Start Valentine’s Day with LOVE!

One of my favorite breakfast’s is “Toad in the Hole”, what better way to start the day where love is abound with breakfast! Here is a sweet variation of toad in the hole……heart in a hole!

Valentine’s Day Breakfast Idea

One of my favorite breakfast’s is “Toad in the Hole”, what better way to start the day where love is abound with breakfast! Here is a sweet variation of toad in the hole……heart in a hole!

New works on display by Lil McGill at In The Kitchen

In The kitchen is hosting a series of new works by local artist Lil McGill from now until mid April. The show is called Shades of Saffron. The closing reception will be April 11th from 4-6 pm at In The Kitchen. Saffron appetizers will be served!

Native Californian Lil McGill is a painter and poet. Her ethereal abstracts, dreamscapes, studies and explorations of pure color and mood are inspired by Frankenthaler, Jenkins and Rothko, but have a style and energy uniquely their own.

She works with acrylic paint on raw canvas, which allows the colors to flow and blend to create their own worlds, reminiscent of deep space nebulas and starbursts, undersea visions, or O’Keeffe-like florals. Keenly interested in art as a form of healing, she plans to continue her painting explorations for years to come.

Lil McGill and her husband, artist and musician R.C. Trice, currently operate their own art company, and live with their children and assorted friends and wildlife in Grass Valley, California, enjoying working in an old barn which has been converted into artist studios.

Cooking Classes posted through May 2010!

Wednesday January 27th
Vegetarian Sushi Making
6-8 pm / $40

Roll your own! We will explore various techniques of sushi rolling and how to make delectable sushi rolls and salads!

Ahi Tuna Roll
California Roll
Miso Soup
Seaweed and Kale Salad

Email or call Wendy at 478-0669 or wendyvanwagner@gmail.com

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Shaman in the Kitchen
Thursday, January 28th
6-9 pm / $40
Learn how to become a shaman in your kitchen! We will cook with medicinal herbs that offer both flavor to your food as well as health benefits. Together, we’ll cook and savor several recipes, such as Calendula cornmeal crisps, tasty Thyme soup and Yarrow kitcheree. And we’ll learn about the healing properties of herbs. After a nourishing meal, you’ll go home with your own special spice blend. Yes, you too can be a shaman in your kitchen! Please RSVP to Suzanne Parkhust at spark@usamedia.tv or call 269-3444

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Sunday January 31st
The Yoga of Cooking
6-9 pm / $45

The modern English word ‘yoke’ comes from the ancient Sanskrit word ‘Yoga’ meaning to link or connect. Sign up for Joe Meade’s ”The Yoga of Cooking” at In The Kitchen and learn how the  every day act of cooking can become your meditation and link with the Divine!

We will explore the connections between where our food comes from, how it is prepared and how we consume it. We will also discuss how our consciousness affects the food we eat and how to make the process of cooking an offering.

We will feature a refreshing winter salad, a hearty and sustaining seasonal kitcheri, miso as it was meant to be, and indulge ourselves with a sattvic sweet to finish.
Email or call Wendy at 478-0669 or wendyvanwagner@gmail.com

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Monday February 1st
Celebrate Mardi Gras: How to Make Gumbo & Cornbread That Will Win Friends and Influence People
CLASS FULL!

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Wednesday February 3rd
Macrobiotic Meals- cooking for health and vitality
6-8pm / $45

A macrobiotic approach to wellness focuses on bringing balance to a person’s physical and emotional condition by utilizing foods that are balanced energetically and nutritionally. We will learn to cook and enjoy:

Brown rice
Diakon and carrot salad
Kale and Hijiki Slaw
Carrots and Broccoli with Ume Dill Dressing
Pressed Chinese Cabbage, Red Radish, and Lemon
Fruit dessert

Email or call Wendy at 478-0669 or wendyvanwagner@gmail.com

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Saturday February 6th
Winter Soups and Stews
10am -12 pm / $45

Spend a morning in our cozy kitchen learning how to make one-pot meals that will nourish yourself and those you love!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Spicy Beef Stew
Butternut Squash Soup
Potato Leek Soup

Email or call Wendy at 478-0669 or wendyvanwagner@gmail.com

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Monday February 8th
Knife Skills
6-8 pm / $35

Slicing and dicing is one of the most important culinary tools you can have under your belt. Come to class and learn to chop like a pro, we will go over the common and the more advanced knife skills in this class, learn about knife care, what kind of knives to buy and also chop our way to a delicious dish to share!

