Revised Schedule for Cooking Basics 101 and Personal Size Tortilla Pizza

Post Date: 2 February 2016

Happy Ground Hog Day.  I hope everyone is ready to pick up Cooking Basics 101 this Thursday evening.  The new schedule is below.  I have also been working on a recipe for a personal pizza.  Picture and information are also below.

Cooking Basics 101 at Herndon High School Continues – new schedule once again

Due to the school closings all last week, the rest of the class will be moved ahead one additional week.  The second session of this class meets this Thursday evening, February 4, at 6:30 and the final session will be on the following Thursday, February 11. 
This week we will be making a Waldorf Salad Wrap, a slightly different (and healthier) take on the traditional Waldorf salad; a baked Tilapia Italiana with Sautéed Broccoli; and a no bake Marscapone Strawberry Dessert.  We will be discussing how long to keep spices and the various types of salt.

Last week with knife skills we practiced chopping and a chiffonade.  This week we will be doing mincing and a rough chop.  We will also be hulling strawberries using a technique we did with tomatoes last week, as well as reviewing the Essential Kitchen Equipment and Spices lists, discussing different types of salt, and how long to keep dried spices and herbs.

Personal Sized Tortilla Pizza

 

I have been meaning for a long time to come up with quick and easy recipe for a personal pizza, one which would not involve prepping and rolling out dough.  I decided to use soft whole wheat tortillas.  For the toppings, I kept it pretty simple, but you can add pretty much whatever you want.  For the base I used Marinara Sauce that I had made earlier in the week.  Then I grated some Mozzarella and sprinkled on dried oregano flakes and some salt and black pepper.  I pre-heated the broiler to 450 degrees then put the pan with the pizza under the broiler on the second level from the top for about 3 minutes.

Reminder - Instagam

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

Upcoming Classes

Here are my upcoming classes for the winter term.  Spring catalogue will be out soon.

February 12, 19, and 26 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics 101 – Plum Center (Wait List)

March 1, 8, and 15 – Tuesday Evening – Quick Weeknight Dinners – Plum Center

March 4, 11, and 18 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics: One Step Further – Plum Center

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                                                           

 

Blizzard Cooking, New Schedule for Cooking Basics 101, and Some New Recipes

Post Date: 26 January 2016

 

I hope everyone survived the blizzard and has been plowed out by now.  As I write this on Tuesday afternoon, the Fairfax County Public Schools are closed Wednesday, so here’s hoping we can have class Thursday.  I will email tomorrow should class be cancelled again.  Because of the cancellation last week, the class has been extended to this and the following Thursday; details are below.

While snowed in, besides dong some Sumi-e painting, I was able to try out a few new recipes for my Quick Weeknight Dinners class in March (1, 8, and 15).  I made an Orange Tarragon Chicken, Pork Chops with Apricot Miso Glaze, and Roasted Panko Potatoes.  And since it would not be snow storm cooking without cookies, I made Cocoa Spritz Cookies, whose recipe I found in the December Food Network Magazine.

Orange Tarragon Chicken

 

For this dish I used thin chicken breasts, sprinkled on salt and pepper and dredged through flour.  In a non-stick skillet I melted one tablespoon of unsalted butter at low heat, then increased the heat to medium and added 3 tablespoons of Orange Juice and two teaspoons of Orange Zest to the pan.  I sprinkled Tarragon Flakes onto the chicken then cooked about 2 minutes per side.  Even with the zesting and juicing of the orange, total time to table should be around 30 minutes, so this will be a good candidate to add to the quick Weeknight Dinners.

 

Pork Chops with Apricot Miso Glaze

This may not be a good candidate for quick Weeknight Dinners because of the several steps involved; maybe more likely for a weekend meal.  The glaze consists of ½ cup low sodium chicken broth, 2 minced garlic cloves, 3 tablespoons of apricot preserves, and 2 tablespoons of red miso paste. On my first try I used 3 tablespoons of miso and it sort of took over the dish, so 2 will be better.  I whisked the ingredients in a medium sauce pan over medium high heat until the preserves and miso dissolved, then set heat to medium low and cooked until sauce thickened.

For the pork chops I just salted and peppered them, the cooked them for 2 minutes a side in 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in an over proof skillet.  I then drained off the oil, spread the glaze on both sides of the chops, and finished in a 350 degree oven for 10 minutes.

