Chef Luke came to class with prepared dough from the recipe we learned last week. From there we broke up into twos and rolled and cut the dough for ravioli. What fun, we ended up with several sizes and shapes (the thinner the dough, the easier it was to boil). Again in twos and then fours we made the fillings (the cheese and the seafood fillings were made) and sauces listed below. After the ravioli were filled, they were boiled for a very short time. Everything was so delicious. Just thinking about it I am getting hungry all over again!
Three Cheese Filling Base
1 C Ricotta Cheese
1/4 C Parmesan Reggiano
1/2 C Shredded Mozzarella or Provolone
1 t EVOO
1 t Basil
1 Clove Garlic finely chopped or made into a paste with kosher salt
1 large egg
For Seafood Filling: Add to the above, one cup of mixture of seafood finely minced or shredded in a processor with one tablespoons of lemon zest and a 1/4 cup freshly chopped parsley. Luke sauteed shrimp and mussels to use for our class. Very, very good.
In a bowl add all of the ingredients and mix well.
Cajun Cream Sauce
2 Cloves Garlic
1 T EVOO
2 T White Wine or Vermouth
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 C fine grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese
1 T Tomato Paste
1/2 t Paprika
Pinch of Salt
Pinch of Black Pepper
Cayenne Pepper to taste
1/4 t Oregano
1/4 t Thyme
2 T Butter
Sweat garlic in oil for a few seconds and add wine before garlic browns. Add cream and reduce while whisking on low heart until cream thickens and coats back of spoon*. Whisk in cheese until smooth. If you feel it is too thick, add more cream as needed. Add paprika, salt, black pepper, cayenne, oregano, thyme and which. Whisk in butter before serving.
*When thickened to right consistency, you should be able to run your finger down back of spoon and separate the sauce in two parts.
Bolognese Sauce
1 Carrot, finely diced
1/2 C Onion, finely diced
1/2 C Celery, finely diced
1/2 C Red Bell Pepper, finely diced
2 T EVOO
2 Cloves Garlic, crushed/chopped
1 Lb. Ground Sweet Italian Sausage
1 15 oz can Tomato Sauce
1 15 oz can Diced Tomatoes
1/4 C Red Wine
1 t Sugar
1/2 t Basil*
1/2 t Oregano*
1/4 t Red Pepper Flakes*
Saute carrots, onion, celery and red pepper in oil. Add sausage and garlic, and brown meat. Drain fat, add tomatoes, red wine, sugar and seasonings. Serve hot over pasta.
*Add spices to taste.
I want to thank everyone who participated in these pasta classes, especially Luke and Cydney Miller. Luke will be back May 20 to teach nutritious cooking to people who need, will need to or have had chemo. Good luck to Cydney on her next competition.
Monica
Wednesday, May 12, 2010
Monday, May 3, 2010
Basic Pasta Class I
Hi, all. We had a wonderful time at our basic pasta making class with Luke Miller. Everyone had a chance to make their dough, roll the dough through the pasta machine to make their choice of noodles and cook two sauces. Of course after all of that work they were able to sit down and eat their creation and drink a bit of wine. To make this class even more fun the fire alarm went off during Luke's basic Alfredo sauce demonstration. Not knowing the code to stop the alarm, 911 would not stop the fire department from coming to "ingredients". I could silence the alarm; but not stop the strobe and I apologize to my downtown family for any distress cause by the fire truck being parked on First St. The strobe has stopped (as of this morning) and all is well.
Below are the recipes by Luke Miller from Class One: Basic Pasta:
Basic Pasta Dough
1 T EVOO
1 3/4 C Unbleached Flour
1 t Kosher Salt
2 extra large eggs or 3 large eggs
On a solid work surface add 1 1/2 C flour in a mound and make a well in the center reserving the remaining 1/4 c for later kneading. Add oil, eggs and salt in a bowl and mix. Pour egg mixture in center of mound and begin to work with your fingers until you form a mass. Use the reserved flour a little at a time to form into a smooth ball. The dough will be slightly tacky to the touch when it is ready. Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit in refrigerator until you are ready to roll it out.
Simple Tomato Sauce
3 T EVOO
2 Cloves Garlic chopped fine
1/4 C Yellow Onion chopped fine
1/4 C Red Wine
2 16oz cans of diced Tomatoes
1 T Basil
1 T Oregano
1/2 t Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
Kosher salt to taste
Sugar to taste*
Sweat garlic and onion in oil for a few minutes until translucent and cooked through. Add wine and deglaze pan. Add tomatoes and spices and simmer until desired thickness.
If you would like a smoother tomato sauce, pulse it in a blender or food processor before serving.
*Sugar is added as a way to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. Add this in small amounts, like salt, until you get the desired taste.
Alfredo Sauce
2 Cloves Garlic
1 T EVOO
2 T White Wine or Vermouth
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 C fine grated Parmesan Reggiano Cheese
1 T Butter
Sweat garlic in oil for a few seconds and add wine before garlic browns. Add cream and reduce while whisking on low heat until cream thickens and coats back of spoon*. Whisk in cheese until smooth. If it is too thick add more cream. Whisk in butter before service.
*When thickened to right consistency, you should be able to run your finger down back of spoon and separate the sauce in two parts.
