Category: Food

Neal Communities Donates $10,000 to Sponsor the 2024 Parrish Heritage Day Parade and Chili Cookoff

Neal Communities, Southwest Florida’s premier, private homebuilder, was a $10,000 sponsor of the 2024 Parrish Heritage Day Parade & Chili Cook Off Festival, which was held Saturday, March 9, at the Florida Railroad Museum.

The family friendly parade and festival are held annually by the Parrish Civic Association and The Parrish Foundation. The celebration and fundraiser support the Foundation’s efforts in the community for beautification and events, as well as a fund to build a community center. For a $10 ticket, attendees were able to taste chili from 24 competing teams, while enjoying live music, arts and crafts displays and activities for all ages.

The chili-cooking teams bring in all of their own supplies, cook everything from scratch on site, and serve their chili creation to the judges and attendees. The Neal Communities team, the “Neal Hot Chili Peppers,” came in Second Runner-up this year.

“I’m really competitive,” said Jennifer Joslin, a design gallery manager for both Neal Communities and Neal signature Homes. Her husband, Karl, serves as the head chef, and six other Neal employees rounded out the team. The first year the Neal team participated, they won First Runner-up. Last year, they won the People’s Choice award, which Joslin considers “the real winner.”

“This is my third year being involved, and we wanted to be the grand champions this year,” Joslin said. Although they didn’t take first place as hoped, the team still had fun. “This is a great event and a way to give back to the community. I think there were more than 5,000 people there, and they were all lined up at our booth. The people of Parrish just love it, and it’s for a good cause.”

Neal Communities has supported this event and The Parrish Foundation for many years, with past donations totaling more than $52,000. With a core belief that “Where You Live Matters,” Neal Communities has given more than $8 million to local charities throughout Southwest Florida and is committed to the communities where they live, work and build.

In Parrish, Neal Communities is currently building and selling homes in Canoe Creek and Wildleaf at North River Ranch. Silverleaf, also located in Parrish, has recently sold out.

April 1, 2024
Neal Communities Sponsors Mote Marine Laboratory & Aquarium’s Farm to Fillet Luncheon at the Mote Aquaculture Research Park

Neal Communities, southwest Florida’s premier, private homebuilder, donated $2,500 as a Sustainable Fish Farm Sponsor of the Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium’s Farm to Fillet luncheon. The event was held Sunday, February 11, at the Mote Aquaculture Research Park off Fruitville Road east of 1-75.

Nearly 400 guests attended the event, which included a sustainably-grown seafood lunch prepared by Chef Paul Mattison. The menu included Mote Marine Laboratory sun gold tomato bruschetta with pesto goat cheese, crostini and balsamic drizzle; Sun Shrimp gumbo with Joe Island clams and Cajun rice; blackened Pine Island red drum fish with Igor’s garden daikon slaw, Mote Marine Laboratory braised greens, roasted root vegetable puree and honey mustard vinaigrette; and apple frangipane tart with caramel anglaise.

The majority of the ingredients for the meal were harvested a mere 200 meters from where guests sat in open air for lunch. The red drum and sea vegetables were grown in Mote’s state-of-the-art, land-based sustainable saltwater aquaculture and aquaponics systems. The vegetables were also grown on the property through Mote’s Beginning Farmer Education Program in partnership with the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agriculture Sciences.

After the meal, guests were treated to a tour of the working farm and marine research park that is normally closed to the public.

Neal Communities’ teammates attended Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium’s Farm to Fillet luncheon held Sunday, February 11, at the Mote Aquaculture Research Park.

The Mote Aquaculture Research Park (MAP) was constructed in 2001 on two-hundred acres in eastern Sarasota County to pioneer the development of sustainable aquaculture technology to help feed the world, restock depleted species and address the need to develop a viable, domestic aquaculture industry in the U.S.

Today, MAP continues to advance this critical effort while hosting additional key components of Mote Marine Laboratory’s mission including the Florida Red Tide Mitigation & Technology Development Facility, focusing on understanding and mitigating the devastating effects of red tide, and the International Coral Gene Bank, which houses more coral genotypes than any other facility in the world.

