A couple cake designs...

 

Soup 101 - October 5, 2025 Class

 To begin, visit Soup 101 - 10/18/20 post

8-can Chicken Taco Soup
1 can ea. pinto, black, sweet corn (drain & rinse)
1 can diced tomatoes (or fire-roasted)
1 can Rotel - w/green chilies
1 can chicken (or 1 1/2c. cooked chicken)
1 can chicken broh
1 packet taco seasoning
Dump in pot, simmer 15-20 min. stirring occasionally
Serve w/sour cream, shredded cheese, lime, tortilla chips, cilantro

5 minute soup - under 'soups'

Chicken Enchilada Quinoa Soup
from letsmealtalk.com -Healthy Meal Planning & Prepping Made Easy
cook til softened:

1/2 yellow onion
yellow pepper
2 cloves garlic
add seasoning blend:
1 tsp. ea. salt, oregano, chili powder, cumin
add:
1 1/2c. chicken broth
16oz. green enchilada sauce
16oz. diced tomatoes
2 c. cooked chicken
1/2c. quinoa
1 can black beans (drain & rinse)
Stir well, bring to low simmer, cook covered for 10 min. til quinoa is soft.
Add more spice if needed.

New Cookie Design - without the actual cookie cutter

Coming soon - graduation gown

DIY Soft Scrub

Mix even amounts-Dawn, baking soda, epsom salts
Works great on glass shower doors, shower walls, etc.
Make a small amount to use because it hardens if trying to save it for later.

Tamalada Time

Tamalada - Tamale making party. 

Hosting one is probably the best (&most fun) way to make a bunch of tamales.

To make tamales you'll need masa, filling, corn husks to hold/form, and various toppings to add when serving them. (3.5-4cups of filling and 4c. masa. will make 40 tamales)

You can use squares of parchment paper if you don't have corn husks.

Masa - can be savory or sweet (for dessert tamales). It can also be colored with some of the ingredients that go into the filling so you can differentiate between filling flavors.

Filling - Beef, pork, chicken, beans, cheese, peppers....do yourself a favor and make these ahead of time.

In class - we will make Red Chili Pork tamales, and bean and cheese
(15oz. refried beans w/1.5c. shredded mozzarella) tamales.

I made the chocolate tamales ahead of time.

I found https://tastesbetterfromscratch.com/ very helpful. She also has a Salsa Verde Chicken tamale recipe you might try.

Steps to make tamales-
(break it down into parts, trying to do it in one day is too much)

Cook meat ahead of time. Crock Pot or Instant Pot. Let sit in fridge overnight so the fat can easily be skimmed off. It's also easier to shred and defat the meat when it's cold. The Birria Roast from Aldi is a super quick way to  do meat as it's already nicely seasoned.
Save the liquid to flavor your masa.

PORK - for 20 (Idid x4) - 60HI NPR in IP
or crock pot 8 hours on low (or overnight)
1 1/2lbs. pork loin shoulder or butt
1 large onion chopped
1 bay leaf
2 cloves garlic
1/2tsp. oregano
1tsp. cumin
1tsp. chili powder
1tsp. salt
1/2tsp. black pepper
Shred the cooled meat (remove fat-most of it will have cooked away).
Save the liquid to flavor your masa mix.

Red Chili Sauce
4 dried california chile pods-anaheim chilies
2 c. reserved pork broth (fat removed)
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. onion powder
2 cloves garlic
1/4 tsp. salt
1 Tbsp. oil
1Tbsp. flour

Remove seeds from the chiles, cook in two cups reserved broth for 20 minutes. Blend til smooth, use immersion blender (or regular blender). Cook 1 Tbsp. oil and flour, add blended chilies, spices, cook for 10 minutes. Add to shredded meat. Don't make it too wet.

Make Masa-
    mix 1 1/3c. shortening (traditionally lard is used) w/2Tbsp. broth for 3-5min til light & fluffy.
    1cup of shortening weighs 6.7oz. - using a scale is easier than using a measuring cup

 if you use a Kitchen Aid, you may not have enough to mix, so you may need to start with a hand mixer
 Separately, mix 4c. masa harina, 2tsp. baking powder, 1tsp. salt, 1tsp. cumin
 add gradually to shortening, alternating with broth
 Start w/3c. broth - mix til light and fluffy
 To see if it is ready, drop a small ball into a glass of water - if it sinks, you need more liquid.

Regular masa can be made 24 hours in advance. Chocolate masa can be made up to 3 days ahead.
Both can be frozen if necessary.

Soak husks in very hot water for 30-60 minutes. Any longer may lead to bacterial growth.

