YaDa Chef Personal Chefs & Event Catering

The request for our chili recipe has been numerous, so here it is: If using dried beans 1 cup of beans is approximately equal to 1 15 1/2 o unce /440g can. Serves 4-6 1 pound/450g ground turkey 1 tablespoon/15ml oil 1 small onion, diced 2 tablespoons/30ml tomato paste 1 chipotle pepper seeds and ribs removed, and diced (check how hot it is) 1 large clove garlic, minced 2 tablespoon/30ml ground cumin 2 tablespoon/30ml smokey paprika 2 tablespoon/30ml chili powder 1 tablespoon/15ml Italian seasoning 1/4 teaspoon/1ml ground cinnamon 1 tablespoon/15ml Sea Salt 1/2 tablespoon/7ml ground black pepper 15 1/2 ounces/439g can of black beans 15 1/2 ounces/439g can of red beans 15 1/2 ounces/439g can of pinto beans 15 1/2 ounces/439g can of diced tomato (optional) Pinch of ground cloves 1 cup/236ml water (increase to 4-5 cups/950-1180ml if using dried beans) In the pressure cooker on medium high heat or browning mode add the oil, onion, cumin, paprika, chili powder, Italian seasoni

Home made or bought Flaky Pie Pastry 4 cups/675g blueberries 3/4 cup/144g sugar 1/4 cup/94g all-purpose flour 1 tablespoon/15ml fresh lemon juice 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon On a lightly floured surface, roll out the Flaky Pie Pastry into two 12 inch/30.5cm rounds 1/8 inch/3mm thick. Fit 1 round into a 9 inch/23cm glass pie plate. Transfer the other round to a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Refrigerate until ready to use. Preheat the oven to 375F/190C/Gas 5 In a bowl, toss the berries with the sugar, flour, lemon juice and cinnamon. Pour the filling into the lined pie plate. Lightly brush the rim of the bottom crust with water and drape the top crust over the filling. Press the dough edges together and trim the overhang to 1/2 inch/1.25cm, fold the overhang under and crimp decoratively. Using a sharp knife, make slash in the center of the top crust to let steam escape. Bake the pie for 1 hour, or until the filling is bubbling and the crust is golden. Transfer

“Sweet May hath come to love us, Flowers, trees, their blossoms don; And through the blue heavens above us The very clouds move on."- Heinrich Heine May is the fifth month of the year in both Julian and Gregorian Calendars. May is one of only seven months with 31 days. May was named for the Greek goddess Maia, and the Roman goddess of fertility, Bona Dea. Ovid, the Roman poet, says that May i s named for the elders or maiores, in Latin. In Slovenia, May is known as the month of “big grass”, or “veliki traven”. No other month begins or ends on the same day of the week as May, ever. January of the following year always begins and ends on the same day of the week as the May of the previous year. It is also host to myriad monthly celebrations, among them ALS Awareness, Better Hearing & Speech, Carrots and Cauliflower, Celiac Awareness, National Barbecue Month, Clean Air, Get Caught Reading, and International Civility Awareness, to name but a few. The birthstone is the bri

Essential oils can reduce pain caused by muscle spasms, and pain caused by inflammation in sport injuries. Their medicinal p roperties can also reduce menstrual and joint pain. Since aromatic oils are concentrated, they should never be applied directly on the skin. They are usually dissolved in neutral oils or so-called substrates which also have good effect on the skin. Various types of oil can be used as substrates. Olive oil is usually used as a base for normal and dry skin and sunflower oil for oily skin. You can also use jojoba, coconut or sweet almond oil. These natural plant oils hydrate skin perfectly. Add 10 to 12 drops of your favourite essential oil to the base oil to prepare a mixture you can use later. You can add this mixture in the bathtub you have already filled with hot water or you can just massage any sore spot you have. The best essential oils with analgesic and anti-inflammatory properties are chamomile, sweet marjoram, lavender, eucalyptus, peppermi

Does Sourdough turn Carbohydrates into Proteins? We would like to share a bit of research we came across recently concerning "Sourdough". What originally caught our  eye was an analysis of laboratory tests. They say that Sourdough contains the greatest amount of protein for it's weight and size of any comparable food. "Hmm" we thought "just how does that come about when it's ingredients are all carbohydrates?" Apparently a wild yeast forms in the fermentation process of the starter. At that stage, a starch food is turned into a protein dynamo food. The History of Sourdough Sourdough is the oldest and most original form of leavened bread. The oldest recorded use of sourdough is from the Ancient Egyptian civilizations. ready for the flour It was probably discovered as most things are by accident. If you simply mix any ground up grain with a liquid such as water or milk and let it sit in the open air at room temperature, wild ye