Email or call Wendy at 478-0669 or wendyvanwagner@gmail.com

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February 10th
Healthy Cooking; Eating & Nutrition: The Mediterranean Diet de-mystified
Class and Discussion for the Novice
6 – 8 p.m. / $35

Have you ever been told to eat the Mediterranean Diet? What does this mean? How do I shop? How do I cook these new foods? Will it taste good? Let’s have some fun! Help prepare a meal, get recipes, enjoy eating, and have your nutrition questions answered. Instructors Wendy Van Wagner from In the Kitchen and SNMH Laura Seeman, Registered Dietitian
Call 274-6124 to pre-register

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Thursday, February 11th
Valentine’s Day Cookies for Loved Ones
Piping/Flooding Cookie Class
$40 / 6-8 pm

Just in time for Valentine’s Day, practice some very showy techniques on pre baked heart shaped cookies.

I use a traditional royal icing for piping edges around cookies, and a shiny, simple glaze to color the cookies.

These glazes are very durable, but take time to dry; please bring a cookie sheet with a rim to transport your cookies home.

Piping can be hard for young hands to master; children are always welcome but must be accompanied by an adult.

Tea and Nana’s favorite scones will be served.

Teacher Bio: Local Mom Susan Meagher has been baking for friends and family for many years, waiting patiently until the time was right to launch Nana’s Artisan Bakery. Nana’s focuses made from scratch classic treats, made like only Nana can make them. We are available for special orders, brunches, teas, and private classes. Come see us at Cornish Christmas!

Contact Susan at srmeagher@yahoo.com for more details

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Wednesday February 17th
Fabulous French Cooking
6-9 pm / $50

Learn the secrets to French coking… don’t let a soufflé intimidate you! Dive right in!

In this class we will be making
Chicken cordon Bleu
French onion soup
Cheese soufflé
Béchamel sauce

Bring wine to enjoy with dinner!

Email or call Wendy at 478-0669 or wendyvanwagner@gmail.com

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Thursday, February 18th
Master the Art of the Souffle
$40 / 6-8 pm

Another relatively simple dish with a bad reputation! Once you’ve mastered one soufflé recipe, you can generally make any soufflé recipe. We will be making a classic cheese soufflé and a chocolate soufflé. This class will be primarily demonstration style.

The hardest thing about soufflés is probably the timing; they are best served straight from the oven. A stand mixer is best to build enough structure into your egg whites, but I used a handheld mixer for years; it just takes a little more patience.

At the end of the class, we will be sitting down to enjoy our creations.

Teacher Bio: Local Mom Susan Meagher has been baking for friends and family for many years, waiting patiently until the time was right to launch Nana’s Artisan Bakery. Nana’s focuses made from scratch classic treats, made like only Nana can make them. We are available for special orders, brunches, teas, and private classes. Come see us at Cornish Christmas!

Contact Susan at srmeagher@yahoo.com for more details

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Wednesday February 24th
Winter Soups and Stews
10am -12 pm / $45

Spend a morning in our cozy kitchen learning how to make one-pot meals that will nourish yourself and those you love!

Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup
Spicy Beef Stew
Butternut Squash Soup
Potato Leek Soup

Email or call Wendy at 478-0669 or wendyvanwagner@gmail.com

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Cooking for Two
Thursday, February 25th
6-9 pm / $40
Make the most of cooking for two or one. Chef Kady Guyton will teach participants how to prepare meals for less than a crowd, making the most of ingredients, cooking techniques and other culinary skills.

Kady Guyton is a Midwest native who moved to California seven years ago intending to only stay for a couple of years. The character and produce of Northern California – along with her husband – enticed her to stay. After a career in journalism, she returned to her roots and graduated cum laude from the California Culinary Academy in San Francisco in June of 2008.  Currently Kady is the chef and owner of KDG Cooks, a local catering and home meal delivery company located in Grass Valley.
To sign up for this class, email Kady at kady.guyton@gmail.com

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Wednesday March 3rd
Knife Skills
6-8 pm / $35

Slicing and dicing is one of the most important culinary tools you can have under your belt. Come to class and learn to chop like a pro, we will go over the common and the more advanced knife skills in this class, learn about knife care, what kind of knives to buy and also chop our way to a delicious dish to share!

