Birthday Weekend!
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Kicked off the New Year with two incredible birthday parties. One a Friday night surprise that had been ruined days before (awkward), and another birthday girl who wouldn't even acknowledge the birthday cake.
All in all, food was great, beverages even better, and the snow hardly stopped anyone from attending.
Also to note, kitchen staff was loads of fun and laughter as well.
xo Ash!
Resolutions...Shmevolutions
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Happy New Year, Y'all!
Trying to be the better versions of ourselves...one day at a time.
Lots to look forward to this year at Simply Hailee. Letting go of the things that drag us down, and tapping into the things that spark our creative souls.
Simply Twinkle.
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Here we go, 2016! The homestretch!
Twinkling our way to 2017!
Happy Holidays + New Year!
xoxo
In The Company Of Women
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I live in the suburbs of NYC, and there has to be a really good reason for me to forgo my pajamas + a glass of red wine on my "night off" to venture onto Metro North and trek into the depths of MANHATTAN! My reason this particular evening, apart from meeting up with Ashlee (my sister) for drinks (which can easliy lead to drunken evenings of laughter and prank phone calls) was to sit in the presence of design blogger and author of "In the Company of Women," Grace Bonney (founder of Design*Sponge).
Grace has created a book of interviews with 100 entrepreneurial women offering their inspiration and advice for other creative makers and thinkers similar to myself. It's easy to say you have stumbled upon your passion or "thing" in life, but to create a business in which you can hustle day in and day out and still love that "thing" takes genuine grit and resilience.
Honorably, I sat in the audience of 299 women with the same aspirations with a comfort in knowing that my questions, doubts and anxieties were not my own feelings but for every woman (including the 5 speakers on stage) in the room. Many of us are not ivy leaguers with minds of business savvy, but are merely learning as we go affirms my purpose.
Also to note, the words within the book can resonate not only to women in business, but to the women just trying to get through the day no matter what occupation or position you hold.
The title is beyond fitting, and it has taken me quite some time to realize that IN THE COMPANY OF WOMEN, shit gets done.
Break Out the Sombreros & Blenders!
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With Cinco de Mayo only one week away, Simply Hailee is ready to indulge you with TACOS!
Taco Bar In-a-Box
Handmade Salsas & Guacamole+Chips
Cheese & Jalapeño Nachos
Tacos: Chimmichurri Beef, Coriander Chicken, Pulled Pork, Spiced Vegetables
Slow Cooked Chipotle Black Beans
Large Salad W/ Jicima, Tomatoes, Cucumbers, Dressing
Churros + Chocolate
$50 per person + tax
4 person minimum
Contact simplyhaileeny@gmail.com for more details.
Weekend Feasts, Friends, & Family
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Weekends around here usually start on Thursday, making for a jam-packed four days. Starting with a daddy's b'day w/ Pheasant birthday cake & puppy dog surprises, and ending with a "Siblings Only" dinner (spouses included). The major things in between could only be: a super Unorthodox Seder Dinner full of entertainment and laughter (which only made me wish I was a part of the table conversation), alongside a casual couples dinner for eight.
Seems like a lot of work for four days, but for some reason this weekend was honestly simple, truly successful, and allowed for much reflection & appreciation for my own feasts, friends, and family.
Marie Bette
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Breakfast menu
You could not have found a prouder patron in Marie Bette this past week than me! My best friend, Jason, and his husband, Patrick are killing it with their bakery and cafe. Upon arrival we even had to wait a bit for an open breakfast table. WORTH IT! Super friendly staff, pretty and yummy menu, and baked goods galore!
If you happen to be in Charlottesville,VA and are hungry (even if you're not hungry), two words: Marie Bette.
700 Rose Hill Drive, Charlottesville, VA
Breakfast Fritatta
Virginia Sourdough
Flourless Chocolate Cake + Other Specialty Tarts & Quiches
I Don't Eat Out Often, but When I Do...
/I Go BIG!
Last night, I met up with an old friend, and a few other ladies for some fried chicken (and maybe a few veggies and glasses of wine) at the now legendary Momofuku Noodle Bar. Been there, done that with the noodles and pork buns (and will totally continue down that path), but this go-around was all about the chicken and the accoutrements.
Below is evidence from the evening:
Momofuku Fried Chicken
Simply Hailee eating deep fried simple.
Simply "B"
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It looks like it's that time of year when all the "B's" are coming out! No...not that kind of "B"!
I'm talking about Bridal Showers, Baby Showers, Bachelorette Parties, Brunches, and Birthdays (looks like 30 is a big year)!
