Hometown Catering

11/20/2024

If you have a late Thanksgiving we can possibly take care of that between catering events. Call Jeff at (309)944-7916 or email [email protected]

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11/20/2024

Hometown Catering wishes to thank everyone for their holiday orders. We have reached maximum capacity for Thanksgiving services.

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11/20/2024

11/15/2024

Harvest Beef Brisket!
Ingredients:
◾1 corned beef brisket, about 4 pounds
◾4 cups apple juice
◾1 cup brown sugar
◾1 tablespoon prepared mustard
◾6 to 8 small to medium red potatoes, cut in half or quarters
◾2 to 3 medium carrots, pared and cut into chunks
◾1 large onion, peeled and cut into eighths
◾1/2 head cabbage, cut into chunks
Preparation:
Place all ingredients in a large slow cooker (cut meat in half if necessary). Stir gently to mix. Cook on HIGH for 4 to 5 hours or on LOW for 8 to 10 hours. Remove meat and vegetables and some of the cooking liquid. Slice meat thinly across the grain. Serve with vegetables and some of the cooking liquid.

11/09/2024

OYSTERS are available for Thanksgiving. Order your before Friday November 22. 309-944-7916 or [email protected]

10/22/2024

No peek beef tips for dinner. 2 lbs stew meat, one can cream of mushroom, one packet brown gravy, one envelope beefy onion soup mix and one can of water. Mix together in a 13x9 pan and cover with foil. Bake at 300 for 3 hours. No peeking! Meat is super tender and delicious. Serve with mashed potatoes or noodles.

10/06/2024

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

Ingredients:
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 egg
1/2 cup pumpkin puree
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
2 teaspoons baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice

Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:
2 tablespoons sugar
2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions:
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter, sugar, egg, and pumpkin puree until smooth. Add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix until a dough forms. In a small bowl, mix together the sugar and cinnamon for the cinnamon sugar coating. Roll the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until coated evenly. Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them evenly. Lightly press down on each dough ball with the back of a spoon or your fingers to slightly flatten. Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are set and the cookies are just beginning to crack on top. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy these soft and flavorful Pumpkin Snickerdoodles!

10/02/2024

Bacon Mushroom Swiss Cheese Meatloaf
Ingredients:
1 pound ground beef
1/2 pound ground pork
1 cup breadcrumbs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup finely chopped onions
1 cup finely chopped mushrooms
4 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
1 cup shredded Swiss cheese
2 large eggs
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon ketchup
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 cup ketchup

Directions:
Preheat Oven:
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Prepare Ingredients:
In a skillet, cook the bacon until crispy, then crumble it. Sauté the chopped onions and mushrooms in the same skillet until the mushrooms are tender and the onions are translucent. Set aside to cool.
Mix Meatloaf:
In a large bowl, combine the ground beef, ground pork, breadcrumbs, milk, Parmesan cheese, cooked bacon, shredded Swiss cheese, sautéed onions, and mushrooms. Add the eggs, Worcestershire sauce, ketchup, garlic powder, dried thyme, salt, and black pepper. Mix everything together until well combined.
Shape the meat mixture into a loaf and place it in a baking dish or on a lined baking sheet.
Bake in the preheated oven for 60-70 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F (71°C) and the meatloaf is cooked through.

10/01/2024

What would we do without Chicken Noolde soups in our lives?

Chicken Noodle Soup
Ingredients
1 tablespoon butter
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped celery
4 (14.5 ounce) cans chicken broth
1 (14.5 ounce) can vegetable broth
½ pound chopped cooked chicken breast or rotisserie chicken
1 ½ cups egg noodles
1 cup sliced carrots
½ teaspoon dried basil
½ teaspoon dried oregano
salt and ground black pepper

Directions
Melt butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion and celery and cook until just tender, about 5 minutes.
Add chicken broth, vegetable broth, chicken, egg noodles, carrots, basil, oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and bring to a boil.
Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

