Article source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/food/cooking-on-deadline-recipe-for-red-curry-potatoes-and-chickpeas/2012/02/23/gIQAy2MIVR_story.html

Donna Wolfe of Hamilton is president of the Newcomers club and is a reference librarian at Mercer County Community College. Her recipe for Chicken Empanada Cones won her a spot as a finalist in the Dinner Made Easy category of the 45th Pillsbury Bake-Off.

You might say that Donna Wolfe’s journey to the 45th Pillsbury Bake-Off began when she was a little girl.

Back then, she would play a game during which she pretended that she unexpectedly had to make lunch for a king after being told at the last minute that he would arrive soon. She would open the cupboards and see what was on hand, and what she could pull together for a meal.

Since then she has developed into a versatile home cook.

“I’m always cooking something for somebody,” she said, whether it’s family or members of the Princeton Newcomers Club, where she serves as president.

Next month Wolfe, of Hamilton, will find out if her ability to pull things together to make a tasty dish can win her $1 million or other prizes when she competes against 99 other finalists in the bakeoff in Orlando, Fla. She is one of three finalists from New Jersey; the others are from Berlin and Clifton.

Wolfe submitted four recipes to the contest. She developed them last year when she was laid off from her former job (she currently works as a reference librarian at Mercer County Community College), but it was her Chicken Empanada Cones that won her a spot as finalist in the Dinner Made Easy category. On March 26 she’ll take her place at one of 100 stoves Pillsbury will set up for the finalists.

“I’m a little scare and a little excited,” she said of the impending bake-off.

Among her concerns is how her pie crusts will fare in a room with 100 ovens going at once.

Pillsbury ready-made pie crusts are one of the company’s products that are used in her empanadas. Using Pillsbury products is a requirement for every finalist’s recipe.

The empanadas are a variation of a recipe made by her late husband; his were a favorite appetizer the couple served when they entertained company. He made his with beef, while her version is made with cooked chicken and Progresso black bean soup.

She serves the empanadas with salsa and sour cream.

While some finalists make their recipes over and over as the bake-off draws closer, Wolfe said she won’t start practicing until a few weeks before the big day.

“You can’t obsess about something like this,” she said. “You have to trust what you know.”

While winning the top prize would be wonderful, Wolfe said she is happy to be able to participate, and knows that you can be a finalist up to three times if you don’t win.

And if she wins one of the prizes, that’s good too because she would love to be able to renovate her kitchen.

Either way, it will be an exciting opportunity, even if a king doesn’t stop by to see what she whipped up.

Here is Wolfe’s recipe from the website:

Chicken Empanada Cones

Donna Wolfe’s recipe for Chicken Empanada Cones won her a spot as a finalist in the Dinner Made Easy category of the 45th Pillsbury Bake-Off.

Prep time: 1 hour

Total time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Makes: 8 servings

⅓ cup water

2 teaspoons golden raisins

3 tablespoons butter

4 teaspoons agave sweetener or honey

⅓ cup fresh cilantro

¾ cup chopped onions

1 tablespoon unbleached flour

1 can (18.5 ounces) Progresso World Recipes frijoles negros y jalapeño soup, drained, reserving liquid

2 cups diced cooked chicken breast

½ cup frozen corn, thawed

½ cup chopped roasted red bell peppers (from a jar)

½ teaspoon garlic salt

¼ teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon red pepper sauce

2 tablespoons cornmeal

1 box Pillsbury refrigerated pie crusts, softened as directed on box

1 cup salsa

½ cup sour cream

1. In 1-cup microwavable measuring cup, microwave water on high 1 minute. Add raisins; set aside. In small microwavable bowl, microwave 1 tablespoon of the butter on high 10 to 20 seconds or until melted. Stir in agave sweetener or honey; set aside. Chop enough cilantro to measure 1 tablespoon; set aside.

2. In 10-inch skillet over medium heat, melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Add onions; cook 2 to 3 minutes, stirring frequently or until onions are softened. Sprinkle with flour; cook and stir 3 minutes. Stir in reserved liquid from can of frijoles negros. Reduce heat to medium-low; cook until thickened, about 4 minutes. Stir in the frijoles negros, chicken, corn, roasted peppers, 1 tablespoon chopped cilantro, garlic salt, cumin and pepper sauce. Bring to a boil; reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently or until most of the liquid is absorbed. Drain raisins; chop raisins and stir into chicken mixture. Cool slightly.

