When you understand the principles of cooking techniques, you can createjust about anything in the kitchen! Gaining confidence, learningtechniques, and expanding skills is the mission of the Confident Cooking Series. Students also receive a 10% discount on select merchandise at Allyson’s while enrolled.

Confident Cooking (10 Weeks)

Next Session Starts January 7th, 2010

Each week we demonstrate several recipes based on a specific technique.Students receive a comprehensive notebook filled with recipes, articles and essential culinary tips. This is a great class for home chefs ofall levels giving new inspiration and introducing new flavors.

Cost is $399 per student. Individual Classes are $45/each.
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Advanced Confident Cooking (5 Weeks)

January 13th, 2010

Adeeper undstanding of the culinary process will take your skills to newlevels in our advanced course. Participants should have completed Confident Cooking or get special permission from the instructor.

Cost is $300 per student. Individual Classes are $65/each.
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Confident Cooking Schedule

Week #1 - Soups, Stocks, & Broths

Thurs. Jan 7th, 6-8pm

Recipes: White, Brown and Roasted Vegetable Stock, French Onion Soup, Creme Olga Soup, Minestrone.

Week #2 - Classic Sauces

Thurs. Jan 14th, 6-8pm

Recipes: Garlic Mayonnaise, Béchamel, Mornay Sauce with Pasta, Hollandaise, Tomato Sauce and Espagnole, Chicken w/ Thyme Veloute.

Week #3 Grilling and Broiling

Thurs. Jan 21st, 6-8pm

Recipes:Grilled Eggplant w/ Parsley Pesto, Grilled Rib Eyes, Broiled TomatoCoulis w/ Goat Cheese & Grilled Herbed Toasts, Broiled Mushrooms w/Hazelnuts & Garlic.

Week #4 - Steaming, Poaching, Blanching

Thurs. Jan 28th, 6-8pm

Recipes:Poached Chicken w/ Black Olive & Sun-Dried Tomato Relish, Fish in Parchment, Ginger-Coconut Rice and Steamed Seasonal Vegetables with Garlic Oil, Poached Pears in Red Wine.

Week #5 - Braising and Stewing

Thurs. Feb4th, 6-8pm

Recipes: Beef Burgundy, Braised Root Vegetables, Aromatic Asian Pork Stew.

Week #6 - Sauteing, Frying and Stir-Frying

Thurs. Feb 11th, 6-8pm

Recipes: Southern Fried Chicken, Pork Marsala, Spicy Shrimp Sauté with Creamy Grits, Vegetarian Stir-Fry.

Week #7 - Roasting and Smoking

Thurs. Feb 18th, 6-8pm

Recipes: Smoked Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Soup, Roast Chicken, Spinach and Roasted Potato Salad, Roasted London Broil and Roasted Kale Chips.

Week #8 - Mousses and Soufflés

Thurs. Feb 25th, 6-8pm

Recipes: Seared Sea Scallops with Mushrooms and Potato Mousseline, Chocolate Soufflé w/ Brandy Orange Sauce, Smoked Salmon Mousse, White Chocolate Mousse with Raspberry Coulis.

Week #9 - Breads, Focaccia and Pizza

Thurs. March 4th, 6-8pm

Recipes: Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins, Rustic Country Loaf, Focaccia Bread, Pizza Margherita

Week #10 - Pastry Making and Baking

Thurs. March 11th, 6-8pm

Recipes: Pate Brisee for Onion and Asparagus Tart, Apple Jack Tart, Profiteroles w/ Caramel Ice Cream and Chocolate Ganache.

Advanced Confident Cooking

Week #1 - Garde Manger and Knife Skills

Wed. May 5th, 5:30-8pm

Understanding the Cold Kitchen.

Week #2 - Sauces

Wed. May 11th, 5:30-8pm

Going deeper and expanding your knowledge of sauces, their uses and how to make them.

Week #3 - Meats

Wed. May 18th, 5:30-8pm

Breakingdown primal cuts; Whole Chicken, Beef Sirloin and Pork Tenderloin.Understanding the different techniques required for each type of meat.

Week #4 - Seafood

Wed. May 25th, 5:30-8pm

Understanding several methods of preparing different types of seafood. Prawns, Scallops, Red Snapper, Mussels and Clams.

Week #5 - Desserts

Wed. June 1st, 5:30-8pm

Clafouti, Fruit Tart, Bread Pudding, Crème Caramel with Sabayon & Fresh Berries.

