Homemade Meals in a Hurry

In A Rush? Don’t Fuss. Local Chefs Dish Up Quick, Healthy Meals For the Family Dinner Table

By Tamara Holly

Whether cooking is your passion or your nemesis, it is ultimately a necessity. For those of us who consider dinner preparation nothing more than another exhausting item on our burdensome daily “To Do List,” fortunately Atlanta is home to gifted local chefs and patient cooking instructors who are willing to provide relief for culinary- and time-challenged families at a fraction of the cost of a live-in gourmet chef.

Tailor-Made Meals
     Personalized, wholesome dishes prepared with the freshest of ingredients are the foundation of Carolyn’s Meals by Design LLC. Basing her meals on a Mediterranean style of cooking, which relies on lean meats and seafood, whole grains, nuts, fruits and vegetables, Chef Carolyn Akens provides clients with professionally cooked meals that are both healthy and delicious. Frozen or processed foods are out of the question, as Akens carefully selects only the highest quality items when devising her recipes. “Clients feel good about eating their meals, as my focus is always on quality, variety and health,” Akens said, adding that “convenience is a huge added bonus.” With “heat-and-eat” meals on hand, clients are spared hours that would otherwise be spent compiling recipes, shopping for ingredients, cooking and cleaning.
     The process begins with a personal assessment during which the client chooses from a list of main entrées, such as pan-braised swordfish with feta or chicken stir-fry with eggplant and basil. Akens’ lifelong love of cooking and passion for food is expressed in recipes such as her turkey glazed meatloaf, a family favorite. “The meatloaf is … nutritious and it melts in your mouth,” she assured. Akens then plans the menu, taking into consideration any personal preferences, dietary restrictions or allergies her client might have. Then, she tackles the entire process from grocery shopping to meal preparation and packaging. All dishes are prepped for the refrigerator and come complete with labels listing simple reheating instructions. Each entrée is accompanied by the chef’s selection of a suitable side item. Portions are made to order for singles, couples or families, and range from six to 16 total meals. Additional charges apply for desserts (an ample selection of cakes and cookies), macrobiotic ingredients or larger parties.
     Customers respond to Akens’ customized service and her commitment to nutrition. “She uses my family’s favorite foods and ingredients to create custom meals that we all enjoy, and with six people in the family, that’s a tall order,” said client Marisa Wood.
     Also available are Akens’ original Agape Nutrition Bars, which are tasty enough to rival mass-produced breakfast bars, sans any artificial colors, flavors or preservatives. “My children enjoy them as snacks during and after school,” Wood said. Using only organic fruits, nuts and berries, the Agape Nutrition Bars come in flavors ranging from classic cinnamon raisin to surprising apple walnut cardamom. Order
a Flavor Sampler and discover your own favorite.

Do-It-Yourself Dinners
     If your dream kitchen comes complete with state-of-the-art appliances, fully stocked shelves and pre-chopped produce, then let The Dinner Stores do the prep work for you.
     Business partners Joe Stabile and Don Bailey bring 50 collective years of sales and marketing experience to the table. After evaluating the concept of self-prepared dinners-to-go, they decided to forego franchising in order to have the freedom of creative conceptualization and superior customer service.
“Our menu really separates us from similar venues,” explained Stabile, adding that they are currently offering 19 monthly entrées that serve four to six people each. Customers begin by selecting six to 12 meals from their seasonal menus created by Christy Ponder, a Le Cordon Bleu chef. With a menu that features enticing entrées such as raspberry barbecue chicken and comfort foods like classic lasagna, clients are sure to find a delicious meal appropriate for any occasion. Stabile noted that their popular pesto chicken is a versatile meal because it is both a great family favorite and easily “dressed up” for a dinner party.

“The convenience of being able to plan a dinner party for 12 with nothing more complicated to do than setting the table and turning on the oven is fantastic.”

Diana Ries - Customer of The Dinner Stores

     Next, clients get cooking during their on-site appointment in the state-of-the-art kitchen. Each preparation station contains everything needed to create each meal, and when one step is complete, they simply move on to the next. Though all finished meals are packaged on-site, customers are advised to use their own coolers from home for transport.
     Too rushed to cook? Just call ahead. “We have the ability to prepare all meals that a customer can either stop in or call to pick up within 24-hours notice,” Stabile added. Choose the Express Service and have your meal prepared by their chef for an additional $30 per 12-entrée session or $18 per six person session. This nominal fee ensures that your dinner will be ready when you are. Prepared Daily Fresh Meals are also available for walk-in customers. Private parties are available for parties of 10 or more. Client Diana Ries stated the “conven-ience of being able to plan a dinner party for 12 with nothing more complicated to do than setting the table and turning on the oven is fantastic.”

Splendid Servings
     The husband-and-wife team of Stephanie and Ken Wright were already successful entrepreneurs when they launched The Dinner A’Fare in 2004 (previously known as Simply Supper). Having opened The Painted Potter, a paint-your-own-pottery shop in North Georgia, they had witnessed firsthand the increasing popularity of do-it yourself businesses that show families a good time while bringing them closer together. Realizing that families are short on time, Stephanie aims to make “meals that taste [good], are easy to cook, and come out of the freezer well.” Her eclectic collection of recipes includes her own family’s culinary traditions, many of which she attributes to her Southern grandmothers. While she creates the entrées, her husband has the good fortune of serving as the official taste tester. Every item is tested several times for cooking, freezing, thawing and tasting.
     Keeping their kitchens fully functional, yet warm and inviting, the Wrights chose to make the experience as simple and enjoyable as possible, allowing food to be the focus. “An unorganized kitchen creates an unorganized feeling,” Stephanie Wright said. “I think that many of our meals are a hit due to the simplicity of the recipes,” she explained. Within two hours, families can create 12 dishes with one to six servings each. Mini meatloaves are made with a perfect balance of lean ground turkey, oats, ketchup and seasonings, and the artichoke salmon is a breeze with chopped garlic, thyme and dill. Even the decadent cherry and pineapple-filled crumb cake is foolproof. Eating healthy is made easy with nutritional information and Weight Watcher Points readily available for each and every menu item. You can find kitchens at Discover Mills and The Avenue at West Cobb, with more metro shops planned for The Avenue at East Cobb and Ivy Walk in Vinings.

Mother Knows Best
     Moms have long been known for striving to provide well-balanced, home-cooked meals for their families, but co-owners (and moms) Marie Johnson and Marki Manby of Anna’s Kitchen help other busy families reach that goal. “We’re two moms who know all too well the challenge of putting a healthy meal on [the] table with children who often have schedules that rival most high-level executives,” Johnson said. “We work to get families around the dinner table, instead of scrambling to get there or even worse, eating on the run.”
     Assorted side dishes like Parmesan roasted red potatoes and scrumptious desserts like guiltless key lime pie make for effortless signature meals. Customers can opt for “Make & Take” (beginning at $115 for six meals) by planning an assembly session to prepare oven- or freezer-ready meals, or they can arrange to have meals ready for pickup. “Ready to Go” entrées start at $135 for six meals.
    “I love picking up home-cooked meals that have huge portions for my family. I have three boys who eat a ton, and so far everything we have tried, they have loved,” raved customer Eileen Wilson. “Even my husband is excited to come home to these fantastic dinners. Anna’s Kitchen has saved my life!”

Last photo courtesy of Sue Domino and The Dinner A-Fare

For More Information