Retromercial: Heinz Worcestershire Sauce

No Reservations Last Episode On Monday!

To all those who are fans of the books Kitchen Confidential and A Cook's Tour or the show No Reservations; are devastated right now. Sitting here watching the Travel Channel and it flashes across the screen that the last episode of No Reservations airs Monday 8 CT. For years I have watched Anthony Bourdain on his culinary excursions and on occasion while watching his show and drinking a few glasses of wine I would get inspired to go into the kitchen and try to create my versions of what I think he would enjoy eating if he came to my home for dinner. I am quite sure he has tons to keep him busy but, No Reservations will be missed. Can't wait to see what's next.

Back In The Saddle

So as you all know its been a while since anything was posted on City Sleek and Country Chic. This has been a long year for me. I decided to venture out and follow my heart and pursue a full time career in the culinary arts field. I have been involved in what I call "Serious Training" at Le Cordon Bleu. I feel like I just completed basic training and I've eaten enough butter and heavy cream to make Julia Child very proud. I can honestly say it was all worth it! I am in the process of reopening my personal chef business and could not be happier. I guess you could say I'm back in the saddle again!

MasterChef Classes Coming!!!!!!

 I am excited to be assisting with Masterchef Classes once again. Come and check out a class and watch what my classmates and I go through on a daily basis!

• May 12 – Culinary 101: Grill Master Secrets
• May 19 – Culinary 101: Grand Hotel Favorites
• May 26 – Seasonal Cooking 101 – Easy but Elegant Picnic

Take advantage of the Student, Friends and Family 10% Discount. Use promo code MCSFF. Register online at: www.MasterChefCookingClasses.com

Shefzilla Baby!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

So, a few weeks ago my other half tells me about this cookbook that he was going to get for me by Chef Stewart Woodman (former owner of Heidi's in Minneapolis). I was so excited because I had heard some great things about him, his wife/partner and his cooking. I promised myself that during my break from school I would take the time to try a few of the recipes in the book. I have read it from cover to cover and I love it!

 I was like a kid in a candy store when my sweetie walked up to me today with a second copy autographed with a personal message from "Shefzilla" himself wishing me the best of luck with my culinary career!!!!! How cool!!!! Who knows if I will ever get to meet him in person but, its always nice to know that he was nice enough to take the time to converse and sign my book.

Thanks Sweetie for my gift and Thanks Chef Woodman!!!!!!!!

I hope to meet you one day!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

MasterChef Classes

I had the opportunity to assist our Executive Chef of Le Cordon Bleu with teaching a MasterChef class. The classes are based of off the TV show MasterChef. Just wanted to share some information with you. I will be assisting with another class on March 24th. I am providing a link with some information. Who knows if you come I may be at your table giving you some great tips I've learned. Check it out. It's a blast!!!!!!!

New MasterChef Cooking Classes, taught by Le Cordon Bleu Chefs

MasterChef Cooking Classes, taught by Le Cordon Bleu Chefs bring together two culinary heavyweights – Le Cordon Bleu culinary schools and global reality TV hit MasterChef. Through a dynamic collection of hands-on cooking classes, cooking enthusiasts can learn first-hand from the same Le Cordon Bleu chef instructors who teach career-path students seeking to become culinary professionals and in the same professional-grade kitchens.

Tell your friends and Family about our next cooking enthusiast classes:

- March 10 – Culinary 101: Braising and Roasting

- March 17 – Culinary 101: The Versatile Ravioli – Old and New

- March 24 – International Cuisine 101: Taste of Asia

Take advantage of the Student, Friends and Family 10% Discount. Use promo code MCSFF. Register online at: www.MasterChefCookingClasses.com

Guess Who's Going to Le Cordon Bleu?

I am so excited! I have not kept up with my blog and feeling really bad about that but, its funny what a new outlook on life will do and how it will inspire you to write. I am starting my second term at LeCordon Bleu today and I couldn't be any happier. Around this time last year life I did not have a sense of good things happening. Now I am on top of the world. My wardrobe has been drastically reduced to a uniform and makeup is not an issue and I don't mind being up at 5AM to get ready for class. Get this!!!! I'm not even a morning person. So far my head is full of french terms, measurements and the History of French Cuisine. I couldn't be happier. I can't wait to see how today goes and how this new venture will inspire me to write.

Today is National Taco Day!!!!!!

In 1520, the conquistador Hernando Cortez wrote to King Charles V of Spain to describe his experiences in the New World. In his letter he mentioned a delicious meal the Aztec inhabitants prepared with “tlaxcalli” or “tortilla.” It is the first historical reference to tacos!

Today is National Coffee Day!!!!!

