04/11/2022
I may or may not be making a batch of matzoh ball soup today. If you’re in Sac and interested, shoot me a DM 😀
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I may or may not be making a batch of matzoh ball soup today. If you’re in Sac and interested, shoot me a DM 😀
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From yesterday but worth the share. Both of these meals turned out tasty as hell 😀
Chicken and andouille sausage gumbo (chicken thigh, andouille sausage, holy trinity, gravy, steamed white rice)
Lebanese (allspice, cinnamon, onions, garlic, parsley) spiced meatloaf, olive oil whipped potatoes and Broccolini
dining
Lunch was a grass fed steak sandwich with arugula and a broccoli cheddar soup. Neither were particularly pretty so no pictures but I really liked breakfast and dinner 😀
Chicken and Waffles: fried chicken “nuggets” bacon and cheddar waffles and lots of hot honey
A take on what apparently is a very popular dish at Paesanos in midtown…
Pesto fussili pasta with soy-ginger braised pork shoulder and mustard greens
dining
Both of these dishes fall under the category of dishes that are always on my mind to do but for one reason or another never materialize. Today was a good day despite the weather 😀
Chicken and dumplings (braised chicken thigh, onion, carrots and celery with pasta) with the richest gravy this side of the Mississippi lol
Stuffed (whipped ricotta, mascarpone, parm, mozzarella and lemon zest) shells with pork ragou
Chocolate chunk-oatmeal-BUTTERFINGER cookies…these area real 🎤 drop
dining
I wouldn’t call these cravings so much but as a cook I’d say I have ideas for meals that I just can’t shake. The beef bourguinon for dinner falls in to that category. It takes a long time to cook but the end result is usually worth the effort
Loaded baked potato soup, pancetta, crispy baby potatoes, green onion and sour cream with ham and gruyere “grilled” cheese on poppy seed kaiser roll
with Tokyo turnips, baby carrots, baby gold potatoes and shallots over creamy polenta
dining
I didn’t plan to use both of these sauces but when I realized I had them ready to go I thought, why not?! It’s CHRISTMAS on a plate
Slow roasted pork belly, baby potatoes, parsnips, carrots, onions and LOTS of whole garlic cloves, lemon-parsley sauce and sauce romesco
dining
Every so often when I’m at a friends house I’ll pick up one of their cookbooks searching for inspiration. Sometimes I’ll take a picture of a recipe but most of the time I just take note of the dish and then try to come up with something similar. Tonight’s dish is a great example of that. Yotam Ottolenghi has several amazing cookbooks and this dish is my take on his hummus and lamb dish. My clients aren’t huge lamb fans so I used ground beef for my version…
Chicken Alfredo with spinach and pancetta…and a pasta made from called “pizzichi.” This ended up having an amazing texture and flavor…the pasta in particular is excellent. I loved the lasagne noodle type shape and the texture!
Middle Eastern spiced ground beef, garbanzo bean and Broccolini with butternut squash purée and parsley-lemon sauce
dining
This day really got winter-y! It made what to make for lunch a no brainer 😀
Lentil and Spinach Soup with Wagyu beef sausage from and Buffalo chicken sandwich (bacon, shaved red onion, pepper jack cheese, arugula)
Buffalo rib eye (also from Taylor’s, duh), olive oil whipped potatoes, blanched asparagus with shaved parm and black pepper-thyme-balsamic “syrup” (it’s a reduction but that word is just not as sexy to me 🤷♂️)
dining
When you can’t find exactly what you’re looking for at the store…get creative!
banana nut bread French toast with maple syrup and lots of powdered sugar
Pistachio with olive oil fried zucchini and kale, crispy pancetta and blackened chicken breast
Harissa rubbed pork tenderloin, braised Yukon gold potatoes (chicken stock, thyme and garlic), whole roasted carrots and sauce romesco
Client is back so back to 3 meals a day! It’s hard to get back in to the groove of things but the kitchen is a familiar and comfortable space for me so it doesn’t take long to be in my happy place making good food for good people
Breakfast “skillet” with bacon, sausage, potatoes, bell peppers, onions and broccolini with cheesy scrambled eggs and roasted garlic and Asiago toast
Grass fed bacon cheeseburger on roll with cavatapi pasta salad (spinach, shaved red onions, tri color bell peppers, balsamic and evoo
Grass fed NY strip from olive oil whipped potatoes and roasted cauliflower and Broccolini tossed with chili flakes and Parmesan
dining
Thankful to have had the last two days off but happy ho get back to it.
