Calender of Events plus some of my own cooking demos

dear readers, when it comes to cooking classes, i like trying new classes each and every month at draegers, south city recreation center, cooking at the market demos,williams-sonoma free demos at Stonestown SF and Whole foods in Cupertino nearby my side job at via west. these classes i will be advance student trying out new things making new friends with some advance or novice students and a lot of chefs learning about their culinary background plus i will be doing 2 hands on classes at via west and 1 demo at the neighborhood community BBQ in july, but let's first have the list of new classes for feb-april so here it is

williams sonoma stonesown SF
all classes start at 11am each sunday

Big Bowls of Chili
February 5

Chili con carne (which means "chili with meat") is an American favorite with many regional variations. Easy to make, hearty and versatile, chili can be as fun to garnish as it is to eat. We will teach you about the profiles of different chili powders and how to enjoy them, how to make a basic chili plus delicious variations including vegetarian, and ideas for tasty toppings.

What's in Season: Winter Vegetables
February 12

If winter vegetables are a mystery to you, join us for a class that uncovers the wonders of these tasty and hearty foods. Learn how to select, prepare and enjoy what's in season now – from squashes to greens. This class will make your winter produce shopping more interesting and your winter meals more delicious!

Knife Skills
February 19

A sharp edge, the correct grip, proper placement and safety – these are all part of good knife skills. This class will begin with correct positioning – of you, your knife and the food – then move on to serious slicing, dicing and chopping, as well as more advanced cuts such as chiffonade, julienne and more! We offer complimentary sharpening at this class. Please bring your favorite knife, and we will be happy to sharpen it for you. Please note: Limit 1 knife per customer.

Fresh, Fast & Easy Pasta
February 26

Pasta for most home cooks is a way to get dinner on the table quickly – so why not learn some delicious new pasta recipes to liven up your weeknight meals? We'll teach you how to make pasta alla Norma (pasta with eggplant), as well as a few other Williams-Sonoma favorites.

Risottos
March 11

The classic Italian rice dish is especially welcome when the weather is still cold. Versatile risotto can be embellished with savory ingredients, including cheeses, vegetables, meats and seafood, or can be turned into dessert with sweet additions like dried fruit and chocolate. Have leftovers? Make crispy rice balls called arancini. As you'll discover in this class, risotto can quickly become a mainstay of your cooking repertoire.

Sweet & Savory Tarts
March 25

Tarts can be either sweet or savory, and this class will show you how to make both! Learn how to make savory tarts such as quiche, as well as sweet fruit tarts perfect for a spring gathering. We'll explore the different types of crusts, including classic pâte brisée, shortbread and crumb crusts, and explain how to work with

Whole foods Stevens creek- cupertino

Wednesday, February 1st

Salt for Finishing
5-7PM $15

In today’s cuisine we are finding salt making its way up the food chain and into culinary stardom! Not only is salt a very important traditional ingredient, it is being served as a bold addition to many fine dining treats.

Looking to learn the difference of iodized salt and kosher? Wondering when you can dig out that beautiful Himalayan pink salt you got for Christmas this year? Have no fear, we will be adding them to several sweet and savory recipes as well as making some of our own flavor infused salts.

Saturday, February 4th

Appetizers and Finger Foods
5-7PM $15

Superbowl Sunday is right around the corner! Cheer on your favorite team in culinary style like baked tortilla chips and fresh salsa, cheesy spinach dip, and bacon and bleu cheese sliders

Wednesday, February 15th

Sweetened by fruit
5-7PM $20

Who says you need sugar to be happy? With the many reasons to avoid extra sugar these days, why not skip it when we can? No matter what time of day or what you are craving, there will always be a fruity way to substitute that sweet little ingredient!

What’s on the menu:
Carrot cupcakes
Sorbet sundaes
Hawaiian sweet bread

new leaf and draegers

Everyday Gourmet Easter Brunch
Tues. Mar. 27, 6 p.m. $20.00 per person
Chef Amy Fothergill will teach you her secrets to creating a successful and elegant brunch with more flavor and less fuss
•Cinnamon waffles with caramelized bananas (gluten-free)
•Ham and swiss crustless quiche
•Chard and quinoa salad

Ode to Nigella
San Mateo
Friday, April 27, 2012 , 11 am-12:30 pm
(demo) $40.00

Total Spaces Available: 30
Class Code: SM0427

Griddled Eggplant with Feta, Mint and Red Chili
Slow-Roasted Garlic and Lemon Chicken with Couscous Pilaf
Raspberry and Lemongrass Trifle

okay now i have my own coming up so here it is

March 4th- Healthy cooking with Special needs adults at via west (private event)
march 16th- healthy cooking with special needs children at via west (privare event)
will be teaching children/adults safety in the kitchen, how to make delicious meals and healthy at the same time i will be sharing some of my own, plus some of my staff will share me the recipes so i can use them for the program. this is a hands on class for my job.
July TBA- Salsa making cooking demo at the West winston manor community BBQ at clay park South san francisco (free of charge and demonstration class)
will be teaching neighborhood event goes how to make delicious earthy salsas they can make with ethier fish of chicken but for my demo were going to use tortilla chips. so the menu for this is my Aunt's tomato salsa fresca and Canraloupe salsa so recipe sheets will be there at the bbq.

