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Thank you for your interest in Cucina Della Rosa Cooking School where having fun with family, friends and colleagues is as simple as signing up for a class listed below. Please don't hesitate to contact us by email or phone Mary Rose Hoover at 847-650-9463 if we can provide further assistance. Please click the easy print button for a convenient class schedule.

Class Schedule March - December 2008


TITLE DAY DATE TIME COST PURCHASE

Barrington Farmer’s Market - Gourmet Tailgate

Learn the art of creating a flavor-packed stuffed flank steak, cheese filled veal rolls, assorted panini and grilled fruit – most of which can be prepared in advance and stored in your cooler for transit to the BBQ on game day! Dress accordingly because all classes are outside under our market tent. Refunds will be provided if class is cancelled due to a thunderstorm!		 Thursday September 25 5:00pm-7:00pm $45

Barrington Farmer’s Market - Grilling

Can you believe it… I’m grilling pizza under a tent in downtown Barrington! We’ll also prepare crostini and grill veggies and fruit from the local farmers. Dress accordingly because all classes are outside under our market tent. Refunds will be provided if class is cancelled due to a thunderstorm!		 Thursday July 24 Sold Out $45

Barrington Farmer’s Market - Herbs

Look at me… I’m learning to grill (and eat) with fresh herbs! Dress accordingly because all classes are outside under our market tent. Refunds will be provided if class is cancelled due to a thunderstorm! 		Thursday June 26 3:00pm-5:00pm $45

Barrington Farmer’s Market - Mommy and Me

We will take a mini tour of the market, return to our tent and decorate 4th of July cookies. Dress accordingly because all classes are outside under our market tent. Refunds will be provided if class is cancelled due to a thunderstorm! Ages 4 to 6. 		Thursday July 3 2:00pm-3:00pm $30 per child

Barrington Farmer’s Market - Mommy and Me

Plan to decorate Fall shaped cookies and making caramel apples. Dress accordingly because all classes are outside under our market tent. Refunds will be provided if class is cancelled due to a thunderstorm! Ages 4 to 6. 		Thursday October 9 2:00pm-3:00pm $30 per child

Barrington Farmer’s Market - Think Olive Oil!

Sign up for this very special class to learn cooking techniques and recipes with olive oils. A representative from the Olive Tap in Long Grove will guide you through an olive oil tasting and answer any questions as we cook, chat and dine under the tent! Dress accordingly because all classes are outside under our market tent. Refunds will be provided if class is cancelled due to a thunderstorm! 		Thursday August 7 5:00pm-7:00pm $45

Breads of Southern Italy

We “knead” to get together to make and roll some homemade dough into pizza, focaccia (a rustic flat bread), crusty country style bread, pitta con minestra (pizza filled with greens and cheese) and crispedde (sweetened dough fried in oil). 		Tuesday March 18 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Brunch – “It’s Easy as Sunday Morning”

You know the song and you know that feeling but do you really know how to relax and enjoy them while cooking brunch for family and friends? This class teaches you how to prepare crespelle (crepes with ricotta and prosciutto), a zucchini and egg tart, aranchini (stuffed rice balls) and sfogliatella alla crema (puff pastry filled w/crème). Key techniques include making puff pastry and presentation. We’ll even make coffee the way my family prepares it in Italy on their stove top!		 Sunday March 16 Sold Out $75

Cooking with Trader Joe’s!

This class is designed to help you master the art of making meals that are quick, nutritional and taste great! We will use special ingredients that are unique to TJ’s and necessary to make great tasting meals convenient on short notice! We’ll focus on a fun and exciting five-course meal with a complimentary non-alcoholic blood orange cocktail to enjoy while we dine together. CDR’s recipes make this class a must for all of us “time-starved” people. Techniques explored are how to shop Trader Joe’s and how to stock your pantry with the right ingredients.		 Tuesday April 29 Sold Out $75

Cool Desserts

Join Cucina Della Rosa for an evening of delectable desserts that can be made ahead and served cold. They are easy to make and only require a few ingredients, so let's keep this secret between us! Plan to make panna cotta, granita, palmiers, marinated strawberries and more. 		Tuesday July 15 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Couples Night Out - I

Our five-course menu makes the perfect meal and it is designed to help stimulate your love for each other as you work together to prepare it with other couples! Plan on a “hands-on” style class and to savor an appetizer, polenta, pan-roasted chicken, a salad of fresh greens and for dessert – a warm pear tart. We’ll also sample various olive oils just for fun! Key techniques include learning how to get your partner to cooperate with polenta and work in harmony with you!		 Friday March 14 Sold Out $75 per person
Friday May 9 7:00pm-9:00pm $75 per person
Friday October 17 7:00pm-9:00pm $75 per person

