In Our Kitchen Today

Vegatarian Son...anything but that

2011-11-20T15:42:00.003-05:00

It's a mother's worse nightmare. The son dates a girl whose is a vegan and becomes a vegetarian. I don't have a lot of vegetarian recipes in my repertoire and am feeling challenged. Restaurants also pose a challenge.

Last night we ate the Falafel Hut in Upper Montclair. Middle eastern food and restaurants make vegetarian choices easy. This was a great place: we got a completely veg platter for $9 , hummous, baba gannoush, two salads, falafel and white sauce with a basket of pita. It took me a while to remember what it like to be in a middle eastern shop. I asked for tea and we got a fresh brewed black tea. Cinnamon scented, it came in tall glasses with sugar on the side. My son and I had a great time mixing the platter contents in the pitas and warming our hands on the glasses of tea. The TV was tuned to a station that was possibly Lebanese and there were men sitting relaxing drinking tea. It reminded me of the falafel shops in Manhattan although cleaner and more serene. everyone there was very warm to us: this could be a new favorite place for us.

When dining out with a vegetarian, there can be tension. A Mediterranean restaurant can be a great choice especially because the veg cuisine is authentic, not pretending to be a substitute for "real food". This place has all the common grilled and marinated meats as well: the shwarma etc. I hope this is helpful; I know it can be tough to balance carnivores and vegetarians in one household, one table or one restaurant.

In my future blog entries, I'll share my few recipes from this cuisine. For me , it is time to learn more.

Dinnersmith and getting more out of each day

2011-05-22T17:04:00.002-04:00

DinnerSmith was founded on the premise that moms are overwhelmed and need a helping hand. There are only so many hours in every day and many of us feel we can even slow down to get organized. It is like a hamster wheel.

I would like to suggest using Dinnersmith to buy some time to get organized. If dinner is scheduled and prepped for the week, that will liberate a chunk of time that could be used for an organizng project.

My most critical task as the mom of a young child was scheduling. I tell moms I meet now : you live your life and theirs until they can mange on their own. Your child may actually be present for dance class but youare taking class too: by having everything ready and get there on time. Mom finds the shoes and paperwork and the outfit. If I knew what was scheduled , I could think about all the stuff needed.

At one point , we lived in a town where it seemed all the moms were very competent and organized, everything ran like clockwork. I studied them and surveyed them whenever I could. There were many things in common in these households. Time management was important. Everyone had the kitchen or frig calendar. People would talk about the frig calendar: it ran our worlds. Most folks swore by the big plain office desk calendar which is . A strip of magnets held it on or it would be hung on a bulletin board. So simple so nessecary. Even the kids knew to check their famly calendar before making a commitment. In a world of t-ball, piano, cub scouts, church school and public school, everything got written down.

The big public frig calendar is a great training tool for the whole family. Kids can learn to visualize the week. They expect to be busy or not. Fathers can see all the activity, they can be more grounded in the schedule even if they are away all day. Responsibility for the family schedule becomes public: it becomes harder for anyone to be surprised. It is a little harder on Mom because she seems less omnipotent. The rewards are a more balanced family life!

Buy a cheap large calendar. get a DinnerSmith meal and take some time to chart the future of your family.

Making memories

2011-05-20T12:00:00.002-04:00

I posted on facebook that we were closed for the weekend. Mother's Day is a working holiday on my sister's farm: www.riversidealpacas.com. Its Shearing Weekend and it takes a lot of hands to shear and maintain 60 alpacas. This year's team were awesome, focused and dedicated. So well organized by my sister: she has found her own way to manage her personal life and two businesses and her passion for her industry.

Chris is a list maker. Long ago she made lists when going on vacations, or having a weekend party for 100. Recently she and I were talking about how a mom can be accomplishing so many tasks and still be a great parent , daughter and wife. We were focused on how to manage the tasks. Her task list includes caring for 60 alpacas, three dogs, various cats and the land and the house and her son and her mom and her husband and representing her industry in two different fields and maybe reading for pleasure.

I have used a paper planner since high school. I need the feel of writing it all down, the exercise of it. I gave her a planner system one year for Christmas. She did not really like it. She felt bad, a kind of failure. What I have learned in the many years of planner use is this: find what works for you. If something does not feel right and you cannot make it work, try something else. Now Chris uses a notebook. filled with project lists, broken down into shopping lists and task sets. For the weekend with tons of extra people on hand for meals, she had already made a menu, outlining each meal, creating and completing shopping lists. She had a real ease about the weekend and a confidence which allowed her to focus on the work to be done.

Try using one notebook, make lists and lay out projects. add phone call lists and shopping lists. Or buy a fancy planner with tabs and a leather binder. Keep trying till you find what works for you. Don't give up. Ask friends what they use: how they manage.

Let DinnerSmith help you plan a weeks or months worth of meals. Have a menu you can count on so you can have an ease and confidence to tackle some projects or get some personal time. Now even easier with online ordering

DinnerSmith is a bargain!!!!

2011-05-19T21:24:00.010-04:00

This story was from today in the Times. Short story. This restaurateur will fill your lasagna pan and you can bake it at home. FOR $55. Really well it makes sense: who doesn't love a home baked lasagna and it is a mess to make.

There is so much to do these days. We are spring cleaning and freshening the house for Summer First on the list, window treatments. I made a list, measured every window and noted all hardware and curtains needed. The windows were cleaned inside and out last fall so I noted touch-ups. So far all the hardware is purchased and up. All the blinds need to be washed so every night a set spends overnight in the tub filled with soapy bleachy water. All the curtains and treatments are chosen and will be purchased this week.

The only way I can tackle these kind of projects to imagine the project as a paid job. I make a list and set goals just like an web design or catering job. It makes it harder to put it off. I can reschedule, but not procastinate. The payoff is the transformed space we call home.

Next project...artwork and wall treatments.

recycled - still timely

2011-05-12T19:37:00.002-04:00

Perhaps you do it once a week. I did mine last week. and scrubbed it down. Cleaning the frig....

Perhaps only when you trace those funky smells to your refrigerator’s crisper drawers. But eventually, you toss out spoiled fruits, vegetables meats and cheeses. Lots of them.

Researchers at the University of Arizona several years ago spent a year tracking families’ food-use habits. Working with the United States Department of Agriculture, they interviewed the families about their eating habits, collected their grocery receipts, watched them prepare meals, and then sifted through every last discarded lettuce leaf, slice of bread, burger and bean. The results, reported in 2002, were pretty shocking, but still bear reporting today:

The families tossed out an average of 470 pounds of food per year- about 14 percent of all food brought into the home-at an annual cost of $600!

Could you do with an extra $600?

DinnerSmith helps you manage this largely ignored family expense in arguably the most inventive and delicious fashion available. Every time you have a DinnerSmith meal, there are no bits and pieces to fill up the corners of the frig. Some DinnerSmith customers report a much cleaner frig, much less to clean and very little to toss.

Check our delicious and ever-evolving menu selections this month then Call or email Your Order. Who would have thought that saving money could ever be so easy, so delicious and so much fun?

DinnerSmith Meal Prep Studio of Maplewood NJ

325 Irvington ave South Orange NJ | 973-206-8121

“We do the Shopping, the Chopping and the Mopping.

You do the Saving.”

The May menu

2011-05-11T19:30:00.002-04:00

The may menu is on facebook and June is there too, ready to publish on the first day of June. here si a little insight on how the menu comes to be. Zach and I sit down with the previous menu and cross out anything we can not look at again, or are unhappy with. The next to go is seasonal items. Then we start to dream about what makes us feel good...what do we want to eat and serve. We try to balance the categories but sometimes there's too much chicken like this month. But they are all good.

Chicken

* Cheese-it Chicken Nuggets -Tastes like snack food but so good for them! Boneless breast cut into small bites covered with Cheese-it Cracker crumbs and oven baked for crunchy goodness. Served with rice and veg.

* Chicken Pica ta - Cutlets pounded flat and sauteed and served with lemons and capers in a sauce over pasta.
* Chicken Marsala- Cutlets pounded flat and sauteed and served with Marsala wine and mushrooms in a sauce over pasta.
* Chicken Frances e - Cutlets pounded flat and sauteed and served with lemons and white wine in a sauce over pasta.

* Moroccan Chicken - Bone-in chicken with olives, capers, lemon, and artichoke . Bakes in the oven
* 40 cloves of Garlic Chicken - Bone-in chicken with 40 cloves of garlic. Bakes in the oven.Served with rice and veg.
* Chicken Kabobs Skewers of Chickens and Vegetables in a vinaigrette marinade for grill. Served with rice.

Pork

* Pork with Pears - Pork chops cooked with pears and onions. Comes with rice
* Midwestern Pork Chops – Our center cut boneless pork chops in a vinaigrette marinade for grill. Served with rice. Served with rice and veg
* Latin American Pork stew- Tender white meat stewed with squash, tomatoes and beans. Lighter than a traditional stew but filling.
* Pulled Pork - Bone in pork shoulder slow cooked in crock pot for hours. Then pulled with two forks. Comes with buns to make an awesome sandwich.

Beef

* Horseradish burgers - Fresh grated horseradish mixed into the meat makes a great tasting burger: but it is not hot! Comes with buns.
* Stuffed Bacon cheese burgers - The bacon and cheese are stuffed into the meat for an inside out burger. Comes with buns
* Salisbury Steak with Onion Sauce Grill the salisbury steaks on the grill.Then smother with lots of onion gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes.

Turkey

* Turkey Salisbury Steak with Onion Sauce A lighter twist on the traditional favorite.Grill the Salisbury steaks on the grill.Then smother with lots of onion gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes.
* Turkey Burgers Pesto, red wine and a little bread crumbs bring these burgers to life. comes with buns.

Fish:

* Tilapia with Red Beans and Rice Cajun - Seasoned fish over a bed of red beans and tomatoes and rice.
* Shrimp Scampi. Very traditional garlic , olive oil , shallots. Served with pasta and veg
* Shrimp with White Beans in Lemon sauce. Cannelli beans and shrimp simmered in lemon and white wine, Served with rice and veg

Pasta:

Spaghetti Pie – Layers of pasta, sauce and cheese bakes in the oven.

Chicken/Shrimp Alfredo – Wonderful cheese sauce with pasta and vegetables, chicken or shrimp option

Brunch:

Monte Cristo Sandwich - Bake Ham and cheese sandwiches made from French toast.

Strawberry French Toast - Sliced berries and jams mixed in a bread pudding. Baked in the oven, so sweet: serve with yogurt, whipped cream or ice cream.

Soup to keep us going til Spring gets warmer

2011-05-10T19:26:00.001-04:00

Its a busy time of year so make a pot of soup in the crock pot, Add some biscuits and lunch or dinner is done.Today's soup at our house. in the big crock pot, a sleeve of that dried bean and barley soup, (throw out the spices :it is mostly salt) a pound of mushrooms (washed broken up by hand), and two turkey legs (mine were leftover from last weeks turkey: get some smoked ones at the store).cover with water and leave on high for for a couple of hours. Variations on the same theme for last week: pound of leftover ham, two cups of dried beans and barley (my mom's mixture) a bag of frozen turnips and a bag of frozen carrots.

Cant manage it ...shoot me an email info@dinnersmith.com. Ask me - I can help!

May A new month and the start of spring

2011-05-02T14:44:00.001-04:00

Spring for most of us is a countdown to summer. The end of the school year and spring sports. Planning for the vacations, the beach house and camp programs. Let Dinnersmith make it easier.

Plan now for this month menu in your home. Give yourself some pizza days, make some of your specialities and get some DinnerSmith to lighten the load. I take an half hour on Sunday to look at the week and the pantry and the fridge.

Last week was all about left over ham. Ham sandwiches, grilled cheese and ham. Ham and bean soup. Ham and cabbage soup (yes the whole house smelled). And there is ham frozen for the end of May. Chicken nuggets were dipped in thai chili sauce for gametime snacking.

This week is all about turkey on sale at PathMark for $.69 a pound. Today is roasted turkey and then the fun begins. Turkey soup, hot turkey sandwiches and turkey a la king. maybe even turkey pot pie. Probably mom's meatloaf to give us a break.

Make a plan for yourself, Get a DinnerSmith meal and enjoy the springtime!

May Menu

2011-05-01T14:39:00.002-04:00

Here is the May Menu , also on our DinnerSmith Facebook page under "notes". Like us on Facebook.
send an email to Info@dinnersmith.com to get an email newsletter to your mail box with new menus. and updates.

Chicken

* Cheese-it Chicken Nuggets -Tastes like snack food but so good for
them! Boneless breast cut into small bites covered with Cheese-it
Cracker crumbs and oven baked for crunchy goodness. Served with rice
and veg.

