Category Archives: Uncategorized
Hands On Fun at Rancho los Alamitos
Food Crafting with Chef Debbi
& Debs Kitchen
Saturday, Oct 12th
10:00 am– 12:30
Adults $75.00
Children* ages 10-14 $35.00
*Children must be accompanied by an adult.
By reservation only
Click below for reservations or call or email
562-431-3541 or info@rancholosalamitos.org
Reservations close Mon. Oct 7th
Enjoy a fun-filled autumn morning with family at the beautiful
Rancho Los Alamitos Historic Ranch & Gardens.
Learn together to make (& take)
Gifts from the Garden.
For the adults to make and take:
Herbal Salt Tin
Cranberry Vinegar
Meyer Lemon Infused Olive Oil
Peppermint-Lavender Room Spray
Holiday Stovetop Potpourri
For the Kids to make and take:
Peppermint Biscotti in a Jar
Strawberry Mint Mojito Mocktail
A seasonal salad will be served with a
Cranberry-Lemon Vinaigrette prepared by Chef Debbi.
Special thanks to Melissa’s Produce for donating event supplies.
A Simple Meal
Grilled Prime Ribeye Steak
Last week we had friends over and grilled a Prime Ribeye steak that I had cut off a bone in prime rib roast, the steak was about 3 lbs. and 4″ thick. I had just attended a book signing/demo at Melissa’s Produce with Jamie Purviance and his new book, Weber’s Ultimate Grilling and was eager to try some of his fabulous recipes.
When I brought this book home my husband, Frank, promptly stole it and put it on his side of the table. After several readings he was excited to try some new ideas that he picked up from the book. He decided to set up our Weber with a ‘hot’ side and a ‘cool’ side and he also wanted to get a little smoke on the steak so to get the ‘smoke’ he placed a chunk of hardwood into a pan, filled it with water and let it soak for an hour or so. Then he placed it on the hot side of the bbq, closed the lid and let it heat up to a smoke point.
I made sure the meat was nice and dry, seasoned it with Himalayan Pink Sea Salt and freshly ground pepper. We grilled it on the hot side of the bbq for about 3 minutes, turning it a quarter turn before flipping it over to the other side and repeating the process. Frank then moved the steak to the cool side and covered the Weber with the lid; we let it smoke until the steak was about 125°, removed it and let it rest for about 10 minutes before slicing it. This ensures the meat will be rare to medium rare when we do cut it; the steak will continue to cook after it’s removed from the heat and it needs the off heat time to let the juices settle back into the meat.
We added some grilled corn and a garden fresh salad with just picked tomatoes, cucumbers & mixed greens. The prime rib was tender, juicy with just a little hint of smoke, a success all around. We’ll definitely be using this method in the future for all cuts of meat and poultry. Thanks for the informative and thoughtful book Jamie!
Memorial Day 2019
Summer is almost here! Not that you would know that by the weather we’re having. The rain is nice and it makes the garden grow but my other half is craving those warm summer days. Even though here in Southern California we grill all year long, Memorial Day is the official start of grilling season. Whether you grill on gas, charcoal or wood these recipes are easy do ahead recipes for cooking outdoors and picnics. So clean up that grill and set the table because dinner is served! Check out this simple cheese platter, get A Little Book of Cheese to learn all about cheese and how to make a platter!
Summer Pasta Salad
Make this light summer pasta salad recipe a day ahead of time so that it can soak up all the bright, tangy dressing.
- 1/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 1/2 cup olive oil, approximately
- Salt and pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoon fresh basil, torn
- 1/2 cup diced cucumber
- 1 pint cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
- 1/2 cup diced red bell pepper
- 1/3 cup thinly sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup sliced black olives
- 1/2 cup crumbled or diced cheese, mozzarella, chedderella, goat cheese or any you prefer
- 1 ½ cup cooked pasta, cooked and chilled*
For dressing, mix together vinegar, Dijon, salt, pepper, and garlic powder and whisk until it comes together. While continually whisking slowly add olive oil to taste. Set aside.
Mix together remaining ingredients and toss with dressing. Serve cold.
*Boil the pasta according to package directions, drain and rinse with cold water. When pasta has cooled down a bit, shake off excess water (dry with a towel, if necessary) and toss lightly with olive oil to keep from it sticking together. Refrigerate until ready to toss with dressing. Be sure to cool your pasta before adding the dressing otherwise the pasta will soak it all up.
BBQ Baby Back Ribs
This is quick and easy do ahead baby back ribs. By using your Instant Pot or pressure cooker your ribs will come out nice and tender. Finish off on the grill with your favorite BBQ sauce.
