"How to Eat Healthier and Be Wealthier"

Happy New Year! Most New Year's resolutions, we're told, involve renewed determination for being healthier and wealthier. These two goals mesh wonderfully in the cooking world where a couple modest shifts in the kitchen can have a positive, cumulative return.

IN THIS ISSUE, we suggest our list of top ten alterations that will support you in your shift toward health and wealth. We investigate the possibilities of the humble skillet as a key tool for creating healthy meals fast, and conclude with three recipes from the EatingWell^TM kitchens that will help you achieve your goals for fitness and frugality while maximizing flavor - all accomplished quickly!

In This Issue

January Special

Cooking Classes

Cooking Healthier & Wealthier

Quick Links

Love to Cook Website

Cooking Class Schedule

Logan/Cache Valley Visitors

January Special!

Click here for a printable version of the coupon.

Cooking Classes at Love to Cook!

We have a great line-up of classes underway! It's a great way to spend an evening or day! We look forward to having you in our kitchen soon! Cooking classes make a great date night too! Get all of the details on our website's Cooking Class page or Click the Class Titles below.

Thursday, January 6 - Winter Comfort Foods - 6:30 p.m.- When it's cold outside, cook up a little bit of comfort for your family inside. Leah Nielsen has recipes that will have you savorig the cold months. Don't miss out on these warm winter dishes to get you through the bitter cold.

January 8th - Getting to Know Your BOSCH - 10:00 a.m. - Resident Chef, JaDene Denniston, will share her knowledge and experience with the Bosch Mixer to get you acquainted with your new mixer, or to discover new possibilities with an old one!

Tuesday, January 11 - Knife Skills and a Meal - 6:30 p.m. - Learn great techniques for cutting safely and properly as well as knife sharpening and maintenance. Chef Robert Sanderson is a master in the kitchen at weilding knives. Come learn how to save time in the kitchen by mastering your knife skills. Hands On Class-Limit 10 People.

Wednesday, January 12 - Hands-On Whole Wheat Bread - 1:00p.m. - Come learn from our in-store instructor how to make delicious wheat bread using freshly ground wheat flour. Instructor will also demonstrate how to make our cinnamon/currant variation. Includes pan and one loaf of bread to take home.

Thursday, January 13 - Grinding All Your Grains in the Nutrimill - 6:30p.m. - Come learn about the Nutrimill Wheat Grinder. With Joy Ercanbrack you will learn all of the important information you need to mill all your own flours at home as well as a basic understanding and introduction of the different types of whole grains. The Nutrimill will surely become your best friend in the kitchen!

Saturday, January 15 - Secrets of Indian Cuisine - 11:00a.m. - Indian cooking can seem like a mystery but with the right pantry of ingredients, it is completely accessible for the home cook. Ash Oberai, Owner/Executive Chef of Indian Oven Restaurant will help you feel more confident about branching out to try this exotic cuisine.

Tuesday, January 18 - Sensational Winter Soups & Stews - 6:30p.m. - Nothing is more satisfying and delicious on a winter night than a warm bowl of soup. Tiffany Jeppsen has amazing recipes with influence from her travels all around the world. These are wonderful recipe that will keep you warm from the inside out and become family favorites.

Thursday, January 20 - Super Bowl Party Foods! - 6:30p.m. - This year celebrate the Super Bowl in a BIG way with BIG flavor. Personal Chef, Ron Jackson has party foods and ideas that will keep your guests happy. Whether you invite the whole neighborhood or just kick back with the family, these recipes are party pleasers.

Saturday, January 22 - Perfect Under Pressure: Electric Pressure Cooking - 11:00a.m. - Couldn't we all use a little more time in the day? With the electric pressure cooker in your kitchen you can cut down on your time spent in the kitchen so you can spend more time out of the kitchen. Resident Chef, JaDene Denniston has all the tools you'll need to master this appliance. It's soon to become your favorite!

Tuesday, January 25 - Making the Most of Your Food Processor - 6:30p.m. - The food processor can be used to help you prepare almost every meal! Whether you've just received one for the first time or you've had one sitting in the kitchen unused for years, it's time to get cooking! Jenny Beykirch will help you understand all that your food processor can do for you and more. Don't miss out on this great class!

Wednesday, January 26 - Hands On Whole Wheat Bread - 1:00p.m. - Come learn from our in-store instructor how to make delicious wheat bread using freshly ground wheat flour. Instructor will also demonstrate how to make our cinnamon/currant variation. Includes pan and one loaf of bread to take home.

Thursday, January 27 - Shake a Crab Party - 6:30p.m. - Come learn how to shake a crab! In this class Resident Chef, JaDene Denniston and Chef Anne Parrish will teach you how to get the meat out of a Dungeness Crab and some ways you can use it once it's out. With great recipes and a lots of fun, this is one party you don't want to miss out on!

Friday, January 28- Well Balanced Cooking - 6:30p.m. - In this class, brought to you by the Sport's Academy you will receive knowledge and tools that will help you in your quest for more well balanced cooking. Mary Dimmick, Registered Dietician has tons of knowledge as well as a menu plan that can help you on your journey. This class will feature a menu of sweet n' savory dishes!

Saturday, January 29 - Scrumptious Cinnamon Rolls - 11:00a.m. - There is nothing like a soft, sticky, messy, chewy cinnamon roll to make the winter blues go away. Come learn to make scrumptious cinnamon rolls that are sure to make you forget the snow outside. Kezia Whitteker has great recipes & tips to share. You'll soon be known around the neighborhood for whipping up these delicious treats!

