For this catering event, Linda and I thought about dishes that could be prepared ahead and cooked on site. Chicken Satay is always a good go to appetizer and a great protein dish that individuals can pluck onto their plates. Linda and I marinated the chicken in a rosemary marinade for 24 hours. By preparing the chicken a day in advance it allowed for time management and serious flavor impact…

Rosemary Chicken Satay
20 boneless & skinless chicken thighs
1/2 cup fresh rosemary
1/4 cup fresh parsley
1/8 cup fresh chives
2-3 cloves of garlic
1/2 cup olive oil
1-1/2 tsp kosher salt
1 tsp pepper
1 package bamboo skewers

With a sharp knife, clean any lingering fat off chicken thighs and cut in half length-wise. Place cut chicken in a gallon size plastic bag. Place the rest of the ingredients in a blender or food processor and blend until smooth. Add the processed marinade to the bag containing the chicken making sure to coat the chicken liberally. Zip bag shut and place in the refrigerator overnight and up to 24 hours in advance. Soak skewers for at least one hour before skewering chicken. Remove marinated chicken from refrigerator and skewer onto skewer sticks. Grill right before serving.

Also served at the catering event, and another favorite among the crowed, was this easy and delicious Black Bean Salsa. We used scoop tortilla chips to capitalize on the dressing that elevates this salsa to the status of terrific!

Black Bean Salsa
2 cans of black beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup chopped sweet onion
2 cloves minced garlic
juice from three limes
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp pepper

And last, but certainly not least we served individual bites of roasted beets, sliced and layered with creamy goat cheese in the center. The beets can be roasted several days in advance if needed. This dish is served cold and is a refreshing surprise to any event. Instead of layering the beets and goat cheese in a ramekin like in the post Roasted Beets & Goat Cheese, instead we made them more individual in size, placed them on some Boston lettuce for elegance and called this fun and Fabulous Catering Event a success!