Roasted Panko Potatoes

For this quick recipe, I used 2 medium/large russet potatoes and set the oven a 400 degrees with a rack on the medium level.  The first time I made it I peeled the potatoes, the second time I did not.  I cut the potatoes into ¼ inch rounds, sprinkled salt and pepper on one side, then brushed olive oil on both sides and sprinkled Italian Panko bread crumbs on the side facing up. I cooked them on a rimmed baking sheet in the oven for 15 minutes.  They were quite good, but I started thinking about ways to enhance them even more. My wife Teresa suggested Rosemary, so last night I made a batch and to one half I added dried Crushed Rosemary and to the other half Crushed Red Pepper.  Both were excellent, with the red pepper ones having a bit of a kick.  There are many other spice possibilities here, so when I write up the recipe I’ll include the spices I used but leave it open ended for whatever preferences the cook may have.

Cocoa Spritz Cookies

 

I had never made these spritz cookies before and they provided a nice change of pace from the savory dishes above.  I found the recipe in the December Food Network Magazine, one of many for holiday cookies.  The recipe calls for a cookie press, which I do not have, so I used a piping bag instead, but wished I had the press as the dough is very thick.  They came out very well.  Here is the link:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/cocoa-spritz-cookies.html

 

Cooking Basics 101 at Herndon High School Continues – new schedule

Due to the snow, the rest of the class will be moved ahead one week.  The second session of this class meets this Thursday evening, January 28, at 6:30 and the final session will be on Thursday February 4. 

This week we will be making a Waldorf Salad Wrap, a slightly different (and healthier) take on the traditional Waldorf salad; a baked Tilapia Italiana with Sautéed Broccoli; and a no bake Marscapone Strawberry Dessert.  We will be discussing how long to keep spices and the various types of salt.

Last week with knife skills we practiced chopping and a chiffonade.  This week we will be doing mincing and a rough chop.  We will also be hulling strawberries using a technique we did with tomatoes last week, as well as reviewing the Essential Kitchen Equipment and Spices lists, discussing different types of salt, and how long to keep dried spices and herbs.

 

Reminder - Instagam

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

Upcoming Classes

Here are my upcoming classes for the winter term.  Spring catalogue will be out soon.

February 12, 19, and 26 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics 101 – Plum Center (Wait List)

March 1, 8, and 15 – Tuesday Evening – Quick Weeknight Dinners – Plum Center

March 4, 11, and 18 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics: One Step Further – Plum Center

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                                                           

 

 

 

Upcoming Classes and Roasted Carrots

Post Date: 20 January 2016

Cooking Basics 101 at Herndon High School Continues

The second session of this class meets this Thursday evening at 6:30.  This week we will be making a Waldorf Salad Wrap, a slightly different (and healthier) take on the traditional Waldorf salad; a baked Tilapia Italiana with Sautéed Broccoli; and a no bake Marscapone Strawberry Dessert.  We will be discussing how long to keep spices and the various types of salt.

Last week with knife skills we practiced chopping and a chiffonade.  This week we will be doing mincing and a rough chop.  We will also be hulling strawberries using a technique we did with tomatoes last week.

Roasted Carrots with Thyme and Lemon

There are a lot of thing to like about this recipe.  It is easy to make, it tastes great, and the kitchen smells wonderful while it is in the oven.  I found it in the January/February 2016 issue of Food Network Magazine and made it yesterday.  Simply peel and trim the carrots and brush with olive oil, add sliced lemon, sprigs of fresh thyme, a teaspoon of dried thyme leaves, and some salt and pepper, then roast at 425 for 25-30 minutes.  Here is the link:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/lemon-thyme-roasted-carrots.ht

Reminder - Instagam

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

Upcoming Classes

Here are my upcoming classes for the winter term.

February 12, 19, and 26 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics 101 – Plum Center (Wait List)

March 1, 8, and 15 – Tuesday Evening – Quick Weeknight Dinners – Plum Center

March 4, 11, and 18 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics: One Step Further – Plum Center

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                                                           

 

Comfort Food and Upcoming Classes

Post Date: 12 January 2016

Happy New Year 2016.  I hope everyone will have a successful culinary 2016.  In this first post of the new year, I will be discussing my two January classes, Cooking Basics 101 and Delectable Desserts.  The rest of my classes for the winter quarter are listed at the end of the post.  It is also time for comfort food, so I will discuss a crock pot meal I recently made.

