I’ve always loved the Fred Rogers quote, “When I was a boy and I would see scary things in the news, my mother would say to me, ‘Look for the helpers. You will always find people who are helping.” I’ve had a lot of helpers in my life. Now it's my turn.
When COVID-19 closed schools in the spring, we started hosting FREE virtual cooking classes to any student looking for something to do. Students 3 yrs and up are welcome to participate in as many classes as they’d like. Younger students receive assistance from a parent etc., while our older students typically cook alone or assist a sibling. Classes run approximately 1 hour. The schedule and ingredient list is below (with a pdf calendar at the bottom of page). Most of the menu items allow for substitutions for allergies or dietary preferences. If your child would like to participate in our virtual classes, please email lettucecookchefs@gmail.com for the login information. To help protect our kiddos, the Zoom link is sent upon request.
*Unless noted in the ingredient list, we do all the cutting in class. If you have concerns with your child using a knife, you may want to consider investing in a cut-resistant glove (they have children sizes too). Only one is necessary. Please keep in mind, quantity of ingredients is dependent on family size, so exact measurements aren’t always noted. If you have any questions or need assistance planning, please let us know. Note: Hours posted are Central Standard Time
Sincerely,
Chef Brittany
4/09/21 Friday: Buttermilk Chocolate Cake
Time: 4:45 pm CST
Ingredients:
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ⅓ cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- ½ cup buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ tsp salt
- your favorite frosting
4/12/21 Monday: Lettuce Wraps
Time: 4:45 pm CST
Ingredients
- (cut into bite size pieces prior to class) chicken thighs, boneless, skinless (chicken breast can be used but does come out drier) or ground chicken. Good rule of thumb- one chicken thigh per adult (more for larger appetites!)
- water chestnuts, canned- sliced or diced
- mushrooms (canned or fresh)
- green onions
- lettuce (romaine or Iceberg)
- sesame oil
- soy sauce (liquid aminos or Tamari can be substituted)
- hoisin sauce (can use brown sugar as a substitute)
- ginger (fresh, powdered, or paste)
- rice vinegar (or can use apple cider vinegar as substitute)
- white or brown rice (pre-made to be used as a side)
Suggested sides: potstickers, eggrolls, edamame, wontons
4/13/21 Tuesday: Apple Dumplings
Time: 4:45 pm CST
Ingredients:
- 2 sticks of butter
- 2 medium sized Granny Smith apples (peeled prior to class)
- 2 cans of refrigerated crescent rolls
- 1 ½ cups of brown sugar (can also use granulated sugar)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Chopped pecans (optional)
- vanilla ice cream (optional...but definitely a game changer!)
- whipped topping (optional)
4/19/21 Monday: Meatloaf (will need a 9x5 loaf pan)
Time: 4:45 pm CST
Ingredients:
- 2 lbs ground beef (85% or 90% lean)
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 2 large eggs
- garlic powder
- 3 tbsp ketchup
- 3 tbsp parsley
- ¾ cup breadcrumbs
- ⅓ cup milk
- salt
- Italian seasoning
- black pepper
- paprika
Meatloaf sauce:
- ¾ cup ketchup
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 1/1/2 tsp white vinegar
- 2 ½ tbsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp onion powder
- black pepper
- salt
4/20/21 Tuesday: Pineapple Bars (will need an 8x8 or 9x9 pan)
Time: 4:45 pm CST
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter (softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup flour
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cup crushed pineapple (drained before class)
- powdered sugar
4/26/21 Monday: Spaghetti Bolognese
Time: 4:45 pm CST
Ingredients:
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion
- 2 carrots
- 2 celery stalks
- minced garlic
- 2 tsp dried basil
- 14 oz can diced tomatoes
- 17 oz crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup water
- dried oregano
- 1 lb ground beef
- salt
- Pepper
- 1 lb spaghetti noodles (cooked prior to class)
4/27/21 Tuesday: Chicken Nachos
Time: 4:45 pm CST
Ingredients:
- 2-3 Boneless skinless chicken breasts or thighs (cut into bite sized pieces prior to class)
- shredded cheese (cheddar, colby jack mix, dairy-free etc)
- tortilla chips
- Rotel (optional) or taco seasoning (note- if using a taco seasoning, there’s no need for spices below)
- green onions
- garlic powder
- cumin
- salt
- pepper
- choice of toppings (optional)- lettuce, tomatoes, onions, sliced black olives, green onions, sour cream, salsa or guacamole
Suggested sides: rice, beans
4/28/21 Wednesday: Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (will need a loaf pan)
Time: 4:45 pm CST
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 bananas (very ripe)
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips