Cooking Basics 101 – Session 3; Monster Tiramisu; Home Made Ricotta

Post Date: 26 October 2015

Next Cooking Basics 101 Class – Session 3

                                                                 Panzanella Salad

The last of three sessions will meet this Wednesday evening, October 28, at 6:30 at McLean High School.  After making no bake desserts for the first 2 sessions, this week we will be baking, making a Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake.  We will also be making a Panzanella Salad, an Italian salad which uses bread (hence the name), Salisbury Steak with Onions, and Broiled Zucchini with Tomatoes (we won’t call them Zucchini Boats).

Monster Tiramisu

The Fall 2015 issue of Italian America magazine reports that a group of chefs in Germona del Friuli, Italy, created a tiramisu weighing 6,646 pounds – that’s a lot of marscapone and lady fingers.

Home Made Ricotta

                                                           Making Ricotta Cheese

For this past Sunday’s Italian Desserts class I made Ricotta Cheese for the class to use in their Cannoli fillings.  I brought 2 cups of heavy cream, 2 quarts of milk, and a good pinch of salt to a boil.  As soon as the mixture boiled, I removed it from the heat, added ¼ cup of lemon juice, and stirred for about 4 minutes to separate the curds and whey.  I then poured the mix into a very fine strainer and let it drain for 15 minutes at least (longer for firmer cheese).  I then turned it out into a bowl and stored it in the fridge overnight.  Pour off any additional whey before using.

Chef Kevin on Instagam

Follow me on Instagram at #senseichef.  I look forward to your comments on my posts.

Upcoming Classes

The Fall 2015 schedule has been published.  Here is the rest of my fall schedule.

November 6, 13, and 20 – Friday Evening - Cooking Basics: One Step Further – Plum Center

November 8 – Sunday Afternoon – Twilight in Tuscany - _Plum Center

December 3, 10, and 17 – Thursday Evening - Cooking Basics 101 – Herndon High School

To register for this class, or any ACE cooking classes, please go to:

http://www.fcps.edu/is/ace/specialinterest.shtml and scroll down to the Culinary section

While there, be sure to check out the other culinary courses offered by ACE’s excellent chef instructors.

Till next time, keep cooking.

Contact Chef Kevin at: KJBrady@fcps.edu                                                           

Kasbocha Squash, Himalayan Salt Blocks, Next Cooking Basics 101 and Italian Desserts Classes

Post Date: 19 October 2015

Kabocha Squash

Kabocha is an Asian winter squash sometimes referred to as a Japanese pumpkin.  I picked one up last week at Trader Joe’s.  In color it resembles butternut squash.  I used it in 2 dishes.  First, I cut off 2 large slices, removed the seeds, and put crushed red pepper flakes and maple syrup in the cavity and roasted at 350 for 45 minutes.

For the second dish, I peeled a slice, cut it into cubes and sautéed it in olive oil with potatoes, onion, and broccoli, then used the vegetable mix as a filling for a frittata.

Himalayan Salt Blocks

For my birthday earlier this month my kids gave me a set of Himalayan Salt Blocks.  I have never used one before, so I am really looking forward to preparing food with them.  They are very versatile in that they can be heated or chilled, so they can be used for grilling, chilling, or serving.  I have been checking out recipes online, and one claims you can make pizza on it.  I’ll be reporting more on my use of the salt blocks in future posts.

Next Cooking Basics 101 Class – Session 2

The second of three sessions will meet this Wednesday evening, October 21, at 6:30 at McLean High School.  We will be making the chef’s take on a Waldorf Salad, another no bake dessert featuring marscapone cheese and strawberries, and Baked Tilapia with Sautéed Broccoli.

Italian Desserts Class – Session 2

The 2^nd  session of this class will be this Sunday afternoon, October 25^th, at 12:30 at the Plum Center in Springfield.  We will be making a Lemon Apple Cake, Cannoli, and Chocolate Biscotti.  For the Cannoli, we will be making just the filling; I will be providing the shells.  If time allows, I plan to demonstrate making Ricotta Cheese and will be providing a recipe.

Reminder - Instagam

Follow me on Instagram at #senseichef.  I look forward to your comments on my posts.

Upcoming Classes

The Fall 2015 schedule has been published.  Here is the rest of my fall schedule.

November 8 – Sunday Afternoon – Twilight in Tuscany – Plum Center

November 6, 13, and 20 – Friday Evening - Cooking Basics: One Step Further – Plum Center

December 3, 10, and 17 – Thursday Evening - Cooking Basics 101 – Herndon High School

To register for this class, or any ACE cooking classes, please go to:

http://www.fcps.edu/is/ace/specialinterest.shtml and scroll down to the Culinary section

While there, be sure to check out the other culinary courses offered by ACE’s excellent chef instructors.

Till next time, keep cooking.

Contact Chef Kevin at: KJBrady@fcps.edu                                                           

 

My Next ACE Classes, New Recipe, Chef Kevin on Instagram, and my Fall 2015 Schedule

Post Date: 11 October 2015

Here is my new friend I met in Seattle on our way back from Japan.

Next Cooking Basics 101 Class starts on October 14

The first of three sessions meets on Tuesday evening, October 14, at 6:30 at McLean High School.  We will be making a Caprese Salad and a no-bake dessert featuring blueberries and ricotta cheese.  The main dish will be Pan Fried Chicken Italiano with fresh vegetable, probably asparagus or broccoli.  Basic knife skills and food safety will also be discussed.

Italian Desserts Class starts October 18

This 2 session class will be held Sunday afternoons at 12:30 at the Plum Center in Springfield.  We will be making both baked and no bake desserts which will include Tiramisu, Cannoli, and Hazelnut Cake.  Making Ricotta Cheese at home will also be covered.

New Recipe

This past week I made an excellent dish from a recipe in the October 2015 Food Network Magazine, Spiced Chicken with Apples.  The chicken is pan fried in olive oil, as are red onion and Gala apple wedges.  The spices are salt, pepper, allspice, and turmeric.  A reduction sauce is made with chicken broth, lemon juice, and honey.  The recipe calls for Swiss chard as the vegetable, but I used green beans instead.

 Here is where you can get the recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/spiced-chicken-with-apples.html

Reminder - Instagam

Follow me on Instagram at #senseichef.  I look forward to your comments on my posts.

Upcoming Classes

The Fall 2015 schedule has been published.  Here is my fall schedule.

October 14, 21, and 28 – Wednesday Evening – Cooking Basics 101 – McLean High School

October 18 and 25 – Sunday Afternoon – Dolci Italiani/Italian Desserts – Plum Center

November 8 – Sunday Afternoon – Twilight in Tuscany – Plum Center

November 6, 13, and 20 – Friday Evening - Cooking Basics: One Step Further – Plum Center

December 3, 10, and 17 – Thursday Evening - Cooking Basics 101 – Herndon High School

To register for this class, or any ACE cooking classes, please go to:

http://www.fcps.edu/is/ace/specialinterest.shtml and scroll down to the Culinary section

While there, be sure to check out the other culinary courses offered by ACE’s excellent chef instructors.

Till next time, keep cooking.

Contact Chef Kevin at: KJBrady@fcps.edu