2012 Farm to Fork Cooking Class Schedule

 
February 11, 2012 Love Around the World $75 Valentine's Day is that one-day a year that everyone focuses on relationships. You do not have to go out to eat to have a special meal. This class brings together recipes often used in wedding dinners or associated with romance. Take this class with someone special or fly solo and use these recipes to spice up your life for someone special. Travel to the farm and experience romantic recipes around the world. Shrimp piri piri lettuce wraps Pink grapefruit avocado and pomegranate salad African jollof rice with chicken South African apple squash fritters Asparagus with roasted red pepper sauce Panna cotta with chocolate shavings and Turkish pink peppercorn meringues
 
February 18, 2012 Mardi Gras Laisse le bon Temps Rouler $80 A Mardi Gras fête is a tradition at the farm. This year is no exception. Sid and I became engaged while living in New Orleans 36 years ago and together we enjoyed some great Creole cuisine. This is our time to remember our experiences with the cuisine of south Louisiana. We do not sit on a street curb any longer eating fresh boiled crawfish in a newspaper, rubbing butter on your lips to break the spicy heat and having a cold one. Now we share with you some of the best Creole food possible. This year's class is no exception. Brandy milk punch Crawfish beignets with pink peppercorn Rémoulade Chicken and sausage black bean jambalaya Oyster and artichoke soup New Orleans barbecue shrimp and French bread King cake with Greer farm blueberry cream filling March 24, 2012 Celebrating All Things Natural Grass Fed Beef, Pastured Pork, Free Range Chicken and Spring Grass Fed Lamb $90 Our farm focuses on raising the best natural products possible. This class will use beef and eggs raised on the farm and chicken, pork and lamb raised on a friend's farm using the same techniques as us. Can you imagine all the TLC these animals receive: sunshine, green grass, clean water. This is a rare opportunity to compare grocery store, factory farmed, meat products to those raised naturally. For this class, Eva will share with you her recipe for the best Belize hot onion sauce. This is the only cooking class we know that brings all of these grass fed meats together at one time. Spring greens with blue cheese, pastured pork bacon and pumpkin seed brittle Carne asada (roasted beef) with pickled onions and habanero tomato salsa Grilled citrus free-range chicken under a brick Jalapeño pastured pork roast Lamb chops with fresh mint pesto Lemon balm and almond Crème brûlée
April 14, 2012 Spring Time on the Farm Using Farm Fresh Eggs $75 Everyone uses eggs, but who really focuses on what exciting things you can create in the kitchen with them? Using farm fresh brown eggs collected from our pasture hens, we will share with you exciting egg based recipes that can be prepared for friends and family on many different occasions. Poached eggs over Greer Farm spring mix salad with a citrus vinaigrette and Manchego cheese Homemade hollandaise sauce served over classic eggs Benedict and eggs Sardou Strawberry soufflé omelet with caramelized sliced almonds Perfect frittata Blueberry swirl angel food cake
April 21, 2012 Homemade Pasta $75 Bring your apron to this class. It is time to roll up your sleeves and get messy. Learn to make pasta from scratch. It is not all that difficult and you will be amazed at the difference versus box pasta. We will try out a new way to prepare pasta with limited water. Be prepared for a fun class! Basic pasta dough with variations using spinach, fresh herb, black pepper and chocolate Wild mushroom and artichokes over black pepper pasta Lasagna with spinach pasta Pasta carbonara with sweet peas and ham and fresh herb pasta Chocolate ravioli with almond filling and raspberry sauce   May 26, 2012 Celebrating a Farmer's Harvest $75 This is a day you can be a farmer. Bring a pair of comfortable old shoes to romp around on the farm. This class is designed around products grown or raised on the farm: vegetables, farm eggs and grass-fed beef. Start the class touring our CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) gardens picking vegetables to be used in the class. Visit our very contented cows and collect eggs from our heritage breed chickens, including my punk rock Polish chickens, living in their new mobile home. Menu will be based on what is available fresh in the garden. Details will be available before the class. Expect it to be imaginative. This class will start at 10:00 am to allow time to be outdoors before we start the class. June16, 2012 Berry Extravaganza $75 June is berry time at the Greer Farm. Sun kissed blueberries and blackberries abound. Our pick-your-own berries have become more and more popular as people compare our berries to the other guys. This class will use blueberries and blackberries picked the day of the class at their peak of perfection. Cook, eat and then go pick a bucket to take home. Blueberry basil lemonade Sugar snap pea and berry mixed salad Blue cheese and walnut wontons with blackberry puree Blackberry soufflé with blackberry sauce and lemony cream Balsamic glazed grilled pork chops with blueberry ginger sauce Lemon blueberry rice pilaf June 30, 2012 Canning in the Farm Kitchen $75 Does someone in your family give you jars of canned fruit or do you get your canned goods at the grocery store? Sid has great memories of his grandmother and mom canning. Sometimes they  baked fresh bread which was served with the jam.. It is not difficult to make jams, jellies and fruit sauces. It really isn't! This is a hands-on class where you make a variety of homemade comfitures taking home a jar of each. After taking this class, you will be looking for roadside stands to buy local fruit and take it home and preserve it in your kitchen. Old-fashioned blackberry jelly Pineapple and peach jam with mint Blueberry jalapeño sauce July 14, 2012 Straight from the Garden $75 Last year we sold vegetables at area Farmer's Markets. This year we are spreading our wings and will start in March offering a Greer Farm CSA basket every few weeks to those that contract for