📸: Pictured is Karen Wilkes of St Christopher’s Church Jump Start Kitchen program. Not pictured: Barbara Buer, Bobbi Johnson, and Patti Jacobsen
St Christopher’s Church is the home of Jump Start Kitchen. What is it? It’s a special program that is the brainchild of church members. They hold cooking presentations one day a month to teach people how to use a slow cooker, or crockpot. This method of cooking is very economical and a great way to have a hot meal without much fuss. Slow cooking is especially ideal for seniors, single people and families on the go. In the class, they welcome anyone who would like to learn more about the process. Don’t own a crockpot? We have some great news for you! They will provide attendees with a brand new appliance!
Jump Start Kitchen has been teaching community members to take advantage of crockpot cooking for seven years. Several women in the church thought it would be a great way to help others. Each presentation is about an hour long and they are held on the first Tuesday of the month from September thru May (they take a break during the summer). Class takes place in the hall at the church, located at 812 Arizona Street, across the parking lot from the Parks and Recreation Building. They have room for approximately 20 people per session.
Over the holidays, the church donated several new slow cookers to Emergency Aid of Boulder City. These were given to residents in our community who are struggling with food insecurity. Slow cooking is an excellent way to use cheaper cuts of meat as the “low and slow” cooking method tenderizes the meat. Slow cookers are also very versatile: cooks can make a variety of recipes and customize them to their tastes. There are recipes ranging from breakfast meals that can cook overnight, to beef roasts or vegetable soup as main dishes, to desserts like molten lava chocolate cake. The “hands off” approach to cooking is a nice benefit as well. Adding all the ingredients to the cooker in the morning and allowing it to cook all day, allows users to return home to a bubbling, nutritious meal at the end of the day. One of the most important features in our climate is that using a crockpot doesn’t heat up the kitchen, the way the stove and oven do! The appliances also consume less electricity than stoves and ovens.
The current instructors for Jump Start Kitchen include Barbara Buer, Bobbi Johnson, Karen Wilkes, and Patti Jacobsen. Each of these women are experienced cooks and enthusiastic instructors. They’ve taught a wide variety of eager learners: single parents, seniors on a fixed income, and even a local Girl Scout troop! They are excited to introduce folks to the ease of slow cooking. To RSVP for the next class on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, please email either Bobbi HERE or telephone Karen at (702) 277-1647. You can choose either a morning class at 10:00AM or the evening one at 6:30PM. If you would like to help support this fantastic community outreach program, you can contact Karen Wilkes at the phone number above.
Let’s get cooking Boulder City!
