Hi, everyone.  Happy New Year! Welcome to our first newsletter of 2009.  Hard to believe, isn’t it?  The holidays are always so busy that it’s almost a relief for January to roll around….that is, if you live in Phoenix.  Other parts of the country; not so much.

Thank you all for your great feedback on our classes.  As promised, we have winners for our survey drawings.  For our adults, it’s Jessica Canna.  For those of you who come on Tuesdays, you know her well since she’s here almost every week.  For our kids/teen classes, Amanda Tresslar is the lucky winner.  Congratulations to both of you.

The new year is always time for people to decide to eat healthier, so rather than give you a recipe this month, we are repeating some very helpful information regarding sodium.  It is found at the end of the newsletter in the recipes section. 

January is a time of renewal so make sure to get some rest after the hectic holiday season.  And while you are at it, renew your love for cooking healthy by checking out some of our healthy classes in January.

Saving Money in the Kitchen – This month we want to talk about other ways to save money in the kitchen.  We talk a lot about buying things on sale, using coupons, etc.  But have you ever thought about planning your meals with seasonal items?  I’m sure you noticed that there are times when apples, for example, are very reasonable and other times when they are expensive and worse yet, mealy.  By purchasing your fruits and vegetables in season, you will not only get the best quality produce but you will get it at the best prices, too.  A while back the Arizona Republic published this list of seasonal items.  Take a look at the Seasonal Produce Calendar and try to plan meals accordingly.  You will probably notice that seasonal items will also be the ones on sale.

Organize Your Kitchen -- The New Year also brings resolutions. I do not make resolutions, but I do try to plan changes to incorporate into my life.  While reading some material from Oprah a while back, I saw some good organizing tips.  If you have lots of stuff inside your home that you use once or twice a year (think bread maker or espresso machine), try installing a shelf in your garage to store them.  This is a great way to declutter your kitchen and make more room for the items you need every day.  As an added bonus, you will always know where your minimally-used items can be found. 

January Adult Classes – January classes are all about getting rid of the pounds that we just put on.  We are offering classes on Tuesday and Thursday 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., and our Saturday classes are from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. 

On Tue 1/6/2009 & Sat 1/10 we are offering our Healthy Cooking— Fish class where we will make a wonderful tilapia menu that tastes great and is so good for you.  $63/person. 

On Tue 1/13 & Sat 1/17 attend our Healthy Cooking— Beef class.  We will make a healthy yet tasty menu featuring beef.   $63 per person.  

On Tue 1/20 & Sat 1/24 try our Healthy Cooking— Salmon class.  We will make a Moroccan-inspired meal that is healthy and tasty.   $63 per person. 

Just in time, our Chinese New Year class is being offered Tue 1/27.  Make a great meal that is perfect to bring in Chinese New Year.   $63 per person.

Whatever team you are cheering for, come to our Super Bowl Entertaining class on Thur a.m. 1/29.  Prepare dishes that are just right to cheer your favorite team on. $63/person

Upcoming Classes for February 2009 – We have Tuesday and Saturday morning classes this month as well as a Thursday evening class.

On Tue 2/3 and Sat 2/7 we are offering our new Seasonal Soups class.  We will prepare several different soups to keep you warm during our cold Arizona winter.  $63/person.

On Tue 2/10 and Sat 2/14 attend our Valentines Dinner.  This class is for singles or couples.  In the class we will prepare a meal that is perfect to serve to your Valentine.   $63 per person.

To meet the requests of so many couples, we are offering our Couples Cooking class on Fri 2/13.  We will make the same menu as our Valentines Day meal but this time it will be with your sweetie.  $126 per couple.  This class is in the evening so you can attend the class AND still keep your plans for Valentines Day. 

Back by popular demand is our Chili 3 Ways class which will be held on Tue 2/17 and Sat 2/21.  You will prepare 3 different types of chili along with some great accompaniments.  $63 per person.

For those of you trying to cook healthier, we are offering our Healthy Eating—Asian Pork class on Tue 2/24 and Sat 2/28.  We will make a great pork tenderloin that is delicious and good for you.   $63 per person.