* Chicken Pica ta - Cutlets pounded flat and sauteed and served with
lemons and capers in a sauce over pasta.
* Chicken Marsala- Cutlets pounded flat and sauteed and served with
Marsala wine and mushrooms in a sauce over pasta.
* Chicken Frances e - Cutlets pounded flat and sauteed and served with
lemons and white wine in a sauce over pasta.

* Moroccan Chicken - Bone-in chicken with olives, capers, lemon, and
artichoke . Bakes in the oven
* 40 cloves of Garlic Chicken - Bone-in chicken with 40 cloves of
garlic. Bakes in the oven.Served with rice and veg.
* Chicken Kabobs Skewers of Chickens and Vegetables in a vinaigrette
marinade for grill. Served with rice.

Pork

* Pork with Pears - Pork chops cooked with pears and onions. Comes
with rice
* Midwestern Pork Chops – Our center cut boneless pork chops in a
vinaigrette marinade for grill. Served with rice. Served with rice and
veg
* Latin American Pork stew- Tender white meat stewed with squash,
tomatoes and beans. Lighter than a traditional stew but filling.
* Pulled Pork - Bone in pork shoulder slow cooked in crock pot for
hours. Then pulled with two forks. Comes with buns to make an awesome
sandwich.

Beef

* Horseradish burgers - Fresh grated horseradish mixed into the meat
makes a great tasting burger: but it is not hot! Comes with buns.
* Stuffed Bacon cheese burgers - The bacon and cheese are stuffed
into the meat for an inside out burger. Comes with buns
* Salisbury Steak with Onion Sauce Grill the salisbury steaks on the
grill.Then smother with lots of onion gravy. Serve with mashed
potatoes.

Turkey

* Turkey Salisbury Steak with Onion Sauce A lighter twist on the
traditional favorite.Grill the Salisbury steaks on the grill.Then
smother with lots of onion gravy. Serve with mashed potatoes.
* Turkey Burgers Pesto, red wine and a little bread crumbs bring these
burgers to life. comes with buns.

Fish:

* Tilapia with Red Beans and Rice Cajun - Seasoned fish over a bed of
red beans and tomatoes and rice.
* Shrimp Scampi. Very traditional garlic , olive oil , shallots.
Served with pasta and veg
* Shrimp with White Beans in Lemon sauce. Cannelli beans and shrimp
simmered in lemon and white wine, Served with rice and veg

Pasta:

Spaghetti Pie – Layers of pasta, sauce and cheese bakes in the oven.

Chicken/Shrimp Alfredo – Wonderful cheese sauce with pasta and vegetables,
chicken or shrimp option

Brunch:

Monte Cristo Sandwich - Bake Ham and cheese sandwiches made from French
toast.

Strawberry French Toast - Sliced berries and jams mixed in a bread
pudding. Baked in the oven, so sweet: serve with yogurt, whipped cream or
ice cream.

Quick and Easy Hors D'oeuvres - Italian Tomato Bruschetta

2009-09-13T13:41:00.000-04:00

The origin of hors doeuvres or appetizers is interesting, They are meant to whet or stimulate the appetite and get one ready for the main course of the meal.

Stimulating the appetite is a balancing act that must at the same time, tantalize but never fill the guest up.

How many times have you filled up during the cocktail hour of a feast and then were too full for the entree?

If you want to make an Italian flavored Hors d'oeuvre, the best and easiest is bruschetta. From the Italian "bruscare" or "to roast over coals" tomato bruschetta is a tantalizing appetizer that is also deceptively simple to prepare.

Crusty Italian bread cut into 1/2 inch slices can become a fabulous treat. Drizzle the bread with olive oil and salt on a cookie sheet and pop in the oven at 350 degrees until they get crisp. Top these bits of toast with almost anything you have.

• Diced tomatoes
• Basil
• Oregano
• Garlic
• black olives
• Parmesan cheese
• Prosciutto de Parma

Use any, or all of these ingredients to have a wonderful appetizer. Once, I just brushed my bread with olive oil and some spices and it was lovely.

When choosing an appetizer, think about pairing the choice with the meal itself. A simple steak dinner can be paired with all sorts of appetizers, but keeping it simple will help in the kitchen. A tray of cheeses with good crackers is an oldie, but very enjoyable. Today you can get all sorts of cheeses in local cheese shops that are rare and will bring a bit of mystery to the party.

Keep it simple and enjoy yourself.

Quick and Easy Hors D'oeuvres - Mexican Flavor Bowl

2009-09-12T13:40:00.001-04:00

This Labor Day weekend, my family was invited to share the day with relatives at their beautiful home overlooking the Hudson River.

As we sat by their pool, my hostess served canapes.

Small snacks before a meal are a staple of entertaining. Everyone gathered around the table, even the kids came out of the pool to see and enjoy.

I sometimes think this is the best part of a meal. A simple tray of vegetables, cut into sticks and a few tasty dips can be very enjoyable while the hosts are getting the main meal ready. But in planning my own dinner parties, I always have a harder time deciding on the appetizers than the meals themselves.

Some of my best hors d'oeuvres have been the easiest. People love to dip, and almost any flavor can be made into a dip. My family loves Mexican flavors. For a great appetizer, find a decorative bowl that's at least 2 inches deep and make layers of:

Sour cream
Guacamole
Salsa
Refried beans
Black beans
Taco Sauce

This makes a layered dip that guests just love; and it is very easy to make. Serve it with corn chips. You do not need all these layers; use the ones that you like. I sometimes leave out the black beans, or the taco sauce. Still, it's always a hit.

An interesting variation on this recipe is to add a few crispy and a few soft taco shells as layers. You can then slice the contents pizza-style and serve up wedges of this Mexican Fiesta to your guests...

Delicioso!

Fran Valle

Fran Valle is partners with her sister, Sharon Grey and their friend Mary Meade in DinnerSmith; the first meal prep studio in Maplewood, New Jersey. Every day the three women dedicate themselves to bringing together fresh ingredients, cutting-edge recipes and the work space necessary for their friends and neighbors to quickly prepare as many delicious dinners as they need for that week or for that month. Visit http://www.dinnersmith.com for incredible meal ideas or, if you're in the neighborhood, just drop in and say "hi."

Meal Assembly Studios and Personal Chefs - How to Save 12 to 16 Hours a Week

2009-08-28T17:02:00.000-04:00

Most of us have managed in today's busy world, thru division of labor, multi-tasking and advanced communication techniques to become ever more efficient at work and home. Still, most of us find many of our evenings a bit frazzled as we cast about for meal ideas for ourselves and our families.
How would an extra 12 to 16 freed-up hours each week affect your quality of life?
If this proposition captures your imagination, then it's most likely time for you to consider the services of either a Meal Prep Studio or a Personal Chef.
Meal Prep Studio? Personal Chef?
Most people are unfamiliar with the idea of a Meal Prep Studio. Likewise, there are widely varying ideas about the nature of a personal chef service. Actually, both concepts are clearly defined and either one can go a long way to freeing up broad swaths of your personal time each week.
Meal Prep Studios
Meal prep studios lie somewhere between grocery stores and fine restaurants. You can peruse roughly 10 to 18 entrees on their monthly menu. Entrees are changed every month based on seasonal availability, gourmet innovation and local popularity. Once you select a meal or a group of meals, the staff "shops and chops" the fresh ingredients so you can quickly assemble them at a time convenient to you. Many establishments offer to assemble the ingredients for you as well, so that all you have to do is drop in and pick up the meals. The entrees are uncooked and either frozen or ready to be frozen when you leave the premises.
The Personal Chef
A personal chef charges for their expertise and labor. The cost of grocery ingredients are usually separate itemized charges.
Usually beginning with an introductory consultation, the personal chef discusses and recommends meal selections based on your family's food preferences and dietary requirements. Once the meals are selected, the personal chef will shop all the ingredients, prepare, cook all the meals in your home, bag, label and put each meal into your refrigerator; then clean up the kitchen.
Meal Assembly Studios vs. Personal Chefs Compared
The difference between the words "meals" and "servings" is significant. One "meal" can "serve" from as few as one to as many as 6 people. This is an important element to keep in mind when evaluating your options.
A Personal Chef will leave you with fully cooked meals which you will defrost and warm up when you are ready to feed your family. An Assembly Studio meal features raw ingredients and requires that you cook the meal according to simple instructions for each menu item.
Both services market their products in "package deals". On average, a meal prep studio will charge between $17 to $27 per meal; with each meal serving roughly 4 to 6 people. Most meal prep studio items include a side dish or two while some sides are offered a-la-carte.
A Personal Chef will charge on average, from $200 to $315 per day, plus the cost of groceries. The cost of food varies based on your food preferences, but typically average $100-$125 for five entrees with sides for two people or $150-175 if feeding four people.
Interestingly, a majority of customers don't necessarily look to meal assembly studios for the economic benefit; rather they're drawn by the overall value proposition that meal assembly has to offer. You get restaurant quality food, meal planning services, and substantial time savings week after week.
We must confess a touch of bias as we are the owners of DinnerSmith Meal Prep Studio in Maplewood, New Jersey. We are convinced of the value we offer and, if you are local, we invite you to visit our web page, http://dinnersmith.com and make the call yourself.

French Country Inn Dining - The Silver Spring Farm French Restaurant in Flanders, NJ

2009-08-27T17:00:00.000-04:00

Recently, the movie "Julie & Julia" has debuted on silver screens across the country and has reignited in many of us our passion for exceptional cuisine. While Julie and Julia of the movie explore the enormously challenging tasks of mastering French cuisine at home, my wife Fran and I had our palettes reignited for the equally satisfying joys of eating at a fine French restaurant.
But where to go?
Living 48 minutes from Midtown Manhattan and its seemingly endless inventory of elegant French restaurants, bistros and cafes definitely has its advantages; but this time we decided to aim our GPS West to see if we could discover a more "country inn" type of establishment to fill the bill.
We recognize that our Garmin Novi GPS is, in reality, a marvelous electronic Ouija board. We touch the screen, ask a question:
"Hermione, (that's what we call our GPS because she speaks with a British accent) is there a fine French country inn within a half tank of gas west of our home here in Maplewood, New Jersey?"
"Re-Calculating... at the bottom of the driveway - turn - left."
And in an instant [well, more like 45 minutes], we arrived in Flanders, New Jersey and Silver Spring Farm French Restaurant. This charming Inn is conveniently located very close to Route 80 near Budd Lake and the hamlet of Mount Olive.
Arriving an hour earlier than our 5:00 reservations, we were, none the less, greeted by the "Grande Dame" of the Inn herself, Jacqueline Ivaldi. Standing with perfect posture at the reservations station, she smiled and said, "Bienvenue! Welcome to Silver Spring Farm."
"Thank you, we are an hour early and we're wondering if we could get an early seating."
Feigning, seriousness she actually walked back into an empty dining room peered around and then returned to the station. "Yes, you are in luck" she said, "We can squeeze you in."
We all had a good laugh and knew immediately that we had made the right decision to visit with Jacqueline, her husband Chef Guy Ivaldi, and their son Jean-Jacques (who trained at the renowned Hotel School of Lausanne, Switzerland) They have been running The French Restaurant at Silver Spring Farm since the early 1940's. Here refugees from a devastated Post WWII France could get out of their strange and unfamiliar New York City environs and "vacation" not too far from the city for a weekend or sometimes longer with conviviality, bonhomie and, of course, incomparable French cuisine.
Silver Spring Farm has a website, so I won't waste time here listing their unique and distinguished menu here. I will, however, give two pieces of advice. First, go there hungry. The portions are generous and irresistible; and, trust me; you do not want to find yourself full before the dessert. Second, ask about off-the-menu specials. I had a chicken, beef, lamb sampler in three different sauces that I can re-experience days later by simply closing my eyes and touching the tip of my tongue to my palate, yum.
As the owners of DinnerSmith Meal Prep Studio in Maplewood, New Jersey http://www.dinnersmith.com we must confess a touch of bias. Our mission, like "Julie and Julia" is to bring the passion, the flavor and joy of home meal prep within the reach of one and all. But even chefs need a day off now and then, and you couldn't do better than to spend that time visiting with the Ivaldi family in Flanders, NJ. Call, Fax or click to http://www.silverspringfarm.com if you are within reach of this wonderful venue. Treat yourself and make reservations; you won't regret it.

Fran and Peter Valle

Kitchen Epiphanies - 5 Kitchen Tips to Save You Hundreds of Dollars a Year

2009-08-26T16:58:00.000-04:00

Epiphany: "A sudden, intuitive perception or insight into the reality or essential nature of something, usually initiated by some simple, or commonplace occurrence."
Probably no other feeling engenders more emotion, personal satisfaction and quite frankly, awe than an epiphany. From the time that Archimedes leapt from the public baths and ran all the way home shouting "Eureka"; to the moment Newton realized that an apple bonking had just presented him with the secret to the universe, men and women alike have always been thrilled when some humble occurrence unveils a wonderful idea.
Far be it for me to hoist myself up into the ranks of Classical and Renaissance thinkers. Still, the following five kitchen epiphanies have always caused me to smile inwardly whenever I remember how I first stumbled upon each of them. I hope they bring you the same feelings of satisfaction and real monetary savings that they have brought me through the years.
1. Have you ever been left, tomato paste can in hand, with half a can or more left over after measuring out for your recipe? Sometimes you only need a teaspoon of paste and are left with a full open can. If you leave it, it starts tasting like the can, then it turns black and then all types of flora and mold burst forth. What to do?
Put the leftover paste in a sandwich sized zip-lock bag, flatten the whole thing down, squeeze out the air and put it into the freezer. Whenever you need another small amount, just break a piece off and add it to your cooking.
2. Did you ever accidentally add too much salt to a pot of water? If the water is boiling it can not only be a waste of effort to start over, but it can also be quite dangerous; especially if you're annoyed and distracted by your mistake. Solution: If you add a peeled potato to the water, it will absorb a surprising amount of excess salt. Really it will! And if you don't think a potato will go with whatever the water is for, just fish it out after a few minutes and your water will be remarkably desalinated.
3. You forgot to transfer your brown sugar into an airtight container the last time you used it. Now, it's a brick as solid as the monoliths of Stonehenge. To soften brown sugar that has hardened, transfer the brick into an air tight container or zip-lock bag, add some slices of peeled apple and put it away for a few days. When you come back to use your softened brown sugar, don't forget to fish out the apple slices from the container.
4. Ever have practically a whole bottle of good cooking wine or sherry left over after opening it to add a splash into one of your gravies? Did the wine sour waiting for the next recipe that called for it? Solution: Freeze the leftover wine in small measured amounts. You can use small zip-lock bags or even an ice cube tray. Measuring the amount you pour into the bag or tray makes it even easier. That way the next time you need it, you will know with certainty how many ounces are in the container.
5. Though not quite Kitchen Tips, here are two great ways to clean your jewelry. Just use a bit of dish washing liquid and a soft tooth brush in a clean bowl of water. Or you can place your jewelry in a bowl with water and toss in a couple of Alka-Seltzer tablets. Leave it for a few minutes then rinse.
Bonus $ 1,000 Tip: >>> NEVER rinse your jewelry over an open drain...oops.
Fran Valle is partners with her sister, Sharon Grey and their friend Mary Meade in DinnerSmith; the first meal prep studio in Maplewood, New Jersey. Every day the three women dedicate themselves to bringing together fresh ingredients, cutting-edge recipes and the work space necessary for their friends and neighbors to quickly prepare as many delicious dinners as they need for that week or for that month. Visit http://www.dinnersmith.com for incredible meal ideas or, if you're in the neighborhood, just drop in and say "hi."

Fran Valle

Family Bluefishing For Adventure and Great Family Feast Memories

2009-08-25T16:46:00.000-04:00

One of our favorite ways to spend time with our children every summer is to take a deep sea fishing charter out of Point Pleasant, New Jersey. It's one of the gifts of living in New Jersey; that we are close to the ocean. The sun, the waves and the camaraderie are great for flat-out fun and just enjoying each other; and let's not forget the competition factor. Fishing brings out the competitor in the mildest person. A sweet child becomes a top contender in the battle to land the biggest fish. It's great fun.
If you have never gone for bluefish, you're missing one of the great sport battles the sea can offer. Bluefish are fighters. Each fish weighs around seven to eleven pounds but some "pool winners" can weigh in at 30 pounds or more. What that means is, when they take your bait, you're in for an arm wrenching, heart pounding twenty minutes; and by the end of the day, your arms and shoulders are, at the same time, on fire and leaden with fatigue. With a little bit of luck though, a family of four can find themselves driving home with 20 or more fish.
Our kids know our family rule: you must eat what you take out of the ocean. Boy, do we ever! Twenty fish leaves us with forty fillets.
We happen to live close to a lot of extended family, so when they hear that we're out fishing, they prepare for a fish fry picnic party in our backyard. My sisters round up fresh, local Jersey corn, throw together a mega salad, mix up a few Margaritas and Mojitos and then everyone waits for us to show up.
When we show up at what has now become our "family fish fry extravaganza", I and the other ladies let our gourmet imaginations go crazy. Bluefish nuggets with panko breadcrumbs and lemon zest, Bluefish with tequila and lime, Bluefish Chimichurri, Bluefish with Thai Sauce, Mexican Bluefish, Bluefish with onions and tomatoes, Bluefish in butter and wine, and on and on.
With the exception of the bluefish nuggets, all the fish are wrapped in aluminum foil packets with whatever sauce was designated for that packet and then cooked on the grill.
Just grill, open the packet and chow down. At the end of the day, what isn't left over is frozen. But, boy oh boy, there is nothing like enjoying fresh bluefish just out of the water!
Fran Valle is partners with her sister, Sharon Grey and their friend Mary Meade in DinnerSmith; the first meal prep studio in Maplewood, New Jersey. Every day the three women dedicate themselves to bringing together fresh ingredients, cutting-edge recipes and the work space necessary for their friends and neighbors to quickly prepare as many delicious dinners as they need for that week or for that month. Visit http://www.dinnersmith.com for incredible meal ideas or, if you're in the neighborhood, just drop in and say "hi." Who knows? We might have a few gourmet bluefish dinners in our freezer that you can take home to your brood.

Fran

Congratulations, Libby's Family Pharmacy

2009-08-19T21:03:00.003-04:00

You know we rave about the ice cream from Libby's. Remember last summer we paired it with our peach cobbler. We know our ice cream as it turns ...Libbys got a first place in the New Jersey State Ice Cream competition. Read all about it!

Vanilla gets to be the test flavor, I was told, because if you can make a good vanilla you can make any other flavor well.

PS it is an outstanding pharmacy as well

Paella Night-Making Memories

2009-08-16T15:01:00.003-04:00

My college-aged son, Russell, and I had a rare evening the other night when we found ourselves both at home and actually watching the same thing on TV. At nineteen he and I don't often see eye-to-eye when it comes to television entertainment. Watching things blowing up or motorcycles chasing scantily clad women is his idea of a great evening in front of the tube. There are, however, one or two things we do enjoy watching together.
I was shocked to discover that "Grey's Anatomy" captured his attention. All of a sudden, we had something to watch together. I found out later that the reason why he was watching was because a girl friend of his loved it and he needed to be able to "discuss it with her" the next day. Typical.
This night, though, our eyes were glued to "The Food Network" as Bobby Flay declared a "Throwdown!" and challenged a local chef in California to a paella cook-off.
It was fascinating to watch. But more interestingly, every step of the way, I found myself saying to myself; "I can do that. I can do that!"
Russell, an advocate of eating seafood "any time and any way", kept asking, "Mom...can you do that? Can you do that?"
By the end of the show, we had decided that the next night would be Paella Night. We invited my sister and her son and, along with my hubby and Russell's girlfriend we would be 6 people.
The next day, I dedicated myself to planning, prepping and executing our paella feast.
I bought mussels, scallops, shrimp, sausage, chicken, and saffron, and since I work with my sister in our local food assembly business, we talked about it all day long. I was very glad to have her pitching in that evening as we started our dinner project.
Step by step, we followed our recipe. I found the largest, shallowest pot I had and kept a picture of perfect paella in my mind as we went along.
The finished product looked amazing!
We put the entire pot on the table, right off the stove.
Everyone "oohed" and "aahed".
Add some fresh, sweet-as-sugar Jersey corn and a super-easy vinaigrette salad and voila! We had a dinner feast from which the King of Spain himself could not walk away!
It felt like a Holiday even though it was only Thursday. It was magical the way the evening came together.
Until you do it, it's impossible to describe how one good dinner, no matter how simple, has the power to gather together and entertain friends and family. Suddenly, besides making dinner, everyone finds themselves making precious family memories as well.
Thanks for those memories, "Food Network"; and thank you, Bobby Flay, for the magic.
Fran Valle is partners with her sister, Sharon Grey and their friend Mary Meade in DinnerSmith; the first meal prep studio in Maplewood, New Jersey. Every day the three women dedicate themselves to bringing together fresh ingredients, cutting-edge recipes and the work space necessary for their friends and neighbors to quickly prepare as many delicious dinners as they need for that week or for that month. Visit http://www.dinnersmith.com for incredible meal ideas or, if you're in the neighborhood, just drop in and say "hi." Who knows? Maybe it will be the magic spark to a night of your very own precious family memories

Fran Valle

Sharon's back!

2009-07-21T17:23:00.000-04:00

Sharon's back at DinnerSmith busy in the kitchen creating fabulous new entrees for the fall. Look for great new dishes like Chimichurri Pork and Chicken. This sauce originated in Argentina and has spread to other parts of South America. Parsley, garlic, oil and lemon are just delicious on everything. We will be using it as a marinade and a dipping sauce. It will probably be available to purchase separately in pint containers. I think everyone needs some in their house. I mixed it with hummous the other day...oooh so good. Pita chips and humous with Chimichurri...wow!

Also on the menu will be a Puttanesca sauce with linguine. This sauce is traditionally made with calalmata olives and anchovies. I love these tangy flavors! It is a rich silky dish and it is coming in the fall when we are all ready to turn on our oven. Because it is so different and because many people fear anchovies, there will taste tests available in the near future.

Keep watching the menu as Sharon is working on so many new things for fall..

a whole new look

2009-07-20T17:11:00.005-04:00

DinnerSmith gets a facelift!

Our building has a new landlord and he is doing a lot of work for us. No one saw the new windows and doors we got before because they were in the back. This latest upgrade is out front for all to see. This is the old storefront circa 1970.

Here is the new storefront....It only took one day but we had to dismantle the whole store. Tomorrow we will put it all back together and get back to work!! Our "real" work...helping families eat healthy delicious food every night! See whats for dinner tonight!

the hidden cost of groceries

2009-07-01T14:07:00.002-04:00

Yet Another Way To Save At DinnerSmith

Perhaps you do it once a week.

Perhaps only when you trace those funky smells to your refrigerator’s crisper drawers. But eventually, you toss out spoiled fruits, vegetables meats and cheeses. Lots of them.

Researchers at the University of Arizona several years ago spent a year tracking families’ food-use habits. Working with the United States Department of Agriculture, they interviewed the families about their eating habits, collected their grocery receipts, watched them prepare meals, and then sifted through every last discarded lettuce leaf, slice of bread, burger and bean. The results, reported in 2002, were pretty shocking, but still bear reporting today:

The families tossed out an average of 470 pounds of food per year- about 14 percent of all food brought into the home-at an annual cost of $600!

Could you do with an extra $600?

DinnerSmith helps you manage this largely ignored family expense in arguably the most inventive and delicious fashion available. Check our delicious and ever-evolving menu selections this month then Call, Click or Just Drop By With Your Order. Who would have thought that saving money could ever be so easy, so delicious and so much fun?

DinnerSmith Meal Prep Studio of Maplewood NJ

1908 Springfield Ave. Maplewood NJ | 973-763-2333

“We do the Shopping, the Chopping and the Mopping.

You do the Saving.”

Soar On the Wings of DinnerSmith!

2009-06-29T18:15:00.003-04:00

Celebrate July 4th (or any other day this summer, come to think about it) with wings!

Here's a tangy… and just a touch sweet recipe for you to enjoy.

These wings are easy, easy, easy... and great for those nights when you just are not looking forward to a big meal prep and an even bigger cleanup mess afterward.

We like to serve them with two sides: Sticky and DELICIOUS Jasmine Rice and Corn on the Cob.

This can also be a EASY and FUN addition to your July 4th BBQ.

Tequila-Lime Chicken Wings

Serves 4

16 chicken wings (if you have hungry appetites, there is enough marinade to add a few more wings)

½ cup tequila (rum works well too)

1 lime, juiced

1 garlic clove, minced

1 tablespoon minced ginger (bottled OK)

2 tablespoons brown sugar

¼ cup cilantro, chopped (use fresh mint or basil as an alternative

- Remove the wing tips and discard them or save to make chicken broth.

- Separate the other two wing pieces. Place all ingredients in a re-sealable plastic bag and allow to sit for at least 2 hours but overnight is OK.

- Prepare grill.

- Remove wings from marinade (discard marinade).

- Grill over medium heat until wings are cooked through and nicely browned.

- Serve immediately.

Tip: If you separate the wing pieces rather leaving the wing whole, they will grill more evenly. Buying a package of chicken wings will be cheaper, but you can buy wings that have already been separated at the joint and tips discarded. Warehouse stores have large bags of wing pieces that will last for months in the freezer and make a quick meal with little fuss.

(yes we are thinking of adding them to the menu!!!!)