Today is National Coffee Day....Go enjoy a good cup of coffee at one of your favorite spots...Here are a couple of mine:

Anodyne Coffee House
4301 Nicollet Ave S.
Minneapolis, MN 55409
anodynecoffeehouse.com/

Cuppa Java
400 Penn Ave South
Minneapolis, MN 55405
http://www.cuppajava.com/

What is A Pesco Vegetarian?

What is a Pesco Vegetarian you ask? I guess that's what I am after eating the salmon burger the other night. This is a diet that includes fish as part of the diet with tons of vegetables and other plant foods. So, if someone says to you they are a vegetarian but he or she is chomping on fish... You know the truth.There you have it! I am still proud of that day it wasn't a total catastrophe just a pescotastrophe (not really a word). I say there is nothing wrong with a little pescetarianism in your diet.

Chayote, Corn and Black Bean Wraps with Fresh Pico De Gallo

I was so excited about the dinner that Ashton and I had last night I couldn't wait to post it!

Chayote, Corn and Black Bean Wraps with Fresh Pico De Gallo

1 Chayote (peeled and sliced)

1 cup of fresh or frozen corn

1 cup of black beans

1 small red onion (chopped)

1 Tbs of olive oil

1tsp. of minced garlic

1 cup of monterey jack cheese

4 large Tortilla's

Add oil to hot pan, then add onion, garlic, corn and beans saute for about 5 minutes. Add sliced chayote and saute for another two to three minutes or just until chayote is tender.

Fill each tortilla with mixture and top with monterey jack cheese. Do not overstuff and be sure to get the large tortilla's used for burrito's we got the wrong size and had to use toothpicks to hold our's together...Place in the oven for about three minutes at 350 degrees for the cheese to melt and the wrap to get a slight crunch. Add Pico De Gallo on the side and any other of your favorite topping and it's ready to enjoy!

Fresh Pico De Gallo

3 roma tomatoes (roughly chopped)

1 fresh jalepeno (seed and roughly chopped)

1/2 tsp of minced garlic

2-3 sprigs of cilantro (roughly chopped)

1 Lime

1 small red onion

I love this recipe because there is no rhyme or reason. Just roughly chop everything thing, drop into a bowl squeeze the juice of the lime on top of all ingredients, add garlic and then salt and pepper to taste and you're done! No, mad science and no culinary degree required.... Try it! I promise you will love it!



Going Vegetarian Day 3 & 4.....

DAY 3
Day three was such a dark spot in my mind. To be honest I don't remember. I was so busy that I spent most of my day in my truck and I drank tea and water all day. That is the truth. I woke up with hunger pains about 3AM and drank water. I just didn't want to attempt to figure out what to eat. I do not at all agree with my decision. I was just tired and wanted to sleep. "I DO NOT IN ANY WAY RECOMMEND THIS".

DAY 4
Here we go back on track...... I thought I was totally losing it. No need to mention exercise at this point. You all know every morning that it happens unless I mentioned otherwise. Breakfast was kind of hum drum....2 eggs and toast for breakfast and for lunch I had vegetarian pizza with a friend. When I was standing in the kitchen trying to figure out what to make for dinner it was like I had made it to the top of the mountain. I didn't even attempt to use the recipe's I found. I started chopping veggies, pulling out seasonings, olive oil and pasta and went for it and below are the results....What do you think?

This was so simple:

2 Large Zucchini

3 Roma Tomatoes

1 Small Onion

1 tsp. Minced Garlic

1/2 cup of Romano Cheese

4-5 Fresh Basil Leaves

1. Drop pasta in boiling, salted water and a 1 Tbsp. of oil to keep pasta from sticking as it's cooking

 for 5-8 minutes. Just til it's al dente.

2. Add 1 Tbsp. of extra virgin olive oil to a hot pan, then add garlic and onion, allow to cook for about a minute, add zucchini and tomatoes, let vegetables saute for about 2 to 3 minutes, then add your pasta and about 3 Tbsp. of water that was used to cook pasta. Toss several times for about another two minutes and serve topped with fresh basil and Romano Cheese or your favorite cheese.

Add salt and pepper to taste

Going Vegetarian Update.....

So, I swore last Saturday that I would go vegetarian for seven days. What was I thinking? Oh, I know I was thinking about better health and trying something new. I researched like crazy to make sure that I was venturing into this lifestyle the right way. I even found a starter kit that the Vegetarian Times Magazine offers that is very informative for a beginner. I will be placing a link at the end of this post for the starter kit. So, I am going to talk about how it has gone so far day by day.

