Over the years I have worked in the food service industry in various capacities; as a dishwasher, pots-and-pans girl, professional cook, baker specializing in cheesecakes, caterer, food writer and cooking teacher.
My favorite part of my job -other than eating the food- is teaching people to create foods they never thought they could make. I am available for private or group lessons and cooking demonstrations. References from my former students and organizations for which I have done cooking demonstrations are available upon request. If you are interested in arranging a class or demonstration or hearing a schedule of upcoming classes please contact me at: Rebecca [at] foodiewithfamily {dot} com
Below is a list of some of the classes I have taught:
Cheeses
- Make Your Own Mozzarella: Make and use fresh, dreamy mozzarella at home using inexpensive ingredients.
- Feta Fortuna: Each participant takes home a full batch of homemade feta cheese made with either goats’ milk or cows’ milk and instructions on how to brine the finished product.
- Cheese Please: The participants can choose to make two of the following four cheeses: Mozzarella, Ricotta, Cottage Cheese or Copycat Velveeta.
Feed Your Family
You have mouths to feed and you can’t stop life just to make dinner. These classes give you an arsenal of recipes to keep everyone happy with very little hands-on time.
- But I’m Starving…: Learn to make three complete meals that are done in 15 minutes or less. That’s not a misprint; a nutritionally sound entree, side dish and sweet ending in less than 15 minutes.
- How to Meal Plan Realistically!: This class focuses on the art of meal planning for success and provides several quick, go-to recipes to keep you on track on busy nights. Learn how to save money and sanity by meal planning realistically. Participants will leave this class with binders containing everything they need to plan the work and work the plan.
- Slow-Cooker to the Rescue: Have a slow-cooker but don’t know how to get the best out of it? This class is the one you want. Use that stalwart church potluck apparatus to turn out dishes worthy of company. Recipes include breakfast, entree, side dish and desserts.
Real Love Takes Time
These ‘Real Love Takes Time’ classes are relaxed affairs. In them, you learn to make dishes that require more time and attention to detail.
- Real Love Takes Time. And Meat: Apple Cider Braised Beef Roast, Slow-Cooked Cuban Pork, and The Ultimate Meatballs and Sauce are among the most popular choices for this class.
- Real Love Takes Time. And Pastry: Participants learn to make butter puff-pastry and transform it into the object of all French school children’s dreams: Pain au chocolate (chocolate filled croissants.)
- Real Love Takes Time. And Cheesecake: Participants learn to make and decorate a beautiful basic homestyle cheesecake with their choice of three of the following delicious toppings; blueberry, caramel apple, s’more, raspberry, lemon curd and deep chocolate ganache.
Breads
These classes focus on the staple of Western cuisine; bread.
- Our Daily Bread: Participants learn to use a variety of techniques (no-knead, quick breads, yeast breads) to have fresh bread every day.
- No-Knead to Worry: Use one basic no-knead recipe to make crusty dinner rolls, artisan breads, pizza and other flatbreads and much more. Participants leave with a large food-safe bucket for mixing and storing their bread.
- The Art of the Sandwich: This class teaches two delicious sandwich bread recipes as well as sandwiches that can be made on both of them. Bring your appetite!
- Magnificent Pizza: Forget ordering out. You’ll never want another take-out or frozen pizza after this class. Learn recipes for both thin-and-crispy and thick pizza crusts, techniques for pizza stone use and pan pizzas, and both traditional and unique toppings. This class is a pizza lover’s dream.
Miscellanea
These classes didn’t really fit into other categories but were too good not to mention.
- Got Beans?: Learn more about the incredibly nutritious and inexpensive perennial pantry favorite and musical fruit; beans. Participants will learn a variety of techniques and recipes featuring both dried and canned beans.
- Cooking the Books: In this class, participants learn to cook recipes taken from various sources in literature. This family friendly class features everything from muffins and cookies (“If You Give a Mouse a…”) to blancmange (“Little Women”) to Turkish delight (“The Chronicles of Narnia”) to Lembas (“The Lord of the Rings”). In this class, you experience your favorite stories in a whole new way. It is a book and food lover’s delight!
- Healthy Snacks: This class is filled start-to-finish with great tasting snacks that just happen to be good for you. Participants make several nutritious and delicious tide-me-overs and learn techniques to lighten up some of their old favorites. These treats taste so good you’ll forget they’re healthy!
