Editor

Most Americans would agree, cooking at home is a drag. Who has time for putting together complex dishes and trying to figure out how to make things from scratch? It’s much more convenient to go out or order in. Besides, we can eat out and still be healthy.

Right?

It turns out, cooking at home is a powerful secret to overall health – and it doesn’t have to be difficult or confusing. More and more research is showing that simply cooking at home more is one of the single greatest things you can do for your health. It helps you lose weight, boosts your immune system, and promotes emotional well-being, too.
Not so sure? Then stay tuned. Here’s how to be healthy by making one, simple lifestyle change.

The Benefits of Cooking at Home
There are so many benefits to making your own food at home.  Eating in is more efficient and reduces your carbon footprint. Sharing communal meals is linked to fewer instances of alcohol and drug abuse in teenagers. It’s more meaningful to eat something you’ve prepared yourself. And children in homes that frequently enjoy home-cooked meals are typically happier than their eating-out counterparts.

Furthermore, cooking at home is significantly cheaper. Forbes breaks down the numbers, showing how eating out is five times more expensive than cooking at home. Even if you only order meal kits, you will be saving two-three times the cost of a restaurant meal. So preparing your own meals just five or six nights a week could mean a savings of around $400 a week for a family of four.

Just One Change Can Make You Healthier
But the health benefits is where cooking at home really shines. In fact, a study by John Hopkins found that home cooking is one of the most significant ingredients of a healthy diet. The act of choosing your own ingredients and thoughtfully creating a meal makes such a difference in your health and wellbeing!

Some of the many ways simply cooking at home on a regular basis can make you healthier include:

• Healthy Portion Sizes: Cooking at home means you choose your portion size. Restaurants typically serve larger portions, and we feel obligated to clean our plate!
• Better Ingredients: Thoughtfully preparing your own meals at home entails ingredient choices. This makes you more aware of what you are eating. How much do you know about the ingredients that went into those chips you like to munch or your last take-out meal?
• Weight Loss: Healthy weight loss comes naturally when you eat at home. Restaurant food is notoriously higher in sugar, carbohydrates, and fat. Those who cook at home tend to consume fewer calories – even when they eat out.
• Higher Nutrition: The convenience-food industry has very little interest in the nutrition value of their meals. Cooking at home means considering the nutrition information for everything you put on your plate.

Making the Change is Simple
So now you know this one, simple change can mean so much good in your life. But where do you start? Fortunately, it’s not as hard as you might think.

Start by making time for meals. How much time do you spend on social media or TV each day? Invest some of that in cooking at home. Don’t know how to cook from scratch? No worries! You don’t have to. Many freezer foods, ready-made sauces, salad mixes, or even entrees can be purchased to simplify the process. As you get more comfortable in the kitchen, you can make more from scratch. When that time comes our Master Chef Programs will teach you stocks, soups, vegetables, fish, poultry and everything from scratch.

Invest in some healthy cooking classes to get started or take your skills to the next level. You can learn time-saving tips and tricks to make cooking at home simple, fun, and delicious. Then make sure you have good tools in your kitchen so you’re ready to roll. And always keep your pantry stocked with the basics so you won’t have to go shopping next time you want to cook. Making extra will allow you to freeze some for later, doubling the benefit of a good cooking session.
Cooking at home is something you can grow into, learn at your own pace, and reap the benefits of for years to come. Making this one change can simply revolutionize your health and I teach you all of this in my Culinary Basics Program.
To Your Health!
– Chef Eric
 

Many of our readers know how much I love to teach – I’ve been doing it for years – but my joy doesn’t come from simply showing others how to cook, it comes from opening doors to students on how much joy and health can come from understanding how to prepare and execute any meal.  In reality, that education extends far past the kitchen and into the grocery store, the restaurant, and even into the budget.
At the same time, it’s magical to watch students in any one of my classes, but especially the Professional Programs and the Cooking Series, transform.  Case in point – I recently had a student taking a once-in-a-lifetime trip to Europe that changed her flight reservations to make sure she could be back home in time to attend her course that week.
Over the years, I’ve had dozens of stories like this one (well, not necessarily requiring a flight over 9-time zones!) and that is why I teach – to share the experience.
Now that the Holiday Season has really gotten rolling, I want to ask you something personal…
What was the best gift you received or gave last year?
Chances are, it wasn’t something, it was an experience.  A vacation?  An evening out?  Perhaps tickets to a sold-out show?
In other words, an experience that created a memory or opened up a new door based on the knowledge you had gained.
That’s what my jet setting student was after when she landed in LAX that day – the chance to expand her knowledge and experience something far beyond another electronic gizmo or the newest Apple product.
I’ve been fortunate to have studied and lived abroad in a variety of circumstances in my life and those months and years have been some of the most enjoyable to remember and to actually use every day and that’s what I’d like to ask you to think about this season.
Give thanks to the ones who care about you and show that thanks by giving them something they can experience and enjoy.

