Monday, October 14, 2013

What to do on a very rainy day?

It is a rainy day.  One of those days where it rains and rains and rains so the best way to spend it?  Thinking about food and cooking, of course.
Oh wait...I do that everyday!
I kind of like the occasional gloomy day where you really should just stay inside (if you can).  I think fall weather may be trying to actually take hold this week with highs in the 60's and lows in the 40's and I am ready for it!  Fall is when I am most productive with brisk days and even brisker nights.  You can really get some traction with all kinds of fall-ish food and the change in the seasonal produce.  I love all of the winter squash varieties.  I think they are so much more interesting in flavor and texture than their summer brethren.  I have a deli case full of butternut squash from my boyfriend's garden and they are big and beautiful and waiting to be made into one of my favorite soups and I really don't even like soup.  I know, I know, anathema but I just don't really like soup.  Well, let me clarify.  I like soup once.  I don't want to eat it over and over again until it's gone.  And, you know, that's kind of the point of soup...that you can eat it many times and it gets better each day (to a point).  And, I agree it does get better but I still don't want to eat it more than once.  There, I'm done with the whole soup situation.
So...my favorite soup and one that I created from scratch (yes, here comes another exercise in cooking without a recipe but I will give you the soup recipe) is Roasted Butternut Squash Soup.

This was a soup that was inspired by many restaurant-made squash soups and here's how I did it.
First, I knew that I wanted to use squash puree hence the need for roasting until soft.  Part of the reason is I don't like to cut up raw squash so if I can find an excuse to roast it for a recipe, I will!  But it also gives you an opportunity to instill additional flavor because it is seasoned for the roasting process.

From there, I thought of flavors that go well with the buttery, slightly sweet yet still savory squash.  This is where you can go crazy but try adding or changing ingredients/amounts one at a time so you have control over what is happening with the soup.

I love Asian/Thai flavors (I think you all know) so I leaned toward curry and ginger.  The trick is to saute the curry and ginger together before adding squash puree.  That step really brings out the essential oils and aromatics. To add to the sweetness, I included an apple along with onion and carrot.

Then to make it creamier, just a little heavy cream after I used the immersion blender to really smooth out the texture and make it velvety.  Butternut squash is really good at being velvety.

As an aside, you could also take this recipe in a more Mediterranean direction with rosemary, thyme and carameliized onions...hey, maybe that's where we'll go next with this soup!
In the meantime, here is the really great recipe for my "favorite" soup.  And, just try to tell me that it ISN'T restaurant quality.

Roasted Butternut Squash Soup

Serves 12

¼ cup unsalted butter
1 medium yellow onion, finely chopped
2 carrots, finely chopped
1 sweet/tart apple (like Fuji), peeled, cored, finely chopped
¼ cup (scant) grated fresh ginger
4 – 5 tbsp good curry powder
3 medium butternut squash, roasted, flesh removed
2 quarts chicken broth or stock, unsalted
1 cup heavy cream
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Melt butter in large heavy stockpot or saucepan over medium heat.  Add onion, carrots, and apple, season with salt and cook until soft but not caramelized. 
Add ginger and curry powder and cook until the spices are fragrant.

Meanwhile, place roasted squash in the workbowl of a food processor and puree (it will be thick).  Add enough chicken broth or stock to thin it to a heavy cake batter consistency.  Add sautéed vegetables and spices to the processor and continue to puree until the mixture is quite smooth.

Return puree to the pot and process with an immersion blender.  Begin adding chicken broth or stock until the consistency is similar to heavy cream.  Allow soup to simmer briefly then add cream and warm slowly over medium low heat.

Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Serve with large homemade croutons.  It is also nice to add crumbled bacon over the top with a drizzle of sour cream.

And as always...
If you like this post, SHARE it on Facebook, Twitter or with someone you think needs to see it! 
Come join the fun and take a class with us!  
Visit my website at Urban Kitchen on Cherry Street and check out the Class Calendar.

And, if personalizing your cooking and making it fun sounds interesting to you, you might enjoy my Complete Resource Guide to Stress-Free Entertaining.   Check it out by clicking on the link....it's free!

Monday, October 7, 2013

Makes my day!

I have been challenging myself in the last few months, trying to learn things that are not all together unfamiliar but the nuances of pulling this endeavor off have been daunting, at times.  I am a lifelong learner, however, that was instilled in me as a child.  And, I tell myself that my brain will continue to function at a much higher level if I keep learning new things.  Was it Oliver Wendell Holmes that said, "a mind stretched to a new idea never returns to its original shape" or something like that.  Forgive my rather sad effort at quoting him but I think you get the point.
In any event, in the cooking arena (where I am very comfortable), I am happy to say I have several people who attend my classes regularly.  One of my "regulars" is quite gifted and creative and emails me often when he comes up with a new dish.  I received one of those emails this morning as I was toiling away at my PowerPoint presentation that is critical to my new project.  His creativity, excitement and desire to share with me makes my job more than satisfying and confirms that this new project (yes, food-related) is precisely what I need to be doing.  He thanked me for providing him with great ideas.  He had just attended a Cuban cooking class where we made the traditional sofrito so important in Cuban cuisine.  He had, of course, taken the idea from the class and then pushed the creative envelope with a whole chicken on the grill under a brick, etc., etc.  I have no doubt that it was absolutely delicious.  His fearless experimentation is the essence of what I endeavor to teach in all of my classes.  Cooking has so little to do with following recipes but much more with the attitude and enthusiasm that you bring to the mix.  That's what makes it fun and makes it worthwhile not only to others but to yourself.
So, thanks, Mike for sharing.  You make my cooking and teaching meaningful and more than worthwhile.
For those of you who might be just the least bit curious and were not able to attend our Night in Havana, here is the sofrito recipe....and please, don't hesitate to be fearless!

