When the weather is 70 and sunny, we forecast hot coals in our future. Firing up the grill creates a world of possibilities for flavorful eats. While we’ll gnaw on any perfectly charred piece of BBQ, we prefer to enhance our grill grub with fresh made seasonings that pack a big punch. So chuck that store-bought sauce off your porch and learn how to boost your BBQ with these simple DIY grilling tips.

Lighten your side dishes with a tangy vinaigrette. 

There’s a handful of reasons to support swapping mayonaise dressings with a tangy vinaigrette for sides like slaws and potato salads: it’s healthier, it’s more food safe at room temperature, and it’s easy! Just think of it as a blank canvas for balancing tart acids like rice vinegar or fresh squeezed lemon juice with spicy ingredients like diced jalapeno or grated horseradish and sweet notes like roasted cherries or honey.

Get a fresh, fiery flavor by making your own spice rubs.

Since smoke and spice were made for each other, don’t disappoint your grill with bland pre-mixed seasonings. Roasting dried peppers in a low heat oven will intensify their flavor, adding a fresh, bold kick to any dish.

Start with whole dried peppers like guajillo, ancho or pasilla (you can find them at Lucky supermarkets or most Mexican grocery stores) and give them a quick rinse so they rehydrate just a bit — this makes them easier to work with. Remove the stems and seeds and then toast your chiles on a baking sheet in a 250–300 degree oven until they become brittle (about 5–7 minutes). Once they cool down, grind them into flakes with a motar and pestle or in a food processor for a more fine finish. Sprinkle it over a thick steak or cubed tofu as a traditional rub or mix it with lime zest and toss it on top of juicy mango or pineapple.

Elevate the juices with a basic brine. 

Brining meat is most definitely a science, but don’t be intimidated: this extra prep step will keep your leaner cuts of meat moist by actually adding more liquid to the meat (like I said…science!).  Brining is a long process — we recommend a good 12 hours of alone time for small cuts like chicken breast or 24 hours for whole chicken or pork loin — so be sure to begin brining a day before the big BBQ.  

Combine 1/2 gallon of water with 1 cup of Kosher salt and 1/2 cup of sugar in a large pan and heat until the salt and sugar have dissolved. Add seasonings like lemon zest, smashed garlic cloves and herbs then remove from heat to cool. The brine must be cold to use, so add about 2 lbs of ice to the pot to bring the temperature down.

Place your meat in a large ziploc bag and transfer the cold liquid to it (keep it in a pot to catch any escaping juices) and allow brine to distribute for 12–24 hours depending on the size of your meat (longer isn’t better — over brining will result in salty meat). Before you toss it on the grill, be sure to pat the meat dry to ensure a crisp golden brown coating.

How do you boost your BBQ? Share your steps below!

Colors: Rich colors define Art Deco style. Go for creams and whites accented by turquoise and sapphire green for a daytime soiree and deep burgundy, gold and black for night.

Textures: Complementary textures and geometric patterns create a lush atmosphere. While soft feathers help to balance harsh feel of angular symmetry, ornately patterned plates placed on top of a dramatic print will amp up the opulence.

Shape: Straight lines are the backbone of Art Deco boldness. Thin stemmed wine glasses are a delicate contrast to architectural silverware and thick marquee fonts beckon bow-tied misters and finger-waved gals to take their seats at the table.

How do you incorporate your favorite element of Art Deco design into your own Gatsby-themed event?

Spark & Hustle founder Tory Jonson with Rebecca; Rebecca and Rustic Cuff founder Jill Donovan speaking on stage at Spark & Hustle SF

The small business-focused networking event Spark & Hustle ended on Tuesday with a stage full of female entrepreneurs shouting an empowering cheer: “I am clear! … I am confident!” This rousing chorus embodies the philosophy behind Spark & Hustle, which aims to help entrepreneurs take the next steps toward success with guidance from business experts. Speakers on the 2013 Spark & Hustle tour have included food and hospitality industry powerhouses like Melissa Lanz, co-owner the Fresh 20 and Family Food Summit, Elizabeth Harrison Cooper, co-owner of CRAVE Cupcakes, and Rebecca Jean Catering & Events’ own Rebecca Jean Alonzi. Sharing the Spark & Hustle San Francisco stage with Rustic Cuff’s stylish owner Jill Donovan, Rebecca revealed the sales strategies that helped propel the rapid growth of her nearly five year old company. We tweeted Rebecca’s most helpful tips from the conference floor and chose our favorites from the stream to share:

