Its National Brownie Day!!!

Now like most of us who can resist a delicious brownie??
So in honor of National Brownie Day I decided to put up a wonderful recipe for Brownies. This too can make a great holiday treat for your family and friends. Enjoy!

Ingredients
* 1 cup margarine or butter
* 2 cups sugar
* 2 teaspoons vanilla
* 4 eggs, slightly beaten
* 1 cup all-purpose flour or unbleached flour
* 1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 8 ounces (8 squares) semi-sweet chocolate (coarsely chopped)
* 1 cup pecans, chopped

Directions

Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 13 by 9-inch pan. In medium saucepan over low heat, melt margarine. Add sugar, vanilla and eggs; blend well. Lightly spoon flour into measuring cup; level off. Stir in flour, cocoa and salt; mix well. Add chocolate and pecans. Pour into prepared pan. Bake for 30 to 40 minutes or until set. Cool. Cut into 36 bars and for a special touch for the holidays sprinkle confectioners' sugar on top of the brownies.

Celebrate National Cookie Day!

Tomorrow, December 4th, is National Cookie Day in America. In honor of the holiday, take time out of your day bake, and enjoy some deliciously baked cookies!

Here is a simple recipe for 3 dozen chocolate chunk cookies:

Ingredients:
3 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter
1 cup light brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated white sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
16 ounces bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, coarsely chopped

Baking and preparation:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or nonstick baking liners.

Combine the first three ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and both sugars with an electric mixer until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Mix in vanilla. Add dry ingredients and combine well. Fold in chocolate chunks.

Form dough into 1 1/2 inch balls. Place each ball two inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake 12-15 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Cool cookies on sheet for five minutes and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.

Masterpiece Willing To Travel

I am so fortunate to be in beautiful Sea Island for two days, putting on a dinner for two leadership companies. The menu includes some of my favorites...black & red fish, wild mushrooms, stuffed tenderloin and my jumbo lump crab salad.

My accommodations at The Cloister aren't too bad either. It's a tough job, but somebody's got to do it.

Masterpiece Catering at ElandersUSA

Special thanks to all of you who came out for our Grand Open House at ElandersUSA on Thursday, September 24. Over 200 guests attended to sample international food from Masterpiece Catering. I made some of my favorite appetizers including tuna asiago satee, bluecrab dip and potstickers. Visitors also sipped beer and wine, and tried their luck at game tables to win prizes, and to hear some great jazz.

Each attendee was also given a passport – custom-printed on the digital press with their name and company name. During a facility tour, each passport was stamped at eight different Stations corresponding to a country where Elanders has operations. During the tour visitors were given the opportunity to watch special projects run, illustrating ElandersUSA's unique pre-press, digital and offset printing, binding and finishing capabilities.

We look forward to partnering with the great team at Elander in the future. Thanks again for all of you who attended!

Preferred Caterer of Angora Hall

This month I am so proud to announce that Masterpiece Catering will be the preferred Caterer of Angora Hall. The Event Facility is located just 10 miles from Buckhead, and has the perfect ambiance to make your event unforgettable. Whether you are planning an intimate indoor wedding for 30 or an extravagant outdoor party for 500, the newly renovated space is Atlanta's best kept secret.

I fell in love with the vaulted ceilings, refinished hardwood floors and dramatic ceiling to floor windows...I knew it would be the perfect place for me to cater an elegant affair. The main ballroom is more than 2,900 sq. ft. and holds 420 people for buffet reception style events, or seats 195 people for formal dinners. The hall even has a state-of-the-art audio, visual and lighting, and an optional stage with backlit projection that can be used for entertainment, photo slide shows or can be closed and decorated.

But best of all, there is a Butler's Kitchen complete with a large refrigeration unit, sinks and electrical outlets inside and out. This means more beautifully catered events for you!

Angora Hall is located at 3701 College Avenue in Clarkston.

