Celebrate Mom

Mother's Day is just around the corner.  The second Sunday in May is always filled with showing Mom just how much you appreciate all the hard work, love, and care she has given you throughout the year.  Here is a great and easy recipe that is almost as sweet as she is.

Natural Red Velvet Waffle

Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour

1 1/4 cup granulated sugar

2 Tbs dark cocoa powder

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

3/4 cup pureed beets (1.5 cups sliced)

1/3 cup oil

1/4 cup lemon juice

2 eggs

1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

1lb cream cheese (softened)

2 sticks butter (softened)

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 c confectioners sugar

1 tsp Cinnamon

Method:
1- Wash the beets, scrape/ peel and slice them. Cook them (steam cook or microwave) till they’re well done. Cool and purée the cooked beets along with about 3 or 4 tbsps of water, in a blender till smooth. Keep aside. You can do this ahead and refrigerate the purée for a day or else freeze it till required.
2- Preheat waffle iron and spray with non stick cooking spray.
3- Whisk together the flour, sugar, cocoa, baking powder and salt in a bowl till well mixed. Keep aside.
4- Put the puréed beets, oil, lemon juice,eggs, and vanilla extract into another bowl and lightly whisk together till mixed well.
5- Pour this into the bowl with the dry ingredients and mix just enough to combine.
6- Preheat waffle iron and spray with non stick cooking spray.
7- Spoon 1/4 cup of the batter evenly onto the waffle iron and cook until desired doneness.
8- Remove waffles as they cook and keep warm until all are cooked.
9- Fold together the cream cheese, butter, cinnamon, vanilla and sugar.
10- Serve waffles topped with sweet cream cheese and fresh  fruit

If Waffles aren't your thing... the same recipe will make some amazing pancakes too.

Of course, if you need a little help with your culinary skills, give us a call and we can help you prepare the best breakfast in bed ever!

Stress Relief

April is National Stress Awareness Month

What is stress and how can you reduce it?
          Stress... the emotional and physical strain caused by the pressures of daily life.

          It's impossible to live without stress... unless you live in a bubble. Stressful activities give life some sizzle and spice, so most of us wouldn't want a completely stress free life. If stress becomes unmanageable, it may harm your physical, emotional, and social health.

          Stress can cause a variety of symptoms including : Muscle Tension, Irritability, Lack of Concentration, Excessive Exhaustion and Sleep Deprivation, Heart Palpitations, Difficulty Breathing, Digestive Problems

          Everyone experiences events that are difficult to cope with. As per the American Academy of Family Physicians, two-thirds of doctors visits are due to stress-related symptoms. Stress management can help reduce the risk of health problems by up to 75 percent.

          Food can be one of the best medicines for stress, if utilized properly.  A balanced, nutritious diet is the simplest method of stress relief AND this solution is cost effective, easily available and has no side effects.

         Great foods that aid in stress relief are:

Oatmeal - increases the serotonin levels in your brain, making you feel calm and centered. Flavor with dried fruit, nuts, or honey instead of sugar.

Oranges - Vitamin C in oranges strengthen the immune system, lower stress hormones, and reduces blood pressure.

Spinach - dark green, leafy vegetables contain magnesium, which helps to relieve anxiety and regulate cortisol levels.

Fish -is abundant in omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat. Omega-3 reduces inflammation and helps reduce stress and anxiety. Try fish such as salmon, herring, mackerel, sturgeon, and anchovies.

Nuts - these also have omega-3. They can lower your blood pressure and reduce adrenaline

      And although I truly believe that a healthy diet can help relieve stress, I also know that a good chuckle can remove a lot of weight off of one's shoulders.  So if you are looking to conquer your stress... even for 1 night, what could be better than going to a comedy show?  Perhaps the Pitch For Kids - WPDH Comedy All Stars!
    