We have more wonderful classes planned! Learn more on our website's Cooking Class page.

Tip #1: To keep your stainless steel cookware looking good, clean well after each use in warm soapy water. Most stainless steel may also be placed in the dishwasher. Any water spots may be removed with a micro-fiber cloth, or with the slightest bit of vinegar on a cloth. Always avoid scouring pans; instead use an approved stainless steel cleaner.

Tip #2: Allow pans to cool for a few minutes before immersing in dishwater. The change in temperature may shock the metal causing the pan to warp irreversibly.

Tip #3: When choosing a stove burner for cooking with your skillet, choose the burner that best matches the size of your skillet, or a burner that is slightly smaller than the bottom surface. Flames or heat up the sides of a skillet is wasted energy.

Tip #4: A skillet is perfect for making finishing sauces that call for reducing a liquid. Reducing liquid concentrates flavors by removing water in the form of steam. A skillet's broad bottom provides maximum surface area for the steam to escape. Reduced sauces often impart delicious magic to the final dish.

Tip #5: Overcrowding a skillet will challenge the pan's ability to retain or recover its heat, and will tend to steam the foods instead of pan-frying or saut�ing.

Q: How do I know when the skillet is hot enough for cooking?
A: There are many ways to assess the temperature of a heating skillet: (1) Hover your hand above the skillet to get a sense of its gathering heat. (2) In a dry, heated skillet, pour in a few drops of water. If the water forms a ball that dances across the pan, it is an ideal temperature; if the water shatters into many pieces, it is too hot. (3) In an oiled and heated skillet, the oil's surface will shimmer and move when hot. A flick of water off the tip of your finger should sizzle, though take care to avoid any oil splatters. If the oil begins to smoke, the pan is too hot.

Q: What is fond?
A: Fond is the brown portion of food that forms particularly when cooking meats. When proteins and sugars are exposed to heat together, they undergo a caramelization process known chemically as a Maillard reaction. The "brown bits," (as they are sometimes called), at the bottom of the pan have formed complex flavors and create the foundation for many delicious sauces. When frying or saut�ing is done, deglaze the pan and gather up all of the fond by adding liquid, stock, or wine, to the pan, then proceed in finishing the sauce with seasonings and other ingredients.

Q: What is the difference between pan-frying and saut�ing?
A: Pan-frying uses a medium to medium-high heat and enough oil to keep foods from sticking. With pan-frying, foods are allowed to cook without a lot of stirring or moving about, just flipping to finish the other side. In contrast, saut�ing uses more heat, less oil, and more stirring and turning of the food so that all of it cooks evenly. Pan-frying is suitable for larger pieces of food, while saut�ing requires smaller, similarly sized pieces.

Q: What's the difference between a skillet and a saut� pan?
A: Both pans are similar in many ways. The bottom surface of each style of pan is the cooking surface; the sides are less critical to the cooking process. A skillet generally has sloped sides and a saut� pan has straight sides. The sloped sides of a skillet make it easier to use a turner, while the straight-sides of a saut� pan are more effective in keeping ingredients in the pan when stirring and tossing the food.

The EatingWell^TM folks have done it again! They've created a great collection of recipes that shift us to a healthier lifestyle full of flavor, all without a hint of asceticism or curtailed eating pleasure. A pleasant mix of new recipes and favorites with a healthy makeover, this book is great companion for pursuing "healthy and wealthy" in the New Year. And, in addition to the healthy character of each of the recipes, they have crafted the book to contain foods that are less than $3 per serving. A hallmark of EatingWell^TM publications is their practical aspect; the recipes are for real people, with busy lives, who like good food but may not always have the time or budget for daily gourmet cooking. The book covers breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks. There are a generous number of tips for being budget conscious while eating healthily. The recipes are clearly written, identify total and active time requirements, and detail nutritional components of each dish. We love how EatingWell^TM has put all our New Year's resolutions together in one systematic guidebook.

Sesame-Orange Shrimp *View and Print* In 30 minutes, shrimp are lightly coated in a simple cornstarch mixture and quickly pan-fried in a skillet. A delicious, super-easy sauce of orange juice and soy sauce completes the dish. Made in less than 30 minutes, the shrimp were served over rice and accompanied by pea pods. It's a healthy, low-calorie supper meal that is satisfyingly delicious.
Sweet Potato and Red Pepper Pasta View and Print In less than 30 minutes, a great pasta dish is on the table. Shredded sweet potatoes along with red bell pepper strips provide a healthy dose of Vitamins A and C in a colorful presentation. An easy "sauce" is formed with the addition of goat cheese. The equal parts of veggies and pasta keep the calories per serving lower than typical pasta dishes. The leftovers were just as tasty!
Pork Chops au Poivre View and Print In 20 minutes, these pork chops are ready. Pork tends to be an inexpensive cut of meat, yet quite tender and lean. This recipe plays on the classic Steak au Poivre, only now as a pork variation. The recipe makes excellent use of a good skillet and demonstrates the process of deglazing a pan and the making of a delicious finishing sauce.
Recipes from EatingWell on a Budget by Jessie Price and the EatingWell^TM Test Kitchen through permission of The Countryman Press, Woodstock, VT. Copyright 2010. All rights reserved.

We hope this helps start your own version of "healthy and wealthy" in this New Year.
Wishing you the best in 2011!

Chris Beykirch and All the Staff at Love to Cook!

1211 N. Main Street
Logan, UT 84341
435-752-9220/888-GADGET9
www.luvtocook.com