Moose Mountain Catering Here We ARE!

Well we are a catering company now. Not a catering company & a restaurant! We are busy giving Christmas quotes and keeping our freezer food inventory updated.
We will be using this blog to input our Freezer Food Lists & Catering options but we are just learning and this will take some time. For now - email us at moosemountaingrill@shaw.ca or moosemountaincatering@shaw.ca and we will email you lists and answer any questions you might have.
We have added a Dessert List to our ever expanding offering and this is available at the above address! Just give us a few days to find our feet and we will be able to serve you with the same precision we did at the restaurant!
Thanks to those of you who made the last weekend fun! We had a great time!
Now for the recipe...

Spinach & Avocado Salad with Warm Mustard Vinaigrette
3 oz spinach leaves
1 red or green head of curly leaf lettuce
2 medium avocados
3 T olive oil
2 T sesame seeds
1 T lemon juice
2 t whole grain mustard

Method:
Wash & spin dry the spinach & lettuce leaves. Tear leaves into bite size pieces & place into serving bowl.
Peel the avocados & cut into thin slices. Place over lettuce leaves.
Heat 1 T of olive oil in a small pan. Add the sesame seeds & cook over low heat until they start to brown. Remove from heat & allow to cool. Heat the other 2 T of olive oil. Add the lemon juice & mustard. While still warm add sesame seeds. Pour over salad & toss gently to coat the leaves. Serve immediately!

I'll be at the desk this week & Chef will be in the kitchen. Nothing much has changed except we are taking this Saturday off! Don't call - we won't be there!
Till next week!
CA & Chef Stephen

Home Stretch Here We Come

We are very tired. The dish washer is broken. Both our mothers are in the dish pit this weekend! It is the home stretch and while we slide into home plate with mixed emotions - we are very happy to be able to serve Chef's delicious food in another way.
A number of you have signed up for our `Theme Dinner' email list. We will be offering reservation only theme dinners this winter and will be selling them strictly through our blog and email subscribers. The first will be a 4 course Italian Dinner. No date yet but we will keep you posted.
We continue to sell the freezer food and hope sales will pick up when the service portion of the Moose is discontinued. While it won't be the same as being served hot - it will be available on demand and for a portion of the cost.
Dates are also disappearing for Christmas parties. We are thrilled with the response to our catering service. Book now to avoid disappointment.
Now for the recipe...

Gratin of Chickpeas & Goat Cheese
1 T olive oil
1/4 c chopped green onion
1 garlic clove - chopped
2 c of chickpeas rinsed & drained
1/2 t chili powder
1/4 t ground cumin
1/4 t dried oregano
pinch of dried thyme
pinch of cayenne pepper
pinch of salt
freshly ground black pepper
9 oz chorizo sausage thinly sliced
1/4 c fresh parsley chopped
3/4 c crushed tomatoes
9 oz goat cheese

Method:
In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook the green onions & garlic for 30 sec. Add chickpeas, dry spices & chorizo and cook for 3 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes & parsley. Stir and reheat thoroughly. Remove from heat. Place the mixture in the middle of the plate and cover with sliced goat's cheese. Place under broiler of the oven until the goat's cheese has softened & serve. Yummy!

We are open Friday, Saturday & Sunday at 5:00 ... then that's all folks! Will Carol Ann cry? Come and find out! She'll buy you a drink if you say you saw it on the blog!!
Ta Ta
CA & Chef Stephen

"Yuck, this stuff is full of ingredients."

That's what Linus said while reading a can label in Charles Schulz's `Peanuts' series! Well, Chef Stephen's freezer food is full of ingredients too but nothing you need a dictionary to decipher! Many of you have had the pleasure & we thank you for your positive comments. We are looking forward to selling you more `stuff' out of our freezer!

Christmas bookings are getting busy! Please make sure you get your date confirmed. It only costs $100.00 to hold your date! So make sure you aren't disappointed.

Do you still have lots of left over turkey in the freezer. Chef Stephen has found a delicious way to get rid of some of it. Without further adieu..

Turkey Tetrazzini
1/2 lb wide egg noodles
8 T butter
1/2 lb white mushrooms sliced
5 T flour
Salt & freshly ground black pepper
3 c chicken stock
1 & 1/3 c heavy cream
1/3 c dry sherry
3 c coarsely chopped cooked turkey
1/4 t freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese
fresh parsely

Method:
Cook noodles in a large pot of salted water. Drain & transfer to medium baking dish & toss with one T of butter. Pre heat oven to 375F. Melt 2 T of butter in a large skillet. Cook mushrooms until lightly brown - 3-5 minutes. Scatter mushrooms over noodles. Reduce heat to medium low & melt remaining 5 T of butter in skillet. Sprinkle in the flour. Stir constantly for 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium. Gradually whisk in stock & simmer until sauce thickens. Add cream, sherry & turkey. Season with salt, pepper & nutmeg.

