Menasha Library has been doing a cooking series for over a year now. I've always been interested but the timing never worked and they filled up quickly. To ensure more people can participate, they now limit you one cooking class per series. Danielle mentioned the ancient grain one and we decided to try the Quinoa bowls. I managed to sign us up but Janis missed out. I knew I should have signed her up.
I never had quinoa before. and I was ready for this adventure. It sounds like something I might like and wasn't too scary or out of my comfort zone. I was actually excited for this cooking adventure. I liked BBQ chicken so I wasn't worried about the rest of it. I probably should have been....
When Menasha Library did their renovation last year, they put in individual cooking stations on wheels that is essentially a complete stocked kitchen in terms of gadgets and things. Plus there is a huge prep area but only one sink. This made prepping and cooking so much easier.
To get started, we prepped the quinoa by putting it in a water and getting it to a boil. Once it was boiling we turned down the heat and let it cook for 15 minutes.
While we waited for the quinoa to cook, we prepped the rest of the bowl ingredients. This included red cabbage, red onion, cherry tomatoes, avocados, and jalapenos. Since I probably shouldn't use sharp kitchen knifes, Danielle took care of chopping and dicing. Besides she was way more efficient and neater than I would ever be. We also had black beans and frozen corn.
The chicken was pre-cooked for us in a pressure cooker. We just had to shred it. That was my job. At least I could feel productive.
Then it was time to assembly our bowl. Danielle wanted to mix all the ingredients together which was fine as long as she left the avocado out. I am not wiling to figure out if I am allergic to avocados or white chocolate. She was fine with that.
Finally it was time to taste our creation. Despite being full of things I don't eat, it was really good. The quinoa tasted like brown rice to me. I would totally have it again but I don't think I could convince the hubby to eat it.
Once we enjoyed our meal, it was time to pack up the leftovers. It does make a lot. We also washed our dishes and move our stations back where they are stored when not in use. It was definitely a great way to teach people to cook.
We are already planning on our next cooking adventure at Menasha Library. It will be in fall. Janis has her eye on a stir fry class in May but we will see if we get in.
I am glad my local libraries encourage cooking and learning about different foods and cultures. Libraries have some of the best (free) programs around.
Stay tuned to see what other new foods I try this year.
