Cooking with Friends Club

Create a Cooking Club!

This club may sound like a dining delight, but it is actually about food preparation, not consumption! Years ago when my three children were really small, I met a woman who had been parenting for about ten years longer than I had.  I was amazed and impressed when she told me that she served home cooked meals several times a week.  Awed, I asked her how she did it, and the explanation was terrific!

On Sunday afternoons, she and two other friends would get together at one of their homes and cook!!  They would cook for a few hours and prepare the basic components of the coming week’s dinners.  This “chore” became fun as the women talked, laughed and shared a glass of wine while they worked! 

A recent article in Hallmark Magazine details another group of New Jersey based friends doing exactly the same thing!  Here are some pointers from the article to assist you in starting your own cooking club.

Cooking Club Suggestions

• Limit this group to three friends – logistically, an average kitchen probably can’t accommodate more than three women.  Seek out those who share your culinary taste, skills and style.
• Decide which day of the week works best for you and set aside two to three hours for cooking.
• You’ll need freezer safe containers and food storage bags.  Each member can bring their own containers or as you rotate kitchens, the host chef can supply these materials.
• Figure out if you will divide the entire grocery list by three or if each should do their own shopping.
• Choose recipes around a theme such as seasonal, ethnic, or comfort food. Your friends will probably have some family favorites to share!
• When you are the host kitchen, make sure that you have the necessary kitchen equipment and gadgets.  If not, have your friends supply what’s missing.  Be prepared to offer coffee and bagels if you’re cooking in the morning, wine and cheese if you’re cooking in the evening!  Also be prepared to keep your sous chefs on track if conversation gets the group sidetracked!
• When you are a “guest” chef, bring your own kitchen tools, recipes, extra dish towels and pot holders, and freezing supplies if not provided by the host!  Make sure that you help with the clean up!

If you are concerned about finding the right kind of recipes for this cooking klatch, don’t worry!  You can start with some very simple meal components.  For example, you can grill boneless chicken breasts, cut and slice fresh vegetables, make your own pesto or tomato sauce, soups, or chili.  These types of ingredients can be put together in any number of ways in the week ahead.  Add a fresh salad, cook up some pasta, roll out some pre-made pizza dough and you have a meal!

If you would like more ideas for a cooking club, see Cooking Club Resources.

Do you belong to a cooking club?  We’d love to hear your suggestions! 

You may also enjoy:

• How to Start a Wine Tasting Club
• Great Guidelines for Starting a Women’s Book Group
• Start a Movie Group with Your Women Friends
• Have Fun with a Sip and Sew Club

Tags: how to start a cooking club with your women friends, cooking group, dinner club, fostering friendships among women, how to make friends, making friends, have fun with your women friends, preparing dinners with friends

 E-mail this entry              Print this entry

Share This Article

StumbleUpon Delicious Kirtsy