Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Holiday Gifting…for the Dogs!

There are two types of people in this world: people who give presents to dogs and people who do not. If you fall in the “do not gift presents to dogs” column, the following content may not appeal to you. If you do give presents to dogs, welcome to our […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Our Favorite Holiday Cookies

There’s a lot to love about the holidays, but cookies are pretty high on the list. We’ve rounded up a few of our favorite cookie recipes to help inspire your baking. Remember that nearly all cookies are great for freezing, whether in baked or raw dough form, so get a […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Make Rugelach at Home for a Hanukkah Treat

Rugelach are the perfect little treat to have any day of the year, but they are a must-have at Hanukkah! Cookies made by rolling dough around a slightly-sweet filling like jam, chocolate, or even poppy seeds, rugelach are a favorite Jewish tradition. And what’s even better is that these cookies […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

6 Recipes Ideas for Back-to-School Meal Prep

If you’re looking for lunch idea that are kid-friendly, nutrient dense, and easy to pack, we’ve got you covered. These ten recipe ideas may not all be kid-food at first-glance, but we’ve got some suggestions for easy tweaks to perfect these make-ahead lunches to streamline your mornings. Each recipe can […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Four Rules of Summer Party Prep

Summertime means party time! And for all of the fun of an outdoor party, we know there’s also a lot of work. If the stress of organizing a get-together is keeping you from hosting this year, take a look at our Four Rules of Summer Party Prep. Like most food […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Making Marzipan Shapes

In many parts of the world, sweet shops produce dazzling marzipan confections shaped and colored to look like fruit fresh from the tree and an array of other tempting shapes. Although the town of Lübeck in Germany is credited with making some of the best marzipans in the world, it […]

Appetizers, Hors D’oeuvre, and Snacks

Soft Pretzels

Makes 4 large pretzels Big pretzels are easier to shape, but if you would like more than 4 big pretzels, you can make eight that are half-as-big. The resting and baking times will be shorter, so just keep an eye on them. Ingredients Dough 2 cups bread flour 1 1/2 […]

Chef's Blog, Chef's Notes Plus

Flavoring Homemade Ice Cream

As the summer settles in, there is no greater joy than a scoop of ice cream on a hot day. No matter your favorite flavor, from simple vanilla to the rockiest rocky road, an ice cream cone is the ultimate way to treat yourself. Near our San Antonio campus, where […]

Chef's Blog

In Defense of Spam

Early in the semester, CIA students in my Food Writing course read “On Chicken Tenders,” by Helen Rosner, published in 2015 in Guernica. In this amusing but sincere defense of a derided, children’s menu staple, Rosner effectively argues against those who look down on ordering, eating, and celebrating the “perfect” […]