Cindy Inloes made the “reindeer noses” with various flavors of hershey kisses placed on top of pretzel rounds, slightly melted in a microwave oven and then pressed down with a colorful m&m for the nose.

We enjoyed the variety with coffee or tea and conversation.   Later, we all left on sugar highs, wishing all a wonderful holiday season.

Add this post to your favorite social networking site:

An Early Thanksgiving Dinner

As usual, Myrna’s annual November Turkey group was a gastronomic success.   Thirteen members attended with assorted side dishes and desserts.  John and Myrna cooked the turkey, stuffing and gravy;  they also provided appetizers and wine for the meal.

Guests brought two unique stuffing dishes, pumpkin raviolis, jello salad, fruited cranberry sauce, Brussels sprouts, mashed cauliflower, gratin potatoes, and a corn casserole.   As if this was not enough, three desserts appeared on our plates – a pumpkin brownie, a pumpkin cake-pie, and a three-tiered cake.

Leftovers were shared and packaged up and we all waddled to our cars and made plans to exercise more this weekend.

Add this post to your favorite social networking site:

Read the Article

October 2011 Cooking Group

Add this post to your favorite social networking site:

Muchas gracias” to Pat S. for hosting the Mexican themed luncheon and for making wonderful margaritas!

Ten of us had a great time and good food. We started out with Myrna’s Gazpacho Andalus – a different take on regular gazpacho and Susan brought a healthy corn/bean/tomato/avocado salsa salad.

Entrees included Jan’s wonderful Chile Relleno casserole, Gloria’s slow-cooker Bean Chili with Cornbread Topping, Christine’s Chicken Swiss Enchilada casserole, and Barbara’s unique butternut squash Enchiladas. For dessert, we had Jo’s Pumpkin Flan and cute little “corn-cob” cupcakes from Cheryl and Lee.

It was a lovely warm afternoon and we were all able to eat outside in Pat’s lovely backyard. Of course, then we all had to walk home to work off the calories! (Not!)

Mexican Food Luncheon Pics

Add this post to your favorite social networking site:

The Mad Hatter tea party at Nancy’s was great fun with so many original ideas and wonderful goodies to eat with our tea.  There were parrots, pearls, velvet, feathers, flowers (lots of silk ones as well as some fresh from the garden) and even a fan hat and a very creative Princess Beatrice hat with fresh flowers.

We were all on our best behavior but the tea must have had special powers cause we were all having a great time when we finished! Please join us for our monthly cooking group and consider hosting a lunch, you get to choose your theme.

Nancy

Add this post to your favorite social networking site:

On Friday, April 29^th, 2011 – the San Ramon Valley Newcomers Cooking Group enjoyed an Italian themed luncheon hosted by Jo Jamieson.   Red, white and green décor was blended with several Andrea Bocelli DVDs for additional background flavor.

Jo did a “hands-on” potato gnocchi demonstration & several members helped roll the gnocchi to place the grooves onto the dough packets, so the sauce would adhere.

After the demo, 12 members enjoyed appetizers of marinated mushrooms, artichoke dip, bruschetta, and prosciutto wrapped melon.  We all sampled a wonderful Italian sausage and pasta soup.  Gnocchi and eggplant parmesan were enjoyed with tasty garlic bread & Caesar salad.   Prosecco and Italian sodas were available to wash it all down!

To end our bacchanalia, coffee accompanied dessert, which included two cakes, an Italian Cassata and a Strawberry Meringue creation.    Members said “chow” and looked forward to the next cooking group meeting.

Add this post to your favorite social networking site:

The supplement is at the printers now.  The recipes will be added to your existing cookbook.  We still have some of the original cookbooks available for sale at $10.00.  Call Sharyn Rossi 361-6121, if you need any.

The recipes have a 2010 twist and are easy to prepare and lighter in calories.  Look for more information within the next couple of months in the newsletter and on the web page.

