Sept. 1-15

The grill has evolved to become a central tool in the preparation of family dinners, garden parties, and of course, holiday celebrations. Discover these elegant dishes with Chef Mary Ann Vitale, as she whizzes you through an elegantly prepared grilled dinner. She owns two fantastic Italian businesses, La Taverna and Sorella della Taverna, in La Jolla. Her Italian fare is out of this world, as she layers flavors to yield the richest tastes using simple techniques and seasoning often.

CLASS WILL BE HELD AT GREAT NEWS! COOKING SCHOOL.

Recipes: Garlic Roasted Potatoes and Crispy Red Onions; Grilled Zucchini, Roasted Peppers and Corn with Basil Sauce; Creamy Buttermilk Herb Dressing on Butter Lettuce, Sweet “100” Tomatoes and Bacon; Grilled Chicken, Prosciutto and Rosemary Skewers; Grilled Salmon Vera Cruz; Grilled Bananas and Mexican Hot Chocolate Sauce Over Rum Ice Cream.

Phillis is the queen of fast and fabulous, and she is back with this Great News! classic, adding more delicious chicken recipes to your home kitchen.

Recipes: Grilled Chicken and Portobello Mushrooms Cacciatore with Parmesan-Ricotta Cheese; Garlic Smashed Potatoes; Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken Rolls with Lemon Dill Sauce; Colache Chicken Breasts with Zucchini, Fresh Corn and Pepper Jack Cheese; Baked Ginger Soy Chicken topped with Mango Chutney with Red Peppers and Crystallized Ginger; Chicken Normandy Flambé with Apples, Brandy and Crème Fraiche.

Trader Joe continues to provide us with some of the most unique and flavorful products. Join Chef Katherine as she combines Trader Joe’s best to create quick and easy meals that will impress family and friends alike.

Recipes:  Asian Pulled Pork Tacos; BBQ Chicken Salad with Roasted Corn and Basil-Lime Vinaigrette; Heirloom Tomato and Olive Tart; Papardelle and Mushroom Stroganoff; Madras Curry Shrimp over Basmati Rice; Double Chocolate and Cherry Brownies.

In these fast paced times, we want meals that are delicious, nutritious, and don’t keep us in the kitchen for long. In quick and easy suppers, that is exactly what you get. The best part about this class? You get in and out in 1 ½ hours armed with recipes to take home.

Recipes: Filet Mignon with Cherry Port Sauce; Boursin Mashed Potatoes; Green Beans with Caramelized Shallots; Chocolate Raspberry Swirl Torte with Sweetened Whipped Cream.

Come cook with friends or learn these recipes to take home and share with others. HANDS-ON—This series is loads of fun!  Not only do you get great recipes, but this is a hands-on class so everyone gets a chance to get in there and help with the cooking!

THIS CLASS IS LIMITED TO 32 PEOPLE. PLEASE BRING AN APRON.

Recipes: Pita Crisps with 4 Dips: Lemon Pesto; Creole Hummus; Tomato, Corn and Olive Salsa; Shrimp Remoulade; Grilled Steaks with Smoky Bacon-Bourbon Sauce; Garlic Smashed Potatoes; Green Beans with Crispy Shallots; Mixed Berry Puff Pastry Napoleons with Mascarpone Cream.     

Have you ever struggled to decorate a cake and wondered how bakeries get those straight sides, smooth tops and beautifully piped decorations?  Come to this hands-on class and learn the techniques for yourself. You will decorate your own cake, learn to split and fill cakes evenly, how to make icing and apply it smoothly. You will learn what a “crumb coat” is and why it is invaluable. You will learn proper pastry bag techniques and practice piping with several tips. At the end of the class, you will have a decorated cake to take home.

Note:  You will need to bring one 8 or 9-inch round cake (make sure it is at least 1-1/2 inches tall) and an apron to class. ALL PARTICIPANTS WILL RECEIVE AN ICING BAG AND TIPS NEEDED FOR CLASS.

THIS IS A 3-1/2 HOUR, HANDS-ON CLASS AND IS LIMITED TO 24 PEOPLE.

The sweet, satisfying taste of chocolate is often the perfect ending to a meal. Chef George Geary is a master of this confectioners’ delight and is back to amaze you with these rich recipes. Be sure to bring your copy of The Complete Baking Cookbook for George to sign, or purchase one here at Great News!

Recipes: Raspberry Bittersweet Chocolate Torte; Double Fudge Peanut Cookies: Pecan Mocha Torte with Milk Chocolate Glaze; Chocolate Pecan Caramels; Mini Fudge Bundt Cakes Dripping in Cream Cheese Chocolate Icing.

Don’t miss this wonderful opportunity. Mineko will share a wealth of information about Japanese vegetables, fish, specially sliced meats, seasonings, condiments and rice, as she guides you through the Nijiya market. This is also the place for sushi lovers, as they carry sushi grade fish and other needed ingredients. Then, Mineko will take you for a traditional Japanese lunch at Sakura Restaurant. There you will dine on Shrimp and Assorted Vegetable Tempura with Dipping Sauce, Miso-Marinated Grilled Salmon, Lettuce Salad with Sakura House Dressing, Sweet and Salty Sautéed Root Vegetables, Japanese Pickles, Tofu and Wakame Miso Soup, Japanese Rice and Mochi Ice Cream. The first part of this class is a standing/walking tour so wear closed toed comfortable shoes, bring a sweater (it is cold), pen and notebook.

We will meet in front of the store. Nijiya Japanese Market is located at 3860 Convoy St., 3 blocks south of Balboa. CLASS SIZE IS LIMITED TO 24 – SO REGISTER EARLY.

Shital cooks Indian food straight from her homeland it doesn’t get more authentic than this.

Recipes: Croissants Stuffed with Spicy Potatoes and Peas; Dates and Tamarind Chutney; Tandoori Chicken; Malai Kofta (North Indian curry with vegetarian balls in savory creamy gravy); Shiro Dessert (cream of wheat cooked in ghee flavored with cardamoms and saffron served on a bed of vanilla ice-cream);  After Dinner Mouth Freshener. 

During this series of five classes, Chef Katherine explores all the cooking techniques needed to get started in the kitchen, including demonstrations and discussions of gadgets and cookware necessary for preparing a wide variety of dishes. She will also review basic kitchen pantry items, herbs, spices, cooking oils and more. Each class builds on the previous class and by the fifth, you will be cooking with confidence. In this second class of the series, you will learn exactly what you need to get started in the kitchen, which ingredients require moist heat cooking and the methods of poaching, braising and stewing.

SIGN UP FOR ALL 5 “GETTING STARTED IN THE KITCHEN” CLASSES AT ONE TIME AND RECEIVE 10% OFF.

Recipes:  Poached Salmon with Basil Sauce; Beef Stew with Vegetables; Braised Pork; Port Poached Pears.