3. Heat oven to 450 degrees. Line 2 large cookie sheets with cooking parchment paper or spray with no-stick cooking spray. Sprinkle cookie sheets with cornmeal. Unroll pie crusts. Roll each into 13-inch round; cut each round into quarters. To make each empanada, place piece of pie crust on cookie sheet, pressing into cornmeal. Brush center with agave mixture. Spoon rounded 1/3 cup of the chicken mixture in center. Bring long sides of dough together, forming a cone shape. Press to seal, leaving rounded end open. Repeat with remaining pie crust, agave mixture and chicken mixture.

4. Bake 13 to 18 minutes or until golden brown. Serve empanadas with salsa, sour cream and remaining cilantro.

Per serving: Calories 430 (calories from fat 190), total fat 21g (saturated fat 10g,trans fat 0g), cholesterol 55mg; sodium 800mg; total carbohydrate 44g (dietary fiber 3g, sugars 7g), protein 15g. Percent daily value (based on a 2,000-calorie diet): vitamin A 15 percent, vitamin C 15 percent, calcium 4 percent, iron 8 percent. Exchanges: 2½ starch, 1 vegetable, 1 very lean meat, 4 fat. Carbohydrate choices: 3.

TASTINGS TONIGHT

The wine will be flowing tonight at the Vincentown Diner in Vincentown, where an annual wine and cheese tasting will feature local products.

Wines from Hopewell Valley Vineyards in Hopewell Township and cheese from Cherry Grove Farm in Lawrence will be served from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at this annual tasting event. The event is free and open to the public.

Playing with cheese

Grownups are free while the charge is $25 for children to participate in a mozzarella-making class Saturday at 2 p.m. at Cherry Grove Farm in Lawrence.

Participants are guided through the steps to stretch curds into mozzarella and can craft a mozzarella sculpture from the freshly made cheese. To register send an e-mail to cherrygroveeducation@gmail.com or call (609) 219-0053.

Visual, culinary arts

The New Jersey Restaurant Association and ArtPride New Jersey Foundation will present “Inspiring Women: A Celebration of the Visual and Culinary Arts” on Monday from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m. in Hospitality House at 126 W. State St. in Trenton.

Proceeds from the event benefit ArtPride, the restaurant association and the National Ovarian Cancer Coalition. Tickets are $50. For more information, call (609) 479-3377, ext. 305 or see the website.

In the restaurants

Eighty-three eateries will participate in Atlantic City Restaurant Week, which begins Sunday and ends March 10. Prix fixe multi-course meals will cost $15.12 for lunch and $33.12 for dinner at participating restaurants, which range from pubs to noodle houses to gourmet dining establishments. For information and a list of participating restaurants see the website.

The Belmar Restaurant Tour will be from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. March 11 with 20 restaurants participating. Restaurants offering samplings will include Nicchio, 10th Avenue Burrito Company, Turnstile and Surf Taco. For information, see their website.

In the farm markets

Times File PhotoFreshly harvested cabbages seem unlikely this time of year, bu that’s exactly what was available last week at the Trenton Farmers Market in Lawrence.

New Jersey’s harvest season continues to look like it may never end. Recently we discovered fresh-pulled beets at the Trenton Farmers Market in Lawrence, and now there’s fresh-picked cabbage.

Cranberry Hall was selling bright green heads of cabbage recently harvested at the Cookstown farm. Apparently the mild winter weather hasn’t been cold enough to freeze the ground solid and damage the hardy vegetables. One farmer also had collard greens.
In addition to beets and cabbage, the Trenton market has white potatoes, sweet potatoes, onions, turnips, parsnips, cranberries, apples and greenhouse lettuces. Also flowers, local cider and honey are available.

Recipe of the week

It’s Leap Day, so there must be recipes to celebrate this once-every-four-years event, right? The answer is yes, but most of them focus on the number four, since that’s how many years we have to wait for each Leap Day. This myrecipes.com recipe for British Toad in the Hole focuses on the leaping part. (Get it? Toads leap.)

Toad in the Hole

Chicken or turkey sausage links (about 1 lb. total)

2 onions, quartered

2 tablespoons olive oil

⅔ cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons grainy mustard

1¼ cups low-fat milk

1. Preheat oven to 475 degrees. Place sausages and onions in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish and toss with oil. Bake until lightly browned, turning once, about 10 minutes.

