Chef with Benefits

Cooking Parties in Ahwatukee and Phoenix, Arizona

...the benefits come later!

Chef with Benefits™ offers the perfect party: engaging entertainment, fun interaction, and of course, great food! The best part is that your guests are involved every step of the way.

Here's how it works:

You plan an event (your place or ours) in Phoenix / Ahwatukee, Arizona and choose one of our delicious Chef with Benefits menus. Professional Chef Owen May does all the work: he'll shop for the perfect ingredients and come an hour early to set up the class. When your guests arrive, serve them a drink and bring them into the kitchen for their first culinary demonstration.

Then the real fun begins! Everyone puts on an apron and practices their new skills as they prepare tasty appetizers under Chef Owen's guidance. You'll all take a break to socialize and sample your creations. Chef Owen will then teach another set of culinary skills then oversee the preparation of dinner and dessert. When the delicious meal is ready, everyone gets to relax and enjoy the fruits of their labor!

All this for less than a dinner and a movie! Cooking lessons and a four course dinner for just $40 per person. (The rest of the benefits are up to you!)

Instead of catering your next special event, make your next event special!

Preparing and sharing food is a meaningful and universal way to connect with people you care about.

Imagine your guests creating delicious food while laughing and learning together. The possibilities are endless...

• Dinner parties
• Birthdays
• Anniversaries
• Engagement parties 
• Bachelor or Bachelorette parties
• Wedding or baby showers for couples
• Retirement parties
• Date night with friends
• Tailgate or game day parties
• Father's or Mother's Day gifts
• Neighborhood Get-Togethers
• Housewarming parties
• Going Away parties
• College student send-offs
• BonVoyage or Welcome Home parties
• Team Building
• Fundraisers
• Singles group events
• Church socials
• Men's cooking classes
• Girls Night Out (leave the guys at home!)
• Who-needs-an-excuse-to-party parties

Order a gift certificate: Private Cooking Lesson and Dinner for Two

See our upcoming events and cooking classes or contact us to discuss your event

Catering also available contact us.

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Homemade Limoncello Recipe

Homemade limoncello recipe from Chef with Benefits Cooking Classes in Ahwatukee, Arizona

What to do with lemons

The lemons are just falling off the trees around Phoenix! This delicious recipe for limoncello, a refreshing Italian lemon liqueur, is a great way to utilize the abundance of lemons. We make a large batch, transfer it into clean wine and other decorative bottles and keep it in the freezer for the perfect refreshing after dinner drink.

We first tasted limoncello at Arrivederci where they serve a complimentary after-dinner limoncello as a digestivo (digestif). Limoncello originates in Southern Italy so we learned to make it when we visited the Mama Agata Cooking School on the Amalfi Coast during our 25th wedding anniversary trip. The lemons were just hanging off the trees on the hillsides overlooking the ocean!

Chef's Notes

Use fresh lemons for the most intense flavor. When you are peeling the lemons, be careful to get only the bright yellow skin and scrape off any of the bitter white pith. Soaking the lemon zest in the alcohol releases the oils. When mixed with simple syrup, this recipe creates an almost fluorescent yellow opaque liquid that is great for sipping or making cocktails (like our Basil Mint Limoncello at the bottom.) It pairs pretty well with lemon cupcakes too!

Recipe: Homemade Limoncello

Ingredients

6-7 fresh lemons
750 ml bottle Everclear (grain alcohol) or vodka
2 1/4 cups sugar
3 3/4 cups water

Directions

1. Peel the lemons with a peeler. Remove any white pith from the peel and place peels in large jar.

2. Pour the Everclear over the peels.

3. Cover the jar tightly with plastic wrap and store in a cool place for 7 days.

4. On day 6, make the simple syrup. Boil the water the add the sugar.

5. Stir until the sugar dissolves and the syrup is clear.

6. Place the simple syrup in the refrigerator to chill overnight.

7. On day 7, strain the peels from the Everclear and add the simple syrup.

8. Pour the limoncello into bottles or jars and store in the refrigerator or freezer until ready to use. (Keeps for a long time!)

Basil Mint Limoncello

Combine 1 part ice cold limoncello, 1 part soda (or to your taste), and a pinch of minced fresh basil and mint in a shaker. Pour into small glasses for sipping.

Purple Smashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic

From Chef with Benefits Cooking Classes

These beautiful potatoes add a splash of color and excitement to your plate!

Chef's Notes

Scrub the potatoes thoroughly. There is no need to peel them! Warm the cream before adding it to the potatoes to help keep them hot. Don’t over mash the cooked potatoes or you’ll release the starches and get a gummy texture.