Crock Pot Kielbasa and White Bean Cassoulet

As we move deeper into January and begin to get some colder weather, it is time to start thinking about comfort food.  I found this recipe in the January 2016 issue of RealSimple magazine and made it yesterday.  The link is below. The ingredients are kielbasa, dried white beans, low sodium chicken broth, can of diced tomatoes, garlic, onion, thyme, parsley and salt and pepper – as you would expect, “real simple.”  And a great taste.

http://www.realsimple.com/food-recipes/browse-all-recipes/slow-cooker-kielbasa-white-bean-cassoulet

Cooking Basics 101

This three session class meets on January 14, 21, and 28 at 6:30 at Herndon High School.  For the first night we will be making a meal of Caprese Salad, Fried Chicken Italiano with Blanched Asparagus, and a no bake dessert, Blueberry Ricotta Parfait.  Future entrees will include fish and beef.

One of the basics we will be covering in class is knife skills.  The January/February 2016 issue of Food Network Magazine has an excellent article on basic skills and cuts, including the ones we will be covering in class.  Here is the link to the article.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/how-to/articles/knife-skills-101.html

Delectable Desserts

This is a two session class, meeting on Saturdays, January 23 and 30.  It will feature both baked and no bake desserts, including tiramisu, cannoli, and Clafoutis.

Reminder - Instagam

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

Upcoming Classes

Here are my upcoming classes for the winter term.

January 14, 21, and 28 – Thursday Evening – Cooking Basics 101 – Herndon High School

January 23 and 30 – Saturday Morning – Delectable Desserts – Plum Center

February 12, 19, and 26 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics 101 – Plum Center

March 1, 8, and 15 – Tuesday Evening – Quick Weeknight Dinners – Plum Center

March 4, 11, and 18 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics: One Step Further – Plum Center

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                                                           

 

 

Cookies, Cookies, Cookies

Post Date: 23 December 2015

I hope everyone has a Merry Christmas and Happy New Year 2016.  For our Christmas dinner we are planning on serving Roast Beef and Baked Salmon as the main dishes, with a Tuscan White Bean Salad Red Skin Potatoes, and Roasted Butternut Squash.  I have been busy trying some different cookie recipes from Food Network Magazine, Orange Ricotta Drop Cookies, Peppermint Biscotti, and Meringues with Lemon Curd Filling.  They were all excellent, but my favorite is the biscotti.

This will be the last post for 2015.  See you all next year.

Orange Ricotta Drop Cookies

The recipe actually calls for Tangerines, but says you can substitute Oranges instead.  Since I had oranges in the fruit bowl, that is what I used.  They are soft cookies, and you finish them off with a sugar glaze.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/tangerine-ricotta-drop-cookies.html

Meringue Sandwiches

 

These require 3 hours in the oven at 250, but the results are well worth the time invested.  The meringues are made with the usual suspects, egg whites, cream of tartar, salt, and confectioner’s sugar, then piped onto parchment paper in 1 inch rounds.  For the filling, I made a Lemon Curd.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/meringue-sandwiches.html

Peppermint Biscotti

These cookies get a double dose of peppermint flavor – extract in the batter and crushed candy topping.  After the biscotti have cooled completely, you melt 4 ounces of white chocolate and drag the top side through the chocolate.  Then you crush peppermint candies and sprinkle the pieces on top.  In my experience I have found that the round peppermint candies have a stronger peppermint flavor than candy canes.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/peppermint-biscotti.html

 

 

Reminder - Instagam

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

Upcoming Classes

Here are my upcoming classes for the winter term.

January 14, 21, and 28 – Thursday Evening – Cooking Basics 101 – Herndon High School

January 23 and 30 – Saturday Morning – Delectable Desserts – Plum Center

February 12, 19, and 26 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics 101 – Plum Center

March 1, 8, and 15 – Tuesday Evening – Quick Weeknight Dinners – Plum Center

March 4, 11, and 18 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics: One Step Further – Plum Center

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                                                           

 

 

More Himalayan Salt Block Cooking, Some New Recipes

Post Date: 10 December 2015

More Himalayan Salt Block Cooking

In the last post I described cooking pork chops on my Himalayan salt blocks.  Last Sunday I used them again to cook eye round steaks and zucchini (see pictures above).  For the steaks I first marinated them in olive oil, vinegar, soy sauce, garlic salt and pepper.  I cooked them first, then placed them in a warming oven while the zucchini cooked.  I used a mandolin to slice them into long strips, but I made them a bit too thin, so next time I’ll set the mandolin to cut thicker slices or do them by hand.   However, on a positive note, the steaks were excellent, with the marinade giving them a nice flavor.

 

New Recipes

With my busy teaching schedule this fall and our preparations for Thanksgiving, I did not have time to try new recipes. However, in the lull now between Christmas and New Year’s, I’ve had some time to look through the cooking magazines I subscribe to and found some recipes to try.

