This class and dinner party was held at the USA Health Mapp Family Teaching Kitchen on Sunday, October 5, 2025. 

October 5, 2025 Cooking Class & Dinner Menu:

-Cranberry & Citrus Chutney

-Green Bean Casserole Stuffed Mushroom Caps

-Herb & Mushroom Cornbread Dressing

-Vegan Cornbread

-Cauliflower Marinade & Roasted Cauliflower Steaks

-Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato & Pecan Tarts

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Cranberry & Citrus Chutney

Rich in vitamin C, antioxidants – ginger & black pepper act as digestant, helping to get the most out of micronutrients
GF/V

Ingredients:

• Whole, fresh cranberries
• Any sweet citrus 2-3, supremed, zested, centers juiced
• Granny smith apples, 2, peeled & diced
• Red peppers 2, diced
• Cane sugar 1C (adjust to taste)
• Cinnamon, 1 tsp
• Salt, pinch
• Black pepper, pinch
• Lemons, 2, juiced & zested
• Apple cider vinegar, splash
• Ginger root, peeled & minced 1 Tbsp
• Rosemary, fresh, stripped & chopped
• Neutral cooking oil

Equipment needed:

• Pot
• Spoons
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Strainer
• Bowls
• Microplane/zester
• Peeler

Method:

1. Zest satsumas, taking care to avoid the pith
2. Supreme 2-3 oranges (cut segments, removing seeds and leaving fibrous center behind)
3. Juice centers, strain
4. Dice red pepper
5. Zest lemons, roll with palm on counter, juice
6. Strip rosemary from stems, finely chopHeat pot, add oil after heated, bring to shimmer
7. Sauté diced peppers and minced ginger once oil reaches shimmer, cook until softened, add sprinkle of salt and black pepper. Add diced apples, cook until softened.
8. Add all remaining ingredients except for lemon juice. Add cane sugar until desired sweetness is reached.
9. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and cook until thickened 
10. Finish with lemon juice

Green Bean Casserole Stuffed Mushroom Caps

Ingredients:

• Neutral cooking oil
• Green beans, fresh, destemmed and broken/chopped into 1” sections
• Mushrooms, cleaned, medium cap w/ stems (chestnut, cremini, shiitake, etc.)
• AP Flour (GF can be substituted)
• Garlic, minced, 4 cloves
• Shallot, minced, 2
• Thyme, 1 bundle, stripped from stems
• Veg stock
• Unsweetened nondairy milk
• Vegan butter
• Crispy fried onions

Equipment needed:

• Pot
• Spoons
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Large pot
• Baking sheets
• Glazing rack/parchment

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 425F
2. Bring well-salted water to a boil, add green beans. Cook until tender, remove from water.
3. Separate mushroom stems from caps, rough chop stems.
4. Toss caps in oil, salt, & pepper, roast until tender on parchment lined baking sheet or on glazing rack
5. Heat large pot, add oil once heated. Bring oil to shimmer, add chopped mushrooms and a generous sprinkle of salt, cooking until softened. Add minced shallots, garlic, and thyme, cooking until softened, taking care to not burn garlic. Add vegan butter, allow to melt. 
6. Slowly introduce flour to pot, stirring well to incorporate. Cook until very lightly browned. Add veg stock, stirring to prevent clumping. Add nondairy milk, salt & pepper. Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer. 
7. Cook mixture until thickened, add blanched green beans and 1/3 of crispy onions. 
8. Spoon portions into parbaked mushroom caps and top with remaining crispy onions. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Herb & Mushroom Cornbread Dressing

Ingredients:

• Mild mushrooms (oyster, lion’s mane, cremini), roasted until crisp
• Vegan cornbread, cubed & dried  (see recipe below)
• Flax seed, ground (or other egg sub)
• Yellow onion, 2, diced
• Green onion, chopped
• Carrot, 2-4, peeled and diced
• Celery, 4 stalks, diced
• Garlic, minced
• Sage, fresh, chopped
• Parsley, fresh, chopped
• Rosemary, fresh, chopped
• Thyme, fresh, chopped
• Veg stock
• Vegan butter
• Nondairy milk
• White cooking wine
• Neutral cooking oil
• Salt

Equipment needed:

• Sheet trays
• Mixing bowls
• Knife
• Cutting board
• Large pot
• Spoons
• Baking dish

Method:

1 Flax “Egg” =
1 ½ Tbsp flax meal + 4 Tbsp water

1. Prepare 4 flax “eggs”, mixing ground flax with room temp water and allowing to soak until thickened (disregard if using commercial vegan egg substitute)
2. Medium dice mirepoix (onion, carrot, celery)
3. Pick & chop parsley, sage, rosemary, thyme
4. Prepare cornbread, large dice
5. Chop mushrooms, toss in oil & salt, roast until browned and edges crisp
6. Spread cubed cornbread onto sheet trays. Bake at 275F until well-dried, allow to cool.
7. Heat large pot over med-high heat, add oil, heat to a shimmer. Sauté mirepoix until softened, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt, add garlic and chopped herbs, cook until fragrant, transfer to large mixing bowl.
8. Deglaze bottom of pot with white wine, scraping brown bits and incorporating into liquid. Allow to reduce, add veg stock, reduce again, add vegan butter and oat milk, allow to melt. Remove from heat.
9. Pour flax “egg” or egg sub into liquid mixture, whisk to incorporate. Add dried cornbread, mirepoix, green onion, liquid mixture, and mushrooms, mix gently. Pour into coated baking dish. Bake at 350F, covered, for 30 minutes, and then uncovered until golden brown.

