About Jan

Jan is a catering event coordinator, writer and mama to two school-aged boys. She blogs about all the ways food and family come together at Family Bites

Pea & Parmesan Crostini on simplebites.net

by Jan on May 8, 2013 • 25 Comments Entertaining & Holidays

My favourite appetizer for easy warm-weather entertaining (Sweet Pea and Parmesan Tartines)

Part of my warm-weather entertaining manifesto is to keep my gatherings as simple as possible. This encompasses everything from table décor to beverages, and most importantly, food. We host several dinners and social soirées in the spring and summer months, and I’m always on the look out for easy-to-execute lip-smacking appetizers that deliver impressive tastes to my guests. Luckily, these tartines fit the bill perfectly.

While the name sounds highly impressive, tartines (or crostinis) are really nothing more than slices of toasted/grilled bread topped with a little something. It can be as simple as store-bought jam and a slice of aged cheddar, assorted spreads, cured meats, or fresh produce that’s paired with fragrant herbs and oils.

I typically opt for the latter, and they are almost always the highlight of the meal. Lightly buttered bread is usually grilled, rubbed with garlic and then covered with a variety of toppings. For spring, I’m smitten with the combination of sweet peas, Parmesan and mint, but you can use pretty much anything that’s in season.

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by Jan on March 13, 2013 • 21 Comments Bakeshop

Celebrating My Irish Heritage Through Food (Cheesy Irish Soda Scones)

Written by Jan of Family Bites.

In all the years I worked in catering, coordinating menus and planning parties, I was never once asked to create an Irish-inspired fête. There were the Scottish celebrations in honor of Robbie Burns Day, the English tea parties that commemorated the marriage of Prince William and Kate, and the almost weekly Italian/French/Mexican-inspired menus designed for lively weekend gatherings. Sadly, the Irish never got their “fare” share from our tiny commercial kitchen.

I’m on a mission to change that this March, and have grand plans to host an Irish-themed Sunday dinner later in the month. My husband’s grandparents were born in Ireland, as were my own great-grandparents, and I’ve been increasingly interested in learning more about the booming food culture of the Emerald Isle, specifically the regions that were home to our ancestors.

While we all know that potatoes are a staple in the Irish kitchen, I’m not sure it’s common knowledge that the country exports their prized dairy all over the world. The top-quality grass-fed milk produced by thousands of the nations farmers is pure liquid gold, and artisans are bringing the ancient methods of cheese and yogurt making to modern day Ireland.

Or how about the fact that the Connemara fields, in the Connacht region of the county, raise some of the most sought-after lamb in all of Europe? Nestled close to the waters of the Atlantic, the ocean spray enhances the growth of the wild grasses the lambs eat, infusing their meat with a naturally salty flavour.

Those food facts alone make the Irish worth celebrating, don’t you think?

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by Jan on January 16, 2013 • 50 Comments Dinner

My secret for easy entertaining during the cold weather months

Written by contributor Jan of Family Bites.

Sixteen years ago this week I moved to the South of France. I was 21 years old, and with the exception of a week-long vacation to Florida during the early Spring of Grade 13, my travel had been limited to a few touristy destinations across Canada.

I arrived in Nice on a crisp January morning. As I walked through the small airport looking for the man with the Chihuahua tucked into his front pocket – the only identifying trait I had for the person who was going to employ me for the next year – I had a mini panic attack as I waited in the sun soaked baggage claim.

It turns out the dashing man arrived two minutes after I did, and I spent a large part of the next year taking care of his two young sons, befriending his lovely in-laws who didn’t speak a word of English – but taught me to drive stick shift none-the-less – going to parties with some of the world’s biggest celebrities (I have a picture of Michael Jackson!), and learning how to entertain with efficiency and simplicity from the man’s wife, a cool-tempered lady who would play tennis with members of the royal family, and then come home to cook dinner for her husband and eight of his business associates.

Oh, and in case I forgot to mention it, the family I was living with made their home in Monte Carlo, Monaco, a small principality best known for glitzy casinos and Grace Kelly. But to me, it was the place I learned the most about shopping from a market, making soup from scratch, and in-home entertaining.

There were so many things I learned while living abroad, and I’m sure I could fill the pages of a book with the culinary stories and secrets I have from my time there, but the one thing that sticks in my memory the most is this: when the lady of the house entertained she never made her main course the same day she planned on serving it. [Read more...]

by Jan on November 21, 2012 • 20 Comments Entertaining & Holidays

4 tips for welcoming vegetarians to the holiday table (Veggie Pot Pie)

Written by Jan of Family Bites.

For me, Thanksgiving and Christmas are about coming together around the table to share a special meal with those you love. I’m sure it’s the same for most of you, and I’m certain you’d agree that when it comes to holiday entertaining, most celebration menus lend themselves to focusing on the meaty main dish. And for good reason too. What’s not to love about a turkey roasted to golden perfection, bacon-wrapped anything, and glazed hams? Turns out a lot, if you happen to be a vegetarian.

Meat-laden meals are great if you’re an omnivore, but are certainly less than appealing if you happen to be a veggie eater. All too often, those who opt for a plant-based diet leave a special occasion dinner feeling as though they’ve consumed nothing more than an assortment of side dishes for their feast. While this wouldn’t bother me (and I’m a meat eater) I know that not all vegetarians feel the same way.

After years of planning holiday parties at a catering company, I would often hear from 1) meat-free guests who wished there had been a main course for them to enjoy at the dinner/party they were invited to, and 2) hostesses who felt fatigued by trying to plan a menu that was welcoming and delicious for all, including those who eat a plant-based diet. In fact, when it came to planning Christmas parties, the number one question I received before the holidays was “what should I serve to my vegetarian guest(s)?”

I eventually came up with a few tips for welcoming herbivores to the holiday feast. Each suggestion is a small way to ensure that what’s being served for dinner can be eaten by whoever is lucky enough to be attendance, regardless of their dietary preference. [Read more...]

by Jan on September 26, 2012 • 18 Comments Entertaining & Holidays

8 tips for hosting Thanksgiving outdoors

Written by Simple Bites contributor Jan Scott of Family Bites.

The first time I told my mother-in-law that our annual Thanksgiving dinner was being held outdoors, she replied with “well, that’s interesting.” Not one to openly voice her opinion, or critique her sons and their wives, there was no mistaking the “lady, you’ve lost your mind” tone in her comment.

I’d wanted to celebrate the day of Thanks outdoors for a few years, and every October had arrived with uncertain weather forecasts, forcing me to hold the event inside. It had become a tad tight and crowded in our small urban home, as our family had nearly tripled in size in recent years. Of course, as each Thanksgiving Sunday arrived, the skies were blue, the temperature warm, and I cursed myself for not dining al fresco.

I’m happy to report that three years later, the Scott Family Outdoor Thanksgiving is a delicious success, thanks to our glorious October weather, and I dare say it’s now a holiday the entire family looks forward to. It does take a little coordination, though, as most outdoor meals are casual affairs, and I’m always determined not to loose the specialness of our holiday meal just because it’s being eaten outside.

Here are a few tips to help you host your own holiday dinner in the open air this year, if you’re so inclined.

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