Let’s Do Brunch (Hands-on)

Saturday, January 2, 2-5pm with Chef Joe Morgan

Ever wanted to have brunch in your home but did not know where to begin? Well now you can learn all of the classics with a Mimosa in hand. Eggs Benedict, Custard Style French Toast, German Pancakes, Blintzes & Crepes, and Coffee Cake. ($55)

“Beat the Sugar Rush” – Diabetic Cuisine (Hands On)

Saturday, January 9, 2-5pm with Chef Joe Morgan

Learn to create some tasty diabetic friendly dishes from Chef Joe Morgan who is himself a diabetic. These dishes will include Mushroom Crostini, Cannellini Beans with Chicken Breast and Citrus Vinaigrette, Cajun Grilled Prawns, Bruschetta with Feta Cheese, Mushroom Barley soup and Mixed Berry Crumble that you don’t have to feel “too” guilty about! ($65)

How to Boil Water: Soups and Salads (Hands-on)

Monday, January 11, 6-8pm with Krista Jacques

If your skills in the kitchen are so basic you don’t know where to begin, join us to get started. This class is great for high school and college students, as well as cooks of any age who need some extra tips to begin their culinary adventure. Menu includes Chicken Noodle Soup, Potato Leek Soup, Caesar Salad, Cascade Spinach Salad, and Shrimp with Orzo Pasta Salad. ($45)

Delicious Vegetarian Cuisine (Demo)

Tuesday, January 12, 6-8pm with Chef Joe Morgan

By Popular Demand! Learn the techniques of gourmet vegetarian cooking. Miso Soup, Bleu Cheese Waldorf Salad, Insalata Pizza, Fettucini w/ Tomato Poblano Sauce and Green Chile Goat Cheese, and Berry Clafouti. ($55)

World Tour: Cajun (Hands-on)

Saturday, January 16, 2-5pm with Chef Joe Morgan

A unique cuisine indigenous to the U.S. and a national treasure. Known for its big, bold, smoky flavor, rich with seafood and fresh meat & vegetables from the farm. Come and join us for a few of these specialties: Ribeye Steak w/ Garlic Mushroom Sauce, Cajun “Dirty” Rice, Bronzed Red Snapper, Ratatouille, Andouille Sausage Cheese Grits, Beignets. ($55)

How to Boil Water: Entrees (Hands-on)

Monday, January 18, 6-8pm with Krista Jacques

If your skills in the kitchen are so basic you don’t know where to begin, join us to get started. This class is great for high school and college students, as well as cooks of any age who need some extra tips to begin their culinary adventure. Menu includes Classic Spaghetti and Meatballs, Chicken Parmesan, Mashed Potatoes, Steamed Vegetables, and Thai Green Curry. ($45)

Satisfying Winter Meals#1 (Hands-on)

Tuesday, January 19, 6-8pm with Chef Joe Morgan

This winter we bring you a special selection of cozy seafood dishes that are sure to warm your insides. Menu includes Catfish topped with Crabmeat, Cedar Planked Salmon, Cioppino, Filet of Snapper Papillote, and Hot Spicy Shrimp with Black Bean Sauce. ($75)

World Tour: Caribbean (Hands-on)

Saturday, January 23, 2-5pm with Chef Joe Morgan

Escape to the islands and experience cuisine drawn from the cultures of many islands such as Trinidad Style Stewed Chicken, Moros y Christianos, Tropical Fruit Salad a la mode, Jicama Slaw, Jerk Pork Tenderloin w/ Mango Salsa. Jerk Pork Tenderloin. Yah Mon! ($50)

How to Boil Water: Baking (Hands-on)

Monday, January 25, 6-8pm with Krista Jacques

If your skills in baking are so basic you don’t know where to begin, join us to get started. This class is great for high school and college students, as well as cooks of any age who need some extra tips to begin their culinary adventure. Menu includes Chocolate Chip Cookies, Buttermilk Brownies, Yeast Dinner Rolls, Snickerdoodles, and Blueberry Streusel Muffins. ($45)

World Tour: Italian Countryside (Hands-On)

Saturday, January 30, 2-5pm with Chef Joe Morgan

Mangia! Mangia! Mangia! Join us on this special tribute to Italian Cooking. The smells and flavors you will create will be so amazing you will never “forget about it!” Sauté of Broccoli Rabe, Scampi & Orange Salad, Herbed Lamb Chops with Olives & Balsamic Vinegar, Baked Cheese & Salami Loaf, Pennette with Mozzarella & Tomato Basil Sauce, and Amaretti Cookies. ($60)

World Tour: Scandinavia (Hands-on)

Monday, February 1, 6-8pm with Krista Jacques

Scandinavia’s cuisine serves up a tasty assortment of seafood, meat and potatoes. Join Krista as she explores dishes from her family’s ancestry. Whether you’re Scandinavian or not, you’ll be sure to enjoy dishes such as Salmon Potato Soup, Pulla (Cardamom Sweet Rolls), Swedish Meatballs with Lingonberries, Smoked Salmon on Rye, and others from the Smørrebrød (Danish for the Bread and Butter table)($50)