I can tell you that everything tasted so good. I didn't realize how easy it is to make pasta (although we sell some pasta here) and how good it tastes. It does take a bit of time; but you can store your mound of pasta for a while. The homemade sauces were easy and delicious and they didn't take much time at all. I promised Calla Rae we would attempt this at home. Hmm, I wonder if Luke would come over and help :-).
Next week we will be filling ravioli with cheese and seafood and we learn two new sauces.
Below are the recipes by Luke Miller from Class One: Basic Pasta:
Basic Pasta Dough
1 T EVOO
1 3/4 C Unbleached Flour
1 t Kosher Salt
2 extra large eggs or 3 large eggs
On a solid work surface add 1 1/2 C flour in a mound and make a well in the center reserving the remaining 1/4 c for later kneading. Add oil, eggs and salt in a bowl and mix. Pour egg mixture in center of mound and begin to work with your fingers until you form a mass. Use the reserved flour a little at a time to form into a smooth ball. The dough will be slightly tacky to the touch when it is ready. Wrap in plastic wrap and let sit in refrigerator until you are ready to roll it out.
Simple Tomato Sauce
3 T EVOO
2 Cloves Garlic chopped fine
1/4 C Yellow Onion chopped fine
1/4 C Red Wine
2 16oz cans of diced Tomatoes
1 T Basil
1 T Oregano
1/2 t Red Pepper Flakes (optional)
Kosher salt to taste
Sugar to taste*
Sweat garlic and onion in oil for a few minutes until translucent and cooked through. Add wine and deglaze pan. Add tomatoes and spices and simmer until desired thickness.
If you would like a smoother tomato sauce, pulse it in a blender or food processor before serving.
*Sugar is added as a way to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. Add this in small amounts, like salt, until you get the desired taste.
Alfredo Sauce
2 Cloves Garlic
1 T EVOO
2 T White Wine or Vermouth
2 Cups Heavy Whipping Cream
1 C fine grated Parmesan Reggiano Cheese
1 T Butter
Sweat garlic in oil for a few seconds and add wine before garlic browns. Add cream and reduce while whisking on low heat until cream thickens and coats back of spoon*. Whisk in cheese until smooth. If it is too thick add more cream. Whisk in butter before service.
*When thickened to right consistency, you should be able to run your finger down back of spoon and separate the sauce in two parts.
I can tell you that everything tasted so good. I didn't realize how easy it is to make pasta (although we sell some pasta here) and how good it tastes. It does take a bit of time; but you can store your mound of pasta for a while. The homemade sauces were easy and delicious and they didn't take much time at all. I promised Calla Rae we would attempt this at home. Hmm, I wonder if Luke would come over and help :-).
Next week we will be filling ravioli with cheese and seafood and we learn two new sauces.
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Wedding Registry
With so many options from which to select, choosing the right kitchen essentials can be overwhelming for couples as they begin the wedding registry process. The Masters Collection, designed by prestigious Culinary Institute of America (CIA) combines the best features and benefits including durability, multi-functionality and comfort to make it an ideal choice for cooking novices or those with more experience.
The following is a list of essential items and tips for every couple setting up their first kitchen:
1. Couples should make sure they know how their cookware materials conduct heat before purchasing. It's also a good idea to have a variety of cookware sizes and functions-purchase a starter set in addition to a few open stock specialized pieces. Masters Collection cookware offers seven-ply stainless clad construction with a pure copper center to provide optimum heat distribution for cooking.
2. Well designed knives make for easy chopping and slicing. Make sure to hold the knife before registering for it; it should always feel balanced and well-proportioned. The Masters Collection Hyde Park cutlery offers a balance-forward handle design and streamlined bolster to provide a secure grip. Made of high-carbon stainless steel, the blade holds its sharp edge.
3. Have a variety of kitchen gadgets on hand to simplify the cooking process. Having task specific gadgets and tools such as pizza wheels, can openers, peppermills and peelers speed things up in the kitchen. The right tools will make for better food presentations as well.
4. A non-stick cake pan is multi-functional and can offer easy cleanup. The Master Collection cake pan is ideal because of its aluminized steel construction, which promotes even baking and browning. The grooved handles create a secure handling system and its nonstick surface allows for simple cleanup. A cooling rack is very useful for resting just-baked cookies, cake, or pastries.
5. A good pair of tongs is essential for picking up meat and fish from the grill. Tongs should feel comfortable and be long enough to keep hands safe distance away from the hot surface. The Master Collection locking tongs feature ergonomically designed handles for a more secure grip.
6. A kitchen scale is good for precise measurements and to help keep track of portion sizes, which can play a big part in keeping healthy. The Master Collection digital scale can measure ingredients by weight in either grams or ounces. The scale automatically shuts off after 15 minutes of no weight change.
7. A accurate thermometer is an essential tool in today's kitchens. A digital probe thermometer remotely displays food temperatures and time elapsed while cooking and eliminates the need for continually opening the oven door to check doneness. Alarm will sound when cooking time or temperature is reached so the chef can move on to other tasks. The Masters Collection Digital Probe is available with commercial quality stainless steel probe and 44" silicone wire cord for extra durability.
Above is just a sample of the CIA products available at Ingredients with prices range from $4.25 to more than $900.00. Special Orders are always welcome.
