Culinary Basics at Viking Cooking School

Duke and I signed up for a 5-hour Culinary Basics course at the local Viking Cooking School at The Factory... and it was time well spent!

I think the biggest "aha" moment for me was when I learned how to hold a knife and properly chop an onion.  I'll never buy them pre-chopped again!  It's actually kind of fun.

We made salmon, stuffed chicken, green beans in a shallot vinaigrette, basmati rice, vegetable soup, chicken stock, and chocolate souffles.

I think we're actually going to start making our own stock at home, especially since I have my Grandma's old stock pot.

The time went quickly!  It was definitely fun to be in such an amazing kitchen with Duke.  It was a great daytime date, and I know I will be headed back to cooking class in the future...  I'm already signed up for a macaron class in February.

Garlic & Tomato Tart

I've made so many sweets lately, I had to make something savory!  This is another recipe I used for a work event.  This was an extremely easy, but well-received side dish.  I had someone ask me how I made it; super easy, and a crowd pleaser... kind of like a flatbread.

Garlic & Tomato Tart
Recipe from Southern Living


1/2 (15-ounce) package refrigerated piecrusts
1 garlic bulb (I always double or triple garlic. ALWAYS!)
1/2 teaspoon olive oil
1 1/2 cups shredded fontina cheese, divided
4 large tomatoes
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper

Press refrigerated piecrust on bottom and up sides of a square 9-inch tart pan. (I used a pie pan, it was fine.)  Bake at 450° for 9 minutes or until piecrust is lightly browned; set aside.

Cut off pointed end of garlic bulb; place garlic on a piece of aluminum foil, and drizzle with olive oil. Fold foil to seal.

Bake garlic at 425° for 30 minutes; cool. Squeeze pulp from garlic cloves into bottom of baked piecrust.
Sprinkle 1/2 cup fontina cheese over the garlic.

Slice tomatoes, and sprinkle evenly with salt and pepper. Place on folded paper towels, and let stand 10 minutes. Arrange tomato slices over shredded cheese. Sprinkle with remaining 1 cup cheese.

Bake at 350° for 45 minutes or until tart is lightly browned.

Girlfriend Getaways

My girlfriends and I have a lot of fun together... all over the place!  Here are a few girls-only adventures we've had over the past five years.  Do you have a favorite friends' getaway?

Montreal, Canada (this is at Toque! restaurant)

Savannah, Georgia (with a Labor Day White Party!)

Connecticut

Washington, D.C.

Blue Ridge, Georgia

Maui, Hawaii

Walt Disney World, Florida

Nova Scotia, Canada