Open Harvest Winter Cooking Classes: Learn to Cook Local Foods!

I'm excited about my winter cooking classes, offered through Open Harvest Natural Foods Grocery. Here's what one student had to say about my classes: “The best part of the class was eating, and hands-on experience. I like that the food isn’t too rich. The emphasis on healthy, fresh food is great!”

The excitement continues as I bring Open Harvest’s local, all-natural meats to the kitchen and shares my gastronomic techniques to bring out meat’s fullest flavors. Recipes and samples are included in all classes. Students may sign up for individual sessions or any combination of classes.

Each class is $20 for members and $30 for non-members. All Open Harvest winter cooking classes are held 6 to 8 pm at Grace Lutheran Church at 2225 Washington. To register, come in to Open Harvest at 1618 South Street or call 475-9069. Pre-registration is required.  

You may attend just one class or come to all three:

      

Courage in the Kitchen with Chef Judy a la Carte, Session 1 BEEF: Monday, February 28

There are many delicious ways to prepare beef in your kitchen.  Dry heat methods include grilling, broiling, sauteing, roasting, stir frying, and deep frying. Wet heat includes braising, pot roasting, stewing, steaming, poaching, and slow cooking.  Chef Judy will bring meat from local ranches and demonstrate some of these techniques.

Courage in the Kitchen with Chef Judy a la Carte, Session 2 PORK: Monday, March 14

Join Chef Judy in the kitchen as she shares recipes and the best methods of how to prepare pork chops, tenderloin, and sausages using fresh pork from local Nebraska farms.

Courage in the Kitchen with Chef Judy a la Carte, Session 3 LAMB: Monday March 28

Learn to make lamb kebabs and other tender, tasty entrees with local lamb. Chef Judy will also share techniques for cooking lamb for Easter dinner.

Lots of Great Food on the Menu for my December 6 Cooking Class

There's still room in my cooking class for Monday, December 6.  On the menu: roasted shrimp, bruschetta with caramelized leeks and Feta cheese, hummus, cheese tray with dried fruit and nuts, and  chocolate chip sponge cake.

The class will be held from 6-8 p.m. at Grace Lutheran Church, 2225 Washington Street, Lincoln, Nebraska. Cost is $20 for Open Harvest members and $30 for nonmembers. Please bring a knife and cutting board.

Preregistration is required. Contact Open Harvest at (402)475-9069 to register.

Courage in the Kitchen Cooking Class #2

On November 8, I taught the second Courage in the Kitchen Cooking Class, sponsored by Open Harvest. Using the good quality, healthy products from Open Harvest, we cooked up a delightful meal. Participants learned new cooking techniques by watching them being demonstrated, as well as helping prepare the meal. Afterwards, we all enjoined a meal together.

For recipes, click on in the names of the dishes:

Scallop Salad with Dried Cranberries and Gorgonzola
Mediterranean Shrimp with Artichoke Bottoms
Brown Rice with Water Chestnuts
Pumpkin Mousse

Click here to see more photos.

 The next Courage in the Kitchen cooking class will be December 8 at Grace Lutheran Church in Lincoln. On the menu  is roasted shrimp, bruschetta with caramelized leeks and feta cheese, hummus, cheese tray with dried fruit and nuts, and chocolate chip sponge cake. Cost is $20 for Open Harvest members or #30 for nonmembers. If you live in the Lincoln area and would like to come, you can register at Open Harvest or by calling 475-9069.

Signature Chef's Auction March of Dimes Benefit

On November 4, 2010, I was one of the Signature Chefs featured at the March of Dimes benefit at the Cornhusker Hotel in Lincoln. At my table, participants tasted Wisconsin cheeses with breads, nuts and fruits from Open Harvest.

Those who attended enjoyed sampling dishes from some of Lincoln's best chefs. Among those featured were Nader Farahbod of Billy's Restaurant, Travis Green of Dish, and Jesse Anderson of Fireworks.

Guests bid on both a silent auction and live auction. The Judy ala Carte package for the live auction was a gift basket filled with 6 award winning Wisconsin Cheeses, a selection of cookbooks, pastas from Dream Fiend Pasta and a Danby Maitre D' 2-Bottle Wine Chiller.

Click here to see more photos from the event.