Cuban Sofrito
Serves 6

2 tbsp vegetable oil
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green bell pepper, seeded and chopped
5 cloves garlic, chopped
1 tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
¼ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp dried oregano, crushed
2 bay leaves
2 tomatoes, chopped (optional)
¾ cup canned tomato sauce

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.  Add onion and garlic, and cook until onion is translucent. Add the bell pepper, and saute until tender.  Season with salt, pepper, cumin, oregano and bay leaves.

Continue cooking until the mixture becomes a paste.  Stir in the tomatoes and reduce slightly.  Gradually stir in the tomato sauce simmer until the color changes to deep red.  Taste, and adjust seasonings if desired. 
Remove bay leaves before serving.

Monday, September 30, 2013

A trip down Memory Lane...

It's hard to believe that it's been almost three years since we opened the doors to Urban Kitchen.
So...I had to grab a little excerpt from one of my posts from 2010 before it all happened...makes me a little nostalgic and just a bit incredulous that we actually did it.
Here's a little blast from the past:

Next...the kitchen is coming together in spite of all of the crazy things that have happened from the vent hood installers cannibalizing my hood fans to figuring out the new heat sensor requirements to...well, I'm sure there's something else but I can't think of what it is.  Here is a picture of the kitchen...not the same one as on Facebook so a little variety coming atcha...
On the food front...I just read that legendary Chef Alain Ducasse has expressed himself on the subject of complicated food and he says...it's too damn complicated!  YAY!! Thank you so much!!  In fact, he is completely reworking his menu and is going so far as to limit all items to three ingredients.  That just speaks to my heart after all this silly, self-absorbed, overly complex cooking that's going on out there!  So...as I have always said, delicious, honest food, completely identifiable that you can be passionate about.
We will start being passionate about the food we cook very shortly at Urban Kitchen on Cherry Street...can't wait to share with everyone...I will be scheduling cooking classes in November!

So, actually, we didn't schedule cooking classes in November of 2010 because the Health Department insisted on a particular kind of floor drain under my three compartment sink that required additional plumbing and tearing up of the tile.  Oh yeah, and did I mention that while I was at it, I needed to put in a grease trap?  Lord help me, I don't know how any of us survive the food business with all of the "help" we get from the city.  We also didn't get a break from the weather gods either with one of the worst winters on record (exception being the ice storm of 2009) so I think we started classes in the Spring of 2011.

But now, three years later and lots of experiences under my belt here is little Urban Kitchen on Cherry Street where we're cooking fearlessly...one recipe and a time!
And, oh yeah, again...Chef Alain Ducasse is still my hero!












And as always...
If you like this post, SHARE it on Facebook, Twitter or with someone you think needs to see it! 
Come join the fun and take a class with us!  
Visit my website at Urban Kitchen on Cherry Street and check out the Class Calendar.

And, if personalizing your cooking and making it fun is interesting to you, you might enjoy my Complete Resource Guide to Stress-Free Entertaining.   Check it out by clicking on the link....it's free!

Monday, September 9, 2013

Tools: The big, the small, the essential

Let's talk about what you've got in your kitchen.  Not what food you have, what kinds of tools and equipment you have.  Do you have a favorite whisk or wooden spoon or spatula?  I do!
And, because I do, I'm going to share a few of my go-to's.  I could come up with an entire list of things and maybe I'll do that, in the future but for now, let's just stick to some great basics.  I love basics because they're a really good way to get started.

Of course, there are the knives but I could spend an entire email (or more) just on knives so let's save that, too and get into some super cool tools that will make your time in the kitchen easier and, dare I say, fun!  This will also be fun because I'm going to show you pictures of my personal favs!

I limited myself to five but I have many, many more.
So here are the top five small kitchen tools on my Hit Parade and in my kitchen, right now!

Number 5 - Fine mesh strainer
Pour sauces or stocks through this to get perfectly clear liquids, nothing is left behind.  Also good for draining and rinsing canned goods.


Number 4 - Microplane
Always sharp and makes grating cheese or veggies a breeze.


Number 3 - Poultry shears
These are indispensable for cutting up chicken or other birds.  These are cool because they come apart for easy cleaning...no chicken "goo" left on these!


Number 2 - Utility tongs
Man, I love these things!  If you don't have anything else for picking things up out of a hot pan, this is the tool.  They are really an extension of your hand.
Finally, and this was a hard one because I really love those tongs but...


Number 1 - Japanese mandoline
You must be careful with this guy but if you are...slicing is so fast and fun!!  Plus, it's super inexpensive.  So if it breaks (and it could although none of mine ever have), you don't feel bad throwing it away and getting a new one.

So these are a few of my favorite things, I think I feel a song coming on.
But instead, how about a recipe?  Experiment with it and have some fun!

