Upgrade Your Life...Not Just Your Phone

    Asparagus, zucchini, apples, oranges, rib eye, pork loin, chicken breast and shrimp. Repeat. Asparagus, zucchini, apples, oranges, rib eye, pork loin, chicken breast and shrimp. Repeat. Oh I'm sorry I didn't realize where I was at. I thought I was at the FARMER'S MARKET COOKING!!!! WHY AM I AT THE FARMER'S MARKET COOKING? BECAUSE I GOT THE JOB AS THEIR RESIDENT CHEF!!!! WHY AM I YELLING? BECAUSE I'M FREAKING HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!! I think happy is an understatement. I'm feeling supercalifragilisticexpialidocious! Yes it's all mine and I'm going to give it my absolute best. It doesn't start until April so I have plenty of time to catch my breath and get this heart rate

down.

    I want you to get excited about your dream. Get to the next level in your life. The level where you constantly see yourself. But to get to the next level you must grind, grind and grind some more. It's not going to fall in your lap. It never just falls out of the sky. You gotta jump up and get it. That means working when you don't want to. That means when you have those few hours to spare you must work on your dream. You must see yourself where you want to be in life. You must be responsible for your actions. Your past is your past. This is the present. Now look to your future! Take advantage of the opportunities that are presented to you. No opportunities wasted. This Farmer's Market gig is not paying me. I knew that when I got the first email. No opportunity wasted. A few hours a month where I'm cooking and someone is providing my ingredients. Why would I complain about money? It's free advertisement for True Flavor. Who knows what can come out of this amazing opportunity. If you're not where you want to be change it. You have to make sacrifices. When I started emailing local businesses I sent out like 325 emails. Well maybe not 325 but it sure felt like it. But I got 2 responses. One was the Farmer's Market and one is from the secret business I can't tell you about just yet. Don't get discouraged. Keep pushing forward. Don't fall back and give up because that door closes. That should motivate you even more. Jack Canfield the author of Chicken Soup for The Soul was denied a couple of times. To be exact...144 times. There are now over 100 million copies in print and in 54 languages worldwide. Take note.

     I know last time I said that if I get this Farmer's Market gig I said I would take a picture with fruit all over me. Well I tried but there were some complications. Something about health department violations and trespassing charges. So I just let it be. I'll figure out a picture to show you.

Until next time...remember...If you can see it you can achieve it!

Farmer's Market....Say What!

In the past few weeks a force has pushed me to a pursue a new venture. I've been non stop and I'm loving it. I'm using any of my free time to research, read and network. As you know I have a 9-5 so I have limited time to work on my passion. I've been lucky this year to pursue one of my dreams of being a Personal Chef. Four years ago I started cooking more and enjoying every moment of it. I never thought I would be at this point. I remember sitting at my desk and trying to figure out how I could live out this passion. I was indulging in Organic food and savoring the true flavor of each bite. Hence, my name was created. I went on Microsoft and searched a menu template and typed in the name of the restaurant...True Flavor. It looked amazing! I was open and pumped. I printed the menu with my name on top but had no items to sell. It didn't matter I just wanted to see the name. I put it right above my computer desk so I can see it everyday. It had this little brain of mine just going and going... but then life happened and it was put to the back burner. It took 3 years for me to get motivated again. I guess I didn't want it bad. I wasn't confident that I could do something with this wonderful food I was making. I second guessed myself quite a bit. Last year I got that push again and in February I became True Flavor, LLC. (Smiling all over again). I have a culinary service so it's not specific to one field. First venture was becoming a Personal Chef...accomplished. Second experience was catering a couple of small parties...accomplished. Third is....it's a secret....it's a big one. I'm open and pumped again. I can't let life put this on the back burner. I'm staying focused and determined. So, as I write this I'm in my local library. As I always say...day off from 9-5 but day on for True Flavor. You have to use your 24 hrs wisely. I have like 15 tabs open right now. "How to ....secret", "Female entrepreneurs", "How to write a business plan for...secret", "Market research for...secret" and YouTube. Got to have my music and my motivation from Eric Thomas.(Look him up he can motivate you to sell rocks for a living and be happy about it.) Last week when I was here I emailed several people and businesses. Well so far 1 out of 325 have responded. Progress. The initial email was about me inquiring about...secret. However, in addition to the information I requested an opportunity arose. My local Farmers Market offered me an opportunity to be the local featured Chef for them. SAY WHAT! I had to read it 37 times to make sure I was reading it correctly. So we emailed each other a few times but I got the phone call today. She explained I would get the produce, meat and seafood from the vendors for me to use at no cost. SAY WHAT!!! I would have a lovely station and I would cook my lovely food, demonstrate cooking techniques and serve up samples. SAY WHAT!!! I haven't got the job officially but I'll find out next week after we have our meeting. I'm very excited and very confident it will be mine. I'll make sure I keep you posted. If the next post has just pictures of me floating in tomatoes, steak and fish you know I got it. The moral of the story boys and girls is stay focused and don't stop pursuing your dreams. I have a motto...Follow the 3P's...Stay Positive, Productive and Persistent. Trust me it works.