Add this post to your favorite social networking site:

March 26, 2010 at 12:00

Foods from the 50′s will be featured (Tuna Casserole, Cole Slaw, Baked Beans, Jello Mold, Chocolate Cake, Chips with Onion Dip)  Let’s have a Blast from the Past.

Give Sharyn Rossi a call (361-6121)  if you are coming and dress in your favorite 50′s outfit. Jeans rolled up with bobby socks, pony tails – all that fun stuff.

1171 Stoney Creek Drive, San Ramon

Cook Book Update:  Should be available by May.

Add this post to your favorite social networking site:

What a great time we had Friday 2/22 at cooking. My husband, John, made our favorite Bolognese sauce and I made the antipasta and sangria. Avoiding getting loopy, we all feasted and talked and laughed all afternoon. We had 12 at our extended dining room table, but knee to knee and elbow to elbow-it didn’t matter. Our group is so much fun, and we hope it keeps getting larger (not the belly lol). Please join us next month at Candice Hovland’s home for Casseroles ( the last of the winter comfort food.) Fondly-Myrna

Meat Sauce Bolognese

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
1 medium yellow onion, minced (about 1 cup)
1 medium carrot, peeled and finely chopped (about ½ cup)
½ cup minced celery, with leaves (about 1 stalk)
Salt (not much)
1 pound ground beef (80% lean)
1 pound ground pork
½ cup dry red wine
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 28oz can San Marzano tomatoes, hand crushed
3 bay leaves
Ground black pepper
4 cups hot water, or as needed

Heat the olive oil in a wide, 3-4 quart pan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in the onion, carrot, and celery, season lightly with salt, and cook, stirring, until the onion is translucent, about 4 minutes. Crumble in the ground beef and pork and continue coking, stirring to break up the meat, until all the liquid the meat has given off is evaporated and the meat is lightly browned, about 10 minutes. Pour in the wine and cook, scraping the bottom of the pan, until the wine is evaporated, 3 to 4 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook a few minutes. Pour in the tomatoes, toss in the bay leaves, and season with salt and pepper to taste (not too much).

Bring to a boil; then lower the heat so the sauce is at a lively simmer. Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, until the sauce is dense but juicy and a rich, dark-red color. (Most likely, a noticeable layer of oil will float to the top toward the end of cooking.) This will take about 2 to 3 hours. (The longer you cook it, the better it will become.) While the sauce is cooking, add hot water as necessary to keep the meats and vegetables covered. The oil can be removed with a spoon or reincorporated in the sauce, which is what is done traditionally.

One recipe creates enough sauce to dress about 1 ½ pounds of pasta (about 6 cups of sauce).

Melting Pot Sangria

Fill a pitcher ¼ full of ice

Then put in:

¼ of an orange
¼ of a lemon
¼ of a lime
5 ounces triple sec
5 ounces brandy
5 ounces sugar water
5 ounces orange juice
20 ounces of red wine (Carlo Rossi Burgundy is good)

Top with ice.

Add this post to your favorite social networking site:

3 cups    sharp cheddar cheese                      4             eggs

1 lb.       lean pork sausage                            2 cups     milk

5 slices  firm white bread                              3/4 tsp.    salt

butter                                                             3/4 tsp.    chili powder

4 oz.      chopped mild green chilies               1/4   tsp.    pepper

 Lightly butter bread on one side and cut into 1/2 inch cubes.

In a large frying pan brown pork sausage over medium-high heat and drain off excess fat.  Sprinkle half the bread cubes evenly in bottom of a buttered baking dish (about 7 by 11 inches).  Sprinkle with half the shredded cheese and half the can of green chilies.  Cover with sausage. Top with remaining bread cubes, cheese and chilies.

Beat together eggs, milk and seasonings and pour evenly over bread.  Cover tightly and chill overnight or at least 8 hours.  Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour or until golden brown and set in center.  Let stand for 10 to 15  minutes before serving.  Makes 6 to 8 servings.

Add this post to your favorite social networking site: