnip Soup:

Ingredients

1 pound parsnip, peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons olive oil
3/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked white pepper
1/4 cup diced ham
1 cup small dice onion
1/2 cup small dice carrots
1/2 cup small dice celery
1/2 cup small dice leeks
2 tablespoons minced shallots
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 teaspoons white vinegar
11/2 quarts chicken stock
2 teaspoons honey
1 teaspoon freshly chopped thyme leaves
1/2 cup heavy cream

Directions

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

Place the chopped parsnips into a medium-size mixing bowl. Drizzle the parsnips with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and season with 1/4 teaspoon of salt and 1/8 teaspoon of fresh cracked white pepper. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or aluminum foil and place the parsnips on top of the sheet pan. Set the sheet pan into the oven and roast for 30 to 35 minutes, or until the parsnips are lightly caramelized and tender.

Remove the parsnips from the oven and set aside. Place a 1-gallon saucepan over medium high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and caramelize the ham. Cook, stirring often until the meat is caramelized, about 3 minutes. Add the onions, carrots, celery and leeks in the pan and sweat, stirring often for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic to the pan and sweat for 1 minute stirring continuously. Deglaze the pan with the vinegar and add the chicken stock to the pan. Place the parsnips in the pan with the honey and thyme.

Bring the pan to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Continue to cook the soup for 30 minutes, or until the vegetables are all tender. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup to a smooth consistency and velvety texture. Alternately, you can puree the soup in batches using a blender. Taste the soup and re-season if necessary with 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Add the cream to the soup and return the soup to a clean saucepan and keep warm until ready to serve.

Yield: about 1 1/2 quarts

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes

Tarragon Oil:

1/2 cup tarragon leaves
1/2 cup olive oil

Place a 1-gallon saucepan filled with water over a medium-high heat and bring to a boil. Blanch the tarragon leaves in the boiling water for 5 to 10 seconds. Remove from the water and place in a bowl of ice water to shock. Pat the tarragon leaves dry with paper towels and place in a blender. Pour the oil over the tarragon leaves and puree on low speed for 30 seconds. Place the tarragon oil in a non-reactive container. The oil will keep for weeks refrigerated in an airtight container.

When you are ready to serve the soups:

Using 2 half-cup measures, each filled with 1 of the soups, pour the soups side by side, simultaneously into a small heated soup cup or bowl. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the tarragon oil and serve immediately.

Yield: about 1/2 cup

Find your best Austin Caterer right here at Renee's Catering & Events

trailer...found it

9/22/2008

It's 7 AM and I am relaxing for a second, just thinking about the busy day we have ahead; planning the little details, making sure we will take care of every guest today.

Just then, the phone rings, and a person on the other end starts a series of questions; also sounding out of breath and irritated. “Is this Renee’s Catering? Are you so & so? When was your trailer stolen?” great questions to hear, but talk about catching you off guard...

Come to find out, the sheriff was onsite & had just caught the guys who had stolen our trailer. AWESOME!!!!

What a relief! Now the trailer is off to their police station for finger printing & processing, so we won’t see it for several more days; I guess we can wait.

It is now 9 PM and we have had a great Monday. Spoke with two different detectives to gather more details on the trailer. Out of the 2 suspects, one was caught and from what I understand put up one heck of a fight, the other got away on foot – I am sure Karma will catch that guy soon!

We are excited to get our trailer back this week! Who knows…there may still be some of our stuff inside.

Stay safe…and a special THANK YOU to all those civil servants who help us citizens out.

- Renee's Catering is your #1 Austin Catering company!

explore austin

9/18/2008

Being a "new" Austin Catering company in 2008, we are always looking for great people to associate ourselves with in a combined effort to continually improve Austin for today & the future. Tonight was great! A friend invited me to learn about an organization here in Austin, called Explore Austin. I cannot thank Mike Leary enough, this organization is truly phenomenal!

Just being around the mentors & their students in the program, gives you a sense of great things are happening. I had a chance to speak with the founder, Jamie Matthews, for some time this evening; what a motivated guy. I was so jazzed after speaking with him, that I wanted to sign up to be a mentor that second. However, at this time I think a strategic partnership would be better & we hope to get some cooking classes going for a Saturday outing in the future.

A little about this organization:

Explore Austin creates opportunities for inner-city boys to develop the skills, tools, and habits they will need to become effective leaders in their own communities. Explore does this through a combination of mentoring and outdoor experiential learning, over a 6-year period. This combination of year-round mentoring and outdoor experiences for a full 6 years helps "Explorers" (we refer to the participants as "Explorers") strengthen self esteem, build character, and develop a sense of responsibility for themselves and those around them.

Potential Explorers are eligible to apply to the program in the 6th grade. Explorer selections are based on interviews, teacher recommendations, and written essays. Explorers are recruited from The KIPP School in East Austin.

