Cooking Basics 101 concludes; Brie Blueberry French Toast; Sautéed Peaches with Graham Cracker Crumble and Raspberry Lemon Sauce; Quick Weeknight Dinner with Orange Chicken, Quinoa, and Steamed Zucchini.

Post Date: 3 August 2016

Sautéed Peaches with Graham Crackers and Raspberry Lemon Sauce

My summer dessert project continues with this dessert from the latest Bon Appetit magazine (link is below).  The Peaches are cooked in butter with Lemon Juice and Brown Sugar, while the Graham Cracker Crumble is baked in the oven.  The sauce is made by simply crushing 1 cup of Raspberries in a bowl with a spoon, then Lemon Juice is mixed in.  Dish is best served warm, so the crumble should be made first, then the sauce while the peaches cool slightly.  It tasted really good.

http://www.bonappetit.com/recipe/peach-parfait-with-salted-graham-cracker-crumble

 

 

Cooking Basics 101 – Session 3

The third and final session of Cooking Basics 101 meets this Sunday afternoon at 1:00 PM at the Plum Center.  We will be making a Tuscan White Bean Salad (pictured above), Salisbury Steak, Vegetables in Parchment Paper, and a Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake.

 
In the first class we cooked the main dish on the stovetop; in week two we used the oven.  This week we will be starting the Salisbury Steaks on the stovetop then finishing them in the oven.  While they finish, we will be using the skillet to make a reduction sauce to pour over the steaks.

French Toast with Brie and Blueberries

I got the idea for this dish from Kei Yamazaki, a Japanese chef I follow on Instagram whose specialty is breakfast.  For the French Toast I used King’s Hawaiian Bread dipped in the usual mixture of egg, milk, vanilla and cinnamon. Brioche would have worked just as well.  To prepare the Brie, I cut slices from a wedge, then trimmed off the rind.  The blueberries were simply rinsed.

 
As you can see from the photo above, each serving is a sandwich, so plan on 2 slices per serving.  When cooking the bread slices, cook one side to golden brown and the other to light brown, then remove from the skillet and place 4-5 Brie slices and some Blueberries on the golden brown side.  For the second slice, place it on the Brie with the golden brown side down.  Return the “sandwich” the skillet and cook until the cheese begins to melt and the outside is a golden brown.
 
Serve with Maple Syrup and spoon some more of the berries over the sandwiches.  For our dish I was lucky to have some excellent New Hampshire syrup given to me by my good friend from up there, David Abusamra.


Quick Summer Weeknight Dinner – Orange Soy Chicken with Quinoa and Steamed Zucchini for 2

I made this dinner the other night.  It came out really well so I thought I would share it here.  It is quick and easy to prepare.

 

Ingredients:

1 Medium/Large Zucchini

Salt

Pepper

Onion Powder

Red Pepper Flakes

Quinoa

2 Thin Boneless Skinless Chicken Breasts

Chinese 5 Space

½ Cup Fresh Squeezed Orange Juice

3 Tablespoons Low Sodium Soy Sauce

 

Zucchini Prep – Cut the Zucchini into ¼ inch slices, sprinkle with salt, pepper, onion powder, and red pepper flakes.  Steam for 12-15 Minutes.

Quinoa – Prepare for 2 according to package directions.

Chicken Prep – Trim off any fat, then salt and pepper both sides; sprinkle Chinese 5 Spice on one side.  Cook the chicken over medium heat in a non- stick skillet for 2 minutes.  Flip the chicken and add the Orange Juice and Soy Sauce.  Cook the chicken for 2 more minutes, then remove from pan to a plate and cover to keep warm.   Increase the heat to high to bring the orange juice and soy sauce to a boil; cook until the liquid reduces until about ¼ cup and thickens.  Return the chicken to the pan and turn to cover with sauce.

Serve the Chicken on a bed of Quinoa, then pour the rest of the sauce over the chicken and quinoa.
 

