MONDAY OCTOBER 19TH
GOING WITH THE GRAIN: SEPHARDI SOUPS.
In each of the following soups, the star is none other than the grain itself. Delightful and a snap to prepare: Cook soup like a pro, in no time and quite inexpensively, even for dessert!
Fava bean soup; barley soup; cracked buckwheat soup; chick pea soup; dessert steel-cut oat soup.

MONDAY OCTOBER 26TH
THE ART OF ITALIAN DINING.
A real showcase of glorious Italian flavors, including pizza in all its glory, and an outrageous dessert.
Spinach zucchini soup; pizza puttanesca; wild mushroom risotto; tomato and artichoke salad with roasted garlic balsamic dressing; ricotta chocolate cake.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 2ND
PLAYING WITH CHOCOLATE
I have long since stopped trying to pretend we can play down the importance of chocolate in our lives, and so should you: It’s here to stay, and it’s healthy and good for you, finally an addiction we can readily confess to, so let’s enjoy it responsibly: These treats are so much fun to make. For our junior guests we will skip the racy vodka drink and make much tamer drinks instead.
Chocolate “salami”; chocolate-dipped fruit; chocolate espresso vodka; chocolate pumpkin muffins; chocolate coconut tart; chocolate peanut butter cookies; homemade hot chocolate mix.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 9TH
SUPER FOODS SUPER FEAST
Have you heard I am working on my next cook book, as yet unnamed, on the subject of super foods? I can’t tell you how exciting this book will be, written with a major nutritionist, chock full of beautiful pictures. I am including a chapter on a dear friend of mine who lost almost unbelievable amounts of weight, without dieting, just by eating whole foods, and who is sharing her story in this book.
Chicken with carrots and turnips; cabbage corn dill strudel; rice with grated vegetables, seaweed and sprouts; kabocha, leeks and sweet potato soup; lemon coconut mousse.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 16TH
THANKSGIVING
Let all those food magazines talk about the stress of making a Thanksgiving meal: Really, what’s the big deal? Those of us who make weekly shabbos meals for crowds just can’t get what all the commotion is all about! Try this menu: Fabulous and cheap to boot!
Corn chowder; herb-roasted capon with maple glaze; wild rice chestnut sausage stuffing; baked pumpkin, apples and plantains; chocolate terrine with cranberry coulis and lace cookies.

SALAD BAR WORKSHOP
Ok, y’all, we are setting up an island in the classroom for the following two classes, and we are all working together, with yours truly as your encouraging guide, and having fun mixing and matching all our salad ingredients, our toppings, our dressings in endless permutations. I assure you you will take salad quite seriously after this, whether for first course, main course or dessert. The menus will be created right on the spot, with the great array of ingredients displayed.

MONDAY NOVEMBER 23RD
PART 1: SALAD BAR, DAIRY

MONDAY NOVEMBER 30TH
PART 2: SALAD BAR, MEAT

MONDAY DECEMBER 7TH
BEYOND LATKAS: FRITTERS INTERNATIONAL
Channukah, time for a quick fling with fried treats, the foods we love to hate. We will explore more exotic fried food traditions, and learn very useful frying tips in the process.
Giant potato latka; Kubeh with lamb and mushrooms; Indian vegetable bread; vegetable latkas; wild rice corn pancakes; apple pear fritters.

MONDAY DECEMBER 21ST
SUSHI AND OTHER ASIAN FINGER FOODS
Beautiful to look at, delicious to eat, and fun to make: You will look like a pro using all the wonderful gamut of Asian ingredients widely available.
Tuna tartare in cucumber cups; nori hand rolls; summer rolls with peanut butter dipping sauce; mock crab salad in wonton cups; vegetable sushi rolls; seared tuna with avocado and wasabi oil.