Penne Mac ‘n Cheese
 Serves 4 – 6

¼ cup unsalted butter
¼ cup all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
2 cups shredded mozzarella
1 cup shredded aged cheddar
½ lb penne, cooked al dente, cooled and drained
½ cup Panko bread crumbs
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Preheat oven to 375°.

Butter a 2 qt baking dish.  In a heavy saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, stir in the flour and cook, stirring for about 2 minutes.  Slowly whisk in the milk until smooth.  Simmer until the sauce is thickened.  Remove from the heat and stir in 1 cup of mozzarella and ½ cup aged cheddar.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.

In a large bowl, combine the pasta and cheese sauce.  Stir in ½ cup of mozzarella and transfer to prepared dish.  Top with the remaining mozzarella and aged cheddar then bread crumbs.
Bake for at least 30 minutes or until the pasta is browned and bubbly.  Let stand 10 minutes before serving.

Be sure to try different types of pasta and cheeses with it!

I continue to get great feedback about my Complete Resource Guide to Stress-Free Entertaining.  If personalizing your cooking and making it fun is interesting to you, you might enjoy this free guide.  Check it out by clicking on the link.

Monday, September 2, 2013

Stop buying salad dressing!

*Note from Candace*
I have been reviewing old posts and sharing them as it seems appropriate.  I ran across this one from May, 2009.  It is funny how consistent my message (mission) has been even from four years ago.  
This is where the Urban Kitchen house vinaigrette started.  It's fun to see how it has evolved.  To my favorite container option, I would add a squeeze bottle.  With the bottle, you not only have the salad dressing mixer but an easy way to deliver the dressing on to your greens.  As for vinegar choices, consider white and red balsamics as well as the others.

The point is:  don't be afraid to experiment, use fresh ingredients and once you make dressing for the first time, you'll never buy the bottled, preservative-laden stuff again! 
Warmest,
Candace
And as always...
If you like this post, SHARE it on Facebook, Twitter or with someone you think needs to see it! 
Come join the fun and take a class with us!  
Visit my website at Urban Kitchen on Cherry Street and check out the Class Calendar.

We all have our favorite bottled salad dressing...come on, admit it! Mine was (note the word, WAS) Seven Seas Creamy Italian. I ate enough of that dressing to float a boat - no pun intended. When I was in college, I would eat it on anything...well, not on chocolate, but that was about it. Nowadays, so many bottled dressings are filled with preservatives...so much so that you can hardly identify what it really is supposed to be. Then I started making my own dressings a number of years ago. It is not only fast but, once more, you can use your imagination and create so many different flavors. I am going to share my salad dressing "base" with you. Then sally forth (did I really say that?) and add different spices, herbs, ingredients to it...whatever you like or whatever seems to go best with what you're serving. Add fruit, fresh or dried. Add vegetables. I don't think meat would work but who knows...! Try it and let me know!!

Now, you will see a lot of chefs whisk the oil into the salad dressing ingredients. The reason for this is to create an "emulsion"...an emulsion is a mixture of one liquid with another that it ordinarily will not combine with...such as oil and water or, in this instance, vinegar. You add the oil very slowly and whisk the vinegar quickly so that it binds. This is, of course, the classic way of doing things but sometimes you have to throw classic out the window and get real. My favorite method for "emulsifying" my oil and vinegar is with a small screwtop jar and a little Dijon mustard. The flavor of Dijon has a way of blending into whatever type of dressing you're making or it can express itself, for instance, in a honey Dijon salad dressing. In any event, the mustard acts as an emulsifier and helps the process along...call it cheating if you like but it works like a champ. And, I think most people don't make dressing because of the idea of whisking things. So now no more excuses...get a half-pint Mason jar and go to it!

Candace's Salad Dressing Base (this is purely a jumping off point)

In a small jar with a tightly fitting lid (preferably screw top)
Add:
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 heaping tsp Dijon mustard
1 - 2 tsp dark brown sugar (depending on how sweet you like it - you can also leave it out completely)
1 tbsp minced shallot and/or 1 garlic clove, peeled and crushed
a pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
2 parts vinegar to 1 part oil (I like light and not oily dressings)
Place the top securely on the jar and shake it like crazy.

Now you've got salad dressing that is fresh, light, full of flavor and will last in your fridge for at least a week or more...actually, probably not that long because you'll use it so fast! A half-pint of dressing is enough for many, many salad greens but please, do not commit the Cardinal sin of over-dressing your greens. Let your greens shine through...they deserve their place in the spotlight...but that's another tip for another day.
Now just to get you started thinking...
For sweeteners: try honey, maple syrup, light brown sugar, light or dark corn syrup
For vinegars: try red wine, white wine, rice (unseasoned), raspberry, sherry, or champagne
The oil you use will depend on whether you want to taste it...flavorless canola, vegetable, or flavorful olive oils...I wouldn't recommend sesame except as a flavor enhancer in an Asian dressing.
You can use this same theory with mayonnaise-based dressings.
Don't be afraid to experiment...it's just food...it doesn't care!
The rest is up to you!

Sunday, August 25, 2013

Are you keeping it personal?

I know, I'm asking crazy questions again!

But are you keeping your cooking personal?  And, by that, I mean, is your kitchen space personal to you, is your cooking the kind or the way you like to do it?  If it's not, then I bet you don't enjoy cooking (or at least, not as much as you could!).

