Framingham Public Library

"I want to extend my sincere thanks to you for doing such a wonderful program! Everyone had a great time, and the recipes were great even for the non-cooks in the group."

Michelle L., Framingham, Massachusetts

Renewal by Andersen

"My Colleagues and I also enjoyed meeting you and loved your cooking demonstration. Everything was delicious…Thank you so much! "

Sherri R., Northborough, Massachusetts

Group Cooking Class

"Hi Ellie, the food was wonderful. We enjoyed the evening. I hope you had a good time. We will be on touch."

Sandy P., Saugus, Mass.

Weston Public Library

"Holiday Gifts From the Kitchen"

"I really enjoyed your presentation! You are charming and my daughter loved the treats! Can't wait to make the nuts and choc sauce! And the pesto was the best (the high-quality cheese makes a big difference.)"

Rebecca F., Weston, Massachusetts

Sun Dried Tomato Risotto

© "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
10 sun dried tomatoes
1 C water
2½ C chicken or vegetable broth
2 T olive oil
1 large onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 C Arborio rice
1/3 C Parmesan cheese, grated
Salt and pepper, to taste
Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)

In a small saucepan, simmer the tomatoes in water for about 1 minute. Drain and reserve liquid. Chop tomatoes. In a medium saucepan, combine reserved cooking liquid and broth and bring to a simmer. Regulate heat to keep liquid simmering. In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil and add the onion and garlic and stir until softened. Add the rice and stir until the grains are all coated with oil. Add chopped tomatoes and ½ cup of the simmering liquid. Cook over medium heat, stirring until liquid has been absorbed. Continue adding the liquid, ½ cup at a time, until it is all absorbed, approximately 18 minutes. Stir in the Parmesan, salt and pepper. Sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Hint: You can cut the sun dried tomatoes with a scissors before soaking them and then you won’t have to chop them later. Also, you can pour 1 cup of boiling water over the tomatoes and let them sit for a minute, rather than cooking them on the stove.

Private cooking lesson

"Just a short note to thank you for the awesome cooking lesson. Marc and I enjoyed both meeting and cooking with you. The peppers recipe is fabulous! Also, thank you for the cookbook. Marc thought the lesson was the BEST gift! "

Doreene G., N Easton, Massachusetts

Apple Crumb Pie

© "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
Crust and Topping:
1½ C flour
1/2 C sugar
1/2 C butter or margarine
Pinch salt

Filling:
3 lbs apples (Cortland, Macoun or Baldwin) peeled,
   cored and sliced
1 T lemon juice, or to taste
1/2 C sugar
2 T cornstarch
1 tsp cinnamon

In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, butter or margarine and salt. Using your hands, rub ingredients until it resembles fine crumbs. Remove 1 cup of the crumbs and set aside. Pat remaining crumbs in the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Place sliced apples in a large bowl and drizzle with lemon juice. Shake apples so that they are all coated with juice. Combine sugar, cornstarch and cinnamon. Pour over apples. Mix well. Place in the crumb-lined pie plate. Bake at 425 degrees for 20 minutes. Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees and pour reserved cup of crumb mixture over pie. Bake an additional 30 minutes, or until pie is golden brown. If desired, serve with vanilla ice cream, frozen yogurt or whipped cream.

Hint: This pie is perfect for the person who doesn’t like to make pie crusts. It is easy and delicious.

Kid's cooking birthday party

"We all had a wonderful time! Thanks for making Sonali's party so special. They kids had a blast."

Chandana G., Westwood, Massachusetts

Culinary Team Building

"This event was a “huge success”. So glad we did it. Everyone expressed so many positive remarks. They all said it was great fun. They really enjoyed working as a team. Even the judges; our CEO and his Exec. team made comments on the results and displays. It was great. I will definitely recommend you to people I know."

Pat C., Jeanne D'Arc Credit Union, Lowell, Massachusetts

Skinny Sloppy Joes

© "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
1/2 C (1 small) onion, chopped
1/2 C (1 stalk) celery, chopped
1/2 C (1 medium) carrot, diced
1/2 C (1/2 pepper) green or red pepper, diced
1 clove garlic, minced
14½ oz can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 to 1½ T chili powder, or to taste
1 T tomato paste
1 T vinegar
Black pepper, to taste
15 to 19 oz can kidney beans, rinsed and drained
6 bulkie rolls

Coat a large pan with nonstick spray and place over medium-high heat until hot. Add onion, celery, carrot, pepper and garlic and sauté until tender. Add tomatoes, chili powder, tomato paste, vinegar and black pepper. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the kidney beans and cook for 5 additional minutes, or until hot. Cut the rolls in half and place on individual serving plates. Spoon Sloppy Joe mixture over rolls. This can also be served over rice or pasta instead of rolls.

Hint: This recipe is nearly fat free.

Sisters Group

Bachelorette party

"Ellie's class was a great way to kick off my friend's bachelorette party. It was fun, informative, and the meal we made was delicious! I would absolutely recommend a class from Ellie for a unique addition to your next party or event!"

Allissa A., E. Bridgewater, Massachusetts

Microwave Meat Loaf

© "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
1 lb ground beef
1 egg
1/3 C bread crumbs
1/4 C ketchup
2 T water
Garlic powder, to taste
Salt and pepper, to taste

In a medium bowl, combine all ingredients. Shape into a loaf. Place in a microwave dish.
 