Simply Hailee is simply ecstatic to be a part of them all. Stay updated with our event pictures on Instagram (I promise to do a better job this year with the photos!): https://www.instagram.com/simplyhaileeny/
Here's a few from 2015
"Simply Hailee?!"
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While wrapping up an event this past weekend and steadly heading my way out the front door, I heard, "Simply Hailee?!" being yelled from the doorway to the kitchen. It was clearly a moment where I paused and asked myself, "who in the hell was this going to be"?
Thank god it was the voice from a past client who just so happen to work with the birthday girl of the night, who was by chance friends with another girl for whom I had just catered her birthday weeks ahead. While the girls were going through their contact list determining the six dregrees of Simply Hailee, I was little bit wide-eyed at how many times I was being refered to as "Simply Hailee" and not just as Hailee.
It's times like this that keep me motivated, focused, and truly confident in the career decisions I have made for myself.
Pat on the back, Simply Hailee
And Like That...Wham!...It's 2016!
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Happy New Year (an entire month late!)!!
2015 was Simply Hailee's first full year on her own, and what a year it was.
Chock full of dinners, cocktail parties, Birthdays, bridal showers, brunches, Hapmtons Buffets, & Many of the Major Holidays. 2015 was Simply a great year!
Cheers to an even better 2016!
Recipes That Really Work
/With the season beginning to turn to my most favorite of the year, Fall, I have been working on new crisp weather menus. This season around I have truly forgone logging into Pinterst or searching on Google "Fall Recipe Ideas" and have gone old school: cookbook (I have a ton and have rarely taken advantage of their content) + post-it page markers + a highlighter.
Two of the recipes that I have tested this week (for different occasions, but honestly match well within the same meal) are Ina Garten's Slow Roasted Beef Filet & Sweet Pea Chef's Creme Brulee.
Photo Courtesy of: barfoot Contessa
Barefoot Contessa's Slow Roasted Filet of Beef
1 whole filet of beef tenderloin, trimmed and tied (4½ pounds)
3 tablespoons good olive oil
4 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 275 degrees. Use an oven thermometer to be sure your oven temperature is accurate.
Place the filet on a sheet pan and pat it dry (all over) with paper towels. Brush the filet all over with the oil, reserving about half a tablespoon. Sprinkle it all over with the salt and pepper
roast the filet of beef for 1¼ to 1½ hours, until the temperature registers 125 degrees in the center for rare and 135 degrees for medium-rare. Cover the filet with aluminum foil and allow to rest for 20 minutes. Slice thickly and serve warm or at room temperature
**In Ina's recipe she wraps the filet in tarrgon, I skipped this step this go around, will fill you in the next time I try with it!
Photo Courtesy of : Sweet Pea chef
Sweet Pea Chef's Creme Brûlée
2 cups heavy cream
5 egg yolks
½ cup granulated sugar, plus more to sprinkle for topping
1½ tsp. vanilla extract
optional: fresh berries or mint for garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
- Whisk together the egg yolks and ½ cup sugar in a medium mixing bowl until smooth and creamy. Add cream and vanilla and gently stir to combine, taking care not to mix quickly so as not to introduce extra bubbles. Place un-filled ramekins in a baking or casserole dish and fill baking dish with hot water until about half-way up sides of ramekins. Pour egg mixture into ramekins.
- Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour, checking every 10 minutes after 35-40 minutes. When done, a knife inserted into the center of the egg mixture should come out mostly clean.
- Remove from baking dish (I use a spatula) and lay onto clean dish towel to dry, set and cool. Allow to sit for 15 minutes.
- Set oven to low broiler setting.
- Sprinkle a thin, even layer of granulated sugar over the top of the cooked custard. Completely, but lightly, cover the custard with the sugar. Place the ramekins back into the baking dish and surround by ice and cold water until the water almost reaches halfway up the sides (don't fill too high with water, as the ice will melt and add to the volume of water).
- Place baking dish with ramekins under broiler (or use crème brûlée torch, if you'd prefer) for 3-5 minutes, or until the sugar has melted and creates a golden brown, caramelized crust.
Eat simple.
Southern Comfort
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I am often asked what my speacialty is. I wouldn't say fried chicken and BBQ are quite my piece de resistance, but I am proud to say they are somehow naturally executed. Everytime I fire up my smoker or hear the first sizzle of a pot of oil I immediately think of my father (whom I still believe is the best pitmaster ever) and my mom (who never really fried chicken but made a mean chicken fried steak...future menu item).
I have lived in New York for 14 years now, and I truly enjoy offering a little piece of my southern background to the folks up east.
Below is a summer buffet I created for an end-of-the-season dinner. Full of deep-fried, smoked, & smothered goodenss.