Now, you're going to either say, huh? or, Candace, what are you talking about?  I don't know HOW to keep it personal!  Well...here are a couple of tips for keeping it easy and fun that will help simplify your life.  Remember, this isn't rocket science so don't make it that way!

But first, a little background...I'm all about making things easier for my students in my cooking classes.  My goal or maybe I should say, my mission is to show you how to make great food that will impress your family and friends and be as easy as possible to cook.  So, I try to show you sensible ways to have it going on in the cooking arena and not dazzle you with my fancy footwork.  That means that you take what we learned in class and do it at home.  So...keeping it personal is just an extension of what I teach in my cooking classes.

I don't emphasize recipes that need exact measurements (for me, that's most recipes, really).  I use ingredients that are not difficult to find but are not your run of the mill, ordinary meat and potatoes.  And, I show you techniques that will make your life easier.

Case in point, I get tons of questions about knives.  What knife should I get?  Frankly, I don't know.  You are the only one who knows what kind of knife you need.  So in class, I provide everyone with an inexpensive but very sharp knife to begin finding out what kind of knife they like.  The weight, the shape of the handle and the blade are all important but above all else, it must be sharp.  So you can have great success with a very inexpensive knife IF it is super sharp.  You can also have a disaster with a dull, expensive knife.  There's one way you keep it personal...get a knife you like.  And, don't buy a big set like that salesperson wants you to buy at the gourmet kitchen store.  Buy your knives one at a time so that it makes sense when you add a new one to your personal kitchen.  And, then keep them sharp.  Learn to use a knife steel that straightens the blade (that's another story) and then have them sharpened professionally when needed.  "When needed" is also personal because everyone uses knives differently.

Bottom line is choose knives, tools, equipment and food to suit your personal style.  You like Asian food...get a wok, go to the Asian market, familiarize yourself with ingredients and flavor profiles for Chinese, Korean, Japanese, or Vietnamese foods, search the Internet for ideas, that's what I do when I want to personalize my cooking or cooking classes.

Wouldn't it be cool, though, if there was a resource out there that provided you with a step-by-step method for personalizing your kitchen and cooking and making it super enjoyable.  Well, stay tuned my friends...help is on the way!

To that end, you know that I have to include a little somethin', somethin'.  Here's a great recipe for Grilled Romaine Hearts and the house vinaigrette from Urban Kitchen.  With Labor Day coming, this will change up your grilling routine.
Be sure to play around with it...make it you're own!

Grilled Romaine Hearts

Serves 8
4 romaine hearts
1 red onion, thickly sliced
4 oz. crumbled blue cheese or goat cheese                                                             
Olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper

Rinse romaine hearts and remove any blemished outer leaves.  Cut hearts in half lengthwise. Drizzle with olive oil.  Season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.  Drizzle red onion slices with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Set aside.

Heat grill to medium high.  Place sliced onions (oiled side down) on the grill and drizzle the other side with olive oil and season with salt and pepper.  Grill for 2 – 3 minutes until they have grill marks.  Flip onions and allow to cook until softened and slightly caramelized, about five minutes.  Remove from the grill.  Allow to cool and then chop the onions.  Set aside.

Place romaine hearts cut side down on the grill for about a minute until the edges start to wilt.  Remove from the grill.  Dress with your favorite vinaigrette (mine is below).  Followed by chopped grilled onions and crumbled goat cheese.

White Balsamic Vinaigrette
 Makes about one cup of dressing

1 garlic clove, smashed
1 heaping tsp Dijon mustard
1 tsp brown sugar
½ tsp kosher salt
¼ tsp ground black pepper
¼ cup white balsamic vinegar
¼ - ½ cup canola/olive oil blend

In a pint jar or squeeze bottle, combine all ingredients and shake well.
Enjoy!
And as always...
If you like this post, SHARE it on Facebook, Twitter or with someone you think needs to see it! 
Come join the fun and take a class with us!  
Visit my website at Urban Kitchen on Cherry Street and check out the Class Calendar.

I continue to get great feedback about my Complete Resource Guide to Stress-Free Entertaining.  If personalizing your cooking and making it fun is interesting to you, you might enjoy this free guide.  Check it out by clicking on the link.

Monday, August 12, 2013

The Curiosity of Cooking Classes Redux

There is so much going on!  I am catching myself coming and going!  But I can't let my blog go without a weekly post so I went through the archives and found this little jewel...honestly, this is one of my favorite all-time posts (with the exception of one about a particular "Throw Down with Bobby Flay" which I have promised not to re-post, for now anyway).  We do have a lot of great, fun classes at Urban Kitchen.  And, I am happy to say the Asian classes are much more popular than they were when I first posted this lament.
Warmest,
Candace
And as always...
If you like this post, SHARE it on Facebook, Twitter or with someone you think needs to see it! 
Come join the fun and take a class with us!  
Visit my website at Urban Kitchen on Cherry Street and check out the Class Calendar.
 
