Rock n Roll Craft Show - So Much Fun!

What a fabulous weekend I had at Rock n Roll Craft Show! I took sweets and savories, and I made special grilled cheese sandwiches to order (The Wilson - provolone with sundried tomato/basil pesto, The Cherokee - white cheddar or jack with a guajillo chili spread, The Flad - Swiss with a spread made of apples and grainy mustard sauteed in butter), along with a different soup every day. I sold out every day and I sincerely thank everyone who had some of my food! You all made my heart swell. The foodie evidence:

Grilled cheese and lentil soup

 

Black bean/sweet potato and spicy potato empanadas 

 

Spinach and feta phyllo pie

Mini gingery apple strudels and chai cake balls

 

Peppermint bark and key lime muddy buddies
 

Short Hiatus!

Soup season is officially underway...just in time for a bit of a Thanksgiving hiatus. I have a couple of really busy cooking weeks ahead of me and I don't want to compromise any quality by taking on too many cooking projects at once.

In the meantime you can get some of my food at all three days of the Rock n Roll Craft Show at Third Degree Glass Factory (Nov. 23-25). I will be there with sweets and savories including candies, empanadas, spinach/feta pie, scones, cakes, and more! RnRCS is a fantastic place to get locally made, handcrafted and totally cool stuff. The next weekend I will be baking what will seem to be zillions of cookies for The St. Louis Curio Shoppe and the Cherokee Street Cookie Walk (Dec. 1-2). It's a great time to check out all the vibrant businesses of the Cherokee's Antique Row.

After those events, soup should resume for a couple weeks, pause until Christmas, then resume again.

In addition, I am happy to do some of your Christmas baking for you! Just drop me a note to inquire! The information in this link from last year is still relevant!

Tuscan Chicken with White Bean

Who wants some soup?

The Soup of the Week is Tuscan Chicken and White Bean. I will be roasting chicken with lots of rosemary, thyme and garlic, in order to make a full-flavored, rich broth. Chunks of that roasted chicken will join plenty of plump white beans, and lots of good for you and just plain good vegetables like dark leafy greens (chard, kale, etc.), and the triumvirate of carrots, onions, and celery. Thick and rich and satisfying on a cold November day! It will also freeze like a dream if you want to put some away for later. 

If I get enough orders (at least four quarts), I will also make a vegetarian version with a roasted vegetable stock and, obviously, no chicken. I will advise regarding the status once you order!

To accompany the soup, I'm baking small rosemary and walnut boules (small rustic bread loaf) (plain boule available upon request) for an additional $3 each.

Soup is priced as follows:

1 quart/$8   2 quarts/$15   3 quarts/$22   4 quarts/$28

I will take orders immediately and until Thursday (11/8) evening, and aim to have the soup ready for pickup/delivery starting Friday evening. Email me: cattmkitchen@gmail.com, clp772@gmail.com, message me on Facebook, or use whatever means you have to contact me! As always, I accept charge, cash, check, and Paypal.

Tiny Montgomery Kitchen is Open - Black Bean Stew with Sweet Potatoes!

It was a long, hot (so very, very hot!) summer and I am so ready for this wonderful cool autumn weather. And what goes better with cool weather than steaming bowls of slow-cooked soups and stews? I have been thinking about soup for weeks, and I am looking forward to seeing you all again!

For the first soup this season, I think a thick black bean stew is in order. I plan on loading it full of vegetables including carrots, celery, onions, garlic (lots of garlic!), a variety of peppers, a splash of tomatoes, and for a bit of sweetness as a counterpoint to the savory spice, bite-sized chunks of sweet potatoes. I want to keep it vegetarian, so I will add homemade soy chorizo to round out the flavors. This will be a hearty and filling bowl that you can eat as is; but if you want, it will be delicious served over your favorite grain like brown rice, quinoa, or couscous.

The cold temperatures also make me feel like baking, so I you can also order freshly baked crusty round white (and I think I'll throw in a       touch of cornmeal for crunch) loaves of bread to accompany your stew.

Since we all need to get back into the swing of things, I'm giving a slightly longer lead time: orders taken until Thursday. Just email me at: cattmkitchen@gmail.com or clp772@gmail.com to order. UPDATE/REVISION!!!!! I am aiming for delivery/pick up on Friday/Saturday/Sunday. When you order, let me know when the best day/times for you. As always, I accept charge, cash, check, and Paypal.

I'm so excited to be cooking for you again! I hope you are excited too!

Soup:1 quart/$8        2 quarts/$15         3 quarts/$21         4 quarts/$28

Bread

$3.50/loaf

Wheat Berry Chick Pea Salad/Banana Nut Muffins

Happy Friday everybody!

It seems the warm weather is here to stay so I am sticking with another grain salad this week (even though I keep thinking about soup...). Because I recently came into possession of some wheat berries (thanks, Phoebe!), I am itching to turn them into a delicious, filling salad for you! To match the whole grain of the berries, there will be nice, plump chick peas making that lovely combo of a perfect protein. Then I will pile on the vegetables, including fresh spinach (and maybe some swiss chard if it looks good!), chopped carrots, sweet-tart crisp apple, and a touch of onion. I don't think that's quite enough, so I'm going to throw in some dried cranberries and bit of feta cheese. Heck, maybe even a handful or two of arugula! I will dress the salad with a simple but flavorful vinaigrette.

