OCTOBER

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HOUSE AND GARDEN TOUR
Thursday, September 9
6:30 – 8:30 P.M.
With Rania
Fee: $65.00

I’ve decided to open the house and garden again for this session because the garden really is beautiful at this time of the year. As for the house, I still manage to find new projects! We remodeled the garage, gutted the library and transformed it into, what I consider to be, the most beautiful room in the house. Somehow, when you start one project, it balloons into many more and that’s why the living room has been completely done over. What better way to celebrate the start of the fall session, than by joining us for a catered dinner from Rania’s Catering complete with a tour of the house and garden? We’ll take you through the garden for a flower-by-flower tour and through the house starting with the third floor apartment all the way down to the lower level family room. We are limiting the size of this class; so call us right now to reserve your spot!

SERIOUSLY SIMPLE RECIPES FOR EVEN THE MOST NOVICE COOK!
Monday, September 13
7:00 – 9:00 P.M.
With Rania

I really worked hard on the recipes and content for this class. I wanted to come up with a menu that would be easy to prepare and I wanted it to be a complete dinner party theme that anyone could duplicate. I’m not talking about Sandra Lee semi-homemade style cooking where you go out and buy prepared ingredients; I’m talking about totally homemade and seriously good food. Fall Figs with Prosciutto and Shaved Parmesan is a favorite starter in my house and we’ll treat you to a glass of wine that will pair well with the flavors in this dish. Roast Lemon Garlic Chicken with Green Olives takes on an exotic flavor when teamed up with Roasted Winter Root Vegetables with Fennel. Roasted Portobello Mushroom Salad with our famous Blue Cheese Dressing is packed with incredible flavors! Is there a better ending to a meal than dipping your fork into a Chocolate Fudge Cake? I don’t think so and neither will you! I’m telling now that if you don’t sign up, you’ll be missing out a one incredible class! 

Daniel Aguera was born and raised in northern Spain and came from a family that loved to cook and loved to eat. His mentor and teacher was his grandmother. He left home only to work his way through Europe, the Middle East and finally to the United States in every position in the kitchen from dishwasher to chef. His passion has always been cooking and tonight, if you’re one of the lucky few who will join his class, you will experience the love that Daniel has for sharing the joy of cooking. He is known for his empanadas and we’re going to be lucky enough to learn his technique for Chorizo Empanadas. While Daniel shares his recipe for Paella with Seafood, Chicken and Pork, we will all partake in his fabulous platter of Cabrales Cheese with Apples, Spanish Olive Oil and Almonds. Dessert will end the evening with Strawberries in Spanish Wine with Fresh Herbs. Rania plans to toss in her recipe for Sangria and will blast the café with music from Spain. Come join us for a class and party to remember!

PROVIDENT!
Wednesday, September 15
7:00 – 9:00 P.M.
With Chef John Provident

Hey guys! John is back with his basket filled with homemade wines and rustic breads, as well as an Antipasto display filled with Imported Meats and Cheeses. He’ll be cooking up a storm while you’re getting just a little tipsy and very full on all of the above. Just when you thought you had enough to eat, you’ll be going through another buffet line and you’ll be feasting on everything centered on the theme, “Yet Another Italian Feast with John”. We’ll begin our feast by diving into his salad of Strawberries, Romaine and Couscous with Orange Vinaigrette. Fettuccini with White Bolognaise will precede Veal Picatta with Capers. John doesn’t get the message that one protein is enough, so he continues to amaze us by adding in his mom’s recipe for Chicken Cutlets with Sweet Sausage. Apparently, his grandmother made these incredible Stuffed Mussels, so not to offend his Nonna, mussels are also on the menu! Fruit filled Crepes with Red Wine Syrup are a smashing end to this incredible class. Good God! I’m exhausted just typing all of this information! Tip for the night: Don’t eat for three days before coming.

