Monday, July 20, 2009

Cooking Club Thursday July 23rd @ 3:00pm

We will be making grilled vegetables with Basalmic Vinegarette so you will need to bring vegetables that you family likes, the best ones to grill are :

Yellow squash/zuchinni asparagus
sweet or green onions eggplant
mushrooms peppers
corn tomatoes

any other vegetable your family would like that wont fall through the grill grate.

You will also need olive oil to coat the vegetables, salt and pepper.
For the vinegerette you will need basalmic vinegar, 2 to 4 cloves of garlic, 1 to 2 teaspoons of fresh chopped parsley, basil and rosemary, and olive oil.
I serve these with rice or couscous, so bring enough for your family. Grilled meat is optional. You can bring chicken breast or pork chops or steak or even lamb.
We will also make an old family recipe from Wes's Mom. She calls it Great Aunt Nellie's Apple Crisp, the recipe makes enough for a 6x8 pan but I usually double it for a 9x13 pan. So for it you will need 4 cups of apples peeled and sliced or any fresh fruit in season. Our family really enjoys making it with blackberies or peaches or a combination of both.
You will also need:
1 cup of flour 1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 to 1 cup of sugar 1/4 teaspoon of salt
1 egg 1/3 cup of oil or melted butter
If you want to make the bigger size double the above ingredients. I usually do for my family.
Tools you will need to bring include casserole dish for your vegetables, a cup or bowl for the vinegarette, pan for your rice or couscous, then a baking dish for the crisp as well as a small mixing bowl for the topping. Don't forget a knife and cutting board for cutting the vegetables and chopping the herbs. I will bring a couple long tongs for the grill and I will have my propane grill there and another charcoal grill.
See you on Thursday about 3:00pm.
Jean Wimmer

Monday, July 13, 2009

Rachel V's Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce



Pasta with Tomato Cream Sauce  In a medium saucepan over medium heat: 1/8 - 1/4 cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil (you want to cover the bottom of  your pan) 4-6 cloves of chopped fresh garlic 1 small onion Cook the onions and garlic until the onions are soft and a blond color and the garlic is lightly browned.
 Then add: 1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes 1 1/2 tsp. of sea salt 1 tsp. brown sugar Let simmer over low heat for 45 minutes or put in a crock pot on low for 1 1/2 -2 hours, stirring occasionally.
 Add: A handful of fresh basil leaves.  (I tear each leaf in half to release the flavor. - I don't know if it really does, but that's what an Italian woman told me to always do!) Simmer 10 more minutes, then taste and see if it needs more salt (it probably will). Add 1/3 cup heavy whipping cream and 1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan (the pre-grated will not melt well). Stir and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Serve over penne pasta and garnish

Sunday, July 12, 2009

Cooking Club: Garlic Parmesan Bread


1 c warm water
21/2 tbsp olive oil
1 tbs honey or sugar
2/3 c grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 tsp salt
11/2 tsp garlic powder
3 c flour
11/2 tsp yeast ( I use instant)
I also add herbs...to taste I guess

Mix dry ingredients including yeast if instant. Add oil, honey and warm water knead with dough hook until smooth and elastic. Let raise in oiled bowl until doubled in size. Shape and spread olive oil on top, sprinkle course salt too if you want. Let raise again until doubled.

Bake at 350 for 20 minutes.

(this is rebecca's first attempt at this bread, second try was much straighter, no laughing!)

Saturday, July 11, 2009

Cooking Club, July 16th @3:00pm

Sweet and Sour Chicken with Rice and Asian Style Green Beans
Chicken:
cornstarch (i have never acutally measured the amount that i use)
2-3 eggs
oil
chicken breasts(however much your family needs - I usually do 2-3)
frying pan
oven safe dish (ie: cake pan)
Sauce:
1/2 cup water
1 cup sugar
4T ketchup
1 T soy sauce
1/2 cup vinegar
1 t minced garlic
container to mix, with a lid or saran wrap
Rice:
rice
water
pot with lid (or if you have a rice cooker)
Green beans:
frying pan/wok
large spoon

1 tablespoon oil, peanut or sesame

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

1 pound fresh green beans, trimmed

1 tablespoon white sugar

2 tablespoons oyster sauce (i don't keep oyster sauce in my cupboard so i have never actually made it with the oyster sauce and they are still delicious)

2 teaspoons soy sauce


Any Questions, Call Catherine Bowman

Saturday, July 4, 2009

Sustainable and Scrumptious Sloppy Joes and One Hour Buns

July 9th @ 3:30pm By Tricia Evanson


Sustainable and Scrumptious Sloppy Joes and One Hour Buns

Ingredients:

1 pound cooked ground beef or ground turkey

3 cups dry beans (navy or great northern, or other beans you want to try)  soaked and cooked*  

4-5 carrots, grated (we can grate them there)

Other vegetables if you want (zucchini, etc) grated

1-2 onions, finely diced (we can dice them there)

3 8 oz. cans of tomato paste

1 can of tomato soup

2-3 cups water

Chili powder, salt, garlic powder, oregano, basil, brown sugar, and crushed red pepper (optional) to taste

We will also make Remarkable One Hour Bread (it really only takes on hour, start to finish), but I will bring all of the ingredients and the mixer.  All you have to do is show up, learn how to make it, and get the recipe.  

Materials

10-12 quart sauce pan

Stirring spoon

Grater for veggies

Sharp knife and cutting board for onion

Measuring spoons for spices


*To cook dry beans, soak overnight, drain the water, add new water and bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 1/2 hours, until they are soft.  You could also use six cans of beans if you like.