*******

Have Dinnersmith BBQs this summer:

Your choice of three main courses, salad and fresh corn on the cob for $99.00.

Feed 8-12 people and have no stress. Just enjoy your guests.

Choose your MAIN Courses from the following:

Steak Merlot / Turkey Burgers / Stuffed Cheeseburgers

Chicken Shwarma / BBQ Pork (cooked) / DinnerSmith Favorite Pork Chops

Give us a Call: 973-763-2333

Francine Valle

Dinnersmith

Brought to you by:

DinnerSmith Meal Prep Studio

Maplewood, NJ

www.DinnerSmith.com

weight loss...a few thoughts

2009-06-22T10:30:00.000-04:00

People think I dont' know what it is like to struggle extra pounds because I stay so thin. Actually I am heavier than I would like to be because I eat lot! At one point in my life when I was over 40, I did drop 30 extra pounds in sx months. I notice a lot of people in my life are really struggling with their diets. Because DinnerSmith is founded on the same principles that guide my diet/lifestyle, I though I would share some of that here.

I believe that protein, fruits and vegetables and water are the bedrock of the diet. Everything else is extra: extra calories, extra filler. Protein is meat, fish, chicken, beans, eggs and milk products. Fruits and vegetables are well known to everyone but not every one is careful about how they are eaten. For example, the apples in an apple turnover or danish should not be counted as a serving of fruit.

We focus on protein as the foundation of the meal. Breakfast, lunch and dinner should have protien: yogurt, eggs beans and peanut butter all count as protein. We need all kinds of protein: beef, diary, beans and pork, chicken and fish. At Dinnersmith, every meal and every menu starts with protein. The menu is balanced in terms of how many dishes of beef and fish are offered each month. We include beef although many people avoid beef. It has important nutrients and satisfies an emotional need for many people. All things in moderation: portion control can be a the biggest part of a lifestyle diet. Here at DinnerSmith we offer 24 oz of beef or chicken or fish to feed 4-6 people. That is six to eight ounces of meat per person. Along with some carrots and some rice, there is room for some dessert (like a piece of pie, an eighth of a pie).

Start in the morning with an egg, and then for lunch, sliced chicken or baked fish on a bed of greens and a dinner of baked pork chop. Because we have access to the gold standard in yogurt, Wake Robin, many of the DinnerSmith staff start the day with my moms granola, Wake Robin yogurt and fruit. Super simple and totally healthly start so that if and when lunch does not happen, it is less tempting to eat junk. Without breakfast a person gets so hungry, it does not matter who made the pizza, it matters how fast you can eat a whole one.

Lunch is for many Americans something in bread or with bread. Forget the bread. Also nothing fried. Stuff yourself with fruits and vegatables and protein. Make a salad and put sliced chicken on it. Dont worry about the dressing: fat free dressing has a ton of sugars and chemicals in it to make up for the removed fat. Look for a dressing you really like. You want a dressing that makes you find something to put it on. Can you build a salad that is more than you can finish even though you want to. That is the lunch challenge.

About the bread, I said to Fran this morning that a person should forget the rolls for the turkey burgers and lose the extra calories. Fran said one roll does not matter: then together we agreed it is the every meal bread and bagel and roll that fattens folks up. Give up bread: there is a reason it is called stuffing. Every now and then I treat myself to a really great artisanal bread made by craftmen. There are some really wonderful bakers out there. I go to Serrano's in Orange or Breadsmith in Cranford. Make it a great treat to have certain foods.

Enjoy dinner! Eat well! Have a grilled pork chop or a nice steak. Surround it with steamed or sauted vegatables. If you don't like vegatables, make a choice. Have an unhealthy body and get used to popping pills or find a way to enjoy vegetables. There are lots of great spices to flavor them with: we make an herb butter here at DinnerSmith for steamed veg that is outstanding. Ready for the big secret. Let a pound of unsalted european butter get soft. Put it in a bowl. Add minced garlic or garlic powder or other spices and herbs that you can find in the kitchen. Be careful and taste as you go. Mix together with your hands and form into a roll. Wrap in wax paper or plastic wrap. Let harden in the frig. Cut into slices for easier storage and use. Too much work...ask for herb butter whenever you come to Dinnersmith!

DinnerSmith goes to Cranford

2009-06-21T13:05:00.000-04:00

In a new and exciting development, ready to cook meals are now going to be available in Cranford at the Vanilla Bean Creamery thru a great program called Cranford Disount Dining.

The brain child of Dawn Salerno, Cranford Discount Dining, is a program where local restaurants offer a special dinner at a great price to the membership. The members have simpler choices to make and get great food at a reduced price. The restaurants get business on off peak nights and get a chance to woo new customers. Dawn says "I see restaurants with a full staff and open kitchen and families who need great take out. We provide a matching service which will keep our local businesses alive and provide families with great value. I love my town and did not want to see businesses close for lack of local support."

Every week CDD sends their list of members a discount menu page featuring one or two area restaurants each week and members can log in and order their meals. On the chosen day, customers arrive at the restaurant, pay for and pick up their food. Restaurants get the benefit of a large order and employees get work.

I love this concept and am thrilled to be able to offer DinnerSmith to Cranford and Westfield. Our good friends at Vanilla Bean Creamery are allowing us frig space and pick up service. This is a great ice cream store where they make all the ice cream and cakes themselves. More on those cakes later. Dawn is bringing this concept to the Malpewood South Orange area and we all are looking forward to it! A great way to support our local business. Please sign up on her web site and be a part of this great new program!

Thanks Mary

Vanilla Bean Creamery (908) 497-9448

22 North Ave W Cranford, NJ 07016

CHOLESTEROL

2009-06-20T17:49:00.001-04:00

Cholesterol... we hear so much about it and at DinnerSmith we hear from customers that are avoiding dietary cholesterol for health reasons. I wanted to know ...how much is too much... what is the target range for cholesterol consumption.

The answer is 300 milligrams per day for people without sensitivies. Some people eat anything with cholesterol and they have problems: those people are considered cholesterol sensitive.

But how much cholesterol is in the food we eat every day. So I found this chart which is very helpful.

FOOD	CHOLESTEROL (milligrams)
Human milk	32 (varies)
Meats (3 ounces) Liver Lean ground beef, lamb, chicken breast, pork	400-500 78
Egg, whole or egg yolk (1 large)	213
Fish (3 ounces): Shrimp Lobster Mackerel Salmon Catfish Tuna Crab Snapper Cod Halibut Clams Orange roughy	130-166 81 62 47-60 49 42-50 36-50 40 37 35 29 17
Dairy products: Milk (1 cup) nonfat 1 percent 2 percent whole (3.3-3.7 percent) Yogurt (1 cup): nonfat lowfat whole Cheese (1 ounce): cheddar cheddar, lowfat Cottage cheese (1/2 cup) nonfat 1 percent fat 2 percent fat Butter (1 tbs.)	<5 >

I think the most important question for each person is what is their correct level. And make good choices.

Another super DinnerSmith discovery-Vanilla Bean Creamery

2009-06-01T22:55:00.000-04:00

Here at DinnerSmith, we get to see a lot of great food because we spend our day immersed in bringing the best to our customers. Sharon Grey, our partner, has been managing an ice cream store in Cranford, the Vanilla Bean Creamery. They make their own ice cream on premise and also at their sister store in Springfield, Scoops and Scripts (246 Mountain Ave. near Bagel Chateau). There is a whole list of sundues which I am working my way thru. I say just start at the top. The strawberry and chocolate sundae was fabulous. Just the right size and a great price. They have a ton of special flavors: Death by Chocolate has bits and pieces of crunchies and chips in deep chocolate ice cream. Devil Dog has real Devil Dogs mixed in the ice cream. This is a full service store: they have sherbert and ices and suger free and forzen yogurt. So what else can I tell you.................

The really big deal is the ice cream cake, the Vanilla Bean Creamery Signature Cake. Layer of cake and homemade ice cream surrounded by frosting. I took two to my sisters Wild Game Dinner because this special occassion deserved a special ending. I had one midnight madness Choclate and one Praline. Now this is not the official description, but comes from delicious memory. The cholcolate cake had layers of chocolate cake and chocolate ice cream and some fillings iced with white frosting topped with a hard chocolate piece decorated with chocolate iceing. The praline cake had similiar layers of cake with praline ice cream. There was pieces of praline all over this cake. The flavors were so sweet and light. The crowd at the party went crazy. They got past the 'I will have a little taste' stage very quickly. I could not cut slices fast enough. From small children to my own parents, these cakes were a huge hit. If you are having a dinner or event where there will be dessert, this is the cake that will impress, both in its presentation and its taste.

Call them , Have them reserve one for you.

(908) 497-9448

22 North Ave W Cranford, NJ 07016

Bread Table reprise

2009-04-02T10:34:00.000-04:00

Chocolate Bread

Last week, Fran had a great time at the bread table. The Clarke twins asked if we could make chocolate bread. Why Not?

Experimenting is fun. Right? Well we looked around the store and came up with a few interesting ideas.

The girls and Fran spent time making 4 experimental breads. It was fun!

The concensus was that the best tasting bread was the chocolate, marshmallow. Also the chocolate, marshmallow, coconut bread. The chocolate, cinnamon, brown sugar rolled bread came in third!

Let's make more!

research???

2009-04-01T22:24:00.003-04:00

Visiting DinnerSmith’s Clandestine Research Kitchen As Its Newest Delicacy… The DS Fish Taco Undergoes Mary’s Rigorous Taste Trials

O.M.G.!!!

I was skeptical but it was sooo good!!
Coming soon to a menu near you..

The Joy of Cooking

2009-03-24T19:39:00.001-04:00

Imagine yourself the host of your own cooking show on cable television.

While you and your producer press on with show-prep discussions, a bevy of assistants have already scoured the local super markets and specialty shops gathering all of the raw ingredients you require to create today's entree. Your Sous-chefs have already instructed their assistants on the amounts of each ingredient to clean, slice and/or chop so that all you need do is reach out and add each ingredient to the pot.

As show time approaches, you schmooze with the audience, take a sip of wine and start bringing the pre-cleaned, pre-cut, pre-measured ingredients together in a whirlwind of flair and instruction. The audience sits rapt by the ease of your cooking technique.

Finally, your cooking is complete and, to a crescendo of applause, the entree is distributed and devoured by your grateful audience.

"Cut. That's a wrap everyone. See you next week!" you say as you turn toward the exit and to your awaiting limo.

The dirty pots, utensils and dishes as well as the entire kitchen area are efficiently cleaned and set up by your cleanup crew for your next broadcast.

Compare your "Rock-Star Chef" performance with your own as you plan, shop, prepare, cook and clean up after serving dinner for you and your family most nights.

We suggest this tale demonstrates a fundamental fact of culinary life:

“Joy of Cooking increases in direct proportion to the amount of meal assembly help that you have.”

Short of going out to eat:

The more help you can get planning, shopping, slicing, dicing and cleaning up;

the more enjoyable, stress-free and downright fun cooking at home can be.

We are DinnerSmith Meal Prep Studio of Maplewood, NJ. We stand ready to serve as your personal Sous-chef.

· Visit our website: http://dinnersmith.com.

· Check our twelve to fifteen new delicious entrees each month.

· Consider the convenience, nutrition and economy that we bring to your table and then…

Let Us Re-Introduce You To The Joy Of Cooking!

Family time

2009-01-04T10:16:00.002-05:00

Family time means something special in our house. Family time is a designated time we set aside to eat and do something together, usually watch a movie or something on TIVO or play a board game. It is un-inturuptable time. Sometimes we stop the movie and just talk. Sometimes we have an activity, like listening to my son play the cello and talking about his music, also we have made desserts or wrapped presents.

Having a DinnerSmith meal makes family time easier on me. Just pop in the oven and take a time out for myself. When it comes time for all four of to spend time together, I don't feel so overwhelmed. I can take of me AND them.

Gotta go! The movie is cued up.

Making it easy....

2009-01-03T09:49:00.000-05:00

A primary focus of the DnnerSmith crew is making life easier. We provide our customers with everything they need to make mealtime easier, cheaper and faster. When Fran's husband, Peter, sent this video, I knew I had to share it with a wider audience. Eggs are nutritious but can be a pain to deal with. Enjoy!

http://authorizedpromotions.com/looks_at/eggs

Partnership

2009-01-02T08:16:00.001-05:00

On New Years Day, folks make a lot of resolutions, based on their goals or dreams. Also there is a tendency to look back at the past year with gratitude. That's me: looking back at the past year and forward to the New Year. I recognized recently that the success of DinnerSmith is all about partnership. Without Fran and Sharon, DinnerSmith would have been a good idea; instead of a growing business serving hundreds of families.