Assemble tamales.
Keep masa covered so it doesn't dry out.
Remove corn husk from water and dry off.
Spread masa (1/4c) on the smooth side, from the middle up to the wide end. Leave edges clean.
Place 1-2 Tbsp. filling down the center. Don't overfill.
After class, I tried a variation of the 'tortilla press' method. I smushed the dough with my hand using the plastic bag and to my surprise, it worked great. Then I tried my little fondant rolling pin, and that worked even better!

Fold in sides like a brochure, then fold up bottom. Can tie a string around to differentiate flavors.
  Could also tie a strip of corn husk, but it's not necessary. It only took 3 minutes to fold up the 11 tamales shown above. (I spread all the masa first)
(Refrigerate overnite if no time to steam-standing up and well covered)
Steam tamales standing upright (pack tightly enough to keep them standing), open end up -
 stove-top - don't let the water touch the bottom of the tamales - lay a few husks over the top, or a towel
 once boiling, reduce to a simmer and steam for 90 minutes, til tamale separates from husk
  DON"T LET THE WATER DRY UP 
Apparently if you put a penny in the bottom of your pan, it will make noise when the water runs out.
 
To use an Instant Pot - 1c. water on bottom - Manual/High Pressure 25 minutes. NPR10, QPR
In class, I got the 'burn notice' - to avoid this, raise your rack a bit with a couple balls of aluminum foil so you can put more water in the bottom. (you don't want the bottoms of your tamales 'in' the water. I noticed a couple of mine slumped down because they weren't packed tightly. A couple others weren't wrapped tightly and leaked a bit of masa, which soaks up the water and could lead to a burn notice.

If you need to fill up some space, empty tuna cans come in handy. You could even use a regular can and fill it with water, which may help to avoid a possible burn notice.

Once cooked, tamales should not be left out too long.

Leftover tamales can be kept in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

To freeze - allow cooked tamales to cool. Place in bag, freeze up to 3 months.
  Tamales can also be frozen prior to steaming. Don't keep them too long before cooking.
  Use same Instant Pot cooking times to cook them from frozen.

To rewarm - wrap tamale in dampened paper towels (to steam them) and microwave until warmed through. Letting them defrost first will allow them to reheat evenly.

Lots of options here:
https://deliastamales.com/order-online/best-ways-to-reheat-tamales/

Other ideas - mini tamale cupcakes - see Pinterest

Tamale Pie - press just over half of masa into bottom and up sides of a pan. Fill with meat, beans, corn, cheese, onion, salsa...press rest of masa onto waxed paper in the shape of the container you're using.
Use waxed paper or saran wrap to spread out the masa, and then place it over the filling. 

A tamale pie cooks for the same amount of time as the tamales.
I made two of these 6" square pans (cover with foil) stacked up in the Instant Pot (on the rack)
for 25HI, 10NPR, QPR

In the oven - Place pan into a larger pan, pour water onto the larger pan. Cover the two pans together with foil to make a 'steamer.' Bake at 375 for at least 1 hour.

http://www.austinfoodlovers.com/2007/12/31/chocolate-yep-thats-right-chocolate-tamales/
you'll find great instruction here on how to mix masa
1-mix masa and liquid in a separate large bowl and let sit to hydrate for 30 minutes.
2-in stand mixer, beat shortening (or butter) til light and fluffy
    add in baking powder
3-gradually add in masa mix - will be dry and crumbly
4-add in rest of water - mix on med high for 8 minutes (I alternated masa/liquid)
5-add in sugar and cocoa (if using) - mix for 2 minutes
6-keep mixing and adding small amounts of liquid til it passes the 'float' test

10Tbsp. butter - mix til light and fluffy
1 3/4c. masa (can mix in a separate bowl w/1c. of the water to start to rehydrate, let sit 30 min)
1 3/4c. water 
1tsp. baking powder
1/4c. cocoa powder
1/4c. sugar
This makes approx. 16 tamales (or 12-20 depending on size)

Fill with 1Tbsp. chips, caramel, nuts....I did add some marshmallows to the above chocolate tamale pie - they disappeared ;)

Dawn Heavy Duty Degreaser

If you haven't yet discovered this product....go find it!

See the videos below-the one shows the right side where I did my 'regular' wash. 

Then over to the left where I used this. These cookie sheets are 20 years old.

I thought they looked pretty good, but now?!

If you have a nice manicure, maybe put on a glove just in case.

 

Homemade Pasta...

...is hard to make, requires special flour and lots of $$$ tools - all MYTHS

You can make great pasta with all-purpose flour, a rolling pin, and your hands.
Full transparency, a food processor and a pasta roller does make it quicker and easier ;)

Why make your own pasta? It's softer, more delicate, with a fresher taste. 

Customize to your own taste, thicker noodles, special shapes, add herbs, colors, special fillings...

