Let me start off by saying Hello, my name is Keirra, and I’m the Sous Chef at Little Mushroom Catering. This is my first blog post and hopefully not my last.  I’m here to share my experiences through food… so to speak.  I love learning about food and working with amazing ingredients that we have at our fingertips… literally.  I moved to K-W over a year ago and I came from a place where 4 corners carried your basics needs: Gas/Liquor store, a Restaurant (makes the best burger in my opinion), a convenience store, and a marina.  The restaurant would hold a farmers market in the summer where I started to learn the term “local”.

What is local?  The dictionary definition explains local as:  Belonging or relating to a particular area or neighbourhood. What does that mean to me? I have learned so much in the last couple years about how important local is to both a small and big community. I have met some amazing people that have taught me the meaning of having the local spirit. When you are in the food industry, I feel it is important to know where your food is coming from and the process it goes through. Not just asking the questions but visiting the farmer or suppliers and see it with my own eyes.  I have learned that you are never too old to ask questions and if you don’t get answers go somewhere that will give you answers.

How can I be part of this?  I have had the pleasure of meeting a family, Jeff & Leslie Zinger, who own and operate a local farm named Top Market Meats in Ariss Ontario.  Two young amazing and knowledgeable farmers that can cook up a great smoked rabbit potato soup, and pork stuffed tenderloin with rabbit wrapped in bacon!!!  A-m-a-z-i-n-g.  I’ve helped a bit around the farm, fetching water for the animals, chasing chickens, and having close encounters with the boar while trying to get him back into his home. By spending time with Jeff and Leslie on their farm, I’ve realized what makes their bacon, goat, lamb, duck and chicken taste so good, they respect the animals. The animals are well taken care of and loved; to me that’s important. One thing I love the most is they don’t shy away from all my questions about their products; they are happy and willing to share their knowledge and experiences with me.  If there is a product they don’t have, they are happy to help me find a local farmer that does.

Just as eating local food is important, we are also supporting local farmers, local business and helping the local economy. This is what we are supporting by choosing local – it allows all to be able to cook and enjoy good food with our customers, family and friends and make sure that our local farms get passed down to the next generation. Thank-you to the local farmers for putting in those long hours, blood, sweat and tears to bring fresh product to our tables.

Your Chef at Heart

Keirra

The post The Local Movement & Top Market Meats appeared first on Little Mushroom Catering.

Quick & Easy Gazpacho

6 ripe local tomatoes

1/2 scotch bonnet

1/2 green pepper

1/2 onion

1 clove of garlic

3 Tbsp cilantro

salt to taste

juice of 1 lemon

add water if needed for desired consistency

Blitz ingredients together in  a food processor or blender. Chill for at least an hour before serving. Enjoy with grilled garlic bread as a summer appetizer.

The post Gazpacho appeared first on Little Mushroom Catering.

Let us know how yours turn out!

1. Preheat oven to 350F. Lightly coat muffin tin with oil

2. Grate 1 medium unpeeled zucchini and pat dry with a paper towel.

3. In a large bowl, using a fork, stir together 1 1/2 cups flour, 2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp baking soda.

4. Stir in 1/4 cup packed brown sugar and 1/4 cup white granulated sugar

5. Stir in zucchini and 1 1/2 cups grated old cheddar

6. In a small bowl whisk 2 eggs and 1/3 cup oil together. Pour over flour mixture and stir until just moistened.

7. Scrape into muffin tin and sprinkle tops with grated cheddar.

8. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Let stand 10 minutes and serve alongside your meal.

The post Zucchini Cheddar Rolls Recipe appeared first on Little Mushroom Catering.

Thank you all for being a part of our network of amazing service providers in Waterloo Region, and specifically, downtown Kitchener!

The post Ontario Street Friends appeared first on Little Mushroom Catering.

“Thank you once again for such a lovely party that you organized for us. Everyone was impressed and I was so pleased you were able to stay and help serve. Everything went really well and YOU were the reason.”

