Sunday, December 16, 2012

Kid's cooking birthday party


 
"The girls had a blast! You were so organized and under control my husband and I were amazed. I had 1 parent call and said her daughter had such a great time and couldn't wait to make the meal for her family. We had never done a party like this and it was a great experience. The personal touches using Haley's favorite colors and personalizing the recipes with her hobbies gave it that little extra and Haley really felt special."
Inez G., North Andover, MA

Saturday, December 8, 2012

Christmas Cookie Party


A group of 7 to 9 year olds had fun making and decorating a variety of Christmas cookies.

Saturday, December 1, 2012

Spiced Nuts

© 1999 "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
1/2 C sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/8 tsp allspice
3 C (12 oz) hazelnuts, almonds or pecans
1 egg white, lightly beaten

Combine sugar and spices. Toss nuts around in egg white until well coated. Then roll in sugar and spice mixture. Spread on a greased cookie sheet. Bake at 350° for 15 minutes, shaking pan a few times. When nuts are removed from oven, use a fork to separate them. Cool on a wire rack.

Yield: spiced nuts to fill (4) 8-ounce jars

Hint
: You can use a combination of nuts if you like. These are delicious to serve along with hors d’oeuvres or they can be served with dessert. If placed in decorative jars or tins, they make wonderful gifts.

Friday, November 30, 2012

Wednesday, November 14, 2012

Group lesson / party

Group of corporate executives enjoyed cooking their own dinner.

Sunday, November 4, 2012

Private cooking lesson

"Thank you so much for the lesson. We had a great time meeting you and learning new recipes. Everything was delicious! We tried a little bit of everything so needless to say, we were stuffed!"
Karen F., Auburndale, Massachusetts

Thursday, November 1, 2012

Red Cabbage with Cranberries

½ medium red cabbage (6 C), thinly shredded
1 apple, peeled and grated
1½ C cranberries
⅓ C brown sugar
1 to 1½ T butter or margarine
¾ C apple cider
Salt and pepper, to taste


Grease or spray a large casserole. Combine all ingredients and place in casserole. Cover and bake at 350° for 1 hour, or until cabbage is tender.

Hint: This high fiber recipe is especially delicious with poultry or pork.To save time, buy a 1 pounc package of shredded red cabbage.

Thursday, October 18, 2012

Pasta with Cherry Tomatoes and Pistachios

This recipe was given to me by Daniela, our fantastic tour guide in Sicily and Southern Italy. This was videoed on Mt Etna, in a region where pistachios grow. I’ve tried it and it is delicious!
Gracie, Daniela!

Monday, October 1, 2012

Pumpkin Apple Soup

© 1999 "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
3 lbs fresh or (2) 16 oz cans pumpkin
6 C chicken or vegetable broth
2 Granny Smith apples, peeled and cubed
1 large onion, chopped
½ tsp rosemary
1 tsp thyme
½ C milk or half and half
Salt and pepper, to taste
½ C sour cream or yogurt, for garnish
Croutons, for garnish

Peel and cube pumpkin and cut into 2-inch pieces. Heat broth in a large pot. Add pumpkin, apples, onion and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until apples and vegetables are tender. Purée in a food processor or blender. Return soup to the pan and add milk or half and half and simmer for 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Serve with a dollop of sour cream or yogurt and croutons, if desired.

Hint: If using fresh pumpkin, to avoid the drudgery of peeling and cutting it, wash it and poke it all over with the tines of a roasting fork. Place on a plate, uncovered, in the microwave and cook on high for 10 minutes. Turn over and cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from microwave and cool briefly. Cut open, remove and discard the seeds (or roast, if desired). Using a spoon, scrape flesh of pumpkin from the skin and place in the soup pot and proceed with recipe.