DAY 1
I got up and took my walk/run as usual and came home excited about going to the store to do the grocery shopping for my vegetarian meals that I had planned for 7 days. Well first, I spent more money than I normally would and I think it is because I truly paid attention to the quality of the food, I knew something would have to make up for not having meat on my plate. The day went as such: Mushroom and spinach egg scramble for breakfast and I completely forgot about lunch. For dinner I made the best tasting mushroom and spinach quesadilla's with guacamole on the side... No, your eyes are not deceiving you. I was in such dismay that I forgot about my menu and ate the first thing I could find. The ingredients were basically the same....I needed meat so bad that all of that creativity went right out the window.

DAY 2
I took my walk/run and I normally would eat half of a bagel and light cream cheese but my body felt as if it was being deprived so I cut a big chunk of foccacia topped with spinach, feta, olive oil and fresh ground black pepper. Warmed it in the microwave and ate it as if it was the last piece of food in the house. Because I felt so guilty I skipped lunch which was a big no..no. By dinner time which is between 5-6:30pm for my family;  I was in the drive-thru at Mickey D's.. You all would have been so proud, I tossed the food. I truly tossed it! Can you believe that? But, for dinner I gave in and had a salmon burger with tomato, onion and lots of greens . It didn't make me feel better about my defeat but, boy was it good!

http://www.vegetariantimes.com/resources/vegetarian_starter_kit/

Trying Something New

I haven't posted in a long time and I am recommitting myself to writing, because I truly enjoy sharing my stories, thoughts and recipes. Got my exercise on about an hour ago...... I wish I could say I ran the entire three miles. That would be such a big lie! But, I did my best. Feeling better than I have in months(for today anyway). So, Ashton and I are going to be vegetarians for a week. I wonder which one of us will crack under pressure first? About to go into a deep session of menu planning. Who knows, this may turn out to be a new lifestyle for us or me. I will be sure to post all of our creations good and bad. Sometimes we need a laugh. Have a great day!

A Renewed Energy!!!!!

I have sat around for the last few weeks doing nothing...By choice of course. Ignoring phone calls of friends and business people alike trying to figure out what I should do. Only to come to the conclusion that the answer has been in front of me the whole time.  When things get you down, sometimes you need to go to the source to figure it out. Today I did just that. I went to the source of what was bringing me down and had me feeling bad as if I had let down a community full of people to only find that they were waiting on me to resurface. I also discovered that my community is willing to offer whatever support I need and people constantly remind me that I can and have made a difference. Who knew? This village thing is new to me even as a Southerner. 

I am happy to know that I am surrounded by positive people who tend to make a big difference in others lives everyday. I don't have to mention the sources that caused the negativity in my life and neither do you need to share yours with anyone. As long as you face it head on you will be the winner in the end and I am.....I love NOMI and plan to stay around and do whatever I can to rebuild and be a positive addition just like I was up until a few weeks ago.

Everything Red, White & Blue!!!!

 

While searching online for the perfect recipe for the 4th of July, I ran across this recipe on Kitchendaily.com. It's so easy to make and no baking required. I'm going to take this one to the picnic I've been invited to. If you decide to try it please take a picture and post. I would love for you to share your pictures and tell me about your version of this no fuss cake. Have a Happy 4th!!!!!!!!

 

Ingredients

• 4 cups strawberries
• 1-1/2 cups water
• 2 pkg. JELL-O Strawberry Flavor Gelatin
• ice cubes
• 1 cup water
• 1 pkg. prepared pound cake
• 1-1/3 cups blueberries
• 2 pkg. PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1 tub COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

Directions

1.Slice 1 cup strawberries; halve remaining strawberries. Set aside. Add boiling water to gelatin mixes in large bowl; stir 2 min. until completely dissolved. Add ice to cold water to measure 2 cups. Add to gelatin; stir until ice is completely melted. Refrigerate 5 min. or until slightly thickened.

2.Meanwhile, line bottom of 13x9-inch dish with cake. Add sliced strawberries and 1 cup blueberries to thickened gelatin; stir gently. Spoon over cake. Refrigerate 4 hours or until gelatin is firm.

3.Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with whisk until well blended. Stir in COOL WHIP; spread over gelatin. Arrange strawberry halves on cream cheese mixture to resemble stripes of flag. Add remaining blueberries for stars.

The Taste of Summer

The summer is officially here!!!! When I think of summer I think of all the fresh berries and citrus fruits that are available. One of my favorite being oranges! I though I would share this orange cupcake recipe to help out with that sweet tooth and to bring a little summer to a party or picnic. Enjoy!!!

Shericka's Orange Cupcakes

3/8 cup softened unsalted butter

1 cup all purpose flour

2 oranges

6 tablespoons of sugar

2 eggs

2 tsp. baking powder

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.