so thats all for classes from others chefs to mine. so have a good one! Ava

The chocolate candy class begins next week

dear readers, i wanted to say that last week i did a neighborhood fundraiser bingo night for my neighborhood group called the west winston manor community Assoscation. i didnt go to my 1st session due to that, but im excited about my 2nd/3rd classes and its going to be all candy making and chocolate molding. it is located at the parks and recreation center on 33 Arroyo drive south san francisco ca 94080 and you can call susan fierito for signing up for great cooking or baking courses at 650-829-3800 and she would be great to help you with. i will do a highlight on that later. but what to make a treat for your aweethear whether's its your family, friend, boyfriend, husband or who ever you trust. come on to the valentines treats wtih Chef lisa chan, its 10.00 to get in and 10.00 to give to instructor at first class meeting the date is on Feb 13th from 630-830pm. so i hope to see you as your fellow advance chef student!

Cheesy vegtable casserole

hi readers, i went to the board members dinner party and everyone brought a dish, i made for them is paula deen's cheesy vegetable casserole. this is something we should make only on holidays, because this has a ton of calories, but its worth it during the holidays spluges. so i enjoy eating it in small amounts, so i hope you enjoy this, bon appiete

Cheesy vegetable casserole

6 large yellow squash. thinly sliced
4 large zucchini, thinly sliced
1 onion chopped
2 cups sliced carrot
1 cup diced celery
1 can cream of chicken soup
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 8 oz package of shredded cheddar cheese
1 8 oz package of shredded mozzarella cheese
1 8 oz can water chestnuts
1 box chicken flavored stuffing mix (6oz)
1 cup sour cream
1/2 cup butter, softened
1 cup crushed ritz butter crackers

preheat oven to 350 spray a casserole dish with nonstick cooking spray.
in a large pot combine, squash, zucchini, onion, carrot and celery. add water to cover. bring to a boil over medium high heat. reduce heat and simmer for 10-15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. drain well. add soups cheeses water chestnuts stuffing mix sour cream and butter. spoon onto prepared casserole dish top with crushed crackers
bake for 40 minutes or until hot and bubbly, serve immediately.

Cooking class with top pastry chef Marisa churchill

hello bloggers, 2 wedensdays ago myself and my best friend becky went to this fun cooking class with top cheftestant aka top pastry chef from season 2 Los Angeles Marisa churchill, she is know for her baking, she came out with a cookbook called Sweet and skinny, she tells you how much calories are her recipes are in, so they are low fat and they taste sweet too! so go grab a copy at barnes and nobles i already got one, becky has one, and shes giving it to her friend jessica, so i hope you enjoy this fabuous cookbook! yum-o!

cinnamon sugar Sweet potato oven fries

hi readers, myself and my parents home smells like cinnamony so im making sweet potato fries for me and mom and its going to be serve over maple mayo. so i dont dip my fries in ketchup i like to dip mine with mayo which an idea i got from the brits, but love ketchup on sandwiches though, so i hope you enjoy this recipe and get cooking

Cinnamon sugar sweet potato oven fries

2 sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut into french fry shapes
2 tbl oil
2 tbl cinnamon sugar mixture

preheat oven to 400 degrees
in a bowl mix cut up sweet potatoe, oil and cinnamon sugar mixture and toss with your hands until well combined. then transfer in a single layer on a cookie sheet.
bake for 35 minutes until golden browned.
in a meanwhile mix 1/4 cup mayonniase and 2 tbl maple syrup and serve with the fries.

tip: if your fries dont get crispy just turn oven on to broiler and it will get crispy~

NEW Winter-spring Cooking classes Events AT Draegers and Kaiser

hi all, some of my chef instructors at draegers who are also mentors are offering new classes this january season! im also going to announce that Kaiser South san francisco medical hospital is also going to have a series of cooking classes for not people cooking healthy, but for foodies as well, so i invite you to go to some of the classes, thats where most of the culinary ideas come from, so it also builds a community and you of course can make new friends that lasts a lifetime, so heres what im taking this year ok, so i'll give you the preview~ so i hope to can see in some of the couses, the kaiser ssf classes will be out after december 4th just so you know thank you for being patience!