Till next time my little basket of vegetables. Keep your fingers crossed.

Bruschetta Appetizers

Bruschetta is an antipasto from France whose origin dates to at least the 15th century. But for me I tried it for the first time in the 21st century…better late than never. The first time I had Bruschetta it was topped with tomato, mozzarella and drizzled with olive oil. Absolutely delish! Now since I’m a “Master Chef” I make different variations. So, here are two that I’ve made recently. Simple and quick! Hope you enjoy! 


Ingredients: 1 baguette French bread or similar Italian bread
Green onions or Basil
1 (32-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
1 cup fresh basil leaves, washed and spun dry
4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic, peeled
Kosher salt Fresh
Mozzarella or Parmesan cheese

In the bowl of a food processor, add drained tomatoes, 1 cup basil leaves, olive oil and 2 cloves garlic. Pulse until smooth, but somewhat chunky. Season with salt and pepper. On baking sheet or grill line up your bread. Toast for about 3 minutes or golden. Rub garlic on each side of bread. Put cheese of choice on bread and place back in oven or on grill until it melts. Place a spoonful of the lovely spread on each piece. Top with green onion or basil


Side note: The Bruschetta sauce will be more than enough for you to use later. I use this as a base for many dishes such as fish, beef stew, home fries and burgers just to name a few.








The second is the same concept but I sauteed mushrooms and onions in butter, garlic and shallots. I also added some bacon to this one...yummy bacon! I used Parmesan cheese with this one and no sauce.

Social Network Champion

Today I received my little gadget in the mail! What gadget you ask? My Intuit GoPayment mobile card reader gadget! Jersey Shore fist pumping excited! I'm truly stoked because it just another tool and motivation for the progression of True Flavor. For those who are entrepreneurs you know this thing doesn't happen overnight. It's not that I thought it would but at times I didn't realize how much legwork was involved. It's ok because I know now and I'm good with it. So, what I'm trying to do on a weekly basis is have small goals for TF (True Flavor). Pause...like what was the point of me abbreviating True Flavor if I still was going to type it out...smh. So back to my goal setting plan...small goals for each week so I don't overwhelm myself. I think this should work out much better than trying to take over the world in a few months.

For this week I'm into my social networking pages. Following Tweeps on Twitter and Facebookers on Facebook. Wait not feeling Facebookers...ummm...Facers on Facebook? Facey's? FBers? F to the A to the C? Ok, I'll stop. I'll follow people on Facebook. I can't forget the lovely Instagram which is my fav. My point is that I'm trying to network with as many people as I can through all these wonderful venues. I mean I'm trying to blow up here. So far I'm rocking the house!!! One follower on this blog and 18 on FB...I mean c'mon that's crazy! I bet you someone like Gordon Ramsey doesn't have as many followers as I have and he's been a chef for decades. Let me check his page...hold on...you see 228k on FB. That's not even one... that's some British numerical system for kilometer. I got this dude beat big time and I definitely beat him on the blog followers...ok so he doesn't have one...I still win. My goal for next week is to get one more follower on this blog and at least reach 25 on FB. On Twitter I have about 115 but only like 5 talk to me or retweet anything I say. But I'll put a goal for 120 just for the hell of it.

