Monica Kelso Catering

12/25/2024

It’s weird trying navigate old traditions after a major loss. If that’s where you and yours have been this holiday, we feel you and we’re with you. It’s not fun and it truly pretty much sucks. One thing I’ll always be thankful for and likely will never change is our Christmas Eve seafood feast with our kidults, their significant others plus friends who are family. The menu and presentations may change up and it while will never be the same again without our favorite guy, it will continue to be one of my treasured nights of the year. Not to mention, it’s a little lighter than most holiday fare so it always feels like a bit of a break between all the pre-holiday gorging and the Christmas Day smorgasbord-to-come. If the how-tos of seafood are something you’d like to learn…this may become fodder for a future class. Let us know…the class content is currently under construction so we love hearing what you want to learn!
As you know I’m all about:
Come. Gather. Feast.
probably now more than ever. It’s not just about eating, it’s about the celebration…of the bounty…of those gathered round your table…of life-is-short we only have the certainty of right now…today. So use the “good” dishes, surround yourself with people you love plus people you invite with your heart and just celebrate. There’s always reason enough.
Merry Christmas!
xo

12/20/2024

In this land of food allergies and upping the Insta-ante, I’d be completely remiss if I didn’t share this gem. Our favorite baker friend Beth created this incredible macaron cake (meaning naturally yet deliciously gluten free). Now full disclosure, this gingerbread delight was a special bake just for me because weirdo that I am I just can’t get into raspberries (Don’t hate. You do know they taste like cough syrup, right?). Anyway…she felt (completely unnecessarily) bad that I didn’t indulge in her GORGEOUS raspberry version at dinner and showed up with this outrageously good replacement.
If you’re looking for something fun and different to grace your dessert table please hit me up to connect you.
Now I just need someone to please come over and help me eat this…
Cheers!
xoxo

12/11/2024

If you’re not turning your leftover grape/cherry/flavor-bomb tomatoes into tomato “raisins” what are you even doing?? Let’s get real. We all buy those 2 pound tubs from our favorite box stores only to throw away part of them. Instead…do THIS.
A few hours in a 200° oven gives back these jammy little gems bursting with the deepest tomato flavor. Add them to your salads, grazing boards, cocktail garnishes, bougie couch snacks, desserts (YES!!! Pair them with berries. I’m serious!) and more…

11/26/2024

and I had the best time serving up a fun tasting menu for the most lovely 90 years young birthday girl! Her amazing granddaughter and sister helped give me an idea of some of her favorite foods. A few items we needed to give a twisty spin or a modern mash up while others we locked down the tried and true classics as she knew them for decades!
It’s always great to source locally while also incorporating favorites from home. The beer cheese featuring Gearhouse Brewing Co beer along our guest of honor’s favorite pretzel bites from Jim’s Farm Market we’re definitely a fan fave! And you’re gonna highlight apple cider…get it from , there’s truly none better!
In all the hoopla, there were a couple of shots we missed but their blog is live on the website. You definitely want to hear about that French Onion Lasagna!
What a treat to celebrate with this fantastic family! Thanks for making us part of your crew! xoxo

11/20/2024

You know those nights when it’s late and you’re exhausted but either need a meal you’re not feeling or simply need to deal with the vegetable graveyard that’s amassing in your frig???
One pan roasting isn’t just a Tik Tok trend-it’s easily tossing & forgetting it for a minute so you can breathe, decompress or tackle something else - because who has time to babysit the stove most weeknights??
You’ve seen all the things go viral…feta & tomatoes, goat cheese & whatever…but the truth is, most of these soft cheeses pair pretty well with any veggie you love & adding protein can be a choice on so many levels…whether left over from a previous recipe, roasted along with your veg or not at all (and ‘meatless’ certainly isn’t reserved for Mondays or your plant posse).
Boursin is one of my favorites. It reminds me of my much loved but hard to find le Roule but it’s way more economical and easier to source. Its creamy garlicky-ness is honestly delicious on just about anything…crackers, veggies, burgers, stuffed in chicken, or even on fruit (pears 🙌🏽!). Today we’re sharing it as a creamy yet light addition to roasting with veggies before tossing the whole thing with pasta and some reserved pasta water. Finish with a little salt, pepper and Parmesan and you have a meal that is perfectly cozy, delectably good and super simple.

~ Do keep staples like Boursin & feta on hand.
~ Do raid your frig. This was simply rough cut lunchbox peppers, red onion, fresh garlic, broccolini and half of a very sad zucchini. But seriously, eggplant, grape tomatoes, artichokes, fall squashes, leeks, cabbage…all would be so darn tasty.
~ Find good quality pasta to keep as a pantry staple. As an ingredient it’s comforting. It can lean a li’l healthier and be very veggie-forward, and it can feed a quick crowd or create some meal prep for another day.
Don’t make it like me…
DO channel your inner-cheffiness and be creative with your faves. The cheese, the sweetness of the roasted garlic and the tender onions will pull it altogether. So set that oven to roast away while you kick back with a glass of wine or a bubbly bath or dance away your day in the kitchen. You’re about to slay dinner.
xo

11/16/2024

We love a good love story. And E & J have a great one. We also love when amazing people know each other. So if you don’t know our friends VorEver More, here’s your intro.
You’ll want them in your corner dealing with the details of the milestone events in your future.
Follow their page now so you can find them later!
xoxo

We are Jacob and Emily Vorhees, the proud owners of VorEver More, and we are beyond excited to share our passion for wedding planning and coordination with you! On October 5th, 2024, we celebrated the best day of our lives—our own wedding. As a Chef and a Bartender, we’ve always dreamed of owning a business together that combines our unique skills and allows us to create memorable experiences for others. Our vision was to build a "one-stop shop" business that brings our expertise to life and serves our community in meaningful ways.

Our love for serving others runs deep, and as we navigated the challenges of planning our own wedding, we quickly discovered how much we loved the wedding industry. The more we immersed ourselves in the process, the more we realized how perfectly we fit into this space. We were able to bring our attention to detail and our passion for creating beautiful experiences to life, and the compliments we received on the thoughtful details of our big day were the ultimate affirmation. It was clear that this was something we were meant to do.

The experience of planning our wedding not only strengthened our bond but also solidified our desire to help other couples create their dream wedding day. We know firsthand how overwhelming the process can be, and we wanted to offer a solution that alleviates stress and helps couples enjoy their celebration without the worry. From that realization, VorEver More was born!

At VorEver More, our mission is simple: to provide exceptional service while staying true to who we are—helping others and creating beautiful, stress-free weddings. We can’t wait to share our love, passion, and expertise with you, and we’re committed to continuing to grow in the wedding industry to serve even more couples.

Stay tuned for more services in the future, but for now, we would love the opportunity to be your wedding planner and coordinator and help turn your vision into reality. We’re here to make your wedding day as beautiful, seamless, and unforgettable as it should be. Let’s start planning together!

Reach out to us today to schedule your consultation. We can’t wait to get started!

11/08/2024

When I say these two are some of the most beautiful on the planet I’m grossly understating the truth. They are not only stunning inside and out they’re incredibly good, servant, fun & loving people.
The greatest compliments we get are: ‘everyone is still gushing about our wedding food’ (years later) and ‘will you come and create such & such celebration meal for us?’
It’s a privilege to be part of such monumental moments but it is treasure to become one of their people.
We get to see their families grow and be part of continued milestones and sometimes even losses that they’re living.
When and wanted to drive up from four states away and have us celebrate 5 years of martial bliss with them we didn’t hesitate.
Their picture perfect (most gorgeous bridal party EVER) wedding at the beautiful, beautiful, beautiful featured apples galore giving autumn-nods to apple, pancetta & fontina stuffed chicken, black garlic & cider glazed pork and the tastiest local apple cider laced donuts.
Fast forward 5 years, and them still being the apple of one another’s eyes, we once again had a blast paying homage to this favored fruit in their honor.
From the Shiraz & cider braised short rib hummus to the apple butter balsamic vinaigrette that dressed tender greens to the not-your-grandma’s cinnamon-stuffed apple crisp with a caramel crunch ice cream, the plates complimented the unseasonably warm but lusciously fall backdrop.
Potato wrapped fish with browned butter poached crab over Romesco & a chorizo gremolata anchored the whole shebang.
It was an incredible evening with our new-old friends in one of my favorite places.
Thanks, Ladies for letting me love what I do and getting to share life with you!
Cheers to the first and the next five years! Can’t wait to see you down south!
Happy anniversary!
xoxo