Couples Night Out – II

If you are tired of the same old restaurant-style date… then plan an evening with us and some tilapia, cod, swordfish or any other white fish that is fresh at the time of class! We work in teams to make an appetizer, fish wrapped in parchment paper, orzo (a pasta shape similar to a kernel of rice) and a salad of fresh greens. Our dessert is a surprise! Key techniques include learning how to wrap the fish in parchment paper to help it absorb all the wonderful aromas of fresh herbs used to dress it. We’ll also sample various olive oils just for fun! 		Friday June 27 7:00pm-9:00pm $75 per person

Couples Night Out – III

Bring your date and appetites to this class and be prepared to cook and dine with other people interested in rolling up their sleeves and having fun in the kitchen with us. This class menu features scaloppine (thin scallops of meat) lightly dredged in flour and sautéed to perfection in a light gremolata sauce. We’ll also prepare an exotic appetizer, a special risotto dish and a salad of fresh greens with extra virgin olive oil and balsamic vinegar… all designed to make a lovely and elegant meal. Dessert is pan di spagna which is a light sponge cake. Key techniques include romance, food preparation and fun!		 Friday March 7 Sold Out $75 per person
Friday September 26 7:00pm-9:00pm $75 per person

Easy & Elegant Appetizers

It’s that time of year again… you’re already anticipating holiday parties and the inevitable questions that come with them. What can I bring? What is something that I can be proud of? The answers to these questions are simple when you attend this class and learn how to make several items that can even be prepared the day prior to the event! We’ll create cherry tomatoes stuffed with herbed goat cheese and olives, bresaola rolls with ricotta cheese and pesto, roasted bell peppers stuffed with eggplant, a gorgonzola & walnut spread… and a beautiful three-bean bruschetta that everyone will love! 		Tuesday November 18 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Easy & Elegant Desserts

It’s that time of year again… you’re already anticipating holiday parties and the inevitable questions that come with them. What can I bring? What is something that I can be proud of? Upon completion of this fun and tasty class, you will have mastered the art of making pumpkin panna cotta, almond biscotti, tiramisu (Cucina Della Rosa style) and two types of torte (almond and ricotta). Key techniques include making pastry shells and tips for food preparation. 		Thursday November 13 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Fall Flavors Pasta Class

Learn how to incorporate some hearty fall pasta flavors into your meals by making eggplant gnocchi, pumpkin lasagna, butternut squash ravioli and a baked pasta timbale. Key techniques include making and working with fresh pasta dough, familiarizing yourself with a pasta machine and using herbs in cooking. 		Tuesday September 30 7:00pm-9:00pm $75
Tuesday October 21 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Father’s Day Brunch

What can you possibly give a dad that already thinks he has everything? Why not enroll him in this class with his kids to give him a fun memory that will last a lifetime? This class teaches you how to prepare crespelle (crepes with ricotta and prosciutto), a zucchini and egg tart, aranchini (stuffed rice balls) and sfogliatella alla crema (puff pastry filled w/crème). Key techniques include making puff pastry and presentation. We’ll even make fruit smoothies to keep dad and the kids entertained! 		Sunday June 15 11:00am-1:00pm $75

Going Green

It’s a fact we don’t eat enough veggies, especially green ones like Arugula, Chicory, Dandelion Greens, Endive, Escarole, Rapini. These dark leafy greens are the super powers of the vegetable world. In this class we will explore how to cook incorporate them into soup, pasta, stuffed pizza, a tart and a healthy salad. 		Tuesday April 22 7:00pm-9:00pm $75
Thursday October 16 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Herb-A-Licious

A little thyme can go a long way! We will make tilapia in parchment paper wrapped in succulent herbs and vegetables, a pasta with mint sauce and a phenomenal goat cheese spread with pistachios and chives. You will also learn how to create a bean salad with fresh basil and another Cucina Della Rosa favorite – grilled shrimp with rosemary. Key techniques explore the use of parchment paper for baking and presentation.		 Tuesday May 6 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Hearty Soups

Short on time? Learn the art of preparing soups that are so hearty that they can stand alone as a one course meal! Here is a list of opportunities: Holiday seafood, sausage & greens, potato leek, pasta & beans, zucchini and rice, minestrone and a ceci (garbanzo) bean soup. Key techniques include working with various types of seafood, food prep and determining when to add the pasta! 		Tuesday October 28 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Hello My Little Pumpkin

Squash is teeming with good things, low in calories, lots of vitamins, fiber, flavor and versatility. We will explore varieties such as carnival, butternut, acorn, buttercup, pumpkin and more. We will use squash in pastas, risottos, desserts and sides. From appetizer to dessert, squash can do it all. 		Tuesday November 11 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Indoor Grilling

