EHM Sterling Heights introduces their new "Kitchen Kabinet"

As part of our annual business plan this year we have come up with a new way of holding our dining committee meetings. In the past our meeting took place right after the monthly resident council meeting and was not really it's own entity. In order to change that and really make the meetings more productive and memorable for our residents we came up with our own day of the month and a new name. Our monthly "Kitchen Kabinet" meetings now take place on the second Wednesday of the month and are focused mainly on menu selections. 

For our first meeting we discussed the implementation of our new Fall/Winter menus and Bruce prepared one of our new dessert items, Sautéed Apple Slices w/Cinnamon and Brown Sugar, for our residents to sample. We anticipate that these meetings will be beneficial in our menu planning and help to increase our resident satisfaction scores.

Submitted by Laureen Barie Assistant Director of Dining Services EHM Sterling Heights

 

Bruce Bilbrey | General Manager of Hospitality Services

Superfood Education at IHM Sisters

IHM Sister of Monroe, MI educated our residents by displaying the super spices in their natural and processed forms. Our objectives for this was to: identify common herbs and spices and their health and healing properties, be able to identify the seven super spices and assist in determining a way to incorporate these into their daily eating habits.

craigbrown | executivechef 

Cupcakery creativity fun at Isabella Medical Facility

The residents at Isabella Medical Care Facility had fun decorating cupcakes during Nursing Home Week.  The Cupcakery Creativity was the idea of our Chef Kim with several residents and staff whom participated.  We used a beach them which the residents really enjoyed. 

The cupcakes were created using w/ fondant and other edible décor.  There were 15 cupcakes submitted into the contest with the winner receiving a special dessert from Chef Kim.  Sweet fun!
 

Danielle Cataline, RD

Director of Dining Services

Chef for a Day at Wesley Willows

CLICK READ MORE TO WATCH THIS AWESOME VIDEO!

Oakwood Common's Culinary Corner Holiday Celebration

 

Weekly Culinary Corner at Oakwood Common has produced an incredible relationship between the residents and DDS. At the weekly meetings we honor all holidays and significant events but the December Holidays are special. We talk about the spirit of giving and spending time with family and friends. The entire culinary staff took a moment to come out and take a bow and the group gave them a warm Culinary Corner "Thank You" for everything they do. These special times are the ones that make working for Morrison at Oakwood Common special. Happy Holidays!

 

 

Culinary Corner: Holiday Cookie Countdown

Just in case you need some addition holiday cookies ideas...

 

Our own blog has a section: Holiday Cookie Countdown 2011! Check out some easy holiday cookies that we featured last year.

Steve, at The Black Peppercorn is blogging a holiday treat each day! Pictured above are his Cashew Butterscotch Bars and he even has a recipe for Almond Hard Candy.

 

 

And if you are looking for some savory holiday snacks, Eat Your Heart out is showcasing pinwheels, roasted chickpeas and vegetable pizza.

 

Culinary Corner: Veggie Patties

How do you like your veggie burgers?

 

Are they tough?

 

Do you have them on the menu just in case you have a vegetarian guest?

 

Go over to The Magic Saucepan to see how easy Veggie Patties are to make...and they will taste great!

Culinary Corner: Turkey Leftovers

Need some leftover turkey recipes?

Try some of these!

 

Chef Thomas Keller gives some creative insight for leftover turkey uses!

 

Cran-Turkey Enchiladas from Very Culinary

 

Turkey Pumpkin Chili from Erin Cooks

 

Skillet Turkey Reuben from Cindy's Recipes

 

Turkey Cranberry Sandwich from Savory Sweet Life

 

Culinary Corner: Fata Paper from Chef Lozada

What Is It?

Fata paper (Loosely Translated “Fata” means magical in Italian) an innovative product that can be made into see- through cooking pouches! It allows you to cook in a bag so that all the flavors and juices are concentrated.

 

The see – through pouches can be:

·         Cooked directly on a hot surface

·         Heated in the microwave

·         Immersed in a water bath

·         Baked in the oven up to 425 degrees Fahrenheit

·         Immersed in hot oil

·         Put in the freezer down - 50 degrees Fahrenheit

 

WHAT DO I USE IT FOR?

EVERTHING! Use it to make soup, chowders, steamed fish, stewed meats and vegetables, even warmed or baked fruit.

 

WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS?