2. While sausages are baking, whisk flour and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs, mustard and milk in a large measuring cup, add to flour mixture; whisk until smooth. Carefully pour batter into baking dish with sausages and continue to bake until puffed and golden, about 30 minutes longer. Let stand 5 minutes and serve.

Contact Food Notes at syeske@njtimes.com

Follow the Times of Trenton on Twitter.

Article source: http://www.nj.com/times-opinion/index.ssf/2012/02/yeske_from_hamilton_home_to_pi.html

MANITOWOC — The annual Taste of Home Cooking School will return to the Capitol Civic Centre, 913 S. Eighth St., on March 15.

Tickets are on sale and available at the Capitol or by calling (920) 683-2184.

Tickets cost $15 each for main floor or mezzanine tickets and $9 for balcony seating. Vendors, including Fox’s Piggly Wiggly, Copp’s and Festival Foods, will be on hand before the show with samples and booths.

VIP tickets are available for $50 each and include premium seating, a VIP reception with appetizers prior to the show, and a bonus hardcover cookbook. Reception attendees will have a chance to meet culinary specialist Dana Elliott, who will lead the program.

Elliott, who just celebrated her fifth year with Taste of Home, lives near Indianapolis and is a graduate of The Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale in Fort Lauderdale, Fla., according to the Taste of Home website.

“Dana previously instructed post-secondary students on restaurant management and also hosted interactive cooking classes, used as a tool for team building, for large corporations,” her online biography states. She also is a collector of kitchen antiques and enjoys gardening.

Attendees also will receive a “Simple Delicious” special edition cooking school magazine that will allow them to follow along with all of the recipes being cooked on stage. They also will have chances to win national-sponsor door prizes, as well as local door prizes.

Article source: http://www.htrnews.com/article/20120229/MAN0504/202290653

LIVINGSTON, Calif., Feb. 29, 2012 /PRNewswire/ — The West Coast‘s premier Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest is inviting home, amateur and professional chefs to stir up locally-inspired cooking creativity with the call for entries for the third annual Foster Farms Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest (entries accepted beginning February 29). The winner will receive a grand prize of $10,000 plus a one-year supply of Foster Farms fresh chicken*. The deadline to enter is June 3, 2012 at 11:59:59 p.m. PDT.

Foster Farms is encouraging residents of California, Oregon and Washington to submit their favorite, original, fresh chicken recipes for consideration for a chance at the coveted grand prize. Recipes must feature Foster Farms fresh chicken and should be inspired by fresh ingredients grown on the West Coast as a testament to Foster Farms’ commitment to foods that are fresh, locally grown and always natural. The scoring structure will be weighted to reward contestants whose recipes highlight truly fresh and local ingredients. Last year’s winner was a home chef and the 2010 winner was a cooking school student whose win helped launch her culinary career.

“We were impressed by the high quality and creativity of the thousands of entries from last year’s contest,” said Ira Brill, director of marketing services for Foster Farms. “As a longstanding West Coast brand committed to bringing consumers fresh locally grown chicken delivered fresh to their store in 48 hours, we look forward to making this event even bigger and better this year and to inspiring new ways to prepare our locally grown fresh chicken.”  Previous semifinalist recipes have highlighted local produce ranging from Washington apples to California avocados to Oregon’s marionberries and more highlighting the West Coast bounty at the fingertips of today’s food enthusiasts.

Foster Farms will host regional semifinal events in San Diego, Calif., Portland, Ore., and Seattle, Wash., in August and September 2012 where contestants will compete for two spots at the Finals event. The contest culminates with the Finals on September 28, 2012 at The Culinary Institute of America at Greystone in St. Helena, Calif. Entries will be judged by a panel of leading food media and culinary professionals. All events are attended by media and a select number of consumer spectators.

• Fifteen semifinalists – five from each state – will receive $100 and compete in person at regional competitions held at prestigious culinary venues in Seattle (Kathy Casey Food Studios), Portland and San Diego (The International Culinary School at The Art Institute of California – San Diego). Six regional winners – two from each state – will receive $1,000.
• The six regional winners will head to the Finals in St. Helena to compete for the grand prize of $10,000 and a one-year* supply of Foster Farms fresh chicken. The six finalists will receive travel and lodging accommodations in the Napa Valley.
• Special “People’s’ Choice Award” winner will be selected by consumers.

The contest is open to all California, Oregon and Washington residents over the age of 18.

