June 12, 2008 Show
Picnic Baskets

Our Guest Chef was Kevin Weeks.

Show Topics Included:

Chef Kevin’s suggestions for a quick fruit tart:
Add some richness with a layer of mascarpone, cream cheese or crème anglaise
Squeeze lemon over the fruit before popping the tart in the oven
For extra elegance with ease, use prepared puff pastry instead of pie crust

Jenn’s Recipe of the Day
Chef Jackie’s Spicy Mexican Rub
Chef Kevin’s tip: Don’t forget to let the meat come to room temperature before putting it on the grill.

Summer is picnic season!

One of the keys to successful party throwing is having a prep list and schedule for your cooking. The cooking schedule and prep list below is for my Texas Style Party buffet for 15-25 people.

For Menu, see No Chicken Salad Texas Party Buffet
Cooking Schedule and Prep List

Spiced Pecans
day or two ahead: make and store airtight

Watermelon Salad
day ahead: cut melon into 1-inch chunks or use a melon baller to scoop; refrigerate
day of: finely chop or chiffonade mint and toss with melon; add berries

Cornbread
morning of: bake and cool; wrap in foil
just before: reheat in a 300-degree oven until warm; cut into serving pieces

Brisket
day ahead: make the rub; grill the brisket; cool and refrigerate
day ahead or morning of: bake the brisket (to do ahead, bake until final 30 minutes, then finish just before party OR serve cold)

Baked Beans
day ahead: make the beans; cool and refrigerate
day of: reheat on the stove over medium-low heat until bubbling

Cucumber Salad
day ahead or morning of: toss cucumbers with vinegar mixture and onions; refrigerate
just before: sprinkle with cheese

Fruit Crisp
day ahead or morning of: make crisp and cool; wrap and refrigerate
just before: reheat in a 300-degree oven for 15 minutes, or until warm through

Lemonade and Beer
day ahead: make the lemonade and refrigerate
morning of: ice down the beer

Chilling by the pool this weekend? Running scared from the heat and want to settle into an air-conditioned Rock Band tour all weekend long? Chef Ann’s menu is the casual yet festive weekend fare that features Summer’s classic recipes. Enjoy this menu and print out the Step by Step Cooking Schedule so you can start prepping and nibbling mid week.

The No-Chicken-Salad Texas Party Buffet Menu

* items marked with * are suggested store-bought, prepared substitutions for the homemade dish

Spiced Pecans (tossed with oil, cumin, salt, brown sugar, cayenne and toasted in 350-degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes)

Watermelon with Mint
*Store bought Fruit Salad

Mason-Dixon Cornbread (Hands-Off Cooking, pg. 149)
*Corn muffins

Texas Style Failsafe Beef Brisket

Baked Beans with Apples and Jalapenos (Hands-Off Cooking, pg.

May 15, 2008 show. Our Guest Chef was Richard Velazquez.

Show Topics Included:

• What Richard’s having for dinner: grilled herb-marinated chicken leg quarters
• Seasonal spring produce: ramps—how to clean them, how to cook them
• Tips for roasting peppers
• From the discussion board: potato wedges on the grill
• Outdoor grilling tips for best flavor
• Great gadgets: uses for the immersion blender, microplane and serrated peeler
• How to pick a flavorful tomato
• Blender buying recommendations
• From the chat: yucca fries with ajili sauce
• Add Latin flavor to your cooking: everything starts with sofrito

Jenn’s Recipe of the Day
Crawfish Queso Stuffed Poblanos

Chef Richard’s Latin cooking secret:
Blend your sofrito ingredients to a paste and freeze in ice cube trays. Sauté a couple of cubes to add Caribbean flavor to your rice and beans, or use as a base to marinate meat.

Last week’s Dinner Show featured our guest chef, Chef Sara Gibbs. As many of you know, Sara is ChefsLine’s southern foods specialist, an avid gardener, and amazing ChefsLine coach - especially for members who are looking for exciting vegetable dishes. What follows are recipes and some resources related to our 30 minute live radio broadcast.

• Listen to the show online
• Sara Gibbs’ website and cookbook
• ChefsLine’s Guide to Kentucky Derby
• Herbal Vinegars: Wonderful gift, especially good as a hostess gift or for Mother’s Day. Here is a great how-to document HERBAL VINEGARS.

Cilantro Pecan Pesto Chicken Salad
by Sara Gibbs. From Southern Thighways

The chicken salad is a tangy departure from sweet and fruity chicken salads and pairs well with homegrown tomatoes, cucumbers, and olives for a cool summer supper.