March 2008 Newsletter

February has been another wet month here in Phoenix.  We survived the Super Bowl and FBR weekend without too much trouble.  So much for the dry winter we were expecting.  But we are going to have an incredible wildflower season.  Take time to smell the roses (or should I say, wildflowers) and take a trip down one of our gorgeous scenic wildflower areas before the heat arrives.  March will be upon us shortly and the temperatures are slowly inching up.  I’m loving it, but we all know what’s just around the corner. 

Easter is early this year.  Whether you celebrate it or not, we have some great classes to help you prepare.  I enjoy holding Easter brunch and we’ve got some traditional Polish classes, just in time for Easter, too.  For those of you looking for a change to your regular Easter dinner, be sure to see our Potato and Goat Cheese Gratin recipe at the end of this newsletter.  It’s absolutely fantastic.  We will also be on an ABC 15 Smart Shopper Segment showing some great things you can do with your leftovers.  Who knew you could make such exciting things with leftover potato and goat cheese gratin!

Time sure does fly and I’m proud to say that this month, Simply Impressive is celebrating our 3^rd anniversary.  See the details on our special anniversary class in the March classes section below.

March Classes – Our Tuesday and Wednesday classes are held from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., our Saturday classes are from 1:00 p.m. to 4:00 p.m. EXCEPT our Anniversary class which is from 10 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.  Our Thursday classes are from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m. 

March brings us a great variety of classes with several holiday and ‘ethnic’ classes and also our special 3rd Anniversary Class. 

On Tuesday 3/11 and Thursday 3/13 we are offering one class that everyone should take.  Have you ever come home and realized that your refrigerator was empty or that you forgot to defrost the meat?  Sure you have.  Then you will want to attend our Pantry Meals In Minutes class.  We will talk about basic staples to keep in your pantry so you always have something to make for dinner.  You will save time and money by eating at home even when there is ‘nothing to eat in the fridge’.  Cost is $63 per person.

On Saturday 3/15 we will offer our Polish Pierogi class.  This is always a popular class.  We will make the dough and 3 different fillings.  You will never have to buy those freezer pierogi anymore.  Yours will be so much better.  Cost is $63 per person.

Sign up for our Easter Brunch class on Tuesday 3/18 or Thursday 3/20.  We will make a simple, yet delicious brunch to help in the celebration.  Among other things we will make glazed ham and blintzes.  While we’re calling this an Easter Brunch, our recipes are perfect for brunch any time of the year.  Cost is $63 per person. 

On Saturday March 22 and Wednesday, March 26 we will feature our 3^rd Anniversary Class.  We will be making some of my favorite dishes over the years as well as a new way to use existing recipes.  Our crunchy chicken salad with an Asian flair is a new way to make crunchy chicken for salads.  Special anniversary pricing is available for this class.  Call for details, but hurry since classes are just about full.

On Tuesday 3/25 and Saturday 3/29 we will be offering our Afternoon Tea class.  We will make tea sandwiches and scones that are perfect for a lazy afternoon.  $63/person.

Upcoming Classes for April – April has us ‘return to basics’ with some of our old favorites returning to the schedule.

On Tuesday 4/1 we will be offering our Salmon Basics class.  Our menu can be found at Salmon basics Menu .  Make the most out of one of the healthiest fish around.  Cost is $63 per person.

On Saturday 4/5 we are celebrating the arrival of spring with our Grilling Basics class.  In this class you will learn how to use your grill properly so that food is always cooked perfectly.  We will make several main and side dishes as well as a dessert.  Cost is $63 per person.

On Tuesday 4/8 and Saturday 4/12 we are holding Italian Night class.  See the menu at Italian Night Menu.  This is one of my favorite classes of all time.  Cost is $63/person.

On Tuesday 4/15 and Saturday 4/19 we will hold our Pizza class.  We will make dough, several sauces and toppings as well as learn various methods to prepare pizza.  $63/person.

On Tuesday 4/22 and Saturday 4/26 we will hold our Pasta 3 Ways class.  Menu can be found at Pasta 3 Ways.  Cost is $63 per person. 

On Tuesday 4/29 and Saturday 5/3 we will be offering our Mexican Fiesta class.  We will prepare a Mexican meal that is sure to please.  Not too hot!  Not too spicy!  $63/person.