For complete contest rules, please visit www.fosterfarms.com/cookingcontest.  No previous grand prize winners of the Foster Farms Fresh Chicken Cooking Contest are eligible to participate. Entries can be submitted online at www.fosterfarms.com/cookingcontest, by email at cookingcontest@fosterfarms.com or by mail to Foster Farms, Cooking Contest, P.O. Box 306, Livingston, CA 95334.

About Foster Farms

Family-owned and operated, the company continues its legacy of excellence and commitment to quality established by its founders, Max and Verda Foster. Foster Farms specializes in fresh, all natural chicken products free of preservatives, additives or injected sodium enhancers. Based in California’s Central Valley, with ranches also in the Pacific Northwest, the company’s fresh chicken is produced in or near each region served. Foster Farms also produces delicious pre-marinated, ready-to-cook and fully cooked products that meet the quality and convenience needs of today’s home cooks, retailers, warehouse clubs and foodservice customers.

Food safety is Foster Farms’ highest priority and the company reminds consumers to always follow safe handling, preparation and storage guidelines for the preparation of fresh poultry products. All fresh poultry products should be cooked to an internal temperature of 165 degrees F (boneless and ground) and 180 degrees F and 170 degrees F (bone-in: breast and drums; thighs and wings). Visit www.fosterfarms.com to learn more.

* Winner will receive 104 $10 vouchers good for Foster Farms fresh chicken.

Article source: http://finance.yahoo.com/news/call-entries-foster-farms-announces-161600039.html

Classes in home cooking available in March

Lessons in the art of home cooking will be given from 6 to 8 p.m. March 13, 20, and 27 in the Marion City Building kitchen.

Participants will learn about nutrition and saving on food costs while helping to prepare an assortment of foods. Sampling will follow.

The cost is $15 for all three sessions. Register by March 9 by calling the Marion County Extension Office at (620) 382-225 or sending an e-mail to npihl@ksu.edu. Payment is due at the first session.

Article source: http://www.starj.com/direct/cooking_classes_start_in_march+4323home+436f6f6b696e6720636c617373657320737461727420696e204d61726368

Todd English

(with Amanda Haas)

“Cooking in Everyday English:The ABC’s of Great Flavor at Home”

(Oxmoor House, $29.95)

Promise: “With my help, you will become fearless in the kitchen.”

Fine print: Beginners may be a bit scared of “Todd’s pantry” list: 26 dry spices, 44 dry goods (including 7 vinegars, 3 salts, 3 chocolates and 1 cocoa powder); 6 refrigerated items; 5 frozen items.

Take-away points: Knowing how to salt correctly really matters; use A.C.G. — anchovies, capers, garlic — to boost flavors; hone flavor combinations to make dishes shine.

Recipes: 150 recipes. Beautiful full-color photos of finished dishes plus shots of the key flavor ingredients for each dish. Short list of ingredients; simple instructions.

Try it: Zucchini pancakes

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 5 minutes per batch

Makes: 4 servings

From “Cooking in Everyday English:The ABC’s of Great Flavor at Home”

3/4 cup flour

4 teaspoons baking powder

½ to 3/4 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon sugar

4 eggs

3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

2 cups finely shredded, drained zucchini

1. Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Whisk together eggs and olive oil in a separate bowl; stir in zucchini. Add zucchini mixture to the flour mixture, stirring just until dry ingredients are moistened.

2. In batches, pour about 1/4 cup batter for each pancake onto a hot, lightly greased griddle or large nonstick skillet. Cook pancakes until tops are covered with bubbles, and edges look dry and cooked, 4-5 minutes; turn and cook other side. Transfer pancakes to a warm plate, spreading each with butter. Top with Greek yogurt, basil pesto or roasted tomatoes, if you like.

Nutrition information:

Per serving: 259 calories, 15 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 211 mg cholesterol, 22 g carbohydrates, 9 g protein, 730 mg sodium, 1 g fiber.

Mario Batali

“Molto Batali: Simple Family Meals From My Home to Yours”

(Ecco, $29.99)

Promise: “We surrender to nature and love the seasons’ changes, much more than we attempt to conquer and challenge them.”

Fine print: Batali follows the calendar cooking Italian. Good in-depth glossary of ingredients but words like “trenette,” “ribollita,” “umido” and “cartoccio” crop up often without translation. Authentic? Si. Understandable to the average cook? Non sempre (not always).

