A New Orleans Sandwich: The Beef Po’ Boy

There are 2 fantastic sandwiches that originated in New Orleans. So in honor of the upcoming Mardi Gras celebration here you go. First there is the Muffaletta which is cold-cuts (ham, salami and anything else you like), cheese and olive salad. What is olive salad? Well it originated as the leftover crushed olives at the bottom of the barrels that frugal deli owners decided would be good as a topping to the rich meats and cheeses. Second is the Po’ Boy which is usually a hot sandwich of roasted meats or fried, breaded seafood (shrimp or oysters especially), topped with mayo, lettuce and tomato.

My twist on these sammy’s is first making shredded beef in the crockpot, using my delicious blend of herbs that I deconstucted from the sodium-laden packets of various mixes from my original recipe. Then I make a crisp coleslaw adding olives and banana peppers to top the juicy sandwich for added cooling, tangy flavor and a bit of crunch to the meltingly tender beef. A smear of mayo wouldn’t hurt either if you’re into that kind of thing.

As long as you’re getting all your spices out to make the beef you might as well make a super batch, like quadruple or more because I know you’re going to want to make this again. The spices also make great beef stew or pot roast (also in the crockpot).

 

Slow Roasted Beef Po’ Boy with Olive Slaw

 1 tbsp salt

1 tbsp dried parsley

2 tsp oregano

1 ½ tsp onion powder

1 ½ tsp garlic powder

1 tsp sugar

½ tsp pepper

½ tsp onion flakes

½ tsp basil

¼ tsp thyme

¼ tsp celery salt

1/8 tsp dill

2 tbsp cornstarch

**If you make a big batch, use 4 1/2 tbsp of the spice mixture for every 4 lb roast.

 

4 lbs chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat

½ cup water

 

Mix all the herbs and spices with the cornstarch. Rub over the meat. Put the roast in a crockpot and pour in ½ cup water. Cover and cook on low for 6-8 hours or until the meat is very tender. Shred with 2 forks and serve in buns. Top with olive slaw if desired or serve alongside.

 

 

Olive Slaw

 2 tbsp red wine vinegar

1 ½ tsp sugar

½ tsp mustard

¼ tsp salt

¼ tsp pepper

1 garlic clove, minced

2 tbsp olive oil

 

10 oz shredded green cabbage

½ cup sliced green olives

½ cup sliced black olives

½ cup mild or hot banana pepper rings (in the pickle aisle)

4 green onions, sliced

 In a medium bowl whisk together vinegar, sugar, mustard, salt, pepper, and garlic. Drizzle in olive oil and whisk to combine. To the dressing, add the cabbage, both olives, pepper rings and green onions. Toss to combine and refrigerate until serving.

 **Variation: for a more substantial salad to be served alongside: Double the dressing and add 1 peeled, seeded, chopped cucumber, 1 chopped tomato and one can of drained green beans.

A January Menu Plan

 

$128=12 meals

 

Ok, so now that I’m out of my post-holiday funk I decided to get my family on board (again) with helping me do menu planning. For some reason, I seem to need reminders of what my family likes to eat (besides pizza, that is). I have made countless lists to refer to but, I realized I need something more obvious. As a personal chef it might seem like I should know how to meal plan for my own family, but like my clients, we all have very personal ideas of what we want to eat. In this post, I’ll attempt to show you how a few minutes of extra planning can make your weekly cooking easier and save you time. You will also save money by being prepared and can avoid last minute phone calls for take-out.

 

In general, I try to keep my family dinners VERY simple. My family (excluding myself) doesn’t like complicated food. They don’t like things mixed together, sauces, soups and casseroles, usually. The following menu is a good example. These meals don’t really require recipes for me to follow, or the recipe is on the package. When I want to try a new recipe or have something like a casserole or stir-fry I usually make all the components separate and mix them together for my self and everyone else can eat theirs plain. Some people might think I’m catering too much to the picky eaters, but I think of it as the opposite. I’m catering to myself so I don’t have to make 2 meals. I don’t want to eat what my kids eat or how my kids eat so this is a good compromise.

 

So last night we all contributed ideas to our weekly menu and I wrote it all out on a whiteboard. Then I took a quick look in my pantry and freezer to determine what I needed. I brought home four bags of groceries (I use re-useable so they fit a lot more), and spent $128. I wasn’t really paying attention to sales but often do, which is why I already had some of the main items on hand. We get a side of beef every fall in just about every cut imaginable to store in the freezer so I never have to buy beef, but we eat a lot of chicken so I bought extra this time because it was on sale. I also buy bread when it’s on sale and freeze that too.

 

We aren’t really crazy about leftovers. I’m usually the only one who eats them for breakfast or lunch. So the meals make about enough food for my family of 4, (my boys are 7 and 10 and are just beginning to get into the eat-like-mad stage). But according to my list I bought enough food to complete 12 meals. And that translates to less than $10 per meal. I know 128/12 is $10.66, but I also bought laundry detergent, 1 gallon of milk, 3 cans of frozen juice and orange sherbet. And I bought the extra chicken, and extra pasta and some of the veggies like the carrots and onions will last me a while.

 

Day	Meal	Already Have on Hand	Need to Buy
Sunday	Chicken parmesan, garlic bread	Sauce, bread crumbs, egg, parmesan	Chicken breasts, spaghetti, french bread
Monday	Cheeseburgers, salad	Ground beef, cheese, dressing	Buns, romaine, tomato
Tuesday	Roast chicken, asparagus, rolls	Chicken, rolls	Asparagus
Wednesday	Chicken noodle soup	(use leftover chicken), noodles	Carrots
Thursday	Fish/fishsticks, rice, broccoli	Fish, rice	Broccoli
Friday	Lasagna, baguette	Noodles, baguette	Sauce, cottage cheese, mozzarella
Saturday	Crockpot BBQ chicken, couscous	Spices	Chicken legs/thighs, sweet potatoes, onions, bell peppers, tomato sauce, couscous
Lunches	Pad thai, Pierogis and cabbage, tuna casserole, tuna sandwiches, clam chowder, fruit	Pierogis, pad thai (shrimp, noodles, sauce mix), bread, chow mein noodles, celery, potato	Cabbage, tuna, bread, clams, clam juice

 

The only new recipe I’m trying this week is the Crockpot BBQ chicken which I found through Pinterest and you can find the recipe on this blog:

http://mamaandbabylove.blogspot.com/2011/04/freezer-cooking-with-slow-cooker.html

 

Her post is how to assemble multiple days of crockpot kits for your freezer. I love the idea, and I’ll probably make a few kits for my freezer once we decide if we like the flavors and come up with a couple more crockpot meals that my family will eat. Like I said, they aren’t fans of their foods mixed together. So I generally just make meats in my crockpot and serve veggies on the side. I’ll share some of my favorite recipes in a future post.

Tarragon Chicken Salad

 

I might be  tad early by craving some healthier snacks since it’s not quite New Year’s Resolution time. But, after eating multiple meals of roasted or grilled beef with mashed potatoes and gravy over Christmas I am in need of something, anything that will really satisfy me in a hurry. A favorite go-to snack I came up with in college is my super yummy chicken salad. My roommate Stacy and I were kind of obsessed with it for a while. I first had something similar at a bagel place and added some extra ingredients to make it my own (I do that a lot). Another reason why I wanted to post the recipe is because I get a lot of requests from friends on how to use herbs and spices. So first, here’s a bit about tarragon:

Tarragon is  a soft herb that is just as good dried as it is fresh. It has a slight anise-y flavor but don’t let that scare you. It does not taste like black licorice, but is more herbal. It is great with chicken and fish. You can also make tarragon vinegar by submerging fresh stalks into white vinegar and letting it soak for a few weeks. The vinegar can then be used in salad dressing, it is especially great in a raspberry vinaigrette. I have a recipe from a fabulous cookbook called the Convent Cook by Maria Tisdall. I’ll post her recipe at the end of this post. But back to my chicken salad…