Open Harvest Cooking Class: Courage in the Kitchen

We had an excellent turnout for my second "Courage in the Kitchen" Cooking Class offered through Open Harvest. These classes, which take place at Grace Lutheran Church in Lincoln, are an excellent hands-on experience. Participants make new friends, sample some great food, and best of all -- learn new ways to fix fabulous meals. For more info on the classes, stop by Open Harvest in Lincoln or call 402-475-9069.

Click here to see more photos from the class.

Click on the names of the dishes to see the recipes.

French Onion Soup Pizza
Romaine, Avocado, Tomato Salad
Turkey Breast Marinated with Lemon and Herbs
Fingerling Potatoes with Lemon
Peach Cobbler

2010 Chef Challenge at Schaefer's

On October 14 I was privileged to be the emcee at the Second Annual Chef Challenge, held at Schaefer's in Lincoln. Here I am interviewing Ron Romero, president of Schaefer's.

The Chef's Challenge featured Nebraska local foods and chefs-in-training at three Nebraska culinary schools: The University of Nebraska, Southeast Community College and Metro Community College. A team of three chefs from each school had one hour to prepare a meal. They were judged on teamwork, sanitation, organization, flavor and presentation.

The University of Nebraska chefs worked in the Electrolux kitchen. They prepared a Midwestern Style Asian Breakfast, consisting of Korean style steak and eggs with carmelized onions and mushroom sauce, along with a green salad. They came in third in the competition.








The Southeast Community College chefs prepared their meal in the Jenn-Air kitchen. They prepared seared skirt steak drizzled with brown butter, sweet potato agnolotti and glazed autumn vegetables, along with apples and bears sauteed in buttery belle de brillet syrup accompanied with candied pecans and whip cream. They received the second place award in the competition.

The Metro Community College chefs prepared an appealing meal made up of several small dishes, using the Viking kitchen. I was particularly impressed with how immaculate they kept their work place. It's definitely an example of "mise en place" (French for "everything in its place.") The judges were impressed with all aspects of their cooking, so awarded them the first place trophy, in spite of the fact that they went a couple minutes over time.

While waiting for the chefs to finish, spectators enjoyed samples prepared by chefs from the three schools, using the KitchenAid kitchen. The samples used locally grown food, provided by Open Harvest Cooperative Grocery.

A special thank you to our judges: Brian Everman, Corporate Chef at Lincoln Poultry; Brook Bion Dell, Chef at Irma's Bistro in Creighton University; and Patrick Durkin, Executive Chef at the Nebraska Club.





Click here for more photos of the Chef Challenge.

Our Holland America Culinary Cruise to Alaska

I had an amazing time on my recent culinary cruise to Alaska. There were 22 of us in the group. It was a fantastic group of people.

Dinner in Seattle

The night before the cruise, some of us stayed at the Vintage Park Hotel in Seattle. Ten of us had dinner together at Tulio, the hotel restaurant, an incredible Italian restaurant that made everything from scratch. The next morning, after a gorgeous sit-down breakfast, we enjoyed a walking tour of Seattle, then took the shuttle to the ship. It was the beginning of seven wonderful days.

Everyone in the group wanted to eat together, so we had dinner together every evening at 8 p.m. Holland America did an outstanding job on the food, and the staff was wonderful. We also got a private kitchen tour, which was really interesting and it showed us all the thinking and preparation that goes into cooking for a cruise line.

Dinner on the ship

I did two cooking demos on the ship. Sean Carmichael, who won a free cruise in the recipe contest, worked with me. We worked well together, had great rapport, and immediately felt comfortable with each other. For the first demo, we made roasted shrimp with a mayonnaise caper sauce base, seared scallops with a jalapeno lime sauce, and new potatoes with fresh lemon and olive oil. For the second demo we made halibut wrapped in prosciutto, poached salmon with a caper sauce, and risotto.


The sommelier (wine expert) on the ship did a private wine tasting for our group. We tasted five different wines, including a lovely French champagne. He also did some food and wine pairings. 

We enjoyed three stops: Juneau, Ketchikan and Sitka. Glacier Bay was stunning. Alaska is really an amazing place so full of history and breathtakingly beautiful.

With the sommelier

Everyone on the tour had such a great time that we already started talking about next year’s cruise. I’m thinking of the Panama Canal or the New England Coast. Keep watching the blog for updates.

Click here to see more pictures from the cruise.

Cooking Demo

Christmas in July Cooking Demo at Schaefer's

I enjoyed demonstrating how to cook a holiday meal during Schaefer's Christmas in July Sale. My meal consisted of Crab and Avocado Wrap, Pork Piccata, Green Beans, Diced Tomatoes and Garlic, Fingerling Potatoes with Lemon, and Jellyroll with Lemon Curd.

Terri (right) and her daughter, Ashley.

A beautiful plate

I cooked in the Kitchenaid Kitchen, using the Kitchenaid appliances.  The guests enjoyed learning some new tips for cooking, such as how to make julienne carrots and the wonders of whole wheat white flour. Some commented that they didn't realize how easy it was to make a jellyroll.

Terri and her daughter, Ashley, attended when a friend invited them. It was the first time they'd attended one of my demos. Afterwards Terri described the demo as "fun and delicious," and she said she will definitely be back.

Click here to see more pictures of the event.

Herbal Festival at Pioneer's Park Nature Center

Pioneer's Park Nature Center is another one of Lincoln's hidden gems. I visited there this weekend, and was amazed. The herb garden is magnificent.

I'm looking forward to being a part of the 2010 Herbal Festival. This all-day event is held every three years and features workshops on growing and using herbs, as well as an herbal lunch and a tour of the amazing herb garden at the Nature Center. I'll be talking about using dill (which is the "Herb of the Year"), and I've got some great recipes and ideas for you. Other topics include Herbal Eats of the Middle East, Lovely Lavender, Creating a Container Herb Garden and Flavor, Medicine or Both?

 It's happening on July 24, and registration is filling up.  Click here for more information and registration form.

The Pioneer's Park Herb Garden began in 1972 in memory of Louisa Evans Dool, editor of Nebraska Farmer and author of two books on herbs. Since that time the garden has grown from 16 herbs to 175 varieties

Herbal Festival 2010

Saturday, July 24, 2010
9:30am - 2:30pm
Pioneers Park Nature Center
Pioneers Park
Lincoln, Nebraska

A day to enjoy the tastes, smells and beauty of herbs, and learn more about how they can enrich your life. Participation in the concurrent workshops is limited and assignments will be made on a first-come, first-served basis, so register early!
Cost: $35/person

Schedule

9:00: Registration, herbal tea

9:30

•Workshop I: Delicious Dill – Judy ala Carte
The herb of the year gives a fresh buttery flavor to items. Simply Dill will
show you some basic slicing and garnishing teachniques and a great surprise in grilling meat. Recipes and samples.

•Workshop II: Flavor, Medicine or Both? – Pat Mettler, RN PPNC
What do mint, dill, nasturtiums, and nettles have in common? Can you
grow valerian and horseradish, and if so, what are they good for? Pat will share her knowledge and experience of these easy-to-grow herbs and also demonstrate how to make a tincture.

10:45

•Workshop I: Herbal Eats from the Middle East – Maggie Pleskac
Maggie will show you how easy it is to bring the herbal flavors of middle
east favorites into your kitchen. Recipes and samples.

•Workshop II: Lovely Lavender: How to Grow It! Wear It! Eat It! - Suzi Kelley, MS
Can you grow lavender in Nebraska? Just say yes! Come and learn my dirty little lavender secrets and have fun getting to know the history and the current uses of this multifaceted plant. Experience the smell, taste and touch of locally grown plants and take home a product sample.

11:50: Herb Garden Fountain Dedication

12:00

•Herbal Lunch – Kathy Davis, Beaver Crossing
Enjoy a flavorful picnic lunch, relax, listen to live music performed by Jennifer Buehler on the Celtic harp, chat with friends, stroll through the herb garden, or walk Nature Center trails.
•Herb Garden Tours – Becky Seth, curator of the garden, will be on hand throughout the lunch hour.

1:15

•Workshop I: Delicious Dill – Judy ala Carte
Fresh herbs and simple techniques – the perfect way to bring big flavor to your table. Recipes and samples.

•Workshop II: Creating a Container Herb Garden – Luann Finke
You can bring wonderful herbal flavors to any home that has some bright sunshine. We'll discuss considerations to make your project successful, and demonstrate how to put together a planting that is both productive and beautiful. The completed container will be raffled among workshop participants.