About now, you’re probably expecting me to pitch something – one of the many courses and classes that I teach in the Culinary Classroom, or even a gift certificate.
I’m not.
In this festive season, though, I’m asking you, as a reader and a friend, to consider what it is we all need to have in this life – a life that is increasingly interconnected digitally but not physically.  I’m asking you, this year, to consider NOT giving another gift that will sit unused after the New Year but to give those things that each of us have only a finite amount of – the gift of time, or the chance to learn a new skill, or to experience something new.  It is the greatest gift that any of us can give one another and, in the end, the only one that will always fit and will never go out of style.
The promise of the New Year means many things to many people and I believe that anyone can make a decision to embrace any life they choose.  People like Matt Todd, a practicing attorney who is wrapping up his practice to follow a dream of his to become a Chef.  He’s been a student here at the Culinary Classroom and now, as he closes down his practice, he is also the Executive Chef at the Los Angeles Air Force Base in El Segundo.  Matt has been effusive in his thanks to me. He said “Thank you for everything you taught me. Your course had a huge impact on my career.”
To me, stories like Matt’s validate everything I set out to do all those years ago when we opened the Culinary Classroom and, as we remember the nature of the Holiday Season, it reassures me that for those that give, there will always be people out there ready to receive.
I wish you all the best in this season and look forward to sharing a wonderful New Year with all of you!