our farm fresh vegetables grown by farmer Bryan Kirby. Bryan was a partner in Comeback Creek CSA for a number of years. Assuming no drought and scorching heat, July will be the peak of the season. This class will utilize a variety of farm fresh vegetables with recipes you can use year-after-year. The combination of traditional east Texas veggies will be sure to delight your family when you cook these recipes. Eggplant stacks with ground lamb, feta cheese and mint Zucchini and yellow squash carpaccio Savory Tomato pie Heirloom tomato Greek salad Chilled red pepper and beet soup with yogurt and caraway seeds Sweet corn crème brûlée with fresh blueberries July 28, 2012 Homemade Pizza: Secrets from a Pizza Professional $75 Chef Eva teams up with Brian Kirby, pizza chef and former owner of a "Jersey Shore" pizza parlor. There may not be any housemates spending the summer by the beach for this class, but Bryan will share with the class his secrets of making great pizza at home. This includes making homemade dough using stretching techniques that create a perfect crust every time. This is a hands-on class and we will make five unique pizzas including a dessert one. Chinese chicken and cashew pizza Baby Bella and colored pepper pizza Philly cheese steak pizza Smoke salmon, arugula and boursin cheese pizza Cinnabon pizza
August 11, 2012 Out of the Ordinary Tamales $75
Eva was born and raised in Central America and Jovita is from Mexico. Together they will share with you techniques to make the best tamales you have ever tasted using corn and banana leaves as wrappers. This is another hands-on class that will make you go to the nearest store that sells tamale-cooking pots so you can share what you have learned. Tamales once made can be frozen individually and popped in the microwave or oven for a fast meal or snack. Marie Sharp's Belize habanero sauce will be available to spice up your tamales. Black bean and corn tamales with red chili Mexican cream Spinach and cheese tamales with poblano pesto Chicken annato tamales Pork and chorizo tamales with grilled tomato jalapeño salsa Mango hibiscus ice cream
September15, 2012 Healthy Recipes for Those with Special Needs $75 Processed food is a significant part of most American's diets and these foods for the most part are not compatible with those needing special diets. Cooking is a challenge when you have to focus on diabetes, lactose intolerance or gluten free diets. It is possible to prepare flavorful and healthy meals for those on special diets. This class illustrates just a few of the possibilities. The gluten free mix can be used in all your baking. Gluten free mix for cookies and baking Spicy salmon appetizer Spinach and mixed pepper quiche with pecan crust Broccoli with almond dressings Chicken breasts with mushroom sauce Warm chocolate hazelnut cake
October 20, 2012 Real Soup Does Not Come From a Can $75 Sid is the world’s worst at grabbing a can of soup for a quick meal when I am gone. It is so easy to make your own soup that's much more healthy and flavorful. Why not learn to make heart-warming soups using fresh ingredients? This class shares some great international recipes introducing new and exciting flavors you may not have experienced before. Homemade stocks (chicken, beef, vegetable) American creamy tomato soup with grilled ham and cheese sandwich Thai coconut and carrot soup with lemon grass stock Mexican calabasa and tomatillo soup West African chicken peanut stew Italian wedding soup November 3, 2012 Weekend Breakfast Feast $75 It's a lazy Saturday morning. No one got up early and there are no plans for the day. Do you really want McDonald's again? It's easy to have cereal or a simple breakfast, but why not have something that is really interesting and easy to prepare. This is the class for you. These six recipes will change breakfast in your house forever. Whether you are the lady of the house or the man that knows how to get the family going on weekends, do not miss this opportunity.
Golden spinach strata Cinnamon churros Southwest skillet eggs on tostadas Bacon and egg puffs Overnight light and airy biscuits Chocolate stuffed French toast November 17, 2102 Eating from the Wild $85 Is there a cave person in your household? Camo clothing hanging in the closet all year just waiting for November and Bass Pro Shop catalogs lying about dog-eared marking hunting pages. We have a class for you. Just in time for the hunting season learn new ways to cook what you kill (or buy); venison, rabbit, quail and duck. This is the class with something for every taste. Wild game does not have to be tough or gamey. Top this off with a cast iron desert. Grrrrrrrrrrrr. Braised rabbit ragu Grilled quail salad with papaya and mango Breakfast venison sausage patties from scratch with mushroom gravy Duck gumbo with forbidden black rice Cast iron apple cobbler.
Reservations 
Please read our cancellation policy before making a reservation.  Classes are by reservation only and must be paid for in advance.  Call 903-645-3232 for availability and to make a reservation using a credit card.  Space is filled on a first come, first served basis.  Participants should be 16 or older. If your preferred class is full, we will place you on a waiting list. 
Cancellation Policy
Due to the financial impact of cancellations at the last minute, our cancellation policy is strictly followed.  There are no exceptions regardless of the circumstances or nature of an emergency situation.   Fourteen (14) day advance notice is required for any cancellation.  The class fee is non-refundable, but we will issue a credit toward a future class or your enrollment transferred to another person. If cancellation is within 14 days of the class date, forfeiture of the fee will result unless we can re-book your reservation.  If we are able to re-book your reservation, you can utilize your fee as a credit toward a future class. We reserve the right to cancel any class at any time. Classes may be cancelled due to insufficient participation, illness of the instructor or inclement weather.  In such instances you can receive a full refund or offered a credit toward another class.  

