Bon Appetit

One of my favorite things to do in my younger years was to help my mom cook. And, by cook I really mean bake delicious treats. I loved to add the ingredients, especially when the recipe called for chocolate chips or M&M's!

Remember Easy Bake Ovens?

I didn't have one.

But, I did have the tiny little mixes and the equally as minuscule baking pans and cookie sheets. (It was like making food for Thumbalina!) I loved the "just add water" part and would stir my little fingers off. Then of course there was the sampling of the batter. And, if any of the batter actually made it into the oven, I remember the anticipation and feeling of accomplishment and pride as I watched something I helped to create, transform into something delicious.

As I got older I of course learned how to make more than tea party size cookies and brownies. My high school years found me making dinners for my family on a fairly regular basis. In college it was cereal, toast, sandwiches, and pasta that sustained me. My culinary skills were actually far more advanced than my diet portrayed. I would whip out a specialty recipe every now and again but more often than not I just didn't want to put in the time that most cooking required.

With marriage came a more balanced diet and the desire to try new recipes and foods. And, on Friday night we expanded our repertoire with a cooking class. For those of you that have seen the movie Hitch, our cooking class was very similar to the cooking class scene in that movie, minus the allergic reaction and overdose on Benadryl.

Matt was an enthusiastic student and even got a "Nice mincing!" from the teacher as he chopped some onions.

Turns out that getting the perfect grill marks is quite a technique. Did you know that most steaks served in restaurant are only on the grill for a few minutes to get the grill marks and then are actually baked in the oven for the remainder of the time?! It was new information to me.

Evidence that I participated and wasn't just there for the photo ops.

This was our instructor, Frank. He is an awesome Chef and a wonderful teacher. (I asked him if his wife does any of the cooking in their house and he laughed as if I had told a funny joke. Apparently she doesn't. Maybe she's on dish duty...fair trade I'd say.)

On the menu were:

Mini Crab Cakes with Lemon-Garlic Aioli

Shitake-Dusted New York Strip Steak with Gorgonzola Butter

Thyme-Roasted Potatoes

Creamed Spinach with Shallots and Crispy Bacon

And for dessert:

Chocolate Napoleons and Port-Braised Pears

The food was delicious! It turns out I've come a long way from my "just add water" days.