Corporate Lunchtime Seminar

A lunchtime seminar, held for employees of a Holliston company, featured recipes for a Heart Healthy Valentine’s Dinner.

Library Cooking Program

"Thanks Ellie. Truly easy and delicious...Thanks for a fun evening!

Paula B., Ashland Public Library, Ashland, Massachusetts

Kid's cooking birthday party

"We all had a great time at the party. Thank you for being so organized and fun. Everyone had a blast! I received so much feedback on what a fun concept to have a girls cooking party! You really knew that this menu would be a hit! Definitely all the girls had a great time and the recipes they got to take home were a bonus! Thanks for everything, I would recommend you to anyone who was considering such an event!"

Sue L., Norfolk, Mass.

Chicken with Hoisin Sauce

©1991 "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours""

1 lb boneless chicken breasts cut into 1" cubes
1 T soy sauce
1 T sugar
1 T cornstarch
1/2 can water chestnuts, sliced
2 T hoisin sauce
1 C mushrooms, sliced
1/4 lb pea pods
1 red or green pepper, cut into 1" cubes
1/2 C cashews, salt rinsed off
2 to 3 T peanut or canola oil

Combine soy sauce, sugar and cornstarch and marinate chicken cubes in this mixture for at least ½ hour in the refrigerator. Heat wok and add 1 to 2 tablespoons oil. Stir-fry chicken until it turns white. Remove. Add 1 tablespoon oil to hot wok. Stir-fry vegetables until slightly cooked (still crisp). Add reserved chicken, cashews and hoisin sauce. Stir until heated through. Serve with white rice or fried rice.

Hint: This is one of the easiest and most delicious stir-fry dishes. You can substitute peanuts for the cashews. Organization is the key to preparing any stir-fry dish. Everything should be cut up before you begin cooking. You can do this several hours in advance. The chicken may be marinated for several hours or overnight. Once the wok is hot, toss everything together, as directed. Also, if you don't have a wok, an electric frying pan or Dutch oven will work well for stir-frying. The reason a wok is so beneficial is because you only need a small amount of oil to cook in it. The sloping sides allow the same small amount of oil to be tossed around, whereas a flat bottomed vessel seems to "eat up the oil" and you constantly have to add more to it.

Private cooking lesson

On a wintry January day these cousins enjoyed cooking together.
"My family really enjoyed having you over, Ellie! Everything we made was delicious and I truly learned things about cooking that I didn't already know, which made the whole experience that much better. I've already put your tips to use, by making another batch of pad thai with my mom and also by making scrambled eggs. I'm looking forward to learning more through your cookbook and newsletters. Thanks again!"

Sony M., Burlington, Mass.

Culinary Team Building

See how teams that work together can have fun producing a scrumptious and attractive meal!

Private cooking lesson

Recently engaged, Natalie and Tony wanted to spend time together in the kitchen.
"The food was delicious! We really enjoyed ourselves. Thanks for all the tips and the pictures!"

Natalie B. & Tony P., Westboro, Mass.

Kid's cooking birthday party

This very enthusiastic group cooked an Italian themed meal to celebrate Cameron’s 12th birthday.
"Many thanks to you, Ellie for making my son's birthday party so memorable. The kids all had a wonderful time and were excited to go home and cook for their own families! I enjoyed meeting you and will be sure to let my friends know about your, "Let's Get Cooking", parties. Again, thanks so much for such a fun party."

Kerri W., Scituate, Massachusetts

Culinary Team Building

Look at what a delicious meal teamwork in the kitchen can produce!

Mom2B

Lentil Soup

1 to 2 T olive oil
3 medium onions, diced
3 carrots, sliced
3 medium potatoes, peeled and cubed
1 C (2 stalks) celery, diced
14 oz can tomatoes with liquid
1 tsp Italian seasoning
2 bay leaves
Salt and pepper, to taste
1¼ C lentils, picked over and rinsed
10 C chicken or vegetable bouillon

In a large pot, heat oil and add onions, carrots, potatoes and celery. Cook until onions are soft. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 1¼ to 1½ hours or until lentils are tender.

Hint: To reduce sodium, use low sodium bouillon or water.

Private cooking lesson

Mike surprised Rachel with a cooking lesson for her birthday. Check below to hear about some of the recipes they prepared.
"The lesson was really great and it was wonderful to have met and cooked with you! Mike and I really enjoyed the time together. Yes - Mike did a great job with the risotto and remembered to season it. That was actually my favorite part of the meal! Everything turned out great, however, and Mike and I had to split the leftovers (which is really saying something from someone who doesn't eat leftovers very often!) Mike's favorite recipe was the salad dressing. He just loved it. Thank you again for a great experience!"

Rachel D., Taunton, Mass.

Culinary Team Building

This marketing group from a worldwide company had lots of fun producing a 5 course holiday dinner. As you can see from this video clip, they were a very creative group!

Multicolored Baked Peppers

©1991 "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours""

1 lb ground beef
6 large red, green or yellow peppers
1 clove garlic, minced
1/4 to 1/2 C pignolia nuts (pine nuts)
1/2 C pitted black olives, sliced
1/4 C olive oil
1/2 C flavored bread crumbs
1/4 tsp salt
Black pepper, to taste

Cut peppers into strips and place in a greased 9"x13" pan. Add everything except bread crumbs and oil. Then sprinkle bread crumbs on top and drizzle with oil. Bake uncovered at 350° for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Hint: The dish can be assembled early in the day and baked at serving time. Pignolia, or pine nuts, are usually found in the gourmet or international food sections of most supermarkets or at specialty stores.

Private cooking lesson

"The lesson was certainly enjoyable. I never thought that we could make so much flavorful food in so little time. We made four dishes in the amount of time it normally would take for me to make one and the prep work was surprisingly minimal."

Michael T., Hyde Park, Massachusetts