Don’t worry if the weather is not cooperating this spring and plan to forget about firing up the outdoor BBQ all together because this class will transform your kitchen stove top into an indoor cooking adventure. We’ll teach you how to grill stuffed veal rolls, Middle Eastern flavored beef skewers, shrimp marinated in Sambuca and veggies. We’ll also have fun creating various types of panini that are as unique as your DNA. This class tastes great and you’ll leave with the knowledge that you can grill almost anything indoors regardless of the weather! Key techniques include using a grill pan, food preparation and presentation. 		Thursday April 10 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

KIDS – Cooking Around the World II Camp

Come explore new countries with us! Keep those idle hands busy in our kitchen with this creative four-session cooking class designed especially for kids. We will explore cuisine from Australia, India, Spain and Ireland. If your kids are watching cooking shows and the History, Discovery and HGTV channels are some of their favorite pastimes… then this action-packed experience will bring their imagination and creativity to life even more! Techniques include basic knife skills and safety, using various cooking mediums and exposure to different cultures – No passports required! Ages 9 to 12. 		4 days June 16, 17, 18 and 20 6:00pm-8:00pm $150

KIDS – Cooking Italian I

This four-class series guides our young chefs through an Italian dinner menu which includes appetizers, pasta, meatballs and gelato made from scratch. You get to eat what you cook in this class! Key techniques include baking, chopping, measuring and mixing etc. Ages 9 to 12. 		3 days July 7, 8, 9 5:00pm-8:00pm $150

KIDS – Cooking With Science Camp

This four-class series is “Eatertainment” at its best while young chefs are guided through some very intriguing food science insights and culinary basics that make ordinary “stuff” into great meals that can be easily reproduced in your own lab/kitchen at home! For example, do your kids know how gluten structure impacts their ability to make the perfect pizza? Do they know how cream transforms into whipped cream? Have they ever made cheese with citric acid? Trust us, this class tastes great and the kids have a blast! Be forewarned that they might want a KitchenAid or a few new kitchen gadgets for their next birthday when we’re done with them! Techniques explored include measuring liquids and solids, weighing by volume, observing and noting results and basic cooking skills like baking, chopping and whipping without making too much of a mess! Ages 9 to 12.		 Mondays (4) April 7, 14, 21, 28 6:00pm-8:00pm $150

KIDS – Holidays

Each class will be a new adventure as your kids are exposed to “hands-on” style instruction and cuisine over this four-series class. We will make pies, bread and candy and enjoy some Christmas traditions of Italy! We will even participate in a cookie exchange that is as fun as you could imagine. Your kids will enjoy their holiday break at Cucina Della Rosa and will learn valuable techniques and skills such as basic kitchen skills including baking, chopping, measuring and mixing etc. Ages 9 to 12. 		Saturdays (4) November 1, 8, 15, 22 4:00pm-6:00pm $150
Mondays (4) November 28, December 1, 8, 15 6:00pm-8:00pm $150

Ladies Night Out Cookie Exchange

Surprise your family and friends with a variety of spectacular cookies for the holidays without messing up your kitchen. Join us for a fun night of chopping, mixing, rolling and baking a wide range of cookies from traditional Italian cookies to good old American ones. It’s BYOB (bring your own beverage). Beware, it will be a nutty night, some recipes contain almonds, walnuts and pine nuts. CDR will supply all recipes and ingredients plus take home containers for your labor of love. 		Thursday November 20 7:00pm-9:00pm $75
Thursday December 18 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Mommy and Me - Celebrate the Holidays

The kids will roll out red and green bread dough and weave it to make a basket for the cookies they will decorate. Ages 4 to 6. 		Saturday December 6 4:00pm-5:30pm $30 per child

Mother’s Day Brunch

You know the song and you know that “It’s easy as Sunday morning feeling” but do you really know how to relax and enjoy them while cooking brunch for family and friends? This class teaches you how to prepare crespelle (crepes with ricotta and prosciutto), a zucchini and egg tart, aranchini (stuffed rice balls) and sfogliatella alla crema (puff pastry filled w/crème). Key techniques include making puff pastry and presentation. We’ll even make coffee the way my family prepared it in Italy on their stove top! 		Sunday May 11 11:00am-1:00pm $75

Olives Rock!

