LETS BE CHEFS | COOKWITHME

CHIJ KATONG CONVENT
two-ohh-fourr'
thirteen' going on fourteen'
born in the year of an oink'
female'
26 October 1995'
STUDENT who cooks'

ABOUT ME!
HELLOOOO, this is my home economics blog and i find cooking an art.
It is a skill that every women would need to know.
I thank the school for giving us opportunities to let us share our skills and also to have fun and even experimenting with food.
I JUS LOVE HOME ECONOMICS LESSONS! :D

Monday, May 18, 2009 | 07:57

Firstly, you put water in a pot and boil the water.
After it has boiled, add in the spaghetti and 1/2 a teaspoon of oil, so that the spaghetti would not stick together and also to increases the boiling point of the water preventing bubbling from occurring which might cause our hand to be hurt.
While waiting for the spaghetti to be soft, cut the mushroom, sausages and carrots into slices.
Note: Wash them before you cut.
After that, in another pot, put the prego sauce with 2 tablespoon of tomato ketchup.
Also, remember to add about 2 teaspoon of sugar to make it taste not so sour.
Wait for it to boil, but stir it continuously.
Once the mixture of prego sauce and tomato sauce is boiled, add the sliced mushrooms, sausages and the minced beef.
Wait for it to boil once again.
Meanwhile, the spaghetti should already be ready, drain the water and pour into a plate.
Once the sauce is done, pour the sauce over the spaghetti and add a bit of cheese on top.
Decorate the remaining space, with carrots and sausages with a little bit of lettuce, shaped in a flower.
Serve with a smile! :D

"A good cook is the peculiar gift of the gods. He must be a perfect creature from the brain to the palate, from the palate to the finger's end."

Saturday, May 16, 2009 | 07:48

“Cooking is like making love, you do it well, or you do not do it at all”.

| 07:20

"The discovery of a new dish does more for the happiness of mankind than the discovery of a star."

| 06:27

In term 2 week 1, we had to do a time plan, this helps me to organise my time better and in my time plan, i included sufficient detailed and special points to note. I tried my best to be as detailed as possible and to include minor or small details such as preparation of food and wash-ups. I found this very meaningful as it helped me to cook be aware of the timing and also to cook within the amount of time provided. It was actually very challenging to think of small details, however i managed to include how to cut the sausages for etc. into cubes or small slices. In week 2, it was our PRACTICAL EXAM! We had to prepare our modified dish within the time limit of 50 minutes. I thought it was rather difficult at first but then i remembered my time plan., I followed according to it, however the spaghetti was cooking longer than usual and i panicked a little. However, i multi-tasking, i cooked both the sauce and spaghetti together. I also tried my best to present my dish as attractively as i can, i also included carrots and lettuce which is colourful and make the dish look nicer and good. I made the lettuce look like a flower and also put carrots which are good for the eyes, it is sliced into equal pieces which will make the dish nice. People also tend to eat food that looks nice and colourful, which i have tried my best to do so. I feel that this practical exam has helped me to worked independently and to cook certain dishes which i have yet to cook before. I also have gained confidence and am not easily paranoid about getting scalded and get but my a knife anymore. I feel that secondary home economics lessons has also helped me to learn to be more mature and not to always depend on people to make food for me. Now i can use these skills, and also in my future. It indeed has changed my entire self, and now i am aiming to get an A for my home economics. This practical exam has also helped me to be more motivated and i have also learn many values such as, patience, tolerance, teamwork so on and so fore. I feel that this entire project is indeed an interesting one whereby it has many challenges that i need to face. I also realise the true meaning of facing a problem and not to avoid it! This entire project is indeed a SUCCESS for me! :D

"Success is not the key to happiness. Happiness is the key to success. If you love what you are doing, you will be successful. "

