I had the exciting privilege of planning and teaching a Mom’s Night Out Make Ahead Meals night for our fabulous local mom’s group on Wednesday.  CVECA is a great local organization that does so much for families in the area and is a blast to be part of.  A little more information, in case you are in the area:

The Chagrin Valley Early Childhood Association (CVECA) is a social group dedicated to developing relationships through fun and friendship for families.  If you have young kids, the Chagrin Valley Early Childhood Association is for you! CVECA is a fabulous resource catering to parents in the Chagrin Valley and surrounding area who have children from birth to kindergarten age. CVECA is designed to provide opportunities for children to interact with their parents and other children, and to help parents make contact with one another in a supportive atmosphere.  CVECA provides:

• A variety of experiences for young children through weekly events, parties and playdates.
• A network of parents to exchange ideas and friendships.
• Programs that will promote effective parenting and enrich family life.
• Fundraisers to assist local schools and the community.
• And, much more!

For the cooking club event, we were so lucky to be offered an amazing industrial kitchen right near by.  The kitchen was lent to us by the owners and creators of D’Marie, a company specializing in Frappe Vino (wine slushies) handmade Tuscan crisps and spice/herb mixes for dip – all related to wine!  

They were so generous to set up their Frappe Vino machine for us – which was fabulous! 

 And their snacks and dips were amazing.  The triangles had so much flavor and a great crunchy texture.  Their dips are made with spices, added mayo and wine.  They sell their products around the world so watch your local grocery store (specialty store) or winery and try one if you see it!

For the cooking class, I planned healthy meals that could be kid-friendly, easy to make again, and simple to reheat from the freezer.  Black bean enchiladas and Asian chicken stir-fry seemed to fit all of the qualifications.

The kitchen had so much space – it was perfect for the mounds of ingredients we needed to make 32 meals, each serving at least 4 people.  

 For each step in the recipes I made an index card with the directions for that step.  I then set up a station with the equipment, ingredient and directions.  

After a glass of wine and a few snacks, everyone made their way around the kitchen to a task that they wouldn’t mind doing.  (Except for cutting the chicken – thanks Colleen and Kristen).

With lots of moms working, things came together so fast!  

Pretty soon, we had the enchiladas mixed and ready to be put into the tortillas.  Everyone assembled their own dinner for their family so they could add cheese and hot sauce depending on their likes. 

For the stir fry, each person got a mix of chicken, sauce and veggies.  This dish was ready to be served with brown rice or pasta or tossed in the freezer for a busy night.  

I wish we had taken a group picture with everyone’s dinners.  Next time.

I am already excited about planning another event like this!  Recipes to come!  

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