      For the first time ever the WPDH Comedy All-Stars on Sunday April 15th at 6pm at Dutchess Golf and Country Club in Poughkeepsie. Featuring the best comics ever to be a part in the WPDH Morning Shows...John Tobin, John Mulrooney, Joey Gay, and Rich Shultis and hosted by Coop.  All five guys in one night on one stage.... Tickets are on sale now for only $25! Call 845-838-0094 and ask for Zolz! The WPDH Comedy All Stars on the April 15th we will tax your funny bone

New Year, New You

                            Happy New Year                                         from

The Chocolate Mousse

Too many of us are familiar with this scenerio... the New Year's ball drops, you vow to keep your distance from carbs and spend the rest of the year on the treadmill, but two weeks into January, your motivation plummets, your sugar cravings have become difficult to ignore, and you've skipped more than just a few days at the gym. Come February, your sneakers have collected dust and you've forgotten all about your New Year's resolution.

Well here we are almost 2 weeks into the 2012 and I'd like to give you some tricks to help keep you motivated to make this year your most successful yet.

- Think of your goal and all of the reasons this dream is great for you and will improve your life. Stay focused  on getting and staying slimmer. Weight loss motivation is easy... at first. Progress, compliments, feeling more attractive, and having more energy is motivating, captivating, but the honeymoon period inevitably ends. So put together a Vision / Dream Board http://www.ehow.com/how_4678676_goal-board.html These will help to keep you motivated and accountable to your end resultand beyond!

- Mind over matter - think slim. Ask yourself these questions:
   o What do you experience just before you eat something?
   o Do you tussle with yourself? "I really shouldn't... but I want to!"
   o Do you imagine how the food will taste, even feel in the mouth?
   o Do you focus on the real consequences, rather than the temporary satisfactions of eating?

People who are overweight tend to seek immediate satisfaction in the taste and feel of the food, while people who are thin usually imagine how the food will feel heavy in their stomachs for so long after they've eaten. When you're tempted to eat something, practice imagining how you will feel ten minutes or an hour after you've consumed that weight-increasing food. Keep it up until this becomes a natural habit for you.

- You are the company you keep... Surround yourself with slim people. I'm not saying you should dump all your curvier friends, but research has shown that the average body type of the people you surround yourself with has an effect on your weight and size. Start palling around with slimmer, fitter types and your subconscious will pick up the new patterns. Even better... workout with your friends as a group... after all "it takes a village".

- Be fair to yourself. You will do GREAT, but you may have a slip, a bad
day or a 'weak moment'. That doesn't mean you have "completely blown it"! Perfectionism is a trap. Aim to eat sensibly and healthfully most of the time, not all the time. We all over indulge now and then.

- Eat when you're hungry - and eat well. Aim For 5 Servings Of Fruits And Veg Per Day - Fruit and vegetables taste delicious and there's so much variety to choose from. They're a good source of vitamins and minerals, and dietary fiber. They can also help reduce the risk of heart disease, stroke and some cancers. Fruit and vegetables are low in fat and calories and high in taste


- Congratulate and reward yourself when you have met your smaller goals to help you keep motivated.

Good luck in sticking with the resolutions and shedding the pounds.

Enjoy!
Chef Heather



Happy Holidays



Are you getting tangled in Holiday planning? Maybe feeling a bit crazed?
The Chocolate Mousse is here to take the hassle out of your Holidays.

Whether it is a fully catered dinner for family and friends, help with a few dishes, sweets for your sweets, or gifts of appreciation, we are here to help!

Ginger Bread House
Large: $32.50
Small: $27.00
Chocolate House
$20.00

Sugar Cookie Wreath
$20.00

Cookie Platter
                                                       $14.00 per pound

                                                       Pumpkin Roll
                                                       $18.00

Holiday Dinner Offer

You Choose One:
Pumpkin Bisque
Citrus and Spinach Salad

You Choose One :
Lasagna (Vegetarian)
Glazed Ham
Roasted Turkey
You Choose Two:
Roasted Root Vegetables
Asparagus Medley
Green Bean Almondine
Wild Rice with Cranberries
Traditional Potato Latkes
Sweet Potato Puree

Included:
Dinner Roll
Peppermint Cream Pie

$35.00 per person
Delivery: $5.00

Orders must be in by 12/21/2010

Baskets and Gifts

Make any holiday celebration one to remember with
gourmet gifts from The Chocolate Mousse. Our selection
of gift baskets are filled with fresh, quality ingredients that
taste great. We are committed to providing personalized
service and products. Choose from a wide variety of baskets
that can include cookies, cakes, sweets, nuts, gourmet
sausage, cheeses, and more.  Let your loved ones know
how much you appreciate them. Order gourmet food
gift baskets throughout the year to help you celebrate
the special people and moments in your life.