Other Kids Classes – Our boot camp classes are scheduled for June and July.  We have two weeks of boot camp classes for 8-12 year olds.  The first is for the week of June 2 thru June 6.  The second is for the week of July 14 thru July 18.  They will be different menus for each session so your child may want to attend both.

Our Teen Boot Camp is scheduled for the week of June 9 thru June 13.  We also plan on scheduling individual day classes for teens, too, but are still working on the details for that. 

Special Offers – For the month of March we have some great specials.  First, we have our specially-priced anniversary class.  Call or e-mail us for pricing on this class.  It’s so good that I want to reserve it for my Simply Impressive friends.  Note that this class is not eligible or any discounts. 

Schedule and pay for three classes and receive $33 off of your third class.  (Three…yes it is our 3^rd anniversary).   Offer applies to new registrations only and only one discount can be applied.

Private Groups – If you want to schedule a private class for your group, we can hold classes at your place or ours.  For private groups we can customize a menu perfectly suited for your group.  We have had great feedback on our private group parties held previously, and we would love to hold one for you, too.  

Our website –Refer to our website often at www.simplyimpressive.com for the latest in class information.  Our calendar is now available through mid-June 2008 and will be updated through 3^rd Quarter 2008 soon. 

Our brochure – Many of you have requested our brochure via e-mail.  We are now able to e-mail our brochure and soon you will be able to print one off of our website.  Watch our announcements for details. 

Methods of Payment – In December we started taking PayPal as an alternative payment method.  While we prefer checks, occasionally you must pay with credit cards.  PayPal allows you to use credit and debit cards without giving your card information to us.  If you absolutely must, let us know, and we’ll send you a PayPal invoice. 

In the media –We will be on Sonoran Living and ABC15 Smart Shopper segments this month, however I do not have dates yet.  I’ll try to post the dates on our website. 

Gift Certificates -- A lot of you have received gift certificates for the holidays this year.  While many of them have been redeemed, others are still out there.  Don’t forget to book your favorite classes so that you will not be disappointed. 

I would like to thank for your continued support of Simply Impressive Cooking School and I hope to see you in a class soon. 

Potato Goat Cheese Gratin

We will be featuring interesting ways to use leftovers from our Easter celebration with Daphne Munro’s Smart Shopper segments.  In it we will show how we can turn leftovers into fantastic new meals.  This is one of our base recipes that we will be using.  It’s wonderful on its own, but wait until you see what we will do with our ‘leftovers’.  Keep watching ABC15 for details on when this show will air.  Or just ask me when you’re here at a class!!

Simply Impressive Potato and Goat Cheese Gratin

Serves 4-6

4 cups	Red potatoes, peeled (about 5-6 large)
4 ½ tbsp	Butter, divided
3 tbsp	Flour
6 oz	Goat cheese
1 ½ cups	Half and half
1½ - 2 tsp	Kosher salt, divided
¼ tsp	Freshly ground black pepper
2 tsp	Fresh chives, snipped
3 tbsp	Dried onion flakes
½ cup	Breadcrumbs

Preheat oven to 350°.  Peel and slice potatoes into thin slices (1/8 to ¼ inch thick).  Place in cold, salted water and bring to a boil.  Boil for five minutes.  Remove from heat and drain.

Meanwhile, begin making the sauce.  In a large saucepan melt 3 tbsp butter.  Add flour and whisk until there are no lumps.  Add in crumbled goat cheese and whisk until smooth.  Slowly whisk in half-and-half and stir until thickened.  Stir in 1 teaspoon of salt, pepper, chives and onion flakes.

Generously butter a 2 quart glass or ceramic baking dish.  Layer the potatoes rounds on the bottom in a single layer.  Lightly sprinkle salt on the potatoes.  Pour some of the sauce over the potatoes.  Repeat until all the potatoes and sauce are finished.

Melt the remaining 1½ tablespoons of butter and stir in the breadcrumbs.  Sprinkle the breadcrumbs on top of the potatoes.  Bake for about 45 minutes.  Check to see if the potatoes are soft.  If not, bake for another 15 to 30 minutes or until the potatoes are soft and the breadcrumbs are browned.  If the breadcrumbs start to get too brown, cover with foil and bake until done. 

Remove from oven and let stand for about 5 minutes before serving.