Community Kitchen Pittsburgh

11/03/2024

Meet us at the Market , and get your table set for the Holidays!

Fresh from the Farm: Beef, Pork, Poultry, Lamb, Fish & Seitan options available! Pre-Order your Holiday Proteins at a CitiParks Farmers Market!

Blackberry Meadows Farm Catalpa Lane Farm, llc Community Kitchen Pittsburgh Fallen Aspen Farm Halstead Family Farms Kodiak Rush Maple Ridge Farm & Bakery Mill Creek Trout Farm Self-Reliant Seitan PGH

11/01/2024

Our culinary training students come to our program with varying levels of experience, and there’s always something they can learn from our chef instructors.

Tier 1 (green shirts) is time spent building the foundation of their culinary journey, where, after four weeks in this tier they’ll advance to the next upon successfully passing their competencies.

Today, we asked Tier 1 student, Tarik, what his rose (high point/success) and thorn (low point/what he may have struggled with) this week, and this is what he had to say.

To learn more about how we’re “cooking up opportunity” here at Community Kitchen Pgh, head to CKPgh.org.

11/01/2024

Happy Weekend! And Happy November!
What a beautiful day!
We're celebrating Hazelwood First Friday, but if you can't make it to the neighborhood to grab something to eat from the by 6pm, you could whip up these Taco Stuffed Shells!

What you'll need:
18 uncooked jumbo pasta shells
1-1/2 lbs lean ground beef (90% lean)
2 tsp(s) chili powder
3 oz reduced fat mascarpone cheese
12 oz low sodium taco sauce, divided
3/4 C shredded reduced-fat mozzarella cheese blend, divided
Baked salt-free tortilla chips, coarsely crushed

How to make them:
1) Pre-heat oven to 350° F. Cook pasta according to packaging directions. Drain and rinse in cold water, drain again.
2) Meanwhile, in a large skillet cook and crumble beef over medium-high heat until no longer pink (~6-8 minutes). Stir in chili powder, mascarpone, and 1/2 cup taco sauce until blended. Stir in 1/4 C shredded cheese.
3) Spoon ~2 Tbsp filling into each shell. Place in an 11"x7" baking dish coated with cooking spray. Top with remaining sauce mix.
4) Bake, covered, until heated through (~20-25 minutes). Sprinkle with remaining cheese and bake uncovered until cheese is melted (~5 minutes). Sprinkle with chips.
5) Serve hot or cover with a layer of parchment paper and plastic wrap and freeze.

10/31/2024

We are so honored to be a little part of this beautiful person’s life.

To have someone like her in our corner means so much to us. We can immediately feel the love when she enters the building. And we’re here to cheer her on in her own journey just like she cheers on our students. 💜

THANK YOU, Desarae!

Forward Dining Solutions LLC.

10/31/2024

We love it when new folks join us for a Guest Chef Dinner. 💜

10/30/2024

Pittsburgh Food Lovers!

While it’s hustling and bustling here at CKPgh as we make all of our school and communiity meals and prep for tonight’s Guest Chef Dinner, we’re also thinking about the weekend!😂

Who’s attending Saturday’s GoodTaste! Pittsburgh Hometown Homegrown at Heinz History Center?

We’ll be there with our Unified Fields Butchery, where you’ll have the opportunity to chat with Ben The Butcher and scoop up locally-sourced and ethically-farmed meats that were cut in-house.

Ben will also be doing a knife sharpening demo in the afternoon. Dull knives are behind quite a few kitchen injuries. Don’t become one of those statistics and get in on his demo on Saturday!

We’re excited for our first Hometown Homegrown! Especially because we’ll be around so many fellow food lovers!

Stop by our table and say “hi!”, pick up some tasty cuts to take home and learn how we’re “cooking up opportunity” here at CKPgh.

Plus, proceeds from your purchase go back into our programming. At Community Kitchen Pgh, “your dollars make change”.

We’ll see you on Saturday!

10/29/2024

Are you on our email list yet?

Scan the QR code or hit the following link to get CKPgh news delivered to your Inbox every month(ish) 👉 https://mailchi.mp/3a840d2e9dbb/email-sign-up_general

10/29/2024

Hey, BETHEL PARK!