I love the Scandinavian idea of open-faced sandwiches on bread, flat bread or crackers (hard tack). So for my breakfast this morning, (I am a very unconventional breakfast eater) I heaped it onto a toasted whole wheat english muffin. A big batch of it can be ready for a quick meal for days. But after more than a couple of days the grapes will start to make it a bit watery. Just drain it off. I’ve seen Ina Garten make a similar salad she calls Chicken Salad Veronique. But this is the type of recipe that you can make according to your tastes. Use different herbs, pickles or fruits that sound good to you.

Tarragon Chicken Salad

2 chicken breasts, cooked and cooled (use boneless skinless, or bone-in: sprinkle with salt and pepper, bake at 350 for 15-25 min or just until juices run clear) or use leftover chicken

4 green onions, minced, or any leftover minced onion or even onion powder

2 stalks celery, minced, include the leaves too! (or leave it out entirely if you are in a hurry)

1 cup green grapes, halved or quartered

1/2 cup light mayo

1 tsp mustard

2 tbsp sweet pickle relish, or chopped sweet, dill, or bread and butter pickles

1 tsp dried tarragon (use 1 tbsp if you have fresh tarragon)

1/4 tsp celery seed

1/2 tsp salt and pepper, to taste

Mix everything up and eat! You could also make a killer chicken pasta salad by adding cooked pasta that has been rinsed in cold water and drained well.

 

Raspberry Vinaigrette inspired by the recipe in The Convent Cook

2 tbsp sugar

1 pint fresh organic raspberries or 5 oz. frozen organic ones, thawed

2 tbsp tarragon vinegar, or use white vinegar plus 2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon OR 2 tsp dried tarragon

1 tbsp Dijon mustard

1/4 cup olive oil

salt and pepper to taste

Put sugar and raspberries in a blender and puree until smooth. Over a bowl, scrape into a mesh strainer and press the puree through to remove the seeds. To the puree in the bowl, add the vinegar, tarragon and mustard and whisk. Add the oil and whisk until combined and thickened. Season with salt and pepper. **My favorite way of making salad dressing is to put everything in a mason jar with a screw-top lid and shake until combined.

Serve the dressing over organic baby greens or spinach.

Meatball Mastery

Being of 25% Swedish decent I feel compelled to write a post on meatballs. They are something I grew up eating and was my most often dinner request as a kid. Now that I am a parent it pains me that my own kids won’t touch them (they have issues with eating meat and are picky eaters much to my disdain), but I keep on. Maybe one day…

Over the weekend I made a triple batch to bring to my dad’s 60th birthday party. As I got out my largest bowl to begin mixing I began wondering how long it was going to take me to form 90 meatballs. I usually use my spring-action mini scooper but, my hand started cramping up just thinking about it. Then I remembered seeing a technique in a magazine a long time ago and decided to give it a try. It was so slick that I knew I wanted to share it.