The following is a list of essential items and tips for every couple setting up their first kitchen:
1. Couples should make sure they know how their cookware materials conduct heat before purchasing. It's also a good idea to have a variety of cookware sizes and functions-purchase a starter set in addition to a few open stock specialized pieces. Masters Collection cookware offers seven-ply stainless clad construction with a pure copper center to provide optimum heat distribution for cooking.
2. Well designed knives make for easy chopping and slicing. Make sure to hold the knife before registering for it; it should always feel balanced and well-proportioned. The Masters Collection Hyde Park cutlery offers a balance-forward handle design and streamlined bolster to provide a secure grip. Made of high-carbon stainless steel, the blade holds its sharp edge.
3. Have a variety of kitchen gadgets on hand to simplify the cooking process. Having task specific gadgets and tools such as pizza wheels, can openers, peppermills and peelers speed things up in the kitchen. The right tools will make for better food presentations as well.
4. A non-stick cake pan is multi-functional and can offer easy cleanup. The Master Collection cake pan is ideal because of its aluminized steel construction, which promotes even baking and browning. The grooved handles create a secure handling system and its nonstick surface allows for simple cleanup. A cooling rack is very useful for resting just-baked cookies, cake, or pastries.
5. A good pair of tongs is essential for picking up meat and fish from the grill. Tongs should feel comfortable and be long enough to keep hands safe distance away from the hot surface. The Master Collection locking tongs feature ergonomically designed handles for a more secure grip.
6. A kitchen scale is good for precise measurements and to help keep track of portion sizes, which can play a big part in keeping healthy. The Master Collection digital scale can measure ingredients by weight in either grams or ounces. The scale automatically shuts off after 15 minutes of no weight change.
7. A accurate thermometer is an essential tool in today's kitchens. A digital probe thermometer remotely displays food temperatures and time elapsed while cooking and eliminates the need for continually opening the oven door to check doneness. Alarm will sound when cooking time or temperature is reached so the chef can move on to other tasks. The Masters Collection Digital Probe is available with commercial quality stainless steel probe and 44" silicone wire cord for extra durability.
Above is just a sample of the CIA products available at Ingredients with prices range from $4.25 to more than $900.00. Special Orders are always welcome.
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Mexican Cooking/Demonstration Class
It sure smells wonderful in the store! Last night was the end of our cooking class series with Lana and we had a fun time! The food tasted wonderful (for you folks who left early you missed an eating treat with Pan De Elote). Instead of asking for kitchens tips last night, Lana asked for kitchen disasters and through the night people shared their mistakes to plenty of laughter. Mine included corn bread and self-rising flour (who knew there was flour that contained ingredients) and french toast and cumin (well the spice started with a "c"). Calla was given credit for the french toast incident. Several of you asked Lana for more classes and we are going to start working on that probably for the summer; she will definitely teach an Italian class again for those who missed the first one. The other three we are not sure of. Asian cooking seemed to be the class most asked for. One take away from last nights class was to ground your cumin in a mortar and pestle before measuring. You could smell the spice, what a difference that makes. A big thank you to all of who participated in the classes and supported Ingredients.
Taco Seasoning
2 tsp minced dried onion
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
Mix together and store in sealed, dry container. This is equivalent to one envelope of store bought seasoning.
Tortilla Chips
Use day old store bought flour tortillas. Cut into strips, triangles or whatever shape you need.
Fry in hot oil for 60 seconds (put in small batches at a time so temperature of oil doesn't drop). Remove and put on paper towels and sprinkle with salt if desired.
Enchilada Pie
1 cup chopped green or red bell pepper
1 TBL olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey or chicken
2 tsp ground cumin
1 can (14 oz) cut tomatoes with garlic and onion
1/2 c enchilada sauce (from jar or can)
1 can chopped and drained green chilies
1 c frozen corn kernels
3/4 c pitted black olives, sliced
4 8 inch flour or corn tortillas
1 8 oz bag of Mexican blend cheese
Accompaniments can be sour cream, shredded lettuce, sliced olives, etc.
Use a round casserole dish (preferably glass).
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper and saute' 3 to 4 minutes. Add meat, breaking up and cooking until meat in no longer pink. Sprinkle with cumin, add tomatoes, enchilada sauce and chopped green chilies. Stir until bubbling, then continue simmering for at least 10 minutes to develop flavors. Remove from heat and add corn and olives.
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Assembly:
Line bottom of baking dish with 2 tortillas. Top with half of the filling, and about 1/3 of the cheese. Top with another tortilla, the remaining filling, half of the remaining cheese, and then the last tortilla.
Cover with lid or foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese melts and filling looks bubbly. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Can be assemble up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated. If chilled, increase baking time by as much as 10 additional minutes.
Homemade Salsa
4 cups plum tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 grn pepper, finely chopped
1 c tomato sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 TBL coriander
1 can chopped green chilies, drained
1 1/2 TBL red wine vinegar
Mix and chill thoroughly.
