Susan's Cooking School

New Recipes at Susan'sCookingSchool.com

2012-02-10T09:50:00.003-05:00

We were happy to be a part of the 4th annual Make Over My Heart festival held at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Utica, NY on February 4, 2012. I offered two one-half hour workshops demonstrating how to make Mediterranean Chickpea Salad and Sun-dried Tomato Basil Bread Sticks. In 30 minutes it's impossible to demonstrate scratch bread making from beginning to end, but we covered how to roll and fill the dough and attendees got to sample a bit of each during the workshop. Make Over My Heart is a great event promoting a heart healthy lifestyle for women with lots of activities throughout the day. We were happy to be one of those activities! The complete recipe for both of these great foods is now available to all, including step by step (with pictures) instructions on filling and shaping the bread sticks.

Mediterranean Chickpea Salad and Sun-dried Tomato Basil Bread Sticks

Susan's Classes at MVCC Spring 2012!

2011-12-15T11:26:00.001-05:00

Below are classes that I will be offering at MVCC this semester. See MVCC's Community Education site for more info and to download their Spring 2012 Catalog. Hope to see you in class!

Pizza Stone Extension

2011-10-21T10:39:00.001-04:00

When baking French bread or other long-style yeast breads, a round pizza stone can be a problem. The ends of the loaf may hang over the edges of your stone and/or you may just end up making shorter loaves to eliminate the problem. Below are some pictures that show one solution. I used an inverted small baking pan that came with a toaster oven (by the way, I save the pans from old discarded toaster ovens) and laid it next to my stone to provide an extension for my Rosemary Roasted Garlic Bread. It worked quite well and I hope it may work for you too!

Return to Susan's Cooking School

Pierogi Time!

2011-10-18T14:53:00.000-04:00

Good News! My Pierogi DVD has been re-edited and made into 3 videos, available for free on Youtube. I have also created a Pierogi page on my website with complete recipes along side the videos for making Potato and Cheese, and Sauerkraut and Mushroom Pierogi.
Enjoy making pierogi for your friends and family!

No Pizza Stone? No Problem!

2011-09-07T11:09:00.004-04:00

I'm often asked whether it is necessary to use a pizza stone for making pizzas and breads, so I made a video (below) to address that question. The short answer is no, but let me explain further. The purpose of using a stone for baking pizzas and artisan style breads is that the preheated stone applies direct (and correct) heat to the bottom of your pizza or bread dough allowing it to rise again in the oven, before a crust is formed on your dough, preventing the dough from expanding anymore. You may think, well, my oven is hot, so why do I need the stone for heat? The reason is, that when you open the oven door on a household oven, a great amount of heat is lost immediately into the kitchen. In addition, if your bread is on a pan, it takes time for the heat to travel through the metal to get to the bottom of the loaf. During this time, a crust is forming on the dough, preventing it from rising further. The crust of lean (not much fat) yeast doughs, like french bread, firm up quickly in the oven and the resulting bread may be dense if the dough didn't get a chance to "spring" during the early baking process. (Steam also helps. See my How to Make French Bread video and recipe for more on that subject). Placing the dough directly on a preheated surface provides instant heat to the bread or pizza dough enabling it to rise before a crust is formed. With pizza, this is not as crucial, because the dough is usually covered with toppings that keep the dough moist allowing for oven spring to occur. However, the direct heat of the stone will give your pizza a little extra boost. (I also enjoy baking my pizzas in an olive oiled sheet pan, but that's described here.) See my pizza dough video and recipe.

So what are some alternatives to baking with a pizza stone?

Let me say one more thing about the pizza stone - it takes a long time to sufficiently preheat. I have two different kinds of pizza stones and they both take 30-45 minutes of preheating to get hot enough to bake on. You can't assume that the stone is the right temperature just because the oven temperature is. The stone takes longer to heat than the air in the oven, which is what the oven thermometer is reading. I usually bake my hearth style breads and pizzas between 400-425 F and will often turn my oven up higher (to preheat the stone a little quicker) and then bring it back down to the desired temperature. The reason I mention this here, is that the good thing about the stone alternatives shown in my video/slideshow below, is that they all preheat much quicker than the pizza stone. Basically, by the time the oven is the right temperature, so is the baking surface. However, one great advantage of using a pizza stone (I guess that's two more things), is that it doesn't need to be washed after use. With some of my alternative methods, that's not the case.

