Chipolte's Reshaping Demands in Quick Foods

MCDONALD'S PREDICTS TOUGH YEAR DESPITE NEW ITEMS

BY CANDICE CHOI 
AP FOOD INDUSTRY WRITER

NEW YORK (AP) -- McDonald's is mixing up its menu with healthier, fresher sounding items such as its chicken McWraps, but not enough customers are biting.

The world's biggest hamburger chain on Monday reported a second-quarter profit that rose 4 percent but fell short of Wall Street expectations. It also said July sales are expected to be relatively flat and warned of a tough year ahead, given the heightened competition and rough economic conditions around the world.

"We don't have as much pricing power," said CEO Don Thompson, noting that the company wouldn't be able to easily charge more for its food without the risk of scaring off customers.

McDonald's shares fell 2.7 percent, or $2.69, to close at $97.58. Over the past year, the stock is up 13 percent.  

The company, which has more than 34,000 locations worldwide, says global sales edged up 1 percent at restaurants open at least a year. The figure rose by the same amount in the U.S., where McDonald's has been touting its Dollar Menu while also trying to adapt to changing eating habits with items such as its veggie-filled chicken wraps and egg-white breakfast sandwiches.

But the small sales bump in the U.S. wasn't enough to offset the higher advertising and promotional costs for those new items, as well as the reduced efficiency in restaurants. Operating margin declined slightly as a result.

"We threw a lot of new products at restaurants this quarter," Chief Financial Officer Pete Bensen said in a call with analysts. "So our efficiency per crew hour was down a little bit." 

The tepid sales growth for the quarter ended June 30 reflects the challenges facing McDonald's Corp., which for years had been a standout in the fast-food industry. Part of the problem is that economic conditions remain weak in many regions of the world, with the company repeatedly noting that people are being more careful about eating out. That's true in Europe and the region encompassing Asia, the Middle East and Africa, the company said, with both posting slight declines in sales at restaurants open at least a year.

But another challenge for McDonald's is the growing number of chains that offer quick, better quality food at higher prices, including Chipotle, Noodles & Company, Panera Bread and others. Those chains are reshaping expectations when people go out to eat.

Traditional fast-food chains have taken note and are scrambling to keep pace. Wendy's, which reports its results Tuesday, is in the process of renovating its restaurants to be more inviting and modern. Its new burgers are positioned as premium, and the chain has been making tweaks such as introducing natural-cut French fries and softening the edges of its famously square burgers so they don't look so processed.

Even KFC, which is owned by Yum Brands Inc., is opening a test restaurant that has a more upscale design and menu next month. To raise its own image, McDonald's has been revamping its restaurants with a sleeker design as well. It's also making tweaks to existing items, such as replacing the bacon in its wraps and burgers with a thicker, applewood-smoked variety.  

But whether Thompson, who took over last summer, will be able to keep McDonald's image up to date as it struggles though the tough economic climate remains to be seen. In the previous quarter, McDonald's reported its first global quarterly sales decline at restaurants open at least a year in about a decade.

On Monday, the company trimmed its estimate for new restaurant openings to reduce its capital expenditures. It now expects to open between 1,500 and 1,550 net new locations globally, down from its previous forecast of 1,500 to 1,600.

Despite the challenges, Thompson repeatedly expressed confidence that McDonald's would be able to grow over the long term.

"One thing we've never done at McDonald's, we don't cry or whine about market conditions" he said.

For the latest quarter, the Oak Brook, Ill.-based company said sales were down 0.1 percent in Europe. Results in Germany and France dragged down its stronger performance in the United Kingdom and Russia.

In Asia, the Middle East and Africa, sales also dipped 0.3 percent, as its three biggest markets - China, Australia and Japan - saw declines.

For the quarter, the company earned $1.4 billion, or $1.38 per share. That's up from $1.35 billion, or $1.32 per share, a year ago.

Earnings were short of the $1.40 analysts expected.

Revenue rose to $7.08 billion, in line with expectations, according to FactSet.

The Health Benefits of Cinnamon 

Ceylon Cinnamon 

Cinnamomum 

  Saigon Cinnamon Cassia 

The active principles in the cinnamon spice are known to have anti-oxidant, anti-diabetic, anti-septic, local anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, rubefacient (warming and soothing), carminative and anti-flatulent properties.

Cinnamon has the highest anti-oxidant strength of all the food sources in nature. The total  measured ORAC (Oxygen radical absorbance capacity) value for this novel spice is 267536 trolex equivalents (TE), which is many hundred times more than in chokeberry, apples, etc.

The spice contains health benefiting essential oils such as eugenol, a phenylpropanoids class of chemical compound, which gives pleasant, sweet aromatic fragrances. Eugenol has got local anesthetic and antiseptic properties, hence; useful in dental and gum treatment procedures.

Other important essential oils in cinnamon include ethyl cinnamate, linalool, cinnamaldehyde, beta-caryophyllene, and methyl chavicol.

Cinnamaldehyde in cinnamon-sticks has been found to have anti-clotting action, prevents platelet clogging inside the blood vessels, and thereby helps prevent stroke, peripheral arterial and coronary artery diseases.

