Chef Kevin:  Hi there, how can I help you today?

Chef Kevin:  Oh Stacey!  Hi. Are you planning to cook this evening?

Stacey:  Yes it's me. I'm in a rut. i don't feel like cooking and the kids want mac n cheese, but i don't. I don't mind making it for them, but i want a grown up dinner just for me that doesn't take a lot of effort.

Chef Kevin:  Well, maybe make easy summer pasta with some fresh grilled vegetables and some nice grated cheeses. That would fit the bill for everyone, wouldn't it?

Stacey:  I failed to mention i don't have much on hand since I need to go shopping.

Chef Kevin:  Ok.  Well, let's start with what you do have and work from there.

Stacey:  Could I call you? That might make things easier.

Stacey:  Then I could take you in the kitchen with me!

Chef Kevin:  Sure you can call the hotline.  I'm on now.  Looking forward to it.

Stacey: Great! I can't wait.

Chef Erika:  Hi Frank.  Welcome to ChefsLine.  How can I help?

Frank:  Hello. How r u?

Chef Erika:  I'm fine thanks and you?

Frank:  I'm good! Have you ever made a dish called eggplant rollatini?

Chef Erika:  Many times... it's a favorite!

Frank:  Is it made similar to eggplant parm?

Chef Erika:  Yes and no.  The components are similar, and the baking process the same, but with the rollatini you create eggplant rolls stuffed with a filling. Also, you have some options. You can either pan fry the eggplant, grill it, or leave the slices raw.

Frank:  I'll probably fry it. What's the eggplant filled with?

Chef Erika:  It's similar to the cheese filling that you might find in cheese lasagna and some chefs also add crumbled Italian sausage.

Chef Erika:  Pretty yummy like that.

Frank:  Ok. The filling is rolled into the eggplant. Is it then topped with sauce and then baked?

Chef Erika:  Absolutely right Frank! Is this something you are going to be making this evening?

Frank:  Not tonight. I can do eggplant parm really well, but a friend asked me about the rollatini and I wasn't so sure about that.

Chef Erika:  If you do a great parm, you can master rollatini as well.  Have you found a good recipe for it, or do you want to alter your parm recipe instead?

Frank:  I'll go with my recipe. I just wasn't sure what to fill the eggplant with. Cheese filling sounds great. I would like to use my great meat sauce instead of the regular marinara. It's really good!

Chef Erika:  That sounds perfect, Frank.  The cheese filling that I've used is a combination of really fresh ricotta, asiago or grated parmesan-reggiano, eggs, roasted garlic and fresh herbs, like oregano and basil.

Frank:  That sounds wonderful. What would be a good accompaniment to this dish?

Chef JoAnna:  Hello Anne. How can we help you this morning?

Anne:  I added too much mayonnaise to a cole slaw recipe, how can I fix this?

Chef JoAnna:  I'm sorry that happened. Do you have more cabbage by any chance?

Anne:  Nope, that's the problem.

Chef JoAnna:  Then I recommend putting the coleslaw in a colander to drain off the thin liquid. Have you tried  that yet Anne?

Anne:  No.

Chef JoAnna:  That will be a big help.  Do you have any carrots, or onion?

Anne:  Yes.

Chef JoAnna:  After draining, add more shredded veggies. How "over" dressed is the salad?

Anne:  Not too much. That might help.

Chef JoAnna:  Not too much is great then and the draining will help a lot.

Anne:  Okay. I will try it. Thanks!

Chef JoAnna:  Sure. Thanks for visiting ChefsLine, Anne.

Chef Nate: Hi June

Chef Nate: So you want a scallop and shrimp ceviche, but you want to cook them slightly first to ensure the "cooked" texture?