I give several methods in the video that mimic baking on a stone that provide satisfactory results, as you can see in the finished products. This doesn't mean that you shouldn't get a stone - they're not very expensive, at least mine weren't. They do last a long time and provide better heat retention in the oven than my alternative methods. Even though I own two baking stones, I enjoy experimenting with other methods, especially if I need to bake/teach somewhere that would necessitate my having to drag along my own stone! Well, enjoy the video and I hope you will find some suggestions that will be helpful to you. This video has closed captioning.

Grilled Sweet Corn

2011-08-17T09:54:00.006-04:00

It looks a little gross on the outside, but on the inside, the corn is perfectly done!

Fresh corn on the cob is a favorite treat in upstate New York this time of year. I purchased some at Twin Orchards Farms in New Hartford yesterday and it was absolutely a delight! What I love about the grilling method is that nothing at all is added or taken away - the corn is just roasted in it's own husk. I just peeled back the husk to remove the silky strands and then pulled the leaves back over the kernels. I used a strip of foil to wrap around the narrow end to hold the husk together during cooking (can see the foil in the picture above). The corn was placed on a rack over medium coals (Weber Grill) and turned occasionally until done. I didn't time the process, but I'm guessing 10-15 minutes. Peel back the husk and devour. We didn't need to add salt or butter - the corn was super sweet, crunchy and delicious!

Warning: Use caution when using this method as the leaves may start burning. Some recommend soaking the corn in their husks before grilling to prevent this.

Fall 2011 Class Schedule

2011-08-15T09:38:00.003-04:00

My Fall 2011 Class Schedule is now online! There are some great classes on the horizon.
Please check it out and hope to see you soon! Below are some of the great foods that we'll be making and baking this Fall.

Dinner on Wedded Perfection Film Nights

2011-07-25T10:10:00.000-04:00

Chicken Polonaise and Buttery, Pearl Couscous

Susan's Cooking School is catering the Dinner on Wedded Perfection Film Nights at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute. These dinners are pared with great movies related to a wedding theme in association with the Wedded Perfection Exhibit at the Institute. Diners enjoy a great meal beginning on the beautiful Fountain Elms Terrace at 5:30 pm and then head over to the auditorium for the film at 7:30 pm. This Thursday, July 28, we'll be serving chicken Polonaise, pearl couscous, cream filled profiteroles along with my signature garden fresh salad, homemade red wine vinaigrette dressing and crusty rolls. Coffee, tea and our special blend iced tea are also served.

Dinner is only $20 for MWPAI members, $25 for non-members. The movie is $6 for members and $8 for non-members, $4 for students. This week's movie is the well loved, Four Weddings and a Funeral. People can choose to enjoy the dinner or movie on their own, also.

Profiteroles

Hope to see you there!

Please contact the Museum
Education Department at
315.797.0000, ext. 2158 to make reservations.

Strawberry Shortcake

2011-06-17T09:21:00.002-04:00

Return to Susan's Cooking School's web site

Well, is strawberry season in upstate NY and it's been a family tradition to head out to the fields and start picking! Today I went to Tassleberry Farm in Westmoreland, NY, where there was plenty of ripe, beautiful strawberries to pick. What better to do with fresh strawberries than to make strawberry shortcake. (I'll hopefully make some jam later today...) I decided to make mine with Amaretto for a little extra zing, but vanilla extract is great too, but a teaspoon would probably be enough for the following recipe. Enjoy!

Prepare Strawberries (about 6 servings)

4 cups		Fresh sliced strawberries
6 tablespoons		Sugar
2 tablespoons		Amaretto

Mix all ingredients and let sit until the sugar is dissolved and juice has exuded from the berries
For a more liquid/juicy version, process or mash half of the berries and mix with the sliced berries before mixing with the sugar and Amaretto.

Make the Shortcake
This is my favorite Shortcake recipe, but it makes much more than you need for the above strawberries. You can freeze the extra or halve the recipe.

