CRESTVIEW — A mix of Cajun and American cuisine forms the basis of the menu at Kay's Kurbside Café, a food truck started last fall by owner Karon Winder.

The mainstays on the menu are Cajun shrimp po boys, fried or grilled Chino Cajun chicken sandwiches, the All American Burger, and the Boss Lady Burger.

The chicken sandwich is named for her dog, Chino, a Shih Tzu-Yorkie mix who loves chicken. 

"He is spoiled rotten," she said. "He is a mess."

Winder also offers a veggie burger, a Bulldog bratwurst sausage, and Cajun sausage with peppers and onions. Sides include french fries, battered onion rings and sweet potato fries. There is also Taco Tuesday, and weekly specials that run the gamut from Cajun specialties to meatball subs.

The food is spicy, she said, but doesn't overwhelm taste buds. 

Winder grew up in Tennessee and started baking when she was 9, after being inspired by her mother and grandmother.

"My mom and my grandma always taught me cooking. My mom was always in the kitchen. I've always had a passion for it. I like hosting," Winder said.

The Mardi Gras-themed food truck grew out of the parties she liked to throw for family and friends. 

"My friends would say things like, 'Oh your food is so good. You should cater. You should cater!'" she said. "But in the state of Florida you can't cater out of your home, so I was looking for an option to get it out there and be able to give people my food.

"My pleasure is seeing you take a bite out of your sandwich … or tasting that po boy and saying, 'Oh, this is just like in Louisiana.'"

She had it confirmed when people from Louisiana complimented her by asking if she stole their recipe.

"But when you love what you do and you cook with love, I think it comes out in your food," she said.

She formed a business plan, and she and her boyfriend Eric Stevenson came up with the name.

Kay's Kurbside Café can be found in the Main Street Eats food truck section of Main Street. It's located in the alley between Desi's and the HERO special needs center. They offer delivery to businesses along Main and Wilson streets on Mondays.

Hours are from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. and 4-7 p.m. Tuesdays through Fridays, and from 11 a.m.-3 p.m. Mondays and Saturdays. Winder said hours will be extended in the summer.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Passion for cooking leads to Cajun-themed food truck

CRESTVIEW — The 14U Club Challengers Volleyball Team participated in the 12th Annual Jax Jam Feb. 9 and 10 in Jacksonville.

After finishing third in their first two tournaments of the season, Director Angela Etheridge and Head Coach Ray Lovelace decided to test the players by entering them into the 15U division of 24 teams at this widely renowned tournament.

The Challengers' only loss came in their first match on Saturday, against the 904 Elite National 15U Team that would remain undefeated and capture the elite Open Gold Division Title.

"As for this younger team of 'Challengers', they won the remainder of their matches and captured the Gold Division Championship! This is certain to be only the first championship for the Challengers teams this season, with a total of 8 teams with players 7-14 yrs old," a team spokesperson said.

Email challengersvolleyball@gmail.com, or find them at Facebook.com/clubchallengers for more information about the Crestview-based USA Volleyball club.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: 14U Crestview Volleyball team wins Gold Division championship

CRESTVIEW — Remodeling a kitchen is no small decision, so John Cassady, sales manager with BT Kitchen and Bath will be with you every step of the way. Stop by the showroom at 4110 South Ferdon Blvd. Meet John and see how BT Kitchen and Bath can transform your home.

John, his father Paul Cassady, and Joel Hughes are the leaders behind BT Kitchen and Bath. The showroom has been in existence for eight years but Paul and Joel have decades more experience in the industry.

John’s approach to the kitchen and bath remodel is two-fold: simplification and customization with the customer in mind.

In the showroom, you’ll see a few hand-picked kitchen designs and a selection of Wellborn cabinet doors.

"We keep it really simple here," John said. "I don’t like a bunch of competing brands. I take what I feel is the best bang for the buck and put them on the floor."

From start to finish, BT Kitchen and Bath is about building trust.

Step one is the meet-and-greet. John meets with customers first at the showroom to see what you’re looking for and discuss materials.

John will help you stay within your budget and find out what’s most and least important to you.

"If they start to pick things out that are pricy I can advise them on that," he said.

