Azle News story about my cooking lessons

Jeri Field from the Azle News interviewed my client, Linda Johnson and me earlier this week and here is the story:From the Azle News, December 30, 2010Resolved for 2011: Cook like a 'loser' and win - with help from Azle chef by by Jeri Field (Posted Today 01:08 pm)Dunaway teaches her students to cook and eat foods in their "closest-to-nature" form. If getting healthy is on your list of resolutions for 2011, perhaps you’d like to follow the lead of Azle resident Linda Johnson, who is learning to eat like a “biggest loser.”Johnson believes a simple back-to-nature diet will awaken the healthy person hibernating inside. Her awakening came earlier this year after a cancer diagnosis sent her to a nutrition class. She was told the best way to deal with the side effects during and after chemo was...

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Christmas Dinner 2010

We'll have two "Christmas" dinners this year, one on Christmas day and another on New Year's Eve when my daughter, Helen, Will, and granddaughter, Grace come into town. For the Christmas dinner on Christmas day I decided to make an non-traditional dinner since no one wanted anything roasted or stuffed. We used to go to a wonderful restaurant called Cafe Soleil in Azle and have tenderloin steak with a pepper sauce and Steve, Alexandra, and I loved it.Someone suggested we have that for our Christmas dinner. I was happy to oblige so our menu for Christmas:Appetizer: Snow crab legs with cocktail sauceSalad: Red leaf lettuce and romaine with herb...

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Holiday Cooking and Baking

Peppermint bark, ginger cakes, Kahlua cakes Palmiers on left, cheddar thumbprints on rightCheese tray Sticky Fingers bars, pecan tarts, cracker candy in bowlMy mother's sugar cookies in the "cookie room"For some crazy reason I thought it would be a good idea to have a holiday open house this year so family, people I work with and Steve's work friends could stop by and share some homemade goodies. Somehow about 75 people were told about the party and I started getting a little worried. Having that many people involved moving some furniture around and making a lot of food, in other words--a big project. I decided on a menu for both savory and...

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Private Cooking Lesson with Linda Johnson: More Brunch

Pecan Apple Crisp Linda with the sconesLinda Johnson is crazy about brunch so we are on part 2 of 3 "brunch dishes". She has a breakfast group at her house on occasion and is looking for interesting dishes to serve. This week we made bacon-cheddar scones with applewood smoked uncured bacon and lots of ground pepper. The scones were tender and perfectly cooked and the smell of the bacon, scallions, and pepper was really nice. I did explain to Linda that scones were in the category of occasional indulgence since they are pretty rich, but as in everything else, a small portion served with other healthier items is OK. These are just like the scones...

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Thanksgiving 2010: Jalapeno Cornbread Dressing, my favorite

Chocolate Cornucopia and Milk Chocolate Rum Raisin and Dark Chocolate TrufflesTop photo: finished Jalapeno Sausage Cornbread Dressing, bottom--the ingredientsI made so many things this year that I chose one recipe and dish to feature--the cornbread dressing. I will describe some of the other things I made, though. I wanted to wow my granddaughters, Grace and Kyndal with something really different so I made a chocolate cornucopia and truffles. Some of the truffles were milk chocolate with rum raisin milk chocolate filling, some were dark chocolate and kahlua rolled in toasted nuts, coconut, and sprinkles. Judging by how quickly they disappeared...

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Private Cooking Lesson with Linda Johnson: Brunch

Today's Menu: Lemon Yogurt MuffinsPotato Vegetable HashMigas with SausageFresh Fruit with orange liqueurPotato Vegetable Hash Linda cooking the migasLinda wanted to make some brunch dishes for this lesson and she plans to make the same dishes on an upcoming trip to visit family. We started with the lemon yogurt muffins. The combination of lots of lemon zest, finely chopped pecans, and tart yogurt gives thems muffins a really nice flavor. They have a cake like texture and are very moist.We also made a potato and vegetable hash. It took a while to shred all the potatoes, zucchini, and carrots but the combination of these ingredients with garlic...

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Grace's Birthday Party: Nachos and Cupcakes

We went to Houston for my granddaughter's birthday. Grace was in favor of cupcakes so I made 3 types: Chocolate fudge with cinnamon and chocolate buttercream frosting (with Callebaut chocolate!), Buttermilk with cream cheese and sprinkles, and a gluten free chocolate with chocolate fudge frosting. Grace and her friends helped with the frosting and decorating and they had a blast. My daughter, Helen, is on a gluten free diet and she was happy to have some tasty cake. For the gluten free cake I used a mix from Central Market, and for a cake mix it was really good. When I left Houston I placed the remaining cupcakes in Helen's freezer and she...

