About a month ago, my 15 year old son told me that he had signed up
for a competition that the school district was sponsoring. The teams
of 4 had 2 hours to prepare their recipes to serve 30 people, plus a
presentation plate to be judged. Our team's recipes were pork
tenderloins (they had to do 16 of them), butterflied and stuffed with
basil, chopped tomatoes, and blue cheese, and then tied. They also had
to make a balsamic cream sauce. They also had to make a salad with
frisee, radicchio, pancetta, pears and grapefruit supremes, garnished
with goat cheese balls and an easy vinigarette. On their first
practice run, it took them 1.5 hours just to do 3 pork tenderloins!
The next day, I showed them some basic knife skills and how to do the
grapefruit and prep the pears. We talked about timing, delegating
tasks, etc...So, last Thursday was the contest. There were 6 teams,
and we were served;
The pork
Moroccan chicken and rice
Flank steak & roasted asparagus
Crab cakes and a salad (forgot the details)
Butternut squash filled manicotti
Lemon grilled salmon and quinoa salad
All of the teams did a really nice job, and in this totally PC world,
they all won in different categories. They all received prizes
(blenders, elec. skillets, etc). I saw really good teamwork, and they
got it all done in time- it probably helped that they got a big can of
grapefruit segments! Not a cheap event either as the school district
provided all the food. So, that evening, the kid went to bed right
before 9- he was exhausted!

On Mon, 8 Apr 2013 12:34:04 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
wrote:

>About a month ago, my 15 year old son told me that he had signed up
>for a competition that the school district was sponsoring. The teams
>of 4 had 2 hours to prepare their recipes to serve 30 people, plus a
>presentation plate to be judged. Our team's recipes were pork
>tenderloins (they had to do 16 of them), butterflied and stuffed with
>basil, chopped tomatoes, and blue cheese, and then tied. They also had
>to make a balsamic cream sauce. They also had to make a salad with
>frisee, radicchio, pancetta, pears and grapefruit supremes, garnished
>with goat cheese balls and an easy vinigarette. On their first
>practice run, it took them 1.5 hours just to do 3 pork tenderloins!
>The next day, I showed them some basic knife skills and how to do the
>grapefruit and prep the pears. We talked about timing, delegating
>tasks, etc...So, last Thursday was the contest. There were 6 teams,
>and we were served;
>The pork
>Moroccan chicken and rice
>Flank steak & roasted asparagus
>Crab cakes and a salad (forgot the details)
>Butternut squash filled manicotti
>Lemon grilled salmon and quinoa salad
>All of the teams did a really nice job, and in this totally PC world,
>they all won in different categories. They all received prizes
>(blenders, elec. skillets, etc). I saw really good teamwork, and they
>got it all done in time- it probably helped that they got a big can of
>grapefruit segments! Not a cheap event either as the school district
>provided all the food. So, that evening, the kid went to bed right
>before 9- he was exhausted!

What a really nice program for kids. I'm proud of them for being
willing and doing a good job.
Janet US

What fun! Those students learned some valuable lessons.

Tara

On Apr 8, 2:23*pm, Tara > wrote:
> What fun! *Those students learned some valuable lessons.
>
> Tara

That they did! I forgot to mention that they didn't get their recipes
until the week before, and they also had to deal with an ingredient
revealed on the day of the contest- they got mushrooms.

On 4/8/2013 3:34 PM, merryb wrote:

> About a month ago, my 15 year old son told me that he had signed up
> for a competition that the school district was sponsoring. The teams
> of 4 had 2 hours to prepare their recipes to serve 30 people, plus a
> presentation plate to be judged. Our team's recipes were pork
> tenderloins (they had to do 16 of them), butterflied and stuffed with
> basil, chopped tomatoes, and blue cheese, and then tied. They also had
> to make a balsamic cream sauce. They also had to make a salad with
> frisee, radicchio, pancetta, pears and grapefruit supremes, garnished
> with goat cheese balls and an easy vinigarette. On their first
> practice run, it took them 1.5 hours just to do 3 pork tenderloins!
> The next day, I showed them some basic knife skills and how to do the
> grapefruit and prep the pears. We talked about timing, delegating
> tasks, etc...So, last Thursday was the contest. There were 6 teams,
> and we were served;
> The pork
> Moroccan chicken and rice
> Flank steak & roasted asparagus
> Crab cakes and a salad (forgot the details)
> Butternut squash filled manicotti
> Lemon grilled salmon and quinoa salad
> All of the teams did a really nice job, and in this totally PC world,
> they all won in different categories. They all received prizes
> (blenders, elec. skillets, etc). I saw really good teamwork, and they
> got it all done in time- it probably helped that they got a big can of
> grapefruit segments! Not a cheap event either as the school district
> provided all the food. So, that evening, the kid went to bed right
> before 9- he was exhausted!
>
That's so neat! I'm glad he has an interest in cooking at his age, and
the fact that he signed up for such a challenging competition is
impressive. Good luck to him, and thanks for sharing the story. I
enjoyed reading it.