Kids (8-12) and Teen (13 & up) Classes -- We have had a lot of requests for kids and especially teen classes for 2009.  We are still looking for dates but at this time we are thinking they will be held on Friday evenings.  If you are not already on our kids/teens mailing list, let us know and we will add your name.  Otherwise, keep checking our website for calendar updates.

Special Offers – Our specials for the month of January are below.  One discount per person, please.

Sign up for 2 classes in January and receive $10 off a class in February or March.

Sign up a friend who has never taken a class here before, and you will receive $10 off your next class with their paid enrollment.

In the media – We were on TV and radio so much last month, that it would be hard to miss us.  Right now, we’re taking a little breather. We may have a few TV shots in January. I will try to post links in our February newsletter.  Some of my favorite segments from December are shown here.

We were on Channel 12 news a few weeks ago talking about Stocking your pantry.  While we were on for 2 segments, they made one available.  If you want the information from the other segment, you’ll just have to come to one of our pantry classes which will be scheduled later in the year.  On the same topic, Channel 3 had a segment on cooking inexpensive and quick meals from your pantry.  In this segment I was brave enough to let them film my pantry and talk about how I organize it.  See Pantry meals in minutes for a few ideas and recipes. 

Another favorite topic of mine is gadgets.  We were on Sonoran Living featuring our 2008 Kitchen Gadgets Favorites.  We demo’d a few so you can share in the fun.  Read the story and watch the video at Favorite Kitchen Gadgets.  Now you know how to spend the cash you got for the holidays.

We have also been asked to write a review on my new favorite Thai restaurant here in Mesa, so we’ll get you the link when it’s published.

Methods of Payment and Cancellation Policy – See Registration and Cancellation Policy for further information. 

Recipe of the Month – This month, rather than have a recipe, let’s talk about sodium.  We gave this information a few years ago, but it never hurts to bring up the details again.  If you have to watch your sodium, this is a must-read for you. 

Helpful Information About Salt -- We’ve had many questions about salt lately.  As you know, generally we use Kosher salt in class, but there are other options.  So which salt should you choose?  Taste and texture, not nutrition, are the main reasons to use the salt you prefer.

Most experts recommend between 1,500 and 2,400 mg of sodium daily.  For those of you who need to minimize sodium content, the following information can be the difference between life and death for you.  I am not a medical practitioner, so please do not use this information in place of your doctor’s advice.  Discuss salt alternatives with your doctor if you have sodium issues.

While there are many types of salt available, we generally talk about three different types in class.  They are regular iodized table salt…you know, the stuff in the round box with the umbrella girl on it.  Then there’s Kosher salt, which we most often use, and sea salt.

Table Salt: A fine-grained refined salt with additives that make it free-flowing, is mainly used in cooking and as a table condiment.  It's what most of us grew up on.  Add in some iodine and it’s iodized salt.  A dash of iodized salt has 155 mg sodium while one teaspoon has 2325 mg sodium. 

Kosher Salt: Is an additive-free coarse-grained salt.  It's used by cooks who prefer its texture and flavor.  One-quarter teaspoon of kosher salt varies from 280 milligrams in Diamond Crystal brand to 480 in Morton’s.  I recently purchased Diamond Crystal salt and found that its texture was more like that of table salt.

Sea Salt: Is the type used down through the ages and is the result of the evaporation of sea.  It comes in fine-grained or larger crystals.  Sodium can vary significantly, though; it ranges from 230 milligrams in ¼ teaspoon Celtic Sea to 490 milligrams in Baleine Coarse Crystals Sea Salt.

In a side-by-side taste test done in one of our classes, our tasters found that table salt had a harsh, off-taste.  Kosher salt had a more clean taste and sea salt was the most salty tasting.

So you decide what type of salt you want to use in your kitchen, and don’t be afraid to experiment to find the one you like best.

I would like to Thank You for your continued support of Simply Impressive Cooking School.  Have a very happy, healthy and prosperous New Year.  I hope to see you in a class soon.