The active principles in this spice may increase the motility of the intestinal tract as well as help aid in the digestion power by increasing gastro-intestinal enzyme secretions.

This spicy bark is an excellent source of minerals like potassium, calcium, manganese, iron, zinc, and magnesium. Iron is required for cellular metabolism as a co-factor and in RBC's production. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps control heart rate and blood pressure. Manganese and copper are chiefly used by the body as co-factors for the antioxidant enzyme, superoxide dismutase.

It also contains very good amounts of vitamin A, niacin, pantothenic acid, and pyridoxine.

Further, it is also a very good source of flavonoid phenolic anti-oxidants such as carotenes, zea-xanthin, lutein and cryptoxanthin.

  

Chicken Caesar Salad

The dressing is fairly straight forward Caesar here, replacing water for oil to reduce calories.

Also instead of thickening it with eggs we thicken it with xantham gum. The trick was to get the pineapple croutons just right. to bread them with almond flour they were very grainy. The almond crumbs stuck inside your mouth was very unpalatable. I wanted to make a more congealed crust . So using a 3 step breading of rice flour , 5:1 egg and then blanched almond flour instead of the regular really worked well. 

Here is the recipe and procedure sheet 

Chilaquilies

April 14, 2013 

I have been working on the Chilaquilies to get it to a standardized recipe.
When you look at the procedure it probably looks harder than it is.
There is a lot of layering. 

Chilaquilies Recipe and procedure sheet  

Also I am adding the menus.
This will be the place to always keep up to date on any changes. 

Breakfast 

Lunch 

Dinner 

Shrimp Tacos

Shrimp Tacos

Ingredients:

3 oz Cooked 31-50 prawns,  de-tailed
2 oz sweet bell peppers cut julienne
1 oz cabbage,  shredded fine
1 oz purple cabbage shredded fine
1 oz green onions , sliced julienne
1 teaspoon chopped garlic (1 clove )
1 teaspoon grated ginger
2 oz Ponzu sauce
Cilantro springs

2-5.5 inch corn tortillas

Directions:

Gather the ingredients, and chop the ginger and garlic, Chop the vegetables julienne and shred the cabbage. 

Saute the garlic and ginger for 30 seconds on medium heat
till you can smell the flavors releasing. Add the prawns and cook for 15 seconds

3. Add the veg and cook for 30 seconds just to mix flavors and
Lightly sear. You don’t want the veg soft. Add 1 oz of GF Ponzu sauce.

5. Place Taco shells like so in the black tray

Divide the filling between the shells.
Top with cilantro sprigs and place a 1 oz souflee
of GF  Ponzu sauce.

Breakfast Quesadilla

Serves 2

2- 8 inch GF tortilla

1 laughing cow wedge swiss cheese or 1 Tablespoon non fat cream cheese

½ cup 5:1 Eggs
.1 oz sea salt
1/8 teaspoon Mrs Dash
1/8 teaspoon Pepper
6 Tablespoons of Squared mashed black and pinto beans
1 oz  or 2 tablespoons roasted and chopped sweet bell peppers and Hatch
1 oz or 2 tablespoons roasted Hatch chilies

1 oz or 2 tablespoons fire grilled corn z
2 oz 2% reduced fat shredded Monterey Jack and Cheddar Cheese

Serve with

2 teaspoon or .3 oz non fat sour cream
2 teaspoon or .3 oz pico de gallo

4 Cilantro Sprigs

Directions:

  

1. Cook the 5:1 Egg in a 8 inch non stick skillet like you would
a round crepe or thin pancake. This will be the same size as
your tortilla.
Season with Mrs Dash , a little Sea salt and pepper 

2. Spread the laughing cow on one tortilla and the beans on the other

3. Place the Egg on the tortilla with cheese

  Add the peppers , and corn on top of the egg

Sprinkle the cheese on top of the peppers

4.Put the other tortilla on and brown on both sides

5. Cut the Quesadilla into 6 pieces and serve 3 per portion
Put the sour cream and salsa in portion cups
Garnish with cilantro 

Macaroni and Cheese GF and low fat

 Macaroni and Cheese Update

 

Makes 8 portions

3 cups Chicken Stock

3 Yukon potatoes about 1 cup sliced
1 cup Parsnip 

1 cup chopped cauliflower
1 medium Spanish onion
6 cloves garlic

4 oz fat free cream cheese

8 oz 2 % sharp cheddar cheese
8 oz fat free sharp cheddar cheese

2 teaspoon Dijon mustard

1 cup non fat milk

1 tablespoon Annato oil food color

1 teaspoon Salt
½ teaspoon tobasco or other hot sauce

8 oz dry weight  Quinoa and Corn Noodles, cooked in 2 quarts boiling water, then shocked. 

1. Simmer potatoes , onions and garlic in chicken stock till tender. 

2. Simmer cauliflower till tender 

3. Puree all in food processor till very smooth and shiny 

4. Put the new sauce in double boiler, add the softened cream cheese and stir till smooth.
5, Add the cheddar cheeses and stir till smooth. 

6. Add the remaining ingredients and stir till smooth 

Adjust seasoning 

Blend with the noodles.