Vegan Cornbread

Ingredients:

• Cornmeal 2 ¼ C
• AP flour 2 ¼ C
• Flax seed, ground** 6 Tbsp
• Nondairy milk 2 C
• Cane sugar 1 ¼ C
• ACV/lemon juice 2 tsp
• Baking soda 1 ½ tsp
• Vegan butter 1 C
• Salt 1 ½ tsp
• Oil or nonstick spray

Equipment needed:

• Whisk
• Spatula
• Spoon
• Measuring cups
• Baking dish

Method:

1 Flax “Egg” =
1 ½ Tbsp flax meal + 4 Tbsp water

1. Prepare 4 flax “eggs”, allow to sit until egg consistency forms
2. Mix milk with apple cider vinegar or lemon juice, allow to curdle. Add baking soda and whisk to combine.
3. Melt vegan butter, transfer to bowl, add sugar, whisk to combine.
4. Add all dry ingredients, mixing with spoon until thoroughly incorporated and a fairly loose & lumpy batter forms.
5. Coat baking dish thoroughly with nonstick spray, add batter. Bake at 350F until a cake tester or toothpick comes out cleanly and internal temp reaches 205F (30-45 min)

Cauliflower Marinade | Roasted Cauliflower Steaks

Ingredients:

• Cauliflower heads, broken down into thick slices & large florets  
• Garlic cloves, roasted   ½ C 
• Neutral cooking oil
• Fresh parsley 2 bundles
• Fresh rosemary 1 bundle
• Miso paste ¼ C
• Tamari/soy sauce ½ C
• Tahini ¼ C
• Cumin 2 Tbsp
• Garlic powder 2 Tbsp
• Za’atar 2 Tbsp
• Smoked paprika 1 Tbsp
• Lemons, zested & juiced
• Salt & pepper

Equipment needed:

• Food processor
• Mixing bowl
• Parchment paper
• Cutting board
• Knife
• Hand juicer
• Microplane/zester

Method:

1 Flax “Egg” =
1 ½ Tbsp flax meal + 4 Tbsp water

1. Preheat oven to 425F. Zest & juice 2 lemons, taking care to avoid the pith (the white part just below the skin)
2. Pick parsley leaves & strip rosemary from stems, rough chop.
3. Mix half of dry spices (garlic powder, smoked paprika, za’atar, salt, & pepper) in a bowl.
4. Slice cauliflower heads into approx. ½” steaks. For stability, slice with the crown on the cutting board, cutting stem to top.  Score sections 1/8” deep in a crosshatch. Each cauliflower will yield around 2 or 3 steaks, break remainder into crowns. 
5. Using remaining of half of dry spices and half of the chopped parsley, mix marinade ingredients together in a bowl or food processor until well incorporated. 
6. Dress cauliflower in marinade, evenly sprinkling remaining garlic powder, smoked paprika, . Optionally refrigerating for 20-30 minutes or bake directly after dressing on parchment lined baking sheet. Roast until thickest parts are tender and edges are caramelized. Serve topped with remaining chopped parsley.

Butternut Squash, Sweet Potato & Pecan Tarts

Ingredients:

CRUST:

• Pecans, toasted 6 C
• Almonds, toasted 4 C
• Oats, toasted 2 C
• Pitted dates, soaked 2 C
• Coconut oil, melted ½ C
• Salt
• Cinnamon
• Nutmeg
• Nonstick cooking spray

FILLING:

• Butternut squash, 3, roasted
• Sweet potato, 2, roasted
• Cornstarch, 6 Tbsp
• Coconut butter or cream ¼ C
• Vegan butter, melted ½ C
• Coconut oil, melted ½ C 
• Nondairy milk ½ C
• Nutmeg 1 Tbsp
• Cinnamon 1 Tbsp
• Allspice 2 tsp
• Salt 1 tsp or to taste
• Brown sugar ½ C
• Maple syrup ½ C

Method:

1. Toast pecans, almonds, and oats at 350F until lightly browned, rotating to ensure no burning.
2. Hydrate dates in hot water until softened. Strain and reserve liquid.
3. In a food processor, blend hydrated dates until a smooth paste forms, adding small amounts of the reserved liquid/syrup mixture if necessary. 
4. Remove date paste from processor, add nuts, oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt into processor and  pulse until a coarse meal is formed.
5. Slowly add date paste back into meal until a doughy consistency forms, thin slightly with melted coconut oil
6. Coat tart pans thoroughly with nonstick spray. Press dough evenly into pan for crust, place in freezer and allow to set.
7. Heat a small pot, add dry cornstarch, stir to toast lightly. Add nondairy milk, whisk to thoroughly incorporate. Add brown sugar, maple syrup, and reserved liquid from dates. Stir until dissolved.
8. Working in batches (mixing parts based on processor capacity and transferring to bowl), blend roasted squash & sweet potato until smooth, adding coconut cream, butter, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and melted coconut oil to adjust consistency. Add cornstarch, date syrup, & brown sugar mixture evenly to pureed mix. Adjust seasoning & sweetness to taste.
9. Spoon filling evenly into tart shells. Refrigerate filled shells and allow to set. 
10. Remove from tart pans once set. Serve topped with dusting of nutmeg.