This class and dinner party was held at the USA Health Mapp Family Teaching Kitchen on March 6 at 5:30 pm.

March 6, 2026 Cooking Class & Dinner Menu:

-Basil Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms

-Baba Ganoush

-Citrus-Seared Salmon

-Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

-Poached Pears

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Basil Pesto Stuffed Mushrooms

Ingredients:

• 20 Crimini mushrooms 

Topping:

• 1.5 cups panko breadcrumbs
• ¼ cup melted butter
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

Filling:

• 2 cups fresh basil leaves
• ¼ cup fresh Parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons pumpkin seeds
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon fresh garlic
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line the mushroom caps upside down on a baking sheet.
2. To prepare the topping, in a small bowl, combine panko, butter, and parsley. Mix and set aside.
3. To prepare filling, place the basil, cheese, pumpkin seeds, oil, garlic, lemon, juice, and salt in a food processor. Process until evenly mixed.
4. Generously stuff the mushroom caps with the basil pesto filling. Sprinkle each mushroom with about 1 teaspoon of panko topping. Gently pat the topping down.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until golden brown.

Baba Ganoush

Ingredients:

• 1 head of garlic (about 8 cloves)
• 2 eggplants, sliced lengthwise, skin removed
• 1 red bell pepper, halved and seeded
• 4 tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh basil
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 teaspoon black pepper or to taste
• Whole wheat pita bread or pita bread chips

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice off the top of the head of garlic and wrap in aluminum foil and place on baking sheet. Peel eggplant, slice lengthwise, and salt and place on baking sheet with halved bell pepper. Cook until soft.
2. Squeeze roasted garlic into food processor and add eggplant and bell pepper. Add lemon juice, basil, oil, and pepper. Pulse until smooth and homogeneous. Place dip in a serving bowl.
3. Warm pita bread, if using, and serve on the side.

Citrus-Seared Salmon

Ingredients:

• 4 (4oz) salmon fillets, trimmed
• 1 teaspoon cumin
• 1 teaspoon orange zest
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¼ cup orange juice
• ¼ cup apple juice
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons honey
• 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon water
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch

Method:

1. Heat nonstick skillet to medium-high heat.
2. Place the salmon fillets skin side down on a plate and season with cumin, orange zest, and salt.
3. In medium bowl, combine the orange juice, apple juice, mustard, honey, and black pepper. Set aside.
4. Add olive oil to skillet. Place the salmon in the pan seasoned side down and cook for approximately 2 minutes, flip, and cook another 2 minutes or until an internal temperature of 145 degrees is reached.
5. Remove the salmon from the pan and set aside and cover. Add the juice mixture to the sauté pan.
6. In a small bowl, combine the water and cornstarch to make a slurry. Slowly whisk in the slurry to the juice mixture. Mix until thickened. Drizzle sauce over salmon and serve.

Quinoa-Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:

• 1 cup uncooked quinoa
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 cup chopped zucchini
• 2 cups chopped tomato
• ½ cup chopped onion
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 2 tablespoons chopped walnuts
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 teaspoons chopped fresh thyme
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• 2 teaspoons Parmesan cheese
• 4 medium bell peppers, tops cut off

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Cook quinoa according to package directions and set aside.
2. Heat a large sauté pan to medium-high heat. Add oil, zucchini, tomatoes, onion, celery, walnuts, garlic, and thyme. Reduce heat to medium after 2 minutes. Once vegetables are tender, add cooked quinoa, salt, pepper, and cheese.
3. Place peppers on a baking sheet and place ½ cup of the quinoa and vegetable mixture into each pepper. Cover with foil and bake for 15-20 minutes. Uncover and bake for an additional 5 minutes, or until desired doneness is achieved.

Poached Pears

Ingredients:

• 1 cup orange juice
• 1 ¼ cup apple juice
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 4 whole pears
• ½ cup fresh raspberries
• 2 tablespoons orange zest

Method:

1. In a small bowl, combine the juice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to mix evenly.
2. Peel the pears and leave the stems. Remove the core from the bottom of the pear.
3. Place pears in a shallow pan and add the juice mixture to the pan. Set over medium heat. Simmer for about 30 minutes, turning pears frequently. Do not boil!
4. Transfer the pears to individual serving plates. Garnish with raspberries and orange zest.