June: right

Chef Nate: the best way to do it is to steam them, or blanch them in a very flavorful liquid

June: I want to have some jalepenos, red onion, lime, cilantro

Chef Nate: then after they are cooked to your liking, you used them to make a "salsa" of sorts with the rest of your ingredients

June: right

June: what liquid would you use

June: to steam them I mean

Chef Nate: so then they can still be served cold, but they won't be raw, and you don't have to wait for the citric acid in the lime juice to "cook" them

June: right

Chef Nate: to steam, you can simply use water. I like to doctor things up at least a little to my liking

June: I am having a party Saturday, I want to make it Friday and refrigerate them until Saturday night

Chef Nate: so I at least add some white wine, lemon juice, peppercorns, maybe some of the stems from your cilantro, maybe the seeds from the jalapenos, scraps from the red onion, etc...

Chef Nate: sure, you can do that.

June: great

Chef Nate: You might want to try a little of it raw, and see how the citrus juices "cook" the fish overnight.

June: How do you use regular limes differently from Key limes?

Chef Nate: It would be an interesting experiment for you to see the difference in texture.

Chef Nate: no difference in the limes.

June: Do you recommend the ceviche style

Chef Nate: you just have to squeeze a whole lot more key limes to get the same amount of juice

June: right

Chef Nate: it's completely up to you.

June: how is it different

June: I used to eat the ceviche all the time in California

June: not so much here in Ohio

June: it's not so fresh I feel safer to cook it a bit first

Chef Nate: I prefer the ceviche style because the acids help to tenderize the meats, so there is less chance of "overcooking" the proteins

June: Will the lime juice over cook or toughen it over night

Chef Nate: sure, then maybe just drop them in your flavorful liquid for 30-45 seconds.

Chef Nate: on a normal 16-20 count shrimp (that's 16-20 shrimp per pound) it takes 3 minutes to cook through.

June: right, if I cook it through will it get tough if I add the lime juice Friday night?

Chef Nate: I would recommend not cooking all the way through.

Chef Nate: 30-45 seconds, maybe a minute, and let the acid do the rest.

June: ok, is that what you were saying instead of steaming them just drop them in for the 30-45 seconds

Chef Nate: sure, you can do either.

June: any difference

Chef Nate: more flavor IN the liquid

June: ok so drop them in and cook 30-60 seconds

Chef Nate: but, you may want to "shock" them afterwards as well to stop the cooking process

Chef Nate: into ice water.

June: in ice water

Chef Nate: until cold, about 1 minute

June: ok

June: how much lime juice would you suggest?

Chef Nate: how much seafood do you have?

June: for say 1 lb of shrimp and 1 lb of bay scallops

June: bay that's the small ones right

Chef Nate: yep

Chef Nate: I would say not more than 1/4-1/3 cup

June: just lime juice not lemon too right

Chef Nate: you can do as many kinds as you want, and in fact I would recommend adding a little orange juice, maybe some grapefruit, as this will bring a new dimension of sweetness to the ceviche as well

Chef Nate: but, try to fresh squeeze it!

June: great, I will try that,

June: always

June: anything else you would add to it?

Chef Nate: I know you have jalapenos, but I would also throw in some other peppers, red yellow, maybe Anaheim, poblanos add a nice gentle heat...

June: ok

June: great look too

June: my scallops are frozen, would you thaw them first before blanching

Chef Nate: really, with the ceviche, think cold, juicy, salad, with a balance between sweet and heat

Chef Nate: and sour of course

June: my mouth is watering, I am ready to have some now.

Chef Nate: yes, but they shouldn't take too long because they're the little guys

June: right

Chef Nate: are they sealed tight?

June: yes

Chef Nate: if so, just thaw them in cold water

June: ok

June: I am making Mojitos as my drink for the party
Chef Nate: nice

Chef Nate: love em

June: I made a simple syrup yesterday and chilling it now until Saturday

Chef Nate: sure

June: I have key limes, and fresh mint in my herb garden

Chef Nate: stays good for at least 2 weeks

June: any suggestions

June: I want to make a pitcher without ice ahead and when the guests come just ice the glasses and serve

Chef Nate: good idea

June: should work

June: make it in the morning and refrigerate until the night

June: garnish with fresh mint and serve

Chef Nate: we've made mint simple syrups before, and that's been helpful, but sometimes, people want to se the whole mint leaves in the drinks

June: how about both

June: could I put some mint into my simple syrup now that it is chilled

June: until Saturday night

Chef Nate: drop it in and pulse it in the blender a couple of times to get the flavor released into the syrup.