Being a hoarder of lots of cooking equipment I decided to use my professional size half-sheet pan to spread the meat mixture out on in one even layer. Then I ‘cut’ it into even squares with a bench scraper, but a knife would work too. With a fork I separated the little meat squares one at a time and formed them into balls. First I had already covered another sheet pan in parchment paper and set the formed balls upon it. Any sheet pan you have will do, but don’t skip the parchment paper. It has a coating of silicone that prevents anything from sticking to it. My favorite method to cook meatballs is to bake them. Otherwise you are standing at the stove forever browning them in multiple batches. Don’t worry that they will have a slightly flattened area, once you put them in whatever sauce you are using, no one will ever know. I’ve even been accused of using the store bought meatballs because they turn out so uniform. As I said, being Swedish, I of course make a cream gravy for my meatballs and serve them as appetizers or alongside mashed potatoes as a meal. But, you can also serve them over egg noodles for a dish reminiscent of stroganoff. The meat mixture is lightly seasoned so you could also use them in any Italian preparation too. I like the idea of classic and traditional recipes and yet, hope that anyone would use their judgement and change a recipe to fit their tastses or preference. Food is too personal to fear changing a recipe. Go for it! As long as you aren’t baking with yeast or other leaveners you can almost always change and swap out ingredients to get different results. I hope you give these a try. I’m listing the single batch sized recipe, so know this can easily be doubled or tripled and frozen once the meatballs are baked and cooled. Just place them back onto a sheet pan and flash freeze them. Then you will be able to put the frozen meatballs into a bag or container and they will stay separate, instead of freezing into one giant clump.

Swedish Meatballs with Cream Gravy

 

1 egg, beaten                                                     

¼ cup milk                                                       

2 tbsp ketchup                                             

1 tsp Worcestershire sauce                          

¾ cup quick-cooking oats                          

¼ cup onion, minced

2 tbsp dried parsley

1 1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

1 ½ lbs ground beef

3 tbsp butter

 3 tbsp flour

 ¼ tsp dried thyme

salt and pepper

  1 can (14 1/2 oz) chicken broth ( I always use low-sodium broths)

  1/2 cup half and half

a dash of freshly grated nutmeg if you have it

Combine egg, milk, ketchup, worcestershire sauce, oats, onion, parsley, salt and pepper and mix well. Add ground beef and mix thoroughly yet gently.  Shape into 1-½ inch balls.  Place 1 inch apart on a greased 15×10 inch baking sheet.  Bake uncovered at 400° for 10 minutes, turn meatballs and bake 12-15 minutes longer or until the meat is no longer pink.  Meanwhile, for sauce, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat.  Stir in 3 tbsp flour, thyme, salt and pepper until smooth.  Gradually add broth and cream; bring to a boil.  Cook and stir for 2 minutes or until thickened and bubbly.  Drain meatballs on paper towels, transfer to a serving dish, and pour sauce over.  Serve with mashed potatoes.

Serves 6.

Caramel Apple Bread

I love making quick breads. My kids love them and they taste even better once frozen and thawed, they are SO moist! I usually use some type of fruit to up the moistness factor. I found a version of this bread in a magazine recently and couldn’t help but adapt it to be healthier.

 

First, I substitute some of the all-purpose (AP) flour with some whole wheat flour and wheat germ or bran. I always do this for my banana bread and it is the only kind of banana bread my kids will eat now. I always buy the ‘Ultragrain’ flour at my store and use is as my AP flour. It’s a ‘white’ whole wheat flour with the same texture as AP flour but more fiber and nutrition like whole wheat. Using ONLY whole wheat flour isn’t a good idea as it will result in a loaf that doesn’t rise as much and has a much different texture. If you can find and afford the whole wheat pastry flour, that will give you a good texture but I think my substitution works just as well.

 

For any quick bread recipe substitute half the amount of AP flour with half whole wheat flour and if you have it, half wheat germ, wheat bran or oat bran.

 

For example:

2 cups AP flour = 1 cup AP flour + ½ cup whole wheat flour + ½ cup wheat germ

 

You don’t have to stick to the proportions exactly but I wouldn’t substitute more than 2/3 of the flour with whole wheat without a noticeable difference in texture. Be sure to measure your flour the way the pro’s do: Scoop the flour into your measuring cup with a spoon then level it off with your finger or a knife. DON’T scoop your measuring cup into the flour, it ends up packing down more and you end up with more flour than you need. Use a light and gentle touch.

 

Another substitution is to use light olive oil in place of melted butter, either using all oil or half oil + half butter if you want a buttery taste.

 

I also usually reduce the amount of sugar by 25% as well without a noticeable difference, especially in banana bread which is already such a sweet fruit.