Spoon turkey & sauce over noodles. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake in oven until sauce is bubbly - about 20 minutes. Heat broiler & brown for 3 - 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped parsley.

We are closed for private functions on Friday & Saturday but will be open this Sunday starting at 5:00. See you there!
CA & Chef Stephen!

Thanks for the support

Chef & I are just thrilled with the support the freezer food line & the catering business are generating. We have 4 confirmed caters to do in the next 2 months and the frozen food is selling like crazy! Thanks folks! It seems like the name Moose Mountain will be around for a while longer!
We would like to suggest that you get a quote for your Christmas gathering sooner rather than later. My Realtor has given me the go ahead to book parties for the winter in the Moose Mountain Grill. So if you want to use the building for your Christmas party - or any party this winter - let me know!

Now for something sweet this week (like Chef Stephen)...
Apple Streusel Topped Pumpkin Cake
1/2 c + 3 T unsalted butter
4 large granny smith apples - peeled, cored & thinly sliced
5 T granulated sugar
1 t ground cinnamon
1 1/4c whole wheat pastry flour
1 c brown sugar
1/2 t salt
2 t pumpkin pie spice (cloves, cinnamon, nutmeg)
1 t baking soda
3/4 c canned pumpkin puree
1/3 c sour cream
2 large eggs

Method:
Butter & flour a 9x9 baking pan. In a large saute pan -melt 3 T of butter, saute apples over medium high heat until softened (about 5 minutes). Mix 3 T of white sugar & cinnamon in a cup and sprinkle over the apples. Continue to cook until the liquids are thick & bubbly. (caramelized) Pre-heat oven to 350 F. Dice the remaining 1/2 c butter. Let it come to room temperature. In a stand mixer combine the flour, brown sugar & salt. Start mixer on low. Toss in room temperature butter. Mix until butter forms small pea sized pieces. Measure out 2/3 c of the mixture into a bowl & stir in remaining 2 T of white sugar & pie spice to make the streusel (topping). To the remaining mixture in the stand mixer add the baking soda then add pumpkin, sour cream & eggs. Beat until smooth. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan. Distribute the apple saute over the batter. Then sprinkle the streusel mix over that. Bake for 40 -50 minutes or until skewer comes out clean. Cool on rack. Enjoy with vanilla ice cream.

Again, thanks for your support & keep phoning!
CA & Chef Stephen

Reduce Reuse Recycle

Chef Stephen wants to let you know that he is using very high quality containers for our take out food. As a matter of fact he put one of the clear plastic containers through the high temp dishwasher and it didn't come out like your kid's art project! So reuse & recycle these containers please!

We have added soup to our list of delicious products! We have on hand BAVARIAN LENTIL BACON & ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH. The weather is perfect for a bowl of homemade soup. Give me a call and put in your order!

We have also added our STUFFED CHICKEN BREAST to the menu. We currently have fetta cheese, spinach & roast garlic or ham & swiss cheese. Phone to order yours today!

We have sold out of the lasagna we had pre made! If you are interested in this item - please pre order!

Next week we should have COMPLETE FROZEN MEALS for sale. Forget that hungry man stuff - these are lovely veg, potato & meat dinners ready for the microwave. We are starting with chicken breast, roasted potato & veg. Also we will have a pasta of the week in this format. When it appears on the list it will be available.

Now for this week's recipe from Chef Stephen...

Hot & Sour Shrimp Soup with Lemon grass (Tom Yam Goong)
1 lb jumbo shrimp - peeled & deviened
4 cup chicken or vegetable stock
3 lemon grass stalks
10 kafir lime leaves
8 ounce can of straw mushrooms - drained
3 T fish sauce
1/4 c fresh lime juice
2 T chopped green onion
1 T chopped fresh cilantro leaves
4 red chiles seeded & chopped
2 green onions finely chopped

Method:
Bruise the lemon grass stalks with the blunt end of a chopping knife. Add them to the stock together with 1/2 lime leaves. Simmer gently for 5 -6 minutes or until the stock is fragrant. Strain the stock & return to the sauce pan & re heat. Add the mushrooms & shrimp & cook until the shrimp turn pink. Stir in fish sauce, lime juice, green onions, cilantro, red chiles & the rest of the lime leaves. Taste & adjust seasoning. It should be sour, salty, spicy & hot. Enjoy!

