Chef Robin's Tastes to Date: FAMMENU for 2nd week of August, PLUS registration OPEN for Fall Cooking Classes!!!

Monday, August 15, 2011

FAMMENU for 2nd week of August, PLUS registration OPEN for Fall Cooking Classes!!!

Hello all! Had a great last three weeks with my brother, nieces, and the rest of the fam...now it is onto business as usual! SO what exactly does that mean for a family of SEVEN?!?! Controlling the chaos....earlier bedtime (tried that last week while at the cottage and cousins were here...UM, did NOT happen!!!) so we are getting back at it this week. Back to the gym, YAY this makes me very happy:)) earlier dinners and a cleaner house, YAAHOO for routine!!!!
......................AND I am very excited that everyone can now register for my fall classes! go to http://www.rpssignmeup.com/ and click on "Adult Enrichment"...then "cooking/home/gardening"...and you will find all of my Cooking Demonstrations at DreamMaker, as well as my Hands-On Cooking classes athe High School... or call the Rockford Community Education Office at (616)863-6322

Here is what the Menu is looking like for the week........

Monday: We had tacos and watermelon, easy peasy lemon squeezie!!!

Tuesday: Chicken Shwarma....yum, in pitas with yummy garlic sauce, and some tabouleh, DElish, fruit...((AND hopefully we find out the kid's teachers!!!))

Wednesday: English Roast with roasted garlic mashed taters and honeyed carrots, cauliflower salad

Thursday: Mongolian Pork with broccoli over rice, nectarines (during the afternoon, I just may be at the Plainfield Farmer's Market, seeling my One of a Kind Triple Herbed Hummus...chock full of garlic, parsley, basil, mint, lemon....and topped off with toasted pine nuts, smoked paprika and extra virgin olive oil.....DELICIOUS!!! details to come soon...)

Friday: Pizzzzzza! and a movie

Saturday: Pasta, baby,...maybe fresh basil, tomato, mozzarella, garlic with linguine: quick and delish!...Bread & nana's salad, too! Mmmmmmm

DON"T forget! Mitchell's Run Through Rockford is this Saturday AM in Rockford!!! I hope to be at the Farmer's Market there, as well, selling my hummus! Come see me and say hello!!! You can also buy all kinds of wonderful Michigan produce and local breads, yummy kettle corn, beautimous boquets of flowers, jerky, and MORE!!! 8am to 1 pm see you there!

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Buffalo Chicken Chili

My fam loves to eat buffalo wings, so I decided to make that flavor into chili. I end up topping this spicy bowl of yummy stuff with “da’ Bomb!” dip and kettle style potato or tortilla chips, for a yummy salty crunch.

Chef Robin Gourmet Cooking Classes, 2010.
Serves 8

½ C. butter
2 C. finely chopped onion
1 C. finely chopped celery
1 C. finely chopped carrot
4 cooked chicken breasts cut into small chunks
4 C. chicken broth
1 C. Frank’s Red Hot sauce
1-29oz. can tomato puree
1 can light red kidney beans

In a large soup pot, melt butter. Add chopped onion, celery & carrot. Saute until vegetables are soft. Add remaining ingredients and stir to combine. Bring to a boil, then turn down to a simmer, for 30 minutes. Serve piping hot, topped with the dip n’ chips. Yum, it’s got a nice kick!

"Da Bomb Dip"

Organic Kaleriffic Salad

From Chef Robin

Serves 4-6

½ C thinly sliced red onion

1 T raw apple cider vinegar

2 C boiling water

2 packages organic baby kale

2 C fresh porteenie mushrooms,

cleaned & thinly sliced

¼ C. extra virgin olive oil

1 teaspoon sea salt

¼ C wild blueberry balsamic vinegar

For garnish: ¼ C toasted pine nuts &

1 C. fresh or 1/3 C. dried organic

blueberries

Place the sliced red onion in a small

bowl with apple cider vinegar and

boiling water. Allow to soak 10-15

minutes. Rinse & squeeze out excess

moisture. Place kale & criminis in a

large bowl. Drizzle with oil and

sprinkle with salt. Massage the

mixture with your hands until the

kale turns a deep green and wilts

slightly. Add onions and balsamic

vinegar to kale mixture. Toss, adjust

seasoning to your taste and serve

garnished with some toasted pine

nuts & blueberries.

Kale provides you with 868% RDA of Vitamin K, 261% of Vitamin A, 170% of

Vitamin C, 33% of Manganese, as well as 12% of Calcium, Copper & Vitamin B6

HEALTHY SNACKS FOR KIDS

Kids need healthy snacks to fuel their energetic days and growing bodies. Here are some healthy, kid pleasing snacks that will make their engines rev all day long!:

Pretzel rods dipped in melted dark chocolate and rolled in crushed nuts or unsweetened coconut- salty, sweet and full of antioxidants and healthy monounsaturated fats!

Lowfat cheese cut into squares paired with whole wheat crackers- let them build a tower with this fiber, whole grain & calcium packed snack!

Homemade Veggie Ranch Dip: mix together 1 Cup canola mayonnaise or "Veganaise", 1/2 Cup Greek yogurt, 1 clove fresh garlic, smashed, 1 Tbsp. each fresh parsley, chives & dill (or 1 tsp. each, dried), 2 T buttermilk, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice and sea salt & pepper to taste. Use yummy carrot sticks, sugar snap peas, fresh green beans and other veggies to dip like crazy!