09/23/2024

Chicken Tortilla Soup

Ingredients
2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 jalapeño, seeds removed, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
3 c. shredded cooked chicken breasts or rotisserie chicken
salt
black pepper
1 Tbsp. chili powder
2 tsp. dried oregano
2 tsp. ground cumin
1 (28-oz.) can diced fire-roasted tomatoes
4 c. low-sodium chicken broth
1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen corn
Juice of 1 lime
1 bay leaf
Finely chopped avocado, shredded cheddar, and chopped fresh cilantro, crushed totilla chips for serving

Directions
In a large pot over medium heat, heat oil. Add onion and cook, stirring, until softened, about 8 minutes. Add jalapeño and garlic and cook, about 1 minute more. Stir in chicken, season with salt and pepper. Add chili powder, oregano, and cumin and stir to combine.
Add tomatoes and broth and stir to combine. Add corn, lime juice, and bay leaf and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, bring to a simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced, about 15 minutes.

Remove bay leaf from soup. Top with tortilla strips, avocado, cheddar, and cilantro.

09/06/2024

Wild Rice Soup
Ingredients
6 cups vegetable stock (or chicken stock)
1 cup uncooked wild rice
8 ounces baby bella mushrooms, sliced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 medium carrots, diced
2 ribs celery, diced
1 large (about 1 pound) sweet potato, peeled and diced
1 small white onion, peeled and diced
1 bay leaf
1 1/2 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
1 (14-ounce) can unsweetened coconut milk
2 large handfuls of spinach, roughly chopped with thick stems removed
fine sea salt and freshly-cracked black pepper

Directions
Sauté the veggies. Heat (an extra) 1 tablespoon butter or olive oil in a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add onion and sauté for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent. Stir in the garlic and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally, until fragrant.
Add in the vegetable stock, wild rice, mushrooms, carrots, celery, sweet potato, bay leaf and Old Bay seasoning. Stir to combine.
Simmer. Continue cooking until the soup reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover and simmer for 30 to 40 minutes until the rice is tender, stirring occasionally. Add the coconut milk and spinach to the soup, and stir gently until combined. Taste and season with salt and pepper (plus any extra Old Bay seasoning, if you would like) as needed.
Serve. Serve warm and enjoy!

08/22/2024

Zucchini Garlic Bites

Ingredients
1 cup shredded zucchini
1 large egg
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup breadcrumbs
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 tsp dried basil
1/4 tsp dried oregano
Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions
Preheat your oven to 400°F. Begin by shredding the zucchini. After shredding, use a clean towel to squeeze out as much excess moisture as possible. This step is crucial to ensure your bites are crispy rather than soggy. In a mixing bowl, combine the shredded zucchini with the egg, Parmesan cheese, breadcrumbs, minced garlic, dried basil, dried oregano, salt, and pepper. Stir until the mixture is well combined. Shape the mixture into small balls, approximately the size of a tablespoon, and arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until the bites are golden brown and firm to the touch. Keep an eye on them to ensure they don’t overcook.

08/14/2024

Pumpkin Pie Crisp

For the Topping:
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
1 cup brown sugar, packed
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 cup old-fashioned oats
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon salt

For the Filling:
1 can (15 ounces) pumpkin puree
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
2 large eggs
1 cup evaporated milk

Directions:
Set your oven to 350°F and grease a baking dish or pie pan

Prepare the Topping:
In a medium bowl, combine the melted butter, brown sugar, flour, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. Mix until the ingredients are well incorporated and the mixture is crumbly. Set aside.

Mix the Pumpkin Filling:
In a large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, granulated sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, eggs, and evaporated milk until the mixture is smooth and well blended.

Assemble the Crisp:
Pour the pumpkin mixture into the prepared baking dish, spreading it evenly.

Add the Topping:
Sprinkle the crumb mixture evenly over the top of the pumpkin filling, ensuring that it covers the entire surface.

Bake the Crisp:
Place the dish in the oven and bake for 45-50 minutes. The topping should be golden brown and the filling set. A knife inserted into the center should come out clean.

08/13/2024

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins

Ingredients:
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup grated zucchini
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners or grease it well.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
In a large bowl, beat the vegetable oil and sugar until well combined. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, mixing until smooth.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in the grated zucchini and chocolate chips.
Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.