2/3 cup		Half and half
1 large		Egg
1 teaspoon		Vanilla extract
9 oz. (~2 1/2 cups*)		Pastry flour
1/4 cup		Sugar
1 tablespoon		Baking powder**
4 oz.(8 tablespoons)		Cold butter, cut into pieces

* Stir before measuring if not using a scale
**Make sure that your baking powder is fresh (not lumpy or over 6 months old)

In a small bowl or measuring cup, mix the first three ingredients with a fork and set aside.
In a food processor with a chopping blade, process the flour, sugar and baking powder until the butter is dispersed into small bits. If you don't have a food processor, use a pastry blender or fork to break down the butter into the flour. Don't let the butter get too warm and melt into the mixture.
Place the flour mixture into a large bowl and add the liquid mixture all at once, while stirring gently with a fork. Mix only enough to moisten all ingredients. Over mixing will make the biscuits tough.
Drop in mounds on greased or parchment lined baking sheets and bake for 8-10 minutes at 450ºF. Be careful, they burn easily.

Assemble Shortcakes

Need: Whipped Cream - homemade or a good quality, canned version
Cut warm shortcakes in half and top with berries and whipped cream.
Simply delicious!

Return to Susan's Cooking School's web site

Bunny Carrot Cupcakes with Cream Cheese Icing

2011-04-13T19:08:00.000-04:00

Carrot Cupcakes all dressed for Easter!

This is a great recipe for moist, delicious, carrot cupcakes, so give this recipe a try even if you're not interested in bunnies. They taste great with or without the wonderful cream cheese icing, but they sure are cute when made into Bunny Cupcakes. Enjoy!

Carrot Cupcakes

1 cup	All purpose flour
1 cup	Sugar
1 teaspoon	Baking powder
½ teaspoon	Cinnamon
¼ teaspoon	Salt
¼ teaspoon	Baking soda
1½ cups	Finely grated carrot
⅓ cup	Vegetable oil
¼ cup	Yogurt
½ teaspoon	Vanilla extract
½ teaspoon	Almond extract (optional)
2 large	Eggs

1. Line 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners.
2. In a large bowl, stir together flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
3. In another bowl, combine carrot, oil, yogurt, extracts and eggs.
4. Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix until just blended.
5. Fill cupcake liners to about ¾ full.
6. Bake for about 20 minutes at 375ºF or until firm and baked through. Toothpick should come out clean when inserted into the center.

Cream Cheese Frosting

4 ounces	Cream cheese, softened
4 tablespoons	Butter, softened
1 teaspoon	Vanilla extract
3 cups	Powdered sugar
as needed	Water

1. In a mixer bowl, beat together cream cheese and butter until smooth and light. Add vanilla and mix some more.
2. Add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add a little water if necessary.
3. Spread on carrot cupcakes.

For Decoration
Coconut-Put on the of the icing
Jelly beans-cut in half for the nose and eyes or left whole for teeth
Chocolate chips-for the eyes
Marshmallows-Cut in half, squeeze into ear shape and press the cut side in
Pink sugar
Green coconut- makes a nice grassy place to put your bunnies

Weighing in on flour

2011-03-06T15:25:00.000-05:00

How much does a cup of flour weigh?
I weigh flour when preparing many of my recipes, because it is the easiest, most accurate way to measure. There are some recipes, however, especially those calling for all purpose flour, where I don't weigh the flour, because it's not a big factor in the product's outcome.

For those that don't have a scale, I put in the approximate volumetric measurements in the recipe. One cup of bread flour is approximately 4.7 ounces (at least today it was). For example, if you look at my French Bread recipe, 10 ounces of bread flour is approximately 2 cups and 14 ounces is approximately 3 cups. I say approximately, because if you repeatedly measure 1 cup of flour and then weigh it on a scale, its weight may vary, because flour settles and compacts in varying amounts. When you put flour in a measuring cup, you may be measuring air, which is not going to be what you intended to measure. Weighing eliminates the problem of flour settling. Even if you weigh the flour when preparing a bread/pizza dough, it's best to expect that you may still need to adjust the water or flour amounts, because there are so many factors including, humidity, strength of the flour, etc, that can effect your dough's consistency.

When using one of my recipes that call for a measure of flour by volume, stir the flour, scoop it into the cup and then level it off.

Here's a short video demonstrating how I use my (inexpensive) digital scale. Hope you find it helpful.