Saturday, September 29, 2012

Bachelorette Party

"Thank you so much. We had a great time and will definitely be recommending "Let's Get Cooking" to our other friends! We had a blast."
Michelle W., Millis, Massachusetts

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Bachelorette Party

Tanya and her friends had fun cooking dinner at her Bachelorette Party.
"Thank you the food was delicious. I enjoyed the night."
Mary F., Westford, Massachusetts

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

Culinary Team Building

"Unbelievable, awesome. Highly recommend. We had a blast."

Fred E., Perceptive Informatics


Sunday, September 9, 2012

Saturday, September 8, 2012

Private cooking lesson

This private cooking lesson was the perfect surprise birthday gift for a gal who loves to cook!

Saturday, September 1, 2012

Grilled Halibut, Salmon, Shark, Swordfish or Tuna Steak

 © 1991 "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"

1 to 2 lbs fish steaks, 1" thick

Marinade:

1½ to 2 T olive or canola oil
¼ C dry white wine
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
¼ tsp paprika
1 shallot or 2 scallions, finely chopped
2 tsp soy sauce

Combine marinade ingredients. Place fish in marinade for at least 2 hours before grilling. Pre-oil or spray the grids of the grill with nonstick cooking spray to minimize sticking. Grill fish for approximately 5 to 6 minutes per side, or until done.

Hint: Fish should be cooked for a total of 10 minutes per inch of thickness.

Friday, August 24, 2012

Bridal shower

Kimberly and her friends had fun cooking dinner at her bridal shower.
"Thank you so much for your energy, your organization and your talent last night at my daughter's bridal shower dinner. We had such fun!

From the moment you brought out the chef's hats & aprons for us, to the "participatory" part where we chopped, coated, cooked and seasoned, to the final presentation of the dinner - we all learned and had such fun - not to mention the fact that we ate a tremenoudly good meal!

Thank you so very much! You are a wonderful teacher and chef and I will recommend you to many moms of brides-to-be!

Fondly, Marbo "
 


Marbo H., Wayland, Massachusetts

Saturday, August 11, 2012

Kid's cooking birthday party

"Hi and thank you so much for coming to our home on Saturday! The girls did enjoy the cooking and eating!" 
Pat D., Holden, Massachusetts

Wednesday, August 8, 2012

Library Cooking Program

"We were very pleased with the program last week! The feedback has been all positive. Thanks so much for putting it together" 
Andrew J., Taft Public Library, Mendon, Massachusetts

Monday, August 6, 2012

Private cooking lessons (3)

15 year old twins cooked up a storm!!
"The boys really enjoyed their lessons. They are both inspired to try new dishes to cook where they would not take chances before. They learned an important lesson, that cooking, like anything else in the world, sometimes things go really well and other times not so well. But they looked forward to the lesson more than any other activity they were involved in this summer. We so appreciate that you taught them that cooking is fun and also a life skill. They are talking about the cookies they are making for Christmas already! " 

Lynne M., Medfield, Massachusetts

Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Grilled Chicken Breast with Greek-Style Salad


Chicken:

1 lb boneless chicken breast
2 T olive oil
2 T fresh oregano, chopped
Salt and pepper, to taste
Juice of half lemon

Place chicken in a baking dish and sprinkle with olive oil, oregano, salt and pepper. Rub into breasts. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for a minimum of 2 hours or up to 1 day. Sauté chicken or grill for approximately 15 minutes, turning half way, until chicken reaches 165°. Transfer to a cutting board and drizzle with lemon juice. Let rest for 10 minutes and then slice thinly on the diagonal.

Salad:

1/2 pt cherry tomatoes, halved
4 large tomatoes, quartered
2 pickling cucumbers, thinly sliced
6 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 C black olives
1/2 C Feta cheese, crumbled
1/4 C fresh parsley, chopped
2 T fresh oregano leaves, chopped

Dressing:

3 T red wine vinegar
1/4 C olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Combine tomatoes, cucumber, scallions, olives, Feta, parsley and oregano and toss. In a small bowl, whisk dressing ingredients together. Add half of the dressing to the salad and toss gently. Place chicken on salad and drizzle with remaining dressing.

Hint: For best results, fresh oregano and parsley should be used.

Sunday, July 1, 2012

Poached Salmon with Cucumber Sauce

 © 1991 "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"

3 salmon steaks (1 to 1½ lbs)
1½ tsp salt
2 T fresh lemon juice

Boil 1 quart water with the salt and lemon juice in a large skillet (a frying pan is perfect). Add salmon, reduce heat and cover. Simmer for 10 minutes. Remove salmon and allow to cool just enough to handle. Remove skin and outer layer of brownish-gray under skin. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until serving time.

Sauce:
½ cucumber, peeled
¼ C sour cream or plain yogurt
2 tsp parsley or chives, finely chopped
2 T mayonnaise
1 to 2 tsp onion, grated
1 tsp white vinegar
Salt and pepper, to taste

Shred cucumber. Do not drain. Add remaining ingredients and mix well. Chill until serving time.

Microwave: To cook salmon, place in a microwave dish or pie plate. Add 1 teaspoon lemon juice and cover with plastic wrap. Cook on high for 5 to 6 minutes, rotating once, or until fish becomes opaque and flakes. Drain and serve with cucumber sauce.

Hint: This is a very easy but elegant way to serve salmon, especially on a hot day. Poach the salmon early in the day and chill. The sauce, which tastes delicious even made with nonfat yogurt, is very low in fat and calories. It can also be made early in the day or even a day ahead. To serve, place salmon on a lettuce-lined platter and garnish with lemon wedges and a few cherry tomatoes. Sauce may be drizzled over salmon or served on the side.

Monday, June 25, 2012

Culinary Team Building

"We have such a good time and it really brought our team together! Outstanding job! Will definitely let the rest of our Cisco folks know about your services. Dennis was great too!"
Mark A., Managing Partner, Cisco, Orlando, Florida

Saturday, June 16, 2012

Private cooking lesson


"The cooking lesson was very informative and enjoyable…Thanks for everything." 
Charlie M., Hingham, Massachusetts

Friday, June 1, 2012

Hot Fudge Sauce

© "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"

5 oz unsweetened chocolate
¼ lb butter
12 oz can evaporated milk
1 lb confectioners' sugar
½ to 1 tsp salt
tsp vanilla

Melt chocolate and butter over a double boiler. Add all remaining ingredients except vanilla. Cook for 8 minutes. Add vanilla and mix well. Serve over ice cream or ice cream pie.

Hint: This may be the recipe of a famous Boston ice cream company. The sauce will keep in a jar in the refrigerator for a few weeks. Reheat as needed..

Monday, May 14, 2012

Girl's Night Out

"Thank you for coming to my house to cook with my friends and me. We had a fun “Girl’s Night Out”!! We especially liked the Filo Spinach Pie and the Chocolate Soufflé. The group didn’t have a lot of experience working with filo dough or making soufflé’s so that was most beneficial. I served some of the leftovers to company that came the following night and they enjoyed the Spinach Pie, Crab Rangoons, Nutella Rangoons and the Shortcut Cannolis very much. This proves that everything can be made in advance if you are entertaining and don’t want to be stuck in the kitchen"
Jennifer T, Bellingham, Massachusetts

Saturday, May 12, 2012

Bachelorette party

Meghan and her friends had fun had cooking dinner at her bachelorette party.
Caitlin B., Carlsle, Massachusetts

Friday, May 11, 2012

Kid's cooking birthday party

"Thank you so much. Keeping the attention of ten, 10 year old girls for two hours is not an easy task! But you did it with ease and all the girls really had an amazing time from start to finish. All of Maeve's friends are still talking about the party and how much fun they had, and how much they learned! Each girl made sure they had their menu when leaving, and I am sure will be making the taco salad and the whoopie pies again. Also, as an aside, thanks for the cookbook. For Mother's Day Maeve baked Mary your "Apple Crumb Pie" (with only a little help from Dad) - it was quite easy, and it was a huge hit! Thanks again Ellie"
Jeff D., Milton, Massachusetts

