Today

Glad this is over!!!!  It's been a crazy week.  But can you believe two other people at church Sunday were broken out in hives as well? Maybe it's going around.   Enough of this already...


Today was a magnificent spring day.  Massive thunder storms....it just poured and poured!  We've had such a dry winter that our poor earth literally slurped up the water...and then let out a big burp! (not really but that is what my face does when I put on moisturizer!)

Okay, I shouldn't put a hive picture on the same page as food...but today we had a wonderful creative Cooking class.


We shared some international recipes this time.  

I made the Lebanese Mussakhan sandwiches.

Elsa made Moosewood Borscht served with a dollop of sour cream.

I made the Asian Noodle salad....

Janice made a great (but hot!) Chicken Tiki Marsala.  I didn't get a picture.  Dang!

And Lynda made a delightful chilled raspberry soup.  She and Elsa went on a month long Antarctic cruise and every day they were served different chilled fruit soups.  Although served for an appetizer, they are even better for a light dessert.  This recipe is a winner!

  It's been a good day.  

Love this-

Creative Cooking

 This past week was Creative Cooking held at Lynda Raddon's home.  Awesome as always.  Have some great new recipes to share.

Nancy Tillotson made lettuce wraps from Our Best Bites cookbook.

Janice Trotter made two recipes from Jillian Michaels' Master Your Metabolism cookbook.
The first was an Almond and Vegetable Pad Thai.  Janice substituted brown rice noodles (who knew they existed) for the whole wheat spaghettini.  Many of us commented that we're not sold on the whole wheat pasta's and this brown rice noodle (sold in a box in the Oriental section) was a winner.

Janice also made a spiced fig and apple compote (also from Jillian's cookbook).  This is good warm or at room temperature, on its own or over Greek yogurt.

I made a salad that I've posted earlier on my cooking blog- it is my favorite- Baby Spinach salad with Honey Roasted Butternut Squash.  I mix "mixed greens" with the spinach.  This recipe (and picture) is from skinnytaste.com   It is perfect to make if you have access to a grocery store like Costco or Harmon's take serves already cut up butternut squash.  It has dried cherries, pumpkins, Gorgonzola or feta and the yummiest dressing ever.

Since all our dishes were healthy this month, I talked BFF Cathy into making Russian Cream.  Totally decadent...but heh, opposition in all things!!!  Enjoy!  check out the recipes on

www.constantgrowingamazementcooks.blogspot.com

Our next Creative Cooking will be held in late April or May.  I think we are going to do Brunch ideas so if you have recipes to share (or would like to demonstrate!)  let me know!

 “I hate the notion of a secret recipe. Recipes are by nature derivative and meant to be shared - that is how they improve, are changed, how new ideas are formed. To stop a recipe in it's tracks, to label it "secret" just seems mean.”
Molly Wizenberg

Easy Eyeball cookies for Halloween

I've been practicing on recipes for our next Creative Cooking class which will be next week, Oct.17th at Nancy Tillotsen's home- 11:30.  Our theme is "When Life Hands You Lemons".....and we have some great new recipes to share.  I made the eyeball cookies with store bought lemon sandwich cookies, crushed them, then mixed the crumbs with cream cheese.  Go to the cooking blog to find the instructions and experience the joy of making eyeball iris!  Whoopee!

Creative Cooking- February

"Some people like to paint pictures, or do gardening, or build a boat in the basement. Other people get a tremendous pleasure out of the kitchen, because cooking is just as creative and imaginative an activity as drawing, or wood carving, or music."Julia Child



Again, can I say, I am so blessed to get to associate with such awesome women! I love my neighborhood. Yesterday was Creative Cooking....thankfully Debbie Walton has agreed to have it at her house which is such a lifesaver for me since the class has gotten so big....so I can cook up a storm and not have to worry about preparing for the party. Debbie does (sorry, but THANKS!) It is a chore transporting things but everyone helps and it is totally worth it.




Yesterday's class was cooking with pressure cookers. I got a little teary in preparation since I pulled out one of my pressure cooking recipe books and inside I found a handwritten note from my mom (we attended a class together years ago and she bought me my pressure cooker.) It said, "To my precious daughter, Marilyn, who always works and cooks better under "pressure"! With my love, Mother "





Big sob. Love my mom.




Here was the menu for yesterday:


Debbie showed us how to prepare and steam artichokes. Normally they take an hour to steam and these were done in less than 20 minutes. She also made a wonderful vegetable soup that she added barley to (so really healthy)...it took 10 minutes. Without the barley, it would have been more like 5.



I prepared chicken paprika. It is full of peppers, onions, mushrooms and chicken and yummy spices. 3 minutes. It totally takes longer to prep the food than to cook it. I normally serve it over spiral noodles but since I was showing them how to prepare mashed potatoes (5-7 minutes depending on how many potatoes. I made enough to feed an army and it was 7 minutes), I served the chicken paprika over the potatoes.




I also made a Spanish rice that is probably the best I have ever had. I got the recipe from a Mexican cooking class I recently took and the secret ingredient that I used was annato seed seasoning (achiote)....which is advertised as the authentic flavor of Yucatan. Truly, it made the rice, would make any Mexican dish. I could only find it in a Mexican market. It comes in a box. You have to find this spice and use it. Put it on your Bucket list.... Oh, and the rice (using regular long grain rice)- 5 minutes.




Last week I bottled chicken and told them about the experience. I prepared one of my favorite chicken salad recipes (with the bottled chicken)- Curried Chicken Salad with Grapes.





I was at Costco the other day and they were selling 3 cans of chicken for $10. I bought my chicken breasts on sale at $1.39 per pound....one pound per pint bottle which is much larger than a can. It was time consuming but I'm so glad that I learned how to do it and the chicken was fall-apart-delicious. It will be perfect for chicken enchiladas, chicken crepes, chicken gravy (over my 7-minute mashed potatoes!)





If you only think of pressure cookers as something your mother and grandmother used to do....and you had a hole in the ceiling of your childhood home, think again. Pressure cookers today are totally safe, don't explode and just might change how you cook for your family. (thanks, Cheryl, for suggesting this as a class. I think everyone learned a lot and had a great time! Sorry you had to fly out of town and miss it.)


For dessert, I made Cranberry Chocolate Chip Bread Pudding. I made it in a Pyrex dish inside of my pressure cooker. I also made the same recipe in the oven. The oven method (requiring a water bath as well) took 1 hour. In the pressure cooker, 20 minutes. Moist and delicious. Served with fresh whipped cream. Yum.

Okay, this was a leftover piece without the whipped cream. Almost as good!

The grand finale was OOMS (Our Own Martha Stewart- Lisa D.)(my idol) brought Valentine's surprises for us. They were so darling, they'll get their own post! I can't wait to do them for my kids. Thank you, Lisa. Your hard work and creative ideas make everyone feel special!

"She died with a knife in her hand in her kitchen, where she had cooked for fifty years, and the death was solemnly listed in the newspaper as that of an artist." Janet Flanner writing about the death of Mother Soret of Lyons, whose 'chicken in half mourning' was famous all over France.

(I thought this quote was pertinent since I have "wounds" all over my hands from my new knife (thanks, friend!) I'm used to dull. Dull knives never jump up and get you. I might have to wear gloves while slicing and dicing. But still, I LOVE cutting meat and potatoes like butter- it's a miracle what a good knife can do!)

Yummy. Fabulous. Yumo.

Paul Child: What is it you REALLY like to do?
Julia Child: Eat! (quote from Julie and Julia)

Thursday was Creative Cooking- always so much fun but a TON of work. We held it at Debbie Walton's home (beautiful) but transporting food is a job. I made Larry's Seafood Gumbo, Brandi's Chicken, Pasta and Squash and also a frozen pumpkin dessert. The recipes will be posted on the cooking blog soon (if they aren't already there.)

Chicken and Squash Pasta- this was a hit! Make it, you'll love it.

Larry's Seafood Gumbo- chock full of shrimp and other yummies. Perfect with some sourdough bread

And a frozen pumpkin dessert. The below picture isn't actually mine and this picture doesn't show the extra layer of whipped pumpkin. Again, a recipe most people don't have and a winner

Michelle P. made Susan K.'s 3 bean chili recipe. Yumo.



Golda L. came dressed as a witch (she looked like a movie star witch) since she was demo-ing a quick and easy pumpkin soup. She even made spider rosettes to serve with it. Fabulous.



Debbie Walton did a wonderful demonstration on how to make Artisan breads. SO informative. I love how it didn't have to be kneaded. I'll share more info about some tips she shared at a later date on the cooking blog. She made a sourdough and a rye for us to taste.



We had a fun group of about 30 friends. Lots of laughter and lots of sharing. Love Creative Cooking!

The Party to Be To Today!

