Rachel Jacobs Personal Chef & Caterer

My favorite dinner party menus

2009-02-25T16:00:00.000-08:00

casual fall get together:

butternut squash soup, macaroni & cheese, stuffed provencal tomatoes & sauteed broccolini

keeping it light:

miso scallops, soba noodles with stir fried veggies & tofu & steamed broccoli

so easy:

cornmeal crust pizzas with goat cheese, pesto & caramelized onions served with a big salad

hearty vegetarian meal for special friends:

gordon hammersly's roasted vegetable casserole with garlic crumble crust & salad

dinner for the girls (the whole meal came from nigella lawson):

badenjan dip, red kidney bean dip, aromatic meatballs, green fatoush salad, lots of wine

mother's day lunch for family & friends:

herb roasted shrimp with mango salsa, italian bread & tomato salad, roasted asparagus, fava beans with parmesan

new year's brunch:

cheese & fruit tray, dungeness crab cakes, roasted fingerling potatoes, micro greens with grapefruit & avocado, fruit platter & prosecco

elegant holiday dinner:

beef tenderloin, the ultimate potato gratin, french green beans & roasted cherry tomatoes, salad with french vinaigrette

My catering menu for this weekend

2009-02-25T15:47:00.000-08:00

I'm catering a 35 person party this weekend, and am excited to make some fabulous food:

crudite with roasted red pepper dip

cowgirl creamery cheese & fruit platter

beef tenderloin with roasted shallot port sauce

coq au vin

baked shrimp scampi

moroccan couscous

creamy garlic mashed potatoes

parmesan roasted broccoli with pine nuts & roasted garlic

mixed greens with french vinaigrette

caesar salad with my homemade creamy dressing & baked croutons

Let me make healthy meals for you

2009-02-19T11:19:00.000-08:00

Like most people, you'd probably like to make better food choices during your day. It takes a lot of time to shop, cook & prepare healthy food. Just making a salad can take 30 minutes - washing the greens, peeling & slicing carrots & cucumbers, chopping tomatoes, slicing peppers, etc. Imagine coming home to a fridge full of healthy & delicious meals customized for you & your family. Would you like to incorporate more whole grains, more soy products & more leafy green vegetables into your diet? I can help you with this. Maybe you'd like to start a new diet, but need someone to help you get it going, and keep you on track. I know what this is like. I am currently on a no-gluten, no dairy, no sugar diet. If I don't prepare my food in advance, I won't stick to my eating plan. It's so easy to open a box of crackers & dip them into some creamy cheese when you get home after a busy day. Preparing healthy food takes time - time you may not have. Let me cook for you.

If you would like to start the Fat Flush, the Zone, Weight Watchers, South Beach or any other diet, we can work together to get you started. If you would like to just eat healthier, but lack the time & energy to make this change, I can help you by preparing your food. Some of my clients have lost weight & maintained their weight loss because they find that it's so much easier to stick to a diet when it's all prepared for them. How do you think Oprah does it????

Just because it's healthy doesn't mean it doesn't have to taste great!

My homage to Ina Garten

2009-02-19T10:44:00.000-08:00

ina garten is my all-time favorite chef. i love her style - the way she cooks, the ingredients she uses, the simplicity of it all - she really speaks to me. it doesn't hurt that she has a fabulous house in the hamptons & fabulous friends with fabulous taste & the cutest husband, her darling jeffrey. i have all six of her cookbooks, but my favorite is her newest, back to basics, which is really out of this world. i've made several dishes from it thus far, and have catered two parties almost exclusively from basics. what i love about her recipes is how simple they are. she takes the best ingredients & lets them speak for themselves. she'll turn an old classic like shrimp scampi, and come up with a new way to do it that's so refreshing & so tasty. see what her baked shrimp scampi is all about.

here are some more of my faves from back to basics:

roasted shrimp cocktail

ham & cheese puff pastry

vinaigrette for green salad

italian wedding soup

tomato & goat cheese tarts

cheddar dill cornbread

easy sticky buns

brownie pudding

Catering Menu

2009-02-15T18:02:00.000-08:00

appetizers:

goat cheese & tomato tart

roasted shrimp cocktail with spicy sauce

herb roasted shrimp with mango salsa

tuna tartare with water crackers

crab cakes with remoulade sauce

brushetta with peppers & gorgonzola

cowgirl creamery cheese platter with fruit

smoked salmon spread with crostini

mini quiches - with caramelized onion, roasted red pepper & fontina

crudite platter with roasted red pepper dip

creamy artichoke dip with pita chips

7 layer dip with tortilla chips

pan fried onion dip with sweet potato chips

fresh guacamole & salsa with tortilla chips

salads:

roasted butternut squash salad

mixed greens with goat cheese, cranberries, candied pecans & raspberry vinaigrette

caesar salad with homemade croutons & creamy dressing

arugula with roasted pears, blue cheese & pecans

cape cod chopped salad - arugula, apple, bacon, cranberries & walnuts

endive, pear & roquefort salad

avocado & grapefruit salad with micro greens

boston lettuce with green goddess dressing

tomatoes with blue cheese dressing

tomato feta salad

panzanella - italian bread & tomato salad with homemade croutons

salmon nicoise salad platter

entrees:

beef tenderloin - with roasted shallot sauce or gorgonzola sauce

elegant pot roast

baked shrimp scampi - with herb butter bread crumbs

chicken with 40 cloves of garlic

coq au vin

beef bourgignon

chicken marbella - with prunes, capers, olives & white wine

chicken bouillabaisse

parmesan crusted chicken (great for kids)

