Party while you cook!!

Good Morning!!  A couple of weeks ago I had my monthly “Rendezvous”, it is a time when I invite everyone and anyone to my home to see and share new ideas about cooking. Of course, the Demarle products take center stage, but the focus is more on how to make cooking fun and easier! We have novice to experienced cooks and it is great to see everyone sharing ideas, eating food and having fun.

We had a salt tasting, it was interesting that each salt made the food taste different!

Bolivian Rose Sea Salt

The new Mediteranean Balsamic Vinegar, yum!!

Home made Caramel Sauce, oh so delicious!!!

Home made French bread

Dipping oil for bread and veggies

We had some of the Chicken Angeline out of the new cookbook, artichoke hearts and mushrooms with a white wine sauce. VERY good!!

 I love the experience of cooking food, especially with other people. I think that it is an experience, and like food, something to savor and enjoy. My last couple of “Rendezvous” have been very enjoyable for me and many of the guests commented that they had "so much fun, I wish I would have come sooner". Yeah!! That is what I want to do, help people to learn, or remind them, that cooking is meant to be savored and enjoyed!!

 If you live in the area please be sure to stop by one of these months and join us! It is great to exchange ideas, recipes, and experiences. I ALWAYS learn something new and I have met some great new friends (and old ones too). Cooking is something that is meant to be enjoyed, not just a “necessary evil”. I truly believe that EVERYONE can enjoy cooking!
If you still aren’t too sure about that, then please contact me and I would love to help you on your journey to LOVING cooking!!!

This is from December, the Honey Oat bread on the right was Yummy!!

Cooking 2gether-March 2010 Recipes



Favorite Granola
4 c. rolled oats
½ c. wheat germ/flax seed meal
¾ c. ground almonds or whole sunflower seeds
½ c. cashew pieces
¼ c. sesame seeds
½ c. unsweetened coconut
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 c. raisins
2/3 c. maple syrup
½ c. canola oil
1 tsp. cinnamon

-Mix all dry ingredients except raisins
-Mix wet ingredients.
-Pour wet into dry & mix well.
-Bake at 200° until crispy, approx 1 ½ hrs.
-Add raisins just after removing from oven.






Gary’s Blueberry Muffins
Streusel Topping
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup packed brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 TBLS firm butter

Muffins
¾ cup milk
¼ cup oil
1 egg
Mix together with wire wisk.

2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup sugar
2 tsp. baking powder
½ tsp salt
Mix all dry ingredients together in separate bowl from wet ingredients.
When well mixed add to wet ingredients and mix just till flour is moistened (batter should be lumpy).
Fold in 1 cup fresh, canned (drained), or frozen blueberries. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups and sprinkle with approx. 1 TBLS. of the streusel topping. Yummy!!
Bake 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.





“Layered Sandwich” Casserole

Bread
Canadian Bacon or ham
Pineapple
Olives
Tomato
Cheddar cheese
Mozzarella cheese
Any other topping that you like

Using a Demarle mold (if you use a Pryex or anything other than Demarle, be sure to grease the dish). Line the bottom of the mold with a sprinkle of cheddar cheese, then place bread on top (if you need to, cut to fit the shape of the mold). Top the bread with a layer of the above ingredients, top with cheese. Repeat the bread and the layering. Cover the top layer with cheese and thick slices of Velveeta (I don’t usually have this on hand, so I use shredded cheese).
Turn the oven to 350 degrees. While it warms, crack four eggs into a bowl and beat, add 1 cup milk (whatever you have on hand). You can add a couple of shakes of Tabasco (I think it taste better with it, but my husband doesn’t know I do this, because he doesn’t like “spicy”). Mix till blended, pour over the bread layers. Cook in oven for 30 minutes, or until when you shake the pan, it looks firm.
We like fruit salad or yogurt and fruit with this!! It is even good for breakfast. It is a very versatile dish, you can make it Mexican, pizza, or whatever you want!