Big Mouth Personal Chef

Basic Cooking Classes to Expand your Arsonal

2009-03-06T17:34:00.000-08:00

We are currently expanding our services to include customized and group cooking classes. Many of us have been living such a fast paced life style that eating out has become a habit costing us hundreds of dollars a month. For whatever the reason we find ourselves eating out 5 or more time a week. In the current economy we need to save money and get back to basics. What if i told you, you could save thousands of dollars in 2009 by simple shopping and eating and your house instead of the local drive thru or restaurant. If you had a chef in the kitchen with you what would you want to know? What do you need help with?

Here is a quick, nutritious, meal that will go far and not break the bank. Great for company.

Chef Tasha Peters 904.334.2849
www.bigmouthcatering.com

Golden Delicious Pork Loin
Sautéed Sweet Onions, Spinach, and Golden Apples
with tender Pork Loin served over Jasmine Rice

This recipe will make 2 containers with 3 servings each
1 ½# pork loin
4 Golden Delicious Apples
1 bag Baby Spinach
2 Tblsp Minced Garlic
S&P to taste
2 large Sweet Onion
3 cups uncooked Jasmine rice
Freezer bags

- Measure out your rice and rinse it under cold water until the water is clear. Cook it to the instruction on the bag.
- Slice you pork loin, then , dice it. Season with s&p
- Chop the onion
- Wash the spinach, give it a rough chop
- Core, slice, and dice the apples. ***The thickness of your pieces will determine whether you have soft or firm cooked apples. Also, apple skin on or off is up to your taste****
In a non stick skillet, sauté the pork loin, onion and garlic in a small amount of olive oil for about five minutes. Add your apples and cook for ten minutes over med to high heat. When the apples are to your liking add your chopped spinach and combine with the mixture until wilted. S&P to taste.
To plate top the rice with the pork and apples, or mix the rice into the pork and apples.

Big Mouth in the news!

2009-03-04T13:33:00.000-08:00

We are so thankful for the Jacksonville Business Journal giving us the opportunity to be a Startup Snapshot in the Feb. 20-26 paper. Please log on to see it at
http://jacksonville.bizjournals.com/jacksonville/stories/2009/02/23/smallb4.html?jst=pn_pn_lk

Cooking Classes

2009-03-04T13:20:00.000-08:00

Big Mouth Personal Chef Service is now teaching cooking classes at Kitchen Kiosk on Baymeadows Rd. Call Annie Collins to schedule at 731-3344.

We are so excited about this addition to our service package. I did not realize until i started the business just how many people eat out more than four times a week. In todays economy that money adds up fast. Take a moment to think how many time you have eaten out in the last week.....well, how many times?

The Kitchen Kiosk is hosting the classes in their great commercial space. We will be gathering in a laid back environment to learn some food safety, make a couple of dishes, get other recipes and food to take home! We will start out slow and build as we go. I think it will help to empower people to get back around the family table. Remember when you had to be home for dinner by a certain time? What was your families dinner time?

Shrimp Scampi is Italian Soul Food

2009-02-27T10:31:00.000-08:00

Last night was our monthly cooking demo at Novus Centers. On the menu was Shrimp Scampi so I did some research to further my own knowledge of the dish. Did you know this Italian-American favorite is the Italian version of soul food. It was brought over by immigrants and gets its name from the crustacean originally used in the homeland. The scampi is a small, lobster-like crustacean used in Italian for the orginal version of the dish. When the immigrants arrived here they adapted the recipe to what was most widely available, shrimp. They kept the name Scampi and thus the dish as we know it was born.

Because of its immigrant origins there are a few constant ingredients, but no real "rules" to the game. As long as you have a sautee pan, shrimp, garlic, and butter, the rest is improvisation. Just like a good soul food recipe, no two are the same. One house cooks it different from the next house. Some of the more popular addition to garlic, butter, and shrimp include white wine, red pepper flakes, lemon, or bread crumbs. Go crazy and add all four. That is the great thing about cooking....if it tastes great then you have succeeded! Rules are for bakers!

Shrimp Scampi for four

Ingredients
1 1/2 pound jumbo shrimp, shelled and deveined
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 Tblsp Extra Virgin Olive oil
2 teaspoons minced garlic
1/2 cup white wine
1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 teaspoons finely chopped flat-leaf parsley leaves
1/4 teaspoon grated lemon zest
Directions
Wash them and put the shrimp on a large plate and pat them completely dry with a paper towel. Arrange the shrimp so they lay flat and are evenly spaced.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Season the shrimp with salt and pepper. Add the butter to the skillet. When the foaming subsides, raise the heat to high, and invert the plate of shrimp over the pan so the shrimp fall into the pan all at once. Cook the shrimp, without moving them, for 1 minute. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Turn the shrimp over and cook for 2 minutes more. Transfer the shrimp to a bowl. Return the skillet to the heat and pour in the wine and lemon juice. Boil the liquid until slightly thickened, about 1 minute. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon. Add back in the shrimp, quickly stir the zest and parsley into the sauce. Season with salt and pepper to taste and toss to combine. Serve by its self or over pasta.

Novus Center Demo

2009-01-28T08:57:00.000-08:00

Last night we did a demo at Novus Center in Jacksonville. There were about 15 guests that took time out of their night to come learn. We made Curried Beef with Peppers and Onions. This is a great meal by its self for a low carb option. Or, pair it with rice, cous cous, or bulgur wheat for a heart meal.

If you are looking for a dinner option you can make for Valentine's Day, this is a great meal. You can use nice cuts of meat, and lots of fresh vegetables. The meat is tender and the vegetables are very colorful which add to the visual presentation. Here is the recipe.

Curried Beef with Peppers and Onions
Lean Sirloin is cooked with Stoplight Peppers, Beef Broth, Dry Sherry, and a hint of Curry for an interesting kick. Not to spicy, I promise, just right

Recipe

2# top sirloin
2 tblsp evoo
2 green peppers
2 yellow peppers
2 red peppers
1 sweet onion
2 tblsp garlic
1 c dry sherry
2 c beef broth
3 tblsp curry powder ( added gradually)
½ c chopped cilantro
½ c chopped flat leaf parsley
Salt and pepper to taste
3 tblsp cornstarch ( can substitute a roux)

Directions

-Cut the tops off the peppers. Seed them and remove the membrane from the inside. Cut them into strips and rough chop the strips into squares.
-Chop the onion.
-Pat dry the sirloin and season with salt and pepper, or dust with your favorite steak dust. Cut your sirloin into strip then chucks. Remember, the thicker your chucks the longer they will take to cook, this help them stay tender. The smaller the chuck, you may have meat that is too tough.
- Add oil to your hot sauté pan and add the sirloin, quickly browning it on all sides. Remove it from the pan and set aside.
-Next, add the garlic and onions. Sautee until the onions start to sweat, add the peppers, cook for 5 minutes.
-Add the sirloin back to the pan, add cilantro and parsley then sprinkle in ½ of your curry powder. Combine ingredients well.
-Add the stock, sherry, and water, bring to a boil. Taste it to see if you should add any more curry. The additional curry is based on your flavor profile. Once you get it perfect turn the heat up until it starts to bubble.
-Mix your cornstarch and 2 tblsp of water. Slowly add that mixture, stirring while it thickens. Simmer for a few more minutes, then enjoy.

In the news!!!

2009-01-22T11:07:00.001-08:00

Last week Big Mouth made it into the Florida Times Union. We were contacted by Liz Van Hooser, journalist extraordinaire, to help her on an article about preparing meals for freezer storage. I was thrilled to help. She is such a great woman and practically is the whole Taste section. below are the links to view the article she wrote and the blog she wrote about her experience doing what i do for my clients everyday. Enjoy

Eat.Drink. Be Merry. Tasha Peters, Big Mouth Chef

http://jacksonville.com/lifestyles/food/2009-01-15/story/ready_set_cook_make_ahead_meals

http://www.jacksonville.com/interact/blog/liz_vanhooser/2009-01-12/cooking_for_the_week_on_sunday

