Cooking

WELCOME to our Cooking Class Activity Group!

The cooking group enjoyed a pre-Thanksgiving meal prepared with Colin Proudfoot. I heard many good things about his English themed dinner. We will not hold a Cooking Class in December because of the many holiday commitments. Back again in January with a brand new year of fun. Merry Christmas.

Thanks, all.

John & Anne Noll

925-570-7073-M

john@coastal-mktg.com

Our Most Recent Session

Follow-Up Comments	Recipes
April 18, 2024 Seafood Stew April’s Cooking Class was all about seafood. We prepared a classic San Francisco cioppino-style Seafood Stew (all cioppino without the crab). The seafood was abundant – shrimp, scallops, clams and cod – as were the appetites to match. The meal started with an Arugula Salad with Lemon dressing and finished with a Simple Berry Crisp & ice cream. March 21, 2024 Colcannon Shepherd's Pie We just had to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day one more time! A Colcannon Shepherd’s Pie, Irish Soda Bread and marvelous Bailey’s Brownies served with Bailey’s Irish Cream was our Irish celebration in March’s Cooking Class. February 15, 2024 Pasta Fazool In February we enjoyed the Italian favorite Pasta Fazool (Pasta e Fagioli – Pasta and Beans), preparing a classic version and an updated one. In the dueling cook off the classic version was preferred by 60% of those who attended. Either way it was an easy, tasty winter soup for cool evenings. We also enjoyed a Caprese salad, focaccia, topped off with cannoli and Limoncello Check out the recipes on our website under Cooking. January 18, 2024 Beef Stew Back from a short November-December break, we meet at the Dougherty Valley Community Center kitchen on Thursday evening, January 18 at 4:30. We meet early so we can properly prepare our meal - all the SIRs contributed to the cooking while the ladies enjoy some time to relax. The menu was for cool Winter evenings: Beef Stew, spring greens salad with balsamic vinaigrette and a warm dessert. May 17, 2023 Alcosta Senior Center, Alcosta Blvd, San Ramon May Cooking Class treated everyone to a new twist on an Italian classic, Risotto. The group wanted to make something from Northern Italy where the food is heartier (colder climate, mountainous region) and seafood is plentiful (think the famous harbor cities of Genoa and Venice). We prepared a delicious Seafood Risotto with a new technique that eliminates the continuous stirring. This was accompanied by a simple Arugula & Fennel Salad. Refreshing sherbet bars topped off the meal accompanied by Lemoncello. Check out the recipes listed to right.	Seafood Risotto Arugula Fennel Salad Steamed Broccoli
Alcosta Senior Center, Alcosta Blvd, San Ramon Mar 16, 2023 We sure know how to celebrate St. Paddy’s Day. Wearin’ o’ th’ green and tasty food. A little Black & Tan and Baileys Irish Cream thrown in! Great evening. And, we learned the correct pronunciation of Worcestershire Sauce (three syllables; think New Hampshire, with a “WOR” “ches” before the “shur” – thanks Colin). By the way, Happy Birthday, Colin. I’ve attached the recipes for the evening, after reviewing for the additions and changes we made. Turned out to be excellent. For the first time ever we had No Leftovers! Just a little bit of Baileys Brownies. Now, do it again at home and enjoy one more time. Enjoy some pictures of the evening thanks to Ann.	John's Irish Stew Irish Soda Bread Baileys Brownies
Alcosta Senior Center, Alcosta Blvd, San Ramon Feb 17, 2023 Another great evening is history. What seems like a complicated meal (it’s French, with long French words) worked out to be rather simple. Lots of vegetables, fish and salad – all so tasty and healthy. Then the dessert! Glad we were able to enjoy a great meal together.	Bouillabaisse French Green Salad with French Vinaigrette Ratatouille Chocolate Mousse
Alcosta Senior Center, Alcosta Blvd, San Ramon Jan 19, 2023 We started out the new year with comfort food – warm, wonderful soup. We fixed a SIR classic Tuscan Chicken Stew made with beans, potatoes and Costco Chicken. We just succeeded in having another 20 souls think this may be one of the best soups ever. Along with the warm soup we served Skillet Cornbread that included bacon and the wonderful residual bacon fat. We finished with Peach Blueberry Crunch, topped with vanilla ice cream. The soup is sure to be one of your favorites if you give it a try. Go to the website to get the recipe or email me. You’ll be glad you did.	Tuscan Chicken Stew Skillet Cornbread
Alcosta Senior Center, Alcosta Blvd, San Ramon Nov 17, 2022 Guest Chef Tahnee Proudfoot, Colin's daughter, was our guest chef in my absence. The group prepared garlic & Rosemary focaccia, Arancini (Stuffed rice balls), white wine & Sage chicken and Zabaglioni [Sicilian whipped dessert].
Alcosta Senior Center, Alcosta Blvd, San Ramon Oct 20, 2022 Another enjoyable October evening preparing the classic Chicken Marsala – key ingredients being lots of Marsala wine and lots of various mushrooms. We fixed that along with Roasted Root Vegetables (a salute to the fall harvest) and Apple Crisp, again to enjoy the fall apple harvest. All that along with a Simple Green Salad with Heirloom Tomatoes rounded out the evening feast.
Alcosta Senior Center, Alcosta Blvd, San Ramon Sep 15, 2022 We made an easy, tasty Spicy Crab & Greens soup. Heirloom tomatoes are in their prime so we are preparing a Heirloom Tomato salad. Then a simple Mussels in White Wine over pasta. For dessert we will enjoy nature's berry bounty with a mixed berry delight.
Alcosta Senior Center, Alcosta Blvd, San Ramon Aug 18, 2022 We had an evening of chopping a lot of vegetables at our last Cooking session. We prepared Gazpacho, which required cutting up 7-8 different veggies, pureeing half and enjoying the tomato-based soup super cold. We cut up more vegetables and prepared Grilled Vegetables, then a Mixed Grill of Lamb Chops and three sausage varieties. Finished the meal with Fresh Peach Crisp and topped with ice cream. If you weren’t there, you missed a good one. Recipes are to the right. Join us on Thursday, September 15 for Seafood, Seafood and Seafood. We will start with a Spicy Crab & Greens Soup, then Heirloom Tomato Salad, Mussels in White Wine with Linguine, followed by a Mixed Berry Compote (all fresh and in season). Go to the website and sign up. Come alone or with your spouse.	Mixed Grill - Veggie Grill Gazpacho Peach Crisp
Dougherty Station Community Center Apr 21, 2022 Terrific night and great start to getting back together!!! All – I mean ALL – helped out to make a memorable dinner and evening. I hope you will try some or all of these recipes on your own. A few newcomers to the group which added to the fun. Thanks all for the great clean up and the extra $$ to cover hidden expenses. The "Crew"	Spring Greens with Shallot Dressing & Blue Cheese Roasted Delicata Squash and Roasted Salmon fillets in Garlic-Lemon Sauce, served with Sauce Gribiche (French peasant-pantry sauce) White Peach & Blueberry Crisp, with Ice Cream
Dougherty Station Community Center Feb 20, 2020 Simple. Tasty. Easy. This year’s mantra for the Cooking Group. And, everyone is cooking their own meal! In February, we prepared and enjoyed a Cherry Chard Wild Rice dish, also Creamy Mustard Chicken, topped off with Orange Chocolate Shortcake. Each preparation used just 5 Ingredients. The recipes are posted to the right.... Photos from our Evening	Creamy Mustard Chicken Cherry Chard Wild Rice Chocolate Orange Shortbread

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