Whole Wheat Pizza Dough

2011-02-11T14:02:00.000-05:00

I have just released my How To Make Whole Wheat Pizza Dough video (above), showing step by step, how to make an all natural pizza dough utilizing whole wheat flour. My recipe uses a sponge method to enable the whole wheat flour to absorb liquid, develop gluten, and establish a vibrant yeast growth before finishing the dough. I use a 50:50 mix of whole wheat flour and bread flour to obtain a balance between the desire for whole grains and a light airy pizza dough. I have also included on my website, a recipe for Roasted Veggie Pizza (above, left), using my Whole Wheat Pizza dough, however you could of course use the topping on my regular pizza dough.

Happy Baking!

Honey Balsamic Squash and Tomatoes

2010-09-19T16:01:00.000-04:00

Try my new recipe for yellow squash and cherry tomatoes. My garden is on the down side now, but I still had some yellow squash, cherry tomatoes and basil. I created this dish yesterday and thought it would be a good one to share, especially because it's so seasonal. The balsamic vinegar, honey and sauteed garlic give the squash and tomatoes a lot of flavor with a slight tang and a gentle sweetness.

Happy Cooking!

Plum Sauce -Fresh, Delicious and Easy!

2010-09-10T19:35:00.001-04:00

Fresh plums are now in the farmers' markets and grocery stores in our neck of the woods. I used fresh Italian plums and black plums for the sauce pictured here. This versatile sauce is great for topping grilled chicken or pork. Try it, and I'm sure that you will come up with many more uses for it. Of course, it tastes good right out of the jar!

Here's the formula:

Susan's Fresh Plum Sauce

2 1/2 lbs. Fresh plums

2 cups Sugar

1 tablespoon Lemon juice

2 tablespoons Sherry

Wash, halve and pit plums and place in a large pot with the sugar. Cook over low heat until the sugar melts, stirring often. The plums will release their juices and soften. Once the mixture comes to a simmer, continue to cook over medium heat until the plums are soft and mashable. Turn off the heat and add the lemon juice and sherry. I like to use a stick blender at this point to break down the skins and reduce the lumpiness, while leaving some chunks of plum in the sauce. If you don't have a stick blender, chop the plums before cooking, and they should break down sufficiently during cooking. It's really the skins that need to be chopped up -the plums turn themselves into sauce.

I pour my sauce into canning jars and refrigerate. Please note: This recipe is not a canning recipe.

Instructions for baking a traditional pizza

2010-08-26T16:33:00.000-04:00

In response to my Pizza Dough video, here are some instructions for baking a pizza using the dough prepared as per my recipe.

1. Preheat oven to 400° F. If using a pizza stone let it preheat in the oven as per instructions.

2 .Stretch one piece of dough into a 12 inch circle. Place the dough on a peel sprinkled with cornmeal or flour. For a traditional pizza, top with tomato sauce and shredded mozzarella cheese. Other toppings may be added at this point. If using fresh sausage, make sure that it is fully cooked before using as a pizza topping.

3. Slide the pizza onto the pre-heated pizza stone and bake for 20-30 minutes.

4. If not using a pizza stone: place dough on a large oiled baking sheet and apply toppings. Bake as above. (Repeat the process for each pizza.)

5. The pizza is ready when the bottom is nicely browned and the sauce is bubbling through the melted cheese on the top.

Baking on a pizza stone

2010-08-16T09:53:00.000-04:00

Here's a couple of videos demonstrating the stretching, topping and baking of pizza dough on a stone. The first video shows the baking of a simple cheese pizza and the second video shows a baked pizza that has been topped with slices of fried Genoa salami.
Cheese pizza going in and salami pizza coming out! Both videos shot on the same day, but using different pizzas.

Mediterranean Barbeque at MWPAI

2010-07-03T21:04:00.000-04:00

Susan's Cooking School will be presenting an outdoor cooking workshop, Mediterranean Summer Barbeque, at Munson-Williams Proctor Arts Institute on July 28 and 29. The menu includes grilled Armenian losh kebab (skewered fresh ground lamb with veggies and spices), Moroccan couscous, grilled vegetable salad, seasoned flatbread, amaretto grilled peaches with ice cream and pistachios (shown in picture on left). A glass of wine will be served and it's going to be a fun time! We'll have a large tent set up, so if it rains, we're still on!

The registration form is available here. Hope to see you there!

