Camp cooking lesson #2

I returned to a local day camp to give a cooking lesson to a very enthusiastic crew. Quote from a 13 year old camper, "Mmm, the lemon brings out the soul of the chicken!"

They seem to have had almost as much fun washing dishes and pots and pans, as cooking!

Maggie's hint

One of my faithful newsletter readers sent in a tip that I think you might enjoy. Maggie K, from Framingham, MA, said that when she “wants a fast coffee cake to bring or serve” she makes the Blueberry Muffin recipe on pg 40 of my cookbook, From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours. However, instead of making muffins, she spreads the batter in a greased 8-inch square baking pan , sprinkles it with a mixture of sugar and cinnamon, as well as some sliced almonds, and bakes it at 400 degrees for 20-25 minutes. I took Maggie’s advice and tried it. The resulting cake was faster to prepare than muffins and not as sweet as a typical cake So if you’re looking for a quick coffee cake you might like to try Maggie’s suggestion and convert your favorite recipe for a dozen muffins into a quick coffee cake.

Thanks Maggie!

Couple of cooks

Amy & Jay wanted to increase their dinner repetoire and look what they've created!!

How to identify fresh fish

Whole fish should:

• Look shiny


• Have bright clear eyes that are almost protruding


• Have firm and elastic flesh that springs back when gently pressed with a finger

Filets and steaks should:

• Have firm and elastic flesh with fresh cut and moist appearance

All fish should have no fishy or ammonia smell

Cherry tomatoes - bite-size pleasure

I just picked the first cherry tomatoes from my own plants! They are absolutely delicious - almost as good as chocolate!

Teaming up

This team worked together to produce a delicious, multi-course Hawaiian luau and then sat down to enjoy it.

What a fabulous time my group had working with Ellie. She was more than willing to accommodate our small group and traveled to a personal residence to host our event. She was engaging and enthusiastic and my team really rallied around the activity. With all the food prepared for us to start, all that was left was the fun of working in our teams to actually do the cooking! Needless to say the recipes were simply delicious. I would certainly use Let's Get Cooking again and would recommend them to anyone looking for a strong team-building experience.

Joseph 'Joe' Rock
Director, Clinical Science and Applications
Philip Healthcare

Andover, Massachusetts

Friendly cooking buddies

Pat invited her good friend Laura to join her for her cooking lesson. Pat had received a gift certificate for a cooking lesson as a Christmas gift from her daughter, because she knows how much her mom loves to cook.

We had a great time on Monday. The beef wellington was great, everyone loved it. Thanks again it was fun.

Pat B., Halifax, Massachusetts

An anniversary gift

John gave Pam a gift certificate for a cooking lesson as an anniversary gift. Here they are cooking with me in their own kitchen.

Will this rain ever stop?

With all this rain at least we don't have to water our tomatoes! However, we have a mushroom farm growing in our yard. Unfortunately, the mushrooms are probably poisonous, so we can't even cook or eat them. What a waste!

Camp cooking lesson

Here's a group of 11 teenagers enjoying the meal that they prepared as an activity at their day camp.They were very enthusiastic and especially loved pounding the chicken!

Ripening Summer fruits and veggies

Many summer fruits, such as peaches, nectarines, and melons, are not ripe when we purchase them. To hasten the ripening process, place them in a paper bag, close the bag and store at room temperature. Once your fruits have adequately ripened, you can halt the process by putting them in the refrigerator.

Bachelorette cooking party

I had a great time working on a bachelorette party in Cambridge for a bride-to-be and her friends who know how much she loves to cook. She had no idea what was planned and was thrilled to be abe to cook with her best friends. They all donned their chef's hats and aprons and had a ball preparing and eating the wonderful dinner that they cooked together. Wasn't Candice a beautiful bride one week later!!
Thank you again for a wonderful time and great cooking tips (all the girls have been raving about it, especially the microwavable salmon dish!) Lydia L., Indianapolis, IN

Private cooking lesson

Judy and John's chidren gave them a gift certificate for a cooking lesson so that John would, after more than 40 years of marriage, learn how to help Judy with the cooking. Below is what they had to say about their experience.

We thoroughly enjoyed your cooking skills! I was blown away with how much you accomplished in just over two hours! We all enjoyed gourmet dining for dinner, including my son in law who arrived late!..Soo glad to have new recipes! I’ll be sure to let you know if John cooks again! At least he tried for the first time! Keep on trying to educate our men. Once again we really enjoyed your visit! Keep on cooking! Judy T., Chelmsford, Massachusetts

Corporate culinary team building

A group of 36 enthusiastic employees, who were divided into teams, together produced a delicious and partiotic-themed dinner and then sat down to enjoy the 'fruits of their labor'.

Click on ► above to start video

Here's what some of the participants had to say:

What a phenominal way to gather and bond! Susan D.

This was a terrific event. It was fun working together with people that I don't necessarily interact with on a daily basis. Great fun and great food! Ann Marie G.

Great informal and stressless team building activity that allows employees to work together. Mikki D.

Garlic info

When I teach, one of the most frequently asked questions is in regards to garlic. People want to know if they can substitute chopped garlic that can be purchased in jars, for fresh garlic. In my estimation, there is absolutely no comparison between the two. Fresh garlic tastes and smells infinitely better. I always use fresh garlic and either chop it with a sharp knife, in a food processor, or with a garlic press.

Garlic should be stored at room temperature, either in a wire or wicker basket, away from direct sunlight.