Here’s tonight’s dinner…
“Smothered” lots of melted onions with tons of thyme and garlic on top of crispy Yukon gold potatoes and roasted Brussels sprouts.
dining
Very thankful to have a job I love, working for people I really like…very thankful to be able to feed, clothe and put a roof over my family’s heads…thankful to have my dad and brother alive and well and actively in my life and thankful for all of my friends near and far. I know thanksgiving isn’t until Thursday but today was thanksgiving in my clients home so I cooked a feast of their holiday favorites
Roast turkey (breast), sherry-honey-Madeira glazed spiral cut ham, Mac n cheese, corn pudding and green been casserole (no canned anything!)…not pictured: garlic mashed potatoes, gravy and sweet rolls
dining
There’s a tiny town called just outside of Santa Rosa that has the cutest restaurant that serves one of my favorite breakfasts. It’s simple but oh so satisfying. Today’s breakfast was sort of an ode to that.
Crispy ham with veggies and cheesy polenta and over easy eggs…and bread French toast
Middle eastern spiced chicken breast with veggie specked rice “pilaf”
Braised pork “paprikash” with farfalle
dining
Gumbo is the stuff of dreams 🤣
The “basic bit*h” breakfast: everything bagel with cream cheese, crispy bacon, potatoes with veggies and scrambled eggs
Chicken and Andouille Sausage over steamed white rice
Mexican “lasagne” layers of tortilla, beef, beans, corn, bell peppers and onions, chipotle sauce and tons of cheese with some red rice on the side (not pictured: guac, sour cream and salsa)
dining
This teriyaki sauce is really traditional which gives the chicken this warm caramel color and not a thick glaze but it’s tasty nonetheless
dining
Bacon, spinach and cheddar bread pudding with crispy breakfast potatoes
glazed chicken, pork belly fried rice
Fettuccini with bolognese
I worked for a couple of years at one of the best Indian restaurants in California for a couple of years when I lived in SF…and while we didn’t have a tandoori oven (it was specifically SOUTHERN Indian) it remains one of my favorite cuisines. This afternoons tandoori style chicken didn’t disappoint 😀
Thick cut ham, egg and cheese sandwich, breakfast potatoes.
(roasted in the oven) with saffron-turmeric rice pilaf (peas, carrots, bell peppers, onion)
pork chop (from ), Brussels sprouts, bacon, capers and mustard cream sauce
dining
My clients been gone fit s week and I missed the guy! I know he didn’t eat well (who does when they travel?!) so I wanted to serve comfort food I knew he’d love.
Let’s call this pic “naked” chilaquiles” verde…chorizo, fresh fried tortilla strips, black beans, tri color bell peppers, red onion, cheese, guacamole and sour cream
with carrots, onions, celery and kale and oven baked eggplant parm and prosciutto sandwich
Dry aged grass fed rib eye (from of of course) olive oil whipped potatoes, roasted asparagus and jus
dining
I vividly remember a dish I had while in Florence…probably 12 years ago that had the fluffiest gnocchi and lightest pesto cream sauce. It was just one of many life changing meals while in Italy. This first dish is my ode to that.
Scratch made ham, peas, pesto and ricotta
Braised beef, tomato saffron, cream, basil, chives, aioli
dining
I’ve been looking forward to an opportunity to make this “pot pie” but needed to have a large enough group to eat it. Today was that day and I ain’t mad at it
Chicken with scratch biscuit topping (roasted chicken, potatoes, corn, green beans, carrots, celery and all the herbs)
Curried pork belly with potatoes, bell peppers, onions and turmeric rice
dining
I know it seems like this risotto is more of a summer dish but on another chilly night like tonight it’s creaminess is really soul satisfying.