I am constantly amazed by the number of people who want to learn how to make pasta...often to the exclusion of anything else.
Take this week's classes as an example:  Wednesday was Vietnamese Street Food which I cleverly titled "What the Pho?" and Thursday was Ravioli.  To me, the opportunity to make a dish as thoroughly fascinating as pho and the banh mi sandwich would win hands down over ravioli.  Boy!  Was I wrong!
My poor little East meets West fusion class would have been canceled had it not been for two stalwarts and, frankly, I should have canceled it anyway (didn't have the four required) but I couldn't bring myself to deny these gals the wonders and utter simplicity yet flavor explosion of these two dishes.  Plus, I really wanted to prove that I could make an acceptable pho (I already knew I owned banh mi land).  So we had a great class and explored the ingredients and methods of Vietnamese cooking with all of its French influences.  We even snapped a quick pic of the pho yummy-ness.  Not up to Melanie Dunea quality but passable.
Now on to my quandary...what is this fascination with pasta?  The ravioli class on Thursday was packed...I even had a woman in there who just found out she had to cut out gluten...yet she was still in class!
Don't get me wrong (I know I say that a lot but I don't want to be misunderstood, of course), I love pasta!  But please, please, please...I don't want to be reduced to becoming the Pasta Teacher of Tulsa...sounds very grand, doesn't it?
I agree...it IS fun to make pasta and it IS easy but come on, people, let's branch out!  I have soup, puff pastry, pie, roasted chicken, appetizers, and grilling, grilling, grilling classes but nothing fills up like pasta.  We've made simple pasta, all kinds of ravioli and gnocchi.  We've made sauces and fillings until they're coming out of our ears but it's never enough!
Yes...I will continue to teach you how to make pasta but couldn't you throw in a little excitement here and there? 
I'm just sayin'...

Monday, August 5, 2013

It IS entertaining...

So what if I told you, anybody can be successful at entertaining?  Already scoffing at me, eh?
OK...what if I told you that you can not only be successful at entertaining but can also enjoy it?  How about that one?  I hope, at this point, that you're intrigued enough to keep reading or...you have decided that I have completely gone 'round the bend on this one.  But hear me out!
Personally, I have always enjoyed entertaining.  My mom was a great hostess on the order of Perle Mesta.  How's that for a very old, obscure reference?  How many of you even know who Perle Mesta was?  And, yes, I know I'm dating myself!


Suffice it to say, my mom was a superb entertainer.  She and my dad would have holiday open houses where hundreds of people would come and go over several hours in an entire evening,  It was a true open house, in every sense of the word, back in the good old (bad old?) days of the 1960's.  Copious amounts of food and adult beverages as well as the occasional romantic tryst in the coat closet with people not married to one another.  Yes, definitely the good old days!  HAH!  Anywho, my mother managed to prepare most all of the food but then hired people to help serve and bartend so that she could be "the hostess with the mostest" at my father's side.  Those parties and her aplomb associated with them were my introduction to Entertaining...I was going to say 101 but there was nothing simple or introductory about the way my mother captained that ship.  So, I internalized my maternal rendering of Martha Stewart and thought that was what I needed to do.  And, I did!  I loved throwing great parties that totally stressed me out but they were perfect and beautiful.  I loved them but I couldn't say they were "fun" for me.  Everyone else had a wonderful time, though.  I guess the question is...how did I get from there to here?  Here being the place where I not only enjoy but have put together a lovely stress-free evening.

The "aha" moment came over twenty years ago when I was running behind getting things together for a small dinner party and was, of course, completely panicked.  One of the couples arrived a bit early (that about put me over the edge but she was a very good friend) and she said, as she watched me race around, "well, it's so nice to see that you're human."  That was my tipping point!  Indeed, I am human and why not stop trying to be Martha Stewart (who at the time had a staff of 700+) and actually enjoy the evening and my guests?  And, from that moment forward, that's exactly what I did and continue to do.

At Urban Kitchen, I teach cooking classes but I am also creating a warm and inviting environment that provides entertainment and something a little different for people to do together.  So I am entertaining guests in my kitchen anywhere from 3 to 5 nights a week.  We turn on the music, pour everyone a glass of wine and start cooking up some fun.  The atmosphere is light and easy.  No intimidation from complicated food, just delicious, straightforward dishes that are as comfortable to make as that old pair of slippers is to wear.


Now...do you believe that anyone can entertain AND enjoy doing it?  I hope so!
Keep an eye out because a complete guide of how-to do this whole entertaining thing is coming your way very soon!

And as always...
 If you liked this post, SHARE it on Facebook, Twitter or with someone you think needs to see it!
Come join the fun and take a class with us!  Visit my website at Urban Kitchen on Cherry Street and check out the Class Calendar.

Monday, July 29, 2013

Tomatoes today, tomorrow and the next day...

Roasting tomatoes is a great way to use all those fresh tomatoes that may be starting to go bad on you.  Smells great when they're roasting and it is super easy.  Use them on pizza, bruschetta, in pasta, just use your imagination.  Keep this in mind when you've got all of those beautiful, local, vine-ripened tomatoes later this summer...
Preheat oven to 425.  Place whole tomatoes and unpeeled and smashed garlic cloves on a baking sheet.  Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Roast about 25 minutes until the skins pop.  Baste with the remaining oil and you're ready to go!
They will keep in the fridge for a week or so.  Put them in storage containers with enough olive oil just to cover.

~This was a post from June, 2010.  It seemed appropriate for almost late summer with an update here and there.  I also love that picture!~

And as always...
 If you liked this post, SHARE it on Facebook, Twitter or with someone you think needs to see it!

