Holiday Gift List for Your Favorite Chef

Its Christmas time in Hollis, Queens. Mom's cooking cabbage and collard greens! I love that song and I love the holidays, its the one time of year that you can guarantee that people are in a better mood.
Christmas is also the time when my kids make their obnoxious commercial list of crap they absolutely don't need and send all their aunties and grandma's in a tizzy.

This year, Kenmore and I are focusing our lists on the home chefs in our lives with #EliteGifting. What better way to surprise your favorite chef then with affordable countertop appliances? We are pairing up our favorite cooks with our favorite appliances to help them amp up their cooking game to turn their Christmas dinner or New Year's eve party way up. 

I'm going to get the Kenmore Elite 12-cup Drip Coffee Maker for my good friend Carmen (to the left) who makes a fresh cup every day when she wakes up at 4:30am to head off to work. The 24-hour programmability  will allow her to set the coffee to make her a cup nice and early. Complete with a removable water tank, reusable goldtone filter basket and charcoal water filtration, this coffee maker will make you a boss in your kitchen.

The Kenmore Elite 1.3 HP Blender with Single Serve Cup for my friend Arkell who makes fresh juice everyday. I was so inspired recently when we went on a trip to Rhode Island and she even prepacked her ingredients in a neat little bag and made juice each morning. I can also make my fresh pesto sauce (below).

The Kenmore Elite 4-Slice Auto-Lift Long Slot Toaster for my mom who can't live without her slice of toast or who makes toast for the kids when we visit. Designed with extra-wide slots, this four-slice auto-lift long slot toaster from Kenmore Elite fits everything from bagels to baguettes. The stainless steel surface looks sleek and is easy to clean, while the LED display is simple to read which is super helpful for her older eyes.

The Kenmore Elite 6 quart Bowl Lift Stand Mixer for my good friend Che Che who likes to make rainbow cupcakes with the kids when ever they visit. The 6-quart mixing bowl will easily accommodate larger batches like when I send my 3 kids to her house. In addition to this mixer, you receive handy, dishwasher-safe attachments such as a detachable pouring shield, flat beater, wire whip and more. I can't wait for her 6 layer rainbow cake come New Years!

The Digital Countertop Convection Oven would be for myself (hint hint) because sometimes you want the taste of an oven when you are warming something vs. the microwave.

Get everything for the chef in your life right here with Kenmore Elite's chic and efficient appliances. Your loved ones will shower you with kisses or cookies, this I'm sure of. Happy Cooking #EliteGifting!

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Host a Party Like a Boss: Part 2

Thanksgiving is done and so are my leftovers. That means I  have to cook, and since today we are  having a few friends over to watch some football and I'm gonna make a big old pot of turkey chili. A pop-up Football Party will help me get my holiday sea legs ready for the hoards of folks who will be coming to my home over the next few weeks. I've been fantasizing about those sleek Kenmore kitchen appliances once again. I can't wait to make this next dish on my new Kenmore Range.










Turkey Chili Ingredients:

2 lbs. of meat (your preference)
2 cans of Amy's Organic Chili or Chili seasoning packet
3 cloves of garlic sliced/chopped
1  onion chopped
1 can of diced tomatoes
1 can of tomato sauce
1 small can of corn
1 tsp of chili powder
Garlic powder, salt and pepper to taste

Toppings: Shredded Cheese, Chopped Green Onions, Fritos Scoops

Saute onions and garlic until soft. Add meat and seasoning and cook till done. Add corn, tomatoes, tomato sauce, cans of chili and stir until well blended. Turn the pot down and let simmer for 10-15 min. Your simmer will be fast & even using the Turbo Boil Flex (courtesy of the 10,000 BTUs) in the new Kenmore Elite Pro Range. Serve over rice and top with shredded cheese and chopped green onions. Add a few Fritos Scoops for a flavor crunch- Yum! Your Kenmore Elite Pro Range will cook you chili to perfection. Elevate your entire cooking game with a do over from the Kenmore Elite suite of products. Check them out here.

Decor:
Now the key to hosting like a boss is turning this all into a self-serve chili bar. Everyone can top the chili with whatever they want and it makes for table conversation. Here's what you will need:
-For the table base you can use a chalkboard, craft paper or a flat piece of faux turf and use chalk to create yard lines for fun (something like what you see in the photo courtesy of Your Cozy Home Blog)
-Hot plate or warming tray
-Bowls for chili
-Smaller clear ingredient bowls make your green onions, shredded cheese and Fritos pop. It will also for grabbing and going.

How are you getting ready for the holidays? What are your party plans? Show me what your are working with and we may repost your story.

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Host a Party like a Boss

The holidays are coming and so are the parties. If you love hosting gaggles-o-folks like me then here are a few tips to get your through the upcoming holiday season while channeling your inner home chef. Follow the #CookLikeAPro  hashtag to see how using new suite of Kenmore Pro kitchen products will have you hosting like a Boss in no time. Below I share a few of my tried and true tips.


1. Prepare - Nothing saves a headache like planning in advance. Lay out your menu and ingredients or call the caterer. Figure out your theme or color scheme and necessary decor. You get the picture. Do not let your event sneak up on you.



2. Budget - Set a budget and stick to it. Back all your remaining needs into that number. This way you don’t have to eat Ramen for the two weeks following your party.

 
3. Menu - A no fuss menu is key. After you take into any dietary considerations make sure you create a well rounded menu that is complimentary to each other. For example, pigs in a blanket are great but not when you are having a mainly Thai menu. That's just weird and all the different flavors will make for a stomach ache.

 I also find that individual/self serve situations are great like these mini apple crisps or the brussel sprout and pancetta flatbread above both of which you can whip up super fast with Accela Heat technology from the Kenmore Elite ovens. This feature can save you an extra 40% in time cutting out all that pre-heat time. If you are feeling fancy you can put one of each in the Kenmore Pro Double Wall Ovens and watch that True Dual Convection brown not burn your foods evenly.


4. Drinks - Consider having a signature cocktail that you pre-batch a few days in advance like this Mother's Milk (pictured) or Harvest Margarita.  Both of them can be made using the new Kenmore Elite Blender. To round out your bar you can
couple these with one red and one white wine. Tip: Not everyone is wine savvy. Check your local store and ask for recommendations and don’t forget to ask about delivery. It will save you time in the end.

5. Set up - Ask friends/family to help you lay out  the service areas. It will be important to put the food and drink in opposite areas of the room for a good flow.

6. Childcare - if your event is adult only then make sure you arrange a sitter that evening for you little ones. This way you don’t have to worry about them being bored or running around your party trying to blow out your candles.

7. Capture the moment- assign a friend who takes great photos or hire someone but you will want to have this moment captured for memories.

8. Outfit - any good host rocks out her outfit. Plan your attire in advance and make it grand. When you open the door you must remember you are also on display.

9. Splurge on hiring a cleaning service to come in after the party. It will be the best money you have ever spent. After everything is all done you will be so tired and will be glad you spent the extra dollars here. If budget is an issue you can also enlist friends and family who didn’t help with setup to help with the cleanup.

10. Most parties you end up with lots of leftovers. To avoid waste have guests bring containers with them to take to-go.

You don't have to be Kerry Latch (Kenmore Executive Chef) to have a kick ass spread. You can get this all done with a sleek and chic Kenmore Pro kitchen of your own. Just follow the quick links above and get started today.  #AD