Weller-Black Wine Celebration

Weller-Black Wine Celebration
A "Wine Cellar Celebration" catered by Chef Robin

Tuesday, January 31, 2012

Holy Cannoli, it's almost February! FamMenu 1-30 ~2-5

Time sure does fly... Especially when you have a busy schedule and lots of children! It seems to magically disappear, ~poof~from in front of me!!! Well, today starts a challenge for the Belmont Fourth Graders, including my Fred, to "Eat a Rainbow a Day" of healthy fruits & veggies! We are off to a great start! He had concord grape juice for breakfast(and some Cheerios w/milk!) and has cucumbers, carrots, a banana & dried cherries(mixed with dark chocolate chips-dessert:)in his lunch...a kiwi is slotted for his after school snack,and then, of course there is dinner! So here you go with my Fam's week of meals: Monday: I was running around alllll day long so I threw together a quick dinner, Mrs. T's mini piergoies and whipped up a quick cheese sauce made with earth balance spread, flour , 1/2 % milk and 2% milk sharp cheddar . I steamed some organic broccoli and carrots and that was dinner! Tuesday: looks like it will be another busy day. Going to pan grill some vegetarian burritos from Costco - they are awesome! Packed with fiber and low fat! I'll serve them up with some "Jacks Special" salsa- with some organic corn and chunks of avocad thrown in(on sale at Meijer for $1 each this week!) will have some tortilla strips and some sliced "Piñata" apples too. Wednesday:herbalicious turkey burgers topped with sautéed mini portobellos, onions & 2% milk Swiss cheese. Sweet potato chips and celery sticks Thursday: Stir fry! Chicken, Bok choy, carrots & red cabbage- probably done up into stir fried race, the kiddos LOVE THIS! Navel orange wedges Friday: I'll be at a demo at Forest Hills Foods, then it's time for moooovie night and pizza! Gonna have to load it with veggies! Mushrooms, green peppers, black olives... Maybe some ham too. Saturday: Another hummus demo, this time @ Plum Market in West Bloomfield! Then it's home to the kiddies and time for a an already done dinner a la my crockpot- I am thinking Brazilian black bean stew- made with skinless chicken thighs and smoked turkey sausage. A nice crisp salad with blue cheese, tomatoes and spinach... Zingermans bread! Sunday: oh boy, Super Bowl Food! Plenty of My black bean hummus, veggies, probably some other crazy apps... Potato wedges... Who knows what else! Hope your week is full if rainbows and sunshine!:)

Monday, January 23, 2012

FamMenu for 1.23-1.29 almost February!!!:)

Hey everyone! Had a great "Family Day" with the kiddos Gigi & Grampy & the Biermachers Friday! Also a beautiful catered event on Saturday. Yesterday was a git-r-done cleaning day followed by a card party and food with good friends. Sad to see the beautiful snow Turing to slush and hoping for some more beautiful big white flakes soon!(this IS Michigan after all!:)So, I get to talk with the fourth graders in my son's class tomorrow about eating a "Rainbow a Day" of fruits and vegetables, third year running! Love to inform kids about health & nutrition... Challenging thenm to help plan, shop for, incorporate different fruits and veggies into their daily meals and snacks. Are YOU up for the challenge? Here is a great printout for kids(and those adults who "don't like veggies")to help track which colors you've eaten daily: http://www.wegmans.com/pdf/EatARainbowEveryDay.pdf
 So on with my FamMenu for the week:

 Monday: Tonce's BBQ potato chicken pizza, FINALLY! (had to reschedule this since Friday, and she has not been short in the reminder department!:) fresh cut fruit, brownies

 Tuesday: grilled beef tenderloin, horseradish mashed Yukon potatoes, sautéed mushrooms, green beaners, GHBCpotato bread

Wednesday:vegetarian chili- chock full of veggies and three beans, over rice, with chunks of avocado, yum! Baked tortilla chips

 Thursday: kale & bean soup with lots of shredded Romano cheese and hunks of Italian bread, fresh fruit

Friday: Terrif Turkey Taco Pizza with shredded romaine, tomatoes, banana peppers 2% milk shredded sharp cheddar

 Saturday: Grilled Vegetable Lasagna, an AWESOME RECIPE can be found in Myra Goodman's "Food to Live By"- she and her husband own Earthbound Farm Organic- this is a great wY to get your veggies in!!!

Sunday: "Sticky Chicken Drumbsticks" from Annabel Karmel's "You Can Cook" made by the kids! Served with rice & Asian slaw

 Have a GREAT WEEK ALL!!!:)

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Healthy Gluten Free Class next month!

