Food Challenge!

This is our 3rd year to participate in the 4-H Food Challenge!  The kids really have a good time learning about food and being creative as they create meals.  Our kids were on 2 teams.  The boys were the I'mpastas and I was their team coach.  Sandra was on the Fancy Five and Miss Angela was their coach.  

It was interesting to be the coach of the teen boys.  Last year I helped with Sandra's and  Grant's teams, while Angela worked with the teen boy group.  Angela has been doing this for years and years so she was actually ready for a switch to a different team than her son was on and I was ready to get these boys in shape so they could go to district.  It was a good switch, even if it was an adjustment for both of us ;)

After many and many weeks of practice and working with teen boys it was time for the county competition!  There were 4 teams at the county level and the top 2 moved on.  Our club had three of the four teams so we had a good chance of claiming both spots.  I really hoped that all of my kids would move on to district!  Well, Sandra's team came in 2nd and the boys came in 3rd.  They were really disappointed.  I was too.  I guess the hard part was after working with the boys and watching the girls for the 6 or so weeks it was pretty obvious the younger team was just better.  It was really just their creativity.  I don't know why the boys don't do more creative things, but they have the knowledge and the speaking skills... even the cooking skills.  I guess when they make scrambled eggs with vegetables and the girls make sunny side eggs, the girl team wins.  Really though, on their judges notes there were several comments about kitchen safety so I wonder if that was just enough points to nudge them out (Sandra's team had similar notes tho).  

After all of the disappointment, the boys will survive and hopefully come back with more gusto next year!  We have also seen Sandra have some natural talent for cooking and even just performing under pressure.  It is wonderful to see her progress.  Her team really did as well because she was on it.  It was her idea to do the sunny side eggs ... she has never even made them before!  We do watch a lot of cooking shows so I guess that's where she gets it from :). 

Anyway ... here are some fun photos of the county competition on November 9th

Ready ... Set ... Go! 

My little ones :)

The boys working on their dish!

Sandra's team ready to go present!

Boys turn

Talmage is talking in front of the judges right now!

So exciting

The boys dish!  It looked fabulous!  Oh, and I love Grant totally photo bombing this pic ;)

Boys with their 3rd place awards. 

Sandra's team getting 2nd!  

Sandra's team went to district on December 2nd.  I stayed home to take Clark to speech.  I sent Sandra with Carla and I also helped Carla out by getting her daughter to and from her class.  It all worked out. 

At district they ended up in the fruit and vegetable category.  They got the ingredients for a salsa (not sure if they ever figured that out tho) and turned it into a smiley face meal.  They scooped out two of the tomatoes and filled it with chopped veggies and that was the eyes.  The mouth was a grilled mango, and I can't remember what they used for a nose.  They were so creative!!!  

They were up against 7 other teams from other counties... and they won first place!!!  I was so happy for Sandra!  She did everything she was supposed to and did awesome on her speech... let alone being a creative genius!  

Way to go Fancy Five!

Too cute!
Jamie, Abby, Sandra, Valerie, and Ian

Love her!

I think what is so amazing about Sandra is that she is able to think up amazing ways to combine the ingredients into something unique!  I know that I am too programmed into following a recipe that I don't think like that.  She even has a desire to go to culinary school and actually work as a chef!  Sandra can do whatever she sets her mind to do!  We love you chica girl!