EVENT PLANNING BOOKS

Wok cooking is colorful, hot and fast, which fits a busy autumn schedule. Why not prepare a spectrum of healthy stir fried choices. Carrots take longer; so, remember to slice the carrots thin and at an angle to get the most out a thin carrot slice. Water chestnuts are sturdy; so, a heavy wok spatula, called a “chuan” won’t indent those during a fast toss; but, mushrooms should go in last because of the tenderness. Bok choy is a leafy vegetable that is sturdy enough to take a fast-paced toss. Add broccoli, cauliflower and Chinese baby corn for more flavor and color variations. Just prior to serving, in a bowl, mix a 1/2 cup of soy sauce, a 1/4 cup of water, 1 tablespoon of corn starch and 1 tablespoon of sherry. Stir well. Pour this liquid into the vegetable mix, toss and heat until the sauce thickens. Nuts, also, make a wonderful addition, after the sauce is added. Any sprouts should be tossed into the mix, as the last item, since sprouts wilt so quickly. Serve this as a quick meal, on rice, or with an entree. Oriental cuisine can brighten your day and your autumn table! © Kelly McBride Loft

We wait months for autumn’s embrace. Gone is the glare of summer and we welcome the mood for soothing soups. Barley soup is wholesome and it can be enriched with a beef bone that contains marrow. A browned lamb shank makes a great soup starter. Minestrone soup tastes fresher with chunks of Roma tomatoes; but, the easiest is my recipe for pumpkin soup which is the perfect greeting for those autumn breezes.
Kelly’s Easy Pumpkin Soup
Slowly heat two 29 oz. cans of pumpkin on the stove. Add a dash of Sherry, a dash of cinnamon, a 1/2 cup of apricot nectar and just enough cream to create the thickness of the soup that is desired. Stir well and serve hot. How easy and how fitting it is for an October evening. © Kelly McBride Loft

Cheese is wonderful when served any time of year. I especially love it as autumn begins. Did you know that cheese goes well with tea selections? Blue cheese, honey and Darjeeling tea taste divine when paired. Gouda with the smoky flavor of Lapsang Souchong pair well, also. I really like brie cheese with Japanese green Matcha tea. I feel like I am sitting in Monet’s Garden in Giverny, France when I pair those two together. Take a tasting journey with cheese and tea – the adventures await…© Kelly McBride Loft

September is a delightful transitional month when we welcome autumn’s brisk breezes while clinging to the sweetness of summer’s fruits. Melons are abundant and delicious. A wonderful simple appetizer prior to main course is to serve chunks of ripe cantaloupe and/or honeydew melon with sprinkles of fresh crisp crumbled bacon. For the more adventurous, sprinkle on some blue cheese, too. If you are artistically inclined, carve interesting designs into the melons and serve the appetizers in the melon bowls. It’s is all fun and it makes a beautiful presentation. © Kelly McBride Loft

September calls for satisfying meals that gather the clan. Sheppard’s Pie is one of our favorites and no one cooks one better that Michael, my British husband. Sheppard’s Pie fare can be found all over Europe and I really appreciate this recipe, with my Scottish heritage. We share his recipe to gather your family for memorable moments around the kitchen table. © Kelly McBride Loft
Michael’s Sheppard’s Pie
Make fluffy mashed potatoes and set that aside. Chop and boil until tender a 1/2 cup of fresh diced carrots and set aside. In a skillet, brown high-grade ground beef with 1/2 cup of coffee, a dash of brandy, a double dash of steak sauce, Worcestershire Sauce, salt, pepper and nutmeg. Cook until done and drain completely. Add 1 cup of frozen peas and 1/2 cup of the pre-cooked diced carrots into the meat mixture. Line a pie pan or loaf pan with some thin slices of butter. Create a crust shape in the pie pan with mashed potatoes. Top the potatoes with the drained meat mixture. Now, top the meat mixture with the remaining mashed potatoes, to cover. Bake the Sheppard’s Pie for 30 minutes, until the top browns, at 350°F. © Kelly McBride Loft