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Family Sukiyaki Dinner

Sukiyaki Ingredients Table is ready Time to eat!My son John David, his wife Lauren, and our granddaughter Kyndal were coming to visit on Sunday and he requested our family sukiyaki dinner. My mother always prepared this dinner on special occasions and for company and I always have fond memories of her standing over the skillet with her chopsticks, making sure everyone gets their desired items before she ever tasted a single bit. He said he wanted me to teach him how to make it so he could prepare it for his own family and friends. Sukiyaki is a Japanese "hot-pot" dish prepared at the table. It contains thin slices of beef, vegetables, noodles,...

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Private Cooking Classes with Linda Johnson

No bake Cheesecake with raspberry sauce Beef and bean chiliVegetable quesadillas with cheeseLinda JohnsonI was fortunate to meet Linda Johnson at the Azle Farmer's Market this summer. She picked up one of my brochures and called me inquiring about private cooking lessons. She has been treated for a condition which required chemotherapy. During the course of her treatment she attended a nutrition class where she became much more aware of the role of food in health and the concept of nutrition as medication. She was ready to start making changes but didn't really know where to start so lessons were the answer for her. While Linda has always cooked...

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Short Leash Mobile Hot Dog Eatery, Phoenix

Jalapeno cheese stuffed spicy corn dog The AikoWhen I was in Phoenix back in August I happened upon a food truck, Short Leash Mobile Hot Dog Eatery, at the Phoenix Public Market. I had already eaten dinner so I didn't try anything but I was charmed by their concept. Hot dogs named after their own and others pet dogs with photos of the dog next to their namesake hot dog. Adorable! And the hot dogs sounded so delicious-- The Aiko-- mango chutney, diced jalapenos, red onions, fresh cilantro and mayo on naan bread or The Igby--coleslaw and crumbled blue cheese drizzle with tangy bbq sauce.I planned to come back next time I was in Phoenix, no telling...

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Baking Like Crazy Week

cupcakes, cupcakes, everywhere Key Lime Pie Snickers cheesecake bars, sticky finger barsSugar cookiesLet's see--did I really sign up to bring 4 dozen pink iced ribbon shaped cookies for a breast cancer awareness fund raiser? How about some Snickers cheesecake bars, and some sticky fingers bars, and an extra large key lime pie? Then did I plan a lunch party the very next day involving me bringing a main dish? Oh and the very next day was the "cake and punch" where I was going to supply 60-70 people with gourmet cupcakes. Am I crazy? That's what my daughter asked me when she saw me from Sunday night until Wednesday at noon when I was putting...

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Fredericksburg Food and Wine Festival 2010

Santa Fe Eggs at Cottages at Limestone on Main B & BMussel Tomato (Potato) Leek Soup at the NestRather Sweet cheesecakes Saim Egg Rolls, August E's Food and Wine Festival Crowds Chef Leu Savanh, August E's Herb Scrambled eggs and vegetable hash, Cottages at Limestone on MainI was looking up cooking classes in Fredericksburg a while back and came across, "Grape Expectations Cooking School" and learned it was offered during the annual wine and food festival. We usually avoid going to Fredericksburg during the special events around the holidays but for some odd reason I proposed a trip for this weekend with our friends, Linda and Tom Collins,...

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Taco Party

Steve invited his friends from work--Lockheed-Martin, for a casual dinner party.He asked me to make steak tacos, a chile-spice rubbed steak in fresh tortillas with roasted tomato salsa, pico de gallo, and fresh guacamole. No problem with that menu. I decided to have a guacamole bar for appetizers, inside the house, and then go outside for the tacos. I wanted to serve them straight from the grill, like street food, so each taco would be hot and fresh. For dessert I was told I had to make my Mexican chocolate cake for Bonnie, one of his co-workers who really likes this cake. I also wanted to make another cheesecake. Alexandra, my daughter, cleaned...

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Santa Fe Part 2

Cafe Pasqual's whole wheat pancakes Cafe Pasqual's Huevos MontulenosThe Chocolate Smith Santa Fe Chicken Enchiladas with Green Chile Sauce Chile Relleno Papusa with flank steakFor our breakfast on the way out of Santa Fe we stopped at Cafe Pasqual's, one of our old favorite places. After a long wait we were seated at the community table, a large table of strangers, basically. That wasn't bad since most of them were from Texas and very friendly.I love the Huevos Rancheros and have made Cafe Pasqual's version many times with great success so I wanted to try something different. I ordered the Huevos Montulenos, a dish from El Salvador consisting...

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