Pan De Elote
16 oz can creamed corn
1 c bisquick
1 egg, beaten
2 TBL melted margarine
2 TBL sugar
1/2 c milk
4 oz can chopped green chilies, drained
8 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, grease 9 x 9 square or round cake pan, combine corn, bisquick, egg, margarine, sugar and milk. Mix well, spoon 1/2 mixture into greased pan, cover with chopped green chilies, cover with 1/2 of the cheese, spoon remain batter on top and add remaining cheese.
Bake 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Mexican Brides
1 c butter or margarine room temperature
1 egg, separated
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 c finely ground pecans
Cream butter and sugar, add egg yolk and vanilla. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together. Add cream mixture and mix well. Chill 1 hour.
Beat egg white until foamy. Make balls out of dough, dip in egg white, then pecans. Press 1/2 of a maraschino cherry on top, if desired. Bake at 325 dgrees for 20 to 30 minutes.
Candied Orange Peel
5 large oranges (with thick rind)
3 cups sugar
1/4 c light corn syrup
Day before serving:
Cut oranges in half lengthwise. Squeeze out as much of the juice as possible. Cut in half again.
In heavy saucepan, bring peel and 2 quarts of water to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer, covered 30 minutes, or until peel is tender. Drain, cool slightly, and carefully scrape excess pulp from peel.
In same saucepan, combine 1 c of water, 2 cups of sugar and the corn syrup. Cook over medium heat stirring often and until sugar is dissolved and syrup is boiling. Continue cooking without stirring until a candy thermometer reads 235 degrees or until a little syrup in cold water forms soft ball. Add peel. Simmer gently, stirring frequently, 30 to 40 minutes or until peel is translucent. Lift peels from bottom of pan several times during cooking. Turn peel and syrup into bowl. Let stand in cool, dry place, covered overnight.
Next day:
Remove peel from syrup to a wire rack. Let drain a minimum of 3 hours. With scissors, cut into 1/4 inch strips. Roll in remaining sugar, coating well. Partially dry and roll in sugar again. Store peel in tightly covered container.
Taco Seasoning
2 tsp minced dried onion
1 tsp salt
1 tsp chile powder
1/2 tsp cornstarch
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper
1/2 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp oregano
1/2 tsp cumin
Mix together and store in sealed, dry container. This is equivalent to one envelope of store bought seasoning.
Tortilla Chips
Use day old store bought flour tortillas. Cut into strips, triangles or whatever shape you need.
Fry in hot oil for 60 seconds (put in small batches at a time so temperature of oil doesn't drop). Remove and put on paper towels and sprinkle with salt if desired.
Enchilada Pie
1 cup chopped green or red bell pepper
1 TBL olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey or chicken
2 tsp ground cumin
1 can (14 oz) cut tomatoes with garlic and onion
1/2 c enchilada sauce (from jar or can)
1 can chopped and drained green chilies
1 c frozen corn kernels
3/4 c pitted black olives, sliced
4 8 inch flour or corn tortillas
1 8 oz bag of Mexican blend cheese
Accompaniments can be sour cream, shredded lettuce, sliced olives, etc.
Use a round casserole dish (preferably glass).
Heat oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add bell pepper and saute' 3 to 4 minutes. Add meat, breaking up and cooking until meat in no longer pink. Sprinkle with cumin, add tomatoes, enchilada sauce and chopped green chilies. Stir until bubbling, then continue simmering for at least 10 minutes to develop flavors. Remove from heat and add corn and olives.
Heat oven to 350 degrees.
Assembly:
Line bottom of baking dish with 2 tortillas. Top with half of the filling, and about 1/3 of the cheese. Top with another tortilla, the remaining filling, half of the remaining cheese, and then the last tortilla.
Cover with lid or foil and bake 30 minutes. Uncover, sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake an additional 10 minutes until cheese melts and filling looks bubbly. Let stand 5 to 10 minutes before serving.
Can be assemble up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated. If chilled, increase baking time by as much as 10 additional minutes.
Homemade Salsa
4 cups plum tomatoes, cored and finely chopped
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1/2 grn pepper, finely chopped
1 c tomato sauce
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp minced garlic
1 TBL coriander
1 can chopped green chilies, drained
1 1/2 TBL red wine vinegar
Mix and chill thoroughly.
Pan De Elote
16 oz can creamed corn
1 c bisquick
1 egg, beaten
2 TBL melted margarine
2 TBL sugar
1/2 c milk
4 oz can chopped green chilies, drained
8 oz shredded Monterey Jack cheese
Preheat oven to 400 degrees, grease 9 x 9 square or round cake pan, combine corn, bisquick, egg, margarine, sugar and milk. Mix well, spoon 1/2 mixture into greased pan, cover with chopped green chilies, cover with 1/2 of the cheese, spoon remain batter on top and add remaining cheese.
Bake 30 minutes or until cheese is melted.
Mexican Brides
1 c butter or margarine room temperature
1 egg, separated
2 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 c powdered sugar
1 tsp vanilla
1/4 tsp salt
1 c finely ground pecans
Cream butter and sugar, add egg yolk and vanilla. Sift flour, salt, and baking powder together. Add cream mixture and mix well. Chill 1 hour.
Beat egg white until foamy. Make balls out of dough, dip in egg white, then pecans. Press 1/2 of a maraschino cherry on top, if desired. Bake at 325 dgrees for 20 to 30 minutes.