Okay, it’s confession time.  I work a lot.  As a chef, it’s not unusual to find me in the kitchen 6 or 7 nights a week, and truly rare is the day that goes by without me in the kitchen at all.  So it was a pleasure to be able to sneak away one night a couple of months ago to join friends for dinner.
Did you catch that?  “A couple of months ago?”
Yep.  Like I said, I work a lot and as much as I love to share, sometimes things get pushed back.
I told you all that to tell you this… the friends that were able to join us that night live on the Westside, so using Jonathan Gold’s 101 Best Restaurants in Los Angeles as a guide, I chose Rustic Canyon on Wilshire Boulevard in Santa Monica.  Mr. Gold had written a great review about the food at Rustic Canyon and the Chef, Jeremy Fox.  One thing that intrigued me was how Gold elaborated that Fox isn’t interested in celebrity, just providing great food, atmosphere and service.  He likes Rustic Canyon so much, he ranked it #5 out of his top 101 restaurants to visit.
With that in mind, our trip to Santa Monica was exciting and I’d like to share the night in both words and pictures.
I started my evening with a cocktail.  When it comes to adult beverages, I usually have a beer, like a Belgian Saison.  But, nights out like this don’t happen often, so I decided to try one of Rustic Canyon Signature drinks, the Angelino.  Served in a small champagne coupe, this mixture of Rye, Vermouth, Grand Poppy Liqueur and Orange Bitters was served ice cold with a wide strip of orange zest as a garnish.
The drink had a nice combination of grain and herbs from the Rye and Vermouth, with citrus notes from the Bitters and Liqueur.  I found that the size of the cocktail served as a great starter to the meal.  In fact, I was planning on having a beer with my main course, but decided against it after one Angelino.
I sipped the Angelino while we shared the Marcona Almonds with Lavender.   Ever since I worked and lived in Barcelona, I have become an almond fanatic.  Marconas are sensational, completely different from any Almond you have ever tasted.  The Lavender was subtle and not overpowering.  It’s always a pleasure to have something as simple as a roasted almond seasoned with such care.
The four of us decided to share some appetizers, starting with some Beets, wonderfully cooked then mixed with some Blackberries, Quinoa, Avocado and Pistachios. I have always liked Beets, especially baby ones.  My father raised a vegetable garden when I was a teenager and we really enjoyed the fruits of his labors.  Beets were one of those vegetables.
The earthy quality of the Beet was paired nicely with the sweet and slightly tart flavor of the Blackberry.  The nutty quality of the Quinoa paired well with the Pistachios and then there was a little avocado to give the dish a rich creamy flavor.  One of us (not me!) said that they don’t usually like Beets, but with the Blackberries, it was very good.
Next were the Spring Peas.  Perhaps they were obtained from the Wednesday Farmers Market in Santa Monica.  These are one of my absolute favorite vegetables, a portent of the growing season and care in harvesting – especially with the challenging weather this year.   Delicate and sweet, peas need to be prepared and eaten as soon after picking as possible.
The Peas were served in a bowl small dollops of a Pecorino Custard.  The idea of a savory custard is always exciting, especially when you know that a classic sauce like Hollandaise is basically that, a savory Custard.  The Pecorino may have been made like a Hollandaise, or it may have been more like a Mayonnaise.  It was very thick like a Mayonnaise, and the Pecorino flavor was not overpowering, just enough to give the peas a little richness.  Mint and Red Wine Vinegar were also used, giving the peas a different sweetness and acidity.  Lastly, some Pea Shoots were used to garnish the dish.  One vegetable I always envision eating in the garden, straight from the vine!
Roasted White Yams were next.  Nicely caramelized and slightly crunchy on the outside and creamy on the inside.  They were served with Green Garlic Butter, Celery, Hazelnut Dukkah and Aioli.  As with the other dishes, the attention to detail and seasoning was top notch.  I got just a hint of the Green Garlic Butter and Garlic from the Aioli, but not enough to be overpowering.  The Celery and Dukkah added a nice crunch and spice.  For those of you who don’t know, Dukkah is a nut and spice blend commonly used in Egypt.  Hazelnuts, Sesame Seeds, Coriander and Cumin are commonly used, but like the Indian Spice blend Garam Marsala, you will find many different versions.
Next I had a roasted half Chicken, Potato Puree and Sugar Snap Peas.  Nice crispy skin and simply seasoned.  The Puree was very smooth, creamy.  Very decadent way to have Potatoes.  I’m Irish and I love potatoes this way, but can’t have them all the time.  Not with all that butter and cream!  A few quickly sautéed peas garnished the top.  Even though I had those wonderful Spring Peas earlier, I didn’t mind having more!  What I didn’t see listed in the menu and truly loved was the jus.  A simple sauce made from the drippings from the chicken.  Nothing better to mix with those potatoes!
My wife had the Pork Chop, which to her great surprise came sliced and fanned out on her plate.  The Strawberry-Pine Nut Sofrito is an interesting take on the classic Spanish mixture of Red Bell Peppers, Onions, Tomatoes and Garlic.  Fruit and Pork are always a good combination and the sweetness of the Strawberries and the softened texture of the cooked nuts was a welcome addition to the dish.  A Salsa Verde was part of the presentation.  All of this sitting atop a nice helping of creamy Polenta.
Our friends had a Poached Trout.  For me, fish always tastes better when paired with another meat and this dish was served with a broth made from smoked ham.  Nappa cabbage and more peas (it is that time of year!) made this dish very flavorful indeed.  What was very different was that the fish was poached and served with the skin on.  You don’t see that very often, because the skin gets chewy.  But the portion size of the fish was small, perhaps the filet came from a young fish.
Dessert was a great way to end our evening.  My wife had a sweet and tart Blood Orange Sorbet.  Simply scooped onto her dish.  No other garnishes or accompaniments.  I had the largest slice of homemade Brioche that I have ever had.  It came on a pool of Dulce De Leche Caramel with a little Salt.  A little Ganache over the top of the bread and that is a dessert for someone running a marathon the next day.  I only ate half of it, but I have to confess that the rest of it found its way into my stomach later that night!
Our friends had the flourless chocolate cake, which was studded with hazelnuts and carob chips.  A little whipped cream to top it off.  Nothing like Hazelnuts and Chocolate, a classic combination!
If you are in Santa Monica and want to have a really well prepared, farmers-market-driven dinner, head to the Rustic Canyon.

