 |
Serene Lakes Cooking Club (SLCC) (Est. June 2003) |
| Mission Statement | Upcoming Events | Restaurant Reviews |
| Recipe of the Month | Tips/Tricks of the Month | Contact the Chef |
Mission Statement
The Serene Lakes Cooking Club (SLCC) was established in June 2003 by Randy Diaz as a Social Club to share recipes and demonstrate Cooking Techniques. You do not have to be a professional chef. Our philosophy is that there are excellent cooks who have fabulous recipes (e.g., family recipes handed down from generation to generation) that they would like to share, or they simply enjoy cooking and would like to share their recipes. There are also cooks who have tested and proven cooking techniques they’d like to share (e.g., high altitude techniques). The cooking club meets once a month, and is hosted by one of the many members, as well as guest appearances by award winning chefs/cooks, and even sommeliers. Currently there are over 300-members.Upcoming SLCC Events
There are no events scheduled.... if you have some suggestions or would like to volunteer to host an event let Randy know.
Recipe of the Month
NY Style CheesecakeThe Holidays seasons are always so fun. It's once a year where we can really indulge. Here's a wonderful basic recipe that can be embellished and personalized to your taste. And, who doesn't love a good cheesecake. The beauty of this recipe is that you make a basic New York style cheesecake and then top it with your favorite fruit, nuts (cooked or uncooked, home made or store bought).
The topping is only limited by your imagination. You can even top this basic cheesecake with nuts if your prefer. Figs seem to be abundant, so try figs.
Skill Level: Easy/intermediate
Crust:
1 & 3/4 cup crushed graham crackers
1/4 - 1/2 cup chopped nuts your choice: almonds, pecans or walnuts
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 cup melted butterMix all ingredients and press into the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch spring form pan. Set aside and prepare the filling.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees
Filling:
2 pounds cream cheese
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup sour creamCooking Method:
- In a large mixing bowl, beat together the cream cheese and sugar until smooth and light.
- Beat in the eggs, vanilla, and cornstarch, only until thoroughly mixed. Stir in the sour cream until the mixture is well blended.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared crust and bake for 45 minutes. Allow the cake to cool in the oven, with the door propped slightly open for 3 hours. Chill minimum 8-hours or overnight.
Toppings:
Top with your favorite fruit or nuts. If using fresh fruit, I recommend you glaze it to make it glisten and make it more eye appealing. This can be done by simply heating up fruit jelly (e.g., grape, apricot etc). When melted, brush it on the fruit.
If the fruit needs sweetening, make a simple sugar by boiling together equal parts sugar and water. Then simply cook the fruit with the simple sugar, and once slightly cooled, pour on top of the cheese cake and let it drip around the sides. Note: cranberries cooked in simple sugar makes a wonderful topping.
You can use bottled or canned fruit toppings e.g., canned cherries.
Enjoy, and Happy Cooking.
Restaurant Reviews
Each month we review a restaurant in the area (Truckee, Lake Tahoe, Reno) or nearby on the I-80 corridor (see the Restaurant Reviews) section. This month we review Francis' Asian Bistro in Reno.
Contact the Chef
 |
Your cooking questions, suggestions, feedback, and contributions (e.g., recipes) are very welcome. Please feel free to e-mail Randy Diaz. |
“It’s not how well you can cook, but how well you can execute…”