Chef Nate: sure.

June: pulse it in the food processor and then add to the simple syrup

Chef Nate: or that way is fine too.

June: great

June: how much rum per each cup of simple syrup

Chef Nate: and if you want to keep your syrup clean, just wrap the pulsed mint in cheesecloth, then drop it into the syrup on a string, and you'll get the flavor but not all the mess

June: I made my simple syrup 9 cups of water to 6 cups of sugar

June: perfect, I have some cheese cloth bags

Chef Nate: I don't know about that... I like my mojitos half and half, but I like stronger drinks...

Chef Nate: sometimes even more rum than syrup

Chef Nate: I think that's preference of your guests.

June: it's a girl party I don't want a bunch of drunk girls

June: and seltzer should be added at the end when I ice the glasses yes?

Chef Nate: maybe start with 1/2 cup rum to every cup of syrup, and yes, top off with the seltzer then just give each drink a quick stir.

June: perfect thanks so much for you help

Chef Nate: no problem, anytime. You can always add more rum if you need to!

June: Have a great night...........bye

Chef Nate: you too, good luck!

June: right I will keep the bottle out

June: thanks g'night

Chef Nate: bye June

Chef Erika:  Hello. Welcome to ChefsLine. How can I help you?

Marla:  Hello Erika.  My name is Marla.  I chatted with Cary earlier about Tilapia. I have another question!

Chef Erika:  Sure.

Marla:  My best friend and her family are visiting from Texas soon and I could use some help planning a dinner. She is not a strict vegetarian so I was thinking chicken.  There will be kids joining us so I need suggestions for that as well.

Chef Erika:  If she is even remotely a vegetarian, chicken won't work.

Chef Erika:  How about if we start off with a main dish that each guest can customize and make vegetarian, meaty, or kid-friendly and use the grill a bit. Do you have experience grilling?

Marla:  My husband is mainly the one who operates the grill and it is propane. But I'm happy to put him to work :)

Marla:  Another thing I was thinking is presentation.  Once everything is cooked, I would like to present it nicely.

Chef Erika:  Ok, I'm thinking about an easy grill-based fajita party with some options for everyone and some quick and easy do ahead sides.  Does this sound like something that everyone could enjoy?

Marla:  That sounds perfect actually.

Chef Erika:  Good! The dishes will be really colorful so a big part of presentation is taken care of.  Do you have some serving platters and medium size serving bowls? Ideally, solid color.

Marla:  Yes. My plates are all white and I have really cute bowls.

Chef Erika:  You're set then. Let's get to the details!  This will be super simple and delicious. If there is something that's not to your taste or style, just let me know.

Marla:  Awesome.

Chef Erika:  So the general menu will look something like this: fajitas made with grilled vegetables and grilled chicken or steak your guests can put together any combination they choose along with guacamole, salsa, sour cream, etc. Add some fresh tomato and for side dishes make a black bean salad, grilled corn with chili powder, melon salad with fresh mint. Sound good so far?

Marla:  Sounds great! I wanted to eat outdoors and use the grill but wanted something really festive.

Chef Erika:  Wonderful, so let me give you some quick instructions and then you can take it from there.

Chef Erika:  Ok, so for the fajitas, you'll need to get some onions and peppers, zucchini or yellow squash, Portabello mushrooms, and your choice of either chicken or turkey breast or steak.  You'll want to slice the vegetables (except mushrooms which should remain whole) to prepare for grilling, not too small because you don't want to lose them through the grate.  Once vegetables are cut into grill-able pieces, you'll want to marinate them in a simple vinaigrette. Here's the marinade: 1 cup canola oil, 1/2 cup lime juice, salt & pepper, 2 teaspoons minced garlic, 1 teaspoon cumin, 2 teaspoons chili powder.  You'll need to double this recipe and divide. Marinate the vegetables and meat separately in Ziploc bags.

Chef Erika:  Marla, this sound do-able?