Today is Creative Cooking at my house. So excited! This is always a party.

Today we are doing restaurant knock-offs, Mexican style.

The menu:

Sweet Corn Tamale Cakes- a clone from the Cheesecake Factory. I've posted the recipe earlier so look in the recipe file. It is served with a salsa verde and a southwestern sauce AND an avocado guacamole garnish.

Steak tacos- from Lonestar Taquira. Paula Alverez is making these....she will demonstrate making homemade corn tortillas. Double yum.

Cheese Enchiladas- there used to be a big restaurant in Salt Lake called Tampicos. In the 70's, it used to be the place to go. It has been closed for years. Fortunately, the owners daughter lives by Valene and has shared their enchilada recipe. I attended a cooking class that she did a year ago and may have posted the recipe but I'll repost it later today.

Pineapple Cilantro Rice- sounds yummy, doesn't it?

Then dessert. Dessert isn't restaurant knock-offs but rather Valentine's treats. I've made several.

Remember these?

I'm totally pie-ed out....

Then I made these. They are rice krispies in the middle (on a stick) then dipped in caramel, then chocolate, then sprinkled. They are killers!

And how can you not love polka dot treat boxes. I made these cut boxes from the Stampin'Up Big Shot...it is a great little machine.

They are how I made my favors for Thanksgiving. But these are filled with all the right Valentine colors.

So......do you want to come???

Why We Do What We Do

So much fun at Creative cooking yesterday. Lisa (OOMS) (our own Martha Stewart) came with two wowzer favors. She is so amazing. It made the party. I have photographed them, sitting on a box so don't be distracted by the stripes. The first is a ghost, made from a small white sack. She add the ghost head and arms. The ghost has a pearl in his top curly and glittery cheeks. The sack was filled with a cello bag of white chocolate pop corn.

Favor two was a black sparklie stiletto heel with a black fishnet stocking of goodies! Over the top. Not just an ordinary shoe (which she made from a pattern) but one with a rosette and feather on the toe. She bought fishnets and cut them up for the treats inside.

I'm telling you, this girl is sooooo amazing. The tag on the shoe says "If the shoe fits...."

And then, of course, the cones filled with gingerbread caramels. The caramels were a hit and I will talk about them more tomorrow.

So, why do we do what we do? I looked at the fru-fru's, the two cheesecakes I had to make and make over and everything else I (and Lisa) and the homemade pickles that Elsa did (sooo yummy!) and I think of Karlin's resin grapes......and ask why?

Men don't do these kinds of things and wouldn't think it is necessary. But I suggest that it is done to make others feel special. When I go to a party or a dinner or a class, and the person in charge has gone all out to make everything wonderful, it makes me feel pampered and loved. When we do traditions or set a pretty table (even if the meal is from Costco) or leave a love note in your kid's lunch sack or take flowers to a friend....it is a part of nurturing others. It isn't about "showing off." It is about making others feel special that you would go to all that work for them. Is it just a right-brained thing? I don't know.



But, THANK YOU OOMS!!! As everyone went home yesterday they said, "I felt loved!"

And the food was marvelous.....

When I told OOMS that I was preparing two soup recipes and cornbread, she mentioned that she had eaten a glazed cornbread that was delicious and she tracked down the recipe for me. It IS delicious. I was talking on the phone with Sophia later in the day...and when I told her that the batter was more like cake, she said, "THAT'S HOW CORNBREAD is SUPPOSE to be! It's suppose to be sweet! People out here don't know how to make cornbread." I started laughing and said, "So what you are saying is that if they don't make southern cornbread, the way YOU like it, they don't know how to make cornbread!" We laughed. We are both a little "my way or the highway" about recipes.

But here it is. So delicious! It has brown sugar in the cornbread and a brown sugar glaze that you spread on warm on the bread as soon as you take it out of the oven. Make up a pot of soup and a batch of this bread. It will feel like fall!

Glazed Cornbread

1 cup flour

1 cup yellow corn meal

2/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup brown sugar

1 tsp salt

3 1/2 tsp baking powder

1 egg

1 cup milk

1/3 cup oil

Mix all of the ingredients and pour into an 8x8 sprayed (Pam) pan.

Bake @ 400 degrees for 20 - 25 minutes (mine took 25 min.)

Remove from oven and sprinkle with 1/4 cup brown sugar and 2 Tablespoons melted butter. (I melted the butter and stirred in the brown sugar then brushed it on the warm cornbread.)