That'll get the nose running! Chef says this is the most popular soup in Thailand!
Until next week!
CA & Chef Stephen

When you read the label...

We went to the grocery store this week and looked at a few items that are available that are similar to what we are producing. We were curious as to what their labels looked like. Here is what we found...

Pesto - produced by a well known label - had the following ingredients:
sunflower oil, basil, glucose solids, granapadno & pecorino cheeses, water, cashew flour, salt, potato flakes (contain mono & dyglycerides, sodium phosphate, sodium metasulphite, BHA), pinenuts, modified milk ingredients, virgin olive oil, garlic powder, basil flavour.

What does Chef Stephen put in his pesto? Fresh basil, garlic, pinenuts, salt, pepper, extra virgin olive oil. That's what.

A major label with a `low fat' line has the following ingredients in it's `Skinless, boneless chicken breast with a honey mustard glaze': skinless, boneless chicken breast, water, salt, spices, honey powder (honey, wheat flour, soy flour), sodium acetate, acetic acid, Xanthan gum, dehydrated parsley, flavour. Glaze contains: glucose, fructose, water, dijon mustard (white vinegar,water, mustard seed, salt, white wine, citric acid, tartaric acid, spices), honey, white vinegar, glucose, modified corn starch, tomato paste, salt, mustard flour, mustard seed, dried onion, concentrated lemon juice, spices(including onion & garlic powder), flavour & caramel colour.

What does Chef Stephen put in his chicken breasts? Chicken breast, salt, pepper. Glaze contains: honey, mustard, shallots, garlic, white wine, fresh rosemary, salt & pepper.

You decide which you want to feed to your family.

Here's the recipe of the week for your fall curry...
Jamaican Coconut Cornbread
1 c unsweetened, shredded coconut
1 c coarse corn meal
1 c whole wheat flour
1 T baking powder
1/2 t salt
1/4 firmly packed brown sugar
1 1/2 c coconut milk
1 large egg (vegan can substitute a couple of T of coconut milk for the egg)

Method:
Preheat the oven to 300 F. Oil a 9x9" square baking pan. Spread the coconut on a baking sheet & bake for 5 minutes. Then stir. Bake for 5 minutes more. When the coconut is golden brown transfer to a bowl and cool. Raise temperature of oven to 400 F. In a large bowl stir together the coconut, cornmeal, flour, baking powder, salt & brown sugar. In a separate bowl whisk the coconut milk & egg (if using), stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Transfer to the prepared baking pan. Bake for 15 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean. Cool on a rack.

Enjoy with your curry!

See you at the Moose this weekend Friday, Saturday or Sunday. We also have lots in the freezer to sell so give us a call to place your order!
CA & Chef Stephen

We'll cater to you...

We are very open to suggestions in when it comes to the catering part of the business.

• We will do what we are calling `drive by's' - this is where we will drop off the food `oven hot'. This is no- frills. You have the dishes. You do the service. This is available from $16 per person. Minimum of 10 people.
  
• While the Moose Mountain Grill is still available for us to use that is the second level of catering. For a minimum of 10 people and a maximum of 30 we will deliver our usual delicious meal. We require $100 catering fee and a minimum of $30 per person.
• Finally, what Chef Stephen really wants to do - come into your home for a minimum of 10 people. This service starts at $30 per person. And the sky is the limit in terms of what you and Chef can come up with!

And now...with the cool weather...Chef has come up with a wonderful recipe you warm your insides!

Thai Fish Curry
4T Thai fish sauce
2T soy sauce
1 fresh red chili seeded & chopped
12 oz halibut cut into cubes
12 oz fresh salmon cut into cubes
juice of 1 lime
1 3/4 c coconut milk
3 kaffir lime leaves
1 T red thai curry paste
1 lemon grass stalk (white parts only) finely chopped

Method:
Combine 1/2 the fish sauce and soy sauce in a shallow non metallic dish. Add the chili & fish. Squeeze over the lime and stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Bring the coconut milk to a boil in a pan & add the lime leaves, Thai curry paste, the remaining fish sauce & the lemon grass. Simmer gently for 10 minutes. Add the fish & the marinade. Simmer gently for a further 5 minutes or until fish is cooked. Serve hot with rice!

Did you see the snow this morning?! Have you bought your ski passes? OK - there's a bit of summer left! See you at the Moose this weekend!
CA & Chef Stephen.