Want to expand your culinary offerings beyond the simple, packaged macaroni and cheese you buy from the grocery store (eg, avoid the chemical feast)?

Join us from 6-8:30 p.m. on Monday, June 13, at the Sitka Kitch community rental commercial kitchen (inside First Presbyterian Church, 505 Sawmill Creek Road) as Westmark Hotel/Totem Square Inn Executive Chef Kathy Jones and Sous Chef Barbara Palacios teach a variety of simple pasta dishes as part of the Cooking From Scratch class series. In this class students will learn how to macaroni and cheese without a boxed mix; linguine with clams, grape tomatoes and basil pesto; spaghetti alla carbonara (spaghetti, eggs, bacon, pepper); and meatballs.

The cost of the class is $20, plus a food fee shared among the registered participants (about $15). Email sitkakitch@sitkawild.org for more information.

To register, go to the Sitka Kitch online registration page, and sign up. Registration closes at noon on Saturday, June 11, so the instructors can purchase supplies. This site link is for registration only. You will pay with cash or check (made out to Sitka Conservation Society) at the class. Even though you pay at the class, we need people to register through the site so we know how many people will be at the class. Email sitkakitch@sitkawild.org with questions.

Also, watch out for upcoming classes from Chef Kathy and Chef Barbara in late July (tentative topic is rabbit), August (tentative topic is quail) and September (tentative topic is mystery basket, bring in items from your garden, pantry or freezer and create a dish). We’ll post more details (here and on the Sitka Kitch page on Facebook) when plans are finalized.