My clients know how to make me smile! I was really impressed by this review because it was coming from a woman who used to write food reviews & recipes for the KW Record. This message was from a woman who was an entertaining diva in K-W years ago. She was a home economist for Union Gas and she co-wrote the cookbook Savour the Seasons. Thank you Pat for the gleaming acclamation!

The post Another Lovely Recommendation appeared first on Little Mushroom Catering.

Do you have any rules you live by in the kitchen?

Meggan F

(Co-op student)

The post Food for Thought appeared first on Little Mushroom Catering.

Meggan

Carrot Ginger Soup Recipe (as heard on CKWR 98.5FM on Friday, March 1)

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 diced cooking onion

1 peeled and diced finger of ginger

1 cubed sweet potato

10 peeled and chopped carrots

approx. 2 cups of stock or water, just to cover

½ cup orange juice

Salt & pepper

Sweat the onion and ginger in oil with a pinch of kosher salt & black pepper in a stock pot on low to medium heat.

Add the sweet potato and carrots to the pot.  Add stock or water til the veggies are just covered.

Bring the stock to boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes or until carrots break apart with a fork.

Remove from heat and pour into a blender or use an immersion blender to puree soup. Add ½ cup of orange juice and salt & pepper to taste.

The post Carrot Ginger Soup Recipe appeared first on Little Mushroom Catering.

Hello I am Meggan, the newest member of Little Mushroom Catering. I joined them for a work placement from Conestoga College Advertising program. And there is nothing I like more than playing around in the kitchen with new recipes and old friends.

I find as a cook that there are five staples in my kitchen that I couldn’t cook without. One really good BBQ sauce, cause it spices up anything from meat to pasta. Number two is cheese, cause enough cheese can make anything taste good. The third is a good frying pan, whether it is to reheat leftovers or for making something new. The forth is eggs because there is so much you can do with them. The last would be basil, a quick way to add flavor to pasta.

What’s the one thing you can’t live without in your kitchen?

The post Kitchen Essentials and Cooperative Education appeared first on Little Mushroom Catering.

 1 cup quinoa

1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
2 tomatoes, seeded and chopped
1 cup diced english cucumber
1 cup minced fresh italian parsley
1/2 cup chopped green onions
Dressing:
1/4 cup lemon juice
2 tbsp olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper

In saucepan, bring 1-3/4 cups (425 mL) water to boil; stir in quinoa. Reduce heat to low; cover and cook for 15 minutes or until no liquid remains. Transfer to large bowl, fluffing with fork. Let cool to room temperature.

Add chickpeas, tomatoes, cucumber, parsley, onions and mint.

Dressing: In small bowl, whisk together lemon juice, oil, garlic, salt and pepper; pour over quinoa mixture and toss to combine. Serve as an appetizer salad, or omit the chickpeas and serve as in lettuce hearts as an hors d’oeuvres

The post Tabouleh Recipe CKWR FM98.5 appeared first on Little Mushroom Catering.

Since I started Little Mushroom Catering back in 2010, we’ve done these meals a little bit differently. From years of experience I know that it’s impossible to  be a successful host and cook at the same time.  We now enjoy each other’s company and culinary treats by all bringing something to contribute to the meal. We also eat buffet style now, instead of family style, so that we get to eat the food when it’s hot without spending most of the meal passing dishes around a table for 25. Planning ahead is also key.  Getting to a potluck and finding out 5 other people also brought a crockpot of meatballs can be disappointing and leave your guests begging for bread and veggies! A Potluck Tip: Ask ahead what types of dishes your guests plan on bringing and plan your own contributions accordingly.  If it looks like your menu is going to be all carbs & cheese (this often happens in my family), then make sure you have a salad or fresh veggie option as well. If there are kids attending, but sure to have some fresh veggies & fruit, cubes of cheese & crackers are also a hit for picky eaters.

Of course another great option for large family gatherings is to hire a reputable catering company to come into your home and take care of all the prep and dishes too! Just a thought

The post Holiday Traditions: Potluck NY Day appeared first on Little Mushroom Catering.