Did you know that olives have been a Mediterranean food source for at least 5,000 years? Did you know that olives are actually a fruit and that their unique flavors and types vary significantly due to the climate and soil conditions they are grown in? If this type of stuff intrigues you, please join us to learn how to identify and savor olives in the same manner that we cherish the distinct varieties of wine grapes or coffee beans! We will sample olives and oils from all over the Mediterranean and also teach you how to prepare some irresistible dishes and appetizers that you can duplicate at home such as olive bread, pasta alla puttanesca, potato salad w/olives and braised rabbit w/olives. 		Tuesday April 15 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

One Pan Wonders

As a mom short on time I have come up with a few “must have” quick dishes that you cook in one pan. That’s right, only one pan to clean plus the dishes include carbs, proteins and fiber all in one pan! Come join me in a class featuring polenta lasagne and an old-time favorite - chicken and rice. 		Thursday May 1 7:00pm-9:00pm $75
Tuesday September 23 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Pantry Cooking

Think of your pantry as a computer – it runs better with all its files correctly labeled and easy to find. Consider the items in your pantry like the files in a computer. Keeping them organized makes them easier to find when composing (cooking) something. Doing a regular virus scan (spring cleaning) gets rid of the old and unwanted files and frees up needed space.

Organizing your pantry doesn’t take gigabytes of memory to do. Let Cucina Della Rosa help you with “downloading the software” or in simpler terms planning and setting up your pantry. In this class you will receive a list of staples to keep on hand and easy recipes to whip up from the “new files” in your pantry. Yes, there will be plenty of things to cook while we learn!
Tuesday July 22 7:00pm-9:00pm $75
Tuesday October 7 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Pass the Peppers Please!

If sweet, spicy and hot turn you on or you think Anaheim, Bell and Serrano are cities… then this class is designed especially for you! We will introduce you to the unique characteristics of peppers while we incorporate them into a five-course dinner. Plan to cook and enjoy roasted peppers antipasti, roasted peppers stuffed with eggplant, dried peppers fried in olive oil, pasta and even dessert! Key techniques include roasting peppers over an open flame, food preparation and presentation.		 Tuesday March 4 7:00pm-9:00pm $75 Please contact Harper College at 847-925-6300 to enroll in this class when their spring catalog is published in November.
Thursday May 15 7:00pm-9:00pm $75
Tuesday October 14 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Pasta, Pasta, Pasta

At CDR we love making pasta! This class will focus on making two types of pasta dough from scratch and learning how to create unique shaped pastas such as pasta al fero, tortelloni, ravioloni and lasagna. Of course, we will also make a few traditional sauces to wet your noodles and send you home with a belly full of yummy pasta! Techniques include using a manual (hand crank) and an electric (KitchenAid) pasta machine. Feel free to bring your own machine to class and we’ll try to help you explore the possibilities – time permitting! 		Tuesday March 11 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Risotto & Polenta, the “Other” First Courses

Just like pork is considered the “other” white meat, risotto and polenta are the “other” first courses. Both are world famous for their versatility, especially when prepared correctly and balanced with other meal ingredients. In this class we will cook three different versions of each while learning the art of gently them with just the right amount of liquid to make them perfect. 		Tuesday May 20 7:00pm-9:00pm $75
Tuesday September 16 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Pasta Sauces

This class exposes students to time honored Italian sauces! You will learn to make and sample five sauces such as pasta a la carbonara (made with eggs, pancetta, cheese and black pepper), a baked pasta (with béchamel sauce and butternut squash), pasta aglio e alio (made with extra virgin olive oil and garlic), pasta con baccala and pasta con la ricotta. Key techniques include making a versatile béchamel sauce that can be used in a wide variety of ways and learning how to cook pasta al dente. 		Tuesday April 8 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Who made the Cheese?

In Italy there are as many unique cheeses as there are villages… and in this class we will teach you some of the Calabrian style dishes that I learned from my mom and aunts. Your friends will be amazed when you show them you know how to prepare fresh ricotta cheese in minutes and how to incorporate it into an easy appetizer, a sumptuous pasta sauce, torta di ricotta (ricotta cheesecake), pizza rustica (savory torte) and even a fresh yogurt. This class is always a hit and something you will treasure as you strut past by the cheese counter at Jewel knowing that you can make something better for less! 		Friday April 11 7:00pm-9:00pm $75
Tuesday August 19 7:00pm-9:00pm $75

Wine Pairings with Kelley Cellars

Discover the “Art of Cooking and Wine Tasting” in this class designed to enhance the flavors of spring. Come prepared to enjoy hands-on cooking instruction by Cucina Della Rosa and an elegant wine tasting provided by Kelley Cellars, Barrington IL. This class will burst with flavor and fun as we prepare and dine on a five-course gourmet meal which includes an appetizer (think roasted peppers), a homemade pasta with ricotta and mint, sautéed ramps and a traditional Italian dessert with you guessed it…the perfect wine to complement each course! Space is limited so please sign up early with Greg Kelley at Kelley Cellars 847-842-9463. 		Friday April 18 7:00pm-9:00pm $100 Please contact Greg Kelley at Kelley Cellars 847-842-9463 to enroll in this class.