Treat yourself and your girlfriends to a night on the town in historic Medina for Ladies Night Out on Thursday, June 16th, 2011. Have dinner and drinks at one of the many fine restaurants and pubs, and then hit the town for an evening of fun!

Enjoy 25% off your total purchase at Root Candles at West Liberty from 5pm - 8pm. Shop the merchants and boutiques throughout the historic district and Square while they pamper you with gifts, hand massages, chocolate treats, special shopping incentives, and much more!

And there's still open spaces for "Sandy's Burger Bash!"

Whether you are a novice or an experienced cook we invite you to join us in our newest culinary adventure. Our cooking classes are the place to be if you love to cook, love to eat or just want to have a great time! Join us Thursday, June 16th from 6pm - 7pm as fire up the grill for a Burger Bash! Call (330)723-4359 to reserve your class space.

Includes recipe cards, full tastings of all menu items, and a 25% discount on all gourmet food products purchased the day of the class (Rossi Pasta, Stonewall Kitchen, Rothschild Farm, Barefoot Contessa, Wind & Willow, Pasta Partners, Bella Cucina, Savannah Bee Honey, Pasta Shoppe, Tea Forte, Republic of Tea, Maggie & Mary's Soups, D'Marie, Tea Forte, Paula Deen, Davis & Davis, Stirrings, and Root Honey.)

Perhaps you didn't know this, along with the monthly scheduled cooking classes it is also available to book private cooking classes with Sandy for your group of 15 or more guests. Just last week The Greenbriar Women's League  from Parma enjoyed an informative evening of Root history and a private cooking class on April 6. The theme was Garden Brunch, perfect for the upcoming warmer weather entertaining season. 

Sandy wanted to share with you two of the class favorites. First a Vegetable Frittata from the culinary greats at Stonewall Kitchen using their Spicy Honey Mustard. The second a quick and easy Salmon Bisque using starting with the Wind & Willows Baked Potato Soup Mix.


Photo Credit: Stonewall Kitchen

Vegetable Frittata

Ingredients
    •    2 tablespoons butter
    •    2 tablespoons oil -- vegetable or olive
    •    1 russet potato, medium, peeled and sliced thinly
    •    1 leek, small, quartered, rinsed well and patted dry
    •    1 cup asparagus, blanched, cut into 1" pieces
    •    3/4 cup Swiss cheese, grated
    •    6 large eggs
    •    1/2 cup half and half or light cream
    •    1/2 cup Stonewall Kitchen Spicy Honey Mustard
    •    Salt, optional

Directions
    1.    Heat butter and oil in heavy skillet.
    2.    Sauté thinly sliced potatoes and diced leeks together until potatoes are tender and can be pierced with a fork. Blanch asparagus until tender.
    3.    Lightly oil 9x9 baking pan and put cooked vegetables into bottom of pan.
    4.    Lightly beat eggs and add half and half and Spicy Honey Mustard to egg mixture. Salt optional.
    5.    Add shredded Swiss cheese and pour over vegetable mixture.
    6.    Bake in a pre-heated 350 degree oven for 20 to 30 minutes or until center is firm and set. Remove from oven and let stand for 10 minutes.
    7.    Cut small for appetizers or cut larger for entrée portions and serve with mixed salad greens and crusty bread.
    8.    This recipe may also be baked in a pie shell for quiche.

Salmon Bisque

Ingredients
    •    Wind & Willow Baked Potato Soup Mix (prepared)
    •    1 large can salmon (boneless, skinless, and flaked)
    •    6 Tbs. sour cream
    •    1 medium tomato (pureed) or 2 Tbs. tomato paste
    •    3 Tbs. sherry (optional)
    •    1/2 tsp. salt
    •    1/4 tsp. black pepper

Directions
Prepare soup as directed stirring frequently. Add salmon, sour cream, tomato, sherry and seasonings. Serve as soup or use to top cheddar biscuits or wild rice. Serves 6

For more information on booking a private cooking event, call the Root Candles Company Store in Medina, OH at 330-723-4359 or email, westliberty@rootcandles.com.

photo from the Root Candles Company Store Cafe
 

Sandy was in the cafe this week whipping up some delicious carbs. And in Ohio, where we're praying for the clouds to move out and the warm air to move in, it's still pretty chilly and comfort foods are still on the weekly menu.

This recipe was from the most recent cooking class, which was themed around pasta and rice. Using a product that we carry in the Root Company Store at West Liberty in Medina called Maggie & Mary's Pot Roast Soup Mix, you can whip it up in a matter of minutes, pop it into the oven and forget about it. Here's how it comes together:

Ingredients:

• 1 box Maggie & Mary’s Pot Roast Soup
• 1 pound hamburger
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 3 cups cooked medium noodles, drained
• 4 T. buttered bread crumbs
• 1/2 cup instant rice

Directions:
Prepare soup mix according to instructions on box, except reduce the amount of water by cup. While soup simmers, brown hamburger with onions; drain well. After soup has simmered, stir in the hamburger, rice, and noodles. Turn into a baking dish prepared with non-stick spray. Bake at 375 degrees for about 20 minutes or until hot. Stir casserole. Sprinkle with bread crumbs. Bake 5 minutes more.

Image Credit: suziethefoodie.blogspot.com

Kids love to cook, and for good reason. Cooking is playing the mad scientist with magic elixirs, chemical changes, boiling brews and yummy things that turn into other yummy things – hopefully. Messy hands, mixing bowls, and fun tools that really are more like toys. Perhaps that's why so many adults love to cook as they reconnect with their inner child, the lost imagination that is longing to be found and played with once again.

It is no wonder Sandy's recent cooking class was a sell out. The special kid's-only cooking class, "Loafing About" was a big hit with kids and parents.

The kids learned how to make their own pizza dough and built them up with fun toppings such as peanut butter and jelly using Stonewall Kitchen jelly, a chicken and cheese with a Maple Chipotle Grill Sauce and traditional pepperoni & cheese with a Rossi Pasta sauce.

For dessert, because Sandy never leaves out dessert, they frosted cupcakes and made popcorn balls. The popcorn ball recipe is slightly different from the ones I made in my childhood which involved powdered gelatin mix for the fruity flavor and color. Sandy used a recipe from Stonewall Kitchen which is even tastier and just as simple.

Ingredients:

• 4 Tbs. unsalted butter
• 1 10-ounce bag marshmallows
• 2 Tbs. any Stonewall Kitchen Jam
• 2 Tbs. white sugar
• 3 quarts popped popcorn

Directions:

1. In a large heavy pot, melt butter over low heat.
2. Add marshmallows, sugar and jam, and stir until melted. Remove from heat.
3. Place popcorn in large bowl, and coat with marshmallow mixture. Toss well.
4. Butter hands and shape popcorn mixture into balls.
5. Set on wax paper to dry.

For the latest info on upcoming Cooking with Sandy Classes and other Root Candle happenings check out the Company Stores page at RootCandles.com. And to get the latest info delivered to your inbox, make sure to sign up for our emails. Don't worry, we don't send them everyday, more like once or twice a week.