Danny and Amy's Dinner for Two

2009-01-22T10:38:00.000-08:00

Not only was Tuesday inaugeration day, it was also Danny and Amy's anniversary. I got a call a few weeks ago from a loving husband who wanted to do something special for his wife on their third anniversary. He was looking for something unique to surprise her with and came to find http://www.bigmouthcatering.com/ on the web. After asking some questions about Amy's favorite things we designed a menu perfect for them and their Romantic Dinner for Two. I arrived at their house while she was still at work. I set the table, added candles around the room, unpacked my cook wares and food, and got to work. When she arrived home with flowers he had sent her at work, she walked in to the smell of food cooking, a romantic table set, and a chef standing in the kitchen cooking for her. I love the intimacy of a Dinner for Two. Of all the services i provide, it is so special. I served each course to them while they drank their wine and enjoyed each others company. I then cleaned the kitchen and out i went to leave the couple to each other for the evening. So much fun! Below is the menu from the dinner. If you would like advice on how to execute a menu for your sweetie, e-mail me.

Eat, Drink, and be Merry. Tasha Peters, Big Mouth Chef

Appetizers
Crab Cakes with a tangy Roumolade Sauce
Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms

Salad
Caesar Salad served in Parmesan Baskets

Entrée
Gorgonzola Crusted Filets

Sides
Sautéed Asparagus with a White Wine Butter Sauce
Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Dessert
Crème Brule

Menu planning to save money on groceries

2009-01-15T13:36:00.000-08:00

To save money on your grocery bills take stock of what you have, use your grocery circulars to purchase what is on sale, get reward cards to save even more, clip coupons.... and cross reference. Design your families menu toen sure what you are buying will be used in more than one recipe. Getting double or even triple duty from ingredients will help you stretch your dollar.

2009-01-14T11:34:00.000-08:00

I was recently asked how to instill good eating habits in your child at an early age. My advice...never get into the habit of making alternate meals for your children!!!!!! I cannot tell you how many times i have seen this practice from parents. They will say the child is "picky", but truth be told if the child had never had an alternative meal choice offered by the parent, they would have started eating exactly what was put in front of them. DO NOT DO THIS to yourself. From the moment you start to feed table food to your young toddler, let it be known that you eat what is on your plate, or nothing. Do not get into the habit of making mac and cheese and chicken nuggets. If you do, you can certainly add this sentence to your future, "I don't know what happened, all my child will eat is chicken nuggets and mac and cheese".

Tips to Save Money on Groceries

2009-01-13T11:46:00.000-08:00

Wanting to save money in the new year? Here is a tip, get those reward cards everyone offers these days. Clip the coupons too! There are some great websites like www.couponmom.com that you can print off coupons to use at the store. Maximize your savings by using the rewards cards, the weekly circulars, and your coupons to design your families menus before you shop. Some stores will allow you to turn in multiple coupons for one item. Combine all these techniques, shop with a list and have purpose and you WILL save your family so much money on groceries this year.
Eat.Drink.Be Merry! Tasha P
www.bigmouthcatering.com

Start the new year off with a bang!

2009-01-12T15:21:00.000-08:00

I am just like everyone else in the world....the new year is here so let's make some promises to ourselves and pray we can keep them. I know the more you condition yourself to do a new behavior, the more it becomes a habit. What is it...28 days to form a new habit? I wish I had that little nugget of wisdom the day I picked up my first cigarette. How come the bad habits never take 28 to get you hooked? It is only the good ones, like eating better, or working out.

My family, like most of the world, is trying to save money on groceries wherever we can. As a Personal Chef, I shop for a living and I have a few tips to share. Before you go to the grocery store, take stock of what you already have in your kitchen. Chances are you will find that you don't need as much as you thought. Make a shopping list with dinners in mind. Don't just buy aimlessly, have some meals planned in your head so you have purpose. I have a hard time sticking to the list. I get distracted and need the free cookie. Sometimes I play a game with myself. I evaluate the shopping list...How fast can i get all the shopping done? I name a time, then I start the game with the goal to beat the clock. It is a whole lotta fun! If you go at the right time of day you can run through the store at a break neck pace. Don't worry, no one there knows you or cares if you ride your buggy through the store like you are 8 years old. If you really work you can get in a nice little cardio session. There you go. There is one of your days of exercise, only 27 to go before its a habit!

Eat. Drink. Be Merry. Tasha Peters http://www.bigmouthcatering.com/

Welcome to my Blog

2009-01-12T09:41:00.001-08:00

Welcome to my new blog. More information is coming soon.