Commonwealth Caterers Blog

A Taste of Western Lancaster County ...

Commonwealth Caterers

was happy to participate in the Taste of Western Lancaster County...

and we proudly won 1st Place in the Best Appetizer category!!!

Congrats to all of the winners...



2012 Taste Of Western Lancaster County results:
 
Best Beverage 1st The Gathering Place                             2nd Roy-Pitz   3rd Nissley Vineyards
 
Best Appetizer  1st Commonwealth Caterers           2nd tie  McClearys and The Gathering Place
 
Best Entree  1st Lucky Ducks                                           2nd Harvey's Barbeque  3rd The Gathering Place
 
Best Dessert  1st The Gathering Place                              2nd Loxley's  3rd Spence Candies
 
Best of Show  1st The Gathering Place                             2nd Black Gryphon  3rd Harvey's Barbeque
 
 
From Elizabethtown Rotary President Dan Brill...

"Another successful Taste of Western Lancaster County!!

I hope everyone had a good time last night.

  I know everyone I talked to was enjoying the wonderful food, beverage, entertainment and fellowship.  A big thank you has to go out to Bart Ziegler and his committee for all the hard work and planning to keep this the Elizabethtown social event of the year.  Another thank you to Joe Rebman for the vision in getting this event started four years ago.  And a final thank you to our major fundraiser, John Martin!! 

Make sure when you see a sponsor or participating vendor, you thank them and let them now how important there involvement is to our community and the success of this event. 

Thanks to all who helped make it a great night. 

Looking forward to Friday Feb. 1, 2013!!!"

 

Event is sponsored by  Rotary Club of Elizabethtown for more info go to:

http://www.elizabethtownrotary.org/ToWLC.cfm

Mother's Day Brunch ...

Some great ideas and recipes from epicurious ...

Mother's Day Brunch

A spring brunch menu just for Mom, from favorite New York City brunch spot Bubby's Pie Company
by Esther Sung

 

W hat Mother wants, Mother should get, especially when it comes to Mother's Day brunch. And one way to make it extra special is to make it at home. For some advice on how to create the best brunch possible, we turned to Ron Silver, owner of the Manhattan-based restaurant mini-chain Bubby's Pie Company, and author of Bubby's Brunch Cookbook: Recipes and Menus from New York's Favorite Comfort Food Restaurant (Ballantine Books).

With two locations in New York City and two in Japan (one in Yokohama and one in Tokyo), the Bubby's restaurants are famous for their hearty brunches, where you can nosh on their famous pancakes, salmon Benedict, housemade veggie burgers, and—of course—a slice of their legendary pies. As Silver says, "Brunch is a relaxed meal not only because you can show up very casually but because it offers such a wide range of flavors, textures, and tastes. You can have caviar, steak, and lobster as well as pancakes, muffins, and scones." With Silver's guidance, we've devised a delicious menu that spans the spectrum of everything that makes homemade brunch so great: sweet to savory, light to filling, easy to elegant. And of course, don't forget the flowers; Bubby's doesn't!

Rhubarb Coffee Cake

Can't find fresh rhubarb this early? Look for frozen rhubarb (sold pre-cut) at health food stores. Silver recommends baking this cake the morning of—just think of the aroma wafting from the oven—but if you need to make it ahead of time, Mom, of all people, will understand the importance of advance planning.

Roasted Asparagus and Leek Frittata

Whether you like your asparagus thick or thin, select spears with a uniform diameter so that they cook evenly. You can make this frittata a day ahead and store it in the refrigerator. Silver says the frittata can be served at room temperature, but if you want to warm it up, 15 minutes at 325°F will do the trick.

Orange Ricotta Pancakes

Singularly fluffy and moist, these pancakes get their airy volume from the whipped egg whites that act as a leavener. Because making the batter doesn't take that long, Silver recommends preparing the pancakes from scratch the morning of. That way, they can float from the griddle straight onto Mom's plate.

Open-Face Grilled Chicken, Maytag Blue Cheese, and Toasted Pecan Sandwich

This sandwich has it all: savory chicken, salty cheese, crunchy nuts, and even a touch of sweetness thanks to the raisin-pumpernickel bread. According to Silver, you can marinate the chicken overnight, but a store-bought rotisserie chicken works just fine in a pinch.