 

I don’t really see the point of making just one loaf when it’s no more effort to make 3! So get yourself some more loaf pans and you’ll always be stocked up for a quick breakfast, after school snack or thoughtful gift. Quick breads also make perfect muffins, mini loaves or mini muffins, just adjust the baking time, it will be considerably less.

 

Makes 3 large loaves.

 

5 ¼ cups flour (I used 3 cups AP flour + 2 ¼ cups whole wheat flour this time)

2 tbsp cinnamon

1 tbsp baking powder

1 ½ tsp baking soda

¾ tsp salt

 

In a big mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

 

 

3 cups packed light brown sugar

1 ½ cups light olive oil

6 eggs

 

In your food processor (or blender), blend the brown sugar, oil and eggs until smooth. Make a well in the flour mixture and pout this in the center.

 

1 ½ cups light sour cream

 

Add the sour cream to the bowl with the flour and sugar mixtures and mix until JUST mixed.

 

4 ½ cups finely chopped apples ( I used about 8 apples with I peeled, quartered and cored and pulsed in my food processor in 2 batches)

1/3 cup crystallized ginger (I buzzed this in the food processor to chop it finely, when it seemed like it was just spinning around and not chopping I added a small handful of rolled oats to help up the volume and it worked great)

 

Add the apples and ginger and stir JUST until combined. If you mix quick bread too much they will form odd looking peaks on top of the baked loaf instead of a lovely rounded top.

 

Grease AND flour your 3 baking pans and divide the batter evenly between them. Bake for about 55 minutes. Once a toothpick inserted into the center of the loaf comes out clean or with only a few moist crumbs and no wet batter it is done. Let cool about 10 minutes in the pans, then run a knife around the sides to loosen and invert onto a cooling rack. Set right side up and let cool completely before wrapping and freezing.

 

Glaze for 1 loaf:

When ready to serve, let a loaf thaw on the counter or in the refrigerator.

 

In a 2 cup glass measuring cup or in a small saucepan on the stove add:

½ cup packed light brown sugar

¼ cup butter, cubed

¼ cup half and half

1 tsp golden syrup or light corn syrup

½ tsp cinnamon

 

Microwave for about 3 minutes or bring to boil and let boil 1 minute. Let cool until it thickens. Spread on the top of the thawed loaf. Let stand until set. Then slice and serve.

All Or Nothing Cooking or How To Be Your Own Personal Chef

 

First-make a list.

 

I am a list maker. So when I run out of dinner ideas I like to refer to a list I made of my family’s favorite meals. I have one for each member of the family and like to alternate who gets to pick what we have for dinner. When I am making a grocery list I also ask my kids what they want for dinner and add a few items from their new ideas too. Tonight at dinner have everyone in your household make a favorite list. Use a notebook or your phone or whatever you can take to the store when you shop. When there is a deal on a favorite item, stock up!

 

Our Favorites Lists

Mel- rice and shrimp, hummus, baked beans, parsley walnut pasta, lentil tostadas,

Joe-beer cheese soup, mozzarella mushroom chicken, gyros meatloaf, chicken ceasar salad, kung pao chicken, beef noodle bowls

Mason-spaghetti with red sauce, fried potato sandwiches, pancakes and French toast

Adrian-chicken legs, crunchy tacos, English muffin pizza

 

Many of the recipes we return to don’t require recipes and the ones that do I keep in a file and print out a copy when I need it. For the recipes we return to the most often I tape up inside a kitchen cupboard or stick to the side of the fridge. That way, I don’t always have to be the one to cook our favorite foods. Dad’s and older kids can easily follow a recipe especially if it’s right in front of them!

 

You might also want to make a snacks or lunch list for ideas when you are packing lunch for school or for when the kids are home from school or on a weekend when friends are over. I like to refer to the snacks list when I want to round out a meal with a simple side dish too. We often have baby carrots, sliced apples, or a bowl of olives alongside our dinner entrée for a variety of healthy options that require no cooking.