Cookie Baking Tips

1- Read your recipe carefully:
If something is worth doing, it is worth doing right! Baking requires accuracy, so thoroughly follow the recipe.

2. Use good tools and utensils:
Assemble all the bowls, pans, and utensils you will need before starting. Use standard measuring cups and spoons.

3. Use top-quality ingredients:
You can't expect a top notch cooking using less than great ingredients. Check expiration dates of all ingredients.

4. Baking or Cookie Sheets:
The baking sheet should be either cool or room temperature when the cookie dough is placed on it; otherwise, the dough will start to melt.

5. Baking:
The Cookies should be a uniform thickness and size so they will bake evenly. Using a small scoopwill provide picture-perfect, uniform size cookies.

6. Oven temperature:
Preheat the oven 10 to 15 minutes before you begin baking cookies unless a recipe specifically calls for you to start with a cold oven.

Thanksgiving 911

Why call Butterball when The Chocolate Mousse can save your Thanksgiving?

We are offering our services to you through Thanksgiving.  Stuffing a bit bland?  Turkey too pale?  Pie a bit soggy?  Well, we hope not, but if you find yourself questioning your stuffing, give us a call and we'll talk you through a fantastic feast!

Chef Heather
845-518-6533

Chef Geoff

845-309-3032

It's As Easy As Pie

   For some, this is true, but for others Pie making can be the straw that broke the Thanksgiving Dinner!  If you've had little success in the past with or just need a refresher, here is a Pie Guide just for you.  Whether your pies come out underbaked, overbaked, soggy, or dry; there is a trick for it all.

Soggy

The golden rule of Pie making is "make it cold, bake it hot." The pie dough should always be cold from mixing and rolling to when it goes in the oven.  The oven should be pre-heated before the pie goes in.  This technique prevents sogginess.

A Soggy crust can also be caused by underbaking, a watery filling, or a combo of these. To prevent underbaking, bake your pies until golden brown and the filling is bubbling. Using a glass pie plates is always a god idea because you can see the bottom.

A light dusting of flour or ground nuts in the bottom of the pie, before adding the filling, can also prevent a soggy crust.  You can even brush the bottom dough with a beaten egg white before adding the filling. The egg white forms a layer that will protect the crust.

Mushy Filling

Using overripe fruit always ends with mushy pie filling.  Very ripe fruit should only be used in chilled pies.  Always use firm, almost underripe fruit in pies.  Remember, different varieties of apples and pears have different textures.  Use apples like Granny Smith, Crispin (Mutsu), Jonathan, Jonagold, Macoun, Fuji and Winesap.  Using a few varieties of apples lead to the best pie with great texture and flavor.

My Crust Is Underbaked

A very common problem is that the pies are not baked at a high enough temperature. The pie stews in its own liquid and the crust turns almost raw and soggy. The reason is that the butter in the crust melts into the dough without evaporating, making it impossible to get a flaky crust.

Start out pies, especially fruit pies, at a high temperature, 425degrees F. Reduce the temperature to 350 degrees F after about 20 to 30 minutes until the pie is nicely browned and the filling is bubbling.

Dry Hard Crust

This is a result of overworked pie dough.  Over mixing the gluten in the flour turns the dough into a brittle dry mess.

The most important part about making pie dough is to work it as little as possible and to keep all the ingredients as cold as possible.  Use cold butter and ice-cold water.  If you've made the dough well, you should see flakes and streaks of butter

Gap Between Pie and Crust

This often happens with sky-high pies. The top crust firms in the oven before the filling has completely cooked. The filling shrinks during baking, and you're left with a giant gap between the top crust and the filling.

To prevent the air space, cut the fruit into smaller chunks or thin slices. You can also precook your pie filling, which allows it to shrink before you place the pie top on. This will dramatically decrease the gap.

Pale

A pale pie just isn't as pretty as a nicely browned pie.