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

Dried Cherry Scones


2 C flour
1/3 C sugar
1½ tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
6 T chilled butter, cut into small pieces
2/3 C dried cherries
1/2 C buttermilk or yogurt
1 tsp vanilla
1 egg

Sift dry ingredients into a large bowl. Cut the butter into the flour mixture using a pastry blender or fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Stir in remaining ingredients just until it forms a soft dough. Do not over mix. Shape the dough into an 8-inch circle on an ungreased cookie sheet. With a serrated knife, cut into 8 wedges. Bake at 400o for 15 to 16 minutes, or until a toothpick, inserted in the center of the scones, comes out clean. Cool slightly before serving.
                       ..............         .....            ........Yield: 6 scones
Hint: These freeze well.

Saturday, April 21, 2012

Private cooking lesson

Stefani and Josh wanted to learn how to prepare some quick and easy meals for their family.


Stefani & Josh M., Framingham, Massachusetts

Thursday, April 12, 2012

Private cooking lesson

"Thank you so much. Our lesson was very informative and fun. Christian and I have definitely enjoyed the fruits of our labor! Thank you again,"
Morgan S., Newton Centre, Massachusetts

Sunday, April 1, 2012

Berries with Balsamic Vinegar

© "So Easy, So Delicious"

1 pt strawberries, raspberries, blackberries or combination
2½ T light brown or granulated sugar
1 T balsamic vinegar

Wash, remove stems and slice berries. Toss with sugar and vinegar. Chill for at least 1 hour before serving. This is delicious by itself or it may be served over vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt.

Hint: This is an elegant and refreshing dessert that is effortless to prepare.

Variation:
Caramelized Nut Topping for Balsamic Berries

2 T granulated sugar
3 T pine nuts or slivered almonds

Combine sugar and nuts in a small fry pan. Stir over medium heat until sugar melts and nuts are golden and glazed, about 4 to 5 minutes. Transfer to a foil-lined plate or cookie sheet and cool. Scoop vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt into fruit dishes or champagne glasses. Top with balsamic berries and caramelized nuts.

Sunday, March 11, 2012

Private cooking lesson

Mike's wife gave him a private cooking lesson as a birthday present...."Hey Ellie I just wanted to say thank you for everything, we really enjoyed having you in our house to cook with us. We enjoyed a delicious meal later that evening prepared by us, with your instruction, and it was worth the wait!
Just want to say thanks again for everything."
Mike A., Danvers, Massachusetts

Saturday, March 10, 2012

Kid's cooking birthday party

Ally W., Melrose, Massachusetts

Friday, March 9, 2012

Kid's cooking birthday party

"Thanks Ellie,
Everyone did have a great time."
Mary B. Nahant, Massachusetts

Friday, March 2, 2012

Girls' Night Out

"Thanks so much for the "Easy Spring Suppers" lesson for my Ladies Night gathering. The recipes were very easy and were a big hit! My family especially enjoyed the meatloaf and soup we made. My son Paul would like you to come back and teach a lesson to him and his friends!
Thanks again,"
Kerry M, Milton, Massachusetts

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Chicken with Artichokes

© "So Easy, So Delicious"

1 lb boneless chicken breasts, cut into 1½ pieces
2 to 3 T flour
Black pepper, to taste
1 to 2 T olive oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tsp oregano
13¾ oz can artichoke hearts, drained and cut in half
3 T lemon juice
¾ C white wine or chicken broth
3 T parsley, chopped

Combine flour and black pepper on a piece of wax paper or in a shallow bowl. Dredge chicken pieces in this mixture. Heat the oil and garlic in a fry pan and cook until the pan is hot. Add the chicken and oregano and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes. Add the artichoke halves, lemon juice and wine or broth. Cover the pan and simmer for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the chicken is tender. Sprinkle with parsley.

