The Polka Dot Pantry

The Polka Dot Pantry the place to  make, bake or sew something great.
I've decided if Julia Child could teach and film in her home kitchen I should go ahead and open my "not so gourmet" kitchen up to anyone who would like to learn what I can share.

We will be offering cooking and sewing classes for all ages and skill levels. If you know someone who would like to learn what I can share tell them about the Polka Dot Pantry in Syracuse.

Next week will be the beginning of class for September/October. Here is a class schedule.

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The Polka Dot Pantry

…a place to make, bake and sew it up

Featuring Cooking Classes and Beginning through Advanced Sewing

Instruction By

Julie Dillman – Certified Home Economist

(801) 643-5156 - nannyjewel@gmail.com

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Class Schedule:

Wholesome Homemade Bread

Let’s get homemade bread on the table everyday. Learn to make, shape and bake it.

Bake “brick oven” style or loaf pan style.

Skills Covered: Flour 101 – comparisons/uses; functions of basic ingredients;

The “how” bread works, “no-knead” techniques; proofing & shaping.

Tues. August 30, 7 p.m. $20

Thurs. September 27th 7 p.m. $20

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Bolder Better Bread

You can make “hearth style” Artisan Breads in your home oven. Learn techniques using whole grains for nutritious & delicious bread. White Wheat - Seedy Sourdough – Multigrain

And an introduction to the world of “sourdough” (live yeast)

Skills Covered: Grain Nutrients explained; yeast and sourdough; Flour 101 – comparisons/uses; functions of basic ingredients; “no-knead” techniques; enriching bread with nuts & seeds.

Take home these recipes with your loaf of Bolder Better Bread

Thurs. September 1st 2 p.m. $20

Tues. September 13th 7 p.m. $20

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Grain Surgery

Meet some of the Super Grains, Amaranth, Chia, Millet, Quinoa, Spelt, etc.

Delicious pilaf made from Quinoa or Rice, Whole Grain Blender Pancakes;

And not to be missed Rise and Shine Granola you can take home.

Skills Covered: Grain identification, nutrition and uses;

versatile pilaf recipes and techniques; Roasting nuts and grains

Thurs.- September 8th – 7 p.m. $20

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Farm to Market to You

Explore fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs.

Grilling, Steaming and Stir-fry techniques keep vegetables nutrient rich.

Use Fresh herbs to take the flavor of your food to the next level.

Skills Covered: selecting fresh fruits, vegetables and herbs;

Simple knife skills; grilling, steaming and stir-fry techniques, using fresh or dry herbs.

Sat. September 10th – 10 a.m. $20

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Asian Fusion

Summer Rolls, Pot-Stickers & Stir-Fry. Learn to make these rolls, dumplings

and quick vegetable prep. work with basic knife skills for this delicious fare.

Skills Covered: Introduction to Asian ingredients, Use of rice paper and pot-sticker wrappers, simple knife skills; Make and take your own stir-fry sauce

Tuesday, September 20th 7 p.m. $25

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Pies of All Sizes

Pastry made easy! Turnovers, All-American Caramel Apple Pie, European Plum Tart

Skills Covered: Flour Types, “how” pastry works, three pastry varieties/methods;

mixing and shaping pastry, fillings & baking. Take home pastry ready to bake at your home

Thurs. September 22th - 7 p.m. $20

Tuesday October 11th - 7 p.m. $20

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What’s For Dinner?

You can save money, eat nutritiously when you have a plan for dinner.

Menu planning, Grocery Shopping and Stocking your Pantry

Let me show you how with simple 5-ingredient recipes.

Skills Covered: menu planning; ingredient preparation; stocking the pantry;

simple recipe demonstrations; grocery strategies & price comparisons

You will go home with recipes and a plan for your family.

Tues. September 29th 2 p.m. $20

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Freeze Ahead Baking

From a fabulous sweet dough make Tropical Orange rolls, Cinnamon Rolls

and freeze ahead Dinner Rolls. Learn to shape Brioche and Challah

Skills Covered: Review yeast dough basics; sweet dough differences,

mixing and shaping; enriching your dough with fruits, nuts, and spices.

You will take home recipes and 1 dozen frozen dinner rolls.

Tuesday, October 18 7 p.m. – 8:30 $20

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Wickedly Sweet Treats

Gotta have it Caramels and Fudge!

Butter Caramels, Sea-Salted Caramel and Just Nutty Caramels

Ahh fudge!

Basic Chocolate Fudge or “Hot Fudge” seasoned with a bit of chili heat.

Skills Covered: FAQ of Caramels and Fudge answered; sugar crystals;

preferred ingredients & thermometers; methods and flavorings

Enjoy your take home box filled with fudge and caramel

Wednesday, October 19 – 2 p.m. $25

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I have been cooking and sewing since I was a child. I’ve never lost my curiosity for the cultural, traditions and science of food. Recipes and my love of food has been my passport into various cultures around the world. I graduated from Brigham Young University with a degree in Home Economics Education; with as much chemistry as a premed student I found more to learn about the “how and why” of Food Science.

I continue take classes to learn about the ever-changing science of food and nutrition.

Let me share what I have learned with you at my home, The Polka Dot Pantry.

The Sweet Tooth Pouch

This little project was inspired by the brightly colored packages of candy calling my name.

When does brightly colored packages of candy call out your name... take them home.

Not only is this a fabulous idea for recycling but it is a great gift. 

Included in the great tutorial is a great product iron-on vinyl! 

Click over to Punkin Patterns for this super tutorial on how to make…

Bold, Better, Bread

There is a real "back to Bread" movement happening from coast to coast. You'd think there was a cookbook toaster just for bread with all the bread books are popping up like hot buttered toast waiting to be gobbled up.

I've turned my not so "gourmet" kitchen into a veritable "test kitchen" for a few of the "artisan" bread books popping out of various publisher houses. I've found some I really like and some I could do without. There are simple, basic variations as well as some that might need a PHD in Food Science to decipher.

Artisan Bread in Five Minutes a day was the rule-breaking best seller that has helped lead us back into the kitchen and the art of making bread. I have tried this method and added a few changes to make a bread that is healthy and reminds me of the bread I found in Germany and a few local European bakeries.

Another book that is a good blend of food science a basic bread skill is from Peter Reinhart. His "Artisan Breads Every Day" is fabulous. It is basic enough to teach about the ingredients that make a truly artisan bread as then help you with step-by step pictorial instructions to be successful with a wonderful variety of breads.

If you want to take a step further into the "fermented" world of bread get your hands on the Bread Bakers Apprentice also from Peter Reinhart and jump right into pre-ferments, sourdough and soakers.

Moving on...past the "challenge" and back to Bread

I am not going to say I am a quitter I am just going to say I am moving on without further blog challenges.
Blogging challenges are wonderful and a very good thing but if I try to catch up I will not keep up with my recent diversions.

So, I am going to share some of my recent exploits in the world of Bread.
It's not rocket science or nuclear physics or even brain surgery...just bread.

Tell me truly are there many scents out there as comforting as baked bread or the crunch through to the soft center of a loaf of bread?
I would have to say no!

I've been making bread for more than 40 years. You see during a quick trip to Idaho, my great aunt discovered that I had not been taught how to make bread by the ripe old age of 11. I was immediately escorted into her Idaho farm kitchen to start my bread making education. For the rest of that summer it was my job to make the bread each week with under the supervision of my mother for out family of 9.

Ever since then I have loved making breads of all kinds. It's all about fermentation you know; grains, grinds flours. see what they can do when you mix them up with water and yeast. I love to try new recipes, tweek them a bit and make the my own.