Pressure Cooker Cuban Beans by YaDa Chef Black beans or Frijoles Negros are a staple common to Cuban cooking. You will find that although they may seem common, they can be used in a variety of different dishes and the "potaje" is one of the most traditional and tasty. You can soak them overnight, but there is no need with this version 1 tablespoon/15ml olive oil 3 cloves of garlic, peeled and crushed 1 medium onion, peeled and chopped 1 tablespoon/15ml tomato paste (concentrate) 4 ounces/115 g oil packed sun dried tomatoes, cut into julienne (optional) 2 teaspoons/10ml paprika 1 tablespoon/15ml ground cumin 2 bay leaves (1 if fresh) ½ teaspoon/2ml chili powder 1 teaspoon/5ml salt 1 teaspoon/5ml pepper 1 pound/450g dried black beans 6 cups/1 1/2 liters vegetable stock or water 1 tablespoon/15ml vinegar In a pressure cooker set “brown” add olive oil and let heat up.  Add the garlic, and onion. Let soften 1-2 minutes, but not getting a

Today, April 25, is Zucchini Bread day! Very good and moist - kids eat it as quickly as you can make it. Bread will freeze well, and keep in refrigerator for weeks. Zucch ini Bread Recipe Ingredients: 3 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 3 teaspoons ground cinnamon 3 eggs 1 cup vegetable oil 2 1/4 cups white sugar 3 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 cups grated zucchini 1 cup chopped walnuts Directions: Grease and flour two 8 x 4 inch pans. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Sift flour, salt, baking powder, soda, and cinnamon together in a bowl. Beat eggs, oil, vanilla, and sugar together in a large bowl. Add sifted ingredients to the creamed mixture, and beat well. Stir in zucchini and nuts until well combined. Pour batter into prepared pans. Bake for 40 to 60 minutes, or until tester inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in pan on rack for 20 minutes. Remove bread from pan, and completely cool.T

Serves 4 4 peeled bananas, cut into quarters 4 slices of bacon 1/4 cup/60 ml balsamic vinegar 1/4 cup/60 ml honey 1 teaspoon/5 ml dry English mustard 1/2 teaspoon dry chili flakes Mix the balsamic, honey, dry mustard and chili flakes in a small bowl. Wrap bananas with bacon securing with a toothpick. Place wrapped bananas on the warm grill and shut the cover. Open the grill and turn over the bananas. Brush them with the glaze. Cook for 3-4 minutes more. The bacon should be crispy, not burned. Turn over and brush other side. Remove from grill. Serve with extra marinade on the side or drizzled on top. This is GREAT with plain vanilla ice cream. personal chefs and event catering Miami + Miami Beach + Fort Lauderdale + Palm Beach www.yadachef.com info@yadachef.com | 954-367-YADA (9232)

Looking for a fun project for your next kiddie party? We received an email the following "icky" recipe. This is certainly not good for you but hey, sometimes we all need a little cheat day here and there. Squirmy Cones Nutrition Facts Prep Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 10 minutes Servings: 5 Ingredients 5 Keebler® Fudge Shoppe® Fudge-Dipped Ice Cream Cups 2 1/2 cups chocolate pudding 5 Keebler® Grasshopper® cookies 15 gummy worms Directions 1. Place 1/2 cup of pudding into each KEEBLER FUDGE SHOPPE Fudge-Dipped Ice Cream Cup. 2. Sprinkle pudding with chopped cookies and crumbs. 3. Place 3 worms into each of the Ice Cream Cups, squirming out. Variation: More worms can be used. Ice Cream Cups can be laid on their side on a plate, if desired. personal chefs and event catering Miami + Miami Beach + Fort Lauderdale + Palm Beach www.yadachef.com info@yadachef.com | 954-367-YADA (9232)

Here's a fruity tip: Eating one Kiwi fruit gives you approx. 112 percent of the daily recommended amount of Vitamin C! Here are the benefits of this superfruit: Phytonutrients: Kiwis have phytonutrients, which repair DNA, act as the body’s protection against some cancers, and function as antioxidants.  Vitamin C: One serving of kiwi gives the body a boost of Vitamin C, wh ich helps heal wounds, increase iron absorption, and boost the immune system. Fiber: Kiwi is a good source of fiber which has a role in the prevention of constipation and some cancers. Folic Acid: Kiwi provides 10% of the RDA (Recommended Daily Allowance) for folic acid, which is important for expectant mothers and works to produce red blood cells. Vitamin E: Kiwi provides 10% RDA for Vitamin E and decreases the risk of heart disease. Who's having some of this superfruit today? personal chefs and event catering Miami + Miami Beach + Fort Lauderdale + Palm Beach www.yadachef.com info@yadache

This is a question that we get asked all the time. Which is better: juicing or blending? Does one offer more health b enefits than the other? Juices and smoothies both play an important role in any wellness program. We believe that both juicing and blending are very beneficial, but in different ways. Here is a short comparison that explains the differences between the two as well as some of the specific benefits of each. What’s The Difference? JUICING Juicing is a process which extracts water and nutrients from produce and discards the indigestible fiber. Without all the fiber, your digestive system doesn’t have to work as hard to break down the food and absorb the nutrients. In fact, it makes the nutrients more readily available to the body in much larger quantities than if you were to eat the fruits and vegetables whole. This is especially helpful if you have a sensitive digestive system or illness that inhibits your body from processing fiber. The fiber in produ

Ingredients For The Chicken: 12 ounces boneless, skinless chicken breast (about 1 large) 2 tablespoons vegetable oil 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce For The Peanut Sauce: 3 tablespoons creamy peanut butter 2 tablespoons lower-sodium soy sauce (Bragg's Liquid Aminos) 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice 1 tablespoon honey 1 tablespoon chopped scallion greens 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder Directions For the chicken: Cut the chicken into 1/4-inch strips across the grain. Lay the strips on a cutting board and gently flatten by pounding with your fist; they will be a variety of shapes and sizes. If some slices are very long (more than three bites), you may need to cut them in two. Place the chicken in a bowl with the oil and soy sauce and turn the chicken in the sauce to coat. Let the chicken marinate at room temperature for at least 20 minutes, or refrigerate overnight. For the peanut sauce: Combine the peanut butter, soy sauce, lime juice, honey, scallions, garlic p

For those hot summer nights, why not have a bowl of "soup"  Ingredients 6 Cups Watermelon 2 Tomatoes 1 Cucumber 1 Serrano Pepper, minced 1 Lime ¼ Cup Parsley, finely chopped ¼ Cup Basil, finely chopped 1 Teaspoon Sugar Pinch Salt 1. Carefully cut your watermelon in half. 2. Cut the watermelon half into layers and then cube it. 3. Measure out six cups and purée it. Reserve the remaining cubes for garnish or just to snack on, because who doesn’t love watermelon? Yum! 4. Slice the bottom off each tomato. 5. Making “C” cuts into the tomato. The key here is to cut off the flesh and to avoid the seed membrane. 6. Purée the tomatoes in the food processor. 7. Peel the cucumber and cut away the seeds with a knife, very carefully. 8. Purée the cucumber. Remember, food processors work best when the pieces are evenly cut. 9. In a large mixing bowl, add together the puréed tomatoes, cucumber and watermelon. 10. Put the tomato-cucumber-watermelon  mixture through a sieve to remove th

Author: Manuela Zangara Ingredients Vinaigrette 2 tbsp lime juice 4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil Salt and pepper to taste Salad 450 grams – 1 lb. smoked salmon 2 avocados, sliced 2 tomatoes, chopped ¼ red onion, chopped ¼ bunch coriander (cilantro) leaves Instructions To prepare the vinaigrette, put all the ingredients in a little jar. Put the lid on and shake well. Keep aside. Arrange all the salad ingredients on the serving plates and top with the chopped red onion. Drizzle the vinaigrette on top of the salad and serve. personal chefs and event catering Miami + Miami Beach + Fort Lauderdale + Palm Beach www.yadachef.com info@yadachef.com | 954-367-YADA (9232)

This cream pie, often served at Easter and Christmas is rich and, oh, so, good. The basic recipe is for a vanilla cream pie, but you can also sometimes made a half vanilla/half chocolate cream pie by melting a couple of chocolate squares into half of the Italian cream. Then, pour the chocolate and vanilla creams into the crust at the same time (easier with help) so that  they bump up against each other, but don’t mix. You can also pour the cream in two layers. 1 Quart Milk 1 Cup Sugar 3 Tablespoons Cornstarch 8 Egg Yolks 1 Orange Peel (One Large Orange) Orange Flavouring ( we use the juice of 1/2 an orange and reduce until a thick syrup) Important: At no time should this mixture come to a boil. If it does, throw out and start over. Always stir slowly counter clockwise. From start to finish, the mixture must be stirred at all times. Combine milk, sugar, egg yolks, orange peel and cook slowly over low heat until mixture looks creamy. Dissolve cornstarch with a little water and add s