Take-away points: Eat less protein, more vegetables and grains. While each chapter offers enough for a celebratory blowout meal for up to 12 people, you can pare down the menu. Recipes can be halved or quartered. Flexibility counts in the kitchen.

Recipes: 120 recipes. Each chapter features a main dish, pastas, veggies and desserts. Ingredients and directions accessible to most; vivid photography of the finished dishes in a home-style setting.

Try it: Neapolitan-style broccoli

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 15 minutes

Makes: 8 to 10 servings

From “Molto Batali: Simple Family Meals From My Home to Yours”

2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

1 red onion, chopped in 1/4-inch dice

4 cloves garlic, thinly-sliced

2 ½ pounds broccoli cut into 2-inch spears, stems peeled and cut in 2-inch pieces

1 tablespoon hot red pepper flakes

½ teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

1. Combine oil and onion in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Cook over medium heat until the onions are softened, not browned. Add garlic; cook, 1 minute. Add broccoli; stir to coat with onion mixture. Cook over high heat, stirring so that the mixture does not scorch, 8 minutes. If it gets too hot, add cool water, 2 to 3 tablespoons at a time, to slow it down.

2. When broccoli is tender, add red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper to taste; stir well. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Nutrition information:

Per serving (for 10 servings): 71 calories, 6 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 10 g carbohydrates, 3 g protein, 165 mg sodium, 4 g fiber.

Jean-Georges Vongerichten (with Genevieve Ko)

“Home Cooking With Jean-Georges: My Favorite Simple Recipes”

(Clarkson Potter, $40)

Promise: “Relaxing with my family is just about the best thing that’s happened to my cooking in a long time. I hope you’ll feel the same way cooking from this book.”

Fine print: The dishes Vongerichten cooks at his country home are “decidedly simple and unfussy.” Still, dinner gets its due with “large platters of foods meant to he shared.” Doable recipes but remember, quality is key to simplicity.

Take-away points: Home-cooked meals require the same “intricate balance of flavors and textures” as restaurant meals. A number of recipes have intriguing Asian touches.

Recipes: 100 recipes, clearly written, with an emphasis on fresh, seasonal ingredients.

Try it: Crab toasts with sriracha mayonnaise

Prep: 20 minutes

Makes: 4 servings

4 slices sourdough bread

3 tablespoons sriracha mayonnaise, see recipe

8 ounces picked lump crabmeat, drained, patted dry

Crushed red chili flakes

Toast bread until golden brown; cut each slice into 2-inch pieces. Gently fold sriracha mayonnaise into crabmeat until well mixed. Spoon mixture into a serving bowl; garnish with chili flakes. Serve with lemon wedges and toasts.

Nutrition information:

Per serving: 326 calories, 10 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 74 mg cholesterol, 37 g carbohydrates, 21 g protein, 699 mg sodium, 2 g fiber.

Sriracha mayonnaise: Whisk together 1 egg yolk, 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard, ½ teaspoon kosher salt until well blended. While whisking, pour in 3/4 cup grapeseed or other neutral oil in a slow, steady stream to emulsify the mixture. Whisk in 1 tablespoon lemon juice and 2 teaspoons sriracha hot sauce until well blended. Alternately, blend ingredients in a blender until emulsifed. Refrigerate up to 2 days. Makes 1 cup

Note: Use pasteurized eggs if you are concerned about the slight risk of salmonella being present in raw eggs. Sriracha is a Thai hot sauce; look for it among Asian ingredients in the supermarket or in Asian groceries; you may sub another hot sauce, but be careful about the heat level and about adding too much acid from vinegar-based sauces.

John Besh

“My Family Table: A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking”

(Andrews McMeel, $35)

Promise: Spending time away from home on various projects made Besh realize that he should “focus instead on spreading the message of cooking and eating with family and friends. That’s why I am writing this book.”

Fine print: Dishes are comforting, classic — all designed to get you into the kitchen. Opening chapter features dishes you can make with whatever proteins or veggies you have on hand. Smart idea. Recipes larded with charming family photographs and anecdotes.

Take away points: Cook with the best ingredients. Plan ahead; stock your kitchen so you’re ready for almost anything. Flavor needn’t be sacrificed for simplicity.

Recipes: 140 recipes grouped into various scenarios, from “Sunday Supper” to a “Jazz Brunch” to quick suppers for “School Nights.” Southern dishes are sprinkled throughout.

