Fresh Summer Salsa (Makes 6 servings)

7 ripe Roma tomatoes, diced small (to avoid watery salsa, ‘gut’ the tomatoes before dicing)

*you can reuse the guts of the tomatoes in soups, chili, pasta sauce, etc

1 red onion, diced (cut in half lengthwise keeping the part of the onion that holds the onion together, lay in flat on the cut side than slice cut across leaving the root in tact.  Turn your onion and slice perpendicular to your previous slicing)

½ bundle cilantro (both the leaves and stems of the cilantro can be used, in our class we used the leaves only)

1/2 bulb garlic, minced

1 lime, juiced

1/2 tsp. sugar

1 tsp. Kosher salt (add more to taste, if desired)

1/2 tsp. coarse black pepper (add more to taste, if desired)

Mix everything together. For best results, let the salsa sit overnight allowing flavors to combine.

Raspberry lemonade (Makes 7 to 8 cups)

1 cup of fresh raspberries, cleaned (frozen berries can be used)

1 cup of sugar

Juice from 7 or 8 lemons

7 cups of cold water

1. Heat raspberries and sugar over medium heat until the mixture is warm and bubbling. Remove from heat.
2. Grate lemon zest and add to cooling raspberry syrup for added lemon flavour (optional)
3. Let the raspberry syrup cool.
4. Juice lemons (using reamer as demonstrated in class) over a fine strainer and into a liquid measuring cup to remove pulp and seeds.
5. Pour cooled raspberry syrup through a fine strainer into liquid measuring cup to remove seeds and lemon zest

*Pouring raspberry syrup or lemon juice into a measuring cup when straining maked for easier pouring into pitcher

6.   In a large pitcher, add raspberry syrup, lemon juice and 7 cups of water,               mix well.

7.  Refrigerate to chill or serve over ice.

Whipped Cream (Makes 4 servings)

1 cup whipping cream (35% M.F)
2 tbsp icing sugar

*using icing sugar stabilizes whipping cream better than regular sugar

1. Place a metal mixing bowl and metal whisk in the freezer for 10 to 15 minutes.
2. Pour icing sugar into the bowl and add the whipping cream, whisking until stiff peaks form (when the whipping cream holds its shape when your spatula is removed from the bowl)
3. Serve as desired

*we used the whipped cream to top a parfait of fresh berries and vanilla pudding (see below)

Mixed berry parfait (Makes 4 servings)

1 vanilla pudding recipe (see below)
1 whipped cream recipe (see above)
1 pint raspberries
1 pint blueberries
*unsweetened cocoa powder, chocolate shavings, or nuts can be sprinkled on top if desired

1. Add layer of pudding to the bottom of the serving vessel
2. Add layer of berries
3. Add layer of whipped cream
4. Continue layering pudding, berries and whipped cream until vessel is filled
5. Decorate surface with remaining berries, cocoa powder and chocolate shavings.

Vanilla Pudding (Makes 4 servings)

½ sugar
3 tbsp cornstarch
1/8 tsp fine salt
1.5 cups whole milk (3.25%)
½ cup heavy cream (18%M.F)
2 large egg yolks

*egg whites can be saved and used for omelets or scrambled eggs

2 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tsp vanilla extract

1. Place a sieve over a medium heatproof bowl and set aside
2. In a medium saucepan, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, cream and egg yolks. Add to saucepan.
4. Whisking constantly, cook over medium-high until mixture thickens and is bubbling, 8-12 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, whisking 1 minute
5. Remove pan from heat and pour mixture through sieve into bowl. Stir in butter and vanilla until combined.
6. Press plastic wrap directly against surface of pudding to prevent skin from forming. Refrigerate 3 hours (or up to 3 days). To serve, whisk until smooth and divide among bowls.

Stir Fry (Makes 1 serving)

1 tsp corn starch
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp ginger, minced
An assortment of seasonal vegetables 
1 tbsp grapeseed or peanut oil (avoid using olive oil because it has a low smoke point)
leftover sliced chicken, steak or tofu (optional)
1 cup cooked rice or noodles 

*Suggested vegetables: peppers, bok choy, broccoli, snow peas, green beans, cabbage, mushrooms, carrots, celery, bean sprouts, onion, zucchini, okra

1. Heat oil in frying pan over medium-high heat
2. If using meat or tofu, add to pan, cook until heated through and remove. Set aside.
3. Add onions followed by garlic and ginger, stirring constantly for 1 minute
4. Add vegetables based on duration of cooking needed (example: onions, carrots, beans, peppers, zucchini, bok choy and snow peas). Stir constantly while added vegetables.

*if vegetables begin to brown too much, reduce your heat or safely remove the pan from the heat

5. When vegetables are soft (not squishy), create a ‘well’ in the middle by        pushing vegetables to the sides

6.  Stir soy sauce into cornstarch BEFORE adding to pan.

7.  Add mixture to ‘well’ in frying pan, stirring to thicken.

8.   Mix vegetables and sauce together.

9.   If using meat or tofu, add back to pan.

10. Turn off heat and serve over rice or noodles.