Harold Kelly from Melange Catering & Special Events has created some interesting dishes that will travel well for tailgating or will be sure to impress your family if you’re watching the game at home. He shows food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make Kegs & Eggs, 20 Layer Dip and Dessert Nachos.
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, catch Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM.
(By the way, she gives out restaurant gift cards on every radio show!)
Harold Kelly from Melange Catering & Special Events shows food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make the following 4th of July themed dishes: cobbler lollipops and meatloaf cupcakes. He also demonstrates some great table decor ideas for at-home entertaining.
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, listen to Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM. (By the way, she gives out prizes on every radio show!)
Melange Catering Meatloaf Cupcakes
Note: Feel free to use one of your own recipes for meatloaf. This is a pretty good recipe if you don’t have one of your own!
Ingredients
For the meatloaf:
1 pound ground beef
1 pound ground pork
1 small onion grated
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup panko crumbs
2-3 splashes Worcestershire sauce
2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley
1/4 cup milk
2 eggs, lightly beaten
For the sauce:
See Roasted Tomato Sauce Recipe
For the potato “icing”: (you can also use store bought)
3 cups boiled potatoes, chopped into chunks
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup half and half or heavy cream
Pinch of salt
2 tablespoons melted butter
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F
Prepare the meatloaf by combining all ingredients together in a large bowl. Mix until incorporated. Chill while you prepare the sauce and potatoes.
While the meat is baking, whip the boiled potatoes together with the half and half (or cream) and salt until smooth. You can add an egg yolk to really make it rich if you want. Stir in the melted butter. Fit a pastry bag with a large star tip and fill with the potato mixture. Set aside, but do not refrigerate. If you don’t have a pastry bag with tip simply use a spoon to place on meatloaf when it’s time.
To assemble the ‘cupcakes’, lightly spray a cupcake tin with nonstick cooking spray. Fill each indentation with a small handful of the meat mixture, gently pressing it down until it is completely filled.
Spread a teaspoon of the sauce around the top of each cupcake, and bake for about 30 minutes, until the meat is cooked through. Remove from the oven and turn on the broiler.
Pipe some potato “icing” on top of each cupcake. Put the cupcakes under the broiler for a few minutes until the potatoes are lightly browned, which is going to take about 2 minutes.
Remove from the oven and let cool a few minutes.
Makes 12 meatloaf cupcakes.
Roasted Tomato Sauce
7 whole Red Roma Tomato
7 whole Yellow Onions
2 cloves Garlic, fresh, peeled
2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
2 Leaves of fresh Basil
2 Tablespoons Black Pepper
1 Teaspoon Fine Ground Salt
Instructions:
1. Cut tomatoes & onions into 2″ pieces
2. Toss tomatoes, onion, garlic, half the salt & pepper, & half of the olive oil in a bowl. Mix well & place on a sheet pan.
3. Place in the oven at 350 degrees and roast for 30 minutes.
4. Take the roasted mixture and put in the processor. Pulse the mixture together in small batches to prevent over-processing.
5. Chiffonade (cut into long, thin strips) Basil & add to the sauce and stir. Adjust seasonings as desired.
Dads and kids, treat Mom to breakfast in bed on Mother’s Day!
Harold Kelly from Melange Catering & Special Events shows food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make a lobster quiche and heart-shaped French toast. These dishes are easy enough for the children to help their dads make and present the moms with a meal that is fit for a queen!
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, listen to Cleverley’s radio show,
Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM. (By the way, she gives out prizes on every radio show!)
Bacon & Lobster Quiche
Ingredients
One 9 inch pie crust, unbaked (from frozen foods section-not deep dish)
4 slices crisp bacon
2 cups lobster meat (substitute crab if you’d rather)
1/4 cup scallions, sliced
1 cup Swiss cheese, shredded
3 eggs
1/2 cup milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a quiche or pine pan with piecrust.
2. Cook bacon until crisp and set on paper towel to drain.
3. Layer half of the lobster (or crab) meat, scallions and Swiss cheese, covering bottom of piecrust.
4. Repeat layering process with remaining half of above ingredients.
5. Beat eggs then add milk, cream, salt, pepper, nutmeg and pour over lobster mixture.
6. Crumble bacon into small pieces and sprinkle on top, then bake 30 minutes.
Heart of Texas French Toast
Ingredients
3 eggs
¾ cup milk
Dash of vanilla extract
1 tbsp. margarine
4 pieces of bread (use a thick Texas Toast cut)
½ cup powdered sugar
Heart-shaped cookie cutter (or your choice of shape)
Instructions
1. Place cookie cutter in center of individual slices of bread. Cut out the shapes. Set aside.
2. Crack the eggs into a medium-size bowl and beat well.
3. Mix in the milk and vanilla extract.
4. Put the margarine in a frying pan. Heat the pan on medium heat.
5. Dunk each piece of bread completely in the egg mixture.
6. Cook the bread in the frying pan on low heat until the underside is light brown (about 5 minutes).
7. Use a spatula to flip the bread over; cook for another 5 minutes.
8. Use the spatula to transfer the French toast to a plate. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and lots of love!
For the man with limited cooking experience, Dewayne Ross from Mélange Catering & Special Events, presents a dinner-at-home idea that incorporates frozen ravioli, frozen spinach, jarred tomato sauce and store-bought cupcakes … and it makes a fantastic meal.
Ross shows food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone how to make this easy romantic dinner that is sure to impress. Just add a bottle of red wine, green salad and warm crusty bread to complete the meal.
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, listen to Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk 650 AM. (By the way, she gives out prizes on every radio show!)
Easy Valentine’s Day Dinner at Home Cheese & Spinach Ravioli Lasagna, Steamed Broccoli & Cupcakes Tres Leches
Source: Mélange Catering & Special Events
Entree- Cheese Ravioli Lasagna (Serves 2)
Ingredients
1 box frozen spinach
1 jar of pesto (optional)
1 jar very good pasta sauce
1 bag good mozzarella cheese
1 container of ricotta cheese
2 bags frozen cheese ravioli, use your favorite (can also use meat-filled)
Directions
1. Thaw spinach in microwave. Put spinach in a smooth napped kitchen towel (or layers of paper towels)
and squeeze out all the liquid. Put spinach in a small bowl. Mix in jar of pesto. Set aside.
2. Using a 9 x 13 inch baking dish with tall sides, layer the ingredients. Put 1/3 jar of tomato sauce
in the bottom of baking dish. Place a layer of frozen ravioli on top. Cover bottom of baking dish with one layer of frozen ravioli.
3. Put 1/2 the spinach mixture on top of the ravioli. Sprinkle 1/3 bag of cheese. Place a layer of ravioli over the cheese and 1/3 pasta sauce over the ravioli. Put the remaining spinach mixture on top of the ravioli and 1/3 bag of cheese.Put last row of ravioli on top. Cover with remaining pasta sauce and cheese.
4. Bake for 1 hour at 350 degrees F. When finished, dish should be steaming hot and cheese melted.
5. Remove from oven and let sit for 10 minutes. Cut and serve. This is super easy and super delicious!
Sea Salt Steamed Broccoli (Serves 2)
Tools: Steamer bag from grocery store
Ingredients
2 large bunches of broccoli with long stems
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Coarsely ground kosher salt
Directions
1. Trim bottom of broccoli at base of stalk, leaving the longer part attached to the head of broccoli. This leaves it very artisan style and very sexy.
2. Wash the broccoli under cold water. Place in steamer bag along with 1/2 lemon or several lemon wedges.
3. Microwave 2-3 minutes until bright green. The steamer bag will fill with hot air so be careful when you open it.
Remove broccoli from bag and place in nice serving dish. Sprinkle broccoli with a dash of course sea salt and serve immediately.
This is a fantastic side dish and is absolutely sure to impress.
