Valentine Cooking Class!

Menu:

Salad

Caesar Salad

Main Course

Lover's Grilled Glazed Sirloin Steaks

Side Dishes

Twice Baked Potatoes

~

Sizzling Coconut Shrimp with

Pina Colada Dipping Sauce

Dessert

Lemon Passion Cake

coffee

Dulce De Leche

My Christmas Cooking Class!

Menu:

Bread

Parker House Herb Loaves

Soup

Corn & Crab Bisque

Entree

Garlic Prime Rib

Sides

Country Bacon & Carrots

Potato Shiitake Gratin

Dessert

Christmas Lava Cakes

Beverages

Old Virginia Orange Wassail

Eggnog

My October Cooking Class-Theme "Autumn Harvest"

I just made my center piece for my cooking class! I think it turned out just gorgeous!!! Elsa and I worked on it today, after shopping for the arrangement pieces. We were able to mix mostly real with some faux plants. Most of the pieces came from out in town. The real plants came from D-Plaza garden shop and the faux from a little shop in downtown Iwakuni. I am using one of my picnic baskets from Longaberger to hold it all.



Our Menu:

Bread

Indian Shuck Bread with Maple Butter

Soup

Pumpkin Curry Soup

Salad

Pear, Grape, and Pecan Salad

Entree

Roasted Wild Mushroom Steaks

Side

Potatoes Anna

Dessert

Apple-Pear Crumble Pies

Beverage

Apple Cider

My gift to them are "Chocolate, Toffee Glazed Almond, Caramel Apples." When I was thinking about my theme and the gift, I had thought about my childhood and my mother had made candied apples for us for Halloween. I remember it very well and it was a special memory for me. I loved them so much! I thought I would share my childhood experience with them, too.

Here is the recipe to make them at home:

"Gourmet Caramel Apples"
6 Granny Smith apples
6 wooden sticks (I used chopsticks and wrapped ribbon around it)
1 (14 ounce) package individually wrapped caramels, unwrapped
2 tablespoons water
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Coating:

Toffee glazed almonds

Drizzle:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

DIRECTIONS
Insert wooden sticks 3/4 of the way into the stem end of each apple. Place apples on a cookie sheet covered with lightly greased aluminum foil.
Combine caramels and water in a saucepan over low heat. Cook, stirring often, until caramel melts and is smooth. Stir in the vanilla. Dip each apple into the caramel and gently run apples around insides of saucepan to scrape off some of the caramel. Scrape excess caramel from the apple bottoms using the side of the saucepan.

Coating:

Spread the "coating" out on a dinner plate. Roll the apples in the mixture to coat. Place on the aluminum foil and chill.

Drizzle:

Put the chocolate chips in a microwave-safe bowl. Cook in the microwave for 30 second intervals, stirring between each, until melted and smooth. Drizzle over the apples and return them to the refrigerator until ready to serve.

Different types of Apples you can make:

"Halloween Caramel Apples"

Coating:

Orange and black Sprinkles

Drizzle:

1 cup of semi-sweet chocolate chips

"Peanut Butter Crunch Caramel Apples"

Coating:

3 cups chopped peanut butter filled sandwich cookies
Drizzle:

4 ounces milk chocolate, chopped
4 ounces white chocolate, chopped

"Smore's Caramel Candy Apples"

Coating:

1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups crushed graham crackers

1 cup miniature peanut butter cups
Drizzle:

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

"Seattle Caramel Apples"

Coating:

3 cups trail mix
Drizzle:

1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

"Rocky Road"

Coating:

1 1/2 cups miniature marshmallows
1 1/2 cups chopped pecans, toasted

Drizzle:
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Get creative and make up your own!

Use Gummies,Pistachios, M&M's, Etc... :o)

My August Cooking Class-Theme BBQ & Dragonflies

I held my cooking class on the 29th of August. There were 13 people in attendance. My theme was dragonflies. Summertime, in Japan, they are everywhere. So beautiful! I of coarse used my Stampin'Up! products for my gifts, menu, recipe cards, and name tags. Anywhere I can use it :o) My gifts to them were homemade BBQ sauce in canning jars and the rub for the ribs so they could make them again at home. I try to use ingredients that they can find out in town in my recipes. The Pierogie recipe was given to me by my daughter Shelby's Grandma. Her Grandma spent a day teaching me how to make them.

The menu :

Two day pork spare ribs

Apple slaw with Poppy seed dressing

Grandma's Pierogies

For dessert they made

Southern Caramel-applesauce Cobbler

with Bourbon-pecan Ice cream

and our drink was

Summertime Apple Ginger Spritzer

My July Cooking Class-Theme "Frogmore Stew"

The MENU:

Appetizer

Blue Crab Dip

Bread

Cheddar Bay Biscuits

Entree

Frogmore Stew

Dessert

Cool Lime Napoleons

Beverage

Non-Alcoholic Beer

My May Cooking Class-Theme "Garden Party"

The Menu:

Beverage

Southern Fruit Tea

Bread

Yeast Rolls

Salad

BLT Salad with Basil Mayo Dressing

Entree

Sweet Pork Ribs

Sides

Lazy Man's Pierogi

Green Beans with Shallot Butter

Dessert

Banana Cream Supreme

My March Cooking Class-Theme "Lemon,Lime & Oranges"

The Menu

Appetizer

Corn Salsa

Entree

Chicken Enchilada Casserole

Side Dish

Sweet Corn Cake

Salad

Garden Salad with Basil Dressing

Dessert

Margarita Cake

Beverage

Mock Sangria Tea

My January Cooking Class-Theme "Italian"

The Menu

Appetizer

Chocolate Chip Cannoli Dip

Sweet & Crispy Tortilla Chips

Bread

Garlic Butter

Black Olive Tapanade

Italian Herbed Dipping Oil

Sides

Italian Sausage Soup

Antipasto Pasta Salad

Entree

Manicotti Alla Romana

Dessert

Tiramisu Layer Cake

Amaretto Cake

Beverage

Plantation Iced Tea

My November Cooking Class-Theme "Thanksgiving"

The Menu:

Beverage

Warm and Spicy

Autumn Punch

Bread

Honey Butter

Apple Butter

Dinner Rolls

Salad

Winter Fruit Salad with

Lemon Poppy Seed Dressing

Entree

Deep Fried Turkey

Sides

Sausage, Apple and Cranberry Stuffing

Giblet Gravy

Garlic Mashed Potatoes

Sweet Potatoes

Vegetable Bake

Fresh Cranberry Orange Relish

Dessert

Pumpkin Rolls

Pumpkin Bread

Pumpkin Pie