Searing Meats!

Divadish Kitchens & Catering

Seared Chicken

Chicken is such a versatile food that goes with just about any side dish too.This dish pictured I fixed with a side of honey carrots, it was a nice combo meal and was very satisfying.

Searing meats is something that has been done mostly by restaurants boasting that they have the secret to keeping your meats juicy and tasty.

How do you sear your meats? well it takes a heavy frying pan, preferably a Food Safe pan because these can take the heat and hold it too which is important for searing.

Okay so we got the right pan now so now to proceed to searing our meat, make sure you preheated your pan slowly, meaning not turning your flame or electric burner to high and leave it there, it needs to warm up the pan slow I suggest at a med flame or temp, add your cooking olive oil and your seasoned meat. 

Then sear meat for app. 2-5 minutes each side turning it as needed. Finish cooking the meat this way in pan till done or put in a greased baking dish and bake @ 350' for app. 30-50 min. depending on what you are cooking. 
Steak, Shrimp, or chops do not do, but most other meats like chicken pork roasts, beef roasts are just fine.

Cooking can be fun, but you have to put some effort into it too. so go forth and Cook and enjoy.

Posted by Gianna Elizabeth Ianos. Posted In : Searing Meats 

Ricotta for Dessert?

Divadish Kitchens & Catering

Sweetened Ricotta Dessert

This dessert pictured above is very light and creamy to the tongue. Textures and visual is what most foodies look at when they go food shopping, they like bright colors and appetizing layout as much as a artist likes the perfect sunset.

When I make something new I make sure I like the combinations of the ingredients first, second I see if I want to tweak any of them, third then I see if I can make it taste better.

With all there is out there today to choose from in seasonings, extracts, toppings, icings, etc. you should not be limited at all to having the Best Food experience ever. If you are not as adventurous in the kitchen and want to be or just want someone else to do all the work please feel free to call The Diva @ 612-859-3270, I will make sure your taste buds and your stomach are doing the Happy Dance after all is done:)

Posted by Gianna Elizabeth Ianos. Posted In : Ricotta for Dessert? 

Cake decorating?

Divadish Kitchens & Catering

Cake?

Divadish likes to mix it up a bit even with her cakes. I do not like thick frosting on anything especially cakes as I feel it weighs it down.

Why not eat a slice of cake instead of a mouthful of icing? it seems reasonable to me.

So what I do for my cakes, cookies, and cupcakes is use a drizzle stick, this is a great little tool and it allows you to decorate anything from desserts to a garnishment on a plate with a flick of the wrist and a small amount of product to make your desserts or main entree look absolutely Divine!

You can find these little wonder tools at any kitchen store or online @ Kitchen Nova. Com great tools for a little price, now you go off and find something to drizzle on!

Posted by Gianna Elizabeth Ianos. Posted In : Drizzling 

Comfort Foods, what's Your's?

Divadish Kitchens & Catering

Grilled Cheese & Cran -Raisin Salad

Comfort foods are so welcoming when you are not feeling well, or had a Bad day, or the weather is just plain awful.:( 

The Diva has one of her fav's pictured above, grilled Cheese and a side salad. This all American Classic has many variations but when I want the good old original I get my sliced cheddar, pepper-jack, and Colby -jack cheese slices lined up and pre butter the sour dough bread or Texas toast  warm the 6" chef's saute pan up add a little olive oil for a base with a sprinkle of Cayenne pepper in the bottom and add my sandwich for a slow brown and melting app. 4-6 min. What comes out of that pan is a delicious combination of gooey Yumminess. It is like a bite of Heaven and a feeling of comfort like that old sweater you just can't part with, or for me a old red scarf that is so full of holes it is holding together by threads! Who cares really when it makes us feel good on those days when you just need a little something extra. 

Hope this makes everyone feel a little better after this very long Winter we all have had, Go SPRING :)

Divadish Personal Chef Services
Chef G.

Posted by Gianna Elizabeth Ianos. Posted In : Comfort Foods 

Pizza, Pizza....!

Divadish Kitchens & Catering

Sausage Pizza

Like the little Caesar Commercial  Pizza, Pizza, anyone? I do not know anyone who does-not Love pizza , anytime of
 any day.:)

Most people feel it is there all around Power Meal? Why, because it has bread, cheese, meat, vegetables and can be eaten anytime of day or night, or for any meal.

