One of my goals this year is to keep on cooking. Surprised? Of course not- anyone who knows me is aware that it’s part of my chemical makeup to work and play in the kitchen. In the Butterfield Gourmet shop we were cooking for the holidays right up through the Friday before Christmas. After we hung the “Closed for the Holidays” sign on December 21, the cooking didn’t stop, though the venue changed. Here’s a look at some of the culinary endeavors that occurred when we were NOT at Butterfield Gourmet.
December 21 - Chicken Vegetable Soup
December 22 - Korean Cooking Class*
December 23 - Grilled Lamb Chops, Double-Baked Potatoes, Roasted Broccoli, Salad, Tiramisu*
December 25 - Cinnamon Rolls for Breakfast; Roasted Prime Rib Roast with Bourbon Sauce and Horseradish Cream, Butter Poached Lobster Tails, Potato Pavé, Creamed Spinach, Winter Citrus Salad, Homemade Butter Rolls and Chocolate-Espresso Buche de Noel for dessert
December 29 - Beef Stroganoff (leftover rib roast!), Roasted Broccoli, Homemade Butter Rolls
December 30 - Baked Potato Soup, Green Salad
January 1 - New Cinnamon sweet roll recipe - fabulous; Glazed ham, Au Gratin Potatoes, Roasted Vegetables
January 2 - Italian Feast: Sausage, Rosemary & Pesto Pasta, Meatballs on Polenta Crostini, Caesar Salad, Garlic Spinach*
January 3 - Butterfield Beef Pot Pies for my daughter’s freezer
January 4 - Smoked Beef Brisket experiment in the Green Egg, Creamed Corn*
January 5 - Asian Feast: Pot Stickers, Spicy Chicken Wings, Pork Fried Rice, Sesame Chicken with Broccoli*
January 6 - Grilled Salmon and Asparagus, Roasted Red Potatoes*
January 7 - Nashville Hot Chicken, Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Most of the meals/menus listed above were cooked/baked by me alone. Sometimes I feel like I can’t escape the kitchen; when I’m at work, I’m at the stove making soup or rolling out pie crust. While at home, I’m “fixing dinner” while my husband and son are catching a game on TV. But the best experiences from the above list are marked with an * and signify the meals that I worked with one of my family members to create.
So what I really want to do differently in 2019 is I want to cook fewer dishes alone and more meals with my loved ones. There was a time when my experience at the stove was at a medium level and working solo was the best way to successfully complete a meal. In those early days, if anyone—kids, dinner guests, parents—tried to help, they were often delegated to make the salad because a) you can’t mess up a salad and b) it ensured the helpers stayed clear of my prep zone. Nowadays, I direct my staff in helping me create the menu items that grace many familys’ tables on an everyday basis. I have become accustomed to cooking alongside employees, friends, and family.
One especially fun experience from the holidays was the Saturday that my son and I attended a Korean Cooking Class in a couple’s home. The session was a birthday gift from James to me—so thoughtful because 1) he knows I love to try new things and 2) I love spending time with him! We spent three hours learning a few new techniques, but mostly eating some diverse items. But it was a great way to spend an afternoon, chatting, cooking, and absorbing with my son.
Two things came out of that experience that I hope to bring to fruition in the new year. First, as I already mentioned above, I am making it a goal to be in the kitchen with at least one family member on the regular. Rather than be in separate rooms of the house, I will include my DH or any of my children in the preparation of meals. Second, I’d like to begin to share what I’ve learned from my time in the kitchen over the years—not only through Butterfield Gourmet meals—but also with instruction. I’d like to help YOU, my customer, reader, follower, take on the challenge of stepping out of YOUR comfort zone to
create an organized, workable kitchen space in your home,
develop weekly menus that fit with your busy lifestyle and/or,
learn new cooking and baking techniques to bolster your confidence in the kitchen.
This second goal/plan/resolve will take my love of all things culinary to a new level in assisting others, thereby bringing more satisfaction and joy surrounding food. I want to feel full in Body & Soul! I’ll keep you posted on how this goal is shaping up in the next few months but feel free to reach out with questions!
Cheers to a delicious 2019!
