Category: ;cooking school

  • fresh-pineapple-peach-smoothie

    fresh-pineapple-peach-smoothie

      • 3 ripe, fresh peaches, pitted and skinned
      • 2 cups fresh pineapple, cut into 1” chunks (or canned, if fresh is not available)
      • ½ cup non-fat Greek plain yogurt
      • 1 cup milk
      • ¼ cup agave nectar (or honey)
      • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
      • 2 cups crushed ice

    How to Make It

    • Mis together in a large bowl and marinate the hen or chicken wings. I usually cut the hen in half, cooks and marinates better. At least an hour.
    • Bake in 400 degree oven for 60 minutes.

  • BAKED GARLIC PARMESAN POTATO WEDGES

    BAKED GARLIC PARMESAN POTATO WEDGES

      • 3-4 large russet potatoes, sliced into wedges
      • 4 tablespoons olive oil
      • 2 teaspoons salt
      • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
      • 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
      • ½ cup shredded parmesan cheese
      • optional: fresh parsley (or cilantro), ranch or blue cheese dressing for dipping

    How to Make It

    • Preheat oven to 375. Lightly grease a large baking sheet and set aside.
    • Place potato wedges in a large bowl. Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat. In a small bowl whisk together salt, garlic powder, and Italian seasoning. Sprinkle potato wedges with the shredded cheese, tossing to coat, then sprinkle with the seasoning mixture.
    • Place potato wedges on prepared baking sheet in a single layer with skin-sides-down. Bake for 25-35 minutes until potatoes are fork-tender and golden. Sprinkle with freshly chopped parsley and dressing for dipping.

  • gingerbread-cake-with-cinnamon-molasses-frosting

    gingerbread-cake-with-cinnamon-molasses-frosting


    • 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
    • 1 tsp baking soda
    • 1 Tbs ground ginger
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
    • 1/2 cup butter cold and cut into small pieces
    • 1/2 cup molasses
    • 1/2 cup corn syrup
    • 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
    • 9 oz milk yes, 9 oz
    • 1 egg

    For the Frosting

    • 4 oz cream cheese
    • 1/4 cup butter softened
    • 1/2 tsp vanilla
    • 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
    • 3 tsp molasses
    • 1/4 tsp cinnamon

    How to Make It

    • Preheat oven to 350° and butter a 9 x 5 baking pan. Line with parchment paper after buttering.
    • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, ginger, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice together. Set aside.
    • In a small saucepan, heat milk and brown sugar together just until sugar is melted and is lukewarm.
    • With another small saucepan, heat molasses and corn syrup until lukewarm as well.
    • While both pans are cooling down a bit, cut cold butter into small pieces, add to flour mixture, and use pasty blender until mixture is fine crumbles.
    • Once both pans have cooled to luke warm, add milk mixture to flour mixture, stir until blended then add molasses mixture. Stir.
    • Add egg and whisk until well Incorporated.
    • Pour into prepared baking dish and bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean.
    • Let cool completely in baking pan.
    • Once cooled, remove from pan and wrap in foil for one day so the top will get sticky.
    • Store in an airtight container.

    For the FrostingIn a medium mixing bowl, beat cream cheese and butter together until creamy.

    • Add vanilla and cinnamon, mix well.
    • Slowly add powdered sugar and beat until creamy.
    • Mix molasses into mixture and blend well.
    • Refrigerate frosting until chilled then frost cake once cake has sat overnight.

  • garlic-shrimp-pasta

    garlic-shrimp-pasta

    • 1 lb medium shrimp, deveined and tails removed
    • 1 lb spaghetti noodles (more or less, depending on family size)
    • 6 -8 garlic cloves, according to personal taste, minced
    • 1/4 cup butter
    • olive oil (3 drizzles)
    • italian seasoning
    • fresh ground pepper
    • red pepper flakes
    • salt
    • herbs (according to taste)

    How to Make It

    • 1 Boil pasta in water till tender, save 1 cup of pasta water for use later. I always put some oil, salt, and fresh herbs in with my pasta when I boil it. Drain and set aside when done.
    • 2 While pasta is boiling, wash shrimp.
    • 3 Melt butter over medium heat. Add shrimp.
    • 4 Let cook till a little pink and starting to curl. Then add garlic.
    • 5 Cook 5-7 min., add oil. Continue to stir till shrimp is pink and curled.
    • 6 Add pasta to skillet. Add seasonings. Add just enough saved pasta water till it is not dry but not swimming in liquid either. Depending on amount of pasta this requires 1/2 the cup or all of it. Start with adding 1/4 of it then work up from there.
    • 7 Keep tossing all ingredients around in skillet till all is incorporated and hot. Enjoy!

  • easy-baked-meatballs

    easy-baked-meatballs


    • 1 lb lean ground beef
    • 2 eggs, beaten with 1/2 cup milk
    • 1/2 cup grated Parmesan
    • 1 cup panko or bread crumbs
    • 1 small onion, minced
    • 2 cloves garlic, minced
    • 1/2 teaspoon oregano
    • 1 teaspoon salt
    • freshly ground pepper to taste
    • 1/4 cup minced fresh basil

    How to Make It

    • Mix all ingredients with hands.
    • Form into golfball sized meatballs.
    • Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.

  • hawaiian-baked-ham-and-swiss-sandwiches

    hawaiian-baked-ham-and-swiss-sandwiches

    • 1 12 pack King’s Hawaiian Original Rolls
    • 1 package sliced deli ham
    • 1 package sliced Swiss cheese
    • 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter
    • 3 tablespoons Dijon mustard
    • 1 1/2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

    How to Make It

    • Melt butter and mix in mustard and Worcestershire sauce. Simmer for several minutes.
    • Cut the entire pack of rolls in half, horizontally (keeping all top and bottom halves intact).
    • In a greased 9×13 pan, place bottom half of rolls and put 1/3 of the butter mixture over the bottom of the rolls. Layer the ham and cheese on top.
    • Replace the tops of the rolls and put the remaining butter mixture over top.
    • Cover and bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes. Separate for serving.