Hungarian Hazelnut Torte Recipe and Video

2010-05-10T14:22:00.000-04:00

I have uploaded a recipe and short video on how to make a light, flour-less, very European torte. The Hungarian Hazelnut torte was a popular dessert offered at Polonaise Restaurant for many years. It is a perfect ending to any meal, because it is full of textures and flavors, and yet the ingredients are quite simple. The video shows how to prepare the filling and topping for the torte, accompanied by a nice little Bartok piano piece! Hope you enjoy it!

How to Make Armenian Style Pilaf Video

2010-04-20T11:10:00.000-04:00

I have just released my How to Make Armenian Style Pilaf video on Youtube. The full recipe can be found at susanscookingschool.com.

The video features an easy, foolproof method of preparing a tasty, moist pilaf that was a feature of so many of my family's meals. Whether it was a part of our traditional Sunday dinner of "chicken and pilaf", or accompanying the well loved "grilled lamb shish-kebab", pilaf was a staple of our family's diet.

I hope you enjoy the video!

Pizza Dough FAQs

2010-04-13T10:43:00.005-04:00

I often get questions and comments about my pizza dough video/ recipe, so I thought that I would share some of my answers here.

Can I use all purpose flour instead of bread flour?

Bread flour has a higher protein content compared to all purpose flour. When combined with water, this protein forms gluten in the dough. The gluten formation is enhanced by kneading. This enables the dough to stretch better and gives the pizza a chewier crust. I prefer King Arthur bread flour which is high in good quality protein and is not bromated or bleached. If you prefer to use all purpose flour, less liquid is usually needed. For my pizza dough recipe, try 1 cup + 2 tablespoons water, instead of 1 1/4 cups water. If the dough feels dry, add a little more water at a time. If it feels too wet, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time. I my opinion, a good quality flour is worth paying extra for.

Why doesn't my yeast get foamy or dough rise like yours does?
1. Your yeast may not fresh enough. This can be hard to tell as I have purchased yeast that supposedly fresh, but was not. Try buying yeast from a different supplier, hopefully one with a high turnover.
2. Another problem with yeast growth can be temperature. Yeast likes warmth just like us. In a cool place, the dough will take a long time to rise. If the water is too hot, it will kill your yeast. Don't use water above 110F (43 Celsius) to be safe.
3. Water quality can be an issue as well. Your water may have a high chlorine content or contain other elements that inhibit yeast growth. I often use spring water when making yeast doughs. I have also had luck boiling tap water to remove chlorine. Just be sure to let it cool to a warm temperature, before using it, as not to kill the yeast.
4. Note: Too much yeast will ruin your dough, even it it does make your dough rise quickly. I strongly advice against excess yeast. It gives an off taste and dry texture to yeast baked products.

What if I don't have a pizza stone?

I have a video and blog article, No Pizza Stone? No Problem! that goes into depth on this subject. One solution is to use an aluminum sheet pan, preheated in the oven, instead of a stone. You can see this being done at the end of my pizza sauce video.
Another method is to preheat your oven to 400ºF. Place the stretched out dough on a oiled (I prefer extra virgin olive oil) baking sheet. Place the toppings on the dough. Bake immediately or cover loosely and let the dough rise a bit more for a lighter pizza (uncover before baking). Baking time may vary, due to the thickness of dough. It usually takes about 20-25 minutes. The bottom should be evenly browned when done (check carefully, because the pizza will be very hot).

What is the weight of the finished dough?
This recipe yields approximately 2 pounds and 7 ounces of raw pizza dough.
My recipe, calling for 1 ½ lbs of bread flour, will make three, 12 inch, thin crusted pizzas or two thicker ones (or several mini-pizzas).

Can the recipe be divided in half?
Yes, but I would make the whole recipe and either freeze or refrigerate the leftover pizza(s). I love leftovers! You could also make one pizza and refrigerate the extra dough (see below).

Can I freeze the dough?

You can freeze the dough, but the yeast doesn't survive the deep freeze too well. Don't expect the dough to rise much or at all after coming out of the freezer. The dough will be slack, but it's usable. Below is a suggestion for freezing the entire pizza.
I prefer instead, to either refrigerate the extra dough for up to two to three* days or (this is what I usually do) cook all of the pizzas while the oven is still hot and refrigerate or freeze whatever is left over. Pizzas reheat well and you get a day of not having to cook or mess up the kitchen!
If my recipe makes too much dough for your use, you certainly may divide the recipe in half. You can also make other baked goods out of this dough, but that's for another blog article...