·         HEALTHY, LIGHT Cooking- less fats and oils, because food cooks in its own juices

·         Tastier Food – Flavors are trapped and only released when the plate reaches the table

·         Surprise and excitement- the clear pouch is opened at the table with a rush of fragrance and visual sensations

·         Speed- Food cooks faster

·         Drama- Cook right at the table for crowd pleasing effects

·         Convenience- portions can be prepared ahead of time

·         Use fewer Pots- clean – up is quick and easy because there are few or no pots

Culinary Corner: Soup Inspiration

 Bring something new to your menu!

Below are homestyle recipes to create some inspiration

around hearty fall soups.

 

Kale and Potato Soup with Turkey Sausage by Skinny Taste

 

Cabbage, Sausage, Apple, Beer Stew by Green Lite Bites

 

Lentil and Pumpkin Soup by The Budget Cooking Blog

 

Rosemary Chicken Chowder with White Beans by Good Life Eats

 

Butternut Squash and Apple Soup by Simple Bites

Culinary Corner: Watermelon Juice

Shweta from Shweta in the Kitchen put together this great, refreshing, sugar free beverage with a secret ingredient............Black Salt! 

Check out the recipe for Watermelon Juice.

Culinary Corner: Cornmeal Upma

Tisa from Blessings from My Kitchen recently took the Daring Cooks Challenge: Cornmeal.

Check out the recipe for Cornmeal Upma that she created: http://blessingsfrommykitchen.blogspot.com/2012/08/daring-cooks-challenge-august-2012.html

Culinary Corner: Grilled Watermelon Salad

Grilled Watermelon Salad

1 ea Seedless Watermelon ( I like the Yellow Flesh for Color)

1 ea Red Onion

3 ea Granny Smith Apples

¼ cup Olive Oil

TT Sea Salt

Dressing (this is an approximate recipe mixture adjust to taste)

½ Cup Balsamic Vinegar

¼ Cup Olive Oil

1 tsp Chopped Garlic

Sea Salt and Pepper to taste

Preparation:

Peel and slice the watermelon into slices and brush with Olive Oil and Season with Sea Salt and grill to mark the melon and then cut into chunks

Peel and Slice the apple thinly (toss with an acid water to prevent the browning of the apples)

Slice the onion paper thin and toss gently with the fruit

Combine the dressing and fold the fruits with the dressing season to taste. This can be served on a bed of greens or as a composed salad.

You can also add for another dimension of flavor chopped Cilantro or Chopped Chives

Give it a Try this is my favorite summer treat I serve often at home.

Richard D. Anaya-Hoelzel

Culinary Corner: Local Harvest's Mint Green Bean Salad

Click here for the Recipe!

Joe's Culinary Corner: Cornbread Encrusted Black Grouper

The fish is crunchy on the outside and moist on the inside. Black grouper is a thick, white-fleshed fish; be sure to remove the pin bones before you add the fish to the marinade.

MAKE AHEAD: The fish needs to marinate at a cool room temperature for 15 minutes.
4 servings

Ingredients:

• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup whole or low-fat milk
• 1 teaspoon powdered or granulated garlic
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• Four 7-ounce skinless black grouper fillets, pin bones removed
• 8 ounces homemade or store-bought corn bread, crumbled
• 1/4 cup olive oil

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
Combine the eggs, milk, garlic, chives, Cajun seasoning, salt and pepper in a quart-size resealable plastic food storage bag. Seal and massage gently until well incorporated.
Add the fillets, seal and massage to coat evenly. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes.
Meanwhile, crumble the corn bread into a wide, shallow bowl. Heat the oil in a large cast-iron or ovenproof skillet over medium heat, until the oil shimmers.
Working with one fillet at a time, lay each piece of fish in the crumbled corn bread and pat gently so the crumbs adhere. Turn and repeat on the second side, coating the fish evenly. Repeat with the remaining fillets. Discard the marinade and any remaining corn bread crumbs.
Place the fillets carefully in the hot skillet. Saute for about 3 minutes on each side, then transfer the skillet to the oven. Roast for 10 to 12 minutes or until the fish is cooked through.
Divide among individual plates; serve warm.

Joe's Culinary Corner: Pork Cutlet and Salsa Verde

Seared Pork Cutlets With Green Garlic Salsa Verde

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup chopped parsley
• 3 tablespoons chopped mint
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped garlic chives or regular chives
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green garlic
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt, more as needed
• 1/8 teaspoon chile flakes
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 4 eight-ounce boneless pork loin chops, butterflied (1/4-inch thick)
• Black pepper, as needed.

Preparation

1.Combine the herbs, garlic, lemon, 1 teaspoon salt and chile flakes. Stir in 1/2 cup oil.