 

The first was Lemon Chicken with Butternut Squash (above) from Food Network Magazine (link below).  It was fairly easy to make and tasted delicious.  The squash is peeled and cut into cubes, then mixed with lemon juice, olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper and roasted at 450 degrees.  The chicken is first salted and peppered, then fried in an oven proof skillet on just one side.  You flip them, then finish off in the 450 degree oven for 5-7 minutes.  I timed things so that when the squash was done I took it from the oven and let it sit in the warming oven while I placed the chicken in the oven.  When done, the chicken goes back on the stove and garlic, oregano, and lemon juice are added to the skillet.  You cook it for a minute or two, spooning the juice over the chicken.  Here is the link to the recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/lemon-chicken-with-butternut-squash.html

 

The other new recipe I tried was a Baked Lemon Tilapia (above) with a mayonnaise and panko crust, also from Food Network Magazine (link below).  The recipe called for serving the fish with an Apple-Beet Salad, but as the picture above shows I opted for green beans instead and had a spinach salad on the side.  The recipe calls for either Tilapia or perch; I used Tilapia.  To prepare the fish, in one shallow bowl you mix salt and pepper, light mayonnaise, lemon zest and lemon juice.  In another you combine panko breadcrumbs (I used Italian Panko), capers, and chopped flat leaf parsley.  You coat just one side of the fish; first through the mayo and lime mixture, then the panko-capers-parsley.  This is a very nice recipe, and the lemon flavor really comes through well and enhances the fish.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/baked-fish-with-apple-beet-salad.html

 

Reminder - Instagam

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

Upcoming Classes

Here are my upcoming classes for the winter term.

January 14, 21, and 28 – Thursday Evening – Cooking Basics 101 – Herndon High School

January 23 and 30 – Saturday Morning – Delectable Desserts – Plum Center

February 12, 19, and 26 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics 101 – Plum Center

March 1, 8, and 15 – Tuesday Evening – Quick Weeknight Dinners – Plum Center

March 4, 11, and 18 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics: One Step Further – Plum Center

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                                                           

 

 

Himalayan Salt Block Cooking, Making Cannoli, My Next A.C.E. Classes

Post Date: 1 December 2015

I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving and a wonderful start to the holiday season.  The other afternoon I made stock with the remains of the turkey and the kitchen smelled great.



Himalayan Salt Block Cooking

In a previous post I mentioned that I received these salt blocks as a birthday present from my son and daughter.  This week I finally got around to trying them out, and the result was excellent.  I cooked pork chops seasoned only with black pepper and apple slices with ground cinnamon.  They both picked up the salt nicely from the block.

You can heat and use the block in several ways.  One is to heat in the oven, then remove and cook on it.  I used mine on the stove.  As the picture above shows, I placed each block on a separate burner.  I started with the flame on as low as possible, and over the next 40 minutes gradually increased the heat until the block was hot to the touch.  I left the blocks on the flame while I cooked the chops, but as an alternative you can remove the blocks to a heat proof surface and cook there.  It took about 2-3 minutes per side for the chops to be done.  Clean up is quite easy.  After the blocks have cooled, just use warm water and a soft sponge to wash them clean.  As the Salt Block is naturally antimicrobial, it does not need a cleanser.

Cannoli

My sisters-in-law brought plenty of desserts for Thanksgiving, so we had the Cannoli with afternoon coffee on Friday after putting up and decorating the tree.  I made the Ricotta Cheese for the filling before Thanksgiving, then let it sit in the fridge for a couple of days to allow any additional whey to drain out.  I made the filling by mixing sugar, vanilla extract, zest of one orange, and mini chocolate chips into the ricotta, then chilled for a few hours.

MY NEXT ACE CLASSES

My next A.C.E. class is Cooking Basics 101 on January 14, 21, and 28 at Hendon High School.  The next class is a Saturday one, January 23 and 30, at the Plum Center in Springfield called Delectable Desserts.  As in my previous dessert classes, we will be making both baked and non-bake desserts, but not limiting ourselves to Italian ones as in my last desserts class.

Reminder - Instagam

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

Upcoming Classes

Here are my upcoming classes for the winter term.

January 14, 21, and 28 – Thursday Evening – Cooking Basics 101 – Herndon High School

January 23 and 30 – Saturday Morning – Delectable Desserts – Plum Center

February 12, 19, and 26 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics 101 – Plum Center

March 1, 8, and 15 – Tuesday Evening – Quick Weeknight Dinners – Plum Center

March 4, 11, and 18 – Friday Evening – Cooking Basics: One Step Further – Plum Center

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