Come join the fun and take a class with us!  Visit my website at Urban Kitchen on Cherry Street and check out the Class Calendar.

And, if you haven't already...don't forget to read my July 4th post and answer The Girl's Super Simple Survey!

Monday, July 22, 2013

It's not about the nail (applied to the kitchen)

Have you seen the viral video, "It's not about the nail."?

If you haven't, you really should.  I won't spoil it for you but it is the ubiquitous couple's "conversation" where he is trying to be practical and she just wants him to listen to her and stop trying to fix everything.  I was watching this video again last night for, oh, I don't know, the fifteenth time and it hit me (again)...it's not about the food, cooking or recipe, it's about listening to yourself.

You know how I hate it when people are slaves to recipes.  It happens in my classes all the time.  It is the bane of my existence and I feel it is my mission in life to lead you down "freedom's path" to the place without recipes.
The inevitable (and constant) question is: "How much of that did you put in?"  And, my inevitable response is:  "Um, I don't know, maybe a (fill in the blank with a form of measurement)."  It's not that I mean to be oppositional; it's just that as I stand in my mother's shoes, I really don't know for sure, exactly how much I put in.  So, I often have some frustrated people in my classes, especially the accountants and engineers.  At least in the beginning.  Then, they learn to relax, have another glass of wine and just go with it or I guess, they find another kind of cooking class.
Because it's not about the measuring!  It's about tasting the food and thinking or feeling something about it.  Does it taste salty, sweet, bitter, tart, bland or whatever.  If you don't think about or feel something about those taste experiences, I'm afraid you will be trapped in Recipeland, forever.  EEK!!

Here's the thing, recipes are created by people who like things a certain way.  That's why sometimes when you follow a recipe exactly, you think it tastes like crap because it doesn't suit your taste.  The person who made up that recipe does not have your taste buds or flavor memories so how in the world can he/she tell you about making something?  It may taste perfectly fine to them but not to you.  And, you know what, that's okay!  You are entitled to your opinion, so disagree!
Day in and day out, you follow the recipes of other people because you think they know more than you do.  Well, maybe they do but only you know what you like and how you like it.  Would you let someone pick out your clothes and tell you what to wear?  Of course not!  Unless you're five.  So why do you allow other people to dictate how you are going to have your food?  It's one thing to go to a restaurant or someone's home to enjoy their food.  It's something else to be making your own food by following someone else's rules, don't you think?
So here's another little recipe exercise to help you find your way out of Recipeland and back to freedom!  This is one I made up from different foods and flavors that I really like.  We'll start simple with a salad  because I'm only going to give you the ingredient list and no measurements! But I will give you a picture.
  • red onion
  • cucumber
  • grape tomatoes
  • feta cheese
  • romaine lettuce
  • white balsamic vinegar
  • extra virgin olive oil
  • kosher salt and ground black pepper
Here's what you do.  Gather YOUR ingredients.  Add, subtract, and/or modify to your heart's content.  You don't like red onion?  Fine, leave it out.  You love red bell pepper?  Great, add some.  See what I mean?  This stops being my Chopped Greek Salad and becomes your salad, isn't that cool!  So take ownership and do what you like to it.  Make it taste the way you like things to taste.  Then let me know how it turned out!  Because it's not about the nail!
And as always...
 If you liked this post, SHARE it on Facebook, Twitter or with someone you think needs to see it!

Come join the fun and take a class with us!  Visit my website at Urban Kitchen on Cherry Street and check out the Class Calendar.

And, if you haven't already...don't forget to read my July 4th post and answer The Girl's Super Simple Survey!

Monday, July 15, 2013

To Cook or Not To Cook...or maybe the question is...

Here I go again...starting off with a weird title.
So I guess I need to explain...but first...thanks so much to everyone for their responses to my Super Simple Survey.  It gave me lots of food for thought, so to speak.

And, here's one of those thoughts - maybe it's not about the cooking or even the food, maybe what it's really about is how you go about the cooking and thinking about the food and the process.

Consider this...you get home from work and you are dead tired.  The last thing you want to think about is making something to eat.  Cooking sounds like a death sentence and certainly the last thing you would do for fun.  Dragging yourself into the kitchen to stare into the refrigerator or the pantry with those sunken eyes that just seem to spin in your head as you come up with, well, nothing.  Finally, you grab a cracker and a glass of water and go to bed.  If you have kids, you give them a cracker, too.  Well...I think I may have to go jump out the window myself...This kind of mindset leads to books like this!  YIKES!!!


How about an alternative scenario....you get home from work and yes, you are dead tired once more.  This time, you turn on some music, pour a glass of wine and head to the bedroom.  Now wait a minute...we are going back to the kitchen!  Change out of your work clothes into something more conducive to a relaxed and comfortable experience.  I know...yoga pants and flip flops!  Now, you return to the kitchen.  Slightly refreshed and certainly in a better frame of mind.  Instead of staring into the refrigerator for inspiration...because believe me, it does not exist inside that box, you consider what would make you feel good about this whole situation.  Sometimes it might be ordering pizza or Chinese takeout but let's stay with this vision of actually cooking something.  You remember some things that you have learned recently like...start with a meat or fish or even vegetable that you really like to eat, then you think about how to fix it so it tastes even better.  Maybe you do a quick saute in a little olive oil with garlic and onion and then make an even quicker pan sauce with one of your favorite herbs,a little wine (that you're drinking, of course) and finish it with a little butter or cream or cheese.  Then you stop to consider how great the music sounds, the wine tastes and how much better you're feeling.  Wow!  I already feel much better than that jumping out of the window thing.  Woohoo...we're having some fun, now!