Northern Italy-egg based pastas are generally served w/rich sauces & fats like butter and cream    better for shapes that need to be rolled thin & keep their shape. Plan on 100g flour (AP or 00) plus 1 egg per person. Add an extra yolk to make it a bit richer.

Egg pasta should be frozen after rolling/cutting rather than dried, for safety reasons. 

Roll dough within 24 hours to prevent oxidation (will turn a bit gray).

If your dough is colored (pumpkin, chocolate) you could probably go 36 hours.

*Use only the freshest eggs. Test your eggs in a bowl of water, if they sink, they're fresh.

If they remain in a vertical position, they are getting old but can still be used for other recipes. 

If they float, they've gone bad.

To save cooked pasta, drizzle w/a bit of olive oil - 1-2tsp. per lb. Toss, spread on sheet pan to cool.

Store in ziplock in fridge for up to 5 days.

Southern Italy-semolina & water, usually served w/lighter sauces using olive oil, and fresh vegetables.

Makes a pasta that with a thicker, more rustic shape. 100g flour to 50g water

Adding some AP will make it a bit more elastic.

        00 flour                              Semolina                    All-Purpose

more finely ground                 more al dente                more common

     best texture                   harder to work with             great texture

Dough can be mixed by hand, stand mixer, or food processor.

Stand mixer-use dough hook for 4-5 minutes to save on kneading time.

Food processor-mix til dough comes together, remove to work surface, rest 1 minute. 

If sticky, sprinkle w/flour. Knead 1-2 minutes.

If mixing by hand - mix, and then knead 7-10 minutes.

Fresh pasta has a short shelf life, cook or freeze as soon as possible. 

Pasta can be cooked right from frozen.

Mix, knead, wrap, rest 30 min. (in the refrigerator if using eggs), 

bring to room temp, roll, shape, freeze or cook right away.

 *I make my shapes and put them straight on a lined (parchment/wax paper) cookie sheet
 and then straight to the freezer

Divide dough into manageable pieces to roll, either by hand or with a pasta roller.

Keep remaining dough wrapped when not in use to keep from drying out.

If using a cutter (like a spaghetti or fettucine attachment), allow rolled pasta sheet to rest/dry for 15 minutes or it might not go smoothly through the cutter.

Make nests out of long noodles (sprinkle with flour), freeze, then put nests in ziploc bags.

Other shapes, freeze on parchment lined cookie sheet, then transfer to ziploc once frozen.

Make sure container is airtight. 

To see 29 pasta shapes made by hand Visit: 

https://www.bonappetit.com/video/watch/how-to-make-handmade-pasta-shapes-dough?epik=dj0yJnU9VFpmSkRud1VXWjdiY0ZDUGtwbWFOTk9LMVlIQi0zSW8mcD0wJm49eXlJY3Z6YTZtbHZqaUFyZXRicXpOZyZ0PUFBQUFBR2NOZnVj

side note: https://www.theburntbuttertable.com/    has loads of yummy looking recipes along with some tutorials you may be interested in. To color pasta, use carrots, spinach,  fresh herbs, beets, pumpkin, cocoa powder. Add more flour/liquid as needed. Have your sauce ready to go before cooking your pasta. To cook pasta: Start with cold water. Add salt/sugar when the water is almost to a boil. Cook regular pasta in salted water, dessert pasta in sugared water. Do NOT add oil to your water - this may prevent the sauce from sticking to the pasta. Wait for BIG bubbles before adding pasta to the water. The boiling temp. prevents the pasta from getting mushy. The first plunge is critical to the texture. Do not use a lid - this will keep the pasta from boiling over. Remember to stir to prevent sticking and/or uneven cooking. Pasta is generally done when it floats. I like to give ravioli a couple more minutes to make sure the center is warm. Don't pour the pasta into a colander. Remove pasta straight to sauce right when it is done to avoid overcooking. If the sauce gets too thick, add a bit of the reserved pasta water. Covered in class-cavatelli, manicotti (I used a rectangle cookie cutter) (lasagna see 12/19/20),   tagliatelle, agnolotti (the little hand-formed ravioli), ravioli Sauces-Meat sauce, vodka sauce, brown butter sage sauce, quick alfredo sauce Pasta - 1c. AP flour 1egg (add another half if needed) 1/2Tbsp. olive oil 1/2tsp. salt add water sparingly if needed (could use a spray bottle) Knead 7-10 minutes. Manicotti: In food processor-2c. AP flour, 2 eggs + 1 yolk, 1/2 tsp. salt 1/2 Tbsp. olive oil wrap and rest 30 minutes Using the food processor cuts down on the need to knead. I actually rolled, cut, and froze the sheets until I had time to fill them. They defrosted quickly. Filling: Cottage cheese, (ricotta), shredded mozzarella, cream cheese, 1 egg Cavatelli: 1c. semolina 1/4c. water (see rolling video below) Make your own gnocchi board with skewers. See pic below. Try the cottage cheese flour/cavatelli, it's super easy and quick. I did use the Food Processor so the CC was smooth. You could just blend that ahead. Start with 1c. AP flour and add cottage cheese till a good workable consistency. Roll into ropes, cut into pieces, form shapes, cook or freeze for later. I don't even wrap and rest this, just mix and cook. Meat sauce-I add 1lb. ground beef, 1 onion, and doubled the recipe on the Tone's Italian Spaghetti Seasoning from Sam's. I add an equal amount of sugar substitute. Slow cook in crock pot, instant pot, add more/less water depending on what you're using it for.

