COOKING MATERIAL PREPARED

I will be going to the culinary school to submit my lesson plan for the opening this June 1. Chef Armando Jose told me that the lesson plan that I made was excellent to the students. This opening, the culinary school got a total of 50 students, officially enrolled in the culinary school. There are few chef instructors around in the new culinary school. Chef Armando Jose already divided the students and each period, I will accommodate around 20 students. I will be teaching cooking in the morning because that was I requested to the culinary dean.

For the first class, I will be teaching basic cooking and in the afternoon, I will be teaching main dish cooking. I am excited and a little scarred of the outcome of my teaching career in the culinary school. I must review all the recipes and recipe books that I have for familiarization of the dishes that I will be teaching to young students.

I will also try to incorporate wine in my dishes. Wines or spirits bring out the best in every cooking session. I better start making the review. I don't want to panic on the last minute.

THANK YOU CHEF ARMANDO JOSE

I am so happy today because I met personally the new culinary school dean, chef Armando Jose of Spain. He welcomed me to the culinary school that he established. Chef Fernando Jose is already 62 years old and has almost all the necessary skills and trainings that a master chef must have. According to chef Fernando Jose, his last job was in Britain as the royal chef of the Buckingham Palace. He served the queen of England.

The culinary school that chef Fernando Jose created was to share her knowledge in cooking to others. He wanted to teach young students the art of cooking. Chef Fernando Jose is an excellent chef and a dean as well. I will be starting teaching students how to cook this coming June 1. I have to prepare all the necessary materials and recipe books. Chef Fernando Jose also gave me a recipe book that he personally wrote. All the recipes in the recipe book are all original. According to chef Fernando Jose, there are only few copies of the recipe and I am very lucky to have one for myself. With this recipe book, I can expand my knowledge in cooking.

MACARONI SALAD

Ingredients

* 1 pound macaroni
* 1 (11 ounce) can mandarin oranges, drained and liquid reserved
* 1 (20 ounce) can pineapple chunks, juice reserved
* 2 eggs, beaten
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1 1/2 cups white sugar
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 1 teaspoon lemon juice
* 1 (8 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed


Directions

• Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, combine reserved mandarin juice, reserved pineapple juice, eggs, salt, sugar, flour and lemon juice. Stir well and bring to a boil. Remove from heat and pour over cooked macaroni. Chill overnight in refrigerator.
• Stir together juiced macaroni, pineapple, oranges and whipped topping. Serve at once.

MACARONI BARBECUE SALAD

Ingredients

* 1 (12 ounce) package elbow macaroni
* 1 (15 ounce) can marinara sauce
* 1 1/2 cups chopped celery
* 1 cup sweet pickle relish
* 1 (4 ounce) can sliced black olives
* 1 small red onion, chopped
* 1 1/2 cups mayonnaise
* 1 teaspoon chili powder


Directions

1. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add macaroni, and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente. Drain, and rinse under cold water. Put macaroni in a serving bowl, and mix in the marinara sauce, celery, relish, olives, onion, mayonnaise and chili powder. Cover and chill for at least 2 hours before serving.

MACARONI WITH CHEDDAR CHEESE SALAD

Ingredients

* 1 cup macaroni
* 3/4 cup cubed Cheddar cheese
* 1 stalk celery, chopped
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
* 1/3 cup chopped onion
* 1/4 cup mayonnaise
* 1/4 cup sour cream
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish


Directions

1. Cook pasta in boiling salted water until done. Drain. Rinse macaroni under cold water, and drain again.

2. Combine pasta with cheese, vegetables, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, and pickle relish. Chill for at least 24 hours.

CHICKEN ALOHA

Ingredients

* 2 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
* 1/4 cup soy sauce
* 3 slices thick cut bacon
* 2 large hamburger buns, split
* 1 tablespoon softened butter
* 1/4 cup teriyaki sauce
* 2 slices Swiss cheese
* 2 tablespoons mayonnaise
* 2 slices pineapple
* 2 slices tomato
* 2 slices of iceberg lettuce


Directions

• Place chicken breasts into a plastic zipper bag with soy sauce, seal the bag, and marinate in refrigerator for 30 minutes. While chicken is marinating, place the bacon in a large, deep skillet, and cook over medium-high heat, turning occasionally, until evenly browned, about 10 minutes. Drain the bacon slices on a paper towel-lined plate, and set aside. Spread cut sides of hamburger buns with butter.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium heat, and lightly oil the grate.
• Remove the chicken from the soy sauce, and discard the excess soy sauce. Place the chicken breasts onto the preheated grill, and grill until chicken shows good grill marks, is no longer pink inside, and the juices run clear, 4 to 5 minutes per side. When chicken is almost done, brush each piece generously on both sides with teriyaki sauce to finish grilling. Place a slice of Swiss cheese on each chicken breast, and cover with a lid to help the cheese melt onto the chicken.
• While chicken is grilling, spread the buns open on the grill and cook until toasted and showing grill lines, about 2 minutes. Set the buns aside.
• To assemble, spread the grilled sides of each bun with mayonnaise, and top each bottom bun with a cooked chicken breast, 1 1/2 slices of bacon, a slice of pineapple, a slice from a head of lettuce, a slice of tomato, and the top bun.

SWEET AND SPICY GRILLED CHICKEN

Ingredients

* 1/3 cup olive oil
* 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
* 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
* 1 tablespoon white sugar
* 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
* 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
* 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
* 1/2 teaspoon salt
* 1/3 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
* 1 scotch bonnet chile pepper, minced
* 1/4 cup minced green onions with tops
* 2 cloves garlic, minced
* 4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves


Directions

1. In a large dish, mix the olive oil, vinegar, lime juice, sugar, thyme, allspice, cinnamon, salt, and cayenne pepper. Stir in the scotch bonnet pepper, green onions, and garlic. Pierce chicken on all sides with a fork, and place in the dish. Cover, and marinate up to 24 hours in the refrigerator, turning occasionally.
2. Preheat the grill for high heat.
3. Lightly oil grill grate. Discard marinade, and grill chicken 8 minutes on each side, or until juices run clear.

