Book Club-November 2022 Cooking Class

The Best Tomato Caprese

Greek Pasta Salad with Yogurt

Citrus Beet and Avocado Salad

Israeli Chicken (Instant Pot)

Roasted Cauliflower with Hummus, Olives, and Feta

Fall 2017 Cooking Class Recipes

We had another fun cooking class. This one was focused on appetizers and homemade fudge. Below are the recipes (some of them have links to the already existing recipe on this blog) we covered including Tammy's fudge goodness (everyone had a different favorite...but mine is definitely the peppermint variation)

Tammy's Nestle Toll-house Fudge

2 T butter                                                                     1-1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

2/3 cup evaporated milk                                              2 cups miniature marshmallows

¼ tsp salt                                                                     1 tsp vanilla

1-1/2 cups granulated sugar                                        1 cup chopped walnuts (optional)

Combine butter, salt, sugar, and milk in small, heavy saucepan. Cook on medium heat until mixture comes to a full rolling boil. Time for 4 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in chocolate chips. Add marshmallows. Add vanilla and nuts, if desired. Stir well. Pour into greased/foil covered dish or plastic ware. Cool before cutting.

Variations:

S'more Fudge: add ½-1 cup additional marshmallows after vanilla and nuts. Do not stir in completely.

Maple Nut: use 2 cups white chocolate chips in place of semi-sweet chips, and 1 tsp mapleine extract instead of vanilla.

Cookies and Cream: use 2 cups of white chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet chips and add 1 cup of crushed oreo cookies (about 12). Omit walnuts!

Peppermint: use white chocolate chips. Add ½ tsp peppermint extract instead of vanilla. Stir in 1 cup crushed candy canes.

Grasshopper: make as directed, adding 1 cup crushed Grasshopper cookies.

APPETIZER Fall 2017 Cooking Class

Crudite Asparagus

1/2 c. Mayo

2 tsp Dijon mustard

2 tbs regular French's mustard

Salt/pepper

1-2 tsp dill

1tbs fresh lime or lemon juice

-Pick THIN fresh asparagus.  Trim off woody ends (should snap off easily).  Submerge in simmering pan of water for 2-3 minutes.  Remove hot water immediately and replace it with cold water and a bunch of ice so asparagus cools in mixture. Soak in cold water at least 10 minutes.

Puff Pastry Pinwheels

-Makes 24 pinwheels

1 egg

1 TBS water

1 Sheet frozen puff pastry, THAWED

¼ c. parmesan Cheese

¼ tsp ground cayenne

8-10 slices ham deli meat

·       --Heat oven to 400°F.

·       --Beat egg and water until blended. Unfold pastry on lightly floured surface. Roll into 14x10-inch rectangle; cut lengthwise in half. Brush both pastry halves lightly with egg. Sprinkle 1 pastry piece with 3 Tbsp. cheese and pepper; cover with ham and remaining pastry piece, egg side down. Roll gently with rolling pin to seal. Brush lightly with some of the remaining egg.

·       --Roll up tightly into 14-inch log, starting at 1 long side; cut crosswise into 24 slices. Place, cut sides down, on parchment-covered baking sheet. Brush with remaining egg; sprinkle with remaining cheese.

·       --Bake 12 to 14 min. or until golden brown.

Sugarless Apple Cider

Serves 6
Warm In large Soup Pot:
1/2 gallon apple juice (minus 2 cups)
2 cups apple juice (Simmer 2 TBS mulling spices with juice for about 15-20 minutes, strain out the spices, and add to apple juice)
2-3 fresh oranges, freshly squeezed
-Heat, serve in your favorite mug and enjoy! Note: You can reuse the milling spices for another batch :-)

Dubliner Cheese w/ Crackers and Craisins/Pears/Grapes

This is my FAVORITE snacking cheese.  Costco sells BIG blocks of it, but you can also buy it at most grocery stores.

Swim Family Cheeseball

1, 8 oz package cream cheese (room temperature)
1 large green pepper, chopped fine (or red, or red AND green)
2 green onions, chopped very fine
¾ tsp Lawry’s Season Salt
-Mix all of the above in a mixer. Shape into ball and cover with chopped pecans. Chill and serve with Crackers.
-For Christmas time you can also do ½ green pepper and ½ red pepper.

Festive Cheese Spread

1 c. shredded pepper Jack Cheese

1 c. shredded cheddar Cheese

1 8z. cream cheese, softened

½ c. finely chopped red sweet (or Anaheim) pepper

3 TBS fresh cilantro, chopped

1 TBS Worcestershire sauce

1 green onion diced

Pepper to taste

-Combine all ingredients into desired shape.  Cover with pecans or almonds.  Chill.  Serve with Crackers.