Reminder – Instagam

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

 
Upcoming Classes

Here are my classes for the fall term.  The catalogue will be out soon.

October 15 and 22 – Saturday Morning – What’s for breakfast – Plum Center

October 30 – Sunday Afternoon – Bistro Lunch – Plum Center

November 6, 13, 20 – Sunday Afternoons – Cooking Basics 101 – Plum Center

December 6, 13, 20 – Tuesday Evenings – Quick Weeknight Dinners – 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                                                           

 

 

 

Cooking Basics 101 continues; Cooking Basics for Young Adults concludes; Bourbon Ice Cream and Strawberry Gelato; Fall Class Schedule

Post Date: 28 July 2016

My summer dessert project continues with two dishes this week, Bourbon Ice Cream and Strawberry Gelato, the difference between ice cream and gelato being that gelato uses more milk and less cream.  I had found both recipes in Bon Appetit magazine several years ago and came upon them when looking for items for my project. 

The Bourbon Ice cream uses heavy cream, half and half, and 5 tablespoons of Bourbon.  It tastes great served with a dollop of honey, as suggested by The Flavor Bible.


Cooking Basics 101 – Session 2

The second session of Cooking Basics 101 meets this Sunday afternoon at 1:00 PM at the Plum Center.  This week we will be making a Vegetable Soup, Baked Salmon with Mustard, and a Marscapone Strawberry Dessert.  The vegetable will be Broccoli.  We will also be discussing how long to keep spices and different types of salt.  Pictured above are three takes on a Caprese Salad from session 1.

Cooking Basics for Young Adults Concludes

This class concluded with a Tuscan White Bean Salad (pictured above), Salisbury Steak, and Roasted Vegetables in Parchment Paper. For dessert we baked a Lemon Olive Oil Pound Cake.

 

Reminder – Instagam

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

Upcoming Classes

Here are my classes for the fall term.  The catalogue will be out soon.

October 15 and 22 – Saturday Morning – What’s for Breakfast – Plum Center

October 30 – Sunday Afternoon – Bistro Lunch – Plum Center

November 6, 13, 20 – Sunday Afternoons – Cooking Basics 101 – Plum Center

December 6, 13, 20 – Tuesday Evenings – Quick Weeknight Dinners – Plum Center

 

To register for these, 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                                                           

Cooking Basics for Young Adults and Cooking Basics 101 Classes; Bastille Day Dinner; Recap of Farmhouse Dinner in Provence Class; Strawberry Clafoutis

Post Date: 16 July 2016

 

Continuing with my summer desserts project, I made Vanilla Ice Cream (pictured above) and a Strawberry Clafoutis for dessert for our Bastille Day meal.  I have 2 Cooking Basics classes coming up in the next 2 weeks, which will finish out my summer schedule.

 

COOKING BASICS FOR YOUNG ADULTS CLASS AND COOKING BASICS 101

This month I have 2 Cooking Basics classes.  The first one, Cooking Basics for Young Adults, is in a “boot camp” format, running on three consecutive evenings, Tuesday July 19, Wednesday July 20, and Thursday July 21 starting at 6:30 PM at the Plum Center in Springfield.  The Cooking Basics 101 class runs on Sunday afternoons July 24, July 31, and August 7 starting at 1:00 PM, also at the Plum Center in Springfield.

Dishes to be prepared in the first session are a Caprese Salad, Pan Fried Chicken Italiano with Blanched Asparagus, and a no bake dessert with blueberries and ricotta cheese.  Each session we will also be covering knife skills and safe food handling techniques.  In session one we will cook on the stove top, session 2 in the oven, and session 3 start on the stove top and finish in the oven, three basic and essential cooking methods.