“With partners like Neal Communities, we can ensure global access to healthy and sustainable seafood for generations to come,” said Dr. Nicole Rhody, marine and freshwater aquaculture program manager and senior scientist at Mote Marine Laboratory.

With a core belief that “Where You Live Matters,” Neal Communities has given more than $8 million to local charities throughout Southwest Florida and is committed to the communities where they live, work and build. Over the years, Neal Communities has championed academic, athletic, cultural, environmental and philanthropic programs that support the arts, community, non-profit and educational organizations.

“At Neal Communities, our focus is on building communities people enjoy living in and will enjoy for years to come. Protecting and preserving our natural resources and the unique elements that make Florida special are an important part of that,” said Pat Neal, founder and chairman of Neal Communities. “Mote Marine Laboratory and Aquarium enriches our community and plays an instrumental role in marine research and conservation efforts. We are proud to sponsor and support their efforts.”

February 26, 2024
Neal Communities Serves as $10,000-Level Sponsor of the 2023 Parrish Heritage Day Parade & Chili Cook Off Festival

Neal Communities, Southwest Florida’s premier, private homebuilder, was a $10,000 sponsor of this year’s 2023 Parrish Heritage Day Parade & Chili Cook Off Festival.

The 2023 Parrish Heritage Day Parade & Chili Cook Off Festival, hosted annually by the Parrish Civic Association and The Parrish Foundation, took place on Saturday, March 25th on the grounds of the Florida Railroad Museum. Attendees were invited to enjoy delicious food, live music, arts and crafts displays and kid-friendly activities. Attendants were given a card upon entrance, allowing them to cast their vote for the best chili after sampling.

“This is an annual fun, family-friendly event that not only helps the whole community come together, but also provides support for both the Parish Civic Association and The Parrish Foundation,” said Pat Neal, founder and president of Neal Communities.

Funds raised during the event are used to provide community enhancements, including a future Parrish Community Park and grants to local nonprofit organizations that are serving the Parrish community.

Members of the Neal Communities team enjoy participating in the festival each year. Last year, Neal Communities team was first runner-up in the chili cook-off. This year, the team received a Judges First in Show Award for Best Team and Booth and an Overall Grand Champion for People’s Choice Award for chili.

“We were thrilled that we received the People’s Choice Award, which meant that people voted for our chili as being the best,” said Jennifer Joslin, design gallery manager for both Neal Signature Homes and Neal Communities.

This was Joslin’s second year on the team. As a co-captain, she was one of the eight members of the Neal Communities’ team, which included six other company employees and her husband, Karl. Her husband served as the head chef.

Each team member was assigned supplies to bring, including the different chili ingredients. The morning of the festival, everyone gathered at 6 a.m. to prepare pots with ingredients as the chili must be made on-site with meat ready to cook by 7 a.m.

While Joslin’s husband cooked and ensured the chili was ready for judges to pick up by 10 a.m., the team decorated their booth, using a company-branded tablecloth, fun decorations and vibrant colors where attendants could relax and enjoy their food. To offer a fun experience for an entire family, the team also brought in trays of candy for children.

“We always add trays of candy because kids bring their parents, and parents vote on the chili,” Joslin said.

When the gates opened to the public at 11 a.m., the team knew there would be quite the crowd to feed. While teams need to make a minimum of 10 gallons for the event, the Neal Communities team created 15 gallons of chili, wanting to have enough so every guest would have the chance to enjoy the chili. Throughout the day, the team worked together to serve the hundreds of people who attended the festival. Every time a guest cast a vote for Neal as the best chili, the team would ring a bell they brought, drumming up excitement and boosting team morale.

“This was a fun event for us to do. The chili cookoff certainly builds teamwork, camaraderie and friendship,” Joslin said. “But the whole other benefit of this is that we were part of an effort to support the local community.”

Neal Communities has been a longtime supporter of both this event and The Parrish Foundation, with more than $42,000 in past donations.

With a core belief that “Where You Live Matters,” Neal Communities has given more than $7.75 million to local charities throughout Southwest Florida and is committed to the communities where they live, work and build. In Parrish, Neal Communities has built the communities of Silverleaf and Canoe Creek and homes within North River Ranch.