Founder Tory Johnson and the Spark & Hustle crew are tweeting from every tour stop as the program makes its way to the East Coast. Follow the stream at #SparkandHustle and be sure to register for the tour on its remaining dates:

Seattle 4/22 – 23
Washington DC 4/29 – 30
Chicago 5/6 – 7
Minneapolis  5/13 – 14
Detroit 5/20 – 21
Atlanta 6/10 – 11
Boston 6/24 – 25
New York 7/8 – 9

Rebecca’s passionate drive and industry savvy has propelled her company from start-up success to established contendor, and now has lead her to being a featured speaker at Spark & Hustle on Tuesday, April 16. The touring program is tailored to help female entrepreneurs build business and create marketing strategies with guidance from expert ‘hustlers’ like program founder and Good Morning America contributor Tory Johnson. Tory will be leading the Sales for Small Business Success panel featuring Rebecca and Jill Donovan, owner and designer of Rustic Cuff, who will be discussing sales philosophies, tactics and more. Sit in on this exclusive discussion for tips that only a pro could give!  

Register for San Francisco Spark & Hustle
Monday, April 15 — Tuesday, April 16
South San Francisco Convention Center

Sales for Small Business Success 
Tuesday, April 16 1:50PM-3PM

Now that you’ve exhausted your Pinterest account with boards upon boards of wedding planning inspiration, turn those internet ideas into real life plans with top Bay Area vendor’s at the wedding pop-up event Locally Grown Love on Sunday, March 10. (Purchase your tickets here!)

A must-attend for all couples-to-be, this showcase held at Studio Trilogy in downtown SF will feature local products and services handpicked by the team behind Locally Grown Weddings & Events, who specialize in sustainable practices.

Among the top Bay Area artisans, Rebecca Jean Catering will be serving a delicious selection of seasonal hors d’oeuvres in the Tasting Room from 1 p.m. till 2p.m. Stop by for these chef-crafted bites and drink pairings from Chacewater Winery, Santa Cruz Mountains Winegrowers, and Red Branch Cider Company. We can’t wait to see you there!

 ~

 Locally Grown Love

A Pop-Up To Celebrate Celebrations & Weddings

Sunday, March 10 from 1p.m.-6p.m.

at Studio Trilogy, Bryant between 9th & 10th

Rebecca Jean Catering in the Tasting Room from 1 p.m. till 2 p.m.

~ 

Get your tickets to Locally Grown Love here!

Then RSVP to the Event on Facebook!

And be sure to enter the Capsule Photo Contest on Instagram with #LGLUV

photos: Maria del Rio for Refinery29

We showed you how to get crafty in our Refinery29 photo feature on throwing a Do-It-Yourself Valentine’s Day dinner party. Now learn how to replicate the same spectacular buffet dishes you saw in the story with our recipes below! Even though Valentine’s Day is just a few days away, it’s totally manageable to execute this menu for the big night: the ingredients are seasonal and the recipes are scaled to be prepared in a home kitchen. Make DIY a new Valentine’s tradition with this simple yet stunning home-made meal.

Because we threw a dinner party, these recipes serve roughly 6–8 guests.

Winter Citrus & White Wine Sangria

Ingredients:
2 blood oranges, sliced thin and seeds removed
2 oranges, sliced thin and seeds removed
1/2 cup kumquats, sliced into thin rounds
1 bunch mint, leaves picked from the stems
2 bottles sauvignon blanc
4 cups ice
_

1)  Combine all ingredients in large punch bowl then let sit in fridge for at least 4 hours before serving.
2) Add ice to taste and serve.