MONDAY DECEMBER 28TH
VEGETARIAN INDIAN TREATS
You may wonder, how on earth do Indians make that ethereal paper thin and crisp crepe called dosa, which they wrap around scrumptious fillings? The answer, and much more, is in the preparation of this feast.
Vegetable dosa; Mulligatawny; coconut chutney; jasmine rice; mango lassi; chai; raita; toasted noodle almond pudding.

MONDAY JANUARY 4TH
FISH COOKERY
What a shame we let fish so often intimidate us! Here is your chance to be more adventurous with it, whatever kind or cooking method you choose to go with. Quick and streamlined yet elegant.
Tuna burgers with all toppings; tilapia “crab” sausages; salmon coulibiac; cod Swiss chard fennel stew; fish soup.

MONDAY JANUARY 11TH
MOROCCAN FEAST
It is not for nothing that Moroccan food is listed among the world’s greatest cuisines: Two bites and you know why! Simplicity, elegance and healthfulness all rolled in one.
Pea soup; chicken with haricots verts; tilapia with lemon caper sauce; spicy chick pea lettuce salad; fillo almond pastries.

MONDAY JANUARY 18TH
A LA FRANCAISE
Spend a wonderful evening with a few French classics and some wine to go with dinner! By the way, my Boeuf Bourguignon has been included in Joan’s Schwartz’s charming book, innocently called “Meat and potatoes”.
Potato leek soup; beef bourguignon; celery root remoulade; mushroom vol-au-vent; apple flan with caramel sauce

MONDAY JANUARY 25TH
COOKING WITH FRUIT
In honor of Tu b’Shvat, and way beyond. To say that fruit is versatile doesn’t begin to describe how resourceful it makes you as a cook, and what exciting dishes you can prepare using them for any course.
Roasted salmon with mango papaya sauce; beef and pears stew; carrot salad with apples, raisins and cashews; date nut bread; Fruit compote with “yogurt”.

COOKING FOR BEGINNERS - FROM NEWLYWEDS TO EMPTY NESTERS
I am running this series yet again, in response to countless requests. The following four demos are nothing short of your survival guide for eating well, in good health and in style, for every occasion and without stress whatsoever, and best of all, even if you have no knowledge of cooking. It will answer in full all your anxious questions: where do I get it, how do I freeze it, what can I make ahead of time, what can I pack to work, what goes with what, how do I cut this or peel that, how do I reheat, and much more. We are running this series as a workshop, so all are welcome to get their hands-on! I take great pleasure in turning both novice and experienced-but-reluctant cooks into pros!

MONDAY FEBRUARY 1ST
PART 1: BREAKFAST
Smoothies, crepes, hot cereal, muffins, omelets.

MONDAY FEBRUARY 8th
PART 2: LUNCH
Salad, pasta, fish, grilled vegetables, ice coffee, ice tea, lemonade, brownies.

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 16TH
PART 3: DINNER
Chicken cutlets, London broil, rice, salad, mixed drinks, cookies.

MONDAY FEBRUARY 22ND
PART 4: SHABBOS
Heath salad, cholent, poached salmon, roast chicken, kugel, carrot cake.

TUESDAY MARCH 2ND
SPELT BAKING
You may already know my motto, which I use extensively in my new line: Enjoy spelt: low in gluten, high in fiber, high in protein, high in flavor: how can you wrong?
Challah, Italian bread, herb foccacia, babka, muffins, chocolate chip cookies.

MONDAY MARCH 15TH
SEDER FEAST
Knock their socks off without knocking yourself out: that’s the idea, especially on Seder night!
Wild mushroom soup; lamb tajine with lemon thyme sauce; poached salmon with tomato basil sauce; chilled tricolor vegetable terrine; mixed greens with avocado mint dressing; orange almond cake.

ARCHIVES:
Check out our previous schedules for menu ideas
May 2009 through September 2009
September 2008 through March 2009
May 2008 through September 2008
October 2007 through April 2008
April 2007 through September 2007
October 2006 through March 2007
March 2006 through September 2006
October 2005 through March 2006
May 2005 through September 2005