Topping:
2 T ketchup
1 T water
1 small onion, sliced

Whisk together ketchup and water. Pour over meat loaf. Place onion slices on top. Cover with wax paper and microwave on high for 13 to 14 minutes, or until desired doneness is reached. Let stand for 5 minutes before slicing.

Hint: You can slice leftovers and use them for sandwiches, or freeze in individual portions for future meals. If you prefer, you can bake the meat loaf in a conventional oven at 350o for 1 hour. Ground turkey or chicken may be substituted for the beef; however more seasoning will be required for these.

Chilled Peach Soup

Tortellini Primavera

Private cooking lesson

"Thanks Ellie for coming by! We had tons of food, and it all was really delicious. We've already had the carrots again!"

Kim & Michael M., Jamaica Plain, Massachusetts

Salmon with Tarragon and Tomatoes

Culinary Team Building

Grilled Vegetables

Cambodian Grilled or Broiled Chicken

 
1 lb boneless chicken breasts
2 cloves garlic
2 scallions, thinly sliced
2 T sugar
1/2 to 1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
1 T fish sauce
1 T soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Pound chicken breasts just until they are of uniform thickness. Place all ingredients, except chicken, in a food processor and, using the steel blade, process until a paste is formed. Place chicken in a dish and coat both sides with the paste. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for several hours. Grill or broil just until cooked through, about 6 to 7 minutes per side. Serve with sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and jasmine rice.

Hint: Fish sauce can be found in the Thai grocery section at supermarkets. Leftover chicken is delicious in a salad or on a sandwich.

Private cooking lesson

"We had a GREAT time cooking with you. We’ve already made the chicken and lava cakes again."

Rosemary H., Haverhill, Massachusetts

Flag Cake

 
9”x13” cake (see below)
2 pts strawberries
1 pt blueberries
Butter Cream Frosting (see below)

Wash, de-stem and cut the strawberries into halves. Wash the blueberries and drain on paper towels. Make the frosting and spread over the top and sides of the cake. In the top left hand corner of the frosted cake arrange the blueberries into an outline of a rectangle that is 5 inches wide and 4 inches tall. Fill in the rectangle by pressing the blueberries down into the frosting. Fill the blueberry outline in with the remaining blueberries. The blueberries will look best if placed in rows, the frosting between them will resemble stars. Place strawberry halves, cut-side down in rows going across the cake going horizontally. The bottom stripe of the flag is red, so start the first row at the bottom. Be sure to press the berries down into the frosting.

Chocolate Syrup Cake

© 1991 "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"
 
1 stick butter or margarine
1 C sugar
4 eggs
1¼ C flour
3/4 tsp baking soda
16 oz chocolate syrup
1 tsp vanilla
Confectioners' sugar, for sprinkling on top (optional)

Cream butter or margarine and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Combine flour and baking soda and add alternately with chocolate syrup. Add vanilla. Pour into a greased 9"x13" pan. Bake at 350° for 30 to 35 minutes, or until toothpick, inserted in center, comes out clean. Sprinkle with confectioners' sugar or frost with your own favorite frosting.

Hint: This is one of the easiest and tastiest chocolate cakes to make. I always keep a can of Hershey syrup on hand in case I need a cake in an emergency. It's delicious even without frosting and perfect to bring to a picnic or barbecue.

Butter Cream Frosting

 
4½ C confectioners’ sugar, sifted
1/2 C butter, softened
1 tsp vanilla
3 T milk
Food coloring, if desired

Cream butter with confectioners’ sugar until well blended. Add vanilla. Add the milk until frosting has reached the desired consistency. Add food coloring, a few drops at a time, until desired color is reached.

Hint: This frosting is the perfect consistency for decorating a cake using a pastry bag.

Bachelorette party

MetLife Lunchtime Seminar

"it was a pleasure meeting you and your husband! Received great feedback. Associates enjoyed the presentation and the lunch! Thank you again, and have a great summer!"

Anna C., MetLife Boston, Massachusetts

"Yesterday was great. Everyone really seemed to enjoy your demonstration and the break from work. It was nice having you come in again."

Emily G., MetLife, Boston, Massachusetts

Weston Public Library

Private cooking lesson

"We really enjoyed cooking with you. The fact that you could have four recipes going and manage to get the correct ingredients in each was an enjoyable side show. I had picked vegetarian because I wanted to have new side dishes for meals. The Barley Salad was easily the favorite, and the Vegetarian Chili was also a favorite. Thank you. "

Eileen F., Newton, Massachusetts

Grilled Halibut Packet

© 1999 "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
1 lb halibut steak or fillets
1/4 lb mushrooms, sliced
1 T fresh ginger, minced or 1 tsp dried ginger
2 scallions, cut into 2" pieces
1/2 small red pepper, thinly sliced
1/2 tsp sesame oil

Spray a large piece of heavy duty foil with nonstick spray. Place halibut on foil. Top with remaining ingredients. Bring 2 opposite ends of foil together and fold over tightly. Then seal the other ends. Place the packet on the hot grill and cook for 8 to 10 minutes per inch of thickness of fish, turning the packet over halfway during cooking time.

Hint: If you like, you can cut the fish into serving-size portions and cook in individual foil packets.

Bachelorette party

"It was nice to meet and cook with you too! I had so much fun! I'm pretty sure all my friends did too! Thanks for giving me your cookbook and adding me to your monthly e-newsletter! I will definitely try some of your recipes once we get back from our honeymoon!"

Nicole L., Lexington, Massachusetts