25 days till Christmas, are you ready ?

With Christmas fast approaching you may have alot still to take care of. Making rooms for the In-laws to stay, checking allergy list for the cousin that can't have pecan pie and see who is still pretending to be on a diet this year and so on.The holidays can be stressful, but good Christmas planning can help you avoid the anxiety altogether.

1. The Food


CHRISTMAS DINNER: Call us ! Brick City at Wenona Avenue is the go to Caterer this Christmas. You have enough on your plate. Allow us to make it an event to remember with our professional staff, and and unrivaled food your guest will be talking about for years !

Contact Chef Al for your Christmas discount !

34 S.E Wenona Ave

Ocala, Fl 34471

Email: brickcitycatering@gmail.com

Phone: (352) 304-6446

website: http://www.brickcitycatering.net

Like us on Facebook:

http://www.facebook.com/BrickCityAtWenonaCatering

Christmas Mornings

Texas Toast; (cubed with crusts on)

1 8-oz packagecream cheese; cubed

8 EGGS

2 1/2 cupsHalf-and-half cream

6 tablespoonsbutter; melted

1/4 cupMulled Maple syup

Preparation
Grease a 13"x9" baking dish.

Place half the bread cubes on the bottom, then the cubed cream cheese and the remaining bread cubes.Beat together -- eggs, milk, melted butter, syrupPour egg mixture over all.Press down bread so all is covered with egg mixture. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate 2-24 hours. Bake at 325F. for 35-40 minutes (will stay warm in oven for a few hours)Serve with warm mulled maple syrup (strained).Mull the syrup by adding 2 heaping tablespoons of mulling spices to a cup of syrup and steep until the desired spicyness.

Notes

Mull the syrup by adding 2 heaping tablespoons of mulling spices to a cup of syrup and steep until the desired spicyness.

Pre-Meal

Black Pepper Biscuits

Ingredients

• 4 cups all-purpose flour
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 1 1/2 cups cold buttermilk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 2 tablespoons coarsely ground black pepper
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Directions

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F.

Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in the bowl of a food processor. Pulse twice to distribute the ingredients evenly. Scatter the butter over the top of the flour mixture and pulse 4 or 5 times or until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Add the buttermilk and pulse until the mixture just begins to come together.

Scrape the dough onto a lightly floured counter. Pat the dough into a 10 by 12-inch rectangle about 3/4-inch thick. Use a 3-inch round cutter to make 8 biscuits then place them on the prepared baking sheet. Press together the scraps of dough, and repeat process. Place the biscuits on 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper; brush the tops with cream and sprinkle with black pepper. Bake the biscuits for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush the tops with melted butter.

2. Christmas Budget

Coming up with a list of people to buy things for and a clear breakdown of your intended spending for each person is the best way to keep cost under control. It’s incredibly easy to get caught up in the holiday sale excitement and end up overspending. A good way to plan ahead is to have a holiday saving fund. It does not require you putting $5,000 in an account , if you start small at the beginning of the year by putting away $15 a week by the time Christmas comes around that's a cool $750-$795 available for your shopping !

3. Compare Prices

Don't wait till the last minute to find good prices. Some people are under the impression the closer they wait to shop the better the deals will be. But the truth is the best deals are available AFTER Christmas. So what can you do to find good prices ? Compare and shop, do the research, it can be done from the comfort of your home. Alot of site offer free shipping and delivery before Christmas. 

4. Stocking Stuffer's

Think outside the sock ! there are so many little gadgets out there that if you play it right a stocking stuffer can make a great gift ! Gift shopping for the extended family can be a chore when you don't know what they like, have, or want. Here are some great trinkets to make everyone happy:

Kids:
Ear-buds
Portable phone/mp3/iPod chargers
Music Gift cards
Anything Disney

Adults:
Winery Gift card
Certificate for free babysitting(Fav)
Show tickets
Cooking classes

5. Plan for Next Year

ENJOY THANKSGIVING WITH CATERING SERVICES BY BRICK CITY CATERING COMPANY IN OCALA FLORIDA

Enjoy a catered Thanksgiving Dinner from Brick City Catering

The Thanksgiving Holiday is a joyous time designed for friends and family to get together and celebrate the history of America and the joys living. The best way to show appreciation and give thanks to your employees, friends and family this year is with delicious Thanksgiving catering from Brick City Catering.

Brick City is your trusted corporate Thanksgiving caterer in Ocala and what better way to celebrate with your employees than a Thanksgiving meal before Thanksgiving or even on Thanksgiving day. Brick City catering makes a catered Thanksgiving dinner affordable with our Turkey & Glazed Ham Buffet which includes sliced turkey, ham, stuffing, mashed potatoes, vegetables, gravy, and homemade cranberry sauce.

Brick City Catering can also cater Thanksgiving at your home. Are you tired of all the time spent preparing the meal and then cooking all day long? What about the clean up at home for Thanksgiving? How does a delicious and juicy sliced Turkey with all the fixin’s delivered hot to your door this year sound? If you are planning a large home party with family this year, Brick City Catering is a great way to serve a delicious Thanksgiving dinner without the hassle and aggravation of cooking it yourself. Our catered dinner includes a traditional turkey meal with stuffing and mashed potatoes, vegetables or corn, and our homemade cranberry sauce. With service for 4 or more people this makes for the perfect family dinner without the wasted time spent on preparing the meal yourself. Enjoy the holiday with people you care for and let Brick City Catering take care of the food!

We have over 10 years experience as one of the premier caterers in Ocala Florida and our award winning staff are prepared to serve you and your guests for groups of 12 or more so contact us at (352) 304-6446 today or fill put our contact us form and we’ll get back to you right away!

Tis the season to get STUFFED !

Whats on the menu for this holiday ? Who will get the wishbone ? Or maybe you have a party to arrange and your feeling overwhelmed ? Let Brick City at Wenona Avenue Catering make it an event to remember ! Chef Al can prepare you a traditional Christmas dinner or you can spice things up like having

delicious pomegranate-glazed duck breast 

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon ground fennel
• 3 tablespoons coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1/2 teaspoon ground lavender
• Three 1- pound duck breast halves, trimmed of excess fat and scored
• Zest of 2 oranges
• 1/4 cup brandy
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• Pomegranate Glaze

Directions

1. In a small bowl, mix together fennel, salt, lavender, and coriander. Place duck breasts, skin up, in a large dish. Sprinkle evenly with the spice mixture. Flip breasts over and place the zest, brandy, and thyme evenly on the flesh; let marinate for 30 minutes.
2. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Place the duck breasts, skin side down, in a large ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Cook until the fat is rendered and the skin is crisp and thin, about 15 minutes.
3. Transfer breasts to oven and cook until pink in the center, about 4 minutes. Let duck rest for 2 minutes before slicing. Divide duck evenly among 4 serving plates and spoon over pomegranate glaze.

Edamame Dumplings

Bring a little Asian flavor to your winter menus with these simple edamame dumplings.

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup carrot, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 cups frozen shelled edamame, thawed
• 1 large egg white
• 1 1/2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 scallion, white part only, roughly chopped
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice-wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Sriracha sauce, (optional)
• 48 dumpling wrappers, cut into 2 3/4-inch rounds
• Cornstarch, for baking sheet
• 2 to 3 napa cabbage leaves or parchment rounds
• Ginger Dipping Sauce

Directions

1. Place carrot, edamame, egg white, ginger, sesame oil, scallion, salt, soy sauce, rice vinegar, lemon juice, and Sriracha sauce, if using, in the bowl of a food processor; process until smooth.
2. Place 1 dumpling wrapper on work surface and top with 1 teaspoon filling. Brush edges with water and press to seal, forming a half moon shape. Keep wrappers covered with a damp towel to avoid drying out. Repeat process until all wrappers have been filled. Place dumplings on a baking sheet dusted with cornstarch until ready to steam.
3. Fill a large saucepan or wok with 2 cups water; bring to a boil. Place cabbage leaves or parchment round in bottom of bamboo steamer. Place dumplings in steamer, working in batches if necessary, cover and steam until wrappers have softened and filling is cooked through, about 8 minutes.

Chestnuts in Soy Caramel

Everyone knows the song "Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire." This year, change the ingredients to chestnuts in soy caramel and Japanese eggplant to make the prefect holiday appetizer.

Ingredients

• 4 cups tightly packed dark-brown sugar
• 1/4 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 3 cups cooking sake
• 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 20 chestnuts
• Pinch of Maldon sea salt

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Place brown sugar and lemon juice in a large saucepan over medium-high heat, and cook, swirling occasionally, until darkened in color, about 10 minutes. Carefully add sake and soy sauce. Cook until thickened and syrupy, about 30 minutes.
3. Slit the skin of each chestnut with a large "X" to allow steam to escape as they cook. Spread 5 nuts evenly on a small baking sheet. Transfer to over and roast 15 minutes. Peel chestnuts immediately after roasting; cut in half and set aside. Repeat process with remaining chestnuts.
4. Line a nabe (a clay or cast iron Japanese pot) or a cast-iron skillet with an even layer of small, clean stones. Heat stones in oven until very hot, 5 to 10 minutes.
5. In a medium skillet, combine chestnuts and 6 tablespoons soy mixture. Cook until heated through. Remaining soy caramel may be refrigerated in an airtight container for another use, up to 2 weeks. Remove nabe from oven and spoon glazed chestnuts over heated stones. Serve immediately.

It's Fall the season of comfort food.

Fall has finally arrived. It's comfort season , where everything and everyone slows the pace down and goes with the flow. We prepare food to fit the season, meals that stick to your bones. Heavy food with thick sauces, lots of carbs and if we are luck lots of cheese! Here are some options to keep in mind this fall.