- 1 slab Baby Back Pork Ribs
- Sea salt and pepper
- 1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
- 1 celery stalk, large diced, roughly chopped
- 1 carrot, roughly chopped
- 1 cup beer (or water)
- 1 cup BBQ sauce or more
Cut the racks of ribs in to sections that will fit in the pressure cooker and rub with salt and pepper.
Place onion, celery, carrot and beer in the pressure cooking pot. If you’re going to make sauce from the juices in the pressure cooker you can place the ribs directly in the liquid or put the ribs on the rack if you’re going to finish the ribs on the grill or under the broiler with another sauce.
Close and lock the lid of the pressure cooker. Select High Pressure and set the timer for 12 minutes. Press start.
When beep sounds, turn off pressure cooker and use a natural pressure release for 10 minutes and then do a quick pressure release to release any remaining pressure. When valve drops carefully remove lid.
Remove the ribs and cool to room temperature. Once cool, refrigerate until ready to serve.
To finish the ribs:
Preheat the BBQ grill to a medium high heat. Coat one side of the ribs with BBQ sauce and grill 3 minutes. Coat the other side with BBQ sauce flip and grill an additional 3 minutes. Slather on additional BBQ sauce and grill each side for an additional 3 minutes.
You could do the same as above by broiling them until just how you like them.
Serve immediately.
Stuffed Baked Potatoes
The perfect BBQ side dish as they can be made in advance, wrapped in foil and heated on the grill before serving.
- 2 medium to large russet potatoes, rinsed, dried
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1/4 cup cheddar cheese, grated
- 1/4 cup butter, (1/2 stick) room temperature
- 2 green onions or chives, chopped
- Sea salt and pepper, to taste
- 4 tablespoons cooked bacon, crumbled, optional
Preheat oven to 450°. Pierce potatoes with fork. Lightly oil potatoes and
place on oven rack. Bake until cooked through, about 1 hour. If potatoes
starts to crisp and brown up, turn the oven down to 400. Transfer to baking
sheet; cool 5 minutes. Cut potato in half lengthwise. Carefully scoop meat
from the shell and mix with remaining ingredients, mashing lightly as you go. Season and taste before scooping mixture into potato shell.
Can be prepared 1 day ahead, covered and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before the final cooking stage.
Preheat oven to 400°. Bake potatoes on baking sheet until heated through
and beginning to brown, about 25 minutes. For the grill, wrap each ½ in heavy duty foil, heat on the indirect side of the grill for about 20 minutes or until hot. Garnish with finely minced green onions, chives or crumbled bacon.
Strawberry Season
There’s almost nothing better in spring than fresh strawberries (except for maybe asparagus, artichokes and morel mushrooms!
Look for strawberries that are red all the way to the top, those will be tasty, ripe strawberries. Pick organic if possible as strawberries are the number one fruit on the ‘Dirty Dozen’ list to retain pesticides. Pesticides do not wash off, ever. Besides the pesticide residue left on the fruit, the ground is prepared by pumping fumigants into it to sterilize the soil, killing every living creature that lives in the soil. You can read more on EWG’s website.
To prepare your strawberries, do not wash until you are ready to use or eat them. Water is their enemy. I like to slice them up and add a little sugar, macerate or squash them down a little and let them sit for awhile while the flavor develops. I sometimes will add a little Grand Marnier to the mix for an added dose of flavor. Spread them on a biscuit, slice of angel food cake, over ice cream or just eat them out of a bowl. Enjoy your strawberries while the sun is shining. Here’s a little individual cheesecake recipe for you to enjoy.
Mini Strawberry Cheesecake
- Crust:
- 1 1/4 cups graham cracker crumbs
- 3 tablespoons brown sugar
- 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 8 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners or oil the inside of small jam jars.
Make the graham cracker crust:
Stir together graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter. Press about 2-2 1/2 tablespoons of the mixture into the bottom of each muffin liner and press to compact.
Beat room temperature cream cheese with a hand mixer until fluffy. Beat in room temperature sour cream. Beat in egg, sugar, and vanilla extract. (Room temperature ingredients are a must to avoid lumps!)
Evenly divide (about 2-2 1/2 tablespoons each) cheesecake among crusts. Bake for 18-20 minutes, until they just begin to brown. Cool completely and refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight.
Serve plain or topped with whipped cream and berries.
March Demo Cooking Class
We’ve Moved!
Join us in our new home at Chef Tech in Bixby Knolls, Long Beach with owner Chef Teri.
We now have a full kitchen with tables & chairs and lots of room. We look forward to seeing you there soon! See new address at the bottom of the class menu, (you do not need to have a pay-pal account). You can sign up with Chef Debbi (call me, 562-243-3926) or click on the pay-pal button below. There is a small service charge for using pay-pal but you can always mail me a check. Classes are pre-paid reservations and cancellations are 100% refundable up to 3 days prior to class.