I am a night person, cleaning and organizing doing paperwork late into the night. Fran is a morning person, arriving early in the day, getting ready for the afternoon customers and making meals for pick up. Sharon's research ad passion for new recipes keeps our menu exciting and fresh. Also she has become a terrific butcher.

At home, my family takes on many household chores, leaving me more time to keep those long hours at the store.

Whenever I hear people talking about new years resolutions, I feel compelled to shout " Get help! Get partners! It makes all the difference!"

Working every day

2009-01-01T20:01:00.003-05:00

When we were first building DinnerSmith, progress was slow and I did not always go to the store every day. My Dad came for a visit during that period and he said "let's go to the store, even though nothing seems to be happening." He told me of his own beginning, starting a surgical practice in a small upstate city. Every day he would go to his office; there were days when he watched the squirrels play on the lawn as he sat and waited for the referrals and patients to come. As a new doctor in his early thirties , he was committed to keep his office hours, believing that the practice would grow. Eventually he had a tremendous career, raising seven children very comfortably.

So today on New Year's Day, I went to the store to check things out and do a few things as I have done almost every day for the last eighteen months.

The mission of DinnerSmith is more than great food: we are changing families lives thru the gift of time and thru the nurturing of great family mealtimes. Join us this year: we will be there every day.

DinnerSmith on Cablevision

2008-12-10T21:05:00.001-05:00

DinnerSmith is now on Cablevision on a show called Neighborhood Journal with AL Clarke. It can only be seen in South Orange, Newark and Elizabeth this month and then goes to all of Cablevision in January as on demand. It is a great show and was really fun to do. There is a terrific cost comparison section that shows how economical using us for family dinners can be.

As an example, Applebees has a take out menu now and they offer a Salmon dinner with rice and veg for 13.99 FOR ONE PERSON. Our Asian Salmon with rice and veg for 4-6 is 22-27. Okay so there is really no comparison.

Already people are telling us they saw it! Someone said to me they thought it was very good and was telling all her friends about it ( I actually heard about it from one of her co-workers). Lynn Mahoney from the Magic Moms group was featured in the piece as a busy mom, working and raising three kids. A friend saw her waiting for her son after school and said " Hey, What;s for dinner?" Lynn was surprised, thought that it was an odd question, but her friend said she saw the show on Cablevision. They had a good laugh! BTW feel free to ask us "What's for dinner?"

We cannot post it on the web but are working on showing it in the store. Asl us about it when you come in.

This Busy Season

2008-12-07T12:47:00.003-05:00

DinnerSmith meals can make such a difference! So many places to go and things to do this season. Yesterday I went with my family to the city to visit the Cathedral of St John to see it in all its renovated glory. Wow, the place is glowing!There was a free jazz concert after which they fired up the organ. It was awesome. We got a pastry and coffee at the Hungarian Pastry Shop, a bit of Europe on the Upper West Side. Natasha wanted to see the Union Square Holiday Market so we went downtown. So many very beautiful things! And then the snow started to fall very lightly. It was magical!

So what does that have to do with DinnerSmith. Well we had to get home before the storm possibly worsened. I knew that there was a DinnerSmith Tilapia with Red Beans and Rice waiting for us in the frig. Within twenty minutes of getting home, we were eating a great dinner and talking about the special day we shared. No stress no fast food. As kids get older, it seems there are more things to do with them during the season. I work on being very organized but meal planning, grocery shopping and kitchen cleaning take so much time. I want to spend the time, those extra minutes, standing in Union Square watching the snow fall and the smiles on my kids faces.

My wish for everyone this season is that DinnerSmith can help us all spend more time making memories.

What's a bread table?

2008-09-29T13:14:00.004-04:00

DinnerSmith just acquired a bread table from the recently closed Supper Suppers in East Hanover. A quick welcome to all of Super Suppers customers: we can't wait to introduce you to our menu. ( We have been hearing from customers who can not live without meal prep.)

When we researched our business, one of the steps in our process was visiting existing meal prep stores, about 9 in total. SS in East Hanover had this large table with a big wooden base and stainless steel top for making stuffed breads. The idea is to roll out dough and fill them with all kinds of goodies, all prepared ingredients. Fran loves this bread and always wanted to have this for our customers in our DinnerSmith style, fun to make, fresh as possible and wonderful bread smell wafting thru our homes. We heard that they were going out of business and they had a few things left. BTW we are sad to see them go, we know what is like to build a business and hate to see anyone close. Good luck to Alan and Susan whatever they do next!

When I saw the bread table, I knew Fran had to have it. We bought it and got it moved over the weekend. Wow it looks great and now we have to move things around to make it workable!

Come see us this month, we have a huge menu. Come see the bread table and taste the research breads. Let us know if you have the perfect stuffing recipe. I know I will be doing ham and cheese!

Mary

More grocery shopping

2008-08-30T17:47:00.003-04:00

Wow , I was in Pathmark and was shocked at how much a box of pasta was. Just a simple box of linguine. I really do get my food at DinnerSmith so it had been some time since I shopped for myself in Pathmark. Lets spread the word about how DinnerSmith feeds a family of most every night of the week for the whole month for $518. Get the milkman to come (973-595-0214) and save yourself all trips to the grocery store. Whole Saturdays could be liberated. Rising prices at the gas pump and the grocery store are scary: I cannot think about the cost of fuel oil.

I am looking forward to helping folks manage their food budget this fall.

Grocery shopping

2008-08-30T17:18:00.002-04:00

People are curious about where we shop....especially when they see us at the local supermarket.

Mostly we shop at a restaurant supply or a wholesale produce place in large quantities. For special Asian spices or Indian spices, we go to those Asian markets like Kam Man in East Hanover and the Indian stores in Edison. Aren't I worried that you could go there too? Not really. You might have space to store the bottles and jars of what will be leftover after you use the tablespoon you need for the recipe. Also when it goes bad, it goes to waste. At DinnerSmith we save you that waste because we know we will finish the whole bottle of fish sauce or lemon grass in a short time. Sometimes we need things in a hurry...we run out of red peppers. Then we run over to Pathmark or Whole Foods or very often Super Stop and Shop. We really try to buy appropriate quantities because we deal in freshness, as well as convenience. Also we do eat the food ourselves and we eat a lot of research.

Sometime you will see us buy one vegetable or one fruit. That's usually research. For instance we are working on the Vietnamese noodle soup called Pho. In this case, there are a lot of ingrediants that are not currently on the menu and we are not sure how this will turn out so the purchasing is very limited. Well, except for the case of thread noodles. As a preview, so far the stuff is awesome! Rich broth yummy noodles and crunchy veg are the base of this great south east asian soup.

We have been getting an education in Vietnamese cuisine from one of the guys who has been close to Dinnersmith since before it opened: Lam Nyugen. He is responsible for the Coconut Curry with Shrimp and Chicken and assisted in Grilled Thai Pork Chops. The curry is back for September; celebrate back to school with this great meal. Lam has taken Sharon to some restaurants to help understand the cuisine of his family. I will ask her to blog about what they ate and Lam's advice in local restaurants.

We are keeping most of our international menu from August thru September. Come and get dinner from different cultures to share with your family! It is great to be back after a long summer!

Basil

2008-08-13T00:19:00.002-04:00

We talk all the time at DinnerSmith about the high quality of our food. If you have had our pesto, you have heard that it is made in our kitchen.

That is true....Fran works very hard: she carefully washes all the basil leaves and gets them into the oil as soon as they arrive in the store. She uses two different kinds of olive oil and then adds the sun-dried tomatoes. We snack on the stuff and taste test each batch.

This summer there has been a new twist. Our good friend and gardener extraordinaire, Sue Sayers, has been growing bushels of the stuff and we have been turning the raw basil into pesto. When you have our turkey burgers or our stuffed tenderloin, you will be tasting a pesto beyond compare, very fresh and very pure.

Side note: no pine nuts or walnuts.

Alison asks for Vegetable Lasagna

2008-08-05T23:01:00.004-04:00

At DinnnerSmith, we are "all about" our customers. When a customer asks us to look into something new, we do our best to diligently research and painstakingly
evaluate the potential of each request. So, when Alison wrote to
tell us about a "to die for" no-pasta vegetable lasagna she had
tasted in Livingston, naturally, there was really only one thing
we could do...

Road Trip!

Off we went today to the Livingston Diner (360 E
Northfield Rd; Livingston). This place was really buzzing for a
Tuesday lunch. Fran, Sharon and I were seated at a wonderful
semi-circle booth. The menu is one of those great diner-style
menus featuring traditional Jewish meals. Although we were not
there for those, we will return for them!

We had the pasta-less vegetable lasagna along with their matzo
ball soup. The matzo balls were just the way we like them, light
and fluffy, though the flavor was different than ours. the dish
was also missing our homemade chicken soup. Did you get a chance
to have our versions last spring? Not to worry. They will be
back in the fall for the holidays.

The vegetable lasagna was delicious... thin layers of eggplant,
zucchini, summer squash, with fat layers of chopped broccoli swirled in ricotta. Sharon is sure her version will be more flavorful; and she says, "all-around better" because of our
DinnerSmith special-recipe Italian sauce ['gravy' if you're from
Brooklyn or Newark].

Look for it this fall!

We will be making versions of it throughout the summer: please
ask about it when you drop by.

Yogurt for everyone

2008-08-05T11:17:00.006-04:00

Wake Robin Yogurt has arrived at DinnerSmith.
I went over late sunday and the DinnerSmith yogurt was packed into ice waiting for the long trip home. Bruce says they bought two more cows so he thinks there will be enough milk to make cheese next week. He says he will be making assiago cheese. He paused and smiled ...it is the only kind he knows how to make so far. What a great guy. And the yogurt is as always light as a feather and delicious. Let us know if you did not get your order in there maybe some extra.

It was great being on the farm last weekend. The northern Finger Lakes Region is beautiful, close by and reasonably priced as far as a vacation destinations. Fall is a good time to visit because of the glorious fall foliage. We went to a winery, helped around the farm with a new baby, had a party on the porch, watched incredible lightening and went to a sunflower maze. I think it is the next step in agri-tourism, Watch for this as a new trend next year. I am calling it sunflower therapy.

I have one more trip this month. Last call for the best artesanel yogurt anywhere. Call 073-763-2333 or email info@dinnersmith.com to reserve your fair share. And remember: use a bowl. I got carried away the other day and ate a 32 oz maple in two sittings. Not a bad thing except I run out sooner.

fun in the country

2008-07-26T12:57:00.005-04:00

I had a great weekend in the North Country of New York State and
wanted to share a truly remarkable "foodie" part of the weekend.
As you may know, I am opposed to the low-fat diet and only eat
full-fat yogurt. (Fat is usually replaced by sugar and there is
evidence that this is at least partly responsible for the
nation's obesity epidemic). So when I travel to the edge of the
known world (my sister's farm in Northern NY), I take enough
"Brown Cow" maple yogurt for the duration.

Last week I ended up in Wegmans, looking for whole-milk yogurt.
I bought a brand which Mom said was made locally, by
<http://www.wakerobinfarm.org/

> Wake Robin Farm. At home while
watching me devouring this awesome stuff, which is as light as
crème Brule, my sister recommended dropping by the farm to see
their operation. "Locally made",. really means "three miles down
the road". When we got there, no one was in the little building
that serves as manufacturing and warehouse.

The sign on the door said if there were no cows in the field,
they were in the barn being milked, "poke your head in and say
hi." If you wanted to buy product, take the stuff out of the
refrigerator and put the cash in the lunch box on the table. If
you really want to talk to them, call the cell phone.

On the farm they have 12 cows which are fed hay and grain and
corn grown on the farm. Bruce milks the cows, pasteurizes the
milk and makes the yogurt. He makes small batches and gets about
600 containers a week. Anything older than three weeks gets
dumped.

That nearly made me cry.

This yogurt is flavored with maple syrup. The maple flavor is
not full-fat because there is 11% maple syrup. This stuff is so
light and so sweet and pure. Truly "artisanal". So much so, that
they are exempt from nutritional labeling regulations: each
batch is different depending on the cows, what they are eating
and their stress level. I brought home enough for Fran and
Sharon. We'll be offering it to our DinnerSmith customers on an
"as-available" basis. I will be picking up cases of Vanilla and
Maple every time I travel to the family farm.

If you want to get some of the most delicious yogurt this side
of paradise the 32 oz. container retails for $4.50 and a notice
will go out to the email list whenever it's available. Send a
note to me (info@dinnnersmith.com) and let me know how many
containers you want. I will be going a couple more times this
year.

