On Wednesday 25th I held my first cooking class at Fresh Madison Market. The 2-hour class was titled Cooking South of the Border, and I prepared some of my favorite Tex-Mex cuisine: Sizzlin’ Chicken Fajitas (in a cast iron skillet just like the restaurants), Heather’s Homemade Guacamole (a real crowd pleaser), Chili con Carne (adapted from my mom’s recipe — it’s great for a large group or put into containers and make your own frozen entrees) and a Crisp Taco Salad (say goodbye to iceberg lettuce). The goal was to create meals that were familiar, simple, delicious and healthy. In addition to sampling each dish, everyone enjoyed a Corona Extra or glass of Sangria. I also covered different cutting techniques like how to peel and dice garlic, how to core and chop bell peppers and how to slice an onion without crying.

What I enjoyed most was that everyone had a good time, asked great questions and were interested in learning more. So what’s next on the list? People who attended my class said they were interested in Thai cuisine. Pad thai, curries, satays. Yum. If you are interested in having me put on a cooking class for you and your friends, please give me a call.

South of the Border Cooking Class
Chopping a green bell pepper and sharing a story.

South of the Border 2
Getting ingredients ready for chili con carne.

South of the Border 3
Plating up some sizzlin’ chicken fajitas.