Marla:  Yup.

Chef Erika:  You should have a larger quantity of grilled onions and peppers, as they will be for everyone's fajitas.  Also, I believe that McCormick's makes a fajita seasoning or rub. You'll want to lightly sprinkle everything with the seasoning or a similar mixture just before putting on the grill.

Chef Erika:  We'll email the menu to you with recipes for the salad and guacamole and a copy of our chat.

Chef Erika:  Well Marla, I think that we've covered all the bases.  Have we been of some help today?

Marla:  Yes Erika.  Thank you so much.

Chef Erika:  Great. Thanks for using ChefsLine and we look forward to your return. I'll email your menu to you shortly. Best of luck with your party!

Marla: Good bye and thank you so much for your time and your help! I'm sure you'll be hearing from me again.

Chef Kevin Weeks: Hi Cynthia, how can I help you today?

Cynthia: How do i cook beetroot

Cynthia: Fresh beetroot

Chef Kevin Weeks:   My favorite way to eat them is roasted - brings out the sweetness and it's simple to prepare. Cut off the top leaving just a tad of stem which will help keep the color. Cut off the bottom root and wash thoroughly.

Chef Kevin Weeks: Heat oven to 400F.

Chef Kevin Weeks:   Then, place beets on a foil covered baking sheet.  cook for 45 - 60 (depending on size) minutes until beets are easily pierced with the point of a knife.

Chef Kevin Weeks: Allow to cool, then peel off skin - you should be able to rub the skin off. wear gloves to keep hands from staining.

Chef Kevin Weeks:   At this point the beets are done and are delicious just as is, sliced, and lightly salted or you can add a vinaigrette. does this sound good to you or are you interesting in preparing them raw for a salad?

Cynthia: No this sounds great. want to try them plain first. thank you!

Chef Kevin Weeks:   Your quite welcome. have a great time cooking. Thanks for visiting ChefsLine.

Chef Erika:  Hi John.  Welcome to ChefsLine.  How can I help?

John:  Hello Erika

Chef Erika:  Do you have a cooking question?

John:  I have cooked before but am now a truck driver and have not been in the kitchen in a while. I want to make some homemade cream soups, but forgot how to start a base

Chef Erika:  Great question. Let me give you a refresher.

Chef Erika:  First, you almost always start by sweating your vegetables, then add stock or water and let it simmer.

Chef Erika: Let your soup base simmer. Then, heat the cream in a separate pot, not to a boil, and slowly add to the soup. Before adding, pull the soup off of the heat.  Does this sound familiar?

John:  Yes Erika.  I'm thinking a cream of potato soup.

Chef Erika:  Sounds good. Same process for cream of potato, except that before you add the cream, you need to puree that soup base.  Ok?

John:  Looks like I need a dictionary again I forgot a lot of terms.

Chef Erika:  Ok. What can I help you with?

John:  Sweating the veggies and puree the soup base.

Chef Erika:  Sweating just means to cook your onions, carrot, and celery over medium heat until they're soft. They 'sweat' or release water first and then cook until soft.  Add chopped raw potatoes and cover with water or chicken stock. Cook until potatoes are soft. Then take off the heat.

Chef Erika:  Does this make sense to you?

John:  Yes.  This is great.

Chef Erika:  OK. You want to get the potato soup smooth before adding the cream.  To do this, put in a blender or food processor, smoosh through a sieve, or if you have one use a hand held immersion (stick) blender.  Which works for you?

John:  I have a food processor.

Chef Erika:  Ok then. Pour in soup up to 2/3 of the bowl. Blend in there until smooth.  You might have to do a few batches. Then, your pureed soup goes back into the pot. To that, add your warm cream and serve.  Also, don't forget to season with salt and pepper.

John:  It's all come back to me. I'm good to go.

Chef Erika:  Great. Anything else I can help with today?

John:  No. Have a wonderful day.

Chef Erika:  Thanks John, you too!

Chef Erika:  Hi Kristina. Welcome to ChefsLine! How can I help?