Another Gluten Free Healthy class next month! Friday February 17th, 6:30 pm at DreamMaker, the menu is as follows:
~A rainbow of veggies with Mediterranean roasted eggplant dip- baba ganoush & homemade ranch dip
~Chick Pea "Tabouleh"- made without cracked wheat- fresh herbs, tomatoes, feta & olives
~Roasted Beet, Quinoa & Goat Cheese Salad- hearty and flavorful!

~Grilled Wild Caught Cod with Chermoula-mild fish with a tasty herbalicious sauce!(parsley, saffron, etc.)
~Healthy Feijoda-a spicy Brazilianblack bean stew
Sign up http://www.rpssignmeup.com/

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

The "I can't get my phone to tether to the Internet-Grrr" FamMenu

So I'll keep it Short & Sweet!:) Monday: was a crazy long day for me, hummus deliveries, sick kid, doctors appointment, pharmacy, grocery store, dinner - which consisted of leftovers- then watched Alcatraz- a little creepy!-and BED! Zzzzzz Tuesday: pulled lean beef sloppy joes on Little Rooster Rooster buns with 2% milk American slices, veggies n' dip and ...date I say this?!?! TATER TOTS! (kids are happy!) Wednesday: Stir Fried Rice with lots of veggies & marinated beef, fresh green grapes Thursday: whole grain spaghetti tossed with Italian sausage meatballs(extending the meat by adding breadcrumbs, Parm, egg & herbs) and Italian Tomato Sauce, bread, rapini- YUM!!! Sautéed with garlic, tomatoes, crushed red pepper & basil Friday: Family Day @ Biermacher's house! French Dips, salad, sweet potato fries & dessert!  Saturday: BBQ Chicken & red potato pizza, per Contance's request!:) I have a fancy dinner to cater, woopwoop! Sunday: I am thinking veggie, bean & cheese burritos, fruit, chips & salsa, guacamole too!!!

Thursday, January 12, 2012

Gluten Free Vegan~Vegetarian Specialties~ Food and Wine Menu


~Vegetarian Specialties~

Vegetable Brown Rice Sushi Rolls
Japanese rice is treated with some rice vinegar, a little sea salt and a sprinkling of organic sugar then rolled up with fresh veggies in a Nori wrap-served with pickled ginger, wasabi & soy- spicylicious!
`New Age White`…  with a little lemon
Toasted Quinoa & Vegetable Soup Au Pistou
A power packed with nutrition soup that is delish, hearty & flavorful, too! Quinoa is a tiny grain that is high in protein and gluten free- it has a chewy-nutty flavor and texture and is also packed with potassium! Enjoy your fave fresh seasonal veggies in this one! The au pistou on the top is packed with flavors & essential oils.
`3 Girls Chardonnay`
Triple Bean Smashed Tostadas
Canned beans make for a huge time saver in the kitchen, and a pocket friendly choice for people who are trying to eat healthy on a budget and need quick meals…rumor has it that you should eat a half cup of beans a day- for their wonderful fiber, macrobiotics, protein, etc. Adding in great roasted peppers, chipotles, fresh cilantro, garlic and guacamole- you have a quick, tasty family pleasing meal in record time!
`Dry Creek Fume Blanc`
Organic Kaleriffic Salad
I adapted this recipe from one I had found in a Yoga magazine, from a health spa in California. Kale is a packed with vitamin K, antioxidants, calcium and fiber- vibrant in color and texture, no wonder it is called a “Superfood”! Add in fresh Crimini mushrooms, red onions, wild blueberry balsamic vinaigrette & toasted hazelnuts, YUM!
`Cupcake Pinot Noir`
Nutty Date Bar
Dates are a natural sweet ending to a meal, and have been popular in a Mediterranean diet for years- fruit at the end of dinner! Add in some antioxidant rich cocoa powder and some healthy nuts- and you have a great energy bar-easy to make and from your own kitchen!
`Dows Port Cocktail`
Chefrobinpersonalchef@hotmail.com http://chefrobinstastestodate.blogspot.com/
www.chefrobins.com

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

Monday, January 9, 2012

FamMenu 1.9 Through1.15

Hey all...well this morning I spent some time thoroughly foraging through my cupboards....-there was a lot in there that I had completely forgotten about! ( I encourage you to do this with your cupboards, fridge & freezer...it's a great money saver! :0) Last week did not go exactly as planned, meal-wise, so you'll see a few things from last week incorporated here...


Monday: Grilled Sizzler Steaks with my homemade steak rub, sauteed shrooms & onions, "Kid scrubbed" redskin potatoes-Ant & Tina helped! Mashed with buttermilk and chives, Organic romaine & Roma TomatoSalad w/Penzey's Ranch ...Made these, too, since my oven is still on the fritz:
http://www.food.com/recipe/healthy-no-bake-cookies-137725   pretty good!