HANDS ON COOKING WITH MONIQUE
Tuesday, September 21
7:00 – 9:00 P.M.
with Monique Achaia Ruvolo
Fee: $60.00
Class limit: 12

Monique has been a guest chef at Rania’s cooking school for a number of years and everyone agrees that her hands on classes rock! Her mission tonight is to teach five recipes that every student will be able to take home and duplicate with ease. Our students will be busy working in our catering kitchen creating delicious recipes geared towards home entertaining. We’ll start off the lesson with Tuna Tartar with Sweet Potato Chips. Cannellini Bean and Caramelized Onion Canapés are a terrific new hors d’oeuvre that will be perfect for the upcoming holiday season. Cucumber Noodle Salad with Lemon Honey Dressing and Seared Scallops served over Tumeric Cauliflower Puree might end up becoming the class favorites. Moving on, busy hands will create Moroccan Meatballs with a Garlic Sauce. Trust me, the adrenaline will be at an all time high and no one will be tired from all this work. Best part of the class is the party in To Stay feasting on the fruits of our labor with red and white wines!

DINNER FOR FRIENDS MADE IN A FLASH!
Thursday, September 23
7:00 – 9:00 P.M.
With Rania

Oh my God! What a class I have in store for you! I’ve gotten tons of requests from my students begging for easy recipes that look like they take hours to prepare. People have been calling and asking for me to do classes focused around cooking for dummies and all I’m hearing is that you have no time to cook. This class screams easy and this class will prove to be the favorite of the session! We’ll begin with a super easy Cranberry Ginger Stuffed Brie with glasses of chilled Pinot Grigio. Roasted Autumn Squash Risotto paired with Maple Pecan Pork Tenderloin defies description. I’ll toss in a fall vegetable to round out the plate along with a basket of Stuart’s Sweet Potato Maple Muffins. Apple Dumplings wrapped in a gorgeous, but simple to make, light pastry will end the meal with style. I promise you that you’ll leave the class delighted with the lessons learned and fact that you, too, can make this at home in a flash!

I had the pleasure of meeting Lucinda at an event that brought folks to Pittsburgh for a conference on organic and sustainable farming. Lucinda brought her goat cheese, feta cheese, eggs, milk and yogurt to the table and the line to speak with her was out the door. I begged her to consider teaching a class for us and she graciously agreed. Happily for us, Lucinda will not only be sharing her recipes with us, but she will also be explaining how she came to formulating this class using seasonal-appropriate ingredients straight from her farm. Tossed Dark Greens Salad with Bright Dried Tomatoes and Crumbled Feta Cheese finished with a Pale Green Herbed Yogurt Dressing will get us up and running. Chicken Roulades stuffed with Kale, more Feta cheese and fresh herbs from her farm will be served with Tri-Color Alfredo topped with her Chevre crossed with Orange Butternut Squash Puree. Lucinda will toss in Toasted Garlic Bread and finish off her seasonal menu with a Peruvian Flan, using eggs and goat milk from her farm all topped off with a dark Caramel Sauce. I’m so excited to share Lucinda with you all tonight. This is such an important class – you must not miss out!

I go to New York and wander through China Town with my son in search of Asian restaurants. In speaking with my students, I find that although everyone loves Asian cuisine, many fear to give it try when it comes to cooking at home because they think that it’s “hard” and that it involves too many ingredients. Well, I’m here to dispel the myth and take the fear factor away because tonight’s class is going to prove that Asian cooking is easy and way better than anything you can get when it comes to take out. Pot Stickers with Soy Scallion Sauce are yum-yum yummy! Shrimp and Snap Pea Salad with Ginger Dressing is not only a great starter, but easily converts into a great main dish. Moo Shu Pork is delicious and so simple to make. Chinese Noodles with Sesame Dressing are to die for and will prove to you that you can whip out your chopsticks and treat your friends and family to a feast made in minutes. I’ll throw in dessert and we’ll have ourselves a real party!