with pistachio pesto and smokey, crispy garbanzo beans and a blackened chicken Caesar
Cast iron pork chop off the bone and browned butter-corn-bacon risotto
dining
Coming back to that style chili…never been but very familiar with the spices used here. They usually serve it over spaghetti but I decided to go with these absolutely to die for potatoes
Black Forest ham sandwich with st andre Brie, bacon, greens and aioli…my “greens” soup with kale, spinach and asparagus with spiced cream, pepitas and asparagus spears for garnish
Cincinnati style chili (allspice, cinnamon, cumin, chocolate and a splash of vinegar) over salt and pepper crispy baby gold potatoes and sharp cheddar cheese
dining
From yesterday…surprisingly no soup lol but a really comforting chicken “stew” of sorts…
Caribbean Spiced Chicken “Stew” with veggies and fettuccini
Flank Steak Taco Salad: romaine, shredded cheddar and Colby jack cheeses, black beans, corn, pepitas, avocado and freshly fried tortilla strips with a creamy lime dressing
dining
The brownie hadn’t quite set yet but this will be made again for sure
I feel like you need to be prepared to see soup every day on this feed…Sacramento knows how to be COLD.
“Loaded” potato chowder with sour cream, sharp white cheddar, bacon, green onions, and crispy potato skins…and sandwich with melted pepper jack, mixed greens, pesto and aioli
Stir Fry Broccoli Beef and steamed white rice
S’more with Graham cracker crust
dining
I wanted to introduce my clients to matzoh ball soup today but this straight up chicken noodle soup will have to suffice for now…
Potatoes with bacon, veggies and scrambled eggs
Chicken noodle soup with grilled cheese (ricotta, st Andre triple cream and a 5 year aged super sharp cheddar inside, thin slice of Black Forest ham and Monterey Jack on top
Red wine braised grass fed brisket (crushed tomatoes, kale, carrots, onion and lots of garlic) with cheesy polenta
dining
Good thing my client loves chicken because I could make/eat whole roasted chicken every day. So many options!
This breakfast was like if nachos, totchos and had a baby…layers of fresh fried tortilla chips, tots, chipotle sauce, beans, Spanish rice, ham, bacon and cheese
Traditional Pasta Bolognese with fettuccini with grass fed ground beef, pork and veal with some veggies buried in there 😀
Whole roasted herb and garlic roasted chicken, asparagus and potato gratin and balsamic pan juice “gravy”
dining
I was inspired by my good friend and I used some very ripe bananas to make some muffins…but mine weren’t QUITE as healthy as hers as I just HAD to throw in some chocolate chips 😀
Basic brekkie…scrambled eggs, breakfast potatoes, bacon and toasted challah
“Jerk” spiced chicken breast and my soon to be famous gumbo style rice
Molasses-Dijon-Apple cider marinated caramelized onions, apples, kale and shells and cheese
dining
I could eat Mexican food every day. Is everyone else on board?
Chorizo and potato breakfast “fajitas” with onions and bell peppers (not pictured guac and sour cream)
with creamy/cheesy pasta loaded with delicata squash, red onion and Broccolini
New York Strip steak from sweet potato mash with pancetta and roasted asparagus with lemon zest and parm
dining
Back to it! Am I the only one who’d be ok eating a breakfast sando every day? This isn’t for me but I like it 😀
Sausage breakfast sandwich…egg, asparagus, pepper jack and cheddar
Whole Roasted turmeric spiced pan gravy, rice pilaf with delicate squash, zucchini, pistachios and Turkish dried apricots
crispy salt and pepper potatoes, Broccolini and romesco
dining
1827 Broadway
Sacramento, CA
95818
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The sound and the picture quality here is sh*t but that doesn’t matter. What matters is that this is my daughter performing for the first time in front of people READING a poem and my heart couldn’t be more full. She was nervous all week about what she was going to do for this and her coach/teacher who was so awesome gave her this poem by Shel Silverstein just yesterday…as I’ve documented along the way, this last year was really hard for Raya and set her back in terms of the basics for her age group (think reading and writing and math) so for her to be able to tackle this poem by herself and do it on stage in front of strangers in 100 degree heat is absolutely bad ass. I love her so much and couldn’t be more proud. #girldad #performing #hotaf #skiesthelimit
Sacramento Catering Collective
7th Street