Try it: Curried anything (Eggplant and chicken curry)

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 25 minutes

Makes: 8 servings

From “My Family Table: A Passionate Plea for Home Cooking”

2 tablespoons butter

1 eggplant, unpeeled, diced

1 piece (2 inches long) fresh ginger, peeled, minced (about 2 tablespoons)

2 green onions, chopped

2 cloves garlic, crushed

2 teaspoons Madras curry powder, see note

1 summer squash, diced

1 potato, peeled, diced

1 can (13 ½ ounces) coconut milk

1 ½ cups chicken broth

1/4 teaspoon sambal chili paste

2 cups chopped cooked chicken

1/4 teaspoon salt

Freshly ground pepper

4 cups cooked rice

1. Melt butter in a large saucepan over high heat; add eggplant. Cook until soft, about 10 minutes. Add the ginger, green onions and garlic. Sprinkle with the curry powder; toast for a moment. Add the squash and potatoes, stirring to coat them with the spices.

2. Continue to stir for a few minutes; add the coconut milk, broth and chili paste. Heat to a gentle boil; reduce heat. Simmer, 15 minutes. Add the chicken; cook until warmed through. Season with the salt and pepper to taste; serve over rice.

Note: Madras is a hotter style of curry powder. You may use any curry powder here.

Nutrition information:

Per serving: 305 calories, 14 g fat, 11 g saturated fat, 26 mg cholesterol, 34 g carbohydrates, 12 g protein, 250 mg sodium, 4 g fiber

Article source: http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/2012/02/29/1951128/back-in-the-kitchen.html

February 29, 2012

Taste of Home Cooking School approaching quickly

Tickets still available

Anonymous


Stillwater NewsPress
The Stillwater News Press

Wed Feb 29, 2012, 11:12 AM CST

STILLWATER, Okla. —
Tickets are still available for the Taste of Home Cooking School.

The school will be Thursday in the Wes Watkins Center at Oklahoma State University. Doors will open for the exhibits at 4:30 p.m., and the show will start at 6:30 p.m.

Taste of Home Culinary Specialist Jamie Dunn will lead the show. The OSU grad also taught last year’s school in Stillwater, which was sold out.

Tickets for the show are $10 in advance and $12 at the door. Tickets are available at the Stillwater NewsPress, 211 W. Ninth Ave. VIP tickets, which give holders the opportunity to attend a pre-show reception to meet Dunn and have hors d’oeuvres and refreshments and sit in the front rows during the show, are $35. Only 50 VIP tickets will be sold.

Some VIP tickets are still available, Stillwater NewsPress Advertising Director Ann Blunt said. She advised people to buy their tickets early to ensure they get seats.

The Stillwater NewsPress will donate $1 from each ticket sold to the Mission of Hope homeless shelter. After the 2011 show, the NewsPress gave the shelter $675.

Recipes in the show will be Peanut Butter Cheesecake; Asparagus Strudel; Grilled Chicken in Mango Chipotle Mojo; Mushroom Tacos with Salsa Verde; Johnsonville Italian Meatballs; Ortega Taco Casserole; Emeril’s New Orleans Garlic Chicken; Mexican Shrimp Bisque; Grilled Chicken, Pesto and Two-cheese Naan Pizza; and Chocolate Strawberry Shortcakes.

A limited number of some of Taste of Home’s cookbooks will be for sale. After the show, those who buy cookbooks can take them on stage, where Dunn will sign them. Cookbooks for sale will be “Taste of Home Baking Cookbook,” “Taste of Home Sandwiches, Wraps More!,” “Taste of Home Quick Cooking,” “Taste of Home Diet Comfort Food,” “Taste of Home Busy Family Favorites,” “Taste of Home Diabetic Cookbook,” “Taste of Home Volume 3,” “Taste of Home Cooking School Cookbook,” “Taste of Home Breakfast” and “Taste of Home Desserts.”

Text Only

Article source: http://www.stwnewspress.com/local/x2054919327/Taste-of-Home-Cooking-School-approaching-quickly

On busy weeknights, we take our dinner shortcuts wherever we can find them. But this doesn’t require sacrificing healthy home cooking.

Make smart choices — as in this recipe for red curry potatoes and chickpeas — and you can have a great from-scratch dinner on the table in under 30 minutes.

The potatoes are a great example. I speed up the cooking by microwaving them for 5 minutes before adding them to the pan. This saves a little time at the stove, requires no extra effort and doesn’t compromise the flavor or texture of the finished dish.