April 7, 2023
All-American Dishes to Commemorate Memorial Day

This Memorial Day may feel a little different than those in the past. While there may not be a parade in your neighborhood to honor service members, you can still practice gratitude for those who sacrificed their lives serving our country and embrace those you’re with at home. We have compiled some all-American dishes you can create to partake in remembering those who have served.

Watermelon Blueberry Sparklers

These fruit skewers are the perfect snack to have on hand during a long day of swimming. And all it takes to make is two ingredients! They’re a great pick-me-up that will get the kids out of the water for a nutritious snack before they’re back in the pool again.

Grilled Corn and Poblano Chile Salad

This New World take on a classic favorite makes a simple yet flavor-filled side dish. No need to pre-soak or pre-shuck the corn before grilling it. Just put the whole ears on the grate and the husks and the silk will slip right off. You’re going to be making this side all summer long!

Southern Barbecue Ribs

Go all out on Memorial Day Bring with this star-studded recipe! These tender oven-roasted ribs are basted with our a sweet and tangy combination of several regional Southern sauces. The recipe calls for tomatoes, light brown sugar, vinegar, and yellow mustard. While these ribs are oven-roasted, it may not be for pit-loving purists, but they’re undeniably good.

Freedom Bark

Wrap up the meal with this sweet, chocolatey treat. Swirl together melted red, white and blue candy melts and garnish with star shaped sprinkles just before it goes to set in the fridge. If you have some extra helpers, get your children involved with mixing the candy melts together and decorating. Just make sure they don’t go too crazy on the sprinkles. Fair warning that the bark won’t last long once it’s ready to eat!

May 15, 2020
Get Cooking With Neal

An increasing number of people are staying in, and chances are, you’re looking for some at-home entertainment. You’re probably all caught up on your favorite TV shows, finished the book you’ve been meaning to read and have disinfected your home from top to bottom. Now what?

This new found free time is a great opportunity to sharpen your cooking skills. Luckily, Neal Communities has you covered with a mouth-watering recipe for you to add to your stockpile.

Over the past couple of years, we’ve compiled some family favorite recipes from employees into a cookbook. Similar to most families, food plays a key role in our culture. Whether it’s a brief morning meeting or a company-wide celebration, the Neal family enjoys sharing culinary creations. While the book is for sale in our office, we’ve decided to share one of the recipes in hopes it will inspire you to get creative in your kitchen. We hope you have a wonderful time connecting with your family while making this creamy, delicious meal.

Chicken Cannelloni

Ingredients

Cannelloni Filling:

8 oz. chicken breasts (about 2), cooked thoroughly

1 oz. fresh, chopped spinach

1 oz. sun-dried tomatoes, sliced

16 oz. ricotta cheese

3 oz. mozzarella cheese, shredded

½ tsp black pepper

1 tsp salt

12 lasagna noodles

Cannelloni Sauce:

16 oz. Asiago cream sauce

16 oz. tomato sauce, jar

3 oz. Parmesan Cheese, grated

Directions

First, allow chicken breasts to cool once they are cooked thoroughly.

Secondly, dice the cooked chicken breast into ½ inch pieces and place into a large mixing bowl. Add spinach, tomatoes, ricotta, mozzarella, pepper, salt, and mix thoroughly.

Begin arranging the pre-cooked pasta sheets on a cutting board by placing two or three rounded tablespoons of filling mixture down the center of each pasta sheet and carefully roll pasta around filling in a cigar fashion. Place the rolled cannelloni, side by side, into a shallow baking dish. Next, place Asiago sauce and tomato sauce in a bowl and mix until well incorporated. Pour sauce over cannelloni covering completely. Finally, sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over top of sauce.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake at 350 degrees for approximately 20 minutes.

Remove foil and continue to bake for an additional 20 minutes. Lastly, remove from oven and serve immediately.

What have you been cooking? Let us know by sharing a photo and tagging us at @nealcommunities so we can see your culinary creations!

March 29, 2020
Bon Appetit! Eating Out in Fort Myers, Florida

When it comes to dining options in Fort Myers, the phrase, “Something for everyone,” comes to mind. From exceptional seafood to a wide variety of ethnic cuisines, American favorites and delightful fusion creations – whatever your taste buds are looking for, you’ll find it. (more…)

September 26, 2018