Their website has so much more great information...please check it out >>

During this evening we also watched a video showing a trip to the San Juan Islands, and it was great to see these kids learning to work as a team & grow together.

If you are interested in Explore Austin, please visit their website for more detailed information. If you cannot be a mentor, then maybe a strategic partner for their Saturday outings.

http://www.exploreaustin.org/

Renee's Catering is your bet for Austin Catering

trailer...the next day

9/9/2008

Tuesday was finally here, all lunches had been cooked, sent and we could now file our police report.

While Ben was sifting through receipts to get an exact itemized listing of all our on & offsite catering equipment & smallwares, I was off to run a few errands.

One was my usual stop, AAA Food Equipment Co ., a great place to purchase restaurant equipment by the way! I launch into the story about our trailer, telling them about our stuff in significant detail; he takes one look at me and says, “come here” while pointing to a corner, and sure enough, there was our mobile cooking equipment, storage containers & smallwares.

Holy Cow…I cannot believe it! Man, what a turn of events; I called Ben to let him know what had just happened. It was a good thing, the police had just arrived.

We filed a complete report; the officer then confirmed & obtained some great information about the thug that stole the trailer. I asked the officer, “what are the chances about catching this guy & even finding our trailer?” He then said something I have never heard a cop say, “better than average.” Now that may not seem like much, but cops I have known in the past are pretty real and typically will state your chances are about as close to shooting a bulls-eye in the dark.

I am excited to see what comes of this…so stay tuned as the saga continues to unfold!

Cross your fingers, we may just see some great things out of this crazy mess.

- Renee's Catering is your #1 Austin Catering company!

trailer...where did it go?

9/8/2008

Have you ever had that feeling of..."oh my gosh, where in the heck is my trailer?" or least my stuff?

Well, we felt that hard core this evening. We dropped our Monday dinner to the Baylor MBA program here in town, setup, and made sure Victor had everything he needed. Heading to our kitchen to see the final stages of progress for inspections, was exciting. Discussing where certain shelves would go, how the kitchen would look – great stuff!

Drove into the turn lane, passed the last site blocking item and I took one look and said, “oh my gosh, our trailer is gone”…my business partner in disbelief peered into the parking lot flabbergasted.

What in the world do you do at this point? Talk about a violation of the human moral. We literally drove in and just sat there. You could see a tire track for about 200 feet from the trailer; it had one flat tire, which I was getting repaired the very next day.

Now, this trailer was only 5 months old and jam packed full of offsite cooking equipment & smallwares; it also housed many items that would soon be moved into the kitchen once we got our official CO (certificate of occupancy). What a waste!

We immediately called the non-emergency line to file a report, but quickly learned we would have to go back in the morning to file the report because we could not wait for 6 hours, leaving Victor high & dry at the catering.

I gathered all the receipts, we went and finished the catering, packed up and headed home for a very somber evening of just, “still” disbelief.

- Renee's Catering is your #1 Austin Catering company!

a little business history

8/27/2008

I think prior to anyone really understanding pressure, patience, humility, brokenness, emotional instability of the losses and most awesome WINS…you must start your own business.

A little Renee’s history:

launched our catering business in April
found a location, signed the lease (care of Carr Development), started planning, paying, waiting, construction, waiting, paying, etc…
purchase trailer & all the appropriate materials for cooking offsite, the right way
landed our 1^st major event, the 1800 person HOLT CAT 75^th anniversary on May 13, 2008
began renting kitchens (health department approved), borrowing kitchens, doing our cooking just about anywhere we could to make sure all our product was fresh, healthy & most importantly SAFE
continued to build our lunch business…THANK YOU Jon Wyndham!! (this guy is awesome)
site - still paying, waiting, watching, construction…
cooked onsite for the HOLT CAT event – WOW, very awesome! These are great people!
the next month consisted of two major events…building business & site development

So, here we are in August looking to be in our own kitchen very soon. Every week has been quite an adventure.

I learned something about starting a business years ago; write your business plan; then, take your sales projections – cut them in half, the timeline for getting into your space – double it, your projected expenses – double them; if you are still able to find a profit…you might have a chance.

We have and are living that very powerful statement right now. What an adventure! Life is a continued playground for learning, so maintain a positive outlook and times of adversity will always make you stronger and happier.

- Renee's Catering is your #1 Austin Catering company!

wonders & worries

8/23/2008

We recently had the pleasure to be a part of the Wonders & Worries non-profit yearly event ¡Que Maravilla! on August 23, 2008.

Wonders & Worries utilizes this event to promote their program, thank their sponsors & raise additional money for the coming year. It was pretty powerful listening to stories of all the people impacted by this organizations actions.

