New Cooking Classes!

I received my Q today from Cooks with all of my upcoming classes for March, April and May. I am beginning to gather summer ideas for both Cooks and Chef's Gallery. Have any ideas to help with my brainstorming? Please write!

I believe all of my classes for February are filled except next Saturday's 3 30-minute Breakfasts.

How to Boil Water (my absolute favorite class to teach and the one I recommend most highly)

This class meets three times:
Friday, March 20, from 6 pm to 9 pm
Saturday, March 21, from 1 to 4 pm
Sunday, March 22, from 1 pm to 4 pm

Rachael Rydbeck and Mike Shannon $250, Grand

The scenario: three days, 25-plus recipes. The challenge: to make you confident in the kitchen. This intensive, three-day class is one of the most popular offerings at Cooks for both the beginner and accomplished cook. It delivers both the how and why as well as a chance to put your hands in the mix if you so desire. This class opens the door of the culinary world, whether you've always wanted to be able to cook without a book or whether the kitchen is the only room in your home in which you've never been.

As we cook through the recipes (and as you eat through them!), Rachael and Mike will also discuss equipment essentials and niceties, share great sources for food in the Twin Cities, and answer all the burning culinary questions you have. By the end of class, you'll have walked through more than 25 recipes, from chicken stock to seafood en papillote. You'll leave with the confidence to tackle any recipe in your own home. We will even leave you with some bonus recipes to try on your own! Some participation.

Menu:Day One Chicken Stock; Dressings; Homemade Pasta; Macaroni and Cheese; Pasta Salad with Shrimp and Pesto; Linguine with Olive Oil, Garlic and Herbs.

Day Two: Pumpkin Bread; Drop Biscuit Scone Muffins; Chocolate Chip Cookies; Lemon Tart; Omelets; Frittata; Garlic Mashed Potatoes; Roasted New Potatoes; Lemon Rice Pilaf; Steamed Broccoli; Sautéed Green Beans; Wok Vegetables.

Day Three: Beef Stew; Roasted Pork; Roast Chicken with Pan Gravy; Sautéed Breasts of Chicken with Shallots; Marsala and Mushrooms; Seared Salmon; Seafood en Papillote.

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An Introduction to Food and Cooking: Quick Meals (this one always fills quickly)
Monday April 6th, 6-9pm, Grand $65

Designed for the beginner chef, this hands-on class offers the perfect introduction to basic cooking. We'll cover a wide range of techniques, including emulsifying, pan roasting, reductions and meat cookery. By the end of the session, you'll have both a fabulous meal to enjoy and new culinary skills to last a lifetime.

Menu: Cheese Fondue; Salad with Blue Cheese Dressing; Homemade Mac and Cheese; Lemon Tart.

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New Brews and Local Eats
Friday May 8th, 6-9pm, $70
Rachael Rydbeck and Josh Pepper

Rachael and Josh are here with the latest and greatest foods and beers from the Twin Cities. Some of what you’ll sip and sample is so new, we can’t even print their names yet! Get a head start on some soon-to-be local favorites before they go mainstream. Menu: Josh and Rachael’s Favorite Spiced Nuts; Battered Walleye Bites with Horseradish Tartar Sauce; Baked Goat Cheese Salad with Apples, Walnuts and Dried Cherries; Pan-Fried Prosciutto-Wrapped Beef Tenderloin with Sautéed Green Beans; Sopapilla with Honey and Orange Zest; Cinnamon Ice Cream. - - - - - - -

Rents and Runts: Asian
Saturday May 23rd, 6-9pm $65

Learn how to prepare, proper etiquette for eating, and artful ways to display sushi including preparing a bento box. No raw sushi will be served. This is a class you won’t want to miss! Adult must accompany child. Ages 8 and up. Menu: Seasoned Edamame; Sushi Rice; California Rolls; Spring Rolls; Green Beans Tossed in Creamy Sesame-Miso Sauce; Sweet Rolled Omelet.