Bubby's Granola

Play up granola's status as a healthy indulgence by placing a big bowl of it alongside some low-fat Greek yogurt. This recipe is forgiving and flexible, so use whatever nuts, seeds, and dried fruits Mom likes best. It doesn't hurt to add some good-quality chocolate, either.

 

Drinks

Mimosas and Bloody Marys are perennially popular brunch cocktails, but a delicious seasonal choice would be a spring brunch cocktail like a Rhubarb Collins. If your brunch guests include drinkers, teetotalers, and the underage set alike, plan to serve drinks that can be enjoyed on their own or mixed with alcohol. Silver offers up some quick ideas: "Orange juice can be made into a mimosa. Peach punch can be a Bellini. Lemonade can be spiked. Hot chocolate makes a great rum drink." For more nonalcoholic drink options, check out recipes for spritzers, ades, and punches.

Read More http://www.epicurious.com/articlesguides/holidays/mothersday/brunch-recipes-bubbys#ixzz1uNwkplZ8

Ironstone Ranch Weddings ...

New Wedding Event Venue ...    Now Booking 2013  .....

Please call Commonwealth Caterers today             717.939.4003

                            for a visit and tour of the facility!

The Ironstone Ranch provides a unique picturesque setting to hold your wedding, corporate event or special occasion. Our originally restored 18^th century barn can provide an old country but elegant backdrop for your wedding. Our over 200 acres of pasture land, orchards and secluded woods can provide options for both indoor and outdoor events.

Ironstone Ranch also provides many different equestrian activities and options including Instructional trail rides with our gently trained horses, carriage rides for the special couple and hitch wagon rides for the fun family get-togethers.

Whether it’s a wedding ceremony, reception, corporate event, reunion, graduation parties, birthday parties, anniversary get-togethers or any other special occasions, Ironstone Ranch is perfect venue for your special event.  Full Liquor License including cash bars available.

New Wedding Chapel Coming soon  .....          watch for updates!

Join our staff....

Are you looking for a fun & fast paced summer job?

Commonwealth Caterers needs energetic and friendly staff!

Full time and part time positions are available....

     servers, bartenders, kitchen staff, delivery, ect

Please stop by our office at

903 Spring Garden Drive
Middletown ... to pick up your application.

 

Brett Gates is named Firstar A-List Prospect of the Week - Junior Hockey News

Brett Gates is named Firstar A-List Prospect of the Week - Junior Hockey News

Published: Thursday, 8 Mar 2012

By: JuniorHockey.com Staff 

Back to Junior Hockey News

JuniorHockey.com today announced that Brett Gates has been named the Firstar A-List Prospect of the Week.

The 18-year-old from Middletown, PA is set to graduate from Middletown Area High School in 2012 and is carrying a 3.7 GPA to go along with his 1630 SAT score.

On the roster of the Atlantic Junior Hockey League's New Jersey Rockets, the hard-nosed blueliner has played in 26 games this season.

For more info on Brett, check out his profile at http://www.juniorhockey.com/players/view_profile.php?alister_id=5155

Ironstone Ranch ...

Ironstone Ranch is a Wonderful Unique New venue for Central Pennsylvania!

The Ironstone Ranch is conveniently located in Elizabethtown, Pennsylvania and offers many wonderful amenities.  Commonwealth Caterers will work with you and the Ironstone staff to create an event to remember! 

Whether it is a Wedding Reception, Family Reunion, Anniversary Party, Birthday Party ... Commonwealth Caterers is a family-owned and operated business featuring simply traditional menus, with homemade recipes using only the freshest ingredients. You may choose to select from a variety of these menus or we’ll happily create an exclusive menu for your special occasion.

Ironstone Ranch supports the mission of Brittany’s Hope Foundation. Brittany’s Hope is a foundation dedicated to aiding and facilitating adoptions of special needs children from around the world.  In addition to this, they also sponsor other humanitarian efforts to benefit children by arranging for surgeries, safe cribs, formula, education, and transitional housing for older orphans.  They strive to raise public awareness of the unique joys in parenting a special child and believe in the fundamental right of all children to have the security and love of a family.

Call Commonwealth Caterers today and ask about Central Pennsylvania's Newest venue...  Ironstone Ranch!!!

 

 

Check out Dream Weddings Episode 4

...
See More

Doug and Jessie's Wedding

Join us at the AACA Museum wedding show...