 

The lists will change with the seasons most likely, so save all your old lists and make new ones every now and then. I also make a To-Try list of new recipes I find in magazines or online and where to locate them again.

 

I’ve learned to relax when it comes to dinnertime. Food is such a personal decision. We don’t really follow any rules about eating around here, just try everything, and keep trying. I like to ask the kids to rate how much they like something and we do ‘thumbs up or thumbs down.’ And a lot of the time they show me their thumb is somewhere in the middle.

 

When I talk about all or nothing cooking I mean to say that some days I just don’t want to cook or haven’t been to the store in a while or have no ideas. On those ‘Nothing’ days, it’s nice to refer to my lists. The ‘All’ days are when I cook a bunch of extra food to have leftovers ready to re-heat, create several meals out of one dinner, or make soups and casseroles to freeze. More on ‘All’ days later.

 

If you really want to plan meals on a daily basis with your lists, decide on a timeframe of a rotating menu. How often will you repeat the same menu? Weekly, monthly or somewhere in between? Leaving room for leftover nights and eating out, write in a dinner idea for each day. A great resource for meal planning calendars is my friend Jes’s website, monthlymealplanner.com

You are able to enter your own recipes, choose from others or just type in menu ideas and ingredients in order to generate a grocery list.

 

I also like the Grocery IQ app for Iphone. I can make my grocery list from past lists or add items to Favorites to refer to later.

 

Sometimes the planning seems more daunting that the actual cooking, so I hope I’ve given some helpful ideas. Stay tuned for more!

December Resolution

For someone who thinks about food as much as I do there is no shortage of topics I’ve been meaning to blog about. I may be a month early but, dear readers, you will be overjoyed to know that I plan on regular blogs from now on for your reading and cooking pleasure.

First up is my current obsession with turkey leftovers. Since Thanksgiving last week I am still indulging in my second favorite protein. I was inspired by Canadian Chuck Hughes, whom I watched on Iron Chef a couple weeks ago. He made, and has also mentioned on his own cooking show, a unique Canadian delicacy called poutine (for you word nerds like me, it’s pronounced poo-teen). I even saw it on a menu at a restaurant over the weekend. It’s basically a pile of french fries covered in cheese curds and gravy. Now, that may seem crazy but I have seen gravy on fries before and have been known to order a chicken strip basket from DQ just for my ‘gravy and fries’ fix. And being from Minnesota, I am all too familiar with cheese curds. Especially the deep fried morsels I now TRY to avoid at the State Fair, but always end up begging for ‘just one,’ from my husband who has no fear.
But back to the turkey. I had a hankering for nachos when I came across the small dish of turkey and gravy in the fridge and thought about it. And I am glad I did because it will now be a regular reason to make MORE TURKEY!! So via Canada and Mexico here’s my

Continental Nachos

Multigrain Scoops or other tortilla chips
shredded sharp cheddar
chopped or shredded leftover turkey
a few dollops of gravy
1/2 diced tomato
freshly ground black pepper
Cholula hot sauce

Pile up the chips into a bowl, sprinkle on the cheese, turkey, gravy, and tomato. Heat under the broiler or in the microwave until the cheese is melted and the gravy is hot. Grind on lots of pepper and douse with hot sauce.

Triple Chocolate Biscotti

I’ve made these often for myself and for gifts. I just ordered Black Cocoa powder and decided this is the best recipe to try it out on. They turned out AWESOME, almost like an Oreo (black cocoa powder is what makes them black!) Black cocoa is ultra-dutched, meaning it goes through a process to make it darker and mellower. It’s very dry though and has less fat, so in other recipes you may want to up the fat a bit. In this recipe I didn’t make changes since they are a hard dry cookie on purpose, for dunking in your coffee or milk!