Candied Orange Peel
5 large oranges (with thick rind)
3 cups sugar
1/4 c light corn syrup
Day before serving:
Cut oranges in half lengthwise. Squeeze out as much of the juice as possible. Cut in half again.
In heavy saucepan, bring peel and 2 quarts of water to boil. Once boiling, reduce heat and simmer, covered 30 minutes, or until peel is tender. Drain, cool slightly, and carefully scrape excess pulp from peel.
In same saucepan, combine 1 c of water, 2 cups of sugar and the corn syrup. Cook over medium heat stirring often and until sugar is dissolved and syrup is boiling. Continue cooking without stirring until a candy thermometer reads 235 degrees or until a little syrup in cold water forms soft ball. Add peel. Simmer gently, stirring frequently, 30 to 40 minutes or until peel is translucent. Lift peels from bottom of pan several times during cooking. Turn peel and syrup into bowl. Let stand in cool, dry place, covered overnight.
Next day:
Remove peel from syrup to a wire rack. Let drain a minimum of 3 hours. With scissors, cut into 1/4 inch strips. Roll in remaining sugar, coating well. Partially dry and roll in sugar again. Store peel in tightly covered container.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Italian Cooking Class/Demonstration
I was unable to stay for the class last night; but heard rave reviews. Mitchell and Calla Rae said everything was delicious and everyone had a fun time. We finally had the gas stove top working which made things run smoother (no blown fuses last night). The take away from the class is that you do not have to cook lasagna noodles before making the lasagna. Lana's tip: put a little sauce in the bottom of the pan, layer your lasagna as you would, let sit in the refrigerator for a couple of hours to allow the noodles to soak up the liquid and bake as usual. No one will be able to tell the difference. I have been doing this for years and it sure makes lasagna easier to work with! Below are the recipes.
Italian Stuffed Bread
Ingredients
1 loaf frozen bread dough
1 egg yolk (save the white)
2 TBLS parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
8 ounces italian sausage
5 ounces frozen, chopped spinach
4 ounces finely shredded italian blended cheese
Thaw dough and spinach to room temperature.
Remove sausage from casing and cook until crumbly. Drain and discard excess fat. Let sausage cool. Combine sausage, spinach (with water squeezed out) and blended cheese.
Roll dough into 14 x 16 inch rectangle. Combine egg yolk and parmesan and seasoning and spread mixture on dough. Top with sausage mixture leaving 1 inch border. Gently roll dough lengthwise into a pinwheel loaf. Place on large cookie sheet with seam side down. Brush with some egg white. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 35 minutes. Let sit for 10-15 minutes to let bread firm up before serving.
Marinated Mushrooms
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup wine vinegar
1/2 minced clove of garlic
1 TBLS fresh lemon juice
2 tsps chopped chives
1 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
coarsely ground black pepper
2 lbs fresh mushrooms
Clean, stem and trim mushrooms, set aside.
In a jar with a lid, put all ingredients but mushrooms and shake well. Pour marinade over mushrooms and cover. Refrigerate overnight. Drain and serve with toothpicks.
Fried Italian Ricotta Balls
2 1/2 cup self rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 lb ricotta cheese
1 tsp vanilla
6 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Mix these 2 ingredients together
Crisco or vegetable shortening, heat for frying.
Mix first 5 ingredients together thoroughly.
Drop 1 TBLS of dough into oil. Watch because balls go from golden brown to burned in seconds. Roll hot balls into cinnamon and sugar blend.
Serve warm.
Tomato and mozzarella bruschetta
3 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 TBLS capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 lb fresh mozzarella, finely chopped
2 TBLS balsamic vinegar
4 TBLS olive oil
salt and pepper to tast
Italian bread, sliced and lightly toasted
Preheat broiler. In a large bowl combine tomatoes, onions, basil, and mozzarella. Stir in balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Top toasted bread with mixture and place on a baking sheet. Broil until cheese melts.
Serve hot.
There you have it, our Italian recipes. All of them seem fairly easy to prepare. "Ingredients" has the italian seasoning, several types of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. And most of the tools are available.
If you are not already, I am inviting to become a fan of "ingredients" on facebook. The meeting I attended last night talked about using facebook as an advertising tool and I am going to give it a try.
Again, thank you to all who attended last night and a big thank you to Lana.
Monica
Italian Stuffed Bread
Ingredients
1 loaf frozen bread dough
1 egg yolk (save the white)
2 TBLS parmesan cheese
1/2 tsp italian seasoning
8 ounces italian sausage
5 ounces frozen, chopped spinach
4 ounces finely shredded italian blended cheese
Thaw dough and spinach to room temperature.
Remove sausage from casing and cook until crumbly. Drain and discard excess fat. Let sausage cool. Combine sausage, spinach (with water squeezed out) and blended cheese.
Roll dough into 14 x 16 inch rectangle. Combine egg yolk and parmesan and seasoning and spread mixture on dough. Top with sausage mixture leaving 1 inch border. Gently roll dough lengthwise into a pinwheel loaf. Place on large cookie sheet with seam side down. Brush with some egg white. Bake at 375 degrees for approximately 35 minutes. Let sit for 10-15 minutes to let bread firm up before serving.
