Man Behind the Scenes

Wanted to give a shout out to Dave "Pops" Dean, for his support during our camp.  He was great about helping wash pots and pans, unloading the dishwasher, and offering helpful suggestions and moral support.  I think he kind of liked getting fed three times a day, though.  There will be no living with him now.

Parting Poem to our Cooking Camp Students

You’ve had a long week, but you’ve learned a lot,
And we are so proud of the confidence you got.
You’ve learned to make roux, and to cut, chop, and slice,
And you know how to make a buffet table look nice.
You aren’t afraid to “wing it” and try something new,
And you know to read a recipe all the way through.
We hope you had fun, we were glad to have you here,
But don’t plan on Camp II until we’ve rested for a year.

- written by "Master Chef" Brandy

Cooking Camp - Day 8

Wow, the week is over.  It started out hectic and busy, but as the confidence of the students grew, and the need for heavy instruction and modeling lessened, the week ended on a relaxed note.  The Master Chefs treated everyone to a brunch of Dutch Babies and fruit salad.  Sorry, we forgot to take pictures again.  Jerry joined us for brunch.

The students were then given their diplomas for successfully completing the requirements of the camp.

Jack - special commendation for accuracy and precision

Kyndall - special commendation for helping others and willingness to experiment

Robert - special commendation for enthusiasm

Skye - special commendations for being the perfect student; attentive and eager

So we bid a fond farewell to our wonderful teenager students.  They exceeded all of our expectations.  We met all the goals of the camp, and the students met their individual goals as well.  Their enthusiasm, ability to learn, teamwork, attention to detail, cleanliness, positive attitude, and willingness to experiment, were refreshing and pleasurable. 

Cooking Camp - Day 7

Day of the big "Final Exam".  We kept the day pretty simple - kids were on their own for breakfast, and they just made soups for lunch from leftovers.

Students then had the rest of the day to prepare their chosen dish for the final exam judging.  First course - appetizer.  Robert made Chicken Poppers.  He pounded chicken breast and cut it into strips which he then topped with ground ham and cheese.  All this was then rolled in bacon and cooked in a skillet.  Yes, they were as yummy as they sound.

Second course - entree.  Jack chose a tough dish - manicotti.  His prepared his Meaty Manicotti with care and diligence and managed to stuff his pasta without breaking them.

Second course - side dish.  Kyndall sliced 4 pounds of potatoes and made a creamy sauce for her White Cheddar Scalloped Potatoes.  This was served with the manicotti and some vegetables cooked by the Master Chefs.

Although she is fully clothed, Kyndall's strapless top made us label this photo
"Naked Chef".

Last course - dessert.  Skye worked hard all afternoon on her Classic Red Velvet Cake.  But then she got to relax while the others were putting together their dishes closer to serving time.

The Master Chefs took the judging very seriously and followed pre-determined standards for planning and preparation, following the recipe, cooking techniques, appearance and presentation, and taste, texture, and flavor.  By a narrow margin, Jack won the competition due to his precision, well-prepared recipe notes, and garnish for not only the pan but also for each individual serving.  We were very proud of all of our students for tackling a new recipe by themselves.  It was a delicious competition.

We added up how many different dishes we prepared this week.  Anyone want to guess?
. . .
. . .
. . .
. . .

more than 20. . .

. . .
. . .
. . .

getting closer. . .

. . .
. . .

49!
  
After dinner, the students surprised the Master Chefs with a thank you card and gifts.  This was really appreciated and almost made us cry.  The beautiful serving bowls will make a nice addition to our kitchen collection.

Cooking Camp - Appetizer Party

Everyone helped to prep for our Cooking Camp Invitational Reception.  Each student was then in charge of final preparation and presentation of a different dish.

Kyndall stuffed the Deviled Eggs.

Crudites by Skye.

Jack baked Pizza Puffs.

Robert stirred up Cheese Fondue.

  Then we had some fun decorating the buffet table.  Went with a Vegas theme
- go figure.

     We invited Grandma Bev and Chris to join us for our appetizer lunch.  I mean, what fun is all this party food, if you don't have someone to share it with?  A great time was had by all.

Cooking Camp - Day 6

Started the day making Grandma Bev's Grits.  Some of the kids had never tasted grits - but everyone liked them.  We learned an important lesson about multiplying fractions.  4 x 1/4 is not the same as 4 x 1!  The students were then told about their "Final Exam".  They were all given new cookbooks and challenged with picking out a recipe to prepare by themselves.  Many groans were heard, but then they eagerly poured through the book to find their perfect choice.

We then prepared for our appetizer party (see separate post), and enjoyed eating and talking with our invited guests (Chris and Grandma Bev).

We then set off for the grocery store.  The students each had to write a list and get the ingredients they needed to make their dishes.  For dinner, it was pasta sauce experiment night.  Each student created their own sauce.  Jack tried a recipe for a carbonara sauce, Robert made a white sauce and then added Italian cheeses to make his own version of Alfredo.  Kyndall and Skye decided to just do their own thing, and each one made a unique tomato  sauce.  We forgot to take a picture when they were done, but you can see that we devoured most of what they created.

Gold star to Kyndall for going "outside the box" and trying a sauce without a recipe that was unique and delicious.

"Master Chef" Eileen presented 2 special gold stars.  These were given to Skye and Robert for being enthusiastic learners.  They were usually the first ones ready in the morning, the first ones ready at their stations, and handled constructive criticism well.  Congratulations.

"Master Chef" Recipe of the Day

JELLO FLUFF

1 small package jello
1 cup boiling water
8 oz. regular cream cheese - softened
1/4 cup sugar

- Place the boiling water in a 2-quart heat-proof bowl.
- Stir in jello and sugar until dissolved.
- Break the cream cheese into small pieces and mix into hot Jello mixture a few pieces at a time, stirring after each addition.
- Whisk to combine thoroughly.
- Set in the refrigerator until it just begins to thicken slightly, about 30-45 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make whipped cream
     - put 1 cup heavy whipping cream, 4 tsp sugar and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract in electric mixing bowl with whip attachment.  Begin mixing at low speed until mixture begins to thicken and then increase speed to medium.  Continue to whip until you have 3-4 cups of whipped cream and it is relatively stiff.
    
- Fold in 3 cups whipped cream into thickened jello mixture.
- Chill for at least one hour before serving.

Suggested flavors - raspberry, peach, orange

recipe adapted from one found in Everyday Low Carb Cooking