OK, read all those ingredients again - it's a veritable healthy food pyramid full of vitamins, fiber, and protein! A meal in itself, or a fantastic side to some grilled chicken or fish!

And for a healthy sweet dessert or snack, how about banana nut muffins with an oatmeal streusel topping? With omega-3 rich walnuts and a touch of whole wheat flour, these are good and good for you!

I will be cooking on Sunday and items will be ready for delivery (between 11:30-1p) or pickup (Monday afternoon/evening). When ordering, let me know what will work best for you! Deadline for ordering will be Saturday (5/19) at midnight!

Salad:

1 quart/$8        2 quarts/$15         3 quarts/$21         4 quarts/$28

Muffins:

4/$4 (minimum of 4, please/no maximum!)

Remember, I can take cash, checks, run your credit card on my nifty Square reader, or you can Paypal me!

Whole Wheat Mexican Pasta Salad!

Hey, remember me? I'm back and itching to cook something for you because I've missed seeing you all these last couple weeks! To celebrate Cinco de Mayo (albeit a day or so late), and to embrace this ridiculously warm (hot!) weather, I'm thinking that a cold pasta salad with Mexican flavors is just the ticket for this weather.

To make it healthy, I will start with whole wheat rotini pasta, add some black beans (and voila! there's that complete protein right there!), and a whole lot of fresh vegetables. I don't know exactly what vegetables yet because I want to see what looks good at the market, but I know there will be avocado, tomato, and roasted corn. And I think perhaps just a smidgen of fresh mango for a hit of sweet-tartness. The dressing will be a slightly spicy lime and cumin accented vinaigrette and will perfectly complement the pasta and vegetables. I can stop there for vegans, but if anyone wants, I will add chunks of pepperjack cheese for some extra flavor. Of course, this salad can be a meal in itself, but also a fine side to any grilled meat!

How about some cookies for dessert? Mexican orange sugar cookies, fragrant with a touch of anise and cinnamon sound perfect!

Prices:

Pasta salad:   1 quart/$8         2 quarts/$15         3 quarts/$21        4 quarts/$28

Cookies: Half dozen/$3

Please let me know by 10am Sunday (May 6) if you'd like to order! Deliveries/pickups will be on Monday (or otherwise arranged). Email me at clp772@gmail.com or cattmkitchen@gmail.com!

Empanadas!

I have mentioned my short attention span as it relates to cooking, right? By that I mean I get bored doing the same thing over and over, even if the "same" thing is really quite different from week to week. I guess I just don't like to be tied down. So that means this week I am cooking neither soup nor salad. I made some empanadas for dinner last night and they turned out so nicely that I thought they would be an excellent idea for this week's TMKitchen offering.

I will be making a few different types and all of them will include cheese or I can exclude it (which would make some of them technically vegan - and by that I mean only that they will contain no dairy and no meat).

Spicy potato (which went over quite well at the Rock n Roll Craft Show this year)
Black bean picadillo
Shrimp
Steak

Expect chilies, salsa, and the usual Latin flavors in each empanada (and yeah, I'm being a little vague because I don't quite know yet - but I promise they will all be delicious!).

In addition, I think a Mayan-style chocolate empanada is also a good idea.

To reheat, just wrap them in foil (but don't mix the savory and sweet in one foil packet!) and put in a 350F oven for about 10-15 minutes. Of course they would also work in a toaster oven or [very carefully] in a microwave. You can also freeze them for later!

Here's what you need to know:

$2/each (minimum of four, no maximum!) - Mix and match any of the varieties but be specific about whether you want cheese (melty white cheese and/or queso fresco depending on flavor).

I'm taking orders until at least noon on Sunday. The sooner you let me know, the better, please! Email me at cattmkitchen@gmail.com or clp772@gmail.com!

Asian Brown Rice and Tofu Salad/Mini-Madeleines

An overwhelming majority of respondents have voiced a preference for salad over soup this week, so that's what it shall be!

The salad will start with a base of nutty brown rice and a variety of vegetables including bean sprouts, peas, carrots, green onions, and whatever else might look good at the market. I will saute the tofu with ginger, garlic, and a bit of soy sauce so all the flavor gets absorbed by the tofu. For the dressing, there will be hints of sesame, sweet orange, ginger and garlic to bring all the flavors together.

Rather than a bread this week, I'm thinking a little dessert might be in order. And since I just acquired a mini-madeleine pan, mini-madeleines it shall be! Chocolate dipped if you so desire, plain if you don't! FYI, madeleines are a buttery French cake-like cookie (See photo below.) (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madeleine_(cake) )

Salad
1 quart/$8     2 quarts/$15     3 quarts/$22     4 quarts/$28

Cookies
$5/doz (I can mix and match plain and choco dipped!)

Please get your orders to me by 10am Sunday! Thank you!

Since Sunday is Easter, I will save all delivery/pickups for Monday (or later, if necessary). When you order, please let me know when you would be able to pick up or be home for delivery. Thanks! Email me at clp772@gmail.com or cattmkitchen@gmail.com.

Thanks!