Chef's Blog

Food as Comfort in Uncertain Times

Particularly during challenging times, food can be a bright spot in our lives. While many of us find ourselves at home more than usual, cooking and mealtimes can be an opportunity to create normalcy and enjoy togetherness with family – a source of comfort and joy in an uncertain world.   We’ve heard from some of […]

Chef's Blog

Cooking from Your Pantry

Follow here for our best pantry-friendly recipes, using ingredients you hopefully already have on hand! We’ll continue to update this list, so check back if you’re in need of more inspiration. Cacio e Pepe—don’t get bogged down on the type of cheese here. Parm will work just fine. Quick and […]

Chef's Blog

Women’s History Month Q&A with Sandy Sauter

In celebration of National Women’s Month, we are excited to highlight a few CIA chefs who inspire us to be better every day and have fun in the kitchen! Sandy Sauter – The CIA at Copia Executive Chef: Public Programs What inspired you to pursue a career in food?  My […]

Chef's Blog

Women’s History Month Q&A with Melissa Walnock ’01

In celebration of National Women’s History Month, we are excited to highlight CIA chefs who inspire us to be better every day and have fun in the kitchen!  Melissa Walnock ‘01 – Hyde ParkLecturing Instructor – Baking and Pastry Arts What inspired you to pursue a career in food?I was […]

Chef's Blog, Free Recipes, Soups and Stews

A Really Big Chili

You may think of chilis as stews of meat and beans, but in this instance, the beef is the star in a vegetable and chile-laced sauce. The Korean chile pepper is worth seeking out, but don’t worry if you can’t find it. Makes 8 Servings

Chef's Blog

Meal Prep Time Savers

Starting a new cooking routine doesn’t have to be daunting, and accepting your limitations for time, space, budget, and skill is the first step to creating a realistic strategy. At the CIA, we think food is fun, so we make a lot of our ingredients at home, but that doesn’t […]

Chef's Blog

Halloween Decisions: Angel or Devil’s Food Cake

Happy Halloween! It’s the spookiest day of the year and while candy is great, we prefer to bake! The hardest part is deciding which cake to make.  Here are our favorite recipes for indulgent and rich Devil’s Fudge Cake, and light and airy Angel Food Cake. Devil’s Fudge Cake Makes […]

Chef's Blog

How-To: How to Cook Legumes

It’s soups and stews season and we often see recipes that call for cooked beans.  If you are in a rush, canned beans are a convenient way to get beans into your favorite dish, but we guarantee that beans you cook yourself will have a better flavor and texture. Beans, […]

Chef's Blog

10 Recipes Every Cook Should Know: Vinaigrette

Vinaigrette is a simple cold sauce typically made from three parts oil and one part vinegar.  Vinaigrettes are extremely versatile and can be used for other things besides dressing for green salads. They are great as a marinade for grilled or broiled foods; to dress salads made from pastas, grains, […]

Chef's Blog

Sunday Meal Prep: Cookie Edition

This week, we’re borrowing some time from our Sunday meal prep to sneak a few treats into our cookie jars and freezers. Follow our lead and load your freezer with your family’s traditional can’t-miss cookies. Be sure you make your to-do list now so you can relish in the satisfaction […]