The is heading your way today!

10/28/2024

Many thanks to Buy Fresh Buy Local/Farm to Table Western PA for the great write up about our upcoming Guest Chef Dinner!

We were going to shut off ticket sales at noon today, but if this write up was the little push you needed, we're leaving ticket sales on until 2pm TODAY.

Head to the following link to reserve your spot(s): https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-kitchen-pghs-october-guest-chef-dinner-feat-chef-chris-galarza-tickets-1029145370507

https://farmtotablepa.com/communitykitchenchefchrisgalarza/

Buy Fresh Buy Local Western PA - Community Kitchen's monthly Guest Chef Dinners provide a great opportunity to students and guests alike.

10/27/2024

It’s not often that you have the opportunity to enjoy a dinner created by the ACF Pittsburgh President who’s also the first U.S. chef to be certified in an all-electric kitchen.

This week is YOUR chance!

Forward Dining Solutions LLC. Founder, Chef Chris Galarza, is taking over our kitchen on Wednesday to work with our students to prepare and present an incredible 5-course meal! Take a look at that menu!🤤

And because proceeds from this dinner roll back into our culinary training and job placement programming, “your dollars make change”.

If you haven’t reserved your spot for this yet, scan the QR code in the first image or click the following link NOW to get in on an evening where you’ll have a happy belly and a full heart 👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-kitchen-pghs-october-guest-chef-dinner-feat-chef-chris-galarza-tickets-1029145370507

If you’ve already booked your spot, which course are you looking forward to the most?

See you Wednesday!

10/26/2024

Our students’ 12-week culinary journey is full of ups and downs.

On Friday, we asked a couple students to share what their rose and thorn (high and low) was for this week, and this is what Tier 1 students, Amina and Shatonia, shared.

If you have been experiencing barriers to employment, love to cook, and are ready to make a change, head to CKPgh.org to learn more about how we’re “cooking up opportunity” here at Community Kitchen Pgh.

10/25/2024

Happy Friday!
Can we start the weekend yet?

Since it's been a pretty warm week here in Pittsburgh, this week's Weekend Recipe is like a little homage to remnants of summer trying to hang on.

This week, let's cook up some "Lemon Broccoli Pasta", using a recipe from The Food Charlatan.

What you'll need:
1 & 1/2 pounds broccoli, fresh
1 pound rotini pasta (or other pasta of your choice)
3-4 cups spinach
4 tablespoons butter
1 large lemon, zested and juiced
2 cloves garlic, crushed and minced
1/4 teaspoons crushed red pepper
Ingredients
1 cup Parmesan, fresh, plus more to garnish
olive oil, to garnish
salt and pepper, to taste
lemon wedges, to garnish

How to make it:
1) In a large skillet or pot, bring the salted water to a boil. Trim broccoli into small pieces.
2) Add the rotini and boil on high for 4 minutes. Add the broccoli, cover, and set a timer for 3 minutes.
3) When the timer goes off, turn off the heat and drain the pasta using a lid or colander. Return to the pan and stir in the spinach. Sprinkle with lemon zest. Let it sit for a few minutes so the spinach wilts.
4) Meanwhile, in a small skillet melt the 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. (I let mine get brown, because that’s just how I roll, but that’s not necessary).
5) Add the minced garlic and crushed red pepper and saute for about 1 minute, until fragrant.
6) Turn off the heat and add 2-3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice. Add the lemon butter to the pasta and stir. Stir in 1 cup fresh parmesan cheese. Add a drizzle of olive oil and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7) Garnish with more cheese and lemon wedges.

ENJOY and have a fabulous weekend!

10/25/2024

We're so excited that the will be there tomorrow!

10/24/2024

HAZELWOOD! We'll be participating in the November First Friday next week!

Various spots across the neighborhood will be participating, so you'll have a lot to check out. Maybe you'll discover something new!

10/24/2024

Have you reserved your spot for next week's Guest Chef Dinner with Forward Dining Solutions LLC. Founder and ACF Pittsburgh President, Chef Chris Galarza?

Not only will your tastebuds be happy, but your heart will grow knowing that your ticket purchase helps support our programming.