Register for our class now
The next session starts on October 9^th at 7pm and we have room for you!
There comes a time in everyone’s life when they realize they don’t know how to cook.
Whether the epiphany strikes in middle school or mid-midlife crisis varies from person to person, but the solution remains the same: It’s time to learn! And it’s not as impossible as it might seem –even if you’re intimidated by cooking spaghetti. Chef Eric’s 4-Week Culinary Basics Series is especially crafted for beginners, and take it from graduate Alan Weil: “Anyone interested in learning to cook will come out of this series much more confident about his or her cooking skills.” Chef Eric will make sure of it!
So what’ll we cover? Lots of meals that YOU learn to make and we eat them at the end of each Class!

• Week 1: Knife skills. Proper technique is the foundation of proper cooking, and we make sure you’ve got it down. We’ll go over how to hold, use, clean and sharpen a knife before you start slicing and dicing. Then you prepare some simple meals like Latin-Style Strip Loin Steak with Chayote Squash, Risotto-Style Orzo Pasta with Parmesan Cheese and Spiced Peruvian Chickpea Cakes.
• Week 2: Meal prep. We’ll build off what we learned in the first class and start playing with international recipes like Spice Rubbed Skirt Steak, Thai-Style Noodle Salad with Asian Five-Spice Chicken Skewers and Spicy Peanut Sauce, Italian Chicken, traditional Meatloaf, and Lemon Orzo Pasta with Kalamata Olives. And yes – taste-testing is encouraged!
• Week 3: Homemade pastas and potatoes. By now, you’ll be ready to tackle the art of pasta-making. Trust us; it’s far better fresh! We’ll learn how to make it, cut it, cook it and pair it with splendid sauces like Bolognese, Herb and Cheese Spaetzle, and creamy Alfredo. We make a killer Potatoes au gratin, too!
• Week 4: Seafood. With a focus on safety and sanitation, we’ll prepare fantastic fish dishes like Seared and Spice-Crusted Ahi Tuna, Grilled Chipotle-Spiced Shrimp and Sole Vin Blanc with Ginger-Lime-Scallion Butter – all of which are sure to blow your friends and family away at the next dinner party you’ll be hosting, armed with your newfound knowledge.

Don’t let takeout take over your life. To quote the great Julia Child, “The only real stumbling block is fear of failure. In cooking you’ve got to have a what-the-hell attitude!” So don’t be afraid to learn to cook; Chef Eric will be there every step of the way. You ARE capable of cooking!
Register for our class now
The next session starts on October 9^th at 7pm and we have room for you!

Photo: Chef Eric judges the finals at the C-CAP competition
When there’s good food involved, we like to think everyone’s winning. And this year at the Careers through Culinary Arts Program (C-CAP) Culinary Competition, young chefs Adrian Gonzalez and Matthew Sanchez won big! Adrian snagged a $2,700 Culinary Classroom scholarship, and C-CAP gifted Matthew with a $2,700 scholarship. Matthew will be taking the Master Baking Program.
Since 1990, C-CAP has provided more than $50 million in scholarships to talented high school students seeking to enter the competitive culinary field, with rewards varying from a $250,000 four-year Johnson & Wales scholarship to three months’ restaurant work in Europe – and Chef Eric has been a proud contributor for over 10 years. Not only does he take time to judge the finals, he rarely misses the awards breakfast…and not just because he loves breakfast.
“Through C-CAP, I have been providing scholarships and mentorship for deserving kids in my Master Baking and Master Chef Programs since 2005,” says Chef Eric, “Former graduates of my programs have gone on to own successful businesses and work in popular restaurants. Being part of this organization and getting to see so many young chefs pursue their goals fills me with pride!”
We want to make our awesome programs accessible even if you didn’t kill it in a competition. We offer payment plans and part-time options so nothing can keep you from going pro or cooking and baking like one! Get a load of graduates’ success stories, get inspired, and get ready for our next Master Chef and Baking Programs starting on September 10^th and September 12^th.
See you in my kitchen!

For some reason, sushi is one of those foods that sports an invisible warning: “Don’t try this at home.” But you really can conquer this Japanese favorite! All you need is a little direction from Chef Eric Crowley – and it’s your lucky day, because you can follow along as he teaches Fuller House star Candace Cameron Bure how to chop, roll, and make perfect sushi rice on the Hallmark Channel’s Home & Family Show. To quote a excited Candace, “I made it!”
This segment was hosted by Mark Steines and Debbie Matenopoulos. Scroll down for the full recipes!

