Yesterday I cooked some food for an event for Josh's mom. I hate to say catering, because I'm not a caterer, but that is what I did. I had invaluable help from Paula my wedding dress maker extraordinaire.
It feels really nice that my cooking was trusted enough to pull this off, so thank you (kamala and jack) for that. I love to cook and felt inspired after watching Lori our wedding caterer pull off many events. She has limitless energy.
This whole process was hard, yet rewarding and always finding a correlation I couldn't help but feel the effects of achieving a goal. When I was first asked to cater, I made a menu:
- Slow roasted beef with mushrooms, onion and garlic
- lemon and herb roasted chicken
- roasted potatoes with pesto sauce
- tabbouleh salad made with whole wheat french couscous
- fruit spread
- vegetable tray with homemade creamy garlic dip
- mixed greens with vinaigrette a balsamic and Dijon mustard dressing
- artisan bread
- brie with raspberry jam, grapes and crackers
- goat cheese with fruit and crackers
- caprese salad
- phyllo tarts filled with sweetened vanilla cream cheese, topped with berries and sprinkled with lime zest
- key lime cream tarts with graham cracker crust, sprinkled with lime zest and topped with sweet cherries
- chocolate mousse cups with European ginger crackers
- I did not make the peach crisp or goat cheese pesto stuffed tomatoes like I had planned.
Then I put together a binder and dedicated sections for the menu, schedule, check lists, shopping list, recipes and inspirational ideas for the table and food displays.
First thing in the morning I went to the store to buy local chickens and got right to the schedule. It was hard work, and some things had to be improvised, other things had to be let go, but I could not have been happier with the results. The process was not perfect and there were a lot of things I could have done better, but there was no alternative other than to keep going.
I started thinking about weight loss and sticking with goals. Yesterday when I hit a road block, I didn't give up. I was consistent, I stayed on schedule and I kept going until I reached my goal. I had support along the way, I asked for help and checked tasks off as I went along.
This is stuff that I never do with weight loss. When I hit a bump, I let it set me back. When it gets too hard, or something unexpected happens, I give up. When I need support, I rarely ask for it. I don't stay focused, determined to meet my goals.
Finishing something, anything, like catering is really beneficial to me. Completing something that I started and reaching a goal to the best of my abilities makes me realize that yes I can make anything happen if I put my mind to it and invest my energy. Though my weight is going down and I'm in the lower 260's now, I really took a lot away from this process.
When people asked me why in the world I would want to cater yesterday, all I could say was "it is a learning experience" and that it was.
I will say that catering is also good for losing weight, at least for me. I had no desire to eat although I was around food all day, something about cooking and doing physically hard work makes me not hungry. Taking the time to prepare food, good food, makes it more than just something I would want to overeat.
Here are some photos, they are a little blurry as I quickly snapped them after set-up before guests arrived.
(this is paula, my partner in crime)
I'm ready for my next "catering" gig!
Wow! It looks beautiful! Did you go to culinary school at all, or is this all self taught? I love to cook and I’m very comfortable cooking for 4 or 6 servings but anything over that & I get a little anxious. Also, I’m sticking to basic meat & vegetable dinners - nothing multi-course like that. But there are times where I think, if I had the time & unlimited funds, I’d kind of like to go to cooking school:)
thank you mary! no, i went to art school
I just recently did something similar, helping a friend cook for a gathering. It really is quite an experience and it really does teach you that some of the best things really cant be done completely on your own, you do need a support team.
Focusing on life in the same manner is usually harder, since our egos get in the way. Especially with weight loss, we all have egos. I’m learning to lead with my spirit instead of my ego, its much more enjoyable that way
Wow! I’m so impressed, not only by the food you made, but the process you used to get it all together.
And I love the analogy to weight loss, and finishing something. When I was on my 150 pound journey, finishing was of vital importance, as I had never finished the weight loss part before, no matter how hard I tried.
Great post!
omg - everything looks so delicious and beautiful.
good job!
oxo.
Lorrie, you all did an awesome job! The tables and food look so good, no wonder there weren’t any leftovers! I loved how you used tomatoes on the table and lemons in the salad bowl. And the flowers were beautiful! That was a great picture of Paula too, I love her hair. She is the best! So does this mean I can turn over the holiday cooking to you?? How did I have such a creative daughter.
Love Ya
Mom
WOW girl!!! That all looks absolutely AMAZING!!! I could never do that… I have a hard enough time getting dinner on the table on time for 6 each night… LOL!! Fabulous job!
WOW! BEautiful Spread!!! Looks so inviting, delicious, healthy, and colorful! I would Pay for that kind of spread!! So Talented, Lorrie!
For serious. I wish you lived here. You could totally cater my wedding next year!
That is a gorgeous spread!!!
Great job Lorrie! The food looks delish and pretty! I can cook, but for the most part I don’t enjoy it. Usually b/c unlike you, I want to eat what I cook and I don’t pay attention to the portions like I should. I just searched the internet for weight loss blogs are yours popped up. I’m trying to do a little research to see how other people are trekking along one of the hardest journeys of our lives. Your website is soo cute! Who did yours? I thought about just using Blogger, but I like how your site is setup. Anyway, I said all of this to say…..Great job on your “catering” event and accomplishing what you set out & thanks for being an inspiration to another token girl who wants to make this change the all natural way.
yay! i see my cake plate! <3 everything looks great, lorrie!
You have a Lovely Blog Award waiting for you on my site !
Thanks for your blog - I very much enjoy reading it.
First, that food looks amazing, I showed my husband the pics and he was almost drooling. I am a novice cook (but trying to learn) so anything like that is rare for him. Also, I loved they analogy on catering and weight loss, it made me look at things a little differently. I have trouble finishing things I start, or even believing that I CAN finish something I start so I related to this. I follow you blog regularly, and enjoy it, sorry I have never commented before this.
Well my dear, that is awesome. The food that you prepared was beautiful.. Stay on your journey of weight loss. I am on a total life makeover and committed to one day at a time. I am being monitored by a close friend and am excited about the whole life makeover. Spiritually, physically, finacially, mentally.
Had the toughest walk today..know it will get easier..staying committed and looking forward to the next part of my life.
Very cute blog! I came across it by looking up reviews for Activa yogurt…
super cute, hope you don’t mind if I come back and read more of it?
The thought of having to make Thanksgiving dinner for 6 people scares the crap out of me, let alone catering anything! Nice Work!
You are a very determined and brave lady! I have come to a conclusion that of all of the issues of weight ~ when I am thin I miss the “security”?? of the insulation that weight provides. How dumb is that! Thanks for a thought filled day….
Looks like a great event!!
My fiance loves to cook and since I have been diagnosed with type 2 diabetes has really altered her cooking style.
Wow, that spread looks amazing. Just discovered your blog today and love it!
Hello, I just found your blog and found it delightful and real. Reading about people having ups and downs makes me not feel so bad myself. Your catering gig looks like it turned out so great. Congratulations. I would have been all over that. Loosing weight is hard but blogging about it for others to see and comment is ballsy (? is that how you spell it?). Bravo for having the guts to do it.