Welcome

Christie Katona has been in the food business since the mid 70’s.  She began working with the Cuisinart company when it first appeared in the United States.  She taught professionally for many years, did restaurant and corporate recipe development and consulting, as well as guest appearances on radio, newspapers and television.  She has been voted for the second year in a row as one of Seattle's top ten caterers by brides at the Knot.  This award was decided by popular vote from the brides!  Her culinary training includes study at the famed Cordon Bleu in London.  Christie has published many cookbooks with a new one in the works, entitled “Catering, the Agony and the Ecstasy!”  Her books are available on Amazon.com She recently won the prestigious “Southern Living Magazine Recipe of the Year” award! Her recipe for Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls won $100,000.  She and her friend Maureen Tischue, were selected out of 40,000 entries to compete.  They were treated a trip to Charleston, South Carolina were they won the Grand Prize and enjoyed true Southern hospitality as well as delicious Southern food. Because of her many years of experience in this field, Christie can bring a wealth of knowledge to your special day.  Our first meeting will consist of a one hour interview where we discuss your plans, budget, ideas and dreams.  It is your wedding, your wallet and your day.  We will be happy to advise you and give you recommendations for other excellent vendors in the industry.  We have an extensive collection of pictures for you to browse through. We offer a wide selection of menus and many extras so that you can customize your day to suit your personal taste and budget. Christie knows that people eat with their eyes so your buffet tables will be beautifully and lavishly decorated with colorful cloths, beautiful serving pieces, flowers and other decorative items. Our International Menus Include: Italian Hawaiian Indian Afternoon Teas French Seafood Extravaganza Oriental Russian Vietnamese Hors d’Oeuvre Buffets Caribbean Octoberfest Mexican Holiday Themes Pacific Northwest Spanish Tapas Sushi 2006 Southern Living Grand Prize Winning Recipe  ◊  Sweet Potato Cinnamon Rolls Christie Katona and Maureen “Mo” Tischue Dough Makes 12 Rolls  ◊  Prep: 30 min.  ◊  Stand: 5 min.  ◊  Rise: 2 hrs.  ◊  Bake: 20 min.  ◊  Cool: 30 min. You can make this dough the night before and let it rise overnight in the refrigerator.  Just in case some of the Glaze spills over, put an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet on the rack below the pan while baking.       2 (1/4-oz.) envelopes active dry yeast     1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°)     1 tsp. Granulated Sugar     5-1/2 cups all-purpose flour     1 cup mashed sweet potatoes     1 egg, lightly beaten     1 cup buttermilk     1/2 cup Granulated Sugar     1/4 cup melted butter     2 Tbsp. grated orange rind     1-1/2 tsp. salt     1 tsp. baking soda     No-Stick Cooking Spray     Filling     Glaze   Pulse first 3 ingredients in a large-capacity (11-cup) food processor 4 times or just until combined, using the metal blade. Remove metal blade, scraping yeast mixture into food processor bowl.  Let stand 5 minutes. Insert short plastic dough blade; add 1/2 cup flour to processor bowl, and process 2 minutes.  Add mashed sweet potatoes, next 7 ingredients, and 4 cups flour; process 2 minutes.  Add remain¬ing 1 cup flour, and process 30 seconds or until a dough forms, coming together to hold a shape.  (Dough will be sticky.) Place dough in a large bowl coated with cook¬ing spray.  Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 1 hour to 1 hour and 30 minutes or until doubled in bulk. Punch dough down.  Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface, and roll into a 10- x 18-inch rectangle.  Spread evenly with Filling, leaving a 1¬inch border.  Roll up dough, jelly-roll fashion, start¬ing at 1 long side.  Cut into 12 (1 1/2-inch) slices, and arrange in a lightly greased 13- x 9-inch bak¬ing pan.  Cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place (85°), free from drafts, 30 minutes. Bake rolls at 400° for. 10 minutes.  Remove rolls from oven; drizzle about1/2 cup Glaze slowly over rolls, starting at 1 edge of pan and drizzling in a circular pattern; let glaze soak in.  Repeat proce¬dure with remaining Glaze. Bake rolls 7 to 10 more minutes or until lightly browned and a wooden pick inserted in cen¬ter comes out clean. Remove rolls from oven, and invert onto an aluminum foil-lined baking sheet.  Invert again, glaze side up, onto a serving platter. Let cool 20 to 30 minutes.  Serve warm. Filling Makes 2-1/2 Cups  ◊  Prep: 5 min.     3/4 cup melted butter     2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar     1 cup chopped toasted pecans     2 Tbsp. ground cinnamon Stir together all ingredients until blended. Glaze Makes 1-1/2 Cups  ◊  Prep: 10 min.  ◊  Cook: 5 min.     1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar     1/3 cup light corn syrup     1/4 cup butter     1/2 cup whipping cream     1 tsp. vanilla extract Stir together sugar, corn syrup, and butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.  Bring to a light boil, stirring constantly. Remove from heat, and stir in cream and vanilla. Make Them By Hand No food processor?  No sweat!  To prepare the recipe without a food processor, omit Steps 1 and 2, and proceed as follows: Stir together yeast, 1/2 cup warm water (100° to 110°), and 1 tsp. sugar in a 1-cup glass measuring cup; let stand 5 minutes. Combine yeast mixture and 1/2 cup flour in a mixing bowl; stir vigorously until mixture is well blended. Gradually add mashed sweet potatoes, next 7 ingredients, and 4 1/2 cups flour, stirring until well blended after each addition. Turn dough out onto a well-floured surface, and knead in remaining 1/2 cup flour. Continue to knead until smooth and elastic (about 4 to 5 minutes). Proceed with recipe as directed, beginning with Step 3.          Our pages are best viewed with the Papyrus font, available by clicking here