11/01/2024

For real. Don’t ask. I don’t even like Halloween. I hate being scared. Heck I don’t even like the apprehension of predictable fright. And if it’s cold? Fuh-GET about it. This girl will be at home waiting for you with warm snacks. My friends on the other hand LIVE for this 💩💩💩
This actually started out as dumplings. These are made from ground chicken, but pork or lamb are equally fab with lots of garlic, lemon grass, ginger, soy, scallion, etc…
Midway through, I hit a wall and laziness won when I decided I wasn’t feeling like messing with that dough. It seemed easier (so I thought) to just make them meatballs for the dish rooting around in my brain.
Long story getting longer…several years ago my friend created her husband’s favorite meatloaf meal but presented it in the shape of a giant rat. I’ll spare you their back story but in my head…on Halloween week no less…”mice” meatballs made sense. I mean, meatballs and meatloaf are at least distant cousins, right?
Presenting Thai Red Curry “Rat” Ramen.
If you can get past the little critters staring back at you while they chillax in your cauldron of warmly spiced, garlic-gingery broth you will find this beyond delish. Of course, as a lovely spherical meatball or as the originally planned dumpling the normal version will also win the hearts of every mere mortal you’d serve it to but why not add a touch of creep value? The drizzle of chili crisp - while tasty- may have accidentally taken the ghoulishness a bit beyond as it reminded me a little of blood. 🥴

Now I have a full on spooky menu taking up real estate in my brain so someone (not me) needs to have a killer Halloween party next year. Start planning and let’s eat! Bwahhahahaha!
xo

10/26/2024

With all of the crazy rain storms this season, fall has quickly flown by.
Don’t miss the opportunity to spend the final 2024 autumn weekend at this magical spot.
Fun times, sweet treats and all the fall favorites of your dreams…
You’re going to love our friends at Country Creek Produce Farm as much as we do!

10/10/2024

I fell in love with this gorgeous bride the first time we spoke. She is funny and bright and bubbly and kind and just the sweetest woman of God and she loves her man and he absolutely adores her. Fast forward several years later and she still inspires me on the regular. She’s representative of why I love, lOvE, LOVE what we do.
Happy 3rd anniversary dear Scott & Cheyanne! May each year shower you with abundance! xoxo

10/07/2024

If you don’t know go find his page right now. He generously shares all the things you didn’t know you needed to learn with a little sarcasm, a lot of humor and a wealth of wisdom. From Chef-y microwave use to famous restaurant techniques (Nobu Miso Cod anyone??) to funky yet doable randomly-drawn creations, he brings real and raw skills to home kitchens.
This mash up is indirectly inspired by him.
For a li’l while now, I’ve been toying around with creating an African Peanut Soup recipe (stick with me) for our Simmer series.
However, I was already anticipating the sweet potato/squash ingredient backlash 🤷🏽‍♀️so it hadn’t quite yet made it out of my head to this side of the stock pot.
Fast forward to today when Mondays in our sweet little town leave very few open options for great food.
Our family fans over all things dumpling…gets excited by the flavors of Thai and appreciates all the unctuousness of a perfect peanutty sauce on all kinds of stuff.
Are you still with me?? Further culinary research pointed to so many base similarities. The chiles, garlic and ginger and peanutty broth all deepened by warming spices and fire roasted tomatoes.
Why not up the ante with shrimp or today’s win: flavor-bursting dumplings??
This zesty hug in a bowl may not be the most beautiful dish you’ve ladled up, but it IS cozy perfection, deliciously flavorful and as spicy as you want it to be, with a little tang and a whole lot of feel good comfort. Conjure up the coziness of your first warm peanut butter toast. The dumplings also add a depth and heartiness making this fusion a match made in heaven.
Comment below if you want to see this recipe demoed! It’s definitely going to be on repeat around here.
xo

09/30/2024

THIS is community.
Whether ours or another’s, we still all belong to one another. If you’re also wondering how to help our fellow east coasters, here’s a place to start…strength in numbers, right?
Thanks GearHouse Brewing Co for getting the ball rolling.

09/29/2024

We love all that each of the seasons bring but when the end of one is near and promise of the next’s bounty is knocking, we get stoked about the possibilities.
One tried and true that will be a forever favorite is this flatbread. There’s truly an explosion of warm fall comfort in your mouth.

Spicy Italian sausage. Sweet & creamy roasted honey nut squash. Pops of salty feta or tangy goat (both are great - choose your fave!) combined with the perfect pull of everybody’s loved mozz. Round it all out with roasted garlic and a hit of red onion. Our anti-veg client omitted the kale on this one but trust us, you want it! Don’t forget the crispy sage…
Oh my do we need to make this into a soup??

September’s almost over, Bay-beeeee!! 🍂🍁🍂

09/28/2024

When starts her story with chatter about chicken’n’dumpings you can’t help but sit up straight and pay homage to such quintessential comfort food. Early in our marriage they were one of my favorite things to make however…my husbae and I grew up with very different versions. While I feel I’ve now mastered them both I can’t help but wonder how do YOU like them? Did you fall head over heels for the light & fluffy version like HBH and I did or are you team dense noodle-like PA Dutch ‘puh-pie’ like Ned was?? While both can be delicious, the truth is the fluffy version are way less time consuming making them the automatic winner in my book!
Tell us your thoughts and be sure to tuck either version away with your fall and winter cozy meal ideas.