2 ½ cups flour

¾ cup unsweetened cocoa powder (replace half with black cocoa powder if you have it)

2 cups sugar (this batch I used 1 1/2 cups and liked it just as well)

½ tsp. salt

1 tsp. baking soda

5 eggs

1 tsp. vanilla ( I also add 1/2 tsp espresso powder or instant coffee granules to bring out the chocolate flavor even more)

1 cup mini semisweet chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350°.  Mix everything together, except chocolate chips, until well combined.  Stir in chocolate chips.  Dough will be very thick and sticky.  Spoon the dough in thirds on your largest baking sheet. Spread each of the 3 blobs into slightly rounded 3×12-inch loaf, about ¾ inch thick.  It doesn’t have to be perfect because it’s pretty gooey.  But it will spread out as it bakes, so use more than one sheet if you need to.  Bake for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and reduce the heat to 325°.  Allow the partially baked dough to cool on the sheets for 25-30 minutes.  Remove to a cutting board and slice each loaf into many ½-inch slices.  Place cut side down back onto the cookie sheets.  Bake 15 more minutes at 325°.  Turn slices over and bake another 15 minutes until crisp.  Allow to cool completely before storing in an airtight container.  This recipe makes a lot of cookies, about 4 dozen.  

Winter Cooking Classes in Fridley MN

Classes are held at Fridley Middle School.  Use the following links to register or search on the Fridley Schools website: www.fridley.k12.mn.us

Register for the following classes here.
https://ssl.dwebsite.com/secure2/ce_fridley/php/public.php?action=listClasses&categoryId=4&programId=2&from=listCategories

View the entire catalog here.

http://www.fridley.k12.mn.us/CommunityEd/documents/Winter1011.pdf

Greek Favorites at Home
Learn to make a simple and delicious meal inspired
by the flavors of popular Greek dishes. We’ll make
homemade Gyros with Tzatziki, a creamy cucumber
accompaniment, Lemon Chicken Skewers with
Hummus, and a Rice and Olive Salad with White
Balsamic Vinaigrette.
#6020 W/January 12
6:30-9:30pm FMS RmA5
Melanie Foster $29 (1 session)

International Sandwiches
Make things easy on yourself and try these delicious
sandwiches for memorable weeknight dinners.
Learn to make Cuban Quesadillas, Croque Monseiur,
Felafel Pitas, Eggplant Parmesan Subs, and
for dessert, Philippines-inspired ice cream sandwiches.
#6022 W/January 26
6:30-9:30pm FMS RmA5
Melanie Foster $28 (1 session)

Inspired by India
Spice up your usual comfort
food routine with this meal
inspired by classic Indian
flavors and ingredients.
Prepare Aloo Matar, a saucy
potato stew, Dal (lentils) and
rice, Indian Burgers with a
delicious topping and Vegetable
Curry all enjoyed in
Homemade flat bread.
#6021 Th/March 3
6:30-9:30pm FMS RmA5
Melanie Foster $27 (1 session)

Winter Salads Sampler
Need some inspiration using seasonal winter vegetables?
Try these satisfying dishes to lift you out
of the cold weather blah’s. Prepare a Southwestern
Cobb, Blue Cheese chopped salad, a warm Sweet
Potato and Onion salad, Deluxe Egg salad, Chicken
and Mint salad and a unique Carrot and Peanut
salad, each with it’s own delectable dressing.
#6025 Th/March 24
6:30-9:30pm FMS RmA5
Melanie Foster $29 (1 session)

Classes Fall and Winter 2010

The following classes are offered through Anoka-Hennepin Adult Community Education.

About the Instructor: Melanie Foster is a personal chef who recently began conducting successful cooking classes and cooking parties for friends. She is inspired by her travels and from international cookbooks. Melanie loves cooking healthy, comforting, family-friendly food. Melanie believes people can enjoy learning to cook  in a hands-on environment which builds confidence. Plus, she says that a little advanced planning can make cooking fun and foster closer relationships, healthier kids, and more money in the bank account.

