First of Many

Sharing is always a good thing - so we thought we would share what we do at Creative Catering, (or as we call it around here..."Kitchen Impossible" because it seems as if we're always doing amazing, impossible things for our dear clients !!). Don't get me wrong - this is a good thing ! We love the challenges-in fact that's what makes us tick. Always stretching ourselves, our imagainations and our resources is what makes our team love what we do.

Here is an example of a typical day. We have over a hundred bag lunches going out, a corporate employee lunch program we do Monday thru Friday, and corporate lunches going to 2 different sides of the world (or so it seems....one is actually waaaay eastside, the other is Sahuarita.)

And here is what our kitchen looks like on days like this...notice all the prep sheets...yikes...did I mention how small our kitchen is ?

So that's how we roll on any given day around Creative Catering...

We also want to share some other things on this blog - like some of our recipes.
This will be the first in a long line of recipes to come out of Creative Catering's "Kitchen Impossible".

As summer rages on here in the arid southwest we love to come up with tantalizing treats to keep the summer heat at bay. This wonderful paring of sweet & spicy has grown to be a staple here in southern Arizona. The key for this particular recipe is to slightly toast the pecans which releases extra flavor from the nuts.

Couscous Fruit Salad
Ingredients
* 1 1/2 c. Water
* 1/4 tsp Salt
* 1 c. Raw couscous
* 1/2 c. Fat free vanilla yogurt
* 1/2 tsp Grated lime peel
* 1 Tbsp. Lime juice
* 1 Tbsp. Honey
* 4 dsh Warm pepper sauce
* 1/2 c. Sliced celery,thinly
* 2 Tbsp. Sliced green onion
* 2 Tbsp. Broken pecans
* 2 x Peeled, minced kiwi
* 12 whole strawberries

Directions
* In small saucepan, combine water and salt. Bring to a boil. Remove from heat; immediately stir in couscous. Cover; let stand 5 min. Fluff couscous with a fork; and hold for 20 min until room temp. Meanwhile, in small bowl, combine all dressing ingredients; blend well. In medium bowl, combine celery, onions, pecans (pre-toasted in oven), kiwi, dressing and couscous; toss gently to coat. Serve immediately or possibly chill till serving time. To serve, scoop couscous mix onto plates. Decoratively arrange strawberries around couscous mix. If desire, garnish with sprigs of cilantro. 4 servings

Another light recipe for the summer is our Vegan Lettuce Wrap. Nice casual dinner to wrap up a Summer day in Tucson..

Vegan Lettuce Wraps

8-10 large lettuce leaves

2 broccoli stalks or around 7 florets

2 medium carrots

2 green onions

1 small handful fresh parsley

2 roma tomatoes ( or 1 beefsteak)

2 tablespoons capers or chopped green olives

2 cups crushed pistachios

1 cup crushed cashews

1/3 fresh red bell pepper

2 big stalks celery

1 cup chopped fresh mushroom

2 heads fresh lettuce - cored, and washed. Set aside...to use for wraps

Sauce:

1 tablespoon lime juice

1 tablespoon cilantro

1/2 cup sesame oil

1/4 cup rice wine vinegar

1 1/4 cup raw (turbinado)sugar

2 1/2 teaspoons sea salt

2 1/2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 teaspoons freshly cracked pepper

2 teaspoons onion powder

2 teaspoons coriander

2 tablespoons hot sauce, optional

2 tablespoons wasabi powder (optional)

Directions:

Chop all of the fresh ingredients (except lettuce) into fine bits. Add all of the sauce ingredients and toss together.Use the fresh, washed lettuce leaves as you would a tortilla for wrapping the filling.

So, that's what we've got for now...stay tuned - there will be more to come...