Marinated Mushrooms
2/3 cup olive oil
1/2 cup wine vinegar
1/2 minced clove of garlic
1 TBLS fresh lemon juice
2 tsps chopped chives
1 tsp tarragon
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
coarsely ground black pepper
2 lbs fresh mushrooms
Clean, stem and trim mushrooms, set aside.
In a jar with a lid, put all ingredients but mushrooms and shake well. Pour marinade over mushrooms and cover. Refrigerate overnight. Drain and serve with toothpicks.
Fried Italian Ricotta Balls
2 1/2 cup self rising flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 lb ricotta cheese
1 tsp vanilla
6 eggs, slightly beaten
1 cup sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
Mix these 2 ingredients together
Crisco or vegetable shortening, heat for frying.
Mix first 5 ingredients together thoroughly.
Drop 1 TBLS of dough into oil. Watch because balls go from golden brown to burned in seconds. Roll hot balls into cinnamon and sugar blend.
Serve warm.
Tomato and mozzarella bruschetta
3 plum tomatoes, finely chopped
1/2 red onion, finely chopped
2 TBLS capers
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
1/4 lb fresh mozzarella, finely chopped
2 TBLS balsamic vinegar
4 TBLS olive oil
salt and pepper to tast
Italian bread, sliced and lightly toasted
Preheat broiler. In a large bowl combine tomatoes, onions, basil, and mozzarella. Stir in balsamic vinegar and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper. Top toasted bread with mixture and place on a baking sheet. Broil until cheese melts.
Serve hot.
There you have it, our Italian recipes. All of them seem fairly easy to prepare. "Ingredients" has the italian seasoning, several types of balsamic vinegar and olive oil. And most of the tools are available.
If you are not already, I am inviting to become a fan of "ingredients" on facebook. The meeting I attended last night talked about using facebook as an advertising tool and I am going to give it a try.
Again, thank you to all who attended last night and a big thank you to Lana.
Monica
Wednesday, March 3, 2010
Polish Cooking Class/Demonstration
I walked into "ingredients" this morning and the aroma from our cooking class last night is lingering in the air and that is a good thing. Who knew Polish food was so good. It is not a spicy food; but it is a comfort food with dough and meat and potatoes. And not to forget the sour cream gravy and Kolacky! I want to thank everyone who participated and for those who couldn't below are the recipes. My take away from last night is that you can fill Pierogi with whatever you want to, just don't make them to big 'cause then they become pasties. For those of you from Northern Wisconsin and Northern Michigan who know what a pasty is and for those of you who aren't, pasties are pocket pies filled with meat, potato, onion and maybe a vegetable. The dough is made with lard. Pasties were lunch for the coal miners and carried in their pockets and were eaten like a sandwich. Now they are eaten with gravy, butter or ketchup at a table.
Meatballs in sour cream
Meatballs
1 lb ground beef
1 cup soft breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp A-1 steak sauce
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 seasoning salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Combine all ingredients and form 18 meatballs.
Sauce
1 can crushed tomatoes (reserve 1/2 cup liquid)
1 1/2 cans of water
2 TBL flour
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoky paprika
1 cup sour cream (room temperature)
Whisk flour into cold tomato liquid. Heat on stove top. Add tomatoes and cook until bubbly.
Add meatballs with slotted spoon or birds nest.
Turn off heat and add sour cream.
Put meatballs back in sauce and serve over noodles or rice.
Golombki
1 lb ground beef (at least 75/25 or better)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 TBL chopped onion
1 cup cooked rice
1 egg
Large cabbage leaves
1 can tomato soup
1 cup water
Cover cabbage leaves with boiling water; let stand for 5 minutes.
Season ground beef with all ingredients (except soup and water).
Drain water from cabbage.
Place a portion of filling in stem side of cabbage and roll up folding together like an envelope.
Fasten with toothpicks.
Option 1: place rolls in roasting pan, add water to soup and pour over rolls. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
Option 2: place rolls in slow cooker, add water to soup and pour over rolls. Cook for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
Paluski
3 potatoes, mashed and cooled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup flour
Add eggs to potatoes. Mix in flour, form into small bullets. Cook in boiling water for 5 minutes.
Kolacky
1 pint of vanilla ice cream, softened (do not let ice cream become runny) (use natural ice cream not artificial or frozen yogurt)
1 lb butter (not margarine)
5 cups flour
Blend ice cream and butter together. Add flour one cup at a time. When completely folded together, gently roll onto floured surface. Cut into desired shape, fill with preserves of your choice (last night we used raspberry and apricot and even mixed the two) and bake 10 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees.
Pierogi
3 eggs
8 ounces sour cream
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBL baking powder
Beat together eggs and sour cream until smooth. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder and add to sour cream mixture until dough comes together. Knead dough on lightly floured surface until firm and smooth, divide dough in half; roll to 1/8 inch thickness and cut into desired shape.
Fillings
Potato: prepare 2 cups of mashed potatoes. Let them cool thoroughly. Melt 3 TBL butter in skillet; over medium heat stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, cook until translucent. Stir in mashed potatoes and add salt and pepper to taste. Lana prefers white pepper. You can also add shredded cheese if desired.
