Yummy Gift Ideas In A Jar

I am kind of addicted to the gift in a little mason jar idea this holiday season. I mean they are adorable and personal and fun to make. I think they are irresistible.

I have shared all these recipes with you before in random posts. Well I rounded them all up and made them into an article for my online magazine. Tasty Gifts -- In a Jar. So if you are looking for a sweet homemade gift idea this Christmas try one of these tasty jar gifts.

Featured in Aliveutah.com Taste
http://aliveutah.com/content/homemade-jar-gifts

Cranberry Streusel Top Pie
Pomegranate Hot Fudge Sauce
Cinnamon Honey Butter
Strawberry Double Crust pie

Cooking Classes

We interrupt this blog for a little self promotion.

My online lifestyle magazine Aliveutah.com is co-hosting a Cook and Taste Event May 12, 13 ,14. This is our second cooking class event. It is a blast and we have an amazing line up of classes. This time I even helping to teach one.

SO -- If you live in Southern Utah you have a week and half to sign up for one of these amazing courses.
Hint: I am helping with the Pie class. You know how I love to make pie.

photo from Soup Secrets, photo by Karynn Jorgensen

It is time to dine and cook and taste with some of Southern Utah's best chefs and cooks at the second Cook and Taste event.

Artful Edibles and Alive! Utah have teamed up again to bring you this fantastic culinary event and cooking classes.

Find out more about the event:

MAY 12, 13, 14

 Culinary classes, dining and demos.

Located at 2313 West Highway 56, Cedar City

Register at http://events.aliveutah.com/

Thursday May 12th
Cheesemaking With Heather Carter
Time: 5:30 to 7:30 p.m.
Cost: $45

Learn the basics of cheesemaking in this course with cheesemaker Heather Carter, owner of Nature Hill Farms. Learn how to make homemade cottage cheese, queso blanco and panir cheeses in your own kitchen.

Friday May 13th
Perfect Pies
Time: 1:00 to 3:00 p.m.
Cost: $40

Become a pie pro with this sweet class taught by Amani Kaminski of Artful Edibles and Rachelle Hughes from Alive! Utah. Learn pie crust techniques and tips for pastry crusts, tarts and gluten-free nut crusts. Amani will show how to make Mango Custard pie, Chocolate Silk Pie (from scratch -- no pudding) and some tasty handheld pies. Rachelle will share her secrets for a caramel and crumb topped apple pie as well as some of her favorite tarts.

Supplies Needed: Please bring your own rolling pin.

Thai Essentials
Time: 4:00 to 6:00 p.m.
Cost: $40
Explore the flavors that make Thai food unique in asian culture. This course will be geared toward learning about essential herbs, sauces that you can use to create Thai meals at home from scratch.
Learn how to make these authentic Thai dishes:
Seafood Noodle Bundles
-Sweet Chilli Dipping Sauce
-Stirfry of Beef with Roasted Chili Paste and Thai Basil
-Green Curry of Chicken and Thai Basil (making the paste from scratch)
The teacher, Rebekah Hughes is an Australian native who grew up cooking and eating Thai food.


Romancing the Plate -- Date Night Dine & Demo
Time: 7:00 to 9:00 p.m.
Cost: $50 per couple or $30 per person
A romantic date night with food that will tantalize the taste buds . Chef Paul of Garden House demonstrates an easy romantic dinner for two. Come alone and learn to make a romantic meal for your loved one or get a discount and come as a couple to dine on a four course meal you will learn how to make yourself.
Dinner, a date, a culinary adventure
The Menu:
Appetizer: Crab topped deviled eggs
First Course: Ceasar salad
Main Dish: Pasta pomodoro with lamb meatballs
Dessert: Straberrymisu

Saturday May 14th
Soup Secrets with Jeff Gayson
Time: 9-11 a.m.
Cost: $40

Jeff Gayson's soups served at the Garden House in Cedar City are famously delicious. Creamy and comforting or spicy and delectable, they are a Cedar City favorite. During this class Chef Gayson will teach one of his favorite cream based soups and one of his broth based soups. You will also learn basic soup techniques so you can make delicious soups throughout the year.

Chef Imi of Orchids Demo and Tasting
Time: 12:00 to 1:30
Cost: $20

Enjoy an entertaining culinary event for lunch. Come watch Chef Imi of Orchids restaraunt in St. George demonstrate how to cook one of his signature dishes, King Crab Puttanesca.

You may register and pay online for any of these courses up until May 8th. Space is limited so book your spot now at the link below.
http://events.aliveutah.com/


We also take payment and registration at Artful Edibles located at 2313 West Highway 56 in Cedar City. Hours 8am to 2pm Monday thru Friday, after hours by appointment. Contact Amani at 435-559-2330 or Sandi at 435-590-7101.

Heritage Cooking and Shoyu Chicken

It is shameless promo time again. Yep, May's issue of Alive! Utah is up and that means we have an all new Taste section. I did not write the feature article this month. It was written by my new friend Adrianne Tawa. But she has a lovely article discussing the role of cooking as a part of our heritage. We all bring our mothers or fathers into the kitchen with us when we cook. I love when I cook my Grandma's recipes. It is like I can feel her puttering around the kitchen.

Adrianne's lovely article is followed up by some absolutely yummy Polynesian recipes. She lived in Hawaii (although she spent much of her life in Utah) and married a native Polynesian from New Zealand. Therefore, Polynesian cooking has become a huge part of her family's heritage. So if you are feeling like a little reminiscing about the cooks who shaped your early kitchen experiences or if you just want some easy and delicious recipes hailing from the islands go check our latest Taste section. Heritage Cooking

I did, however, write the accompanying article on How to Make Your Own Cookbook online.
An excerpt:

"Little scraps of paper tucked into boxes, handwritten recipe cards splashed with sauce and smudged with flour: is this the state of your family recipes? Well-loved recipes are a family treasure. In many ways they are a part of our family history. Fortunately, technology creates better organizing and preserving solutions for these kitchen treasures?"
The article: Make Your Own Cookbook

Homage to Potatoes

It is March and I can't help but think potatoes go with March. The Alive! magazine Taste section for March features potatoes and because I wrote the article I am going to cheat and link to it for a blog post. The article also features one of my fave foodie bloggers Lovin' From the Oven and her recipes and potato tips. Go take a peek. http://aliveutah.com/taste I'm thinking potatoes sound so good for dinner tonight.

Also check out the article on egg dyeing that is in the box on the right hand side of the Taste page. It is too cool how this Swiss egg dyeing technique with roots has found its way into the traditions of one little town in Southern Utah. It is not an eating kind of article but occasionally we just have to play with our food.  http://aliveutah.com/content/getting-root-it-santa-clara-egg-dyeing