Satisfying Winter Meals #2 (Hands-on)

Tuesday, February 2, 6-8pm with Chef Joe Morgan

Chef Joe brings you classic dishes to warm up your kitchen and warm up your insides. We’ll be cooking up Classic Chicken Parmesan, Crab Cakes with Avocado Wasabi Mayo, Crusty Ham and Cheese Soufflé, Dijon Blackened Chicken Salad, and Fudge Dipped Almond Cookies. ($65)

Hands-on Knife Skills

Tuesday, February 3, 5:30-8pm with Chef Joe Morgan

Knives are the most important tool used in the kitchen and using them effectively will make you a better, faster home chef. Learn the difference between a dice, chop, and mince, as well as which knife is right for each kitchen job. Students will need a chef’s knife and will receive a 10% discount on the day of the class. ($50)

Hands-on Comfort Food for the Soul

Saturday, February 6, 2-5pm with Chef Joe Morgan

Join Chef Joe to put a spin on comfort food classics. His menu includes dishes such as Chipotle Marinated Pork Chops, Broiled Lemon Sole on Leeks, Golden Gate Cioppino, Beef Wellington, and Strawberry Mascarpone Napoleons. ($65)

30 Minute Meals (Hands-on)

Monday, February 8,6-8pm with Krista Jacques

Menu coming soon! ($50)

Girls Night Out! (Hands-on)

Tuesday, February 9, 5:30-8pm with Chef Joe Morgan

Treat yourself, don’t cheat yourself! Get the girls together and come prepare and enjoy some awesome food and choose some tasty wines to go with it! Pecan Crusted Chicken Fingers with Honey Mustard Dipping Sauce, Chicken Puff Pastry Empanadas with Pineapple Salsa, Grilled Peppers with Fresh Mozzarella with Caper Basil Vinaigrette, Polenta Bites with Caramelized Mushrooms, and Berry Clafouti with Vanilla Bean Sauce. ($60)

Weekend Gourmet (Hands-on)

Saturday, February 13, 2-5pm with Chef Joe Morgan

The weekend allows for a little more time to delve into the kitchen and create masterpieces. Join Chef Joe in learning these gourmet tasty dishes, like Epic Caesar Salad, Beef Tournedos, Risotto with Asparagus, Pacific Red Snapper Vera Cruz, and Breast of Chicken Chardonnay. ($65)

World Tour: Spain (Hands-on)

Tuesday, February 16, 6-8pm with Chef Joe Morgan

Nothing tastes better than Spanish cuisine made right before your very eyes! Experience traditional dishes including Empanadas, Chicken in Sanfaina Sauce, Fried Stuffed Peppers, Potatoes w/ Garlic Sauce, & Brazo di Gitano. ($50)

Beautiful Bounty of the Pacific Northwest (Hands-on)

Saturday, February 20, 2-5pm with Chef Joe Morgan

Enjoy the bounty of food and flavors in this culinary tribute to Pacific NW cooking. Blueberry-Citrus Shortcake, Maple Glazed Salmon, Hazelnut-Crusted Scallops, Virgin Berry Mojito, Wild Mushroom Ragout, Apple Fennel & Gorgonzola Salad, Pears with Marion Berry Sauce ala Mode. ($65)

Bistro Classics

Tuesday, February 23, 6-8pm with Chef Joe Morgan

Oh Provence! The culinary wonders from this French region are vast. We will explore the most popular of these dishes. Sun-Dried Tomato Aioli, Swordfish with Pasta and Provencal Red Wine Sauce, Balsamic Glazed Vegetables, Lemon & Honey Tart ($65)

California Wine Country (Demo)

Wed, February 24th, 6-8pm with Chef Joe Morgan

Join us for a sophisticated virtual evening in the Napa Valley. A sampling of wine will be paired with each offering, accentuating the flavors and complimenting the soul. Artichoke Heart with Garlic Lemon Butter, Shrimp & Avocado Salad, Herb Roasted Potatoes, Veal Chasseur, and Chocolate Decadence Cake. ($75)

Venice, City By the Sea (Hands-on)

Saturday, February 27, 2-5pm with Chef Joe Morgan

Picture beautiful Venice - the gondolas, the art, the smell of wonderful cooking. Experience this for yourself and see the preparations right before your eyes. Shrimp Florentine Rolls with Seafood Zabaglione, Citrus Risotto w/ Prosciutto, Scallops Venetian Style, Roasted Sweet Peppers w/ Capers and Oregano, & Amaretto Zuccotto. ($65)