Local caterer Sara Blough knows all about those cookbook pages that get flipped past in the search for a standby recipe. She once stuck to the trusty meatloaf and cornbread herself.

But dealing with food almost every day for 20 years, Blough finds she has to experiment with new things.

So when she was asked to lead a cooking class at Copiah-Lincoln Community College’s Natchez campus, Blough challenged her students to step out of the ordinary and find out how much fun – and how simple – trying out new recipes can be.

The four-week class on foods for entertaining was a first for Blough, though she has been asked many times to share her culinary talents.

&uot;I’ve taken cooking classes before, but you just sit there and take notes and eat the food, never getting involved in the process,&uot; she said. &uot;My idea all along was you learn by doing.&uot;

Students like Gwen Massey and Rita Kelly, both of Natchez, admitted they were at first intimidated by recipes for creme brulee and fancy canapes, but Blough’s hands-on teaching technique created a relaxed approach to food.

And Blough’s advice for timid chefs? &uot;Try it in your own kitchen and if it doesn’t work, then throw it out.&uot;

Try out these recipes for your next party. You may just be surprised by the results.

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Buffalo Chicken Wings

makes 24 pieces

1 1/2 pounds chicken wings

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

3 cups vegetable oil

3 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

2 tablespoons hot red pepper sauce, or to taste

For this restaurant favorite invented in 1967 at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, N.Y., preheat oven to 350 degrees. Remove and discard the wing tips from the chicken and separate each wing into two pieces at the joint, trimming the excess fat and skin. Stir together on a plate the flour, salt and pepper.

Coat the wings with the flour mixture and shake off the excess. Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or deep, heavy pot to 375 degrees, then over medium heat until a corner of a wing held in the oil makes a lively sizzle.

Add as many wings as will fit in a single layer without crowding and fry for about 10 minutes, turning once until golden brown. Drain wings on paper towels and keep warm on a baking sheet in the oven. Repeat with the remaining wings.

For the sauce, heat the butter in a small pan until it foams, then remove from the heat before adding vinegar and pepper sauce.

Transfer the wings to a large mixing bowl, pour the sauce over the wings and toss until evenly coated. Serve hot with celery and carrot sticks and blue cheese dressing.

– The New Joy of Cooking

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Bruschetta

makes 8 slices

8 thick slices crusty, firm Italian or French bread

2 large cloves garlic, halved

3 to 4 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

4 medium, rip tomatoes, cored and diced

1/2 cup slivered fresh basil leaves

Salt and ground pepper to taste

To make this appetizer from the Italian word meaning &uot;roasted over coals,&uot; place bread over a medium-hot charcoal fire or preheated broiler. Grill or broil, turning once, until golden brown, about 3 minutes each side.

Remove from heat and rub the surface with garlic and brush with olive oil. In a bowl, combine tomatoes, basil, salt and pepper then divide among the bruschetta and serve immediately.

For a slightly different taste, top each slice with shredded mozzarella cheese (about 8 ounces total) before adding tomatoes, then sprinkle on some fresh chopped oregeno (about 2 tablespoons total).

– The New Joy of Cooking

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Basic Creme Brulee

2 cups whipping cream

5 egg yolks

1/2 cup sugar

1 tablespoon vanilla extract

1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar

Combine the cream, yolks, sugar and vanilla, stirring with a wire whisk until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is smooth. Pour into 5 small custard dishes. Place these in a large roasting pan or on a jelly-roll pan.

Add 1/2 inch of hot water.

Bake them at 275 degrees for 45 to 50 minutes or until almost set. Cool the custard in the water in the pan on a wire rack. Remove from the water bath, cover each with plastic wrap and chill at least 8 hours. Sprinkle about 1 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar evenly over each custard. Place them on a baking sheet. Turn the broiler on in your oven. Place the pan in the oven about 5 to 6 inches from the broiler. If your oven is electric do this with the oven door partially open. Broil just until the sugar melts. Then let the custards set for 5 minutes for the sugar to harden. Garnish with fresh berries and mint leaves or whipped cream.