Category: Cooking Classes

Oh yes, I know and I apologize… it’s been pretty quiet here on the blog but I’ve been a very, very busy bee and no, it doesn’t have anything to do with Christmas, as I am trying to avoid thinking too much about it!

Instead, I’ve been doing a lot of cooking and baking! This past weekend’s classes were great, the kids on Saturday at Minds in Motion were wonderful and it was another successful class. On Sunday, I taught my first adult class and the ladies were amazing and so much fun! We made a lot of yummy food and some Apple Cider Sangria (without the wine, unfortunately). In any case, you should know that Food Jules was in the news again…. there is a short clip on the Monroe Patch about the Minds in Motion workshops where you’ll see me working with the kids in the cooking workshop and you’ll see Lilliana enjoying her Wild Weather workshop. We were also featured in today’s Monroe Courier, you’ll find a large unpleasant photo of me on page 8 and you’ll see Lilliana digging for archeological artifacts on the front page! The only one that wasn’t in the news was Lucas 😦 but maybe next time.

Well, I should tell you that there will be some delicious treats at Food Works tomorrow (Fri, Dec 9th), starting with these melt in your mouth, Oatmeal Cranberry Chocolate Chip Cookies, Apple Pie Crumb Muffins, Pumpkin Pie Muffins and Cranberry Orange Scones, all organic and made with whole grain ingredients! So, stop in tomorrow to pick up all your yummy goodies for the weekend.

For those of you who are new to Food Jules, every Friday, we deliver freshly baked goodies to our local Food Works in Monroe. This week’s specials are…. CRANBERRY NUT MUFFINS and APPLE PIE CRUMB MUFFINS as well as some SNOWBALL COOKIES! Stop over at FoodWorks on Friday, 12/2 for your yummy treats but hurry, these baked goodies go very quickly!

Also, some reminders for this weekend…. Food Jules will be teaching a Kids Cooking Workshop on Saturday at Masuk High School as part of the Minds in Motion program. The students will be cooking some Nutritious and Delicious Snacks!

On Sunday, I’ll be at the EWML teaching my first adult cooking class, where we’ll be making some Favorite Holiday Hors d’oeuvres and sipping some Mocktails.

I know, doesn’t it all look so very yummy? Plus, we’ll be making Shrimp Cakes, one of my new recipes as well as Crab Stuffed Mushrooms. DELISH!

 

 

Food Jules is honored to announce that we will be teaching a kids cooking workshop at this year’s annual Minds in Motion program, sponsored by The Connecticut Association for the Gifted.This year’s workshops will be held at Masuk High School in Monroe, CT on Saturday, December 3rd from 12:30-4:00pm.

Minds in Motion is designed to enrich and encourage curious and enthusiastic students, stimulating young minds and helping kids develop interest in a variety of topics. Food Jules will be hosting two cooking workshops for grade 2-3. Sign up online. Registration ends on November 22nd.

 

Yesterday, I was back in the classroom with my amazing students from our Arts & Imagination Food Jules Cooking Class. It’s been a couple weeks since we’ve been together with the week off due to the snowstorm and last Tuesday being Julian’s birthday. It was so refreshing to be back in the classroom and as soon as I saw the kids coming in to start our session, I was so excited to see them. I had missed my kids!

We continued our “Nutritious and Delicious” theme  with healthy and great tasting snacks. My very talented and sweet students made fresh Hummus, which we used for our Hummus and Cucumber Sandwiches, Apple and Cheddar Mini-Quiches, Granola for our Yogurt Parfaits and finally, a slightly sweet yet good for you, Pumpkin Pecan Scones. Yes, I always include a muffin or scone as part of a snack mix!

Yet again, everything was delicious and they ate it all up! Our scone team even made two batches so that they would have some to take home and share with their families! The students are all so considerate, always packing up some extras (if there are any) or saving some from their own plates, so they can bring home to share with their brothers, sisters, mothers and/or fathers. It is the sweetest thing ever! They are so proud of their hard work and are excited to share it with their loved ones. Us, adults, can learn a lot from our children!