Green Goddess Avocado Dip for Crudites

Gluten-Free, substitute pureed tofu to make Vegan and Dairy-Free

Ingredients:
1 shallot, diced small
2 ripe avocados, peeled, pitted and chopped
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup herbs, chopped (parsley, chives, chervil, and/or tarragon)
Zest and Juice of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
_

1) In a medium bowl, combine diced shallots, lemon juice and zest, and a pinch of salt.
2) Add the remaining ingredients and mash with a whisk for a chunky consistency, or add all ingredients into a blender and lightly blend if you prefer a smoother texture.
3) Season to taste with salt and additional lemon juice if necessary.

Stuffed Dates

Gluten-Free, remove bacon jam to make Vegetarian

Ingredients:
2 dates, cut in half lengthwise and pit removed
4 oz Gorgonzola cheese
6 strips bacon, chopped into small ‘bits’
1/2 red onion, sliced thin
1 tbsp thyme, chopped
2 celery stalks (including the leaves)
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
_

1) Make the bacon jam: Add chopped bacon to a medium pan and cook over low heat until all of the fat is rendered and the bacon is crispy. Remove cooked bacon bits from the pan and set aside on a paper-towel lined plate, then drain the bacon fat from the pan into a small bowl and set aside.
2) Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved bacon fat back into the pan over medium-low until heat. Add the onion and cook until it is deeply caramelized, about 30–45 minutes. Then add bacon bits, chopped thyme, cider vinegar and brown sugar. Cook for an additional 10 minutes until thick and sticky. Set aside to cool.
2) Prep the celery garnish: Pick the celery leaves from the celery stalks and set aside. Slice the celery stalk on the bias (basically at a 45 degree angle, just not straight across) into 1/4 inch strips.
3)  Assemble the dates: Spoon a tiny dollop of bacon jam into the date. Top with a crumble of blue cheese, a slice of celery, and a celery leaf. 

Quinoa Salad with Arugula & Roasted Grapes

Gluten-Free, serve nuts and goat cheese on the side for other allergen sensitivities

Ingredients:
1 cup dry quinoa
2 cups arugula, washed
1/2 cup pistachios,  toasted and chopped
1 cup red grapes, de-vined
1/2 cup goat cheese, crumbled
1 shallot, minced
1/4 cup sherry vinegar
Roughly 1/2 cup olive oil, (for divided use)
Salt to taste
_

1) Cook the quinoa: Rinse quinoa well in a strainer — this will prevent it from tasting grassy. Then combine rinsed quinoa in a pot with 1 and 1/2 cups of water and a pinch of salt. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer and cook for 15–20 minutes until the quinoa is tender. The length of cooking time will depend on the color of quinoa you are cooking (white cooks faster than red) and the exact shape of your pot/heat of your stove. When quinoa is cooked, dump out onto a sheet tray to cool and toss with 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
2) Roast the grapes: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees F. Toss the grapes on a sheet tray with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, a pinch of salt and pinch of pepper. Roast for 5–8 minutes until the grapes darken in color but still have some texture.
3) Make the vinaigrette:  In the bowl that you will assemble the salad, combine minced shallot and sherry vinegar with a pinch of salt. Let sit for 5–10 minutes, then whisk in the remaining olive oil.
4) Add the quinoa, toasted pistachios, roasted grapes, and arugula to the vinaigrette and toss to combine. Taste, then season with more salt, oil, or vinegar as necessary.
5) Add crumbled goat cheese last and gently toss to prevent over crumbling.

Cauliflower ‘Steaks’

Vegan and Gluten-Free, serve nuts on the side for other allergen sensitivities

Ingredients:
2 heads of cauliflower (look for colors like purple, green and yellow ‘cheddar,’ but white cauliflower is fine too)
2 tbsp olive oil
1/2 cup hazelnuts, toasted and chopped
1/2 cup parsley, chopped
Zest of 1 lemon
Salt to taste
_

1) Cut the cauliflower into ‘steaks’ that are about 1 and 1/2 inches thick. You will only get about 2 ‘steaks’ per head of cauliflower, so reserve florets that do not stay in tact in a bowl and set aside.
2) Preheat a large sauté pan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add 2 ‘steaks’ of cauliflower at a time. Cook for about 10 minutes per side, carefully monitoring the temperature so that the cauliflower will cook through and caramelize but does not burn. Continue working in batches until all ‘steaks’ are cooked.
3) Roast the reserved florets in the same manner as above until tender and golden brown.
4) Platter the florets first then place ‘steaks’ across the top. Garnish with lemon zest, chopped parsley, chopped hazelnuts, and finishing salt.