 

Bastille Day Dinner

 

For our Bastille Day Dinner I prepared Poulet a la Diable (pictured above) and a Strawberry Clafoutis (pictured and discussed below).  The chicken recipe is from French Country Light Cooking by Evelyne Slomon (Putnam Publishing, New York, 1993).  You prepare a mixture of Chopped Shallots, Dijon Mustard, Cayenne Pepper, Worcestershire Sauce, Chicken Broth, and Dried Parsley.  I poured this into a zip lock bag, then added 2 boneless skinless Chicken Breasts to coat them with the mixture.  I then poured everything into an 8 x 8 pan which I had brushed with Olive Oil, added a chopped Zucchini, and placed under the broiler.  Dessert was the Strawberry Clafoutis.

Farmhouse Dinner in Provence Recap

 

Pictured above are some of the student dishes form the Farmhouse Dinner in Provence class, Lemon Basil Aioli, Salade Nicoise, and Chicken Provençale. We had a very ambitious menu, making 5 separate items (the three shown above, a White Bean and Olive Tapenade, and a Peach Clafoutis), but everyone did a great job and we got through all 5 successfully.  In keeping with the French theme, in the fall I will be giving a one session class called Bistro Lunch on Sunday, October 30.  For the winter session I am thinking of a Dinner in Normandy class.

Strawberry Clafoutis

When we made the Peach Clafoutis in the Farmhouse Dinner in Provence class, there was discussion about what other fruits you could use. Cherries are the usual one, but we discussed pears and strawberries.  I got to thinking I had never made one with strawberries, and since they were looking pretty good at the store, I decided to try it.  I did things a bit differently from the Peach one.  After hulling and cutting the strawberries into smaller pieces, I placed them in a bowl, added a tablespoon of sugar, covered the bowl, and placed them in the fridge for a couple of hours to let the sugar draw out some of the juice.  I used a slotted spoon to remove the strawberries from the bowl and placed them in the baking dish, reserving the juice.  After combining the wet ingredients of milk, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract, I added the strawberry juice before putting in the flour and salt.  The resulting dish, pictured above, was delicious.

 

Reminder - Instagam

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

Upcoming Classes

Here are my classes for the summer term.  The Fall 2016 list will be in the next blog post.

July 19, 20, 21 – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Evening – Cooking Basics for Young Adults – Plum Center – different format, 3 straight evenings.

July 24, 31, August 7 – Sunday Afternoon – Cooking Basics 101 – 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                                                           

 

 

 

4th of July Menu; Farmhouse Dinner in Provence Class; More Ice Cream Making; Apricot Compote; Quick Weeknight Dinners Class at the Plum Center Concludes.

Post Date: 7 July 2016

I hope everyone had a great 4th of July.  Continuing with my summer dessert project, I made Coffee Ice Cream, Chocolate Ice Cream, and an Apricot Compote (pictured above).  Coming up later are a Strawberry Gelato and a Guinness Stout Ice Cream, and maybe going old school with a Vanilla.  For the ice cream making I am working with Bruce Weinstein’s great book The Ultimate Ice Cream Book, which is available on Amazon. 

 

The Coffee Ice Cream (above) is right out of Weinstein’s book and is very interesting.  Instead of adding brewed coffee, you heat the cream, sugar and vanilla, then add in one cup of whole coffee beans and let cool, then refrigerate overnight.  Before making the ice cream, you discard the beans. What results is a white ice cream that looks like vanilla with a subtle coffee taste.  When you take a spoonful at first there is no coffee taste, but then it slowly sneaks in.  When people try it for the first time, they immediately say, “I don’t taste any coffee,” and then, Surprise!

4^th of July Party Menu

 

We hosted the family again this year and made a variety of dishes.  To start there was a Panzanella Salad (pictured above), followed Dijon Hamburger Sliders and cold Chicken Provençale served in Pita Bread with Lemon Basil Aioli. As a side we served Tricolor Pasta with Sautéed Vegetables (below).

Farmhouse Dinner in Provence Class

This one session class meets this coming Saturday, July 9, at 10:00 AM at the Plum Center in Springfield.  Pictured above is the dessert we will be making, Peach Clafoutis.  We will also be making a White Bean Tapenade, a Nicoise Salad, and Chicken Provençale and Vegetables with a Lemon Aioli.  I will also be giving out a recipe for a “Quick Aioli.”

Quick Weeknight Dinners Concludes

We had the final session of this class last week.  Pictured above are 2 of the student dishes, Dijon Hamburgers with a quick Lemon Aioli and Cacio e Pepe with Roasted Lemon Thyme Carrots.  The next iteration of this class will run on Tuesdays December 6, 13, and 20, 2016, at the Plum Center.

Reminder - Instagam

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

Upcoming Classes

Here are my classes for the rest spring and the summer term.  The Fall 2016 list will be out soon.

July 19, 20, 21 – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Evening – Cooking Basics for Young Adults – Plum Center – different format, 3 straight evenings.

July 24, 31, August 7 – Sunday Afternoon – Cooking Basics 101 – 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                                                           

 

Quick Weeknight Dinners Class at the Plum Center, Session 3; Quick Aioli for Hamburgers; Summer Desserts

Post Date: 25 June 2016

As I mentioned last post, I have begun making summer desserts.  Since last time I first made a Peppermint Stick Ice Cream and a Strawberry Pretzel Terrine, both of which are discussed below.  I also made Dijon Hamburgers and served them topped with a Quick Lemon Cayenne Aioli.  Next on my list is an Apricot Compote.  I hope to report on that next post.

Quick Weeknight Dinners

Pictured above are dishes from last week’s second session, a pan of roasted vegetables ready for the oven, Pork Chops with Apricot Sauce, and Curry Shrimp with rice and zucchini with Teriyaki Sauce.

Session 3 of this class meets this Tuesday at 6:30 at the Plum Center.  We will be preparing 4 dishes – a Panzanella Salad, a Dijon Hamburger with Lemon Cayenne Aioli, Cacio e Pepe (pasta with a cheese and pepper sauce), and Lemon Thyme Carrots.  We will also be going over how to devein shrimp.

Aioli on Hamburgers

For the Hamburgers, I combined 9 ounces of Ground Beef, Salt, Pepper, Dijon Mustard, and Dried Minced Onion, then formed into 2 patties.

For the Aioli, I took a short cut and used Mayonnaise instead of making it from scratch with an egg yolk, etc., in reparation for this week’s Quick Weeknight Dinners class.  I added Lemon Juice, Minced Garlic and liquid from a jar, and Cayenne Pepper.  When I took a quick taste my first impression was that I had been too heavy handed with the Cayenne (1/8 teaspoon).  However, when on the burger and eaten with a bun, it seemed just right.

Summer Desserts

It had been so long since I made ice cream that I had a hard time finding the freezer bowl.  I decided to make Peppermint Stick first as my friends always say how much they like it.  For the peppermint flavor I used both Peppermint Extract and the small round Peppermint Candies, which I crushed with a meat pounder in a Ziplock bag.  One year after the holidays we had a lot of candy canes left, so I used them in a batch and the flavor was not nearly as “pepperminty” as you get with the candies.  Next on the agenda is a Coffee Ice Cream made with coffee beans and not brewed coffee.

I also made a Strawberry Pretzel Terrine, whose recipe I found in the latest Food Network Magazine.  It uses both Marscapone and Cream Cheese and is fairly straightforward to make and delicious to eat.  For the Pretzels, you run small pretzel twists in a food processor.  After assembly it needs about 6 hours to chill, but worth the wait.

Here is the link to the recipe:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/strawberry-pretzel-terrine.html

Reminder - Instagam

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

Upcoming Classes

Here are my classes for the rest spring and the summer term. 

July 9 – Saturday Morning – Farmhouse Dinner in Provence – Plum Center

July 19, 20, 21 – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Evening – Cooking Basics for Young Adults – Plum Center – different format, 3 straight evenings.