Recipe: Purple Smashed Potatoes with Roasted Garlic

Serves 6

Ingredients

3 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon olive oil
2 pounds purple potatoes (approximately 6 medium)
½ cup heavy cream (warmed)
2 tablespoons of butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Peel garlic and place in the center of a square of foil. 
2. Drizzle garlic with olive oil and sprinkle with salt. 
3. Wrap garlic packet tightly and bake at 400°F for about 20 minutes, until garlic is soft.
4. Wash potatoes and cut in half (or quarters if they are large).
5. Place potatoes in a large pot and cover with 2 inches of water. Bring to a boil and cook until fork tender (about 20-30 minutes).
6. Drain the potatoes and return to the stove top to allow any excess moisture to evaporate.
7. Mash the potatoes and add the garlic, warmed cream, and butter. 
8. Season with salt and pepper.

Cooking Classes for Dad

Here's a great recipe dad will love on Father's Day! Jalapeño Poppers Wrapped in Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon...hey, jalapeños, cream cheese, bacon, caramelized brown sugar...what's not to love!

Does your dad love to BBQ or make gourmet dinners? Or maybe he mentioned that he "should" learn to cook? Looking for a GREAT gift for Father's Day? How about cooking classes for Dad?

If you live in Ahwatukee or the Phoenix area, I'll bring all of the ingredients and supplies to your house and teach Dad - or the whole family how to make a delicious, nutritious menu everyone will love! And cooking together is a great way to have fun and bond with your kids. 

Contact me to design the perfect gift for Father's Day - teach him how to cook or expand his skills with a cooking class or cooking lessons!

Jalapeño Poppers Wrapped in Brown Sugar Glazed Bacon

From Chef with Benefits Cooking Classes

These Jalapeño Poppers are spicy, sweet, creamy, crispy, and delicious - hitting all the major sensory buttons! They are perfect for a potluck, BBQ, a big game, or a special Father's Day treat.

Ingredients

12 large jalapeños 
8 ounces cream cheese
2 ounces cheddar cheese, grated
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons chili powder, divided (I used chipotle) 
12 strips thin sliced bacon, cut in half lengthwise

Directions 

1. Wash jalapeños and cut in half lengthwise, leaving stems on. Scoop out seeds with a teaspoon. Set aside.
2. Beat cheeses together in a small bowl with a 1/2 tablespoon of the chili powder.
3. Using a small spatula or knife, fill the jalapeño halves.  
4. Wrap a slice of bacon around each jalapeño, tucking the end under the jalapeño.
5. Mix brown sugar with 1 tablespoon of chili powder.
6. Sprinkle the wrapped jalapeño with the sugar and chili mixture.
7. Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minute, or until bacon is crisp.
8. Optional:  Sprinkle each jalapeño with a little extra brown sugar and using a  hand-held kitchen torch, slowly pass over the sugar until it melts and caramelizes for a crispy, sweet crunch.

Avocado Zucchini Guacamole

From Chef with Benefits Cooking Classes

Shhhh! This guacamole is half zucchini so it is much lighter than the usual kind. If you don't tell, no one will ever know. It's great with our Cinco de Mayo Fajitas.

Chef's Secrets:

Cut into the avocado until you reach the pit then rotate the knife around the pit 360 degrees. Twist the two halves of avocado in opposite directions to separate them. Remove the pit by tapping it with a sharp knife and twist it to pull it out.

There a lot of ways to remove the flesh depending on what you are using it for and how ripe the avocado is: 

Mashed: Good for guacamole. Scoop the avocado flesh out with a spoon
Diced: Good for salsas, salads, and toppings. Cut diagonal cross hatches down to the peel then carefully scoop out the diced avocado
Slices: Good for salads and sandwiches. Cut each half into quarters and peel the skin off.

Health Notes from Michelle:

Avocado is a healthy, unsaturated fat, but it's still a fat, so if you love guacamole like we do, you'll love this version with a little vegetable boost!

Avocado Zucchini Guacamole recipe

Ingredients

1 medium avocado
1 medium zucchini
2 tablespoons of cilantro, finely chopped
Lime juice, freshly squeezed from half a lime
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1 small tomato, diced (optional)
1/4 onion, finely diced (optional)
Salt to taste

Directions

1. Dice zucchini, place into a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave on high for 5 minutes.
2. Remove zucchini from microwave and wrap in cheese cloth and squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible. (A paper towel or clean dish towel can be used instead.) Be careful! zucchini will be hot. Allow it to cool.
3. Mash avocado with a fork (see Chef's Notes).
4. Add the cilantro, lime juice, garlic powder, and salt to taste.
5. Add zucchini and, if using, the tomato and onion. Stir to combine.
6. Serve with tortilla chips or use as a garnish on tacos, fajitas, or salad.