2. Finely grate the rind of 1 orange and squeeze the juice into a cup. Beat the butter and sugar together and gradually add the eggs. Sift in the flour and baking powder and mix well, add the orange rind and orange juice.

3. Pour into cupcake pans lined with cups. Bake for about 25 minutes.

4. Remove a thin layer of rind from the second orange and cut into fine strops for decorating. Squeeze the juice from the orange. Once cupcakes are done and have cooled. Squeeze the juice from the orange.

Cream Cheese Frosting

1 8-ounce package of cream cheese
1/3 cup butter
1 1/2 tablespoons sour cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/3 to 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar (add the larger amount of sugar for a stiffer consistency)
Pinch of salt

2. Before you begin, you want your ingredients to be at cool room temperature--not refrigerator-cold but not soft enough to spread on toast.

• If the cream cheese and butter are too cold, they'll be too firm to mix easily; if they're too warm, your frosting will be very soft and may be difficult to use.
• Start by beating the cream cheese until smooth.
• You can also use a food processor to make frosting instead of an electric mixer.

3. Add the butter and beat to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.

4. Beat in the confectioners' sugar and the pinch of salt. Ingredients such as powdered sugar and cocoa powder should be sifted before you add them to the mixing bowl.

5. Add the sour cream and vanilla extract. Beat until smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl.

6. Your frosting is now ready to use--it's as easy as that! If you need to refrigerate it before using, bring it back up to room temperature, return it to the mixer, and beat it for a minute or so for the best consistency.

Once complete you can pipe frosting onto cupcakes or you can do it the old fashioned way. Once you have iced the cupcakes add a couple of the orange rinds on top of each cupcake for that decorative touch. Just have fun with it!

 

Kentucky Butter Cake!!!! Yummy!!!!!!

 

 

Ingredients

3 c	all purpose flour
1 tsp	baking powder
1 tsp	salt
1/2 tsp	baking soda
1 c	real butter
2 c	sugar
4	eggs
1 c	buttermilk
2 tsp	vanilla extract
BUTTER SAUCE
1 c	sugar
1/4 c	water
1/2 c	butter
1 tsp	vanilla extract

 

        

DIRECTIONS

 

Preheat oven to 350. Grease and flour bundt pan. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt, set aside. Cream: 1 cup butter, 2 cups sugar, and then blend in eggs, mix in buttermilk, and vanilla, adding alternately milk and flour mixture into creamed mixture. Pour in bundt pan and bake for 1 hour.

 

Butter Sauce: In medium sauce pan on medium heat mix sugar, water and butter, bring to low boil , stirring until sugar is dissolved, add vanilla, When cake is still very hot, leave in bundt pan, poke small holes in top and drizzle butter sauce over cake, Transfer to dish and dust with powder.

 

The Joy of Watching A Child Have Fun Cooking!!!!

I always loved teaching the boys new recipes or techniques I had picked up. One day I decided to let Ashton choose a menu of his liking and cook it. It wasn't much of a surprise that he would choose two of his favorite to make for dinner. Black Pepper Shrimp and Butter & Garlic Asparagus.

He took the time to clean the shrimp and prep the asparagus which seemed like forever.  He didn't really follow a recipe but I thought it would be fun to watch him prepare it. Below is a list of the ingredients and you can let them go to town on what herbs and seasonings they want you use within reason of course. The shrimp were a little overcooked but the look on his face when I cleaned my plate....PRICELESS!!!!!

Deveined Shrimp

Asparagus

Butter

Minced Garlic

Fresh Ground Black Pepper

Extra Virgin Olive Oil



Ashton & Shericka's 1st Garden

Last year I decided that I would attempt to do what my grandmother and mother did for years. I figured if they had a green thumb then it obviously was passed on to me. So, I joined the community garden that is located directly across the street from my old residence. It cost me $15 for the plot and a lot of sweat and tears. Ashton was just as excited and he couldn't wait to pick out seeds. What we didn't know was that we would have to turn the dirt and we didn't have a garden till so we had to do it with shovels and heavy rakes.

Along the way I also learned a lesson about weeding and why my mother finds it necessary to weed her garden every other day. This is a lesson that I definitely learned the hard way. During this garden venture I skipped one whole week of visiting the garden because it had rained almost everyday and I didn't want to be in mud...Not a good idea.

The challenge was making everything grow naturally without any chemicals. I didn't even use a compost or any type of natural fertilizer. So was it 1st timer's luck? You be the judge. Either way it was a great experience and I hope I can find a location for this year. FYI.....Plant carrots early. They take forever!!!