The moral of the story is you have to put work in if you want to move. I can't just expect people to know who I am and use my service if I'm not working at it. There's is a clothing company I follow on Twitter called Sleep is 4 Suckers. On their page they say.."If you loose sleep doing what you love, you will eventually LIVE THE DREAM that you only would have dreamt." That's powerful! So with that said...I'm not going to sleep tonight...ok I'll go to sleep but I'll put in work tonight until I can't keep my eyes open. Plus, it's going to take me some time to really beat Mr. Gordon Ramsey...yeah about that...I didn't win...I looked up that K thing and it sure isn't kilometers.

Until next time!!! Stay Positive, Productive and Persistent!

I am Food!!

This blog started over 9 months ago with the intent of contributing at least a couple of times of month. That didn’t happen…at all! I wrote four posts in one month and left the blog world. I thought this was easy stuff to handle. Nope, not one bit. I bow down to all the bloggers who have dedicated themselves to their blogs. It takes time and dedication. Two things I now realize I didn’t have when I started this blog.  I also want to apologize to my 1 follower for building them with high expectations for the greatest blog ever. And then leaving them hanging in blog land. How is she? Did she start a search party? Is she eating ok? Have no fear my soldier…I’m back! You can now breathe and live your life to full capacity now. I hope there are no hard feelings.

Now, I began this blog about my entrepreneurial journey with True Flavor and I can tell you that it has been a journey. Initially when I came up with the idea for True Flavor I was going to specialize in burgers only. I had planned on preparing, freezing and selling them to the public. My burgers are grand and I was ready for production. Then one day I was watching the most important network on television…Food Network. I said to myself…”Self you can make that and people will pay and your food will have so much more flavor. Screw burgers, well I’ll still make them but screw the fact that’s the only thing I was going to sell.” Well that episode of deep frying Oreos, Twinkies and pizza changed my life. Ok, maybe it wasn’t deep frying food but it was about people starting small and finishing big. Starting with one meal or batch of cookies and then starting their own business. I realized I was more than a burger…I was food! I know I'm really into this thing when I make a statement like that. "I am Food!” That's some powerful stuff right there...I mean I didn't say I am woman! I said I am food! So, if I'm food what would I be...Hmmmm...Chips and Salsa!!! I love them o.k. maybe not chips and salsa. Hmmmmm...NY Strip! Of course I'm from NY and I use to....lol...I never stripped a day in my life. Ok back to the story because I totally got sidetracked.  So, at that point I decided I would sell my food not just burgers. However, I didn’t convince myself enough in the beginning. I knew I wasn’t going to open a restaurant so that was out of the picture. What could I do? How am I going to do it? The research began on food trucks but it just wasn’t feasible to start off with. I ran across the American Private & Personal Chef Association. There was music and a choir singing as soon as I perused the site. Actually there was a commercial on TV about a gospel show. I actually thought the site was singing to me...oh well. I said…”This was it!” I could be a Private or Personal Chef and it could be the gateway into this sector of the world. So, in February True Flavor officially became an LLC. I also hired a graphic designer and got a logo. As much as I wanted to use the makealogothatsomeonemayhave.com which would cost like 9.95 I went the professional route. Although, I don’t have a client or certified yet these things will come. I’m actively working on both. I have to market myself and that’s another reason I’m back on the blog. I promise promise promise I will be loyal and dedicated to this blog. I want to tell you about my journey. I want you to be a part of it. SO WORLD HERE I COME!!!!!! That was kind of loud when it’s just one person following me. Let me try again. Ok loyal follower I’m back and you can drop the suit against me for pain and suffering. I’m all yours again J

Happiness is....

Happiness is...walking into a supermarket and bringing all those wonderful ingredients into my kitchen. I realized this a few days ago after having a crappy day at work. Side note: I’m not working in the food business in any aspect at this time. I work in the exciting world of insurance…*smiling hard because it pays the bills*. Back to my crappy day or should I say on to my happiness.