Spinach Orzo Salad with Lemon Dressing

From Chef with Benefits Cooking Classes

This is our version of a great salad we had at Macaroni Grill years ago.

Chef's Secrets: 

A hand blender is one of my favorite kitchen tools! You can quickly emulsify dressings, whip cream, or blend soups.

Chiffonade (the term means rags) is a simple way to cut strips of spinach, basil, or other flat leaf herbs. Just stack 4-5 flat  leaves, roll them tightly, and cut 1/8 to 1/4 inch slices from the roll.

Health Notes from Michelle:

Everyone knows that spinach is loaded with iron. Did you know that citrus (like this lemon dressing) makes the iron more absorbable?

Spinach Orzo Salad with Lemon Dressing

Lemon Dressing

½ cup canola oil (may substitute olive oil)
2 tablespoon lemon juice
2 tablespoons of minced fresh basil leaves
Ground pepper and coarse salt to taste

Spinach Salad

6 cups of fresh spinach leaves, chiffonade
½ cup of fresh basil leaves, chiffonade
1 cup of dry orzo pasta, cooked according to package directions and cooled
2 cups cherry tomatoes, cut in half
¼ cup of sliced black olives
2 tablespoons of toasted pinenuts
Optional: 2 tablespoons of sun dried tomatoes, chopped

Directions

1. Combine dressing ingredients using a hand blender and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to allow flavors to blend. 
2. Toss all salad ingredients with the lemon dressing right before serving.

A Dozen Variations on Quiche

From Chef with Benefits Cooking Classes

Who says real men don't eat quiche? They do when it tastes like this!

Chef's Secrets 

We typically double the recipe and make two variations at a time. This recipe can be assembled the night before and placed in the oven in the morning. Serve with fruit, muffins, coffee, and juice (or mimosas!) for a perfect brunch! This recipe is hearty enough for dinner too;  just serve with a salad.

Basic Quiche Recipe

Ingredients

1 9" deep dish ready-to-bake pie crust
1 1/2 cups shredded cheese (any kind; see variations below)
1 cup of half and half
3 eggs, slightly beaten
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees
2. Thaw pie crust according to directions.
3. Lightly brush the crust with a small amount of the beaten eggs. 
4. Poke holes in pie crust with a fork. 
5. Place crust in the oven to slightly pre-bake for 5-10 minutes.
6. Remove crust the from the oven and sprinkle half of the cheese on the bottom.  Layer your fillings (see below) on top.
7. Beat the eggs with the half and half then pour over ingredients in the shell.
8. Add the remaining cheese.
9. Bake for 45 minutes, then let stand for 15 minutes.

12 Variations on Quiche

Variation 1: Fresh Herb and Cheese Quiche 

Use crumbled feta cheese or a mixture of grated cheeses such as cheddar, jack, swiss, mozzarella and/or parmesean. 
2-4 tablespoons of fresh minced herbs (or substitute 2-4 teaspoons of dried herbs) such as parsley, basil, oregeno, or thyme

Variation 2: Sausage and Mushroom Quiche

Use cheddar cheese in the basic quiche recipe
1/2 cup sausage crumbles cooked
1/2 cup diced red onions
1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

Variation 3: Green Chili and Pepper Jack Cheese Quiche

Use Pepper Jack Cheese in the basic quiche recipe
1 small can of diced green chilis drained
1/2 cup diced yellow onions

Variation 4: Tomato, Basil, Mozzarella Quiche 

Use shredded mozzarella cheese in the basic quiche recipe
1 cup of cherry or grape tomatoes cut in half (Lightly salt the tomatoes and allow to drain in a strainer for 10 minutes to remove some of the moisture before baking.)
1/4 cup of shredded fresh basil leaves

Variation 5: Broccoli and Red Pepper Quiche

Use montery jack or cheddar cheese in the basic quiche recipe
1/2 cup chopped brocolli (steamed for 2 minutes before adding)
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/2 cup diced red onion

Variation 6: Bacon and Swiss Cheese Quiche 

Use Swiss cheese in the basic quiche recipe
1/4 pound of bacon cooked crisp then chopped
2-3 green onions thinly sliced

Variation 7: Crab and Boursin Cheese Quiche 

Chop the boursin cheese into small pieces 
8 ounces of canned crab meat drained
2/3 green onions thinly sliced
1/2 teaspoon of Old Bay Seasoning

Variation 8: Spinach and Red Pepper Quiche

Use feta or any white or yellow cheese
1/2 cup fresh spinach leaves (you can use thawed frozen chopped spinach instead)
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/2 cup diced white or yellow onion