Made possible by the Doole Family Charitable Foundation and the Friends of Pioneers Park Nature Center.

For more information or to register, call 402-441-7895 or click here:

Culinary Cruise to Alaska

There's just a few days left book your spot on my Culinary Cruise to Alaska, September 5-12, 2010.
Some of the prices have been reduced, so be sure to call 1-800-523-2120 or (402) 390-0122 for the current rates.

Think how refreshing it will be to spend a week on the sparkling blue Pacific waters spotting sea lions and gazing at glaciers. Holland America is known for its personal touches, amenities, and great room service. Plus, we'll have cooking demonstrations by yours truly.

Stops include Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchican--three of the most popular places in Alaska. Click here for a complete itinerary.

I hope to see you there.

That Takes the Cake, a Frosted Fundraiser for St. Gianna Women's Homes

I had such a great time today at "That Takes the Cake!" The event, sponsored by the Catholic Social Services of Southern Nebraska, was a fundraiser for St. Gianna Women's Homes, a shelter for victims of domestic violence and those escaping abortion. A total of 24 Lincoln bakers and 45 area celebrities each baked and decorated a cake for display. People could "vote" for their favorite cake by placing a dollar in the box.

For my cake, I used my grandmother's tomato spice recipe with a filling of pecan coconut caramel. I decorated the cake with tiles of fondant and fresh flowers. The design emphasizes simplicity, which is something I'm trying to stress these days. Often the simple designs and the simple recipes are the most elegant and pleasing.

The cake on the right is by home economist Lorrie Orman. The cake below is from Schaefer's TV & Appliance Center.

To see more of the cakes, click here.

Time is Running Out to Book Your Spot on Judy's Culinary Cruise to Alaska

You just have a couple more weeks to book your spot on Judy's Culinary Cruise to Alaska, September 5-12, 2010. I'm so excited about this cruise. Not only do we get to travel through some of the most scenic country in the world, we'll experience great cooking demonstrations, gourmet dining, and fabulous entertainment.

The Holland America cruise line books fewer passengers per ship, which means the state rooms are 20 percent larger than the industry average. You'll get all the little amenities that make you feel pampered and special.

For a limited time, the balcony cabin rate has been reduced to $1399, and the inside cabins are now only $875. There is no guarantee how long that rate will be available, so book now to make sure you take advantage of the reduced rate.

I'm looking forward to seeing you there!

Click here for more information. For reservations, contact Pegasus Travel Center in Omaha at
(402) 390-0122 or 1-800-523-2120

Come see my decorated cake!

CAKE DECORATING CONTEST
I have a cake entered in the St. Gianna “That Takes the Cake!” Contest. This is the first year for the Frosted Fundraiser and I was excited to help.

STUFF THE BALLOT BOX - LEGALLY!
Here’s where I need your help. The ‘winner’ of the cake decorating contest will be determined by attendee votes at the event next Saturday, May 8th from 1-4 at the Pius X High School, 60th and A Street. Come support my frosted entry by simply stuffing the ballot box with as many $1 votes as you would like.

EVENT INFORMATION
Tickets are only $5 per person or $25 per family and will be available at the door. There will be a cake walk and bake sale as well. All proceeds go to help support St. Gianna Women’s Home - a safe place for women (and their children) who are victims of domestic violence and those escaping abortion.

Chef Judy's Culinary Cruise to Alaska

I'm so excited about my culinary cruise! Seven days aboard the Holland Ameria Oosterdam (known for large staterooms and incomparable amenities) through some of the most incredible scenery. We'll be getting a taste of America's history, as we stop at Juneau, Sitka, and Ketchikan.

Holland America is known for their culinary delights and lavish production shows. But there's more. I'll be giving cooking demonstrations in the ship's state of the art kitchen, and you'll have the opportunity to taste premium wines and learn about pairing fine wine with gourmet foods. So you not only get to taste some of the best foods and wines, you'll learn how you can create gourmet meals at home.

The cruise is a great time to sit back, relax and recharge.

We set sail from Seattle September 5, 2010, and return on September 12. I hope to see you there!

Click here for more information. For reservations, contact Pegasus Travel Center in Omaha at
(402) 390-0122 or 1-800-523-2120

***** For a limited time only, the balcony cabin rate isonly $1399 (reduced from $1749). Book NOW to take advantage of this window of opportunity, while it lasts.