Enjoy!
Smoked Babyback Ribs, Fried Chicken, Biscuits w/ Cream Gravy, Heirloom Tomato Salad, Watermelon Salad w/ Pickled Tomatillo & Corn, Sweet Potato Mash
What's For Dinner?
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When you're a professional cook or chef many people are intrigued by what you eat for dinner. For me, my every night go-to is pasta (or eggs, or both). Quick, easy, versatile, yummy, and I'm not afraid of a carbohydrate.
Tonight I had Cacio e Pepe, the minimalist's pasta. All of the ingredients are actually staples in just about anyone's kitchen: buttered pasta, grated Pamesan & Pecorino Romano cheeses, a lot of fresh cracked pepper, and grated lemon zest garnish (my own twist).
After the pasta is cooked al dente (or to your own textured standards) and drained, toss the hot noodles with butter. The real techinique here is in the plating, LAYERS!: buttered pasta, grated cheeses, pepper, buttered pasta, grated cheeses, pepper, cheeses, grated lemon zest.
Want an egg?? The addition of a poached or sunnyside up egg would not only be beautiful, but deliciously rich as well.
Y-U-M...YUM!
The Bruncheonette
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If I were to open "a place" like an actual restaurant, I would go for the Bruncheonette, and call it just that, "The Bruncheonette". It would offer the simplest and most classic (with a bit of Simply Hailee flair) of all that is breakfast + lunch. Open daily from 11am-3pm...a cook's dream!
Where does this thought come from? Well as a chef (alongside many other professions) most often than not you are working weekends which is the typical time to brunch. Plus I don't know anyone who doesn't love brunch!
This past Sunday I prepared a simple brunch for a family reunion. As I watched the family graciously devour the buffet (thank goodness because I hate leftovers, and this family ate their way through the entire weekend...it was awesome) I sat with a bit of weekend envy. I wouldn't mind a little bagels & lox w/ a mimosa (sans OJ).
Hmmmm, now I'm thinking...I should revamp my brunch menu. Be on the lookout for "The Bruncheonette" on the Simply Hailee site.
Carrot Top Pesto
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(makes about 1 cup)
2 bunches carrots w/ leafy greens still attached (wash)
1 clove garlic
1 lemon zest+juice
1/2 olive oil
salt+pepper
Add cleaned greens, garlic, & lemon to food processor. Pulse until all ingredients are broken down. With food processor running, stream in olive oil until all is combined. season to taste with salt & pepper.
Right Now All I Want is a Lettuce Garden
/A friend of mine served a salad one evening from her garden. Now I want a lettuce garden. The leaves were delicately delicious and the asparagus (not from her garden) were the perfect accompaniment.
Eat simple.
Seafood Paella for 10 (and a pretty badass salad)
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A couple of weekends ago I was asked to do a paella dinner for a birthday party. Completely stepping out of my comfort zone, I tweaked recipe I found online (thank you, Tyler Florence), watched a video, and viola! My first paella was a success (and all done on an induction burner just to add to the challenge).
Seafood Paella
(serves 4-6)
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 Spanish chorizo sausages
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 bunch leaves of flat leaf parsley
2 beefsteak tomatoes, ripe
4 cups medium grain rice
6 cups warm water
2 pinches saffron
1 small bag mussels, scrubbed
2 pounds large shrimp, peeled & deveined
2 lobster tails
1 cup peas (frozen)
lemon wedges, for garnish
- Heat paella pan over medium-high heat. Saute the chorizo in the olive oil until browned, remove, and set aside for later.
- In the same pan, begin making your sofrito, sauté diced onion, garlic, and parsley. Cook 3-5 minutes over medium heat until onions are translucent. Add tomatoes and cook until everything begins to meld together.
- Stir in rice and coat grains with caramelized sofrito, season with a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Pour in water and simmer for 10 minutes, lightly shaking the pan ensuring the that the rice is evenly cooking.
- Add chorizo and saffron. Begin adding seafood starting with the mussels and shrimp. Tuck the mussels and shrimp into the rice and allow them to cook about 8-10 minutes or so. Add lobster tails to the pan. Give the pan a shake, and let the liquid simmer 15 minutes or until the rice is a dente.
- Once seafood is cooked and rice is just right, remove the pan from the heat and garnish with peas and lemon wedges.
**Note: it may smell like the rice is getting toasty on the bottom, you want that. It's called socarrat.
Just as a bit of a side note. I made this salad alongside the paella. I will have to perfect the amounts, but there is no real "recipe" for this. It's merely: arugula, shaved serrano ham, toasted almonds, & grapes. Seasonal, yummy, and pretty.
Enjoy!