Variation 9: Zucchini and Tomato Quiche

Use sharp cheddar cheese in the basic quiche recipe
1/2 cup chopped zucchini
1/2 cup diced tomatoes

Variation 10: Broccoli and Red Pepper Quiche

Use montery jack or cheddar cheese in the basic quiche recipe
1/2 cup chopped brocolli (steamed for 2 minutes before adding)
1/2 cup diced red pepper
1/2 cup diced red onion

Variation 11: Chorizo and Poblano Pepper Quiche

Use Montery Jack and cheddar blend in the basic quiche recipe
6 ounces of chorizo sausage cooked and drained
1 poblano pepper finely diced
1/2 cup white onion, finely diced

Variation 12: Crustless Quiche

Use any of the variations above but omit the crust and bake in greased baking dish.

Banana Pancakes with Walnut Butter

From Chef with Benefits Cooking Classes

Wondering what to do with an over ripe banana? Make breakfast! 

Recipe: Banana Pancakes with Walnut Butter

Makes 10 4-inch pancakes

Ingredients

3/4 cup all purpose flour
1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 cup milk
1 1/2 tablespoons butter melted (plus extra for griddle)
1 large egg
1 ripe banana, mashed

Walnut Butter

2 tablespoons soften unsalted butter
2 tablespoons chopped walnuts

Directions

1. Combine first four ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking powder) in a medium bowl and set aside.
2. In another bowl, whisk together the egg and milk.
3. Gradually add the melted butter, whisking constantly.
4. Form a well in the flour and add the egg mixture, whisking until just combined.
5. Add the mashed banana and whisk to combine.
6. Melt a little butter in a hot pan or griddle. Add 1/4 cup batter for each pancake.
7. Cook until bubbles form on the tops of the pancakes, turn over and cook until golden brown.
8. Combine softened butter with chopped walnuts.
9. Serve hot pancakes with walnut butter and maple syrup. 

New Year’s Day Caviar with Black-Eyed Peas

From Chef with Benefits Cooking Classes

Happy New Year! In the Southeast, black-eyed peas are eaten on New Year's day for luck and prosperity. May I add that they are nutritious and delicious when consumed with tortilla chips! (Swap out the black eyed peas for your favorite legume and this recipe works year-round.)

New Year’s Day Caviar

Ingredients:

15 ounces black-eyed peas, canned, drained and rinsed
15 ounces white corn, drained
2 tomatoes, chopped
½ red onion, diced
2 tablespoons cilantro, finely chopped
1 avocado, diced
1 jalapeno, finely chopped (optional)
½ red bell pepper, diced
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, minced (or substitute 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
Optional: one mango, chopped

Directions:

Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate at least one hour before serving if possible. Serve with corn tortilla chips as a dip. Also great as a salad on a bed of lettuce or spoon over chicken or fish.

Kale Quinoa Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing

From Chef with Benefits Cooking Classes

I made this salad for a a luncheon that I catered for my mother-in-law, Dixie. I had so many requests for the recipe from her guests that I decided to share it here too.

Chef's Secrets

It may sound strange to "massage" kale but it's worth it! Kale is a nutritious but bitter, fibrous green that becomes sweet and tender with kneading. Massaging kale is easy to do. Remove the fibrous ribs then rub the leaves together or take bunches of kale in both hands and knead them for about five minutes until the leaves become dark, silky, and shrink by about half. 

Health Notes from Michelle

Kale is a cruciferous vegetable (like cabbage, collard greens, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts) that has a high concentration of antioxidant vitamins A, C, and K, and phytonutrients.

Quinoa is a seed that functions like a whole grain in most recipes. It is high in protein and contains all nine essential amino acids.

Kale Quinoa Salad with Honey Mustard Dressing Recipe

Honey Mustard Dressing

1/4 cup dijon mustard
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon pepper 

Salad Ingredients

2 bunches kale
1/2 cup quinoa (dry), cooked according to package directions
1 cup red grapes, sliced in half lengthwise
1/4 cup roasted sunflower seeds
1/4 cup grated manchego or other white cheese
Zest from one lemon
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Blend dressing ingredients together and place in refrigerator until ready to use.
2. Once quinoa is cooked, drain and rinse with cold water. Set aside.       
3. Wash kale and remove stems.
4. Roughly chop kale and massage for about 5 minutes (see Chef's Secrets).
5. Combine kale and quinoa, tossing gently in a large bowl.
6. Add grapes, sunflower seeds, cheese, lemon zest, and season to taste.
7. Toss with dressing and serve.