At which point during the dough making process would it be best to freeze or refrigerate?

You can refrigerate the dough after almost any step, but after the first rise (or a little before) works best. Store it, covered, in the refrigerator for 1-3* days. Allow room for the dough to expand as it will continue to rise. The pizza dough will actually be more flavorful after a day in the fridge, but the dough will begin to deteriorate after the yeast have eaten all the good food available.
After taking the dough out of the refrigerator, reshape and let rise again, covered, in a warm place. This may take awhile, because of the coldness of the dough. It is necessary to wait for the dough to warm up and rise or the gluten will be so tight that you will not be able to stretch the dough. It will be worth the wait!
I have had good luck freezing the entire raw pizza on a greased or parchment lined pan, placed in a plastic bag. When ready to use, allow the pizza to warm up to room temperature before baking.

*Depends on the temperature of your refrigerator

My dough looks dry.
The amount of water needed can vary depending on humidity, hardness of flour, etc. Next time, if the dough seems too dry as you begin to mix it, add a little extra water (1 tablespoon at a time). Try not to add too much, as the dough may become wet and sticky.

The dough tears when I try to stretch it.
The dough may be too dry and/or it has not been rested sufficiently. It is important to round the dough (as in the video) and allow it to rise before trying to stretch it out. When yeast dough has been shaped and/or manipulated, the gluten gets activated and tightens. The dough needs a good rest before it can be stretched out.

My dough seems to sticky.
If the dough seems too sticky, try to add extra flour at the beginning of the kneading process. Flour added late in the game will not get sufficient kneaded .

How long should the dough rest before stretching?

Resting usually takes about 30 minutes to 1 hour, depending on how tightly the dough was rounded, room temperature, dough strength, and other factors. The surface of the dough should remain dented when pressed with the tip of your finger. When making yeast doughs, there are a lot of variables that are difficult to control, so it's hard to give exact times. Experience wil help each baker to know when to go on with the next step.

Why is my dough is sticky and collapses when I try to test it to see if it has risen enough?.
It's natural for the dough to be a little sticky. You can flour your hand before pressing your finger into the dough to see it the impression stays. The dough deflating, however, means that it is probably over risen or that your dough is not strong enough. The dough will be best when made with a good quality bread flour (like King Arthur) and when kneaded well. Shaping the dough before rising also creates a tight surface to hold the CO2 in the dough, preventing it from collapsing.

How do I use store bought pizza dough?
For best results when using prepared pizza dough, let the dough rest at room temperature in the bag or covered, until it has risen a little, and then try to stretch it out. It's been my experience that the bought dough is usually harder to stretch out than the homemade version. It helps to oil the dough prior to stretching. Olive oil is great, but any vegetable oil will do.

*Depends on the temperature of your refrigerator

Hope this article helps enhance your pizza making experience!

Homemade Flour Tortillas - no preservatives!

2010-02-24T19:55:00.000-05:00

In our next class on March 2, we'll be hand rolling flour tortillas to accompany tangy chicken fajitas. The best thing about homemade tortillas is that there is no preservative taste or odor. Simple ingredients result in great tortillas! Next time you're in the supermarket, look at the ingredient label on any brand of flour tortillas - most of it does not sound very appetizing. Ours will be made with butter, flour, salt, baking powder and water!

Class 4: Soup, Sandwich and Cookie Class

2010-02-17T16:00:00.001-05:00

Our next class will feature Seasoned Fresh Grilled Haddock on Focaccia Bread, a vegetable rich Yellow Lentil Soup, and flaky, buttery Kolacky (fruit filled cookie made with a cream cheese/butter pastry). Students may register online here: Class 4: Soup, Sandwich and Cookies, No. 2: February 23, 6-8:30 pm

Haddock on the grill. Music by Mike Sady.

Class 2: Be My Valentine

2010-01-27T16:25:00.000-05:00

Our next class is on February 2nd and features Chicken Pojarski with homemade egg noodles and paprika sauce. We'll also be preparing crispy Asparagus fillo rolls and heart shaped sugar cookies dipped in chocolate. Yum!

New Class Schedule is Out!

2010-01-21T10:41:00.000-05:00

Susan's Cooking School is now accepting registration for cooking classes in our Winter-Spring 2010 term. Please check our website for a complete schedule and registration information. Here's a little preview of what we'll be preparing in our first class of the season.