Sausage-and-Vegetable Stew

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 large red onion, diced
• 4 cloves garlic, smashed
• 1 tablespoon paprika, plus more for garnish
• Kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 6 ounces kielbasa, cut into small chunks
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 2 parsnips, peeled and cut into large chunks
• 14 ounces small red-skinned or new potatoes (6 to 8), quartered
• 1 tablespoon cider vinegar
• Freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 cup fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup sour cream
• Crusty bread, for serving

Directions

Heat the olive oil in a Dutch oven or heavy pot over medium heat. Add the onion and garlic; cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and glistening, about 6 minutes. Add the paprika and 1 teaspoon salt; cook until the oil turns deep red, about 1 minute. Add the flour and cook until just toasted, 30 more seconds. Immediately whisk in 4 cups water. Add the kielbasa, carrots, parsnips, potatoes and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt.

Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce to a simmer; cover and cook until the vegetables are tender and the broth has thickened, about 20 minutes. Add the vinegar and season with pepper.

Combine about half of the parsley with the sour cream in a small bowl and season with salt and pepper. Ladle the stew into bowls; top with the remaining parsley, a dollop of herbed sour cream and a sprinkle of paprika. Serve with bread.

Photograph by Antonis Achilleos

Chicken and Herbed Dumplings

Ingredients

For the broth:

• 1 large roasting chicken, about 5 pounds, back removed and cut into 8 pieces
• 2 sweet onions, such as Vidalia or Walla Walla, coarsely chopped
• 6 cups chicken broth or water
• 2 bay leaves
• 1 1/2 teaspoons salt

For the dumplings:

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup minced fresh soft herbs, such as parsley, tarragon, andgreen onion tops
• 4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup plus 3 tablespoons milk

For the sauce:

• 7 tablespoons butter
• 10 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup dry white wine
• 2 teaspoons Essence, recipe follows
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 3 ribs celery, cut into 1/2-inch pieces on the diagonal
• 4 carrots, peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces on the diagonal
• 1 large onion, cut into 1-inch pieces
• 1/4 cup heavy cream or milk
• 1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves

Directions

Cut chicken backs, necks and wing tips into 1-inch pieces. In a large pot, combine the chicken pieces,onions, chicken broth or water, bay leaves and salt. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer, partially covered, until the chicken is tender, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove the chicken pieces and set aside. Discard the chicken backs, necks, and wing tips. When the chicken pieces have cooled, remove the meat from the bones in chunks and set aside. Discard the skin and bones. Strain the broth and discard solids. Using a spoon, skim the fat from the surface of the broth and discard fat. Set broth aside.

Prepare the dumplings: In a medium bowl, mix the flour, herbs, baking powder, and salt together. In a small saucepan over low heat, bring the butter and milk to a simmer. Add the butter and milk mixture to the dry ingredients, stirring with a fork until the mixture just comes together. Drop batter by spoonfuls onto a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Refrigerate until ready to use.

In a Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, until golden-brown, 3 to 4 minutes. When golden brown, whisk in the wine, reserved chicken broth, Essence, and thyme. Cook until sauce has thickened, about 5 minutes, then add the celery, carrots, and onion. Cook until the vegetables are tender-crisp, about 15 minutes. Add the reserved chicken meat, heavy cream or milk, and peas. Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste. Place the dumplings on top of the chicken mixture. Cover and simmer until the dumplings are cooked through, about 15 minutes. Serve in large soup bowls, garnished with the parsley.

Creole Seasoning (also referred to as Bayou Blast):

2 1/2 tablespoons paprika

• 2 tablespoons salt
• 2 tablespoons garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon onion powder
• 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
• 1 tablespoon dried oregano
• 1 tablespoon dried thyme

Combine all ingredients thoroughly.

Yield: 2/3 cup

HAVE A HAPPY HALLOWEEN PARTY WITH BRICK CITY CATERING COMPANY IN OCALA

Unlike weddings, Christmas parties, bat mitzvahs and other events, Halloween parties are anything but serious. The best way to cater a Halloween party is to have a little fun while you do it. We have some great ideas you can use to make your upcoming Halloween event a spooky good time and an unforgettable occasion.

 

Brick City Catering can provide themed Halloween catering to make your home, office or venue party a real fun time. We can provide decorations such as cobwebs, fog machines, strobe lights, and other Halloween décor essentials. Orange and black linens are a fun way to add extra Halloween feel, while carved pumpkins and different lighting schemes can keep the mood scary.

 

Don’t spend your Halloween party cleaning up the food and straightening up after guests, let us do it. Our professionally trained staff are there to make sure the food is replenished and tables and surfaces are kept clean so you can enjoy your Halloween party without all the hassle. Another fun part of Halloween catering is that there is no certain food that that your have to choose, it can be anything that you like.Try our delicious fried or baked chicken, Italian beef, Italian sausage or our lasagna served four different ways.

 

Our seasonal menus such as the Oktoberfest with Bratwurst and sauerkraut, herb roasted chicken, German potato salad, and corn cobbettes w/butter would be great too.Don’t forget the sweets and desserts. Pumpkin pie, candy, cookies and brownies are great way to keep your guests smiling at your Halloween catering event.