0 2 0 2 R E B M E C E D • E V I F E M U L O V AURORA COOKS N E W S L E T T E R • D E C E M B E R 2 0 2 0 INSIDE THIS ISSUE Volume 5 • December 2020 AURORA COOKS LIVE! 2 How do virtual classes work? DECEMBER VIRTUAL COOKING CLASS 3 SCHEDULE Classes for Families and Adults BUDDING CHEF BASICS 7 Youth Virtual Afterschool Cooking Classes AURORA RESTAURANT SPOTLIGHT 8 Masalaa Restaurant HOLIDAY LIBATIONS 9 Jingle Juice Punch • Hot Buttered Rum • Eggnog YOUTH COOKING ACTIVITY 11 How to Stop the Grinch from Stealing Breakfast FOOD FOR THOUGHT 13 The Power of Peppermint Homemade Peppermint Extract Double Chocolate Peppermint Cookies Aurora Cooks LIVE! Virtual Cooking Classes Register Today! Aurora Cooks LIVE! - Virtual Cooking Classes are Underway! Scroll down to see the list of engaging LIVE classes we've planned for December. Classes can be viewed and registered for at CityofAurora.PerfectMind.com. After registering for your class, we will email you everything you need to prepare for your class. This email will include shopping and equipment lists as well as all the recipes that will be used during class. At the time of your class, guests simply open the registration link and connect in real-time with our chef instructors. Our talented team will walk you through the entire menu, sharing our tips and expertise, and allowing time for questions and providing opportunities to virtually connect and share the dishes we create together. Classes will be conducted through Microsoft Teams. If you don't have the desktop app downloaded, click here to download now! All classes are $15 and will be 2 hours in length. Aurora Cooks LIVE! virtual classes are non-refundable and all purchases are final. Please call 303.326.8634 or email [email protected] to discuss allergies or dietary restrictions, prior to enrolling. 2 Aurora Cooks LIVE! Virtual Cooking Classes December 2020 Parent/Tot Classes Ages 3-6 with an adult 18 years or older. Registration includes one link per household. COOKIES & COCOA Grab your little ones and join us for an afternoon of holiday cookie fun with a warm mug of homemade hot cocoa! Menu: Chocolate Crinkle Cookies, No-Bake Chocolate & Nut Butter Sandwich Cookies, & Nutella Hot Chocolate to Drink. 33985 Dec. 12 • Sat., 9:30-11 a.m. • Instructor: Kirsten Hall Family Classes Ages 6-12 with an Adult 18 years or older. Registration includes one link per household. FANCY HOLIDAY COOKIE WORKSHOP Join us in making some impressive treats to share with your family this holiday season. Don’t forget to leave a plate for Santa! Menu: Pretzel White Chocolate Chunk Cookies, Peppermint Brownie Cookies, and Caramel Apple Linzer Cookies. 33984 Dec. 5 • Sat., 2-4 p.m. • Instructor: Kirsten Hall CANDY MAKING Let us turn your kitchen into a candy shop, sharing all the tips and techniques you need to start a sweet new family tradition. Menu: White Chocolate Peppermint Fudge, Sponge Candy (Honeycomb Toffee), & Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Truffles. 33983 Dec. 19 • Sat., 2-4 p.m. • Instructor: Mia Randall Login to CityofAurora.PerfectMind.com to browse classes and register. 3 Aurora Cooks LIVE! Virtual Cooking Classes December 2020 Adult 15+ Classes Adults Ages 15 years and older. Registration includes one link per household. CHILI NIGHT WITH FRIENDS Don't let the cold slow down your kitchen fun! Enjoy an evening cooking a heathier, stick-to-your ribs, blue ribbon pot of chili. In colder weather, let's bring friends together. Menu: Tex/Mex Ground Turkey and Kidney Bean Chili, Cheddar Jalapeno Skillet Corn Bread, Curtido (Mexican Slaw) 33982 Dec. 4 • Fri., 6-8 p.m. • Instructor: Ryan Schaefer FLAVORS OF MOROCCO Discover the beauty of Moroccan cuisine that welcomes any cook looking for spice and adventure. Menu: Chicken Tagine with Apricots and Almonds, Roasted Vegetable Couscous, and Mescouta (Moroccan Date Cookies). 33981 Dec. 5 • Sat., 6-8 p.m. • Instructor: Mia Randall FRESH PASTA 101 No pasta roller required! Let us teach you the art of making fresh and delicious pasta by hand. Menu: Homemade Pappardelle Pasta, Tomato Vodka Cream Sauce, and a Shaved Fennel Salad. 33980 Dec. 12 • Sat., 1-3 p.m. • Instructor: Mia Randall Login to CityofAurora.PerfectMind.com to browse classes and register. 4 Aurora Cooks LIVE! Virtual Cooking Classes December 2020 Adult 15+ Classes Adults Ages 15 years and older. Registration includes one link per household. ADVANCED COOKIE DECORATING This class is all about the techniques. We’ll help you turn your snowman blobs into decadent delights worthy of Santa himself. We’ll share our perfect no-spread cookie and royal icing recipes that will help you outline and flood cookies like a pro. This class will require a little patience and a few simple tools, but the payoff will be a show stopping plate of cookies to round off your holiday feast! Menu: Homemade No-Spread Rolled Sugar Cookie, Flood Royal Icing & Stiff Royal Icing. 33979 Dec. 17 • Thu., 5:30-7:30 p.m. • Instructor: Andrea Rainville Adult 21+ Classes Adults Ages 21 years and older. Registration includes one link per household. THAI STREET FOOD Learn how to make authentic Thai cuisine at home! We will explore the essentials of Thai home cooking and the unique balance of sweet, salty, spicy, and sour. Menu: Thai Iced Tea Cocktail, Yam Khai Dao (Fried Egg Salad) & Drunken Noodles. 33976 Dec. 3 • Thu., 5:30-7:30 p.m. • Instructor: Mia Randall HOLIDAY SIPS & SWEETS Get in the holiday spirit, sipping this festive cocktail and baking this trio of holiday treats to share with your family and friends. Menu: Apple Brown Butter Bars, Snickerdoodle Cookie Cups topped with Eggnog Frosting and Cranberries, Double Chocolate Ginger Cookies and Spiked Vanilla and Cinnamon Hot Chocolate. 33975 Dec. 10 • Thu., 5:30-7:30 p.m. • Instructor: Kirsten Hall Login to CityofAurora.PerfectMind.com to browse classes and register. 5 Aurora Cooks LIVE! Virtual Cooking Classes December 2020 Adult 21+ Classes Adults Ages 21 years and older. Registration includes one link per household. DATE NIGHT NAWLINS Grab your partner and let's head to the French Quarter you never knew you had in your kitchen. Together we will prepare a romantically cozy New Orleans inspired meal filled with flavor, fun and of course a French 75! Menu: Cajun Shrimp n Grits, Bacon Braised Collard Greens, Bourbon Praline Bread Pudding, French 75 33974 Dec. 11 • Fri., 6-8 p.m. • Instructor: Ryan Schaefer FESTIVE BITES & BUBBLES Stress less this holiday season and down-size the usual feast. Join us and fill your kitchen with the inviting aroma of some flavorful festive bites and bubbles. Menu: Mini Beef Wellingtons w/ Creamy Mustard Horseradish Dip, Herb Ricotta Zucchini Rolls w/ Marinara, Strawberry Cream Cheese Turnovers, The Festive Fizz (Pomegranate Champagne Cocktail) 33973 Dec. 18 • Fri., 6-8 p.m. • Instructor: Ryan Schaefer THE STEAKS ARE HIGH Never satisfied with your steak at home? Join us to learn all the tips and tricks to making a delicious pan-seared steak that will rival any steakhouse. Enjoy your efforts with two classic sides and the perfectly paired glass of wine. Pan-Seared Steak with a Shallot Mustard Sauce, Creamy Smoked Gouda and Rosemary Mashed Potatoes, Sweet and Spicy Green Beans. 33972 Dec. 19 • Sat., 6-8 p.m. • Instructor: Kirsten Hall Login to CityofAurora.PerfectMind.com to browse classes and register. 6 VIRTUAL YOUTH COOKING CLASSES BUDDING CHEF BASICS Join us for a virtual afterschool cooking class from your own kitchen! Our talented staff will connect with students virtually and guide them through a 1 hour class where they'll develop essential skills to confidently cook at home. Youth will prepare a snack or simple meal in each class. Curriculum Designed for Youth Ages 7-10 years old Wednesdays • 3:30 p.m. $5/class Dec. 2 - Pepperoni Pizza Pinwheels Dec. 16 - Funfetti Mug Cake Dec. 30 - Taco Wonton Cups Call 303.326.8650 or login to CityofAurora.PerfectMind.com to register. 7 MASALAA RESTAURANT 3140 S PARKER RD AURORA, CO 80014 By: Andrea Rainville 5 out of 5 Samosas! Masalaa Dal Makhani We’re fortunate in Aurora to have such a wide variety of Punjabi Black Lentils Simmered with culturally diverse restaurants, celebrating cuisines from Tomatoes & Cream across the globe. In a time where travel is limited, take advantage of these local gems and their ability to transport you to the streets of another country, sharing their culture and their cuisine. Samosas Masalaa Restaurant is one of these gems. You’ll find Masalaa humbly tucked away in a strip mall near the intersection of Pastry Stuffed with Mashed Potatoes, I225 and S. Parker Road. Don’t let its modest location deceive Green Peas, and you. A meal from Masalaa will be hard to forget. Spices At my last trip to Masalaa, I was pleasantly surprised to find the tiny restaurant thriving on their takeout program, open for lunch and dinner during the COVID-19 pandemic. Their mobile menu is easy to navigate and offers an option for Chana Masala everyone; gluten free, vegetarian, even the Indian food with Jeera Rice novice. Chickpeas Cooked in a I highly suggest ordering a variety of dishes and sharing them Rich Creamy (Tomato/Onion) with your household so you can experience a little bit of Gravy everything. Ordering for a group allows space to order the classics like Tikka Masala, Garlic Naan, and Saag Paneer in addition to trying something new. My recent favorites include, but are not limited to, the Vegetarian Chettinadu, Chana Masala with Jeera Rice, Masalaa Dal Makhani and of Mysore Masala course the Samosas.