7-Layer Mediterranean Dip

For the Dip:
Hummus (plain, mediteranean, pine nut, or lime & cilantro)
Cilantro Pesto (recipe below)
diced cucumber
diced red peppers (or tomatoes--or both)
diced red onion
diced banana peppers
diced olives (black or kalamata)
feta cheese

For the cilantro pesto blend the following:
1½ cups fresh cilantro
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1/3 cup olive oil
2 tbsp. pecans
2 tbsp. pine nuts
¼ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
-Serve dip with pita chips, corn chips, or bread.

Family Ranch Salad

Romaine

Spinach

**Roasted Corn (Trader Joes frozen section)

Fresh Chives or green onions

Red bell peppers

Tomatoes

Celery

Shredded cheddar cheese

cucumber

Carrots

Ranch

**Cilantro

For Crunch: crushed tortilla chips (Nacho Doritos and option too)

BYU Ranch Dressing

May Salad Cooking Class

Here are the recipes from the May Cooking Class!  Click on Salad title to take you to recipe link.

Applebee’s Chicken Salad

Salad (use any combination of the following)
Romaine
napa cabbage
red cabbage
red pepper
mandarin oranges, juice drained
carrots
cucumber
green onions
sliced almonds
dry chow mien or rice noodles (or dried ramen noodles work too)
cooked breaded chicken, sliced

Dressing:
3 TBS honey
2 TBS seasoned rice vinegar
1 TBS sesame oil
1/4 cup mayonnaise
-Whisk until smooth and creamy

Spinach Chiffonade Salad with Fruit

Spinach 
craisins 
firm pear, sliced (or apples, blueberries, oranges, strawberries)
swiss, gorgonzola or blue cheese
toasted almonds or sugared pecans
bacon, cooked and crumbled

Red onion avocado

Pomegranate Dressing:
1/4 c. pomegranate balsamic vinegar
1/3 c. light olive oil
1/2 tsp salt
14 grinds fresh pepper
1 TBS white sugar

BLT Bliss Bowl

Greens, Quinoa, Avocado, Roasted Cherry Tomatoes, Feta, Bacon

-Place tomato halves one side of a baking sheet, and toss with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Bake at 400 for 12-15 minutes until skins are blistered.

-Drizzle salad with olive oil, salt/pepper, and Balsamic Glaze

Southwestern Salad

This is a recipe adapted from Cooking Light. It is delicious! Don't be overwhelmed by all the ingredients. I rarely have everything when I decide to make this, but it always tastes good regardless. I also rarely make exact measurements, so don't feel tied to the recipe. This is a PERFECT summer recipe! 

Dressing:

1 tablespoon fajita seasoning

1 1/2 teaspoons minced canned chipotle chiles in adobo sauce

5 teaspoons fresh lime juice, divided

2 teaspoons minced fresh cilantro

3/4 cup ranch dressing

Salad:

2 cups fresh or canned corn kernels (about 4 ears)

2 (15-ounce) cans black beans, rinsed and drained

1 red pepper, diced

1/2 cup diced peeled avocado

12 cups chopped romaine lettuce

3 cups chopped skinless, boneless rotisserie chicken

1 1/2 cups pre-shredded reduced-fat Mexican blend or cheddar cheese

1 1/2 cups tortilla chips, crumbled

1 cup bottled or fresh sliced peeled mango, chopped

diced cucumbers

diced tomatoes

¼ cup sliced green onions

1/2 cup thinly sliced radishes

-Combine all ingredients together in a BIG salad bowl. Enjoy! 

Ranch Dressing Demonstration:

Homemade Ranch (add extra pepper, garlic, and 1 TBS lemon/lime juice)

BBQ Ranch (add 2 TBS lime juice and ¼ c. BBQ sauce)

TomatilloCilantro Ranch (or Just Cilantro Ranch)

SIMPLE VERSION:
1 ranch dressing packet prepared using pkt. recipe*(see note)
Juice of 1 lime
½-1 bunch of cilantro
EXTRA YUMMY ADD-INS:
2-3 tomatillos (can use 1/3 c. green salsa as a substitute)
1 large clove garlic
freshly ground pepper
1 jalepeno (no seeds)--omit this if you don't like things spicy
-Using a blender, blend all the ingredients until smooth and creamy.  Serve with quesadillas, taco salad, etc.
-*NOTE:  I'm a bit picky when it comes to my ranch...this is best using 1 c. 1% milk and and 1 c. KRAFT mayonnaise (don't use low fat!)