The above pizza was one I made for client who Loves Pizza, so I try to include some fun foods in his menus.
I use only the finest ingredients, and keep to a Heart Healthy Recipe that is delicious but not loaded with extra unhealthy Fats, Sugars and Sodium.

We can manage a little Fast foods but not a regular diet of it, and since I can duplicate the same thing but make it healthier I feel I am offering a better choice for my clients diet and overall health.

So the next time you have the Craving for something Naughty, and you do not want to go to the Overload of Fast Foods, call The Diva she will be glad to make you one of these Bad Boys!!!!

Posted by Gianna Elizabeth Ianos. Posted In : Anytime Meals! 

Quiche for Dinner?

Divadish Kitchens & Catering

Ham Quiche'

Quiche is another wonderful alternative to dinner or lunch, especially if their made like this hearty one.

Loaded with smoked ham and cheddar cheese, then a splash of seasonings with half and half to make it all so fluffy you think it was a cloud you made. 

This quiche sliced into (6) servings is filling and delicious, full of meat and cheeses and just the right blend of dill, chives
and caraway to make it a very tasty meal for brunch, lunch or dinner. Serve it with a side salad or fruit, what a nice change to our regular schedule program! 
So if it is a change of channels that you seek please stay tuned here @ Divadish because we are always serving something delicious and always a Top Ten on the Judges Boards
. Food Olympics are here  Divadish Kitchens & Catering

Posted by Gianna Elizabeth Ianos. Posted In : Food Olympics 

Chicken Pot Pie Oh My!?

Creamy, Dreamy, Chicken Pot Pie

How do you spell Orgasmic? or maybe a better question is how would something taste with that description. What comes to my mind is Awesomeness x a 1,000!!!! Good food is not a rare thing, is it? by the TV commercials you see today one would think so....

I swear every other commercial is for Jenny Craig with the now skinny Marie Osmond, OMG, she looks great but really she is hawking for Jenny Craig? What gives, except $$$ for her checkbook. Then the next ad is for MediFast Clinics telling you I now can do so much more I lost 40-150 LBS, on Boy, then we have Seattle Sutton's one size meal fits all, No counting calories no worries just open your pre-cooked frozen meal put it in the Microwave and expect a instant meal of deliciousness,,,, Oh Yeah that is all True...:( I have a saying for all these ads if it was that easy to loose and it took you awhile to gain all those unforgiving pounds then why is this a Muti-Million Dollar business appealing to us all closet eaters, or nervous eaters, or Bored Eaters, we can put a label on any of it and they seem to be helping us do it and we are paying them too!

What they are not saying or doing is teaching Us how to eat better, pick better foods, what to buy when you go grocery shopping, or how much can I have of that.

They do not want us to have to much information because we won't be back in 6 months to-1 year after we all stopped doing their programs and gone back to eating again real food and were not prepared at all for the let downs. And the inevitable weight gains. We need to push back from the tables, the TV's and the Snack a Munchies and find something else to do with our fingers and mouths.????

It will be hard at first but then it will become Boy why didn't I do this sooner. We are a country of excesses but we also are a country of The Can Do Spirit... So I say we can all do better and make this your new Mantra for 2014, Start Living Not Eating Junk Food... If your gonna Eat let's make it healthy, delicious, not in a can, or mirco container and it does not have a 2 year shelf life:(

When food is natural, made with good ingredients, healthy and taste delicious it is more satisfying, and you do not feel the need to over size it. You also need to fill your plate with more veggies and fruits, make your plate have more colors not just a hunk meat with a side of meat and then potatoes...:(

The above Chicken pot pie is made with organic chicken meat, cream of chicken base, carrots, peas, green beans and a custom mix of seasonings, folded into two organic crusts and baked for 1+hours till golden brown, then serve a wedge of this pie with a side salad and your choice of fruit. Whala you have a wholesome delicious meal which is both satisfying and healthy. Hmmmm now that is  novel idea isn't it:) We all can do this but it does take a little planning and is is true Nothing worthwhile is ever easy otherwise we all would be eating out of a box or container from you know Who...

Divadish cares about You, my Foodies are important to me and always will be so go out and 
Eat Healthy, All The Best of Life 
Your Chef Gianna

Posted by Gianna Elizabeth Ianos. Posted In : Eat for Life 

Divadish Kitchens & Catering