Page 38 March 2014 By Heather Kinkel Renée Campisi enjoys her time in the kitchen. Renée, who hails from Michigan, moved to Phoenix in 1995 for work, originally living in the Biltmore area. Renée and her now-husband, Matt, met in Phoenix shortly after Renée moved to Phoenix - they were co-workers on a software project with American Express. They moved to Arcadia in 1998, and were married in Napa Valley in 1999. Choosing Napa Valley for their nuptials was decidedly consistent with Matt and          cooking and enjoy pairing wine varietals with their meals. Renée, the director of operations at Neudesic, a Microsoft company, and Matt, a sales specialist at Cisco Systems, make fresh and healthy meals most nights of the week. The parents of twin 9-year-old girls, Ashlyn and Briony, they make cooking a shared job. “We have cooked together for years. Matt’s a good cook and he’s excellent at clean-up,” said Renée. Matt and Renée even integrate cooking together into their date nights, occasionally attending cooking classes to learn new techniques and take home a few new and exciting recipes. Many times these Cooking class broadens recipe repertoire recipes make regular appearances in their weeknight meals, and Renée is always altering      family’s taste. “This chicken dish is super simple and has a great wow factor,” said Renée. “It’s good for lunch, dinner, whatever.” Renée also has a few tips and tricks that she incorporates into her cooking. Her favorite addition: salt. Although it may seem basic, Renée has found that Maldon Sea Salt is a superior salt, adding      regular table salt. “Maldon Sea Salt just makes your food taste better. Funny, but it’s true!” said Renée. She also makes a delicious balsamic vinegar reduction by simmering a cup or two of balsamic vinegar in a small saucepan over low heat for about 15 minutes. She uses the reduction on chicken, primarily, and loves         to her recipes. The recipes that Renée decided to share with the Arcadia community are anything but ordinary, and interestingly enough, came from a cooking class date- night. While these dishes can be enjoyed anytime, Renée almost always makes ... A Jean-Georges Vongerichten Creation Located at The Phoenician 6000 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale, AZ 85251 (480) 214-8000 www.jgsteakhousescottsdale.com 2013 “Treat yourself to an amazing experience” – Zagat “The Best Steakhouse of 2012” – Phoenix New Times “Juicy, flavorful and entirely satisfying.” – Howard Seftel, Arizona Republic          • 1/2 cup red lentils • 4 garlic cloves • 1 tsp. crushed red chili flakes (mild = 1/8 tsp.) • 1 roasted red pepper, from jar • 3 Tbsp. lemon juice, plus more to taste • 2 Tbsp. olive oil, more or less as needed • Salt and pepper, to taste • 2 Tbsp. sliced garlic • 1 15-oz. can garbanzo beans, rinsed and drained very well • 2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced • Sliced vegetables, for serving   Combine red lentils, garlic cloves and chili flakes in a small pot and cover with 1 ½ cups of water. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until very tender. Drain any excess liquid and spoon into a food processor. Add 1 roasted red pepper, the lemon juice, some salt and a drizzle of olive oil. Puree until smooth, adding olive oil as needed as well as salt and pepper to taste. Heat a skillet over medium heat and add a drizzle of olive oil. Add the garlic and garbanzo beans; cook until garlic begins to turn golden in color. Remove from the heat and stir in the chopped tomatoes and season with salt and pepper. Place the lentil hummus mixture in a small to medium sized serving bowl, drizzle with oil olive and then pile the warm garbanzo bean mixture on top of the hummus and serve with vegetables and/or warm pita. *Makes about 2 cups of hummus*    Renée Campisi Continued from page 39 Renée works to recreate a recipe she learned at a cooking class.

Page 39 March 2014 602-956-0178 4144 E. Indian School Rd.                      6 D A Y S 1 0 E V E N T S 1 0 0 R E S T A U R A N T S $3.8M+ DONATED PROUDLY PRESENTED BY SCOTTSDALE LEAGUE FOR THE ARTS 100% of event net proceeds fund art and art education programs in Arizona. S C O T T S D A L E F E S T. O R G T O P T I E R S P O N S O R S A S O F F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 4 ® 36TH ANNUA L SCOTTSDALE CULINARY FESTIVAL A P R I L 8 - 1 3 2 0 1 4 these dishes together. “This lentil dish is a tad spicy. I really like spicy food, but of course you can make this hummus as spicy or mild as you        used,” said Renée. “I also like to serve it with fresh veggies instead of crackers,” said Renée. “I try to limit items like crackers around our Cooking Continued from page 38 house, and the fresh veggies add so much      Of the couscous dish, Renée described, “This dish tastes wonderful with or without the chicken. Substituting the balsamic vinegar for a simple olive oil, lemon juice, and salt/pepper vinaigrette would also work great.” Note: The recipe for Pearl Couscous with Roasted Tomatoes, Arugula and Balsamic Grilled Chicken can be found on our website: arcadiadaily.com