Budding Chefs inspires children by providing fun, interactive, hands-on cooking experiences

Monday, March 3, 2014

Miss J is 13!

I spent my Friday night celebrating J's 13th birthday with a great group of 14 teenagers.

These basketball players came right from practice hungry and ready to cook.  The agenda for the night:  cook, eat, stay up all night and go right back to practice in the morning. :)    Ok, I hear they were really good and didn't stay up all night.  But they had a ton of energy.  In addition to enjoying the delicious food they made, they also learned some things.

One, what the heck is Gnocchi, and how do you even say it?  Ganochee?  Nope, Noh-Kee or Nyoh-kee.  Made from potatoes.  Are they good uncooked?  J decided definitely NOT!

The girls were split into 2 groups, each making their own Chicken Gnocchi Soup and Soft Breadsticks.  The first direction in the soup recipe is to put oil in the pan and heat it on the stove.  Both groups grabbed the pan and started to do that.  I then pointed out that they might want to read through the rest of the recipe first.  I asked if they were ready to add the rest of the ingredients once the oil was hot.  The ingredients were chopped carrots, onions, minced garlic, shredded chicken.  We looked at the ingredients on the counter.  Whole carrots, whole onion, a whole chicken breast.  Hmmm, it might be a good idea to prepare those things before heating our oil!  They also realized it was much easier to prepare all the ingredients ahead, including measuring out the chicken stock, milk and Half & Half. 


Each group was able to choose to make sweet or savory breadsticks.  Cinnamon and sugar, or garlic and italian seasonings.  Both chose sweet.  These girls wanted some sugar!

Everything turned out delicious.  They did a great job, with everyone doing their part.  And then got to have cake and watch Miss J open her gifts while I cleaned up in the kitchen.  That's the nice thing about birthday parties!  I'm sure all of these girls help out a lot at home.