Masterpiece Catering Offers Gluten-Free Menu Options

I am proud to offer gluten-free menu options to my allergy-conscious clients. From entrees to desserts, I have created gourmet “g-free” meals that are made without gluten, the protein that is found in wheat, rye barley.

Many of our clients are requesting gluten-free catering options, and we are more than willing to help. A growing number of customers are avoiding gluten because of an allergy or sensitivity. Cutting out gluten can be tricky, but there is no need to write off sandwiches and birthday cake forever.

My “g-free” menu includes Coriander Chicken with Mango Salsa, Champagne Vinegar Red Potato Salad and Gluten-free coconut layer cake. Each dish is completely free of gluten products and is made with substitutes like cornmeal, soybeans and buckwheat.

I want people to know that they can still enjoy great “g-free” food without sacrificing the flavor. I prepare different specials every day based on customers’ requests. Do you have an idea for an original dish, or a “g-free” recipe that you would like to share? Call me and I will prepare a special “Chef’s Choice” just for you.

For more information visit www.masterpiececatering.com

Chef Talk

I believe with all my heart that I was born to cook. It is definitely a God-given ability that began when I told my Mom, “I don’t want that for breakfast!” Her response was, “Make your own breakfast!” I was 12, and so it began…

As a “renaissance” teen, I was busy playing in the kitchen as well as laying brick and mixing mortar. One day at a job, the owner asked, “Does anyone want to wash dishes at my restaurant?” I jumped at the chance, and soon found myself behind the line at Capo’s Café in Virginia Highlands making alfredo sauce with my swiftly mortar-mixing wrist. Soon the Ritz-Carlton Buckhead invited me to apprentice in their Five Star Kitchen. After completing their Four Year Certification program, I had found my calling.

Many people ask us where the name “Masterpiece” came from, and it has two meanings for us. Because of our great faith in God, my wife and I wanted to name our business in His honor. He is our master and he gives us peace. I also like to make my dishes look like, well…a masterpiece.

I like to keep my food very clean, fresh and colorful. Often this involves fusing different ethnicities and finding the right ethnic flavors to marry. Clients also ask me what tools and utensils I use in my kitchen, because there are so many options out there today. For any chef I recommend a sharp knife, a good cutting board, a hand blender, a balloon whisk, a channel knife, a food processor, a zester, fresh clean cloths and stainless steel pots. Keep these on hand, and you can prepare almost any dish for your guests. Everything that I make has to have a balance, and my dishes have to share all of these flavors. One of my signature dishes over the years has been the prociutto and pesto-stuffed fillet with red wine bordelaise sauce. Like every dish I make, this one is meant to be an experience. I tell guests at my cooking classes that they have to make this dish with their partner because it is about creating a memory.

When I am asked if I have any advice to offer other aspiring chefs or caterers, I tell them this: It takes a lot of hard work and hands-on experience. I graduated from the American Culinary Federation Educational Institution, and worked my way up the culinary ladder one step at a time. I have also had the opportunity to cook for every governor since Joe Frank Harris, and cooked for the Coca Cola Marketing Department at the 1996 Olympics. It is this hands-on experience that has made me the chef I am today.

Recession Proof Menu Planning on CNN

Today I appeared live on CNN to offer expert tips for recession proof menu planning. During a hands-on cooking demonstration, I created three gourmet family dinners all for under $10.

Here are some tips for recession-proof dining:

• Keep a few staple items like canned soup or broth in your pantry to extend or enhance a dish.
• Create a grocery list each week. This will keep your family on a budget and require fewer trips to the store.
• Set aside time to devise a menu each week.
• Ask your family what they are interested in eating. This will minimize the “I don’t like this,” and allow them to feel a part of the planning.
• When preparing food, stick to your kitchen basics. There are so many gadgets out there to tempt us, but they are an unnecessary expense.
• Eliminate processed foods. Not only are they more expensive they are unhealthy.
• Cook food in bulk, freeze the leftovers and make sure to date them.
• Eat more turkey. You can thaw it in the refrigerator for three days and have a week’s worth or meals for under $20.