There are also a lot of non-foodie activities in the north
country like making felt from alpaca fiber on a huge crazy
machine; feeding the livestock; relaxing on the porch with a
cold one; target practice with the empties; gardening both
vegetables and flowers; driving farm vehicles; and if you're
lucky, watching a baby alpaca being born.

those extra five pounds

2008-05-31T17:52:00.002-04:00

Well summer is here and I am like everyone in town, noticing that extra five pounds. I know that mine is from the bakery, Serrani's, in Orange (three blocks from the White Castle on South Orange ave.). I blogged about them in the past and have been there so often. Their prices are sooo low and the bread is so fresh. In these economic times, consider a group purchase: ask friends if you can pick up some fresh rolls or breads for them. $3 dollars a loaf is worth the drive to get several. You could freeze them but I love that made today taste.

I am getting out and walking a couple of miles a day to make up for my panetone habit. Wish me luck!

Mary

Research called Lunch

2008-05-30T23:05:00.003-04:00

Recently my dad was visiting and we had dinner at Harrar in South Orange. What a charming experience and great food. Ethiopian food is eaten by scooping the food with bread and there are no utensils. The bread is very spongy and the food has unusual spices, like Indian food but not quite. For coffee lovers, it is heaven. We did not get to the coffee ceremony but the after dinner coffee was outstanding. definitely try this place. Oh , the price is very reasonable.

Fran had heard about this cuisine from her son and was curious. When lunch time came today, we discovered Harrar is not open for lunch. Darn! I had heard that there were three Eithopian restaurants in South Orange so we looked up the spot on Irvington Ave,Lalibela.

Lunch was wonderful and we learned a lot. We asked Melkit, the chef, for a platter to share, chef's choice. The huge tray covered with injera, a large sourdough flatbread, came with sauteed collard greens, a lightly seasoned salad, a lentil stew and a stew of beef and tomatoes. The greens were lovely, still a little crunchy and sweet. the lentils surprisingly sweet and seasoned with unknown flavors. The beef was soft and seasoned with a spice new to us called berbere. Really beautiful flavors and very filling. Berbere (ber-ber-ee) is a spice mixture which Melkit let us taste. It was like a paprika and a chile powder, but with sweet notes. This is a delightful place, parking was easy, the food was delicious and inexpensive, the service attentive and friendly. Go and be enchanted.

We hope that we can use this spice to bring an Ethiopian inspired dish to DinnerSmith. Look for it over the summer.

Summer BBQ

2008-05-02T00:17:00.001-04:00

We are offering a special BBQ menu for this summer. There are times when company will come this summer and someone needs to prepare food for all the guests. We can help by bringing a complete BBQ, including already cooked pulled pork with rolls, a large Caesar salad, and a choice of butterfiled chicken, steak or stuffed burgers ready to grill. for 8-10 people for $100.

With all the prep work done, hosting a summers party will be less stressful no matter how hot it gets. Think about all the things you could do if you had an extra pair of hands before entertaining.
at Christmas, we had a customer who was so busy we had to deliver her weekend party menu. When we got there, the kitchen was clean and the table was beautifully set. The parents and the little kids were relaxed. The dinner we brought went into the oven and the family relaxed waiting for their guests to arrive. It is a great way to live...stress-free.

Life hack

2008-04-28T11:27:00.004-04:00

Hacking is ususally associated with computers, the internet and software. "Life hack" is a term coined by personal productivity coaches and generally means shortcuts to make life easier. I wrote a blog at the end of last year about keeping a couple of pounds of frozen shrimp and pasta for really quick meals. DinnerSmith is all about that kind of shortcut - things that get dinner done or food on the table with a minimum amount of time effort and clean-up.

BTW, we know you can do it yourself. You could do your own nails and mow your own lawn. Great food from your own kitchen every day could either be DinnerSmith or you could get extremely organized and do-it-yourself. You will need lots of tools, electric and not, in working order with all their parts, a well-stocked pantry, a clean frig and an empty freezer. Oh and lots of plastic to freeze store and contain all the ingrediants. Fran and Sharon and I used to do all this and more. We discovered this concept and knew it would change lives.

Try us out...give us a true road test. Eat DinnerSmith for a month six days a week. You will get a part of your life back...equal to a part-time job. Your kitchen will stay cleaner and less will go in to the trash. 24 meals for a small family is only $240; that's two to three people or parents and a tot or two. Double that for a family of four to six; $480 for a months worth of groceries.

A further lifehack for food is to call Ed at Suncrest Farms and get your diary products delievered. Milk and juice in a box by the door every week is soooo stressfree.

Mary

DinnerSmith goes to school

2008-04-28T00:06:00.002-04:00

One of our customers is a first grade teacher in Newark who feeds her family DinnerSmith every day. She gets Chicken and Dumplings a couple times each month because one of her sons loves it. This month she substituted Chicken and Matzo Balls. She took one batch of Soup to school and shared it with her first grade class, most had never had matzo balls in fresh homemade chicken soup. The fifteen little tykes loved the matzo balls and the vegetables. We heard there is a thank you note coming after they finish a writing project in conjunction with the Newark Library System. We will post it in the store.

We are using a homemade chicken stock from Sharon's and Fran's kitchen this month because true matzo ball soup demands the best chicken soup we can give it! If you miss it on this month menu, there will be a couple in the freezer.

matzo balls and dumplings

2008-04-26T22:20:00.002-04:00

This is April the season for Passover and Easter. DinnerSmith celebrated both with dumplings and matzo balls. I thought that people would love my chicken and dumplings but Fran and Sharon were surprised how many we sold. Then Sharon thought families would love her matzo ball soup. I have eaten some bad matzo balls but Sharon assured me that hers would be yummy. They were! so light and fluffy. I am a convert. Sharon says the secret not to over work them unless you like them firm.

As we finish up our first year in business, we have created a menu that reflects our different cultures. We hope we have influenced your family culture, giving you more time and great dinners.

Webkins and DinnerSmith

2008-04-24T21:02:00.002-04:00

DinnerSmith meals have been in the freezer case at Libby's Family Pharmacy for a while and it is a great place to go and get ice cream. They carry Webkins and the Pharmacist is a great guy,who gives personal service and attention to everyone. He is a family man with small kids and really understands moms and all we have to contend with. Can't say enough about Rick Libby. The store is on Mountain Ave in Springfield just down the street from the DMV.

This weekend they are having a huge Webkins weekend with games and giveaways. Every $10 (except for prescriptions) spent earns a free Webkins. Rick sells a lot of Webkins and has a ton of accessories, too. DinnerSmith meals and ice cream counts towards your purchases. Everything starts Friday @ six. and runs thru the weekend.

The ice cream is made on the premises and is to die for! try the Double dark Chocolate!

summer is coming

2008-04-23T18:52:00.002-04:00

We are gearing up for summer and the grill season. Sharon has been testing all kinds of marinades and sides for the summer. I said I loved last summers salsa made with mangoes and peaches. I really want everyone to try them so we came up with a new solution. In July we will offer a grill choice option. mango salsa with pork chops or chicken or fish. and in August we will offer peach salsa with the same three options. That way there is something for everyone.

Sharon and Fran are also working on a quinoa cake with an eggplant ragu. I am enclosing this link to wiki quinoa if you have not had much experience with this interesting grain. This will be a great vegetarian option because the quinoa is so high in protein. The cakes came out crunchy and brown: I like them with the fresh lemon salsa with lemongrass. A neighbor who stopped by thought they were good all by themselves. Sharon also wants to make sure that folks know they do not have to grill everything, it can be made on the stove top.

June's menu is developing. Check it out and let us know if your favorite does not get included. There is still time to add more.

Moms cook with kids

2008-03-12T23:34:00.001-04:00

It has been fun this week. We has had lots of moms come in to prep meals with their kids. Usually we have the regular Thursday morning with one mom and her son. They have come every week for several months. It is a special time to this mom to bond with her son when he gets her undivided attention. He is only six but he knows what to do and has made some great dinners for his family. This afternoon we had a mom and her son come in for the first time together. She really made the time special for him, using every moment as a teaching moment. I was so impressed to watch them: this little guy really learned so much and got so much from his mom. Meal prep can be a great time to bond with children and our studio makes it easier to focus on the child. Showing the kids the different textures and smells of the spices and ingredients without having worry about cleanup makes the time fun for mom , too. Please call us for a time to bring your kids and make some great dinners together. We try to limit booking so that the place is quiet and kids can focus. It is a great experience.

March menu comes in like a lion!

2008-03-07T23:56:00.004-05:00

This months menus is very exciting. Can I recommend the Garlicky Pork Cutlets with Prosciutto...you will have a great time pounding the pork chops and Prosciutto together. Then the cooking is so simple and the sauce is so good. My husband was looking around the kitchen for more. Classic DinnerSmith, simple and delicious. Or the Chicken Marsala? Again great flavors and simple cooking at home. Yummy sauce and we send you home with the pasta.

The Cuban pork and black beans is that home cooking taste of someones gramma who is called abuela. This is the dish for cold rainy days, so filling and good with the taste of the peppers, not hot but full flavored. Imagine Abuelita standing by the stove and stirring in the love. But this is DinnerSmith so this dish cooks all day in the crockpot. It is great with white rice, I know it's not Spanish style, or bread to sop up the juices.

This months Mulligan Stew is different our usual stew: it has a darker flavor and not as sweet. The only sweetness comes from the Guinness stout which really is not so sweet. The carrots and potatoes are familiar and we are continuing to use that really great beef that we always use. BTW our stews do not need to be cooked for hours and hours which is the case when the beef is tough.

I got a surprise visit from someone from my childhood today and the reminiscing turned to the Saturday afternoons in the family kitchen. My Dad finished his work at the hospital and would bring some fresh bread or cheese to add the late lunch my mom would make for the multitudes. The kitchen fireplace got a roaring fire in the cooler seasons, nine months out of the year in that part of the country. Before relaxing with a book in front of the fire , Dad took time to talk to some kid or another. Then we would eat some great food like giant pressed sandwiches or welsh rarebit. I am grateful to have such warm memories of my family and great food. We spent a couple hours talking about the food we have back then and how that affected hers and my cooking styles today.

Thanks to my partners who were so patient while I strolled down memory lane. Because, as you may know, we are busy these days. Stop by, see whats cooking and tell us about your childhood kitchen memories.

2008-02-25T00:55:00.006-05:00

DinnerSmith got great press!!!

2008-02-17T23:31:00.008-05:00

February 16, 2008

Meal-prep firm caters to special diets
by Johanna Ginsberg
Staff Writer

NJ Jewish News

Sisters Sharon Grey and Fran Valle, together with Mary Smith, opened Dinnersmith, a “meal prep” outlet that’s happy to accommodate customers who follow vegetarian and other special diets, in May.

This hot spot on Maplewood’s Springfield Avenue,
located just across the way from the soon-to-be-closed
Rabbi L. Sky Bookstore, is the talk of the virtual town
on Maplewood Online.

It’s part of the growing number of “meal prep”
establishments around the country and in New Jersey,
where customers prepare their own meals from fresh
ingredients under the guidance of the proprietors.
(Easymealprep.com lists 1,411 meal preparation
companies nationally, including 18 in the Garden State.)

With no rabbinic certification, it’s not kosher. But
Dinnersmith accommodates those who follow vegetarian
and other diets and is developing a customer base among
those who keep a lenient form of kashrut. Two of the
owners — Sharon Grey and Fran Valle — are sisters who
grew up in a strictly kosher home on Long Island; they
understand the ins and outs of kashrut, they said, and
will go the distance for this clientele. And
Dinnersmith is becoming a popular stop for Reform
synagogue gatherings: Events were planned in February
for Temple Sharey Tefilo-Israel in South Orange and
Temple Sha’arey Shalom in Springfield.

(Grey belongs to Sha’arey Shalom; Valle was until
recently a member of Congregation Beth El in South
Orange. Their partner Mary Smith is a member of an
Episcopal church in South Orange.)

For the newbies, here’s how Dinnersmith works. You drop
in, wash your hands, grab a never-before-used
container, follow some simple instructions, and prepare
your entree. Consider pecan-crusted tilapia, vegetarian
chili, or southwest strata, a sort of Mexican
casserole. Ingredients are pre-chopped and sit in small
plastic containers complete with measuring spoons. One
of the owners stands by your side and talks you through
the recipe — or chats with you about the day’s news. It
takes about 15 minutes to prepare each entree.

It’s fun, it’s fast, and when you’re done, you have a
delicious entree with no grocery shopping, no unused
ingredients to worry about, no chopping, and no mess in
your kitchen to clean up. All you have to do is take it
home and cook it according to the directions (or pop it
in the fridge or freezer for later use).

Nothing is cooked; nothing is premixed. You control
every ingredient that goes into the dish. The owners
cover the counters in plastic if requested. They show
you the labels and substitute ingredients if you ask.
There are always vegetarian entrees and fish entrees on
the menu. And every entree comes with two sides, a
vegetable and a starch — also uncooked. Everything goes
into a foil container or plastic bag that has not been
used before. The owners said they are considering
purchasing separate knives.