It was one of those days where you wake up and you don’t even want to go in. You’re thinking what excuse can I use to call in…pipes busted, gotta take the dog to the vet, just got a call to save a small Indigenous tribe in Australia.  One of those days! So, of course the day just got worse while I was there. Eight hours later I quit, I have written down all the names of people who I will stalk & kill and finally I blow up my building. All of these things occurred in my head of course. Well, I finally leave and drive home.  I had that scrunchy, tense eye thing going on and I cursed out all the bad drivers on the way. I ran over something or someone but I didn’t hear any screams. So, it probably wasn’t that bad. But then I pulled into the parking lot and entered my local supermarket.

As soon as I walked in I started picking out my produce. I felt an ease instantly come over me. No more tense face, I was finding everything I needed, my mind was focused on my stuffed flank steak and basil was even there chillin. I completed my shopping and darted home to get into my kitchen. I felt so good! I forgot that I had previously blown up my job and killed several people. I wasn’t in that mood at all anymore. I once again realized that happiness is living my dream and absorbing myself in my passion. So, if you’ve had that bad day at your 9-5 make sure when you leave that you do something you enjoy. Absorb yourself in your passion. Get on your computer and figure out how you’re going to start your business. Pick up the paintbrush you haven’t touched in months. Start on that book you’ve always wanted to write. Whatever it is just do it! I promise you it will change your day and bring your happiness.  And you don't even have to put any bodies in the trunk. Dang, which reminds me….

Until next time!

What! No Basil?

 

I decided to go to my local supermarket to pick up some ingredients for dinner yesterday and I was pressed for time. Produce section first then supermarket sweep through the rest of the store. I knew I was going to make Bruschetta and some Sofrito. So, tra la la…I scoop up organic cilantro, garlic, tomatoes and green pepper…oh I’m so happy for my luscious Sofrito. But have you seen the size of a “regular” green pepper? Ok, I must move on from that.

I turn the corner where my lovely Basil always hangs out. Insert confused face…What! No Basil? Maybe they moved it or maybe Basil didn’t want to hang with Thyme anymore. She has the right to move. So I turn around to where they have the little containers of herbs. No Basil. I’m trying to relax for two reasons. One, I have to hurry and I don’t have time to turn my head like Cybil looking for this Basil. Two, I’m craving for this Bruschetta that I Tweeted about.  Of course if I tweeted it I must make it. I turn back to Basil’s original hang out and I look at the pricing label. Yep, it says Basil should be here so she hasn’t moved. At this point I can tell my face has changed. Contorted is probably a good description. I look down under the drapery of the stand to see if there was some “extra” stock. You know the spot where you look for extra t-shirts. Then you look under the drapery and your size is right there! Nope no luck for Basil. I see the sixteen year old “I could care less I just want to be on Facebook employee stocking some onions.” I say, “Hi…do you guys have anymore Basil?”  He says, “Basil? Ummmm Basil?” I think to myself this is not happening right now. He says “It should be over here”. I already know where Basil hangs. Of course we get there and no Basil. He says “Nope guess we don’t have anymore. We should have some tomorrow.” What? No Basil! What? No Basil! What am I supposed to do now? Lady please don’t look at me like that and you don’t have to hold your kid tight either. I’m not that dangerous.

But then the Basil Gods tapped me on the shoulder and pointed me to the herbs in a tube section. I never tried them but I read the label and it sounded cool and it was organic too. I’ll try the $25 tube…ok $3.50…and see what happens. Well, I make the Bruschetta and it was as tasty as could be. Tube Basil is a success and I’m very happy. As I was blending my ingredients I knew that I had truly found my passion in cooking. You just don’t get upset over an herb and then become a carpenter.  I love to cook and everything that goes into it. Cooking is definitely a pure joy for me and I want to share it with the world.  So, tomorrow I think I’ll get a t-shirt made up saying…”What? No Basil!” Yeah, I really like that.

Until next time!

Enjoy your food with True Flavor!!