Dessert Cupcake Tres Leches (Serves 3-4)
12 store-bought cupcakes (vanilla cake with white, red, or pink icing)
1 can evaporated milk
1 can sweetened condensed milk
1 pint carton heavy whipping cream
1 small tub Whipped Topping (like Cool Whip)
12 strawberries, washed & patted dried
Dash of cinnamon
Directions
1. Mix together heavy whipping cream, sweetened condensed milk and evaporated milk. You will have a very sweet milky mixture that will be the base of your recipe. Set aside.
2. Unwrap 11 of your cupcakes from their paper holders. Cut them into 1/4 pieces and cover bottom of
a pretty casserole dish or deep serving dish. Don’t worry how to place them, it’s just important to cover the bottom of the dish.
3. Pour your milk mixture over the bottom layer of cut cupcakes, covering all the cake parts.
4. Layer another layer of your cut cupcakes until they are all in the casserole dish. Pour remaining milk mixture over the cupcakes in your casserole dish.
5. Now take your whipped topping and cover the entire top of the dish, making a smooth surface. Sprinkle with cinnamon.
6. Slice the strawberries and place on top of your beautiful topping. Place dish in refrigerator and
let chill for at least an hour. Your milk mixture that you poured over the cut cupcakes will soak the cake and make a fabulous tres leches!
7. With the 12th cupcake that you set aside, place a special Valentine’s Day gift on top of cupcake. Tell them you created a tres leches from the same cupcakes but you saved a very special cupcake for a very special gift!
You will look like a total romantic!
Linda West from Mélange Catering & Special Events shares some recipes with food radio talk show host Cleverley Stone for side dishes and stuffing that could become your family’s new favorites including two side dishes, chipotle sweet potatoes and butternut squash gratin with creamed spinach and stuffing 3 ways — sun-dried tomato, apple and sausage, tamale.
For more information about food, wine and dining in Houston, listen to Cleverley’s radio show Saturdays at Noon on Talk KIKK-650 AM. (By the way, she gives out free restaurant gift certificates on every radio show!)
Two Side Dishes for Thanksgiving
Chipotle Sweet Potatoes & Butternut Squash Gratin with Creamed Spinach
All Recipes are from Melange Catering & Special Events
Chef Linda West, owner
Chipotle Sweet Potatoes
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
5 ½ pounds sweet potatoes, scrubbed
3 cups whipping cream
1 small can chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
Salt & pepper to taste
Directions
1. Peel and slice sweet potatoes thinly.
2. In a blender, blend together 3 cups of whipping cream and 1-3 of the canned chipotle peppers,
depending on how much heat you like. For a little more of a kick, add a little of the adobo sauce as well.
3. In a greased baking dish, place a layer of sweet potatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper. Pour over some of the cream mixture.
4. Repeat up to 4 times to make up to 4 layers of potatoes until all the cream mixture is used.
5. Cover tightly with foil and bake at 350 degrees for about 30 minutes.
6. Uncover and continue baking for another 30 minutes.
Butternut Squash Gratin with Creamed Spinach
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
2 large butternut squash
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
Salt and freshly ground pepper
1 ten ounce bag cleaned spinach, stemmed and rinsed
1 ¼ cups heavy cream
4 tablespoons crème fraîche
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees.
2. Peel the squash and cut into 32 round pieces, using only the neck of the squash. Slices should be about 4 inches thick.
3. Arrange the squash rounds on 2 rimmed baking sheets and brush with olive oil.
4. Season with salt and pepper and bake for 20 minutes; or until just tender. Then you can increase your oven temperature to 475 degrees.
5. While squash is baking, put 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a saucepan over high heat. Add the spinach one handful at a time. Stir frequently just until spinach wilts.
6. Drain the spinach and squeeze it dry. Chop coarsely. Frozen spinach works if you are tight on time. Be sure to squeeze spinach very dry.
7. In the same saucepan, bring the heavy cream to a boil, then simmer over low heat until slightly thickened, which will take about 3 minutes.
8. Add the spinach and simmer, stirring occasionally, until creamy, but not runny. Season with salt and pepper, then transfer to a plate to let cool.
9. Lightly oil a large shallow baking dish. In a small bowl, stir the crème fraîche into the Parmesan cheese.
10. Arrange one layer of squash in the baking dish. Spread a light layer of the Parmesan crème fraîche mixture over the squash.
Spoon a small amount of the creamed spinach over the squash. Repeat layers one time.
For the top layer, put squash over creamed spinach then spread with the remaining Parmesan crème fraîche.
11. Cover with foil and bake until heated through, which should take about 10 minutes. Preheat your broiler.
Uncover and broil for 2 minutes, or until browned. Transfer to plates and serve.
Stuffing 3 Ways
. Sun Dried Tomato
. Apple & Sausage
. Tamale
All Recipes are from Melange Catering & Special Events
Chef Linda West, owner
Stuffing – 3 Ways
These are simple recipes for three different stuffings, all using cornbread as the base.
You will use crumbled corn bread in these stuffing recipes.
You can make your own cornbread (see recipe below) or you can substitute your
favorite cornbread mix or buy cornbread that’s already made. If using your own cornbread recipe,
sure to make it first before you add the individual components to the dressing recipes.
Corn Bread
Serves 6-8
Ingredients
3/4 cup enriched corn meal (Aunt Jemima or Quaker works well.)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1 tbsp sugar
2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 egg
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup butter or margarine, melted
Directions
1. Heat oven to 425 F. Grease an 8 x 4-inch loaf pan.
2. In a bowl, combine corn meal, all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
3. In a different bowl, combine egg, milk, and melted margarine or butter.
4. Add egg mixture to corn mixture and mix just until dry ingredients are moistened.
5. Pour into prepared loaf pan.
6. Bake about 30 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on wire rack.
Stuffing (using corn bread as the base)
Ingredients
3 cups crumbled corn bread
3 cups soft bread cubes
Salt & pepper
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/4 cup butter or margarine
1 tbsp chicken bouillon
1 1/4 cups warm water
1 egg
Directions
1. Heat oven to 350 F.
2. Place crumbled corn bread in a large bowl. Add bread cubes and mix well.
3. Cook onion in butter or margarine until tender. Add to corn bread mixture.
4. Dissolve bouillon granules in warm water and add to corn bread mixture.
5. Stir in egg.
6. Spoon mixture into a 2 quart casserole dish. Cover and bake 45 minutes or until heated through.
Now you have your stuffing base. Here are three flavor variations to try.
Apple Sausage Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients
Basic stuffing recipe, as prepared above
1 cup chopped apples
2 tablespoons sage, crushed
1/2 pound pork sausage, cooked and drained of fat
Directions
1. In a large bowl, combine the basic corn bread stuffing, chopped apples, crushed sage and sausage.
2. Mix well. Spoon into a 2 quart casserole dish, cover and bake about 45 minutes or until heated through.
Sun Dried Tomato Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients
Basic stuffing recipe, as prepared above
24 sun dried tomatoes, chopped
1 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup green onions, chopped
2 tbsp garlic, chopped
Directions
1. Sauté the sun dried tomatoes, green onions and chopped garlic in olive oil.
2. After you sauté, add tomato mixture to the basic corn bread stuffing recipe (above) in a large bowl. Mix all ingredients well.
3. Spoon into a 2-3 quart casserole dish, cover and bake about 45 minutes or until heated through.
Tamale Cornbread Dressing
Ingredients
Basic stuffing recipe, as prepared above
1/3 cup bell pepper
2 tbsp cilantro, chopped (substitute parsley if you like)
2 tbsp poultry seasoning
8 tamales, crumbled (pork, spinach or chicken work best)
Directions
1. Place crumbled cornbread stuffing in a large bowl. Mix in bell pepper, chopped cilantro or parsley,
poultry seasoning and crumbled tamales. Mix all ingredients well.
2. Spoon the ingredients into a 3 quart casserole dish, cover and bake about 90 minutes at 350 degrees.