Plastic containers hold the already-chopped
ingredients, and customers use plastic measuring cups.
Customers do any mixing in large stainless steel bowls
that may have been used for other ingredients.
(However, all containers and utensils go through the
180-degree dishwasher cycle between recipes.)

Recipes change monthly; drop-ins are welcome, but
reserve in advance to choose your entrees. The price is
$25 per entree ($20 for more than 12 meals); each feeds
four-six people.

Dinnersmith is located at 1908 Springfield Ave. in
Maplewood. Contact the establishment at 973-763-2333 or
via email.
***************************************************

This article was written by a reporter for The NJ Jewish News who did not know anything about us before the interview. She came back after the interview and made a meal for her family. When she was finished, her face lit up and she completely understood DinnerSmith. We did not pay for this article. We just did what we do every day. Take care of customers as best as we can. Finding and preparing the best quality food we can find. Creating in the kitchen a menu we love to share. Sharing what we know about food and families,

What's new

2008-02-16T23:48:00.003-05:00

Sharon tried a Chicken Marcella the other night. Actually she tried it on me. Sometimes one of us makes a dish for the other. If we can make it based on the bags and directions and random family members will eat it, we put it on the menu. She used chicken piyard, breast meat pounded flat in a delicious sauce with mushrooms and onions. I had a bunch of extras diners so I threw in some extra boneless thigh meat and served it over some nice fat linguine. I stuffed myself. The DinnerSmith crowd is in for a treat this March: this is so good. We are working on the March menu. Looking for new salmon dishes.... Bringing back Chicken and dumplings.

We are also offering freshly made Havard Beets as a side dish. We boiled these beets and sweetened them. The results for those who love these beets is extra nice, so tart and full of flavor. There are available for a very limited time.

Mary

Let it snow.....

2008-02-12T17:52:00.004-05:00

When the snow comes, I huddle in my house and cook. and eat. Tonight I am making Rotelle with a simple red sauce and sausage meatballs. The meatballs are a freezer staple for me, always a couple pounds ready to be dinner.

Since dinner is done, I will tell you about my newest passion and obsession, the panetone from Santini's Bakery in Orange. Every morning sliced and toasted with butter. This is not like the stuff in the box. This is the freshest sweet bread laced with citron and other fruit. Jeanie, who spends seven days a week in the bakery, has introduced me to so many fresh new breads. This is an old-fashioned Italian bakery where they bake every day: for me, a reminder of my childhood in Boston's North End. The boules and chiabattes and all kinds of sweet and savory rolls. They use whole wheat and white, and rosemary and sage and fruit. There are sweets from many cultures representing the cultures of the bakers.

I have been a frequent visitor dragging all kinds of friends and family with me. This is not so far from us: follow Valley Street thru Maplewood and South Orange til it turns to Scotland Road. Continue on Scotland to White Castle. Turn just before WC onto Central Ave. In two blocks follow the road around to the left. Stay straight for two blocks: you will pass the closed Orange Hospital. The bakery is on the right, a green storefront with tons of bread in the window.

The bread is so good and inexpensive. I avoid carbs and do not eat bread very much. I love this stuff, everything is fragrant, and the texture is wonderful. I have been getting all kinds of sandwich breads and rolls for the lunches I make for my family every day. The filling I make are really complimented by these great breads. Today was tuna salad on huge slices of whole wheat. Yesterday was Chicken salad on chiabatta.

They also make a little roll called a slider. They are used to make little slider sandwiches. The trend in the city is to serve three little sandwiches together as an entree. We are going to use them for our BBQ pork. What a great little party sandwich! Look for us at a certain school benefit in the spring...three hundred sandwiches comin' up.

Vegatarian.......

2008-02-08T23:50:00.000-05:00

We do have requests for soy protien or non meat protein meals. One strong request recently caused us to look into TVP, textured soy protein. I bought some of the stuff and reconstituted it. It actually absorbs the water and swells right before your eyes. It was creepy. Then we had some crumbly stuff that looked like cooked ground meat, only it was beige, and tasted harmless. Could it be added to our DinnerSmith meals and be a decent substitute for beef? the first test was Spagetti Pie. Our version is a base of cheesy spagetti with a layer of meat sauce over the top. Peperoni and cheese finish the dish. I made a batch of the Pies. Sharon, Bev and I ate one for dinner. Verdict...it is fine, taste is good , it is definitely not ground beef but it has a nice texture. So we will be offering this TVP as a vegetarian substitute in dishes which use ground beef. The meatloaf will not be on that list which includes Sloppy Joes, Chili and Spagetti Pie.

Midwinter blues?

2008-02-06T14:05:00.000-05:00

This is the time of year that gets people down. The holidays are over, resolutions are either broken or harder to keep, the weather is cold and clammy, and there is no Holiday on the horizon, and it jsut feels dark all the time.

I always liked this time of year, even though I am not a skier. I love to putter around my kitchen looking for ingredients that have been forgotten or need to be used and come up with hot meals that make people smile. Recently I made a Beef Stroganoff. Whoa, delicious. Instead of red wine, I discovered that in Russia they use cognac in their beef. It was outrageous. I am now testing it for our Dinnersmith kitchen.

We are also testing Hoisin pork and some great seafood chowders. Having the time, this time of year, to cook up a storm is warming and brings everyone to the table. Yesterday I made Chicken Kiev for my family. It is like a big chicken nugget rolled around our herb butter. I can't imagine that they wont love it.

The Nut Factory

2008-01-12T00:51:00.000-05:00

The other day I mentioned that we had gone to the nut factory, Westcott Nuts and Dried Fruit, near Dinnersmith in Irvington. Take Springfield Ave towards Newark making a right on Lyons Ave, then a left on Coit Street. The factory is located at 93 Coit on the right in a non descript building across from the mattress factory(I have heard good things about them too). The mattress factory has a much bigger sign than Wescott. The owner, Jacob, buys raw nuts and roasts them there in the factory. His prices are great and he will create nut mix on request. He also has dried fruit, apricots, cherries, mango. He welcomes retail; it is possible to walk in and get any quantity. He owns the place and takes pride in what he does. There is not much to see. There is no retail space. Retail and wholesale customers stand in the middle of the factory floor. I love this place. Thanks to my friend Kathy telling me abut this place years ago.

Sloppy Joe's

2008-01-09T12:47:00.000-05:00

Yesterday I spent some time with the owner of Town Hall Deli, Tony Wonski, visiting the nut factory in Irvington where all our nuts are fresh roasted. (That is another story for another day).Tony has been a good friend to DinnerSmith as his buildout and ours took place at the same time. Tony and I have something in common and not in common,we sell Sloppy Joe's. I did not grow up in Jersey but in various large cities. Mom made red sauce Sloppy Joe's and we had them at school. Here at DinnerSmith we have a great red sauce Sloppy Joes dinner. Fran found it and tweaked it. It is a grown up version with great spices and really good ground beef served on a soft roll.

When I first came to Jersey, I joined a church which had a women book club. What a great seven years it has been! One of the very first meetings was held at the South Orange home of my friend Kathy. On the day of the meeting, she gave me this look and smile and told me 'I am going to Town Hall Deli and we are going to have Sloppy Joe's." She was so happy. I could not imagine that you would buy Sloppy Joes from a deli but I played along. That night I got to the book club and saw the table piled high with large sandwiches, no red sauce and ground beef. I thought I won't say anything, the deli must have run out of Sloppy Joes and so she bought sandwiches which were delicious. It was weeks later that I read an article in the WSJ about regional foods in New Jersey. In central Jersey, there is a legendary large sandwich made in triple decker with firm bread and fresh meat and cheese coleslaw and Russian dressing. They weight a ton and feed a group. I sat on the train and laughed out loud. You can travel around the world but Jersey will surprise you! I have since indulged in many Joes and shared them with countless visitors to the Garden State.

Tomorrow is my turn to cook for the book club. As a tribute to my new home state, I am going to serve both kinds of Sloppy Joe. I will let you know how it turns out.

Tomorrow the nut factory and a bakery!

Making life easier in the New Year

2008-01-06T11:53:00.000-05:00

Last night I had a great conversation about dinner and feeding a family quickly with my dear friend, Faith, who is a foodie from way back. She does just have dinner, she will have a little pan seared shrimp in a little butter and olive oil finished with some capers and fresh lemon juice. On the side she might have some lightly sauteed broccoli rabe. She is a single person and does not eat leftovers so we were talking about cooking fresh every day, a topic we have been talking about for four or five years. Her father is now living alone and has come up against the same thing so many of our customers have dealt with....sometimes we don't want to make dinner. DinnerSmith will be in her fathers future, even though at 90, he does have time to make dinner, just not always the inclination.

We also talked about shrimp and we agree. Everyone should have a good sized bag of shrimp in their freezer. There are tons of ways to make a fast pasta and shrimp dish. Most people love shrimp and it does not take a lot of them into make a good meal. Earlier I mentioned Faith's preference for lemon and capers with shrimp. I am partial to a little sauteed garlic and onion with butter and olive oil tossed with linguine. My dad makes a Scampi which includes what I did and then he adds a little tomato sauce.

So my recommendation for the New Year is buy a bag of frozen shrimp. When you run out of DinnerSmith meals, you won't go hungry.

Mary

Oh, yeah, you can still get a bag of shrimp from us...

New Year 2008

2008-01-05T18:04:00.001-05:00

Happy New Year.

I hope all of our customers had a great New Year. Here at Dinnersmith we had a great time deciding what would be on the menu in January. One customer's husband wanted to see Hungarian Goulash, so we tested until we found the right one. The testing was very delicious.
The Pork Roast that we loved was the one made with Pomegranate juice, which is very "in" right now. Try this roast..it is amazing.
Mary came in one day with her Mother's best recipe for Chicken and Dumplings and we just knew that deep in the winter, everyone would want this one.We made it today as a taste for our customers and they could not stop eating it.
If you have any favorite winter recipes that you would lke to see at Dinnersmith, feel free to call and we will talk to you about getting it on our menu. The summertime here is great for all the great vegetables that are available, but the winter brings the oh so nice comfort foods. No wonder we put on weight. BBQ Pork and Spaghetti and Meatballs never get old around our house. These are the days that we find the kids home for dinner more often and the family meals are terrific. Lots of laughing together and family bonding. There is nothing like having everyone share a hot meal.

Is it Christmas yet?

2007-12-23T15:30:00.000-05:00

Here in our kitchen , it is all about crab cakes and steak and pasta. Let us know if you have company coming and you need a special dinner. We bought cases of crab meat so we are makin' cakes like crazy. Four orders are being made now by customers in the front. (I am hiding in the back office)And we are selling off the over stock of shrimp. (The fish monger sent a double order and we have limited freezer space). Lots of folks think $12 a bag for 2 pounds of raw clean, no tail shrimp a good deal. Shrimp cocktail for everyone!

This is hectic around town too..with everyone trying to finish last minute shopping. I tried to drive thru the village of Maplewood yesterday. It was so packed! I just have two more gifts and I am done.

Are you thinking of New Years Resolutions? My very first one is that I am making fresh hummus for all our parties. Today's batch is irresistible.

Happy Christmas to all
Mary

Ice

2007-12-14T13:10:00.000-05:00

How beautiful the ice was this morning! and how dangerous it has been in the past 24 hours. Just a reminder of the beauty and the danger of Mother Nature. She is not a sad old broad in a rocking chair.

Me and mine we settled in with a Cheeseburger meatloaf and Saturday Night Live Holiday Show. DinnerSmith and TIVO: what a great life. Other people we heard from were having the stew and staying inside listening to the trees crack. I hope everyone is ok and getting ready for this weekend storm! Spagetti pie anyone? I know it is not on the menu but I am putting a bunch in the freezer. It takes me an hour in the oven from rock solid frozen to yummy on the table.

If you having a tough time getting the holidays organized, one of our customers sent us this link. http://organizedchristmas.com/ I love this kind of stuff , the more organizing help i can get the greater the chance something will stick.

Mary

The Holidays are here

2007-12-10T18:42:00.000-05:00

Here at DinnerSmith we are celebrating both Christmas and Hanukkah...a fun and busy month of food and family.

What a great night we had Thursday! A group of moms from the Wyoming School in Milburn came in for a fundraiser for the PTO. It was great fun and we met a whole group of fun friendly people. These Milburn mons worked furiously and laughed a lot.

Then Friday we had another great group who came to celebrate Amanda’s second baby. What a warm group of friends: it was a nice evening with great food and lots of pink balloons. There was also a great group photo with everyone piled on the new couch. It’s really comfy place to sit and talk to a friend.

The surprise hit of the month is Sopa Seca. This is a Mexican dish suggested by Laura Valle Fran’s daughter who interned in Mexico last summer. It is a yummy spicy noodle casserole with shredded turkey. You will hear about it because there are tons being ordered by folks all over town.