I agree. We are very busy at this time of year! I keep up a positive attitude by keeping things simple but emphasizing special presentations. Try my Beef-Hash Pie for a quick and easy wholesome fare.
Kelly’s Beef-Hash Pie
From frozen shredded potatoes, brown in a skillet according to directions. Layer the cooked hash-brown potatoes into a pie pan or quiche pan (spray the pan with non-stick spray), like a pie crust. Then, fill the pie with a layer of cooked roast beef and a layer of roasted peppers from a jar. Top the pie with cheese and bake until heated thoroughly. Serve in slices and with a side of apple chutney, for all to enjoy. © Kelly McBride Loft

Celebrate that transitional time from summer fun to back to regular routines with extra special desserts. Fruit desserts bask in the glory of summer and showcase with grandeur. Build excitement during the transition by serving Bananas Foster, Strawberry Romanoff, Crepes Suzette, Pear Tartan and traditional Homemade Apple Pie. Even a dash of banana liqueur into the Crème Anglaise in Banana Pudding will bring a smile of gratitude for going to the extra effort to make someone happy. © Kelly McBride Loft

After a long day of boating, whether it is fishing, water skiing or basking in the sun, you may not want to cook a smorgasbord buffet for hungry guests. My answer is to cook the night before; so, no matter how sunburned, no matter the extra work to clean fish or no matter the effort to put up the boat, everyone can enjoy the entertaining fish stories. Make ahead (the night before) summer items lead with cold foods. Easy items are potato salad, pea salad, carrot salad and coleslaw. Tuna salad and salmon salad, made from canned fish, are always favorites. I recommend only using the boiled egg whites for both fish salads since the chopped egg whites made the fish spread fluffy. I always serve interesting bread, too. For a light dessert or as a starter, fill apricot halves with goat cheese and arrange the apricots onto a deviled egg holder. Guests eyes lighten up with the bright color and the chilled multi-selections of flavor for those very hungry friends. © Kelly McBride Loft

There are two shopping seasons that are very hectic. One is in December and the other is in August, as school starts. These are times that you wish to make family members the happiest; yet, the traffic and the selections available are challenging. Beat the rush by being creative. Fill a large bowl in the center of the kitchen table with chilled-down fresh cooked crab, cooked lobster and cooked coquilles. Include a multi-selection of mini pots of dipping sauces such as lemon butter, honey mustard vinaigrette and balsamic vinaigrette. A tub of interesting ice cream makes dessert easy and celebratory. It’s a bonding happy back to school gathering that brings smiles and it is so each to create and easy to clean-up. Life is fun; so, make it simple! More creative school lunches can be found in my book, School Lunches That Make The Grade. © Kelly McBride Loft

Have you ever noticed how the heat outside makes seafood taste better? It’s that childlike feeling of being near the beach just as a delicate bite of Mahi Mahi is flavorfully eaten. You can play a CD of Hawaiian music or just dream of palm trees swaying in the sea breeze. Own it – it’s your summer meal; so, make it delightful. © Kelly McBride Loft
Kelly’s Mahi Mahi
Marinate individual portions of Mahi Mahi for at least 30 minutes in Sherry and orange juice. Pat each fish fillet dry and sear in olive oil. Set aside. In a sauté pan, mix 5 oz. of spicy hot tomatoes & chilies (about half of the can) with diced fresh mango and 1 – 8 oz. can of tomato sauce. Add 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 cup of brandy, chopped tarragon and simmer for 15 minutes. In a baking dish, pour the mango mixture over the Mahi Mahi and bake for 15 minutes, covered. Serve with stir fried vegetables and rice. © Kelly McBride Loft