Brush the top crust with a beaten egg.  This will create a nicely brown and glossy appearance.  You can also sprinkle the pie with coarse sugar, which sticks to the wash and creates a sweet crunch when eating

Bubbled Over

This is often an issue with lattice pies.  Don't be too worried about it.
Crimp the edges of a double crust pie very securely to ensure the pie won't ooze through the edges. Bake the pie on a sheet pan to collect any juices and keep your oven clean at the same time.   Make sure there's a hole in the top crust or a few slashes. This will help release steam, which would otherwise cause the pie to leak.
Cracked Custard Pie

Custard pies and pumpkin pies have a tendency to crack if baked at a very high temperature.  Bake these pies at a lower temperature, 375 degrees F. You can also bake them in a water bath, like you would a cheesecake. Make sure not to overbake, the center of the pie should be slightly jiggly when it's done.

Runny Filling

Fresh fruit is naturally watery and baking fruit just draws water out. Use a thickener, such as flour, cornstarch, potato starch or tapioca. These thickeners are hardly noticeable by taste and they hold together the juices well. Flour and cornstarch tend to create a cloudy filling, so if you prefer, use tapioca or potato starch for a clear filling.  Another solution is to precook the filling.

Make sure the pie is completely cooled before cutting it. A fruit pie will be extremely watery if you cut into it while it's still warm or hot

Burnt Crust

Some pies, like apple, need a long baking time.

Use aluminum foil or metal pie crust shields to keep the crust from burning. If your pie is completely burned, you've baked it at too high a temperature.

Happy Baking and Happy Thanksgiving!

Gobble Gobble

Thanksgiving is just around the corner!!! And although the Holidays are a wonderful time to celebrate with friends and family, they can also add a bit of stress in the preparation process. So, here are some tips to help you prepare for a less chaotic Turkey-a-thon. Follow these steps to stay on top of your holiday game plan.

Saturday November 12
- Plan your menu - decide which items can be made ahead of time and frozen.
- Figure out what size turkey you'll need, and order it.
- Ask for ome of your guests to bring dishes so you don't have to do it all.


Saturday November 19
- Make your grocery lists. - Go shopping for ingredients and non-perishable items including drinks.

Sunday November 20
- Make pies, cakes, breads and freeze them


Monday November 21
- Start defrosting turkey.


Tuesday November 22
- Make any dips and sauces - these will keep for 5 days. - Make the stuffing or dressing - it keeps for three days in the fridge. - Shop for remaining food items such as salad greens


Wednesday November 23
- Set the table. - Chill beverages.
- Cut and prepare the vegetable and starch dishes. - Remove bread, pies, and desserts from freezer.
Thanksgiving day
- Cook the turkey. - Reheat the side dishes. - Take the turkey out of the oven, make the gravy.

Friday
- Check out www.chocolatemoussecatering.com for creative ways to spruce up leftovers.

Or save yourself the trouble and headaches let us do the cooking for you. Browse the menu below and choose your favorites and let us prepare your holiday feast.

Happy Eating,
Heather Casto
The Chocolate Mousse

Thanksgiving Menu
You Choose One Portion of:

Bourbon Roasted Turkey

Pot Roast

Honey Mustard Glazed Ham

You Choose One Portion of:

Roasted Autumn Vegetables

Brussel Sprout Medley

Honey Glazed Carrots

You Choose Two Portions of:

Garlic Herbed Mashed Potatoes

Cranberry & Onion Wild Rice Sweet Potato & Brie Gratin

Macaroni and Cheese

Sweet Potato Gratin

You Choose One portion of:

Butternut Squash & Sage Soup

Corn Chowder

Mixed Greens Salad


Included One Portion each:

Apple Chestnut Stuffing

Cranberry Orange Chutney

Dinner Roll

Slice Pumpkin Pie

Hurry! Orders need to be in by November 19th.

                                                                     Thanksgiving Menu
                                                                        $35 per person
                                            Customized and A La Carte Menus are Available.
Call for details.
845-518-6533

Thanksgiving Pies

Pumpkin Pie

$14.00



Country Apple Pie

$15.00

Pecan Pie

$17.00



Mudslide Pie

$16.00

*Place your specialty orders for just $2.00 extra

Hyde Park, New York 12538
845-518-6533
chocolatemoussecatering.com
Chefgirlhg@aol.com