85th Birthday Cooking Party

As you can see, Martin’s family enjoyed participating in a multi generational cooking class in honor of his 85th birthday!"An enjoyable time was had by all,and our family had fun making and eating dinner together thanks to Ellie"

Doreen R., Sudbury, Mass.

Corporate Lunchtime Seminar | Boston

"Your cooking seminar was excellent and was great fun. Your warmth and relaxed style was so engaging and we all learned very valuable cooking tips. On behalf of the HR team, have a wonderful holiday season!"

Dianne N., HR Outreach & Events Manager, Boston, MA

Library Cooking Program

"You hosted a great program on Tuesday!. Thanks for traveling to our library and sharing wonderful menu ideas and recipes. I personally loved your curry salad dressing, so much – I went right home and made it that night. Have great holidays! I’m sure we’ll see you again."

Christian P., President, Friends of the Tewksbury Public Library

JCC Boroughs Mothers' Group

A demonstration of Quick & Easy Holiday Hors d'oeuvres & Desserts was enjoyed by the attendees of this preschool parent group."Thanks Ellie! It was great to see you again and we had such a fun night! The recipes were great! Looking forward to trying them! Happy Holidays!"

Bree S., Shrewsbury, MA

Girls' Night Out

This enthusiastic group of young mothers enjoyed cooking dinner for this month’s Girls’ Night Out.

Apple Pumpkin Bread

© "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"

1/4 C butter or margarine, melted
1/4 C canola oil
3/4 C sugar
1 egg
1 C pumpkin purée, fresh or canned
1 C unpeeled apple, grated (1 medium)
2 C flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp salt (optional)
1/2 C raisins and/or 1/2 C nuts, chopped

Topping:

2 T butter or margarine
2 T sugar
2 T flour
1/2 tsp cinnamon

In a large bowl combine butter or margarine, oil, sugar, egg, pumpkin and apple. In a small bowl mix remaining ingredients except topping. Combine both mixtures and beat just until well moistened. Pour into a greased 9"x5" loaf pan. Combine topping ingredients until it resembles coarse meal. Sprinkle on top of loaf. Bake at 350° for 45 to 50 minutes or until a toothpick, inserted in the center, comes out clean.
................................................................Yield: 1 loaf

Hint: Instead of making one 9”x5” loaf you can make 2 mini loaves (3”x6”) of this bread, however reduce the baking time to 30-35 minutes. This is a moist, delicious bread that is high in fiber. It is a good way to use fresh pumpkin and It freezes well.

Sweet Potato Quesadillas

©1999 "So Easy, So Delicious"

2 T canola or olive oil
2 medium onions, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
4 C sweet potato or yams, peeled and grated
3/4 tsp oregano
1 tsp chili powder
2 1/2 tsp cumin
Pinch cayenne pepper, or to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 C sharp Cheddar cheese, grated
(10) 8" to 10" tortillas
Salsa, for garnish

Heat oil in fry pan and sauté onions and garlic until onions are translucent. Add sweet potatoes, oregano, chili powder, cumin and cayenne. Cook, covered, for about 10 minutes, stirring often. When potato is tender, add salt and pepper and more cayenne, if desired. Cool mixture for a few minutes. Heat tortillas in a lightly oiled fry pan. Spread one-tenth of filling onto half of each tortilla. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons of cheese. Fold plain half of tortilla over the filling and cook on each side for about 2 to 3 minutes, or until filling is hot and cheese begins to melt. Garnish with salsa.
.................................................Yield: 10 quesadillas
Hint: Keep quesadillas warm in a 250° oven until ready to serve.