Parisian Macaron Workshop
Mark Hodgson
San Mateo
Saturday, January 21, 2012 , 11 am
(Hands On) $70.00

Total Spaces Available: 18
Class Code: SM0121

Basic Techniques
Fillings
Flavorings
Tips and Troubleshooting
*this class is great for bakers who want to prepare more than just cookies and cupcakes, so i will be there for that class with the city college chef instructor

Pop Stars' Favorite Foods (Ages 7-12)
Scott Davis
San Mateo
Sunday, February 12, 2012 , 10 am–noon
(Hands On) $65.00

Total Spaces Available: 16
Class Code: SM0212

Selena Gomez—Fried Dill Pickles
Eminem—Mexican Bean Salad
Justin Timberlake—Cheese and Pork Ravioli with Herbed Butter
Taylor Swift—Cheesecake Cupcakes
Ages 7–12. Attendance is for children only. not a parent child class
*i am going to chat with my brother casey Green about signing my Nephew Tyler up for this POP Musicians Favorite foods, i will be there, but not allowed to take it with him.

Yoga Workshop & Lunch
Sitarani Brian , Giselle Mari
San Mateo
Saturday, March 3, 2012 , 11 am–1:45 pm
(demo) $50.00

Total Spaces Available: 21
Class Code: SM0303

Bring your sticky mat and towel for a 75-minute Jivamukti yoga class (all levels), followed by an 80-minute cooking demonstration. Yoga session is optional.

Braised Brussels Sprouts with Sage
Butternut Squash Ravioli with Walnuts
Orange-Scented Vanilla Bean Rice Pudding
*this class is a both cooking and exerise program and i think i'll use this for my healthy living skills

Spring Into Freshness
Sam Lippman
San Mateo
Saturday, March 10, 2012 , 11 am
(demo) $50.00

Total Spaces Available: 40
Class Code: SM0310

Shaved Asparagus Salad with “Pine Nut Parmesan”
Whirled Pea Dip with Buckwheat Flatbread
Creamy Parsnip Soup
Sunflower Croquette with Cashew Aioli
Cauliflower and Oyster Mushroom Couscous
Raw Chocolate Walnut Brownies
Raw preparation techniques will be used
*for vegan lovers, this class maybe for you, im just a semi vegetarin that gets to have dairy and cheese, so i will study about this class for some of my vegan loving friends.

Cheese Souffle
Staff Instructor
San Mateo
Saturday, April 14, 2012 , 11 am–12:30 pm
(Hands On) $40.00

Total Spaces Available: 21
Class Code: SM0441

Get down to business in our EXPRESS BASICS classes. Take a quick one-item lesson that includes the tips, tricks and techniques for success. As always, you will enjoy the recipe that has been prepared.
*so if you dont know how to make cheese souffle and are foodies but need that recipe? this is for you, im going to be in that class if i see you so please join for this affordable one step class.

Ode to Nigella
Patience Thien
San Mateo
Friday, April 27, 2012 , 11 am-12:30 pm
(demo) $40.00

Total Spaces Available: 40
Class Code: SM0427

Receive $5 off for each student registering for two Lunch 101 classes. Discount applied only to classes in the same catalog period.

Griddled Eggplant with Feta, Mint and Red Chili
Slow-Roasted Garlic and Lemon Chicken with Couscous Pilaf
Raspberry and Lemongrass Trifle
*this lovely chef patience, who took over terri dien's posistion just over a year ago is a sweet chef and her class is lunchtime course you'll learn from her so i will be in that course too!



Mozzarella Workshop
Maria Capdevielle
San Mateo
Saturday, April 28, 2012 , 11 am
(Hands On) $70.00

Total Spaces Available: 20
Class Code: SM0428

Fresh Handmade Mozzarella
Mozzarella and Artichoke Strata—savory bread pudding
Pane in Carrozza—classic Italian deep-fried cheese bread
Sweet Celery Chutney with Mozzarella
*whats way better than store brand mozzarella right? its homemade and you can do this in your own home, pastry chef who knows a little savory miss Maria teresa will guide you through this project, so feel free to make the mozz and im going to take this course with newer variations

so i will keep you updated with more classes to come ,but this is what i have for now, so take care and happy holidays, chef Ava

Cranberry lime relish

people also asked me for that recipe and on your christmas holiday or the next thanksgiving 2012 how about serving this to your friends and its has that Jalapeno kick, so please enjoy it turkey or ham, so my trick is to add 1/2 cup water to make it a paste if using a blender, if using a food processor i wouldnt add the water, so my advice is not to mess up the recipe, thank you!


cranberry lime relish

Ingredients
1 bag (12 oz.) fresh cranberries
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped red onion
2 tsp. chopped, seeded jalapeño chile
1 lime, juiced and zested

Directions:1.In a food processor, pulse the cranberries, brown sugar, onion, jalapeño, lime juice and lime zest until finely chopped. Transfer to a bowl, cover and refrigerate until chilled