Private cooking lesson

 

"Thank you, the food was great! .

John Mc., Newton, Mass.

Kid's cooking birthday party

Izzy and her 10 and 11 year old friends had fun cooking dinner and sitting down to enjoy it.

Puff Pastry Apple Strudel

1 sheet puff pastry
2 T sugar
1 T flour
1/4 tsp cinnamon
3 T raisins (optional
2 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
1 egg, beaten with 1 T water
Confectioners’ sugar, for sprinkling on top (optional)

Thaw pastry in refrigerator for several hours or at room temperature for 30 minutes. In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Add apples and raisins and toss to coat. Unfold pastry sheet on a lightly floured surface and roll into a 16"x12" rectangle. With short side facing you, spoon apple mixture on bottom half of pastry to within 1-inch of edges. Starting at short side, roll up like a jelly roll. Place seam-side down on an ungreased or parchment lined baking sheet. Tuck ends under to seal. Brush with egg mixture. Cut several 2-inch long slits 2” apart on top of pastry. Bake at 375° for about 26 to 29 minutes, or until golden. Cool on baking sheet or wire rack for 30 minutes. Slice and serve warm. Sprinkle with confectioners’ sugar, if desired.

Yield: 1 strudel

Kale and White Bean Soup

1 T olive oil
8 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 C raw kale (or 10 oz frozen chopped kale, thawed and squeezed to remove water)
4 C chicken or vegetable broth
(2) 15 oz cans cannellini beans, undrained
4 medium tomatoes, chopped
2 tsp Italian seasoning or 1 tsp each thyme and/or rosemary
Fresh chopped parsley or pesto sauce, for garnish

In a large pot, heat oil. Add garlic and onion and sauté until soft. Add kale, stirring until wilted. Add 3 cups of the broth, 1 can of the beans, tomatoes and herbs. Simmer for 5 minutes. In a blender or food processor, mix remaining can of beans with remaining cup of broth until smooth. Stir into soup to thicken. Simmer for 15 minutes. Salt and pepper, to taste. Garnish with parsley or pesto sauce.

Hint: Freshly grated Parmesan or Romano cheese is also a tasty garnish for this soup.

Holliston Public Library

"Several attendees told me they had a wonderful time, as always. Thanks.

Leslie M., Library Director,
Holliston Public Library, Holliston, Mass.

Cherry Almond Granola

4 C old-fashioned rolled oats

1 to 11 C sweetened shredded coconut
2 C sliced or chopped almonds
1/4 C canola oil
1/3 C honey
2 tsp cinnamon
11 C dried cherries, chopped

Toss oats, coconut and almonds in a large bowl. Pour in the oil, honey and cinnamon and mix with a wooden spoon until everything is well-combined. Pour onto a large 12”x18” well-greased cookie sheet or 2 smaller cookie sheets. Bake at 350^o for 20 to 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden brown. Remove from oven and fold in the dried cherries. Cool, stirring occasionally. Transfer to an airtight container.

Yield: 9 to10 cups granola

 

Hint: Feel free to substitute other dried fruit for the cherries.

Tabbouli

© 1991 "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"
 
Salad:
1 C bulghur wheat or cracked wheat
1½ C cold water
½ C fresh mint, chopped
1 C fresh parsley, chopped
½ C scallions, chopped
2 medium tomatoes, seeded and chopped

Dressing:
¼ C fresh lemon juice
¼ to ⅓ C olive oil
Salt and pepper, to taste

Place the bulghur wheat in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Let stand for 1 hour or until the water is absorbed. Fluff up with a fork. Add chopped vegetables and dressing. This is great served with small Romaine lettuce leaves used as scoopers or as a filling for fresh tomatoes, peppers or pita bread.

Hint: The main ingredient for tabbouli, a Middle Eastern salad or appetizer, is bulghur, a healthy grain that has a nutty flavor. Bulghur may be purchased in health food stores or in supermarkets near the rice. Tabbouli tastes best if made a few hours, or even a day, before serving.

Private cooking lesson

Tamara enjoys cooking her own birthday dinner!

Eldridge (Chatham) Public Library

Private cooking lesson

"Ellie is great. She went very slow so that I could get every step of the recipe just right. She also demonstrated things over and over again so that I could master each technique. I would certainly take another class with her in the future.”

Jill R., Cambridge, MA

Baked French Toast with Blueberry Sauce

© 1991 "From Ellie's Kitchen to Yours"
 
8 oz loaf French or Italian bread
4 eggs
½ C milk
¼ tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla
½ C sugar
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp cornstarch
5 C (approx. 1½ lbs) fresh or frozen blueberries
2 T melted butter or margarine
Confectioners' sugar

Slice the bread into 12 to 14 slices about ¾-inch thick. Place on a 10½"x15½"x1" cookie sheet. Whisk eggs, milk, baking powder and vanilla together and slowly pour it over the bread, turning to coat the bread completely. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 to 2 hours, or overnight. Combine blueberries, cinnamon, sugar and cornstarch and place in a greased 9"x13" baking pan. Place bread, wettest side up, on the berry mixture. Wedge slices in tightly, cutting some pieces to fit, if necessary. Brush tops of bread with melted butter or margarine. Bake at 450° for 20 to 25 minutes or until the toast is golden and the berries are bubbling around the sides. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with confectioners' sugar. Let rest for 5 minutes before serving. To serve, lift toast onto plates and spoon blueberry sauce over it.

Hint: You might also like to try strawberries, raspberries or sliced peaches or apples to vary the flavor of your Baked French Toast. When blueberries are not in season, frozen, unthawed, blueberries may be substituted for fresh. Also, cholesterol free egg substitutes work very well in this recipe.

Private cooking lesson

"Hi Ellie,

I had so much fun today during our cooking lesson. You shared so many great tidbits of food facts, I can't wait to use it and share with my friends and family. Good thing I took notes.

My girlfriend Kris and I enjoyed your practical facts on egg yolks (a great facial cleanser) and meat information (what's the best cut for soups vs fajitas). You have such a wealth of cooking information and you shared it with us so easily. Honestly, you're the fun female version of Alton Brown!

Thanks again for coming to my house and sharing your knowledge. I look forward to trying out the recipes in your cookbook, as well as sharing the recipes I learned today with the rest of my family and friends.

A big Thank you!"

Liz B., Millis, MA

Minerva Lodge

Janet P., Minerva Lodge,
Stoughton, Massachusetts

Pasta and Tuna Salad

© 1999 "So Easy, So Delicious"
 
½ C olive or canola oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
½ tsp salt, or to taste
½ tsp black pepper, or to taste
4 to 5 T red wine vinegar
1½ tsp oregano
8 oz pasta (3 to 3½ C cooked) such as rotini or shells
2 C broccoli florets or carrot slices, blanched
1 red or green pepper, cut into cubes
5 oz can tuna or salmon

Combine oil, garlic, salt, pepper, oregano and vinegar in a jar. Cover tightly and shake to blend. Cook and drain pasta. While still hot, toss with 3 to 4 tablespoons dressing. Add remaining ingredients and as much of the dressing as needed. Chill for a few hours before serving.

Hint: This recipe is very versatile because you can substitute poached or grilled chicken, seafood, or beef for the tuna. Also, vary the vegetables to suit your taste or the season.

Framingham Public Library

"It was a huge success! Thanks so much for all of the hard work and talent that went into creating a wonderful cooking demo class for some of our patrons!

I will pass along your thanks to Anne, Pat and Marilyn.

Thanks again."

Michelle L., Community Services Librarian,
Framingham Public Library, Framingham, Mass.