scallop gratin - with prosciutto & crumbs

salmon with lentils & parsley pesto

asian salmon

roasted herb shrimp with mango salsa

my mother's famous brisket

baked virginia ham with mango chutney

roasted root vegetable casserole - with garlic crumble crust

5 cheese penne

macaroni & cheese - with pancetta

butternut squash lasagne

lasagne bolognese

wild mushroom lasagne

roasted shrimp with orzo

sides:

maple roasted butternut squash

moroccan couscous - with almonds, currants & parsley

orzo - with caramelized onions, feta, & toasted almonds

garlic mashed potatoes

the ultimate potato gratin

spinach gratin

zucchini gratin

cauliflower gratin

provencal stuffed tomatoes

tomato rice pilaf

french green beans with roasted cherry tomatoes

platter of assorted roasted veggies - asparagus, green beans, mushrooms, shallots, peppers

sandwiches:

roasted red pepper & goat cheese on ciabatta

tomato, mozzarella & pesto panini

smoked salmon & egg salad tartine

ham, brie & honey mustard on walnut bread

avocado, bacon, lettuce & tomato

brunch:

baked french toast

frittata with bacon, roasted potatoes, caramelized onions & fontina

assorted quiches

chili cheese casserole

old fashioned sour cream coffee cake

blueberry muffins

bacon & sausage platter

composed fruit salad

bagels, cream cheese, salmon & vegetable platter

desserts:

fruit crisps

pecan squares

7 layer bars

brownies

lemon bars

sheet cake

cupcakes

Personal Chef Menu

2009-02-15T10:40:00.000-08:00

polenta casserole with chicken sausage, tomatoes & fontina cheese

polenta casserole with sauteed veggies & goat cheese

frittata with roasted potatoes, caramelized onions, spinach & cheese

spinach & boursin cheese quiche

pancetta, fontina & arugula quiche

caramelized onion & monterey jack quiche

black bean, swiss chard & cheese enchiladas

turkey (or beef) & black bean chili casserole with scallion & cheese cornbread crust

turkey (or beef) meatballs in white wine sauce with mashed potatoes

shepherd's pie (with beef, turkey, lamb or ground soy) & mashed potato topping

picadillo shepherd's pie with sweet potato topping (has olives, currants & almonds)

rachel's famous meatloaf with mashed potatoes & caramelized onions

meatloaf with bacon & red pepper relish & cheesy orzo

meatloaf patties with smashed potatoes & chives

lamb or pumpkin kibbeh casserole

mughlai chicken with basmati rice (creamy curry sauce, currants & almonds)

chicken picatta with pasta

chicken marsala with pasta

chicken marbella with parsley rice

chicken with creamy caramelized onion sauce

chicken, white bean & chicken sausage casserole with crumb crust

creamy chicken & wild rice casserole with vegetables

sopa seca - mexican noodle casserole with chicken and/or black beans

chicken with boursin cheese, mushroom & broccoli with pasta

arroz con pollo with chicken sausage

chicken or veggie pot pie with pastry crust

chicken with figs & pancetta & crispy gnocchi

creamy chicken & spinach enchiladas

chicken, roasted corn & caramelized onion enchiladas (can be vegetarian with beans)

creamy chicken, spinach, orzo & sundried tomato casserole

basil chicken hash

chicken fajitas with homemade salsa & guacamole (tortillas on the side)

roast chicken with sausage, potatoes & onions

pork roast with apples, vegetables & cider sauce

mahogany beef stew (red wine & hoisin sauce)

beef bourgignon (bacon, mushrooms & red wine)

asian turkey burgers with peanut sesame noodles

asian salmon with curried couscous

miso fish with asian noodles & stir fried veggies

salmon or fish croquettes with mashed potatoes

shrimp scampi with orzo & broccoli

baked shrimp scampi with buttered herb bread crumbs

shrimp & wild rice casserole

macaroni & cheese with pancetta or bacon

lasagne bolognese with bechamel sauce

wild mushroom lasagne

butternut squash lasagne

penne with five cheeses

chickpea & corn veggie burgers & orzo salad

black bean burgers & couscous salad

vegetarian barley casserole with sundried tomatoes & pesto

creamy squash casserole with yellow squash & zucchini, leeks & garlic

tomato, chard & zucchini gratin

the ultimate potato gratin

butternut squash & rice soup

turkey meatball, chard & orzo soup

curried butternut squash & apple soup

curried cauliflower soup

corn chowder

pea soup with pancetta

lentil soup with sausage

smoked salmon chowder

tortilla chicken soup

creamy tomato & basil soup

pureed french onion soup

chicken, vegetable & rice soup

potato & leek soup

cream of broccoli & spinach soup

black bean soup

carrot ginger soup

I'm a personal chef & caterer

2009-02-15T09:17:00.001-08:00

I'm a personal chef & caterer, and a graduate of the Cambridge School of Culinary Arts. I've been preparing delicious & healthy meals for busy families & professionals since 1998 in both Boston & San Francisco. I have developed a line of gourmet meat & vegetarian casseroles that are ready to eat or store in the freezer. They're perfect for out-of-town guests, dinner parties or weeknight meals. They are made with all natural fresh ingredients, and will melt in your mouth. They're also the perfect gift for friends in need. Nothing makes you feel better than coming home to a fridge or freezer full of delicious homemade food prepared just for you.