How long does it take for the dough to rise?

2009-12-28T09:37:00.001-05:00

This is one of the most common questions asked when I am teaching how to make any type of yeast dough. I am sorry to say that there is not an easy answer to this question, as there are so many factors contributing to the rate of yeast fermentation that results in the production of carbon dioxide gas that makes the dough grow.
Today we'll discuss the greatest factor (in my opinion), which is temperature. I'm also referring to a relatively lean dough, of average moisture content, like that used for pizza.

The ideal temperature for most yeast doughs is around 80ºF* (27ºC). It is really hard to control the fermentation temperature of the dough in a home kitchen. The dough’s temperature will be dependent on the temperature of the water you used to make it and room temperature. If your kitchen and/or counter where you knead the dough is cool, the dough will cool down also (even if you used warm water to make it). If your dough is kept at around 80ºF, it should take between 1 and 1 ½ hours to rise double. To determine whether the dough is risen enough, I use the technique shown in my Pizza Dough video which is also demonstrated in the picture above. Visually, the dough should appear to be double in volume, resulting in the dough staying indented when a finger is gently pressed on the surface. If you need a warmer place to rise your dough, it can be placed in a covered bowl set over a pan of warm water. In the warm months, you may need to use cool water to get a final dough temperature of 80ºF.

When making pizza dough....
Once the pizza dough is rounded, it needs to rest and rise some more. This is very important as the dough will not stretch well right after it has been kneaded or manipulated in any way. When the gluten gets activated, the dough will feel tight. This is a good thing as it will provide structure and form to your finished product. The dough at this point does not need to be fully doubled, but the finger indentation test will tell you if the dough is ready. If you begin to stretch the dough and it springs back or is resistant, allow it to rest some more. Again, temperature is a factor here.

*This is a broad generalization with many exceptions.

Soup, Sandwich and Cookie Class

2009-11-06T21:51:00.000-05:00

Our Soup Sandwich and Cookie Class was great fun on Tuesday evening, November 3! We made Leek and Potato Soup along with Cat's Tongues cookies and Grilled Portabella Mushroom/Roasted Red Pepper Sandwiches.

I have uploaded pictures showing the difference between cookies baked on parchment paper vs. in a greased pan. Also shown are the cookies after being dipped in chocolate (some have been sprinkled with almonds as well). Other pictures show the construction of the Grilled Portabella Roasted Pepper Sandwich. Thanks to Robin Brennan for being the class photographer!

Pierogi Class

2009-09-30T10:31:00.000-04:00

Last night was Pierogi class! Pierogi (plural form) are delicious Polish dumplings filled with savory or sweet fillings. The dough is rolled out, circles are cut and filling placed on each circle. Each pierogi is carefully sealed and boiled in water. They can be eaten at this point, but we fry them with onions in butter to make them extra delicious. We made two fillings: Potato and Cheese and Sauerkraut and Mushroom.

Pierogi continues to be one of our most popular classes and yesterday's was no exception as it was was filled to capacity with eager students. I didn't take any photos during last night's class, but I do have a film clip (in slow motion) of the final preparation of pierogi making from my home kitchen. Enjoy the sizzle!

Tapas Workshop - Great Fun!

2009-08-09T09:26:00.000-04:00

Please enjoy these photos from our Tapas Workshop at MWPAI.
Here, Susan is decorating Chocolate Almond Cookies with melted chocolate.

Below: The most fun event - Grilling fresh dough flatbreads over hot coals.
On the right: Apricot-glazed chicken kebabs just off the grill.

Art Talk and Cooking Workshop

2009-06-23T10:39:00.000-04:00

We are so pleased to be offering a cooking workshop in conjunction with an art talk by curator
Mary Murray at
Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute on July 22 and 29, 2009. The theme is Grilled Tapas for a Summer Party and we will be offering scratch-made flatbread with olive oil, summer veggies, and roasted pine nuts, apricot glazed chicken kebabs, grilled garlic shrimp with fresh lemon and basil,and tabouli (bulgur, parsley, tomatoes, and lemon juice, etc.) with grilled pita. For dessert we we have ice cream with chocolate-almond butter cookies. A glass of wine will be served. We're glad that both sections of the workshop have been filled, but sorry for those who were unable to register.

