Kid contests...picture heavy

LaurieLovesLearning
LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin

Our kids have been entering contests sponsored by Skills Manitoba. It focuses on the Trades.

The have done a spaghetti bridge (one of our boys won 1st in his category), a paper airplane challenge, and now and valentine baking or appetizer cooking challenge. Next will be a popsicle house/truck or bridge, then there is a hydraulics, braiding, & a plumbing one. Unfortunately, we missed quite a few because we were unaware of the series.

They are pretty proud. I thought that I'd share their latest creations. BTW, the cooking challenge could only be done with what the sponsor provided, which was chickpeas, cannellini beans, garlic, oatmeal, olive oil, and a spice mix.

The baking one had cake mixes, red food coloring (ugh), dried egg and oil. We used hibiscus and real egg as substitutes. Dried egg...ugh. Now that was a disaster. It's good that we did a trial the day before with another mix.

They used really strong hibiscus tea to color the cakes & make the pink icing. The green is liquid chlorophyll. On the plate, we put pieces of hibiscus and one has chocolate covered quinoa. I had some kind of lightweight sparkle/frost pieces decoration (it reminds me of thin plastic pieces) from years back that we scattered on the top of the cakes. We used a buttercream fondant for the hearts.

One of the cakes is "repairing a broken heart".

The consensus is that the orange colored appetizer (hummus-oatmeal crackers & whipped sweet potato) wins in our house.

We have a lot of cake.


Comments

  • karenjanicki
    karenjanicki Posts: 989 ✭✭✭✭

    Very pretty! They look delicious ❤

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    Well plated! You have a talented crew.

  • blevinandwomba
    blevinandwomba Posts: 813 ✭✭✭✭

    Are you going to share the cracker recipe? That sounds delicious.

  • LaurieLovesLearning
    LaurieLovesLearning Posts: 7,573 admin
    edited February 2021

    Thanks all! They really enjoyed eating the appetizers. Of course, the cakes are an ongoing treat. 😋

    There was lots of discussion amongst themselves about who did what best. At some points, it was a good learning opportunity for them to think about how to say something kindly and positively when some words didn't quite come out right. Nobody's feelings got hurt though and it was all good.

    These are kids that (when we had tv service) loved to watch Master Chef & Master Chef Junior & various other in kitchen & wild source cooking shows.

    These all took a lot of work & it was a great experience to each try something new.

    Our kids love doing things with food. I think some of the reason is that they get to eat it afterward...of course!

    @blevinandwomba Sure.


    Hummus Oat Crackers

    Ingredients:

    200g Hummus

    1/2 c. Oats/Oat Flour

    Instructions: Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl mix the hummus (Listed below) and oat flour, it should form a dough, and come into a ball. Line a small cookie sheet with parchment paper, place the dough on top, place a second piece of parchment paper on top of the dough. Press the dough with your hands to start flattening it, then using a rolling pin, roll the dough until it is evenly spread over the cookie sheet and approximately 5mm thick. Score the Dough into cracker shaped pieces, using a knife. Then using a fork poke a few holes in the crackers as this will help them bake more evenly. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for about 20 min (or until golden brown). Leave on a rack to cool, once cool snap along the score lines. And enjoy it with the Sweet potato dip below.


    Chickpea/Cannellini Bean Hummus

    Ingredients:

    2 Tbsp. Oil

    2 large Garlic cloves

    1 1/2 tsp. Spices

    6.5 oz. Chickpeas

    5.3 oz. Cannellini beans

    2 tsp. Water

    Instructions: Heat oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and spices, cook 1 minute. Stir in beans and chickpeas. Stir well to coat in oil and seasonings. Cook 2-3 minutes more. Remove from heat. Transfer chickpea-bean mixture to a food processor. Begin to process. Drizzle water in during mixing. Process until smooth or desired consistency.


    Sweet Potato Dip

    Ingredients:

    215g Sweet Potato

    3 Tbsp. Oil

    2 Tsp. Water

    1/2 tsp. Spices (save 1/4 tsp for garnish)

    Instructions: Pre-Heat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Cut up the sweet potato into skinny fries and toss in 2 Tbsp. Oil. Next lay all of the fries out on a small cookie sheet and Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 min or until soft, then transfer to a food processor and add water, 1/4 tsp. Spices, and 1 Tbsp. Oil. Blend until smooth. Transfer to a plate or bowl and garnish with Hummus Oat Crackers(listed above), and leftover spices. 

  • Torey
    Torey Posts: 5,679 admin

    Thanks for posting these recipes @LaurieLovesLearning. My husband will love the sweet potato one and I am looking forward to the hummus. The crackers look great.