2.Season the meat with salt and pepper. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil and reduce heat to medium-high. Add the pork and cook without moving, 3 minutes. Flip and cook until meat is just cooked through, about 3 minutes more. Let rest 5 minutes before serving, topped with salsa verde.

YIELD 4 servings.

Joe's Culinary Corner: Frittata

Black Bean and Roasted Red Pepper Frittata

This healthy whole-grain burger is a great example of using beans in place of meat. Beans provide the protein that every body needs, but with none of the cholesterol that meat supplies. The mix of spices, nutty quinoa, sweet romesco spread and hearty beans, make this burger a satisfying meal for vegetarians and meat-lovers alike.

Ingredients	Amount
Pecorino cheese, grated	½ cup
Flat-leaf parsley, roughly chopped	2 Tbsp.
Kosher salt	1 tsp.
Fresh oregano, chopped	1 tsp.
Eggs, beaten	10 ea.
Black pepper, freshly ground	to taste
Bread crumbs	3 Tbsp.
Extra virgin olive oil	3 Tbsp.
Yellow onion, large, halved and thinly sliced	1 ea.
Yukon Gold Potato, peeled, ¼" dice	1 ea.
Black beans, cooked	1 cup
Red bell pepper, roasted, in ¼" dice	½ cup
Ricotta cheese	¾ cup

Method

1. In a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of the pecorino, parsley, ½ teaspoon of salt, oregano, and eggs. Season with black pepper and set aside.

2. Spray a muffin tin with vegetable spray and coat each with some bread crumbs. Add about 1 tsp. of the grated cheese to each muffin.

3. Preheat an oven to 350°F.

4. For the potato bean mixture: Heat the oil in a sauté pan over medium-high heat. Add the onions and cook for 3-4 minutes until soft and just starting to color; and potatoes, and remaining salt, and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and soft, about 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and place in a large bowl. Add the cooked black beans and red peppers stir to combine.

5. For the muffin tins: Spoon about 2 T. of the bean mixture into each muffin cup, then top with 1 T. of the ricotta , and sprinkle each with the remaining pecorino cheese. Stir the egg mixture again and pour into each muffin cup ⅔ of the way up the sides.

6. Place the muffin pan in the preheated oven and cook for 10 minutes, or until the center is set. Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes. Run a rubber spatula around the edges of each cup and remove from the muffin pan.

Yield: 12 portions

Joe's Culinary Corner: Singapore Citrus Slider

Singapore Citrus Slider

The sweet tangy and floral taste of ginger is a delightful treat for the palate and pairs well within seafood, steak, ribs, bar and grill items, bakery style sandwiches and Asian dishes.

Ingredients

• 8 oz. Lipton® Fresh Brewed Smooth Blend Tea
• ¾ oz. Torani® Ginger Syrup
• Ice Cubes

Preparation

1. Fill glass with ice.
2. Add Ginger Syrup, then Lipton® Fresh Brewed Smooth Blend Tea.
3. Stir well.
4. Garnish with fresh orange, grapefruit and lime slices, and fresh cilantro.

Brought to you by Unilever: http://www.unileverfoodsolutions.us/professional-ingredi/lipton/tea-pairing

Joe's Culinary Corner: Peach Iced Tea

Cool n' Peachy Iced Tea

The sweet taste of peach perfectly complements the naturally refreshing taste of the tea to balance the flavor profile. Ideally pairs with seafood, steak, ribs, bar and grill items, Italian and Mexican dishes and desserts.

Ingredients

• 8 oz. Lipton® Fresh Brewed Smooth Blend Tea
• 1oz. Torani® Peach Syrup
• Ice Cubes

Preparation

1. Fill glass with ice.
2. Add Peach Syrup, then Lipton® Fresh Brewed Smooth Blend Tea.
3. Stir well.
4. Garnish with fresh peach slices and mint leaves.

Brought to you by Unilever: http://www.unileverfoodsolutions.us/professional-ingredi/lipton/tea-pairing

Joe's Culinary Corner: Strawberry Sangria

Enjoy the essence of sweet summer strawberries in this elegant and refreshing blend which complements all your classic summer treats including bar and grill items as well steak and ribs.

Ingredients

• 8 oz. Lipton® Fresh Brewed Smooth Blend Tea
• 1 oz. Torani® Strawberry Syrup
• Ice Cubes

Preparation

1. Fill glass with ice.
2. Add Strawberry Syrup, then Lipton® Fresh Brewed Smooth Blend Tea.
3. Stir well.
4. Garnish with orange, lemon or lime slices.

Brought to you by Unilever: http://www.unileverfoodsolutions.us/professional-ingredi/lipton/tea-pairing