I’m looking forward to next week…. when we cook Nutritious and Delicious Dinner! Until then, listen to your kids, appreciate all of their hard work (it’s not easy being a kid or an adult for that matter!), all of their accomplishments, their generosity, their sweetness, their innocence and most of all, enjoy their unconditional love!

The kids cooking classes at the library have been a huge hit. So much so, that they’ve asked me to conduct an adult and a teen cooking class.

The first ever adult cooking class will be held at the EWML library on Sunday, December 4th from 2-3:30. The theme for the class will be Holiday Hors  d’oeuvres. You will learn how to make delicious appetizers for your holiday gatherings or any other parties, while enjoying the company of friends.

Classes fill up very quickly so sign up online TODAY!

The Arts & Imagination cooking classes at Stepney Elementary have been wonderful. Today, I noticed the kids are getting into a routine and are more comfortable with what they need to do, how to work in teams and they have done a great job at “taking over the kitchen”.

These kids and all of my students at the library and other events, really should be proud of everything that they are learning. I hope they continue to enjoy the variety of food the world has to offer and that they are no longer afraid to try something new. We aren’t making pizza or macaroni and cheese in this class, we are making “real” food, from artichoke dip to breakfast burritos to black bean burgers. They are eating well in this class and the proof is in the leftovers (there aren’t any)!

Not to say that pizza and macaroni and cheese isn’t real food, but I am trying to show them there is so much great food out there, so much that is both nutritious and delicious. There is a lot of variety out there and they should know it, they should see it, they should cook it, they should EAT IT!

Our theme for this six week semester is NUTRITIOUS AND DELICIOUS. Last Tuesday, we made Nutritious and Delicious Starters (Appetizers). The kids made Chicken Empanadas (from scratch), Spinach and Cheese Fillo Shells and Artichoke Dip. Today, we had Nutritious and Delicious Breakfast and made Apple Pancakes, Pumpkin Muffins and Breakfast Burritos with homemade, fresh salsa.

What I find so fulfilling from these classes, is that the kids start by saying things like “I don’t like artichokes” or “I can’t eat that because I don’t like sour cream and there’s sour cream in that” or “Do I have to eat that”. Well, as any of my students will tell you, they have to eat everything, at least give it a bite or two and you know what, they are always pleasantly surprised. We rate all the food we eat and I hear a lot of fives! (5 is exceptional). Let me repeat, I do not cook any of these recipes. I simply test them on my own at home, write them down and get the pantry filled with all the items they need for the recipe. They do it all! I am there to answer questions, guide them along the process, correct their mistakes when they think TBLSP means teaspoon, etc. It’s a lot of fun. They really do take charge and that’s what’s so cool about this whole experience.

Until next week… when we cook up Nutritious and Delicious Lunch! Your kids can also benefit from our cooking classes. Sign up today for your “Learning to cook with Food Jules cooking class”. We offer after school programs, scout workshops, birthday parties and other cooking events. Just send me an email at liz@foodjules.com.

By the way, sorry for the lack of pictures. I know the posts would look a lot nicer with some photos, but I just don’t have the time. Besides, I am a terrible photographer!

SIDE NOTE: I found this in an article I was reading and thought I should share. Let me know your thoughts on this subject.

“The idea of kids cooking in the kitchen may terrify adults with concern about those sharp knives, potential food poisoning, and the resulting messy kitchen. But, there are simple and easy recipes for kids which they can accomplish without causing a big fuss. According to WebMD, cooking with kids has many benefits, from encouraging picky eaters to helping children learn about healthy food choices.

Eating a balanced meal is an important part of helping children develop strong bodies and healthy minds. Having family dinners is one way to encourage kids to make good food decisions and for adults to model positive eating habits. By cooking a meal with kids from start to finish they use basic math skills, hone their fine-motor skills, and learn about how to create a complete and nourishing feast.”