PS:
Check out the Half Baked Harvest page to quickly access her recipe and the left-hand photo credit belongs to .

08/29/2024

DRAWING CLOSED!!!
Thank you!!

When asked what I love about our longer table dinners, my short answer would be: everything.
The truth is that while the food component is wonderful and fun…the real beauty is in the experience. You’ve all heard me say, ad nauseam, that food, love, laughter and music are universal languages. These dinners…encompass all of that and more. There’s something magical about breaking bread with strangers who by night’s end feel like friends. The enchanting backdrops of creation…the smells of florals and honeysuckle and of the bounty being placed before…the sounds of live song and instrument serenading the falling sunset with laughter and chatter intermixed…
These nights are simply dreamy.
With all that in mind, I’d like to offer a reservation-closing invite for two to experience what we love most. We’ll draw a winner (Saturday morning 8/31 at 10AM) to come as my guests* to the table at our next dinner on Friday 9/6.

TO ENTER: like(FB)/follow(IG) us and this post, as well as Country Creek Produce Farm then comment below or sweeter yet, tag someone you know who needs a beautiful evening of escape.
So enter…come…enjoy a bountiful feast under the stars with friends old and new while basking in the melodic tunes of Rich Fehle.
We’re so excited to be with you!

07/25/2024

There’s just something about figs that make me super happy. It doesn’t matter if the dish is sweet or savory, you had me at fig.
Perhaps it’s because I loved (weirdo, I know) Fig Newtons as a kid in spite of having no idea what a fig even was! Or maybe because once paired with Brie or on pizza I’m pretty sure I swooned.
Whatever the reason, I knew after vacationing in a house with a massive fruit filled fig tree, I needed one at my home in PA. Fully expecting our landscaping artist to immediately ixnay my plan (zones, s’mones… 🙄), two weeks later this landscaping king-guru called to say he was bringing one over!
Not gonna lie, the research/care sounds dreadful but if you know me, I’m probably ‘not gonna’ and I honestly have not. At BEST I’ve thrown a little water on it if rain has been scarce.
This is only season three since planting and pictured is my second basket of goodness this week.
My brain is on overload with recipe ideas. If you’re a fig lover like me (or even a curious newbie), tell me what YOU wanna see…learn…or try…
Savory entrees? Delectable appetizers? Sweet desserts or breakfast pastries? Artisanal flatbreads?? Ice cream??? Comment your thoughts below and let’s cook!

xoxo

07/17/2024

Death cheats those left behind out of so much. I think it’s why we say yes to catering so many memorial services. If we can be part of the bigger…the gathering ‘round…the heart soothing joy that rises from sharing memories and experiences of the ones loved so dearly…all while breaking bread together in universal language…we are all in.
While I’ve obviously never had the privilege of meeting in person, this one hits harder because at almost this exact time 4 years ago, my daughter lost her best friend on the very same Willamette River in Oregon.

inspired me as a fellow self taught culinarian who rose to author cookbooks, to compete against some of the most famous names in the business and to literally flip the Portland restaurant scene on its head. Her food visions stretched far and wide yet held a fluidity to roll and turn, and ebb and flow with the times. Kitchen lights are surely dimming across the country this week.
It’s not just through food that this remarkable chef spoke to my heart. Just last month I saved this quote that she shared on her IG…
“Forgive them for falling in love with someone else, for how they spoke to you or someone you loved, even for dying—forgive them—and forgive the universe for taking them.” Life is sadly short. Let’s not waste it with bitter unforgiveness.
Please join me in sending all the love to all who love her as they continue their recovery search.
And to you Chef, rest well and thank you for everything.
xo

07/13/2024

I’m not sure there’s a time when scallops aren’t perfection on a plate but there’s just something extra about enjoying them in the summer.
Their quickness to prepare and succulent simplicity adds to their get-out-of-kitchen-quickly appeal. Basic salt & pepper, a simple sear and of course condis that follow your heart are all it takes to put a restaurant worthy dish on the table. In this case a simple gingery sweet soy reduction and a contrasting Thai chile aioli complement with a bit of Asian flair. Scallops offer a blank canvas for flavor so choose what you love.
Since your momma would want you to eat your veggies so we’ve greened it up with a li’l sesame seaweed salad as nod to my forever-favorite heavenly beach bum.
Cheers to a super sweet summer!!
xo