Email or call Wendy at 478-0669 or wendyvanwagner@gmail.com

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March 4th
Cooking to Control Pain with DUDES In The Kitchen
6:30-8:30 pm / $35

Men, how can you control pain with food? A critical link to feeling better is the inflammation process that can be fueled by what you eat. Learn what an anti-inflammatory diet can do for you by joining Dr. Christina Lasich at In The Kitchen. Sign up by calling Wendy VanWagner at 530-478-0669.
This dinner program is designed with the thought that food can represent a form of medicine and be pleasing to even the manliest man. Dr. Christina Lasich, MD has designed a menu for a small group of MEN ONLY that will emphasize the ways cooking can control pain. Please look for nutritious spins off of these old favorites. Dr. Lasich will discuss topics such as antioxidants, glycemic index versus load, herbal remedies for pain, and full flavor, manly cooking. Please sign up soon because space is limited.

Menu
Starter:
Chips and Dip
Main Dishes:
Spaghetti and Meat Sauce
Dessert:
Apple Pie

In The Kitchen Community Class
Dinner for 4
Monday, April 5th 6-7  pm
$25
This demonstration based class will walk you through a simple and delicious dinner menu for 4!
Menu includes chicken and white bean stew and fast and easy enchiladas and a green salad packed with color and variety. We will taste the dishes at the end of class!
info@wendyvanwagner.com

Fabulous French Cooking
Wednesday, April 7th 6-9 pm

$50
Learn the secrets to French cooking… don’t let a soufflé intimidate you! Dive right in!

In this class we will be making
Chicken cordon Bleu
French onion soup
Cheese soufflé
Béchamel sauce
Bring wine to enjoy with dinner!Email or call Wendy at 478-0669 or wendyvanwagner@gmail.com

Briar Patch Members Only Class
Dinners in a Flash!
Monday, April 12th 6-8 pm
$20
As a partnership with Briar Patch, In The Kitchen is offering a special class for members only. This month our class will feature Dinners in a Flash!
These simple and healthy dinners are prefect for families on the go!
We will make a polenta casserole packed with a variety of vegetables, Italian sausage with greens and a salad packed with immune boosting goodies!
info@wendyvanwagner.com

Agave Nectar Syrup a Fruad?

I had a feeling since the sudden appearance of agave nectar that something wasn’t quite right about it all…..it turns out that much of the commercial agave syrup is actually very low-quality and even fraudulent in its claims of being true agave…..

My friend Amigo Bob sent this link to me, check it out from Natural News.

In The Kitchen Open House 1/11

Join us at In The Kitchen Cooking School in Nevada City to meet some of the new teachers and learn about and sign up for upcoming classes!

Monday, January 11th from 5:30-7:30 pm the kitchen will be open!

648 Zion St Nevada City www.wendyvanwagner.com (530) 478-0669

Alma Rowe, our kids teacher, will be showing how to make Fresh Spring Rolls and Peanut Sauce!

Susan Meagher of Nana’s Bakery wil be sharing secrets of Aeblskivers!

Joe Meade will be there to talk about his new class, The Yoga of Cooking……!

Suzanne Parkhurst who is teaching Shaman in The Kitchen will answer questions you have relating to medicinal cooking!

And I will be there welcoming you all into a special space of creation and nourishment!

Please join in after a busy day of work to eat some goodies and have a warm drink! Feel free to bring a friend! We will be taking sign ups on the spot! Happy New Year!

Wendy Van Wagner In The Kitchen www.wendyvanwagner.com (530) 478-0669

New Years Day Prosperity Brunch 1/1/2010 at 1 pm…..come one come all!

Last year was the inagural year for our vegetarian soul food good-luck and prosperity take on a southern new years day tradition……we are getting ready to do it again!

Here are some pictures of the 2 brunches we threw, one in Nevada City and one in Bolinas……

This year, on the first day of 2010 at 1 pm at In The Kitchen cooking school, we will be open for brunch! 648 Zion St, Nevada City…….come on by!