I love to bring summer items to the table. When my sister and her husband dine with us, the table is simple but fun. Seashells are placed with a single strand of faux pearls around each. I like to have little sayings typed up for the week, thread into the shells, as my pearls of wisdom. It usually gives everyone a chuckle and they look forward to the creativity. This week’s feature is that divine flavoring from New Orleans. Nothing fills the home better than an authentic welcome from the sauté from the “holy trinity”. Simply sauté chopped onions, chopped green peppers and chopped celery for true southern hospitality. To make an awesome stuffing, just sprinkle on fresh breadcrumbs and Parmesan cheese to the desired thickness to that trinity sauté. Now, serve the trinity stuffing in authentic scallop baking seashells. I always boil the seashells to kill any bacteria. Sear at least 4 scallops per person. Fill up the baking seashells with the trinity stuffing, top with the seared scallops and broil, for a short time, just before serving. Let the pearls of wisdom reign – it’s all about the love put into the thoughtfully designed pearl of a simple dinner with family. © Kelly McBride Loft

Chill the outside heat-wave sear. Strawberries are to the rescue. It’s called a Strawberry Daiquiri. For a standard size 7 cup blender, add 2 cups of ice (then crush). Then, add 6 oz. of light rum, 4 oz. of simple syrup, 3 oz. of lime juice and 3 cups of fresh strawberries (prepared). – Blend away the outside temperature. Those huge red berries, bursting with summer flavor, also make the most flavorful salad dressing for a sunshine salad.
Strawberry Vinaigrette: In a food processor, add 2 cups of fresh strawberries (with the green sepal removed), 1/4 cup of olive oil, 3 tablespoons of salad vinegar, 1/4 cup of cream and 2 tablespoons of sugar. Blend thoroughly. Chill and serve the Strawberry Vinaigrette over the salad selection. Top with whole fresh strawberries. So, relax and sink into the strawberry melancholy moment. It is all so berry-soothing! © Kelly McBride Loft

Fruit and chocolate are two wonderful summer combinations. One of my favorites is candied orange peel. It is so easy to make. Simply, julienne cut orange rind (the peel) and cook the rind on the stove in 1 cup of water and 1.5 cups of caster sugar until the rind has softened. Then, dip the rinds into dark chocolate on the tips. Yumm! Many fine coffee shops in Europe sell the orange treats. These treats can also be found in the confectionery departments of any of the fine stores in Europe, when you wish to enjoy a delicious bite of summer sun on the run. © Kelly McBride Loft

If you can’t take the heat, bring chilled food to the table. We like cold lobster salad. It is so easy. Just boil the lobster and crack out the meat. Chop the lobster meat, add diced celery and add a dollop of sour cream (just enough to cover the mixture). Add a dash of celery salt for flavor and almond slices. I finish my lobster salad off with peeled seedless grapes mixed into the salad. (Grapes are easily peeled by dropping the grapes into simmering water for 3 seconds and then dropping the grapes into ice water.) Serve the lobster salad completely chilled. The tropical treat is highlighted with pie crust cutouts of whimsical coastal creatures such as lobsters and turtles. Bake the pie crust shapes for about 10 minutes, until done. Then, brush the crusts with garlic butter. The coastal theme will take the sear out of the heat wave and win the hearts of those gathered. © Kelly McBride Loft

Pool parties are the fastest cool down. When it is hot outside, serve cold items. Here are some ideas: 1) Freeze fruit juice Sangria. Cranberry juice with slices of orange, lime and lemon are perfect. As the heat sets in, the juice reaches a chill-down comfort level. 2) Serve chilled coconut milk for a chill-down summer soup. Add Bing cherries for color and serve in coconut halves or ceramic coconut halves. 3) Try Pear Pops. The night before, melt semi-sweet chocolate in a double boiler. Then, dip fresh whole pears, (with a sturdy wooden pick in the top of each pear), into the chocolate. The last step is to coat the chocolate layer with toasted coconut. Chill down the pears before serving. It’s a pear popping popular treat to beat the summer heat!© Kelly McBride Loft