Private cooking lesson

Penny invited Cyndi to join her for her “birthday cooking lesson”….."I must be honest with you...I was not looking forward to our cooking lesson, I only did it for moral support for Penny. As i mentioned Sunday..... I've never been very fond of cooking. That being said...I enjoyed the class and learned some useful tips for myself and to pass on to my husband...who does like to cook. Not only that we cooked a delicious meal! The Beef Wellington was delicious as was the risotto....neither of which I'd had before. The molten lava cake was to die for.....I will be using that recipe again. Thanks for your expertise....It turned out to be an enjoyable afternoon. I felt very good about what we accomplished.
I like your newsletter and look forward to getting them every month. I'm thinking my husband will love that sloppy joe recipe! I see you include some nice desserts.... and now that I know how to separate an egg properly...the choices are endless.....Thats what I like!
Thanks again."

Cyndi W., Sturbridge, Mass.

Microwave Sloppy Joes

©1999 "So Easy, So Delicious"

3/4 lb ground beef, turkey or chicken
3/4 C onion, diced
8 oz can tomato sauce
1 T sweet pickle relish
1 tsp brown sugar
1 T cider vinegar
1 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp prepared mustard
2 hamburger buns, split in half
2 slices Cheddar or American cheese, cut into 4 strips each

In a microwaveable plastic colander, combine beef, turkey or chicken and onion. Set colander in a microwaveable bowl. Microwave on high for 4 to 5 minutes, or until meat is no longer pink, stirring several times during cooking. Drain off any fat that may have accumulated. In a 1½-quart microwave bowl, combine meat mixture, tomato sauce, pickle relish, brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and mustard. Microwave on high for 2 to 3 minutes, or until heated through. Spoon meat mixture evenly over 4 roll halves. Crisscross 2 cheese strips on each.

Hint: Instead of rolls this may be served over pasta or rice.

Private cooking lesson

"Both Dom and I enjoyed our lesson with you today. We can't wait until the girls come home so we can eat all this great food!"

Cheryl M., Milford, MA

Charles River Y │ Camp on the Go

Three groups from Needham's Charles River Y Camp on the Go enthusiastically participated in cooking classes, and then just as enthusiastically, consumed their delicacies.

Pasta with Tomatoes and Basil

1/2 lb cherry or grape tomatoes, cut in halves
1 to 2 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 C fresh basil, chopped
3 to 4 T olive oil
1/4 to 1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp sugar
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 lb penne, farfalle, or gemmelli, cooked and drained
1/3 to 1/2 lb fresh mozzarella cheese, cut into small cubes

Combine everything except pasta and cheese. Allow mixture to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes or prepare several hours in advance and refrigerate. When ready to serve, cook pasta and drain. Add cheese and toss. Add tomato mixture and toss well. Adjust seasonings to taste. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Hint: A nice addition to this is garlic bread crumbs or croutons. To make garlic crumbs, brush Italian, French or sourdough bread with garlic oil. Place on a cookie sheet and bake at 300° for about 30 minutes, or until crisp. Cool and cut into croutons or place croutons in food processor and process until crumbs form.

Library Cooking Program

"Thanks so much Ellie. Everyone enjoyed last nights's program and sampling the leftovers today."

Corinne C., Belmont Public Library, Belmont, MA

Belmont Citizen article

The Belmont Citizen featured an article about the upcoming library program.To read article click here.

Mexican Taco Salad

©1991 "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"

1 lb lean ground beef, turkey or chicken
1¼ oz pkg (or less) taco seasoning mix
1 bunch scallions, chopped
1 head iceberg lettuce, shredded
3 tomatoes, diced
8 oz sharp Cheddar cheese, shredded
4 to 5 oz nacho chips, broken into small pieces
6 to 8 oz bottled salad dressing such as
...French, Catalina, or Catalina Nonfat

Brown beef, turkey or chicken, stirring to crumble; pour off excess fat. Add taco mix. Line a large salad bowl with lettuce, and top with beef, scallions and tomatoes. Sprinkle with cheese and crumbled nacho chips. Toss with enough dressing, to taste. If desired, serve with pita bread.

Hint: To reduce the fat of a traditional taco salad, use ground turkey or chicken, instead of beef, low fat cheese and low fat or nonfat salad dressing. This makes a wonderful lunch or supper, especially on a hot summer day. It makes a real hit with people of all ages!