All classes are at the Farm House and start at 11:00 AM unless noted different
 903-645-3232 ● www.greerfarm.com ● eva@greerfarm.com

 What's Else is Happening on the Farm

We will shortly be sending you another newsletter that updates you on farm activity and plans for 2012.  Cabin rentals have started to pick-up and if you desire a Spring Break stay please reserve early.  Our chicken egg mobile is being used in the south paddock and we have a lot of wonderful large brown eggs available.  A set of grass-fed steers are being finished on alfalfa hay, so it is time to place your order for a split quarter for March delivery.  Eva has some of her delicious jams and sauces available and will be preparing more shortly.  We are working in the berry patch now getting ready for a big harvest in June-July. 
Especially interesting to those of you that enjoy all natural vegetables, we will be offering a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) program starting March 31.  This first phase will run through August depending on the weather.  You contract with us to receive a basket of fresh vegetables on a weekly or every other week basis. Cost will be $30 per delivery.  A list of what we are planting will soon be available.  If you are interested in more information on our CSA, please send contac us.
 From Our House to Yours

We feel so privileged to be able to share our life's experiences with you.  Each person that enters our door turns a new page in our story.  We invite you to make our farm your farm. 

From our family to yours, we thank you for supporting our family farm in so many ways.
Have a great year
Eva, Sid and all of us on the farm