Pumpkin Agnolotti: 2c. AP flour pinch salt 2 eggs 1-2 yolks 2Tbsp. pumpkin 

1Tbsp. olive oil dough was sticky after resting, so I added flour when rolling

Filling: 1oz. grated parmesan, 1oz. cream cheese, 1 clove garlic, 1c. canned pumpkin puree, 1 egg, 3/4tsp. kosher salt, 1/2tsp. pepper, 1/4tsp. nutmeg

 *make the filling ahead of time and refrigerate so it's not too runny

Brown Butter-Melt 4Tbsp. butter in large skillet, cook until foamy. Do this step first before adding anything! Add in 1 clove garlic and 1 Tbsp. fresh sage (leave whole). Add in 1 tsp. brown sugar, s&p. Serve with fresh parsley and grated Parmesan. 

Your pasta: 1c. AP flour 1egg 1/2Tbsp. olive oil 1/2tsp. salt 

add water sparingly as needed (could use a spray bottle).

Knead 7-10 minutes. Less if using a KitchenAid or a Food Processor

Quick Alfredo Sauce-Melt 3 Tbsp. butter, whisk in 1c. heavy cream (or 1/2&1/2) bring to simmer. Cook while whisking 5 minutes. Add 4cloves garlic, cook 1 more minute. Gradually add 1.5c freshly grated Parmesan (stirring constantly), s&p to taste. If sauce is too thick, add some pasta water.

Can add lemon juice, cream cheese, nutmeg for a different flavor.

Spinach artichoke dip with added cooked chicken for ravioli filling.

Spinach Artichoke Dip/Chicken Ravioli Filling
Ahead-defrost spinach (or use fresh, cut up), set out cream cheese
To make dip-Saute chopped onion + garlic to taste in 2Tbsp. butter
Turn off heat, add: 1 8oz. (less fat) block cream cheese - softened
1 can artichoke hearts - cut into small pieces (much easier to do with kitchen shears)
1 box frozen spinach - defrost and squeeze all the water out first
couple dashes hot sauce + crushed red pepper flakes to taste
1 cup shredded cheese (Swiss/gruyere mix from Aldi or mozzarella)
plus 1/4 to 1/2 c. grated parmesan
1/2 c. mayo or plain greek yogurt or sour cream - skip or use only 1-2 Tbsp. so its thicker for ravioli
1 lb. cooked chicken, cut into very small pieces so it would blend in.

If making large ravioli, you could place thin sliced cooked chicken and then cover w/filling

Make this ahead so it's cool when filling ravioli.

00 pasta: (penne) 300g. 00 flour (3eggs 1 yolk + oil to equal 185g.)

Vodka Sauce-I used Daniel Gritzer’s Penne alla Vodka on Serious Eats

Visit: (to see a comparison of several different vodka sauce recipes)

https://www.thekitchn.com/vodka-sauce-recipe-reviews-23214793?epik=dj0yJnU9UG5mbzJlSmpTVmdWMDRlZjhZcDJZU1V0VTlPRU5NQjcmcD0wJm49dVA5eUZYWUJuN0VmM0c4NjdjcnR5USZ0PUFBQUFBR2NTZHBZ

Chocolate ravioli: 2.5c. AP flour, 1/3c. cocoa, 2 eggs, 1/3-1/2c. water

Can cut this in half, or make them all and keep in the freezer.

It's ok if this dough sits in the fridge for an extra day. It doesn't seem to oxidize like the plain pasta.
Filling: 4oz. cream cheese, 3oz. ricotta, 1/3c. cottage cheese, 1 egg, 1.5c. powdered sugar, 1tsp. vanilla, 

1Tbsp. cocoa

My filling was runny so I added extra powdered sugar, which didn't really help. 

Next time I may just do cream cheese, white sugar and cocoa so it'll be like cheesecake.

Cheesecake filling-4oz. cream cheese, 1/4 c white sugar 1 egg 1 Tbsp. cocoa powder (for 1/2 batch dough)
Make ravioli, freeze, add 2Tbs. sugar to water when cooking.
Serve with nuts, choc. chips, raspberry sauce. Could use fudge or caramel sauce.