Kristina:  Hi, I am never able to make good simple vinaigrette. Do you have any suggestions?

Chef Erika:  I sure do. What types do you prefer? 

Kristina:  Oil, wine, citrus, herb?

Chef Erika:  Ok, great help.  There are some easy steps to making simple vinaigrette, and once you know them, you can make all different kinds.

Chef Erika:  Can I teach you how to make a classic French Vinaigrette?

Kristina:  That sounds wonderful.

Chef Erika:  Great!  Get out a mixing bowl and a whisk. You'll need 1/2 clove minced garlic or shallots mixed with 1 Tablespoon dijon mustard. Then, to that, you'll add 1/2 cup of white wine or champagne vinegar.   

Chef Erika:  Whisk thoroughly. Then, slowly whisk in 1 to 1 1/4 cups of light oil. You can use canola, vegetable or extra virgin olive with canola. This part of the making of a vinaigrette is 'emulsion.'

Kristina:  What about XVO?

Chef Erika:  Oh. Extra virgin has a very strong flavor. If you have it, use 1/2 extra virgin and 1/2 canola or vegetable oil.

Chef Erika:  To this mixture, you may add, any kind of chopped herb, chopped nuts, minced fruit, whatever. Season with salt and pepper. Also, by changing the acid, you can really change the flavor.  Instead of vinegar, try lemon or orange juice. A personal favorite of mine is strawberry balsamic vinaigrette.

Kristina:  Great, I will try this tonight for dinner. I heard about ChefsLine.com yesterday on one of the morning shows. And really appreciate your help, thank you very much.   

Chef Erika:  Thanks for using ChefsLine and we hope you'll be back

Kristina:  I will be! The service you offer is awesome.

Chef Erika:  Glad we could help. Have a great day and have fun with your salad tonight!

Cary: Hi Dan.

Dan: Hello Cary. It's me again how are you today?

Cary: I'm good how are you?

Dan: Glad to hear am good ty

Cary: How can we help you tonight?

Dan: do you know of a way to do chicken fajitas without using a store mix? duh of coarse you do

Cary: How many chicken breasts do you have?

Dan: 2 very large ones

Cary: do you have beer?

Dan: oops no

Cary: No problem.

Cary: let's marinade!

Dan: ok

Cary:

3/4 tsp chopped garlic
1 tsp chili powder
1 tbsp of chopped cilantro if you have it
3 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp cayenne optional depending on how spicy you like

Cary: do you have barbecue sauce handy?

Dan: mesceeeat

Cary: that's perfect.

3 tbsp of the bbq sauce
juice of 3 limes or lemon
chopped scallions or onion - a bit - is also good

Cary: throw all into a ziplock and put in fridge for at least 45 minutes.

Cary: Do you have a cast iron skillet or wok or grill?

Dan: cast iron, yes

Cary: you will be cooking the breasts and then cut up later, ok?

Dan: ok keeps them moist yes

Cary: Put 2 tbsp canola oil and heat in your skillet.

Cary: Do you know how to brown chicken breasts?

Dan: yes

Cary: OK. So few minutes on each side, browned.  Since they are so big, you might need to finish in the oven at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes.

Dan: got it

Cary: During your cooking, you will brown without the marinade and pout some on the meat when you place in the oven.

Dan: ok

Cary: Throw sliced peppers and onions into the baking dish when place in the oven.

Cary: OK - so let's fajitacize.

Dan: ok

Cary: After the chicken is out, slice your chicken into strips.

Chef Cary Wolfson: serve with warm tortillas , guacamole, sour cream , jalapenos and /or pico de gallo

Dan: riteo

Chef Cary Wolfson: rice and beans good too

Dan: got them both

Dan: as always i thank you very much

Chef Cary Wolfson: our pleasure

Cary: Hey Dan- you must check out Chef Jackie's guacamole recipe in our recipe section.

Cary: It's really good. Exceptional.

Dan: great ty

Cary: right. well keep up the awesome food. your always cooking great dishes!

Chef Cary Wolfson: bon apetit!

Cary: Thanks for visiting ChefsLine.