Chris Galarza

10/19/2024

Happy Weekend!

Let’s make Little Broken’s Healthy Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins. It’s Pumpkin Season, after all!😋

What you’ll need:
* 1/3 cup coconut oil, in liquid form
* 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
* 2 large eggs
* 1 cup mashed ripe banana (~2-3 bananas)
* 1 cup pure pumpkin puree
* 1/4 cup milk
* 2 tsp. pumpkin pie spice
* 1 tsp. baking soda
* 1 tsp. vanilla extract
* 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
* 1-3/4 cups white whole wheat flour, measured correctly
* 1/2 cup chocolate chips, semi-sweet or dark chocolate

How to make:
* Preheat the oven to 425° F. Grease 12-cup muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray or if using liners, line with liners.
* In a large mixing bowl, whisk coconut oil and honey. Whisk in eggs.
* With a wooden spoon, mix in the mashed banana, pumpkin puree, milk, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, vanilla extract, and salt.
* Add the flour and mix just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
* Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared pan. You should be able to fill all 12 muffin cups.
* Bake for 5 minutes at 425° F, then keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350° F, and bake for additional 17-20 or until toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.

10/18/2024

The is rolling back to SouthSide Saturday for the The Neighborhood Flea NIGHT MARKET in SouthSide Works!🍂🎃

It’s going to be a great evening to support local makers, vintage sellers, and local eats!

See you there!

10/17/2024

Hey, SouthSide!

We are STOKED that the will be rolling over to Velum Fermentation for the first time TODAY!! 6-10.

It’s Trivia AND pinball league night! (And they’re dog-friendly!🐶)

Jody and Tier 3 student, Chris, are looking forward to serving you tasty eats!

And if you’d like to learn more about what we do at Community Kitchen Pgh and/or how “your dollars make change”, Jody and Chris will be happy to chat with you!

See you later today, SouthSide!

10/17/2024

It’s almost lunch time! So while we’re thinking about food, let’s talk about Guest Chef!

After giving our Insiders first dibs, we can share with the rest of Pittsburgh how excited we are to have Pittsburgh chef, culinary sustainability trailblazer, and ACF Pittsburgh President, Chef Chris Galarza, as our October Guest Chef!

Chef Galarza, also the founder of Forward Dining Solutions LLC., will be taking over our kitchen to work with our students in preparing and presenting a 5-course meal, that highlights his love of innovation, will have your tastebuds celebrating every morsel!

Read a recent write-up about Chef Galarza at the following 👉 https://www.post-gazette.com/life/food/2024/09/10/induction-cooking-american-culinary-federation-galarza/stories/202408210132

This dinner will not only be a fantastic evening for Pittsburgh’s foodies, but also a great night for the city’s culinary industry.

This delectable dinner will have you leaving with a happy belly and a full heart knowing that proceeds and donations from the evening go right back into our culinary training and job placement programs. When you purchase your Guest Chef ticket, “your dollars make change”.

Reserve your spot now by scanning the QR code in the first slide or clicking the following link👉 https://www.eventbrite.com/e/community-kitchen-pghs-october-guest-chef-dinner-feat-chef-chris-garlaza-tickets-1029145370507?aff=oddtdtcreator

Chris Galarza

10/17/2024

MANCHESTER!
The Butchery will be at the final of the season on Thursday!

They’ll be bringing some great cuts of locally-sourced and ethically-farmed meats for you to shop! There may even be some specialty sausages and burger patties!🥩🥓

Grab your reusable bags and head to the market, located right next to Fulton Commons, to Shop Small and Shop Local.

10/17/2024

As Childhood Nutrition Day comes to an end, we would like to express how proud we are of our team of staff, students, and chefs for their hard work preparing and delivering thousands of nutritious meals across Pittsburgh every week.

We’re contracted to provide meals for various schools across the city and our chefs have created menus full of nutritious meals, even incorporating the PA Harvest Of The Month featured fruit/veggie.

Making sure kids get the proper nutrition helps them thrive during their school day.

And speaking of the PA Harvest of the Month… October’s harvest is apples 🍎. Did you know that PA is 4th in the nation for apple production?