No, I do not know who this person is but she sure is happy!
See...it's really not about cooking or food...it's about the attitude.  You can cook anything and make it a pain or you can make it a pleasure.  Let me give you another example...
When you watch cooking shows or just watch people cook...it's boring, right?  The actual cooking is super boring.  In my classes, when we have to wait for things to finish cooking....Lordy!  Takes for evah!  That's because nothing is happening except cooking.  So the reason we watch cooking shows or take cooking classes is to be entertained (not just to learn something although I like to think that you learn a little bit in my classes).  If you watch the online cooking courses, pick one, it doesn't matter which one, they're boring!  I want to poke my eyes out!  It isn't about the cooking or the food...it's about the person doing it.  Again, a fer instance...I would watch Michael Symon make mud...he could just mix dirt and water all day as far as I'm concerned because he's so cool and attitude...for days!  Not to mention, he's cute AND bald which is a huge bonus for me.  Now, when I watch him cook real food, do I learn anything?  Sometimes.  But he mostly cooks stuff I already know about so why do I watch?  Because of the "feel" of his show or the "feel" of how he cooks.  And, yes, he is cute and would probably be very fun to party with but I also watch Alex Guarnaschelli because of the " C" factor...not because she's cute.  Although, I think she would be fun to party with, too.


See what I mean?
Now, here's the rub.  In order to create the coolness factor, you've got to do A LOT of WORK and spend A LOT of TIME not to mention MONEY on cookbooks and cooking references and utensils and heavy equipment and food magazines and watching food shows with lots of trial and error involved.  Notice I didn't say anything about going to culinary school?  No, because you don't need to go to school to create this.  But you do need all this other stuff because you need to have your own library (for lack of a better word) to pull from.
What if someone did all that work FOR you?  What if all that information was in one spot for you to refer to without you doing much of anything?
I know...sounds crazy doesn't it?  And, since I am just a little crazy, I'm going to have an answer to those "what ifs" in the very near future. So keep the faith, baby.  Help is on its way...
And as always...
 If you liked this post, SHARE it on Facebook, Twitter or with someone you think needs to see it!

Come join the fun and take a class with us!  Visit my website at Urban Kitchen on Cherry Street and check out the Class Calendar.

And, if you haven't already...don't forget to read my July 4th post and answer The Girl's Super Simple Survey!

Monday, July 8, 2013

Is it eggplant or is it aubergine?

No matter your preference...I apparently can grow it.  It's a good thing because not much of anything else is knocking my socks off!
But!  I am going to have a lot of eggplant.  I guess the bunnies don't care for it and maybe the birds can't find them because they are up under those giant leaves.  I bet you'd like to see a picture of these guys, wouldn't you? 
They really are pretty and I am impressed with them and the quantity.  The flowerbuds are even nice...a kind of white and lavender.  Imagine that, a purple veggie with a lavender flower!  OK, here goes.  This is one side of the plant but let's get a different view...
Here's the other side...

Thursday, July 4, 2013

What would you like to know...?

I know, weird title, right?
But I really do want to know!
I've been thinking a lot about questions people ask me in my cooking classes and how people respond to my posts, blog, Facebook, Twitter, what and wherever.

  • Why I use kosher salt, 
  • How do I keep from crying when I cut up an onion (easy answer, I don't!), 
  • How do I know when something's done, 
  • Why don't I measure...and on and on.

I have "Just the Basics" where I teach a lot of how-tos, especially knife skills, but what else do you want to know?

Remember, I have no secrets...at least, with regard to cooking!  I want you to be better at cooking and really enjoy it.  I don't teach anything in my classes that you couldn't do at home and I don't use crazy ingredients that you can't find in the local stores. And, I don't dazzle you with my fancy footwork around the stove top.  Why?  Because YOU are the important element in my teaching!  I want YOU to learn so that you don't need me.  I know, that sounds weird, too but seriously, I don't want you to NEED me.  I want you to come to cooking classes for the fun and camaraderie...to meet new people, to have a glass of wine and learn a little something to add to your repertoire and entertain guests in your home in an easy, casual way.  You know, all the best parties end up in the kitchen!!

So here's your chance!  I have a super simple survey for you and I mean it!  It is about as simple as you can get.  One question only.  It can take as long as you like (or as short as you like).

Tell me what I can do to help you, well, cook like ME (if that's what you want to know).

I look forward to hearing from everyone and feel free to share the link with your friends who may not know about me and my classes...I'd like to help them, too!

And, as always....

If you liked this post, SHARE it on Facebook, Twitter or with someone you think needs to see it!  I want to hear from you and your friends!

Come join the fun and take a class with us!  Visit my website at Urban Kitchen on Cherry Street and check out the Class Calendar.

Now....on to the survey!    The Girl's Super Simple Survey



Monday, June 24, 2013

Plant a radish...