Hint: This tastes great over linguine or spaghetti.

Saturday, February 4, 2012

Private cooking lesson

"In preparation, we were in constant communication about cooking supplies and what we hoped to achieve during our lesson. We were well prepared when Ellie arrived, but she had exceeded our expectations with consistent coaching and the results! The food was amazing! Her passion and enthusiasm for cooking motivated us throughout and we plan on having her back again to take our cooking to another level. Thank you, Ellie"
Katie G. & Nick T., Watertown, Massachusetts
"We very much enjoyed the lesson and finally got through the remaining left overs last night!"
Nick T., Watertown, Massachusetts

Friday, February 3, 2012

Kid's cooking birthday party

"Lily and the girls had a blast. She said on a scale of 1-10 it was an 11!"
Nancy A., Pembroke, MA

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

Mini-Reuben and Mini-Rachel Sandwiches

Mini-Reuben Sandwiches
© "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"

2 loaves cocktail rye bread
¾ lb Swiss cheese, thinly sliced
1½ lbs corned beef
16 to 24 oz sauerkraut, well drained
6 to 8 oz Thousand Island or Russian salad dressing
Butter or margarine

Spread several pieces of bread on counter at a time. Spread one side of each sandwich with salad dressing. Top with cheese, sauerkraut and corned beef. Place other half of sandwich on top. Place in frying pan or on grill and cook in butter or margarine until cheese melts and sandwich is crispy. Instead of grilling these, they may be baked at 400° for 5 to 7 minutes, or until sandwiches are hot and the cheese melted.

..................................Yield: 42 to 44 mini sandwiches


Mini-Rachel Sandwiches
© "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"

Make these the same way as the Reubens except substitute turkey breast for corned beef. To make the Rachels lower in cholesterol, fat and sodium, substitute low fat Swiss cheese, low salt turkey breast and low calorie or fat free Thousand Island or Russian salad dressing.

Hint: The sauerkraut that is packed in jars or Cryovac, usually kosher or deli style, is much tastier to use in this recipe than canned sauerkraut. Use coleslaw as an alternative to sauerkraut.

Sunday, January 29, 2012

Kid's cooking birthday party

"We had alot of fun yesterday. Caroline and her friends really enjoyed it and hopefully learned a few things.....how to separate an egg etc.
Thanks again for everything."
Nancy B., Clinton, MA

Saturday, January 28, 2012

Private cooking lesson

"Thanks for the wonderful lesson. We learned some great recipes and helpful tips and definitely had a lot of fun doing so!"
Greg & Beth S., Charlestown, Massachusetts

Friday, January 27, 2012

Cooking birthday party for a 9-year old and her friends

"Hi Ellie it’s Francesca, I just wanted to thank you for my party. I think it’s the best party I ever had. At one point in the party some of my friends came over to me and said “Francesca this is awesome!” Making the salad dressing, and chicken was a blast! It also came out delicious! The chef hats and sushi hats were cool. The cookie cake was awesome! I love those kinds of cakes. It was a pleasure meeting you. Maybe I will get to see you if my little sister chooses a cooking party, and if she does I just know we will call you. Thanks again and have a wonderful rest of the weekend!"
Francesca C., Braintree, Mass.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Temple Beth Avodah Preschool Parents' Group

"It was so nice to meet you too!! I think it was the perfect amount of items for the event and we all learned a great deal. I especially enjoyed the microwaveable items. Everyone commented that they were going to try and make a few of the dishes. Thank you so much!!"
Susan W., Newton, Mass.
"Wanted to let you know how much I thoroughly enjoyed the evening. Your recipes were simple and easy, I wish I had a chance to taste the recipes but they all looked delicious! It was a pleasure to see you in action!"
Rebecca B., Newton, Mass.