MWPAI Bountiful Garden

2008-11-21T11:11:00.000-05:00

Here are some pictures from the Bountiful Garden workshop that Susan's Cooking School presented at Munson-Williams-Proctor Arts Institute on October 21. Our thanks go to Barb Kane, April Oswald and the maintenance staff at MWPAI for their help in putting this workshop together.

Above is the braided sesame bread.

Here I am demonstrating the rolling of pastry dough for the fruit tarts. Below is a view of the oven roasted veggies and kasha pilaf.

Below is the maple-cranberry chicken.

Great culinary workshop in one of Utica's finest institutions!

Just a few openings left...

2008-10-23T18:28:00.000-04:00

All of our classes had filled, but we were able to open another Holiday Dinner class on December 9th.

The Bountiful Garden harvest class at MWPAI was great fun. We made kasha, beet salad vinaigrette (the sweetest beets I have ever tasted), oven roasted veggies, chicken breast with maple cranberry sauce and apple-blueberry tarts. Students enjoyed wine and sun dried tomato-cheese bread before class began.

This coming Tuesday (pictures below) will be great fun as well.

Class Update

2008-10-21T11:20:00.000-04:00

Classes for the Fall of 2008 are almost completely filled. We are hoping to open another section of our Holiday Dinner class on December 9th. Please let me know if you are interested and contact: Susan Sady. Leave your name, e-mail and/or telephone number. Thank you for your interest in Susan's Cooking School.

Class is in session

2008-10-15T10:04:00.000-04:00

Hungarian Chicken Noodle Soup

Rosemary Olive Oil Bread with Sea Salt

We have just completed our second class, Autumn Feast. The class was entertained by the musical rehearsal in the auditorium next to the kitchen. The aromas of roasted veggies with garlic and fresh dill, roast pork with Hungarian paprika and marjoram, and fresh apples baking in an apricot glazed tart filled the air.

Our next class will be Soup and Bread, No. 1 (the first of a series) on October 28, 2008. We will be preparing rosemary-olive oil bread with sea salt and Hungarian chicken soup with homemade pinch noodles - both pictured in this post.

Cooking classes to begin soon

2008-08-18T19:51:00.000-04:00

The Fall 2008 semester of Susan's Cooking School will be starting soon.

Here is the list of classes.

Class 1: ASIAN FLAVOR- October 7 Experience the fresh and delicate flavors of the orient. Light and crispy wontons with a marvelous and versatile plum sauce, tender jasmine rice, tangy
sesame-carrot salad and a zesty apricot glazed chicken breast.

Class 2: AUTUMN FEAST- October 14 We’ll start with a beet and spinach salad topped with
balsamic vinaigrette and toasted walnuts. Then comes the main course of roast pork loin, fresh pear-cranberry chutney, and dill roasted root vegetables. An elegant apricot glazed apple tart will complete the feast.

Class 3: SOUP AND BREAD No. 1- October 28 Fragrant rosemary-olive oil bread made with sea salt and fresh rosemary leaves will be prepared in addition to a savory Hungarian chicken soup with homemade pinch noodles. We’ll also make some rich and chewy chocolate crackle cookies for dessert.

Class 4: HUNTER’S STEW (Bigos) & RYE BREAD- November 11 This incredible meat and vegetable stew will be prepared by guest instructor, Dariusz Sady. Although the name suggests game meats, this version of Hunter’s Stew is prepared with fresh beef, pork, kielbasa, sauerkraut, fresh vegetables and other savory ingredients. In addition, Susan will prepare a crusty old world sour rye bread to accompany this traditional Polish dish.

Class 5: MEMORIES OF POLONAISE No. 2- November 18 After requests too numerous to count, we are finally sharing our secret potato pancake recipe. This formula is the result of years of experimentation to create the perfect, crispy delicious potato delight. We will also prepare some other Polonaise favorites; chicken Polonaise, grilled zucchini, and apple-plum cobbler.

Class 6: A HOLIDAY DINNER- December 2 A great meal for any special occasion, with a dessert that is just incredible. Chicken breast with a shallot/marsala sauce, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, and honey glazed carrots. For the grand finale, a delicate strawberry cream torte. This layered delicacy will take some effort, but what a worthwhile endeavor!

Contact me if you have any questions about these classes or cooking/baking questions in general.

Susan's Cooking School

2008-02-01T14:03:00.000-05:00

Welcome to Susan's Cooking School!