Sauerkraut: melt 2 TBL butter in skillet. Add 1/3 cup chopped onions, cook until translucent. Stir in 1 1/2 cups drained sauerkraut. Add salt and pepper to taste. Lana uses Bavarian kraut.
Cut shapes using biscuit cutter or pierogi press.
Place 1 tsp filling on dough. Moisten edges with water and fold over and press together sealing edges.
Add pierogi to boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes or until they float to the top. Remove with slotted spoon or birds nest tool.
Well there you go and I can tell you everything was delicious!! Monica
Meatballs in sour cream
Meatballs
1 lb ground beef
1 cup soft breadcrumbs
1/4 cup chopped onion
1 egg, slightly beaten
1/4 cup milk
1 tsp A-1 steak sauce
1/2 tsp garlic salt
1/2 seasoning salt
1/8 tsp pepper
Combine all ingredients and form 18 meatballs.
Sauce
1 can crushed tomatoes (reserve 1/2 cup liquid)
1 1/2 cans of water
2 TBL flour
1/4 tsp garlic powder
1/2 tsp smoky paprika
1 cup sour cream (room temperature)
Whisk flour into cold tomato liquid. Heat on stove top. Add tomatoes and cook until bubbly.
Add meatballs with slotted spoon or birds nest.
Turn off heat and add sour cream.
Put meatballs back in sauce and serve over noodles or rice.
Golombki
1 lb ground beef (at least 75/25 or better)
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
2 TBL chopped onion
1 cup cooked rice
1 egg
Large cabbage leaves
1 can tomato soup
1 cup water
Cover cabbage leaves with boiling water; let stand for 5 minutes.
Season ground beef with all ingredients (except soup and water).
Drain water from cabbage.
Place a portion of filling in stem side of cabbage and roll up folding together like an envelope.
Fasten with toothpicks.
Option 1: place rolls in roasting pan, add water to soup and pour over rolls. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours.
Option 2: place rolls in slow cooker, add water to soup and pour over rolls. Cook for 3 hours on high or 6 hours on low.
Paluski
3 potatoes, mashed and cooled
2 eggs, lightly beaten
1 cup flour
Add eggs to potatoes. Mix in flour, form into small bullets. Cook in boiling water for 5 minutes.
Kolacky
1 pint of vanilla ice cream, softened (do not let ice cream become runny) (use natural ice cream not artificial or frozen yogurt)
1 lb butter (not margarine)
5 cups flour
Blend ice cream and butter together. Add flour one cup at a time. When completely folded together, gently roll onto floured surface. Cut into desired shape, fill with preserves of your choice (last night we used raspberry and apricot and even mixed the two) and bake 10 to 12 minutes at 375 degrees.
Pierogi
3 eggs
8 ounces sour cream
3 cups flour
1/4 tsp salt
1 TBL baking powder
Beat together eggs and sour cream until smooth. Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder and add to sour cream mixture until dough comes together. Knead dough on lightly floured surface until firm and smooth, divide dough in half; roll to 1/8 inch thickness and cut into desired shape.
Fillings
Potato: prepare 2 cups of mashed potatoes. Let them cool thoroughly. Melt 3 TBL butter in skillet; over medium heat stir in 1/2 cup finely chopped onion, cook until translucent. Stir in mashed potatoes and add salt and pepper to taste. Lana prefers white pepper. You can also add shredded cheese if desired.
Sauerkraut: melt 2 TBL butter in skillet. Add 1/3 cup chopped onions, cook until translucent. Stir in 1 1/2 cups drained sauerkraut. Add salt and pepper to taste. Lana uses Bavarian kraut.
Cut shapes using biscuit cutter or pierogi press.
Place 1 tsp filling on dough. Moisten edges with water and fold over and press together sealing edges.
Add pierogi to boiling salted water for 3 to 5 minutes or until they float to the top. Remove with slotted spoon or birds nest tool.
Well there you go and I can tell you everything was delicious!! Monica
Tuesday, February 23, 2010
Greek Cooking Class/Demonstration
Tuesday night we were able to hold the first cooking class of our four-part series of classes, after having to reschedule the first two due to weather. After an equipment glitch (which put Lana a few minutes behind schedule) things started cooking. I want to thank the folks who attended, some old friends and customers and some new. Mitchell and I sure enjoyed talking with everyone and I hope you learned a thing or two and had your questions answered. For me learning how to cook and prepare eggplant made the class worthwhile. You don't know how many recipes I avoided because of eggplant!
From all indications things went well, people were happy and the food was delicious. All of the dishes prepared seemed to be very healthy, made with fresh vegetables, EVOO ("ingredients" offers a few types of olive oil including an unfiltered olive oil which is a bit pricey but tastes wonderful), fillo pastry and lots of garlic. I guess the least healthy was the use of butter (which Lana says has to be use, oh well) and the dessert (but we need dessert). As promised below are the recipes from Tuesday's class.
Eggplant Spread
4 medium eggplants
1 clove, garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Bread or crackers for serving
Heat oven to 350 degrees
Place the whole eggplant in oven. Bake 1 hour or until soft, turning occasionally. Remove when eggplant is soft and wrinkled. Let cool.
Remove the peel, cut in half and remove the seeds. Chop in a large bowl. Add garlic. Whisk slowly adding the oil and vinegar. Continue until both the oil and vinegar are completely blended.
Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours before serving with bread or crackers.
Honey Diamonds
1/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup honey
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
Cream butter, add sugar gradually, beating until mixture is light in color.
Combine eggs and honey and beat until think, add creamed mixture and blend well.
Sift flour three times and add soda, salt and cinnamon. Add flour mixture alternating with milk to creamed mixture, beating well after each. Pour into a greased 8 by 12 inch pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. This was delicious. It is very important to sift flour and then measure.
Greek Salad
1 cucumber, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 small onion, cut into thin strips
4 plum tomatoes, halved, seeded and cut into small wedges
1 green or red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into thin strips
10 kalamata olives, chopped
4 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large, metal bowl, combine all ingredients, tossing gently.
Pour dressing over salad ingredients.
Greek Dressing
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 TBLS red wine vinegar
1 1/2 TBLS white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 TBLS crumbled dried oregano
1 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
In a small bowl whisk all ingredients thoroughly.
Let rest for 20 to 30 minutes for flavors to marry.
Use 1/2 of this recipe for the about salad.
Spinach Pie
3 lb. spinach
1 cup chopped parsley
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup chopped dill
2 cups Greek Feta cheese
1 1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 stick butter (to grease fillo pastry)
about 12 fillo pastry sheets
3 eggs
Clean spinach, cut and put in a saucepan. Heat until steaming, but do not boil. Remove spinach from pan, set aside in a strainer to drain. Put olive oil in the same saucepan and add the remaining greens and saute. Add spinach. Remove from heat, add the cheese and bread crumbs, then mix and stir in 3 beaten eggs. Fold mixture into well-greased fillo pastry sheets, 6 on top and 6 on bottom. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
There you have it. Everything tasted wonderful and was fairly easy to prepare. Although "ingredients" does not carry many of the spices used in these recipes, we do carry all of the tools needed from knives for chopping to stainless steel mixing bowls for preparing and serving.
Next week I will post the Polish recipes. Thank you.
From all indications things went well, people were happy and the food was delicious. All of the dishes prepared seemed to be very healthy, made with fresh vegetables, EVOO ("ingredients" offers a few types of olive oil including an unfiltered olive oil which is a bit pricey but tastes wonderful), fillo pastry and lots of garlic. I guess the least healthy was the use of butter (which Lana says has to be use, oh well) and the dessert (but we need dessert). As promised below are the recipes from Tuesday's class.
Eggplant Spread
4 medium eggplants
1 clove, garlic, finely chopped
1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup red wine vinegar
Bread or crackers for serving
Heat oven to 350 degrees
Place the whole eggplant in oven. Bake 1 hour or until soft, turning occasionally. Remove when eggplant is soft and wrinkled. Let cool.
Remove the peel, cut in half and remove the seeds. Chop in a large bowl. Add garlic. Whisk slowly adding the oil and vinegar. Continue until both the oil and vinegar are completely blended.
Cover and refrigerate 2 to 3 hours before serving with bread or crackers.
Honey Diamonds
1/4 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar
2 eggs
1/3 cup honey
2 cups sifted flour
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup milk
Cream butter, add sugar gradually, beating until mixture is light in color.
Combine eggs and honey and beat until think, add creamed mixture and blend well.
Sift flour three times and add soda, salt and cinnamon. Add flour mixture alternating with milk to creamed mixture, beating well after each. Pour into a greased 8 by 12 inch pan. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. This was delicious. It is very important to sift flour and then measure.
Greek Salad
1 cucumber, peeled, cut into 1/2 inch slices
1 small onion, cut into thin strips
4 plum tomatoes, halved, seeded and cut into small wedges
1 green or red bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and cut into thin strips
10 kalamata olives, chopped
4 ounces Feta cheese, crumbled
Salt and pepper to taste
In a large, metal bowl, combine all ingredients, tossing gently.
Pour dressing over salad ingredients.
Greek Dressing
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 1/2 TBLS red wine vinegar
1 1/2 TBLS white wine vinegar
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 TBLS crumbled dried oregano
1 tsp coarse salt
1 tsp freshly ground pepper
In a small bowl whisk all ingredients thoroughly.
Let rest for 20 to 30 minutes for flavors to marry.
Use 1/2 of this recipe for the about salad.
Spinach Pie
3 lb. spinach
1 cup chopped parsley
1 cup chopped green onions
1 cup chopped dill
2 cups Greek Feta cheese
1 1/2 cup olive oil
1/2 cup dry bread crumbs
1 stick butter (to grease fillo pastry)
about 12 fillo pastry sheets
3 eggs
Clean spinach, cut and put in a saucepan. Heat until steaming, but do not boil. Remove spinach from pan, set aside in a strainer to drain. Put olive oil in the same saucepan and add the remaining greens and saute. Add spinach. Remove from heat, add the cheese and bread crumbs, then mix and stir in 3 beaten eggs. Fold mixture into well-greased fillo pastry sheets, 6 on top and 6 on bottom. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
There you have it. Everything tasted wonderful and was fairly easy to prepare. Although "ingredients" does not carry many of the spices used in these recipes, we do carry all of the tools needed from knives for chopping to stainless steel mixing bowls for preparing and serving.
Next week I will post the Polish recipes. Thank you.
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