--
CAPSLOCK–Preventing Login Since 1980.

On Apr 8, 2:45*pm, Cheryl > wrote:
> On 4/8/2013 3:34 PM, merryb wrote:
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> > About a month ago, my 15 year old son told me that he had signed up
> > for a competition that the school district was sponsoring. The teams
> > of 4 had 2 hours to prepare their recipes to serve 30 people, plus a
> > presentation plate to be judged. Our team's recipes were pork
> > tenderloins (they had to do 16 of them), butterflied and stuffed with
> > basil, chopped tomatoes, and blue cheese, and then tied. They also had
> > to make a balsamic cream sauce. They also had to make a salad with
> > frisee, radicchio, pancetta, pears and grapefruit supremes, garnished
> > with goat cheese balls and an easy vinigarette. On their first
> > practice run, it took them 1.5 hours just to do 3 pork tenderloins!
> > The next day, I showed them some basic knife skills and how to do the
> > grapefruit and prep the pears. We talked about timing, delegating
> > tasks, etc...So, last Thursday was the contest. There were 6 teams,
> > and we were served;
> > The pork
> > Moroccan chicken and rice
> > Flank steak & roasted asparagus
> > Crab cakes and a salad (forgot the details)
> > Butternut squash filled manicotti
> > Lemon grilled salmon and quinoa salad
> > All of the teams did a really nice job, and in this totally PC world,
> > they all won in different categories. They all received prizes
> > (blenders, elec. skillets, etc). I saw really good teamwork, and they
> > got it all done in time- it probably helped that they got a big can of
> > grapefruit segments! Not a cheap event either as the school district
> > provided all the food. So, that evening, the kid went to bed right
> > before 9- he was exhausted!
>
> That's so neat! *I'm glad he has an interest in cooking at his age, and
> the fact that he signed up for such a challenging competition is
> impressive. *Good luck to him, and thanks for sharing the story. *I
> enjoyed reading it.
>
> --
> CAPSLOCK Preventing Login Since 1980.

I just hope he doesn't decide on it for a career!

On Mon, 8 Apr 2013 12:34:04 -0700 (PDT), merryb >
wrote:

> About a month ago, my 15 year old son told me that he had signed up
> for a competition that the school district was sponsoring. The teams
> of 4 had 2 hours to prepare their recipes to serve 30 people, plus a
> presentation plate to be judged. Our team's recipes were pork
> tenderloins (they had to do 16 of them), butterflied and stuffed with
> basil, chopped tomatoes, and blue cheese, and then tied. They also had
> to make a balsamic cream sauce. They also had to make a salad with
> frisee, radicchio, pancetta, pears and grapefruit supremes, garnished
> with goat cheese balls and an easy vinigarette. On their first
> practice run, it took them 1.5 hours just to do 3 pork tenderloins!
> The next day, I showed them some basic knife skills and how to do the
> grapefruit and prep the pears. We talked about timing, delegating
> tasks, etc...So, last Thursday was the contest. There were 6 teams,
> and we were served;
> The pork
> Moroccan chicken and rice
> Flank steak & roasted asparagus
> Crab cakes and a salad (forgot the details)
> Butternut squash filled manicotti
> Lemon grilled salmon and quinoa salad
> All of the teams did a really nice job, and in this totally PC world,
> they all won in different categories. They all received prizes
> (blenders, elec. skillets, etc). I saw really good teamwork, and they
> got it all done in time- it probably helped that they got a big can of
> grapefruit segments! Not a cheap event either as the school district
> provided all the food. So, that evening, the kid went to bed right
> before 9- he was exhausted!

Sounds like a most excellent and valid learning experience! BTW: the
menu sounds delicious.

--
Food is an important part of a balanced diet.