CHINESE BUFFET AT HOME - NEW!

Register Here

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The October 28th session of Chinese Buffet at Home is full. Another section has been added for you on November 11 with same time and location.    Bring yummy, healthy Chinese food into your home! Prepare egg drop soup, sesame cucumber and tomato salad, peanut soba noodles, chicken and broccoli, and salt and pepper pork. Eat in class. Hands-on class. Supply fee of $13/person cash paid to instructor Chef Melanie Foster in class. Class fee: $29.

 

UPCOMING CLASSES

Registration available starting Dec 20, 2010  here.

 
Inspired by India                              February 2, 1011
Spice up your usual comfort food routine with this meal inspired by classic Indian flavors and ingredients. Prepare Aloo Matar, a saucy potato stew, Dal (lentils) and rice, Indian Burgers with a delicious topping, and Vegetable Curry all enjoyed with Homemade Flatbread.
 

Shortcut Classics Class                           February 24, 2011
Satisfy your cravings for popular favorite recipes in a fraction of the time. Prepare quicker, and many freezer friendly, versions of homestyle recipes including: Eggs Benedict, Baked Ziti & Chorizo and Bean Burritos, and also make a Pierogi Bake and Cabbage Roll Casserole.

 Mardi Gras Feast                       March 1, 2011
Laissez le bon temps rouler (Let the good times roll) with this festive meal straight from Nawlins’ ya’ll! Make Shrimp Creole, Red Beans and Rice, Zydeco Coleslaw, tangy Mustard-y French Bread and a classic King Cake finale.

The following classes are offered through Columbia Heights Adult Community Education.

Register here.

ADULT Cooking Classes *New*
 
Cooking for a family does not need to take a lot of time. A little advanced planning can make it fun, foster closer relationships, healthier kids and more money in the bank account. Learn to cook healthy homemade food with a personal chef. As a bonus, you’ll leave each class knowing tips and techniques for cooking more efficiently. Either by cooking double duty meals getting 2 meals out of one, or by doubling up your meals and freezing for later. All classes are hands on and eat in class.  Min 5/Max 10
 
Who:  Adults      Where: Kitchen at Murzyn Hall
When:  Tuesdays, Feb. 1, 8, 15, 22, March 8, 15
Time: 6:30 – 8:45 pm Fee: $15 per class
*Sign up for one class at a time or multiple classes.
 
Double Duty Pork   Feb 1   Activity # 2413
Make a succulent roast pork entrée once and reserve half for tasty Cuban Quesadillas. Supply fee of $5 per person cash paid to instructor at class. 
 
Double Duty Steak  Feb 8   Activity # 2414
Learn a simple method for preparing an inexpensive, yet, mouth-watering round steak once, then half is reserved for satisfying Beef Noodle Bowls. Supply fee of $5 per person cash paid to instructor at class.
 

Double Duty Corned Beef  Feb 15  Activity # 2415
Learn a fool-proof recipe for Corned Beef and all the trimmings right in your slow-cooker, then reserve some for tasty Ruebens for a quick weeknight treat. Supply fee of $5 per person cash paid to instructor at class.
 
Double Duty Chicken   Feb 22   Activity # 2416
Learning how to roast the perfect chicken is a valuable skill! Perfect for dinner anytime, and nothing goes to waste when you use leftovers for Spanish Noodles with Chicken and Sausage. Supply fee of $5 per person cash paid to instructor at class.
 
Double Up Comfort Food   Mar 8  Activity # 2417
Eastern Europeans knew what they were doing when they brought over Pierogis and Cabbage Rolls so learn my simplified versions of these delicacies that freeze beautifully. Supply fee of $5 per person cash paid to instructor at class.
 
Double Up Indian Bread   Mar 15  Activity # 2418
Perfect for the freezer are the potato and pea stuffed Indian treasures called Samosas. Also try lentil Dal and learn how to make perfect rice. Supply fee of $5 per person cash paid to instructor at class.