Are you cooking at home this Valentine’s Day? What dishes are you making for your loved ones? Tell us in the comments below!

Just two months into the new year, Rebecca Jean Catering has much to celebrate: the acquisition of highly-regarded catering company, many exciting events already in the works (both on land and on sea!), and now, a redesigned website that we’re thrilled to unveil today!

The new rebeccajeancatering.com accurately reflects our seamless, elegant and modern approach toward event planning and catering. But the natural color palate and effortless flow of content merely scratch the surface of what we love about the new design. We’ve also integrated features that allow you to have a more personal experience with Rebecca Jean Catering that include:

- A curated gallery. We’ve collected our most vibrant photographs of food and decor from recent events to share as a portfolio, a memory book, and a source of inspiration. Our gallery will be updated moderately, so for regularly updated photographs (and info), be sure to follow our Facebook, Instagram and blog.

- Interactive features. Like you, we love pinning photos and posting new discoveries online, so we’ve made it simple for you do the same on our new website! Our menus, photographs, and blog posts are only one click away from being shared with friends on Facebook, twitter, Pinterest and more.

- Integrated social media. Just click any of the stylized icons on the bottom navigation bar to connect with us on LinkedIn, see our 5-star rating on Yelp, and more. We’re now also featuring your photos of our food and events on our Daily Dining page — a section of the website made exclusively for our current regular meal clients! Be sure to tag your best twitpics or Instagram snapshots with #rjcdailydining for it to synch with our feed.

Happy navigating, from Rebecca Jean Catering

We’re excited to hear your thoughts on our re-design! Tell us below what your favorite new features are!

We’ve grabbed bags of this trendy snack off the shelves to chomp on, but have always had a problem with added flavor like Ranch or Mustard and Tarragon, which sounds tasty but masks any evidence of freshness. Continually unimpressed, we decided to write our own recipe that would guarantee a light and crisp kale chip. We especially love that this DIY approach allows you to flexibly portion your kale — separate your bunch in half, bake one portion and use the other raw in salads (try with red onions, sliced apple, avocado, and a lime vinaigrette) or steamed as a side or stirred into a garlic mash.

ex.libris / Food Photos / CC BY-NC-ND

Healthy Honey Kale Chips by Rebecca Jean Catering

Prep Time: 10 Minutes
Cook Time: 10 Minutes
Serves 6

Ingredients:
1 bunch kale (curly, Russian, or dino kale)
–
whisk together
1/2 cup olive oil
1/3 cup honey
1 tbsp Kosher salt
–

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a heavy baking sheet with parchment paper (don’t use wax paper).

2) Using your hands, tear the spine from the kale and rip into bite size pieces (not too small — the kale will shrink by 1/3 in the oven) Wash and thoroughly dry kale with a kitchen towel.

3) In a large bowl, drizzle kale with olive oil, honey, and salt mixture. Mix together with your hands to coat each piece evenly. Taste to assure a proper balance of salty and sweet — add more salt, oil, or honey to taste, if necessary.

4) Spread coated kale in a single layer on the baking sheet — this is crucial:  If your kale chips overlap, they won’t bake properly. Use a second baking sheet if needed.

5) Put kale in the oven and bake until the edges brown but are not burnt, 10 to 15 minutes, depending on moisture level. Turn over kale every 3–5 minutes to cook evenly. Remove chips that brown more quickly.

6) When fully baked, allow to cool approximately 3 minutes and remove carefully from baking sheet to avoid sticking.

What’s your favorite healthy snack? Let us know in the comments below!