SUSHI RECIPE

Traditional Sushi Rice
Yield:  4 Cups

Method:

1. Put the rice in a heavy bottomed small sized pot and add the water. Wipe the kelp with a damp cloth.  Score the kelp if necessary.  Place the kelp in the pot, cover the pot and bring it to just below a boil.  Remove the kelp and recover the pot.
2. Boil the rice for about 2 minutes, then lower the heat to medium and continue to boil for 5 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat to the barest simmer and let the rice cook for about 10-15 minutes or until all the water has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and let the pot stand on the burner for about 10-15 minutes.
4. While the rice is cooking and resting, prepare the dressing by mixing the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small pot and dissolving it over low heat. Transfer the dressing to an ice bath to cool it quickly.
5. Toss the rice as per demonstration. Gradually add enough dressing to flavor it, but not enough to turn the rice mushy.
6. Keep the cooled rice in a container to fit, covered with a damp cloth.

Nigiri and Nori-Roll Sushi
Yield:  4 Servings

Method:

1. In a small bowl, mix the rice vinegar and water. This is a “hand vinegar,” used to keep your finger moist while shaping the rice.
2. Slice the fish as per demonstration.
3. Shape the rice per demonstration. Place a small dab of wasabi on the rice and lay the fish on top.
4. Serve with pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce mixed with mirin (4 parts soy sauce to 1 part mirin).
5. Using the Nori sheet, rice and cucumber, make a nori-roll as per demonstration.

At the Culinary Classroom, we want to teach you how to treat your tummy well. But we are also dedicated to giving back to our community outside the kitchen –  that’s where our partnership with CoachArt comes in.

CoachArt is a fantastic organization whose mission is to provide chronically ill kids and their siblings scholarships, specialized lessons, club memberships and opportunities to participate in fun activities at no cost to their families. We have partnered with CoachArt for several years and always look forward to the opportunity to work with some truly amazing kids through our cooking classes.
Want a taste of this cool collaboration? Check out a couple of the recipes that we teach our CoachArt kids.
All this talk of scrumptious delicacies will get your mouth watering. It’s not too late to send your kids to the Culinary Classroom’s Summer Camp! Sign up here.
Chef Eric’s Sizzling Beef Sliders with Cheddar Cheese
Yield: 6 Servings 

 
Method:

1. Place the ground beef in a bowl. Add Chef Eric’s Sizzle Blend, garlic, shallots and parsley. Season with one teaspoon of salt and a half teaspoon of pepper.
2. Gently mix the ingredients together. Do not over mix! Divide the mixture into 12 equal sized pieces and shape them into patties. (They should be 2.6 oz each) Refrigerate until ready to cook.
3. On a medium hot grill (you can hold your hand above the grill to the count of 6), sear the burgers for 4 minutes on each side adding the cheddar cheese after turning. The meat should be medium-rare. Cook more or less to your liking. (The meat will continue to cook for about 2 minutes once removed from the grill.)
4. Transfer the finished burgers to a pan and cover loosely with foil.
5. Set the burgers on the roll bottoms and top with the pickle slices. Add the roll tops and serve.

Smooth Grilled Mini Vegetable Kabobs with Pesto Sauce
Yield: 6 Servings

 
Method:

1. In a small bowl, combine the Chef Eric’s Smooth Spice Blend, olive oil, wine, salt and pepper. Stir to blend.
2. If using wooden skewers, be sure to soak them in water for about 30 minutes while you cut the vegetables. Once the skewers are assembled, arrange them in a single layer in a baking dish and baste them with a little marinade.
3. If using a charcoal grill, light the coals and when they are covered with white ash, spread the coals out and set a grill rack about 4 to 5 inches from the fire.
4. Over medium-high heat, grill the skewers for about 5 minutes per side, or until they are tender and lightly charred. Baste with the marinade a few times while cooking.
5. Serve room temperature with Basil Pesto Sauce.

Basil Pesto Sauce
Yield: 2 Cups

 
Method:

1. Wash and dry the basil and mint leaves. Make sure that they are well dried.
2. Put all the ingredients except the oil into a processor. Puree the ingredients until a paste forms. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the processor bowl with a spatula as you work.
3. With the machine running, slowly add the olive oil. Season to taste. Store in a container with a tight fitting cover. Will keep in the refrigerator for about two weeks.