Fruity sensations-give the kids slices of apples, wedges of oranges, halved grapes and berries, sliced mangoes, you name it, and let them go to town creating edible art!

Green eggs & Ham: put a drop of green food coloring in some Vanilla Greek yogurt, mix together and top with a canned apricot or peach half. Pair with a mini whole wheat tortilla slathered with cream cheese, raspberry preserves and a slice of your fave deli ham- kids love this "Seussical" treat!

Trail mix- who can resist trail mix? Make it healthy with unsalted nuts and seeds, air popped popcorn,whole grain mini crackers (like cheddar fish) and alphabet pretzels- add in some dried cranberries or blueberries for antioxidants and yummy semi-sweet chocolate chips for a little monounsaturated fat too!

Whole Grain Mini Pizzas- whole wheat English muffins or bagels split & topped with tomato sauce, mozzarella cheese and veggies-perfect made in a toaster oven!

Bean & Cheese Quesadillas- serve them up with vegetarian re-fried beans and 2% milk cheese. Serve with your fave salsa- and add in some chunks of avocado and corn, YUM!

Creme Brulee

A classic French Bistro dish, this dessert has an amazingly short list of ingredients, and with a bit of careful cooking, you can have this decadent treat at home! Chef Robin Gourmet Cooking Series, 2010. Makes 8- 6 oz servings

1 Qt. heavy cream

1 vanilla bean

½ C. sugar or vanilla sugar

6 egg yolks

Brown sugar

Preheat oven to 300. Place cream in a heavy saucepan. Split vanilla bean down the middle and scrape seeds out. Place beans & pod into cream. Heat until just boiling, then cover & set aside to steep for 15minutes. Meanwhile, Whisk egg yolks & sugar together. Strain cream into egg yolk mixture. Mix well. Pour custard into ramekins, then place them in 9 x 13 pans. Pour boiling hot water into the pan going half way up the ramekins. Bake for 40 minutes, or until custard is set, but quivering when jiggled. Remove from oven and cool to room temp. Cover & refrigerate for up to 2 days. A few hours before serving, sprinkle cold custard with brown sugar and place under a low broiler. Broil for about 2 minutes, or until sugar liquefies…watch like a hawk! Sugar BURNS very quickly! Return to fridge, then serve garnished with fresh berries and a refreshing sprig of mint.

French Onion Soup

A Yummy Bistro fave made from the humble & affordable onion! This delish pot of savory broth is fun to serve to company! Makes 8-10 servings.

Chef Robin Gourmet Cooking Series

4 medium sized sweet onions, peeled & sliced fine

2 cloves garlic, pressed or chopped

4 T. butter

1 t. salt

½ t. dried thyme

1 t. sugar

½ C. sherry or brandy

8 C. beef broth

Pepper, to taste

Croutons

Gruyere cheese, grated

Smoked provolone slices

In a large soup pot, melt butter over medium heat. Add onions and allow to S_L_O_W_L_Y caramelize. (hint…leave them be!!!) Don’t stir the onions for a good 10 minutes. This allows them to melt down into velvety sweet strands of yumminess! Stir a few times over a period of 30 minutes, until the onions are nicely browned. (you can add a splash of water if they start to stick to the bottom of the pan) Add garlic, salt, thyme, sugar & pepper, stir to combine. Add sherry and allow to cook for 5 minutes, and then add broth. Bring soup to a boil, then turn down to a simmer & allow to do so for 30 minutes.

Turn broiler to hi heat. Fill 6 to 8 oz. bowls with soup, leaving about a ¼ inch rim on the top. Top with a handful of croutons, a few tablespoons of gruyere and a slice of provolone. Place bowls on a pan and place under broiler for 1 minute, or until golden and bubbly. Serve.

Pumpkin Chocolate Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Frosting

These yummy lil’ cakes are moist, chocolatey and topped with the cream cheese frosting they are sooo good! Chef Robin Gourmet Cooking Series, 2010.

Makes 24 standard cupcakes

4 eggs

1 C. oil

2 C. sugar

2 t. vanilla

I small can pumpkin

(14.5-15 ounce, or half of a 29 ounce can)

2 C. flour

2 t. baking powder

1 t. baking soda

1 t. salt

3 t. pumpkin pie spice

2 C. chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together eggs, oil , sugar, vanilla & pumpkin n a large bowl. In a separate bowl mix together all dry ingredients, including chocolate chips, add to wet ingredients. Bake in lined muffin tins for 25- 30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Place on a cooling rack, until cool to the touch. Meanwhile, make frosting:

¾ C. softened butter

8 oz. softened cream cheese

24 oz. powdered sugar

2 t. vanilla

Garnish

½ C. chocolate chips

Cream together butter & cream cheese, add powdered sugar, little by little, then add vanilla, beat until smooth in texture. Grate chocolate chips in a handheld cheese grater, set aside. Frost cool cupcakes, and “dip” the tops of the cupcakes in the grated chocolate as garnish. Keep cupcakes refrigerated, yummy good!

Chef Robin's Tastes to Date

Weller-Black Wine Celebration

Monday, August 15, 2011

FAMMENU for 2nd week of August, PLUS registration OPEN for Fall Cooking Classes!!!

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