Tuesday: Skillet Shepherds pie- made with leftover potatoes from Monday, creamed corn and green beans- not my fave, but the Fam are fans! I'll have to make some of my grandma's special ketchup-mustard-brown sugar meatloaf sauce to go with it!Potato rolls, homemade applesauce.



Wednesday: A lunchtime Hummus Tasting Demo @ Grand Central Market & Deli for me...then home to Creamy Dreamy Tomato Basil Soup, Artisan Grilled Cheesies (a basic grilled cheese- just use yummy crusty artisan bakery bread and 2-3 different cheeses, plus parm on the crusts-golden-delish!) & veggies.


Thursday:  I'll be at the Grand Rapids Children's Museum for a tasty healthy snack demo- so the kiddies will be home with Dad, eating ' Lowfat Chili Verde- a spicy pork & green salsa chili, with some beans added in for bulk, tortilla chips- and MAYBE they will get to watch crazy WIPEOUT! (funny!)

Friday: I SHOULD be at a cooking demo~Vegetarian Specialties~ but at the moment I have low enrollment- so grab your friends and SIGN UP!!! The class will be Vegan AND Gluten Free! (and of course healthy, FUN and delicious!)See the details on the right side of my blog.  Kiddos will have pizza with daddy, or a babysitter:0)


Saturday: Another Tasty Healthy Snack Demo for me @ the Grand Rapids Children's Museum... Then Carne Asada with the Fam... there is a good recipe on Allrecipes.com:
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/taqueria-style-tacos---carne-asada/detail.aspx.......yum!




Sunday: Spaghetti with  Nana Rose's Italian Meatballs & Sauce, Italian style green beans, Italian Bread




And JUST IN CASE you are all wondering, does she REALLY cook like this for her family every week? The answer is YES I do! AND remember that this is a skeleton of a meal plan...in other words, STUFF happens, and we do not always eat the meals intended for the day, but I have to say that we usually do. Planning helps save time, money and energy. (MY TIME, MONEY AND ENERGY!) For instance, I usually pull everything I have scheduled for meals during the week from the freezer, if need be, and schedule around the local store ads, on Monday Morning or Sunday afternoon.... If I KNOW what is for dinner in advance, I can use my time wisely and get things done and not fret at the last second, OMIGOSH! WHAT'S FOR DINNER?! 
Have a superdedooper week!!!

Monday, January 2, 2012

First Full FamMenu for 2012!!! :0)



Well, can you believe it is 2012 already? Seems like just yesterday we were on the cusp of  Y2K! Wow, we lived in a one bedroom house and only had ONE child back then- and now she is almost a teenager and has four tagalong siblings, crazy! Here's to a blessed new year!
Ok, so cooking for the fam may prove to be a tad challenging this week, as my bake element in my oven bit the dust last week...Sooo until that is fixed, no baking or roasting for this chick! (BOO!) Perhaps if I see this as a challenge, it will be FUN!!! So here it is, the FamMenu:


Monday: Eating a LUN-DIN "picnic" of sorts at my parents' house while watching MSU- Jamie Oliver's "A Cracking Burger" -thank you to my friend Michelle for sharing this with me over a year ago!-(Simply the best burger- great made with venison, too!)
http://www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/beef-recipes/a-cracking-burger
and some baked beans, veggies with Penzey's ranch, fruit


Tuesday: Hubs wants pasta, so here is what he gets- Fettucini Toldo- grilled chicken breasts, chunks of spiral ham, sauteed mushrooms, lots of  parm, asiago & romano cheese all swirled together with some homemade pasta! foccacia or Italian bread (not homemade :o( dumb oven) Italian style spinach-sauteed with garlic, crushed red pepper, tomatoes & olive oil


Wednesday: Split Green & Yellow Pea soup- with lots of carrots, potatoes, onions and ham- some delish rolls and homemade applesauce


Thursday: Local Steelhead with Chermoula- a delish fresh herb cocoction made with cilantro, parsley, garlic, saffron and a few other things that make it delish! Mashed redskins with buttermilk, a tasty veggie of some sort!


Friday: BBQ Chicken pizza-grilled because my dumb oven is broke! 


Saturday: Pork Carnitas- a delish mexican concoction similar to tacos but WAY tastier! Here is a great recipe from a fun blogger:
http://www.the-girl-who-ate-everything.com/2011/05/easy-crockpot-pork-carnitas.html
Makes the house smell YUMMMMY! 


Sunday: Balsamic glazed steaks with  creamy asiago polenta, sauteed mushrooms and onions, salad, fresh fruit


Enjoy this blizzardy week with your Fam!

Taste of Summer!

Taste of Summer!