By now, everyone in this city knows the name Chef Jennifer Girasole. This woman is a star! She’s the chef/owner of Girasole, located in Shadyside, with her family and they rock! Just try walking into the restaurant without a reservation and see how far you get into the dining room. Trust me, I’ve been turned away with no place to go, but home! There is a reason for the popularity of this restaurant and it’s the chef and it’s all about her food. Every ingredient is fresh and everything is made from scratch. Tonight’s class will focus on all good things that come straight from her menu. Her first recipe features her most popular item from the menu, Crab Cakes with Heirloom Tomatoes. The recipe for Sicilian Meatballs comes straight from her great grandmother’s recipe file and it had to be translated by several family members in order to get it right. Fall Mushroom Ragu takes every ingredient from the garden and brings heaven to the table. Lemon Cake is the end of all desserts and will end the class on a sweet note. Such an exciting class and such an exciting menu! You won’t get a better deal anywhere else in the city! Come join the fun.

I love to entertain during the harvest season. There’s something special about the food that we eat during this time of the year. Crisp apples, fragrant pears, earthy mushrooms coupled with a chicken simmering on the stove fills the kitchen with the most wonderful aromas and makes me so happy to be alive. I love setting the table with beautiful pottery and loading it up with gourds and pumpkins. Start planning your own party but don’t plan on killing yourself cooking for days because these recipes are geared for busy people and novice cooks. We’ll start with a rustic Mushroom and Stilton Galette. Coq au Vin is what made Julia Child famous but her four-page recipe has been paired down to a few simple steps ending with the same delicious result. Warm Cabbage Salad with Granny Smith Apples and Smoked Bacon is the perfect pairing with our Coq au Vin. Caramelized Pears with Clove Zabaglione are the perfect ending to this meal. Plan on feasting with us after the class and start planning the guest list for your next party!

Mike Gonze, our number one wine connoisseur, is back to share his vast knowledge of wines with us. While he’s plying us with wines, Rania piles on the food! This class will feature wines that will compliment any dinner party with an Italian flair. You will leave us tonight so inspired by the wines and menu, that you’ll run home and start planning your next trip to Italy! Rania does all the cooking and Mike brings enough wine for at least one half bottle per student. Although we don’t demo the recipes, we will supply a few of them for you to take home. Tonight’s wine pairing menu will feature Crostini topped with Fontina, Tomato, Basil and Prosciutto as our starter. It wouldn’t be a true Italian experience if we didn’t include Sicilian Style Stuffed Calamari with a Tomato Sauce sweetened with Raisins. Butternut Squash Ravioli with a Sage Cream will take us to our next flight just before we break out the Tuscan Chicken with Figs, Gnocchi and Pancetta. We’ll end the wine tasting feast with Prosecco and individual Tiramisu Tortes. Hurry and call us at 412-531-2222 to ensure your spot at the wine bar!

The first Oktoberfest was actually part of a marriage celebration when, in October of 1810, Bavarian King Max Joseph gave a big time wedding for Crown Prince Ludwig to Princess Therese von Sachsen-Hildburghausen. It gave rise to the tradition of the October festival, and in the following year, became an annual affair commemorating this grand wedding forevermore, where buxom beer maidens serve the precious brew by the liter in large steins, where thirty-piece Bavarian bands rock the thick air, and where there's no end to singing "them old time drinking songs. I don’t know if Susan and Sadie qualify as “buxom beer maidens”, but I do know that Tom Och’s Oktoberfest Harvest beers and Pumpkin Ales will be flowing and the food will be plentiful. The plan is to introduce our class to a variety of Oktoberfest beers and to be serving up great food to compliment the party. Grilled Sausages with Mustard, Red Cabbage with Apples, Potato Pancakes with Sour Cream, and Westphalian Ham on hard rolls with lightly salted butter will be on the menu tonight. Dessert is none other than Black Forest Torte. Pull out your lederhosen and strike up the band and plan to party hearty Bavarian style with Tom!

My daughter is a typical and busy young mother who enjoys entertaining but finds that her time is limited as far as how much she can do. Beyond that, both she enjoys food that is delicious but not so over the top when it comes to the end result. So, I decided to dedicate this class to folks who find themselves in similar situations. Note that this class features incredibly easy recipes that will please folks of all ages. Hot Spinach Dip with Homemade Crostini will be served with cold wines and beer. Beef Tenderloin Kebobs with Roquefort Rosemary Sauce paired with Israeli Couscous and Fig Salad with Goat Cheese and Maple Vinaigrette will stand out as the star attraction tonight. Chocolate Peanut Butter Pie is my personal favorite and one of the most requested recipes from the catering side of our business. Sensational class filled with tons of food! Come hungry and come ready to learn! There is no doubt in my mind that this will be a sold out class.

Every time Toni teaches a class, the class sells out. I could stop here and not type another word, and the class would still sell out. Toni rocks. He is a legend in our neck of the woods and most definitely a chef who commands respect. He’s no lightweight when it comes to cooking and his class tonight epitomizes his culinary abilities. New Zealand Mussels with Japanese Seaweed Vinaigrette will start the evening off in great style. Baby Arugula, Feta Cheese and Sunflower Seeds with Lemon Vinaigrette will precede Roasted Chicken with Caramelized Pineapple Sauce. Poached Pears stuffed with Dry Fruits finished with Chocolate Crème Anglaise will cap the evening on a high note. I’ll supply the wine, Toni will supply the recipes and dinner and all you have to do is sit back, watch, eat, drink and go home very happy and satisfied little campers. Class of a life time – don’t miss out!

Jessica Bauer is the executive chef at Bistro 19, the very popular restaurant in the heart of Mt. Lebanon. Jessica has been a wonderful neighbor and good friend to us here at Rania’s Catering. She’s been teaching at Rania’s To Go for a number of years and her classes have continuously sold out. The magic formula for her success is that she constantly comes up with great new class content in the way of recipes and themes. Tonight’s theme, Fall Produce, is no exception. Butternut Squash, Bacon and Pumpkin Seed Salad finished with Sherry Vinaigrette is the first item on her menu. Moving on, she will share her recipe for Celeriac Soup for the second course. Pork Tenderloin over Whipped Sweet Potatoes with Apple Butter paired with Wilted Swiss Chard will bowl you over, as it is one incredible entrée. Chocolate Cranberry Tart is a dessert that will carry you all the way through the holiday entertaining season and “entertaining” is what this class promises tonight! Sensational content with a scrumptious meal to follow! Wow!

Although Wild Rosemary has been open for three years, the lines continue to form and reservations must be made several weeks in advance. I am not exaggerating when I tell you that I continue to make multiple attempts for reservations and continue to get turned down on a regular basis! Once you get lucky enough to snag a seat, you’ll find out what all the hype is about! Just wait until you take your first bite into Gloria’s Stuffed Smoked Duck with Roasted Pears! She started to explain that this dish is wrapped in bacon and pan seared, but frankly, I wasn’t listening because my heart was racing so hard from sheer excitement! She went on to detail her Creamy White Polenta that will compliment the duck, but again, who cares, it all sounds blissful to me! Sweet Crepes with Roasted Pumpkin and Candied Nuts with Praline Drizzle just about put me over the edge and once again, I’m hooked on Gloria and her menu. This class will sell out quickly so; don’t be a dummy, like me, by waiting too long to make your reservation. Call this instant!

Jeff Iovino and his partner, Brad Kelly, plan to open a new restaurant on Washington Road called Ciboulette by the end of 2010. Clearly this is yet another culinary adventure that will set off sparks of excitement in our backyard. We are so excited that these two very busy and talented young men have found time to teach a class for us this session and their menu is absolutely phenomenal! They want this class content to focus on unique hors d’oeuvre so they decided that Cheese Gougeres would be the way to begin. The fillings will include Goat Cheese Truffle and Blue Cheese Pear. I see white wine in our future…. Tuna Croistiallants (made from spring roll wrappers) will be filled with Tuna Tartar. Miniature Fennel Soup Shooters served in our shot glasses will precede Warm Nantucket Scallop Spoons with Italian Sausage and Wilted Pea Tendrils. Beef Rib Eye Sliders served with Preserved Summer Tomato Jam and Grilled Sweet Onion Aioli take ordinary sliders to a new level! Apple Cranberry Tart epitomizes the classic fall ending to this incredible class. Register today so that you can be first in line to experience Ciboulette!

By the time this class rolls along, we will be right in the middle of Steeler season and Sunday brunch is a ‘Burg tradition. Steeler fans go to their place of worship either on Saturday, early Sunday morning or late Sunday evening so that they can be ready for the game. Inviting friends, who share your passion for football, over for an easy Sunday brunch has become the “in” thing to do during the fall football season. Keith Fuller has a great class in store for us tonight, as he plans to share five new easy to replicate recipes for your next Sunday brunch. He plans to get us started with a Smoked Bloody Mary that will really hit the spot as we nibble on Cheddar Chive Biscuits slathered with sweet butter and a variety of Rania’s jams. Moving on, he’ll continue the feast with Breakfast Spring Rolls stuffed with Bacon, Eggs and Grits and Cheesecake Stuffed French Toast with Blueberry Jam. An Italian Frittata with Parma Ham is absolutely sensational and easy to prepare. Trust me when I tell you that this is a must do class and you must sign up immediately or you’ll miss the cut! Keith promises that class participation will be part of the learning experience.

Every time we offer any type of small “hands on” classes, they always sell out. The demand is definitely there, so this term, we’re doing another in the series with our executive pastry chef, Stuart Marks. You must bring an apron to the class as you’ll be rolling Phyllo dough while making Spinach and Feta Cheese Burekas. A bittersweet Chocolate and Cardamom Cream Jalousie sounds complicated, but is made with purchased puff pastry and it’s the easiest recipe in the world. Caramel Apple Stuffed French Toast with Vanilla Sauce is a casserole that can be put together the night before. Chunky Monkey Muffins are filled with every yummy ingredient imaginable and take seconds to put together. They are the perfect pastry to go with our Mexican Hot Chocolate. Finally, he’ll show us how to take a store bought Croissant and fill it with Chocolate, Whipped Cream and fresh Strawberries. Not to worry, Susan and Sadie will be on hand to pour the wine and to serve some nibbles to help you keep up your strength. Please believe me when I tell you that you will all leave this class feeling confident and accomplished, as well as very proud little breakfast pastry chefs!

Here we go again with yet another class featuring simple to prepare dinner menus. Whether for the family or for your next dinner party, the theme continues with quick and easy recipes or “Cooking for Dummies”. Tired of plain old hamburgers? Try serving your gang Asian Salmon Patties with Sesame Mayonnaise with Chinese Noodles with Sesame Dressing. As soon as we start to feel a chill in the air, our thoughts turn to comfort food. Chicken and Dumplings is a long time favorite recipe and a very popular and frequently requested menu item at Rania’s To Go. It’s super easy to prepare and will get the whole family to the dinner table in a hurry. Rigatoni with Pancetta and Caramelized Shallots will have you turning up your nose to purchased pasta sauces from this point on. Short Ribs are pricey in upscale restaurants, yet very affordable and easy to make at home. Our Braised Short Ribs will prove that you don’t have to pay high prices for a meal like this any longer. Count them! Five recipes folks and you get to eat them all with wine at the end of the class!

He’s Sicilian – he’s hot! What can I say about Carl that I haven’t said previously? His personality and the way he teaches us how to cook is first class. His classes sell out because everybody loves Carl. His menu tonight is so extensive that I barely have the room on the brochure for all the titles. Get ready, because here I go: Olive Bianche Farcite (Stuffed Green Olives), Crostini alla Sicilia, Panzanella (Italian bread salad), Spaghetti con Gamberi Marsalesi (pasta with shrimp), Sformato di Monachine e Ricotta (Timbale of Ricotta and Meat Balls with Raisins), Fioretti di Cavolfliore Fritti (Deep Fried Cauliflower) all served with Crusty Italian Bread with Pesto is just the beginning! Pabassinas (Chocolate and Nut Cookies) with Red Wine for dipping coupled with Fragole al Amaretto (Strawberries and Amaretto) will polish off the evening with Frank Sinatra crooning in the background. What a class – what a guy!