". . . The soul of creative cooking is nurtured by Cheryl Sindell."
-Julia Cameron, best-selling author of THE ARTIST'S WAY.

“Cheryl’s cooking classes encouraged me to take off on simple ideas, make up my own dishes and do things my way. Now that my confidence has been brought back to life I create delicious, healthy dishes in less time than it takes to stop for take-out.” -Michael Mann (Seattle, Washington)

Spreads will spark up any meal. Follow your taste buds and cooking methods instead of recipes and dishes will turn out more to your liking. For example, if you like a particular ingredient like garlic, olives or cilantro use a lot of it. And if you don't like it, leave it out completely. Now spread your creative wings and use the methods that follow to improvise awesome spreads that will surprise your family and friends.

Eggplant Spread
Wash an eggplant, prick it with a fork, and bake it as you would a potato, for about forty-five minutes or until soft. Allow it to cool. Cut off the stem. Mash the eggplant in a serving dish with a potato masher or fork. Add some minced garlic and onion (I like a lot). Add a little virgin olive oil, a dash of lemon juice, salt and pepper, and maybe a little cayenne to taste. Drizzle with virgin olive oil, sprinkle a little paprika for color, decorate it with olives (I prefer Greek). Add touches of sliced green onion and cilantro or parsley, and serve with crackers olive bread, rye bread, or whatever you like.

Hummus Spread
You don't need measurements to make hummus. Drain a can of garbanzo beans and puree in a blender with a little of the liquid. Add some miso paste, garlic, some viigin olive oil, cumin and salt to taste. Add red or yellow bell peppers for color and variation if you'd like. Put into a serving dish. Use a spoon to form a valley in the center, drizzle with olive oil, paprika, chopped parsley, cilantro, or Greek olives. Hummus is delicious on pita wedges, crackers, burritos, sandwiches, sliced veggies, or it makes a great dip with chips.

Babaganoush
Mix or blend the eggplant spread with plain hummus for babaganoush, a Mediterranean spread.

Olive Tapenade
This pungent olive spread is made in a food processor with a metal blade. Combine drained, pitted olives (black, green or Greek) add capers, a little virgin olive oil, anchovies, sun-dried tomatoes, and fresh basil. Process until finely chopped. Serve at room temperature and spread on your favorite crackers or crunchy bread.

Anchovie Spread
Blend together anchovies, a little lemon juice, Parmesan cheese, and black olives. Spread this paste on baguettes, sliced on the bias, top with Buffalo Mozzarella cheese, a small slice of tomato, a fresh basil leaf and serve as an appetizer to accompany your favorite meal.