Plant a radish.
Get a radish.
Never any doubt.
That's why I love vegetables;
You know what you're about!  
The Fantastiks

I think that is one of the reasons I love vegetable gardens, especially when the harvesting begins.  You just know what you're about!
Starting with radishes...they're kind of harbingers of things to come.  These little beauties came out today and there are still lots more in the ground (makes me happy!).  But the importance of today's post is to suggest...no, implore you to hold onto the greens after you have plucked off the radishes.  I know, I know, when you buy them at the grocery, who knows how long they've been sitting there so I'll give you a pass on those BUT if they come out of your garden and they are fresh and beautiful like these....
Yes...those are radish greens, believe it or not.  That is what they are supposed to look like.  So swish them in a cold water bath, dry and wrap them in paper towels.  Then put them in the hydrator and use them for salads or as a sauteed side...very similar in use to beet greens.  Radish greens are quite tender and not at all bitter.  I think they have more of a grassy taste when they're raw so they do make a nice salad.  I would combine them some other baby greens, fresh strawberries and an Asian vinaigrette, maybe with sesame oil then you could also add in some sesame seeds.  Now, I know you're dying for a recipe...right? This is so simple, it'll make you cry. And, so delicious, it'll make you cry for more.   I also have been known to make this recipe with baby beets and beet greens so feel free to improvise.  If you're feeling adventurous slice some radishes and toss them in too!
Sauteed Radish Greens with Pasta
Serves 4

One large bunch of radish greens
Extra virgin olive oil

1 -2  slices applewood smoked bacon

½ medium onion, sliced
1 lb penne or other short pasta
4 oz. goat cheese
Kosher salt and black pepper

Wash radish greens well and shake to dry.  Remove any tough ribs and cut crosswise across large leaves but leave small leaves intact.  Cut bacon into lardons and fry in a large sauté pan until fat is rendered then add sliced onion and sweat onions until tender and translucent.  Add radish greens and sauté until tender.
Boil a large pot of water with salt and cook penne until al dente.  Drain but reserve pasta water.
Add penne to the sauté pan with the radish greens and toss to combine. Crumble goat cheese over the top and combine until cheese is melted.  If needed, add a ladle of pasta water to bring the ingredients together and thicken the sauce.  Salt and pepper to taste.

* This was one of my favorite posts from last year and I thought since my radish crop was so sad this year that I would reminisce.  Plus, I had to add a picture of the finished dish.  I do saute some sliced radishes and add them before serving.  The recipe appears in my cookbook.*

As always...

If you liked this post, SHARE it on Facebook, Twitter or with someone you think needs to see it!

Come join the fun and take a class with us!  Visit my website at Urban Kitchen on Cherry Street and check out the Class Calendar.

And, I'd love to hear from you so leave me a comment...let's have a conversation!

Monday, June 17, 2013

The Pink Flamingo Invasion

So, I'm willing to try anything.  Why not, pink flamingos?
We had a thing for pink flamingos when I was in high school.  The group I ran with, affectionately referred to as The Family, revered all things kitschy.  Bette Midler was our goddess, the laundromat (Ranch Acres Laundromat, specifically) our second home, exotic dancers (aka strippers in the 70's) our namesakes and then, yes, of course, Pink Flamingos.  We even had t-shirts printed with pink flamingos emblazoned across the front (thank you, Mat).  I think we were all devastated to hear the news that the company producing our rare birds was closing its doors.  Citing rising costs of plastic resin as well as lack of interest (what?!), Union Products in Leominster, Massachusetts stopped production on November 1, 2006 just two months shy of our beloved lawn art's 50th birthday!
So now I'm sure you're wondering why I'm talking about plastic birds that you can't buy anymore...well, leave it to one of our Family members, Bert, to buy most of the pink inventory that remained when the company closed.  Fast forward to earlier this year when Bert is moving to smaller digs and can no longer house our mascots.  Rather than just dispose of them, he creates an inheritance program where the rest of the Family members can have his/her very own pair of flamingos.  You know, of course, that flamingos must be in pairs, they mate for life and cannot be parted until death.
So there you have it!  I have inherited my pair of flamingos. And, they are being put to very good use in my vegetable garden.  Here's hoping that they will terrorize the other birds, rabbits, squirrels and any other critter that comes along.  With a little help from Sevin dust (I'm sorry Bobby Lee but I was desperate!  The bugs were eating up my tomatoes, escarole, eggplant and brussels sprouts!!) and a sprinkling of a product called Critter Ridder (it is organic and has pepper oil, etc in it), the flamingos will do a better job of keeping the unwanted visitors at bay.  Just for fun, because I am getting into the whole video,YouTube thing, I thought I would offer up a garden video for this blog post, featuring, yes, my new pink flamingo friends.  I bought this cool video app for my iPhone so I had to try it out.



I promise I will work on my camera skills but cut me some slack!  This is my first real effort!!
Now that you've been properly introduced, I think the flamingos need names.  So COMMENT with your suggestions after this post with your favorite names.  It has to be two names, they are a couple you know.  And, let's be creative people!
As always...

If you liked this post, SHARE it on Facebook, Twitter or with someone you think needs to see it!

Come join the fun and take a class with us!  Visit my website at Urban Kitchen on Cherry Street and check out the Class Calendar.

And, I'd love to hear from you so leave me a comment...let's have a conversation!