I was first introduced to Wonders & Worries about a year ago. We were invited to their "¡Que Maravilla!" event last August by several friends. This was truly a site...my friends we running around like crazy during the live auction & volunteering all over the place; to me, that just showed how Wonders & Worries was creating this excitement & energy for involvement.

And with this year, we launched our catering business & jumped at the opportunity to begin working with Wonders & Worries.

So...who is Wonders & Worries & what do they do?

Their Program:

The impact of chronic or life threatening illness on children and youth can be profound. It can affect their mental health, family functioning, school performance, growth and development, and overall adjustment. Typically, behavioral changes, physical complaints, anxiety, decreased use of effective coping skills, and changes in sleeping and eating patterns are reported.

Wonders & Worries can help parents mediate these potential negative effects of chronic illness, and actually help children gain the resources to grow through crisis.

Our services are always offered free of charge and most are available in Spanish as well as English.

Please visit their " Programs " page to read more.

Renee's Catering is very excited to be a part of this program & we look forward to the years coming as we help impact peoples lives in a positive way.

- Renee's Catering is your #1 Austin Catering company!

top chef

8/18/2008

When I’m out and about with my chef garb on, I get asked the question, “Do you watch Top Chef?” Thinking that this show must be a great source of inspiration, people are always surprised to hear me say “no”.

It’s not that I think this show sucks; it’s just the last thing I want to watch on TV. Being in the food service industry there’s not much time for relaxing, and if I get a moment to take a load off, I don’t want to relive what I just went though. A day in the life of a chef has more than enough drama. I don’t need to watch any more when I’m trying to relax and unwind from a long, labor intensive, mentally exhausting day.

I love watching any show on the Discovery channel, or give me a good comedy any day. I find this much more entertaining, because to me, TV is for entertainment and not for inspiration.

So, that leaves the question, where do I get my inspiration from? Simple, from all my great memories. Every great memory I have, has food tied to it in some way. I can close my eyes and remember sitting on the counter top helping my mom stir the cookie dough. Or, the time I proposed to my wife in Pairs, in a little French bistro. By the way, that was the best meal of my life. Not because we were in Pairs, or because the food was out of this world, it was because I made my wife fall in love with me all over again.

- Renee's Catering is your #1 Austin Catering company!

duck tape

8/1/2008

So, I eagerly started cutting the mountain of romaine. While trying to recall everything the chef just taught me, I rushed to show everyone that I belonged there. I can’t remember if it was the third or fourth head of romaine when I cut my middle finger. With my head hung low, I walked to the chef’s office to bandage my throbbing finger. The chef gave me a bandage and said “Richard, slow down and be careful”.

I quickly went back to my station and refocused on my task. I think I got though the first case before I cut my index finger. Again, with the walk of shame to the chef’s office; and, needless to say, the chef was not happy.

If it was anyone else, that would be the end of the story. But no, I always have to take things to another level. Yes, that’s right, I cut my thumb. And, there was no way I was going back to the chef’s office this time. So, I grabbed the lead apprentice and showed him what happened. He said without batting an eye, “hey man…don’t worry, I got just the thing.”

I followed him back to the repair and maintenance room, where he found a big roll of duck tape. He said, “you need something water proof and that is strong enough so you won’t cut yourself again.” Thinking he was helping me, I let him make my hand look like a big ball of gray cotton candy. When I went back to the kitchen, well, do I even need to go there?

Let’s just say I wasn’t the rock star chef my first day.

But, it didn’t get me down. And I’m happy to say; fourteen years later I’m still very much in love with cutting and burning myself, in order to be a part of people’s fondest memories.

- Renee's Catering is your #1 Austin Catering company!

the beginning

7/1/2008

My first day as a cook was the most thrilling, intimidating and humiliating day of my life. I started in the pantry where all the cold food is prepared. It was the perfect place to start learning the basic skills that I needed to become a chef.

I couldn’t believe it; I was working in a real hotel kitchen with real chefs and cooks. Everything seemed larger than life. Walk-in coolers, mixers taller than me, enormous tilt kettles, and finding my way around was like trying to find my room in a maze of slot machines in a Las Vegas casino.

The chef came over to show me the parts of a knife, how to hold it and how to make proper cuts. “Parts to a knife?” That’s right…a chef’s knife has parts: the tip or point, spine, blade, bolster, tang, rivets and the handle. And as if it wasn’t scary enough to be holding a knife that could in all respects cut off my hand; the chef takes my knife, and with the precision of a brain surgeon, cuts a head of romaine lettuce and gently slides it into the sink with ice water. Then, looks at me and points to a stack of romaine cases about six foot tall, and says “come get me when you’re finished”.

The task at hand seemed so overwhelming. Then I remembered something my Dad use to say, “Son, don’t focus on the entire job, just focus on one thing at a time. And before you know it, the job will be done.”

- Renee's Catering is your #1 Austin Catering company!