Today we started work on the party food ordered for next weekend. Some folks have a lot of family visiting and others have potluck to go to. Beef Stew and Lasagna for everyone. LOL

For Vayniacs Only!

2007-12-05T17:53:00.001-05:00

The Dinnersmiths are bonified Vayniacs!

Last 5 Wines Tasted on Wine Library TV

Changing the wine world.

2007-12-05T17:45:00.000-05:00

We discovered someone in our area that we think is fabulous. Have you heard about Gary from the Wine Library? For those of us who are new to the area, this is a fascinating story of how a young guy uses his passion and the Web to help his family’s small business into a global enterprise.

Apart from the story, this is a great place to learn specifically and generally about wine. The link we have here is to the videos that Gary puts up on the web. He calls this enterprise Wine Library TV. So far almost 400 of these videos. I loved his presentation and his opinions. See what he has to say about the Trader Joe wines on Dec 5. I wanted to share this with our customers because I think that most of us could use the help and advice in an easy to access format. Let me know!

Mary ( Fran says that since we will all be posting, we will be putting our names on our posts)

December On My Mind

2007-11-26T15:10:00.000-05:00

Thanksgiving was terrific this year. My sister hosted, as she does every year and I made a turkey. With side dishes from Dinnersmith, there was way too much food. Something I am thankful for. Abundant family is also something I am thankful for and the time to see them all.
December, however is all I have been thinking about these last few days. Deciding the menu has been on my mind. We made some changes and I think I like the offerings.

I tried the new Sopa Seca, a Mexican Casserole, and my family loved it. The new Meat Loaf is called Bacon Cheeseburger Meatloaf and is really a treat for those that like hamburgers. My husband had it the next day sliced, heated in a skillet and on a hamburger roll. He says it was better than a burger.

We are bringing back a few of our customer's favorites for the holidays. Crab Cakes are requested more that anything else, so they will be on the menu. Returning are also these favorites Horseradish Salmon, Steak Merlot and Sprinkle Chicken. What would December be without our favorite foods.

Thanksgiving

2007-11-16T15:31:00.000-05:00

With Thanksgiving coming on very quickly, I must say that I haven't had a lot of time to blog. However, I have learned a great deal this month. We are setting up our store for side dishes and it has been delicious. Root vegetables never tasted so good. We are able to get the very best veggies and had the time to test recipes until we got the best ones.

I really love the caramelized pearl onions and the yam balls. I never cooked with so much sage and rosemary. Wine in almost everything. We tested mashed yams with pineapple and Macadamia Nuts...wow. You gotta try that one. I will be sad to see Nov go.

We are taking part in Night Of One Hundred Dinners. It is a fund raiser to raise money for Midnight Madness, and since I have a High School Senior of my own, it holds a place in my heart. We are trying to come up with a great idea for an appetizer. Thinking of something "shrimp". Maybe a sweet and sour dish? huh?
Or how about a little scampi something?
Any ideas, let me know.

Early November

2007-11-08T10:38:00.000-05:00

I am sitting in the office at Dinnersmith on the first really cold morning. We have decided to do side dishes for Thanksgiving Dinners and have been busy with 2 new menus for this month. It has been very exciting to watch this business grow.
Our kitchen has been filled with testing and we are running into some great recipes that were almost forgotten. Mary remembered her family recipe for Chicken and Dumplings and has been perfecting it to fit into our business style. I have been trying to get the Creamed Spinach creamy enough without ALL that cream. My sister gave us her glazed Pearl Onions with Almonds for Thanksgiving and last night..wow, they came out great.
This month's recipes are very exciting. Quite a bit for the kids and the guests.

Sopa Seca

2007-10-16T09:31:00.000-04:00

It is time to firm up the November menu and test recipes. Yesterday I tested something from Mexico called Sopa Seca. It means "dry soup" and is sort of like a spaghetti pie, but with all Mexican flavors. Vermicelli with chipotle chilies, onions, tomatoes, and cheese. It needs black beans. It came out great and everyone that tasted it liked it. I think it needs a bit of work, but will be a fast and easy dinner for our customers to just pop in the oven.
The week before Thanksgiving we are going to be setting up our stations for side dishes for Thanksgiving. So far, we have corn souffle, sausage stuffing, green bean casserole, glazed onions,and get this, yam balls. Mashed yams surrounding a marshmallow and rolled in coconut, then browned in the oven...fantastic! Look for it.

So busy around here

2007-10-10T13:18:00.000-04:00

I haven't posted in a while because it has been so very busy around here. Those days of sitting in the office and listening to the sounds of prep may be over. That is okay with me as the excitement is great.
Sunday we had our first Birthday Party at the store. We had 8 12 year old girls and it was so much fun! They had a great time making french toast and chicken nuggets to take home. The birthday girl did not stop laughing the whole time.
Monday we did our first big catering job at a local Church and again, what I thought would be very hard, turned out fun. There was dinner for sixty on the table in no time and the reaction was heartening. Making new friends with every new job.
Tuesday evening we participated in the Taste of South Orange at Sherrei Tefilo Israel for the benefit of Women Build Habitat for Humanity. Our food was very well recieved and we met the other foodies in the area and did some of our own tasting.
As I said it really has been very busy around here. But we are having a great time. Stop by and say hi when you are on the Avenue.

Getting busy around here.

2007-09-26T10:47:00.000-04:00

It seems as though September came and all of our friends that were away for the summer came back. It has been a joy to see you all. It is getting busy in our kitchen and I want to thank those of you that have made your dinners in our kitchen. The feedback has been very nice. We have used your suggestions to change our recipies for the better and love that our customers are so comfortable with us that they know we will be responsive to their concerns.

This week we tested pork chops with a sauce made from fresh plums and red wine. It was outstanding! Look for it on the menu in November. We also are testing several Thanksgiving side dishes for the week before the holiday so you can bring a part of the meal to your hostess, or maybe help you with your own turkey. Carmelized pearl onions, corn souffle, cranberry stuffing, string bean casssarole, potatoes au gratin, roasted root vegetables, candied yams just to name a few.

We have been making plans for our part in a gala next month to benefit Habitat for Humanity. It will be a tasting evening from the best restaurants in town. Look for more info here about it.
We had our first experience as caterers two weeks ago and loved it. We served 3 mail courses and appetizers. We made our crab cakes smaller to suit an appetizer size and served them with a remulade sauce. It was delightful So if you need help with a party at home, give us a call.

See you at Dinnersmith.

2007-09-21T13:28:00.000-04:00

What a nice evening we had last night. Some of our favorite customers came in last night with their friends. They brought a bottle of wine, we did some tasting from the kitchen and just had a good time. This is the best part of this business. I used to sit in an office and see maybe 9 different people all day, every day. What a nice change to be meeting new friends and neighbors.
They all liked the idea of a Thanksgiving special where we set up all the stations to do side dishes for the holiday. They all even signd up for it already. Better get started on those recipies.

We were talking in the kitchen the other day about salt. We noticed that our customers are staying away from the salt while preparing their meals. There is too much salt in the diet of the average American, I know that. But it probably does not come from the little bit of table salt that we put in our cooking. We will be watching amounts now to make sure that there is not an unhealthy amount of salt in our recipies. Also be careful of the salt in preserved foods, it is there that we go overboard. Remember that salt is a great preservative and is used in large amounts by the packaging industry. Our overall salt intake would probably be a lot less if we ate homemade meals with salt but stayed away from prepackaged foods.

Hear Comes Autumn

2007-09-17T09:52:00.000-04:00

Sitting in my office, at Dinnersmith, with the back door open is so very refreshing after a very warm summer. The breezes are blowing and I am thinking about Beef Stews and Sloppy Joes. So okay, I think about food a lot. Good thing, though. Sharon and Mary are in the kitchen making meals for the freezer. I can smell the baked french toast with apples and cinnamon and it really is a change in seasons.

With the kids back to school, I find myself with extra time in my kitchen. Something I cherish since I spent so many years on the train. Dinnersmith has given me time to do what I love. Hopefully, we can help you have more time with the family too. Last night my daughter dropped in for dinner. She goes to college only 40 miles away and can show up at any time. It was great. She said she misses talking to us at dinner. Again, I will say that family dinner is so important when raising kids. We had brisket and potatoes. Great family fare, and on our Sept menu. Try it.

Sharon's son dropped by this weekend on his way back to College to make chicken nuggets and Steak Merlot for the dorm room. Love seeing that. They will be the best fed guys at Cornell.

Oh, listen to this, Mary is making Monte Christo Sandwiches for lunch. This dish will be on our October Menu. Baked in the oven with Ham and Swiss. Great for brunch. We are testing a bunch of interesting recepies for November.

Thanksgiving will be here before we know it and we are thinking of doing Thanksgiving side dishes the week before the Holiday. What do you think? Yams on one station, stuffing on another, string bean casserole and carmelized onions on another. Bring a great side to your hostess or just put it in your oven.

Well time to go and eat lunch.

See you at Dinnersmith.

Back to School

2007-09-04T11:00:00.000-04:00

September is here and sadly that means leaving the summer behind. There are still some great grilling moments left. I know that I miss my oven, but I am not ready to give up the grill. My kids love eating outside in September, the air is a bit cooler and the aromas seem to stay in the air longer.
Some of the trees in our yard are already dropping their pods.

Sitting in our dinnersmith kitchen, it is great to hear preparation going on for brisket and stuffed cabbage. It reminds me of the holidays in my Mother's kitchen, especially the garlic in the air.....yummmmmm.

Of course all this is mixed up with new teachers and homework, sports starting and a real schedule after the lazy summer. Everyone coming together for dinner around the table. It is when my kids open up about what they are thinking and what they love. A lot of laughing together. If you do not have the schedule to eat together every night, make at least one or two nights a week family dinner night. It is really great for staying in touch with each other.

We are planning the holidays already, as in our kitchen we need to be a month or two ahead. Every Halloween when my kids were young, I put a big beef stew in the Crock Pot so that they would have something hot and hearty to eat when they came in from the cold. Their friends would stop for Trick-or-Treat and first come in for some stew. At least I knew they were eating something other than candy. Now they ask for Halloween Stew...watch for it.

I am being called away to test something delicious.........byeeee

See you at Dinnersmith.

Ravioli ....coming in September

2007-08-30T18:35:00.000-04:00

Sharon and Fran tested a great ravioli made with crab meat and goat cheese. Sharon and I had them for lunch today topped with a marinara sauce made with red wine and simple spices. Very nice and light. We think that they will be a big hit and fun to make. They don't take a lot of time to cook or eat though....LOL.

The other thing we are working on is fund-raisers. We will be contributing to the National Girls Night Out to Combat Domestic Abuse. That will be a great event at XOMA salon and Spa in Short Hills on October 4. We have details and sign-ups that we can email to you. Let us know at info@dinnersmith.com.
Also we are participating in the Women Build Habitat for Humanity Gala on October 9 at Temple Shari Tefilo in South Orange. We will have info in the store and in the newsletter about this great organization as they prepare to build their third house in Newark's Central Ward.
We are also donating a gift basket to The Dayton High School in Springfield in support of their Project Graduation, the big senior graduation night party. Let us know if your group is raising money for a project: we would love to help!

Ok back to getting ready for the September menu which has great new things and some favorites, too.

Mary

The End of Summer

2007-08-28T18:21:00.001-04:00

This summer has been a real education. The best part has been meeting so many new people. People that live in our town. Young moms, singles, teachers from the schools our kids went to, older people that still love to cook and so many more.

When Mary, Sharon and I decided to open a little meal prep studio in our small commuter town near NYC, we knew that it would be a lot of work. But the surprise was that we had so much fun. My favorite part is the research and development.....yummmmm. But after a few months, I am glad to see so many of our customers whenever I walk around our village. People I didn't know now stop me just to say hello and tell me stories of great meals they have served.

One about- to- be -empty- nester came and made six for her son who was moving to his own apartment. She was sure that without her largess, he would starve. People have been bringing our food to the Shore, and to older parents. I love hearing these stories.

One customer was at home with her small daughter while hosting a playdate. Remember those? When snack time came she called the girls into the kitchen and pulled out of her oven the Sprinkle Chicken that she had made at Dinnersmith. The girls gushed about how them. "Wow", one said, "You get HOMEMADE chicken nuggets? You're lucky" She was back for more the next day.

We are looking forward to the end of summer. Why? Because even with all the people we met this summer, we know we will be meeting so many more when the school year starts again.

Today in our kitchen we are testing an apple french toast. We found that fresh apples and a hot oven make the kitchen smell like fall. People miss using their ovens and this will be the perfect morning meal when the weather gets a bit cooler.

I hear Sharon and Mary in the kitchen talking about testing a Spaghetti Pie. Can't wait for the research on that one......yummmmm again.