Joe describes his BBQ sauce:

As the theme of today’s brunchtrditional southern soul food, a rich, dark BBQ sauce was the obvious choice. I’ve messed around with different types of BBQ sauce over the years (sweet and sour, chipotle, teriyaki, spicy etc.) with various degrees of success and failure. Sometimes, the unintentional mistakes have yielded the tastiest results. I like to make the sauce at least one day in advance. You know how marinara and chili always taste better the next day, same thing with BBQ sauce.

If you can start with fresh tomatoes that’s awesome. I used some good quality canned organic tomatoes that I pureed until very smooth. Over medium heat combine the tomatoes with a can of tomato paste. You won’t have to reduce the sauce as much. Next I add black strap molasses, safflower oil, apple cider vinegar, liquid smoke, mustard powder, black pepper, white pepper, salt and a dried hot chili. Bring the sauce to a boil and reduce heat to simmer. I add the brown sugar at this point as well as a little hot sauce that helps to give the sauce a spicy finish.  I wanted to try a few new ideas as the ingredients were handy so I added a bit of black currant syrup, black sea salt, butter and sherry.

I especially liked these additions as they seemed to round out the flavor and the syrup and salt helped make the color that much richer. Then you just cook the sauce for at least 2 or 3 hours up to 5 or 6 hours, stirring occasionally so that the sauce doesn’t stick. Let the sauce cool to room temperature and store in the fridge. I like to leave the sauce on the stove covered overnight to really give the flavors a chance to meld together. Wow! I can’t wait to make BBQ sauce again. I want to try something new already!

BOLINAS

The Midnight Egg

I have been wanting to  blog about a great new blog my Friend Tessa is writing…it is called, The Midnight Egg…..a great title. It’s inspiration is taken from the writing of M.F.K. Fisher and “late-night comforting revivers”. Tessa is a bread baker in Pt Reyes California at Brick Maiden Bread……they turn out wonderfully crusty loaves of the good stuff.

Tessa writes with a beautiful voice and colorful descriptions about her love and adventures with food…..

Check it out!

The Midnight Egg……

Kids Taste a Sweeter Veggies, White House Style

The White House has just finished planting its cool weather winter garden and a lucky group of kids get to participate in an after-school cooking class with foods from the farm!

NPR just ran a great story about the WH garden and all the winter veggies they are growing, WH chef Sam Kass teaches cooking to local kids.

Here is the story if you want to listen to the whole thing.

A word on winter veggies:

Though it may seem counterintuitive, some vegetables — such as spinach, broccoli and potatoes — actually taste sweeter as the weather cools.

As long as there is decent sunlight, the plant continues to change sunlight into energy. During the process of photosynthesis the plant also produces glucose, or sugar. But in the cold weather:

“The cool decreases the rate of respiration,” says Brent McCown, a professor of horticulture at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

This means the plant slows down the burning off energy, therefore using up less sugar. As a consequence, there’s a little more sweet left in the plant.

Winter Garden-Inspired Spinach Dip

1 package of frozen spinach, thawed and water pressed out (or your own from your garden!)

One 7 oz container of Greek Yogurt (can substitute w/ low-fat sour cream)

1/2 cup of chopped cilantro or basil

4 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

Developed by Charmion Wood, volunteer chef instructor with Share Our Strength’s Operation Frontline Program of the Capital Area Food Bank in Washington, D.C.

Top 10 Feel Good Foods!

That’s right, sardines are one of them!  I remember having a birthday party when I was about 10 years old and one of the games was a dare game….one of the dares was to eat a sardine from a can! The grossest thing ever when you are 10!

Now, years later, I LOVE sardines……the flavor to me is rich and salty, and they have even made it to the top 10 “feel good” foods from Sunset Magazine’s January issue.

Fresh sardines

The news: As fish shops expand theirsustainable-seafood choices, you’ll see more of this strong-flavored, delicious little fish, caught in well-managed West Coast fisheries.

Feel-good factors: Sardines abound inomega-3 fatty acids. Also, because they’re little, they don’t accumulatemercury the way that larger fish can.

Ways to try them: Marinate in olive oil with chiles and herbs, then grill. Marinate as above but skip the chiles; then lay over sliced tomatoes on baguette slices, drizzle with marinade, and broil. Dip in beaten egg, then in seasoned panko (crunchy Japanese-style bread crumbs) and bake.

Visit Sunset.com for a list of the other feel good foods that taste great and will kick your health into high gear for 2010!