I also turn to jarred Thai red curry paste to provide the bulk of the flavor for the dish. This widely available paste (check the grocer’s international aisle) packs big, bold flavor that has kick, but not a lot of heat. And it marries perfectly with starchy ingredients, such as the potatoes and chickpeas.

And for deep, lush and totally effortless flavor, I use canned coconut milk for the liquid. Looking to cut fat? Don’t hesitate to use low-fat coconut milk. It won’t be quite so lush, but the flavors will still be great.

To make the meal even more substantial (and to stretch it to feed six people), add the meat from a rotisserie chicken at the same time as the potatoes.

Red Curry Potatoes and Chickpeas

Makes 4 servings

3 large Yukon Gold potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks

1/4 cup water

1 teaspoon ground cumin

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 can (15-ounce) coconut milk

1 tablespoon Thai red curry paste

1 can (15-ounce) chickpeas, drained

1 small red onion, thinly sliced

Salt and ground black pepper, to taste

1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro

1 teaspoon cider or white vinegar

2 scallions, finely chopped

1. In a medium microwave-safe bowl, combine the potatoes and water. Microwave on high until the potatoes are partly cooked, about 5 minutes.

2. Meanwhile, in a large dry saute pan over medium-high, toast the cumin and cinnamon for 1 minute. Add the coconut milk and curry paste, then bring to a simmer.

3. Add the chickpeas and red onion, then return to a simmer. Once the potatoes have partly cooked in the microwave, add them to the pan, toss, then cover, reduce heat to low and simmer for 12 minutes.

4. Season with salt and pepper, then stir in the cilantro and vinegar. Serve topped with scallions.

Nutrition information per serving (values are rounded to the nearest whole number): 520 calories; 220 calories from fat (40 percent of total calories); 24 g fat (20 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 0 mg cholesterol; 68 g carbohydrate; 13 g protein; 12 g fiber; 560 mg sodium.

Article source: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/foodwine/2017610200_web29redcurry.html

View full sizeExpress-Times File Photo | MICHAEL BUCKJaclyn Ditaranto is led out of the Nazareth police station in December 2011.A 21-year-old Nazareth woman accused of cooking methamphetamine in her home last year was returned Tuesday to Northampton County Prison after a district judge revoked her bail for allegedly failing a drug test and skipping other drug tests.

Jaclyn Ditaranto, of the 100 block of West North Street, failed a drug test and did not appear for several others since she was released from the county prison on $500 bail Jan. 7, according to Christopher Kovalchik, director of county pretrial services.

District Judge John Capobianco raised Ditaranto’s bail to $25,000 with a 10 percent option. She had not posted it late Tuesday, according to online records.

Ditaranto cried throughout the hearing and protested the new bail, saying she can’t afford it.

“I’ve already done a month in prison and been publicly humiliated on trumped-up charges,” Ditaranto said.

As a condition of her release from prison last month, she was required to submit to weekly drug and alcohol screenings, Kovalchik said.

Since being released, Ditaranto tested positive for amphetamines for the one screening she attended, Kovalchik said.

Defense attorney Dwight Danser said Ditaranto indicated she takes Adderall, an amphetamine-based medication, which could explain the positive result on the drug screening. Ditaranto also had difficulty paying for the drug and alcohol screenings, Danser said.

“That’s not an absolute excuse, but it is an explanation for why she didn’t appear,” Danser said.

Kovalchik said she didn’t submit a prescription that would account for the positive test.

Capobianco expressed concern for Ditaranto’s well-being.

“I think she would appear for court, but I’m just concerned about whether she would be alive,” Capobianco said. “She’s in bad shape. I’d feel much better knowing she’s going somewhere tonight where she’ll be safe.”

Ditaranto was arrested Dec. 14 after Nazareth police searched her home and found cooking devices, a plastic bladder, cold medicine, needles and small plastic bags, according to court records. Police also found a spoon with white residue on it, records said.

Ditaranto is charged with manufacture of a controlled substance, recklessly endangering another person and possession of drug paraphernalia.

Ditaranto’s preliminary hearing was continued at the request of Assistant District Attorney James Augustine to give him time to secure an expert witness to testify regarding the drug manufacturing charge against Ditaranto.

A new preliminary hearing date has not yet been determined.

Article source: http://www.lehighvalleylive.com/nazareth/index.ssf/2012/02/bail_revoked_for_alleged_meth.html