CHILE COLE SLAW RECIPE

Ingredients

* 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
* 2 tablespoons chipotle peppers in adobo sauce
* 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
* 2 teaspoons honey
* 1 teaspoon ground cumin
* 1 pinch Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper (optional)
* 1 medium head green cabbage, finely shredded
* 2 large carrots, finely shredded
* 1 small onion, halved and thinly sliced
* 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro


Directions

Mayonnaise, chipotle peppers in adobo sauce, lime juice, honey and cumin in large bowl. Season, if desired, with salt and black pepper. Stir in remaining ingredients. Cover and refrigerate at least 20 minutes before serving.

A NEW COOKING SCHOOL

I was touring around the city last night, when I noticed a signage, unveiled a cooking school name. I thought it was just a commercial adds from a the culinary school. But I was told by the dean of the culinary school where I graduated that there is a new culinary school in town. This not just an ordinary culinary school. But a more specialized one.

The new culinary school is managed by a Spanish chef named Chef Armando Jose. The Spanish chef was given accreditation by the city culkinary board last year to operate a culinary school. The new culinary school will specialized in Spanish dishes and cuisines. There are also minor teaching like baking and pastry.

The new culinary school will be accepting student this coming June first. The actual classes will start on the second week of June. I was also told that the new culinary school will also be accepting culinary instructors to teach student how to cook. I better drop by in the school and talk to chef Armando Jose himself for the opportunity to teach students how to cook.

CHEDDAR-MACARONI SALAD DELIGHT

Ingredients

* 1 cup macaroni
* 3/4 cup cubed Cheddar cheese
* 1 stalk celery, chopped
* 1 green bell pepper, chopped
* 1/2 cup frozen green peas, thawed
* 1/3 cup chopped onion
* 1/4 cup mayonnaise
* 1/4 cup sour cream
* 2 tablespoons milk
* 1 1/2 tablespoons sweet pickle relish


Directions

1. Cook pasta in boiling salted water until done. Drain. Rinse macaroni under cold water, and drain again.

2. Combine pasta with cheese, vegetables, mayonnaise, sour cream, milk, and pickle relish. Chill for at least 24 hours.

PERSONAL CHEF I AM

I was in the palace this morning because the president wanted me to be her personal chef. I cannot decline the offer because aside from the president, there are also foreign dignitaries around. I have to cook for them also. The duty will be on Monday next week. I was also told by the president that being the personal chef, I must prepare the menu always ahead of time so that she can pick which one will be cook and which one will not be cook.

WHITE EYED SALAD

Ingredients

* 1 cup white sugar
* 3 egg yolks
* 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
* 2 cups pineapple juice
* 1 tablespoon lemon juice
* 1 (16 ounce) package acini di pepe pasta
* 2 (20 ounce) cans pineapple chunks
* 2 (11 ounce) cans mandarin oranges, drained
* 3/4 cup maraschino cherries, chopped
* 1 (16 ounce) package miniature marshmallows
* 1 (12 ounce) container frozen whipped topping, thawed


Directions

• In large saucepan over low heat, combine sugar, egg yolks, flour, pineapple juice and lemon juice. Stir and cook until thickened. Remove from heat.
• While sauce is cooking, bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until al dente; drain and rinse with cold water.
• In large bowl, combine cooked mixture with pasta and toss to coat thoroughly. Refrigerate 8 hours or overnight.
• Toss pasta with pineapple, mandarin oranges, maraschino cherries, marshmallows and whipped topping. Refrigerate until serving.

GLAZED HOMEMADE MEATBALLS

Ingredients

* 1 1/2 pounds ground beef
* 1 egg, lightly beaten
* 1 cup quick cooking oats
* 6 1/2 ounces evaporated milk
* 1 teaspoon salt
* 1/4 teaspoon pepper
* 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
* 1 tablespoon chili powder
* 1/2 cup chopped onion
*
* 1 cup ketchup
* 1/4 teaspoon minced garlic
* 1 cup brown sugar
* 1/4 cup chopped onion
* 1 tablespoon liquid smoke flavoring


Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly grease a medium baking dish.
• In a bowl, mix beef, egg, oats, evaporated milk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, chili powder, and 1/2 cup onion. Form into 1 1/2 inch balls and arrange in a single layer in the baking dish.
• In a separate bowl, mix ketchup, garlic, sugar, 1/4 cup onion, and liquid smoke. Pour evenly over the meatballs.
• Bake uncovered 1 hour in the preheated oven, until the minimum internal temperature of a meatball reaches 160 degrees F (72 degrees C).

BAKED STRAWBERRY PIE

Ingredients

* 1 (9 inch) pie crust, baked
* 1 quart fresh strawberries
* 1 cup white sugar
* 3 tablespoons cornstarch
* 3/4 cup water
* 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream


Directions

• Arrange half of strawberries in baked pastry shell. Mash remaining berries and combine with sugar in a medium saucepan.
• Place saucepan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring frequently.
• In a small bowl, whisk together cornstarch and water. Gradually stir cornstarch mixture into boiling strawberry mixture.
• Reduce heat and simmer mixture until thickened, about 10 minutes, stirring constantly. Pour mixture over berries in pastry shell. Chill for several hours before serving. In a small bowl, whip cream until soft peaks form. Serve each slice of pie with a dollop of whipped cream.