Daphne oz's purple mashed potatoes with onions and rosemary

dear readers, today my mother carol ann romero was craving for mashed potatoes and i said ummmm well mama, i'll be making a gourmet mashed potatoes, so used daphne oz's recipe for purple potatoes, she stated they are better for you than general potatoes because she is a natural tv chef on the chew i would call her and her daddy oz is a doctor, so i wanted to share this recipe and i hope you enjoy!

purple mashed potatoes with onions and rosemary
recipe courtesy daphne oz
2 pound Peruvian Purple Potatoes
Kosher Salt
1/2 cup Whole Milk
4 tablespoon Butter (cut into tablespoon-sized pieces)
4 tablespoon Rosemary (chopped)
2 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Onion (cut into even 1/2-inch thick rings)
1 tablespoon Garlic (minced)
Chopped Chives (to garnish

Place potatoes into a large pot and fill with enough cold water to cover. Season with pinch of kosher salt and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 25 minutes, until potatoes are very tender. Drain and return to pot.
Using a potato masher, mash the potatoes with the butter
In a small sauce pot steep rosemary and garlic in milk
Heat the olive oil in a sauté pan over medium heat. Add the onion, and season with salt, then toss to coat in oil. Arrange the onion into an even layer in the pan, and cook stirring occasionally, but retaining an even layer. Cook until the onions caramelize, about 10-15 minutes
Remove onions, and roughly chop. Fold the onions, rosemary and garlic milk into the potatoes. Garnish with chives and serve.

Cinnamon sugar doughnuts

i had a craving for something sweet, so i thought about mmm i do remember my mom making this recipe, so i updated this with first the glaze and then the cinnamon sugar mixture, so heres my step by step process

cinnamon sugar doughnuts

1 roll pillsbury buttermilk biscuits
2 tbl sugar
2 tbl cinnamon
4 big tbl powdered sugar
splash of milk
vegetable oil for frying

heat oil in a large dutch oven.
on a cutting board surface open up a can of biscuits and flatten out a bit and use a bottle cap to cut out to center, so it looks like a doughnut. then drop in oil and fry for 2 minutes on each side drain on paper towels.
in a meanwhile mix sugar and cinnamon on a small plate, in a small cereal bowl mix powdered sugar and milk to make a glaze, it too thin add more powdered sugar, if too thick add more milk. then dip fried doughtnut in glaze and then cinnamon sugar mixture and enjoy!

the flower, garden and gourmet show highlights plus a new recipe!!!!

Dear readers this wedensday and today I went to 3 culinary seminars which.were a ton a fun first of all the world famous butchers from the Avedano's meat shop in the heart of san Francisco which was the male and female butchers they spokes about how the newt was raised, treated and protected so they also spoke about grouns beef and how they can fix the pink slime problem so then chef Brandon Jew whipped up this delicious green garlic panna cottage with sprouted quinoa and I know this sounds gross but trust me its delish then today met the women of the bi-rite creamery they made delicious honey lavender ice cream and earl grey tea Ice cream their book will be out in April in stores. Including draegers in san mateo and Barnes and noble in san Bruno the. Book is called sweet cream and sugar cones and you'll want to make these recipes. But here are 2 suprises happening now and tomorrow first tomorrow Martin yan of yan can cook and a world wide.celebrity chef on television he is.the author of several book including I have his.original from the 1980s and his Martin yan china and quick and easy books if you owned one of his books you should go meet him he will be cooking at 11 am and 2pm I will be at his 2pm demo so tickets are 20.00 and kids under 17 go in for.free it is located at san mateo event center on Delaware street in san mateo another surprise for you I got a recipe from the wedensday demo from the famous butchers so its a slow roasted pork recipe so try this at home and let me know how it turned out


Slow roasted pork shank
Recipe courtesy Avedano's meat shop in SF

1 bone in skin off pork shank 2 lbs
2 sprigs of each- oregano, sage, rosemary and marjoram
Kosher salt and pepper to taste
Sauerkraut and.grainy mustard for serving

Preheat oven to 375 degrees

Place shank in 2 layers of foil. Lay herb sprigs over and around shank sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste. Roll tightly in 1st layer of foil and then again in 2nd layer to advoid losing any juices roast at least 3 1/2 hours until meat is fork.tender serve with bread sauerkraut and mustard thank you The SF butchers for sharing

Chilie pesto sauce with Raviloli

today, i made some chilie pesto sauce, it has no herbs, just peppers, still has nuts and oils, so i hope you make this at home, i shared some with some of my neighbors jack and sandy tidwell and Sharon and bill albera so you can use any pasta you like, but in this case i bought Trader Joe's mini Raviolis and they're the best so i hope you enjoy this recipe

Chilie pesto sauce
Recipe from mario batali, but modifted by Chef ava marie

1/4 cup Blanched and sliced almonds
1/2 Red onion (diced)
1/4 Cup Extra-virgin olive oil
4 Jalapenos (seeded and sliced)
4 Serrano peppers (seeded and sliced)
salt to taste
1 package 16 oz Trader Joe's mini Raviolis

1. boil Ravioli according to the package, drain and place in a bowl.
2. meanwhile Combine the peppers, almonds, and onion in the bowl of a food processor. Season with salt to taste.
3.Pulse until pureed, then slowly drizzle in the oil until emulsified.
4.add to the pasta and mix until coated and serve with parmesan cheese. serve immediatly or save for later in the fridge.

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.