March Menu
Wed. March 20th
6:30 – 8:30PM
Spanish Tomato Toast
Romaine Heart Salad with Marinated Olives, Hearts of Palm, Tangerines &
Shaved Manchego
Spring Asparagus, Shrimp & Scallop Paella
Individual Strawberry Cheesecakes
NEW LOCATION!
Chef Tech Cooking School
3842 Atlantic Avenue
Long Beach, CA 90807
See April class date & menu by clicking on the month.
By Reservation Only, Sign up below
$55.00
(562) 243-3926
Or
Debskitchen.com
info@debskitchen.com
Enjoy larger portions, Tables & More
Sponsored by
A Little Book of Cheese
The first book in my ‘little’ series is available for pre-sale. Books will be shipped out March 11th! Please use the pre-sale link below to reserve your copy!
Feb Demo Cooking Class
Quick and Easy Charcuterie Board
1 cup mixed olives
2 Tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon dried Italian herbs, ground
1 wedge triple cream brie
1 small jar of fig jam or fruit spread
8 ounces aged Gouda
8 ounces aged sharp cheddar, thinly sliced
1 baguette, sliced 1-inch thick
1 round of boursin, any flavor
2 packages of interesting looking crackers
1 wedge blue cheese, partially crumbled
1 small jar of honey
1 package mixed Italian meats
1 small bunch red seedless grapes
4 ounces nuts, mixed or single
1 package, 4 oz. of dried apricots
2 apples, cored and sliced tossed with lemon juice to prevent browning
Mix together olives, olive oil and ground Italian herbs, let rest for at least an hour or longer.
Don’t crowd the cheese on the platter, make the board big enough to accommodate all ingredients.
Put the mixed olives in a small bowl and place on the platter.
Place the triple cream brie on the platter and arrange the fig or fruit spread next to the brie.
Place the sharp cheddar and gouda on the board next with the baguette slices nearby.
Then arrange the boursin near the baguette slices with the crackers next.
Add the blue cheese and honey on the board filling out the outer edges of the board. Tuck in the Italian meats all around the board, add the grapes in clumps and spread the nuts throughout the board with little pockets of dried fruit. Place the apples near the cheddar cheese.
Chicken Parmesan Meatballs
- 1 # ground chicken
- ½ cup bread crumbs
- ¼ cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tablespoons Italian flat leafed parsley, chopped
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon fresh ground Italian spices
- Sea salt and pepper
- Olive oil
- 28 oz. can crushed tomatoes
- 1 ½ cup shredded mozzarella cheese
Combine ground chicken, bread crumbs, parmesan cheese, parsley, egg and season with ground Italian spices and salt and pepper. Heat a large sauté pan, add enough oil to coast the bottom of the pan and brown meatballs on all sides. Remove meatballs and whip out the pan with a towel. Add the crushed tomatoes to the pan and bring to a simmer. Add the meatballs and mozzarella cheese and cook until the cheese is melted, about 10 minutes. Cover with a lid if you like to melt the cheese faster, the meatballs are already cooked.
Serve immediately over pasta.
Meatballs and sauce can be frozen for up to 3 months.
Adapted from Delish
Nov. Cooking Demo
Join us in Seal Beach
Thursday,
Nov. 8th & 15th
6:30 – 8:30, approximately
Menu
Citrus & Pomegranate Hamachi with avocado & Pistachio
Duck a ’la apricot
Cranberry & Chestnut Dressing
Balsamic Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Parmesan
Sea Salt Chocolate Mousse
$45.00
For reservations call
Temecula Olive Oil, 148 Main St. Seal Beach
(562) 296-5421
Sponsored by
Applesauce Cake
A quick and easy cake for fall, don’t expect many leftovers! See the list here for which kind of apples are great for baking.
Applesauce Cake
- Cake:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups cinnamon applesauce
- ½ cup walnuts chopped walnuts
- Frosting:
- 5 oz cream cheese softened
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- ¼ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup confectioners sugar
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Preheat oven to 350°F with rack in middle. Butter a baking dish.
Cake:
Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices.
Beat butter, brown sugar, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until pale and fluffy, 2 to 3 minutes. Add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition, then beat in applesauce. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until just combined, then stir in walnuts.
Spread batter evenly in pan and bake until golden-brown and a wooden pick inserted into center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. Cool in pan 15 minutes. Run a knife around edge of cake to loosen, then invert onto a plate. Reinvert cake onto a rack to cool completely.
Frosting:
Beat cream cheese, butter, and vanilla with an electric mixer at high speed until fluffy. Sift confectioners sugar and cinnamon over cream cheese mixture, then beat at medium speed until incorporated.
Spread frosting over top of cooled cake.