Step two, John will come take measurements at your home. He’s the sales manager but he likes to put his own tape measurer on projects.

"I want to be face to face with each one of my customers," he said. "It removes some of the miscommunications that can happen in remodeling."

Step three, you’ll meet with John at the showroom to see the layout or multiple layouts he’s created and the quote. Whether you want a detailed estimate, a simple design or a good/better/best set of options, John can work with you.

"I really try to base my whole process around the needs of the customer," John said.

Step four is the paperwork. BT Kitchen and Bath offers zero percent financing up to 60 months. John can offer other payment options as well.

Step four is the install. On average the process takes six weeks. Know ahead of time that BT Kitchen and Bath doesn’t touch plumbing work.

"We clean up," John said. "The customer has to have their sink reconnected."

Visit www.btkitchenandbath.com to read customer testimonials and see photos from past remodel jobs.

Just looking for an estimate? Call 1-850-266-7499 or email johncassady@buythiskitchen.com. Make an appointment, meet John at the showroom and get a free consultation with him today.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Call BT Kitchen and Bath for your next remodeling project

CRESTVIEW — Healthy Coast Meals is a company that makes clean eating easy and convenient for its customers.

Owners Ashley and Ross Cole have one store and commercial kitchen in Fort Walton Beach. They opened their second "Grab and Go" retail store Jan. 5 at 1900 Ferdon Blvd. S., Suite 180 in Crestview.

The Crestview site has prepackaged, color-coded meals for purchase. Breakfast items are crustless quiche and protein waffles. There are also vanilla and chocolate chip protein donuts. Of their entrées, their most popular are the buffalo chicken plates and burrito bowls.

Ross Cole said professional chefs prepare all the foods from scratch.

"While we do cook everything in Fort Walton Beach, we are very concerned about food safety," Ross Cole said.

The food for Crestview is cooked there, then immediately transported in brand-new refrigerated vehicles that keep the food between 35-39 degrees.

All HCM foods are gluten-free, meaning no wheat flour is used in any product. They are also peanut-free and shellfish-free as well.

"Too many people are allergic to shellfish that we will never have a shellfish, a shrimp, a lobster … in our kitchen," Ross said.

Some items are sugar-free, and some are dairy-free. They are labeled accordingly on the packages and every ingredient is listed on every meal.

In addition to Grab-and-Go products, customers have the option of signing up for various meal plans, bulk purchases, and additional options.

Pre-orders are available by phone and online at www.healthycoastmeals.com. Customers pick up items indoors, at the store's drive-thru, or have them delivered directly to their homes for a fee.

As former professional athletes, Ross said eating healthy is important to him and his wife. They know the amount of work that goes into weighing and preparing food for a healthy diet.

Packets are weighed out, the nutritional content is on the outside, and customers can come pick up 20 meals for the week instead of losing a day preparing them.

"They can come in here and just grab them and they still have their Sunday," he said. "They don't lose that time in their life."

Healthy Coast provides a 10 percent discount to active duty and retired military members, first responders and Okaloosa teachers.

NOTE: This article was updated as it incorrectly stated food transportation temperatures. Healthy Coast meals are kept below 40 degrees for safety.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Healthy Coast Meals offers clean eating in Crestview

CRESTVIEW — Homes For Our Troops will soon begin building a custom home for U.S. Army veteran Vicente Ramirez. A kickoff celebration is scheduled Feb. 16 in Crestview.

In 2006, Ramirez lost his left leg and was severely injured in his other by an incident involving two improvised explosive devices in Iraq.

In the nonprofit's video footage, he said, "Having a house would take a huge burden off my daily living and the issues that bring the pain."

One source of pain is the lack of wheelchair access in his family's Baker home. Vicente, who goes by Vince, has difficulty standing for long periods of time. Without his wheelchair, he has to stand a lot.

The new home will have an open floor plan and other necessities built to accommodate him, he said. They will make it easier for him to do daily tasks and do simple things with his family.

Vince and his wife, Becky, also a disabled Army veteran, have two sons. Cade just turned 3, and Ison is 6. The new home will make it easier to do simple things with them, he said.

The couple decided to build in Florida since it is near both of their families.

Vince expressed his gratitude to supporters. Their gift is "allowing him to rebuild his life," the release stated.

"These homes not only help soldiers, but most importantly, these homes help veterans be more productive individuals to family and friends," he said.

"Our homes include more than 40 special adaptations such as widened doorways for wheelchair access, a roll-in shower, and kitchen amenities that include pull-down shelving and lowered countertops," Teresa Verity, JFOT marketing associate, said.

"The home will also alleviate the mobility and safety issues associated with a traditional home, including navigating a wheelchair through narrow hallways or over thresholds, or reaching for cabinets that are too high."

She discussed the basic criteria to apply for a house through the organization. The veteran applying must be:

• a post-Sept. 11, 2001 veteran injured in the theater of Iraq-Afghanistan war.
• retired or in the process of retiring from military service.
• must have received a letter of eligibility for the VA Specially Adapted Housing Grant program
• have the HFOT home as their primary residence.
• must accept the responsibility of home ownership and have the resources to maintain a home (ongoing maintenance and upkeep, property taxes, home insurance, utilities, etc.).

Visit https://www.hfotusa.org/building-homes/veterans/ramirez/ for more information about the Ramirezes. You may also visit that site to RSVP for the Feb. 16 kickoff celebration.

Verity said the other home HFOT will be building in Northwest Florida is for Army SPC Elliott Smith of Pensacola. Visit www.hfotusa.org/esmith for details.

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Area veteran and family to receive home from nonprofit

FORT WALTON BEACH — Advance Fire Protection Services recently presented Children in Crisis a check for $1,500 to help provide a home and care to the abused, neglected, and abandoned children of the local community.

According to Ken Hair, CIC President & CEO, "We opened the Children’s Neighborhood in February 2008 and since then; we’ve provided a home to about 880 Kids and have kept all of our brother and sister sibling group families together.  We continue to have a critical need for funds to help sustain operations and care for the at-risk children of our community.  We can’t thank the employees of Advance Fire Protection Services enough for their wonderful support."

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Advance Fire Protection Services Help Children in Crisis

CRESTVIEW — Gulf Power has provided a list of organizations that help people who need help paying their power bills. The Salvation Army has a program called Project SHARE. It provides emergency assistance with energy bills, heating and air-conditioning equipment repairs, and other energy-related needs. The program assists the elderly, the disabled, the sick and others who are experiencing financial hardship. Gulf Power customers can make donations to Project SHARE by adding a donation to their power bill. Here is a partial list of Northwest Florida groups to request help.

CRESTVIEW

•Sharing & Caring, 682-1134

•Salvation Army, 243-4531

•Tri-County, 306-1134

NICEVILLE

•Okaloosa County Council on Aging, 833-9165

•Salvation Army, 243-4531

•Catholic Social Services, 244-2825

•Sharing & Caring, 678-8459

FORT WALTON BEACH

•Striving for Perfection Ministries, 312 Pelham Road. Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Tuesday – Friday, 862-3899

•United Way, 112 Tupelo Ave., 243-0315

•Salvation Army, 425 Mary Esther Cutoff, 243-4531

•Catholic Social Services, 11 1st St., 244-2825

MILTON

•Interfaith Ministries — Santa Rosa County residents, Gulf Breeze, Navarre, Milton, 934-8385

•We Care Ministries (United Methodist Church — Santa Rosa County residents, Navarre), 939-1005

•Family Resource Center, 626-2054

•Salvation Army, Santa Rosa County, 623-4099

•Tri County Community Council, 6607 Elva St., 981-0036　

PENSACOLA United Way referral line, call 2-1-1 from any phone United Ministries (only provides assistance to families w/children) 257 E Lee St., 433-2333

•Catholic Social Services, 222 E. Government St., Pensacola, 436-6425

•Community Action Program, 8:15-9:15 a.m. Tuesdays, 1308 W Garden St., 607-2088

•Salvation Army, 1501 North Q St., Pensacola, 432-1501

•First Baptist Church, 438-8907 Olive Baptist Church, 473-4466

DEFUNIAK SPRINGS

•Caring & Sharing, 892-7656

•Tri-County Council Assistance, 892-3615

This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Gulf Power provides contacts for power bill help