July 24, 31, August 7 – Sunday Afternoon – Cooking Basics 101 – 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                                                           

 

 

Quick Weeknight Dinners Class at the Plum Center continues; Panna Cotta with Fresh Berries

Post Date: 19 June 2016

As we head into summer, I am gearing up for desserts.  The Panna Cotta (shown above) is the first.  I also had a chance on a recent train trip to catch up on my cooking magazines and found some nice recipes I am eager to try.  I plan to make a Strawberry Terrine and a Watermelon Granita, among others.  I also got out the ice cream maker, so I’ll be going back to a few of my favorite flavors (flavorites), like Coffee and Strawberry.

Quick Weeknight Dinners

                                                          Avocado Tomato Basil Salad

                                 Orange Tarragon Chicken with Roasted Rosemary Potatoes

Pictured above are 2 dishes from last week’s opening session, an Avocado, Tomato, and Basil Salad and Orange Tarragon Chicken with Roasted Rosemary Potatoes with Panko.

Session 2 of this class meets this Tuesday at 6:30 at the Plum Center.  We will be preparing 4 dishes –a Quick Salad, Mixed Roasted Vegetables (pictured below), Sautéed Pork Chops with an Apricot Sauce, and Curried Shrimp with Vegetable in a Teriyaki Sauce.

Panna Cotta

Pictured at the top of this post is the finished product, relatively easy to make but needs several hours in the fridge to harden.  It is topped with a Strawberry and Blueberry Gazpacho.  I placed the berries in a metal bowl, added sugar, orange juice, lemon juice, and a basil sprig.  I covered the bowl with plastic wrap, then placed it over a pot of simmering water for 10 minutes.  After it cooled, I placed the bowl in the fridge.  What’s nice about this is that you get not only the berries but also the juice to pour on the Panna Cotta.

Here is the link to the Panna Cotta recipe I used. I found it on Epicurious:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/panna-cotta-14224

 
Reminder - Instagam

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

Upcoming Classes

Here are my classes for the rest spring and the summer term. 

July 9 – Saturday Morning – Farmhouse Dinner in Provence – Plum Center

July 19, 20, 21 – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Evening – Cooking Basics for Young Adults – Plum Center – different format, 3 straight evenings.

July 24, 31, August 7 – Sunday Afternoon – Cooking Basics 101 – 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                                                           

Quick Weeknight Dinners Class at the Plum Center; Farmhouse Dinner in Provence Class in July

Post Date: 12 June 2016

Quick Weeknight Dinners

This 3 session class begins on Tuesday evening, June 14, at the Plum Center in Springfield.  I am reluctant to name this class “30 Minute Meals” because it is always hard to put a time limit on preparation as cooks work at different paces and some of the recipes, although “quick,” may take more than 30 minutes.  I usually focus on salads, main courses and vegetables in this class, but the last time I gave it the class asked for some desserts as well, so on the first night we will see how the group wants to proceed for the next 2 sessions.

In our first class we will be preparing two salads, one with Tomato and Avocado and one with Spinach and Stilton Cheese.  For our vegetable we will be preparing Roasted Rosemary Panko Potatoes.  For the main courses, we will be doing Orange Tarragon Chicken Breasts and Baked Salmon with Mustard.

Farmhouse Dinner in Provence

This one session course is my next scheduled offering in the summer term, on Saturday morning, July 9a.  We will be doing a 4 course meal.  I am still working out the final menu, but the dessert will most likely be a Peach Clafoutis.

Reminder - Instagam

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

Upcoming Classes

Here are my classes for the rest spring and the summer terms. 

June 14, 21, 28 – Tuesday Evening - Quick Weeknight Dinners – Plum Center

July 9 – Saturday Morning – Farmhouse Dinner in Provence – Plum Center

July 19, 20, 21 – Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday Evening – Cooking Basics for Young Adults – Plum Center

July 24, 31, August 7 – Sunday Afternoon – Cooking Basics 101 – Plum Center

To register for these classes, 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