The Wedding Show at the AACA Museum:
Something Old…Something Blue

February 20, 2011

Plan to be a part of the wedding show of the season here at the AACA Museum in Hershey. Our beautiful facility houses “Something Old”, with its world class display of antique cars, buses and motorcycles. It is here that will be showcasing dozens of Central PA’s best wedding vendors, from caterers and photographers, to bridal attire, cakes and so much more!

Commonwealth Caterers will be there!

This year, the show will feature traditional favorites including a bridal fashion show presented by Taylored For You Bridal. Back by popular demand will once again be our annual Cake Dive, where ten lucky brides will be chosen for their chance to find a wedding ring in a huge sweet frosting covered confection in order to win some great prizes.

“Something New” to the show this year we invite you to become a contestant on a game show we like to call “The Nearly Wed Game”. How much do you really know about your fiancé? You can soon find out as couples battle it out for their chance to win prizes designed to help you create the wedding of your dreams.

And speaking of the guys…They will not mind their time being your “something borrowed” as they escort you to a show that allows them to also view a world class exhibits of cars, buses and motorcycles.

The first 300 brides that register will be given “something blue”…a show tote bag.

VIP Tickets

We will open the velvet ropes and welcome you into the show as our very special guest. We have planned the day for you so that you can see the show in style! When arriving to the show we offer special reserved parking close to the building. Upon entering you will receive a tote bag to better help you collect the information available at the show. For VIPs, the Museum doors will open one hour early at 10AM to allow you ample time to meet with vendors. You will then invite you to special sessions of our Wedding Planning 101 Seminar as well as a live catering demonstration. After, you are welcome to enjoy a light lunch provided by one of our featured caterers.

• Preferred Parking
• Unique Limousine ride right to the front door
• Champagne Greeting
• Entrance to the Show one hour early
• Private cooking demo with Chef Exclusive Catering
• Hors d'oeuvres /Light Lunch held in a room created by Fashionable Affairs Event Planning
• Special reserved seating at the Taylored For You bridal fashion show
• We will draw one of the names to compete in the “Cake Dive” with only VIP ticket holders during lunch. If you are not selected then we will add your name a second time to the drawing held just before the dive.

Order VIP Tickets »

Ticket Prices

$5- In Advance
$7- At the Door
$20- VIP Advanced Sales only

Order Tickets »

Show Hours

Regular Show Hours 11-4PM
VIP Ticket Hours 10-4PM

 

Mattie's Graduation Party...

We had the pleasure of working with Event Planning Network to help Mattie celebrate her graduation!   Check out   http://www.epnblog.com/blog/   (Mattie's Graduation Party) for all of the fn party details.

Fourth of July!

It is almost Independence day!

Preparing for a picnic or barbecue with some of your friends and family?

Then, we have two festive, easy recipes for your party this Fourth of July!

These recipes are not only delicious, but will add to your decorations!

Red, White, and Bleu Burgers!

Prepare the meat at least two hours before cooking.

• 3 lbs. lean ground beef
• 4.5 oz. bleu cheese, crumbled
• 1/2 c. minced fresh chives
• 1/4 t. hot pepper sauce
• 1 t. Worcestershire sauce
• 1 t. coarsely ground black pepper
• 1 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. dry mustard
• 1/4 c. minced white onion (optional)

Mix together all of the above ingredients. Then refrigerate for 2 hours.

Next form your patties. This recipe can make about 12 medium-sized patties. (Or make smaller patties and allow your friends to save room for dessert!)

Then oil the grill and cook your patties to your liking, five minutes on both sides should be enough time to cook throughly.

Finally, serve on white hamburger buns with a tomato to make your red, white, and bleu burgers complete!

Berry Cheesecake     
Crust

• 1 1/2 c. crushed graham crackers
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 6 T. butter, melted

Pre-heat oven to 350F. Mix together graham crackers and sugar. Add in melted butter. Press mixture into pie plate on bottom and sides. Bake 8-10 minutes in oven. Let cool completely before adding cheese cake.

Cheesecake

• 8 oz. cream cheese
• 1/4 c. sugar
• 1 c. Cool Whip topping
• 2 c. mixed strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries
• 3/4 c. boiling water
• 1 package strawberry Jell-O
• 1 c. ice cubes

In mixer stir together cream cheese and sugar. Add in Cool Whip topping and mix slowly. Place mixture in the crust. Top with berries and refrigerate.

Stir the boiling water with the strawberry Jell-O for two minutes until dissolved completely. Add ice cubes and stir until melted. Pour the Jell-O over the berries. Refrigerate for three hours. Enjoy!