| 04:57

When i first joined home economics in secondary 2, i was filled with anxiety and nervousness as i did not really know how to cook. I always was paranoid about getting burnt or accidentally cutting myself with the knife. Whenever i thought of these i got really scared. Although, i had learnt some cooking in secondary 1, i did not take it very seriously. This year, I want to do my best because i realised how important it is to know how to cook and of course, to get good results for streaming. The first time i had lesson, i payed close attention to what my teacher was talking. She mentioned that CLEANLINESS is very important in the process of cooking and that we had to tie our hair back neatly and to wear an apron at all times. She also explained the consequences of not having cleanliness, which will lead to stomach issues and might cause us to get ill. Some lessons after that, we received this project whereby my task is to come up with an innovative and economical dish for our school cafe for both students and teachers as the targeted consumers. Re-create your very own unique and healthy recipes to suit their preferences. At the end, we are suppose to either make a video/blog site to show your processes in product-testing and improvisation of recipes. On the same day, Ms Aishah, asked us to find a partner, mine is Felicia and she also went through the overall workplan with us. We had to be very detailed and the plan had to be very logical, i also mentioned on how i could be organised and maintain cleanliness. For that section, i scored 8 marks. The next lesson, i also remembered making survey questions with my partner and then once we were done, we had to show Ms Aishah what questions we had made. We also had printed out 10 survey questions and gave to people to do. We also made conclusions of the results through pie charts and pie charts. We also tried to be as detailed as possible. However, this time we only managed to obtain 19 marks which isn't very good. We also chose to do lunch, as it was a meal that everyone would eat. I also had to choose 2 suitable recipes which fit the survey results. In week 4, we had our first test, whereby i cooked Macaroni Cheese, we had to test it out and also to write down my remarks or areas where i can improve on in ANNEX 2A. It was the first time where i going to cook for REAL and of course independently. I felt very excited and ecstatic that i can finally cook, ALL BY MYSELF. I tried to organize my time well and to be aware of cleanliness. I prepared my ingredients and also washed the utensils properly and made sure i used a clean towel to wipe it dry. After the whole lesson, I tried a little bit and i found that it tasted a bit too cheesy and salty. The appearance was also not very good as it did not have much colours. However, my friend who tasted it, found it very nice, probably because i am not the cheese type of person. I wrote down what i feel that can be improved on, like in appearance and to make it healthier. In week 5, we had to test out the modified recipe, this time i used low fat mayonnaise and low fat cheese, which is of a healthier choice. I also included sausages which will make it more colourful and chopped it up to small sliced pieces which would include shape. I handled the ingredients with care and made sure I did not overcook the macaroni. When i did taste the macaroni again after the lesson, i found that it tasted great, however, I thought that if i consumed too much of it, i would turn fat and would have heart problems if i always ate this. I wrote my remarks down again but this time in ANNEX 2B. I tried to elaborate very well and tried to have strong relevance tot he task. In week 6 and 7, i cooked spaghetti which was a much healthier choice and of course it turned out much better. It tasted great, although i could have decorated it much better at the first time. At the modified version, i included vegetables which will provide vitamins which will help in digestion. It is also good for growing kids. I took pictures and videos during these processes for my blog, we were also graded for our cleanliness and hygiene. In week 10, we had to choose a final recipe which i chose SPAGHETTI of course and i had to analyse the recipe through a recipe analysis. I also tried to be detailed and tried to have strong relevance to the task. I also had to provide detailed reasons for choosing the recipe, I found this fun as i loved to write about my dish. I talked about how healthy it was and how it would benefit school children especially growing children. It also contained vitamins, ion, protein and carbohydrates which would provide the school children with the energy that they need. If they eat too much of it, it would not turn fat and it does not contain a lot of oil, so it would not cause the children to have heart problems in the future. All this marks was included in CA. I would talk about the SA marks in the next post. till then, SEE YOU! :D

"Good cooking takes time. If you are made to wait, it is to serve you better."

| 04:24

My last task is to do a video clip or a project blog either in pairs on individual. However, I chose to do a blog which is much easier and I will also be able to put of my feelings inside! :D The purpose of this blog is to talk about my reflections on the practical exam, the entire project and learning points. I feel that overall I have to try to be very detailed and to even include meaningful comments. I will also include pictures and even videos during these lessons. I am sorry i have not put up any pictures because Felicia, my partner has not sent it over yet. But i will try to get as soon as possible then upload it. :D

"Cooking should be a carefully balanced reflection of all the good things of the earth."

Friday, May 15, 2009 | 22:20

When you're cooking in the kitchen,
You're learning all the while --
To pour and measure, mix and stirAnd sift flour into a pile.
Scrub your hands before you start
Then gather up the gear --
Like pots'n pans and measuring cups
That you use throughout the year.
Go over the recipe, step-by-step,
So you'll know just what to do.
By carefully following the directions,
It won't be hard for you.
Have a hot pad handy
And an adult standing by --
So you won't hurt yourself
When using the stove or baking a pie.
Besides the fun and learning,
There's always cleaning up to do,
And even though it's quite a chore,
It's part of cooking too.
But after all the work is done,
It will soon be time for dinner.
And when someone asks for seconds,
You'll know you've cooked a winner!

"Cooking is an art and patience a virtue... Careful shopping, fresh ingredients and an unhurried approach are nearly all you need. There is one more thing - love. Love for food and love for those you invite to your table. With a combination of these things you can be an artist - not perhaps in the representational style of a Dutch master, but rather more like Gauguin, the naïve, or Van Gogh, the impressionist. Plates or pictures of sunshine taste of happiness and love."

| 05:40

Practical exam happened on 6 April at 11am to 12 noon. It was indeed a fun and interesting one, whereby I can finally put my skills to the TEST! We are given 50 MINUTES to prepare our modified dish. We must also present our dish attractively to suit the cafe. During the practical exam, I was nervous and felt jittery. I learnt some values during these home economics practical exam such as tolerance, patience, responsibility, teamwork and respect. I learnt patience and tolerance through makin the dish, which takes a long time. However, now, i have learnt to wait patiently, and think positive such as the food will turn out nice so i can eat! Responsibility is when i must be responsible for the food i need to bring and to hand in assignments on time and to be responsible for my own actions. Teamwork is when I work with other people and to do my best. Respect is about respectng other people's decisions and also to have manners to them, if u do not have respect, they will also not treat you with the amount of respect you need. During the practical exam, i tried my best to be very organised, so that i would know which ingredients i need to cut and wash. I also planned my time well, although the spaghetti did not cook very fast. I feel that this entire project is very fun as it has some challenges that i will face, however I managed to face it properly and I did my best for this project. I also tried to be aware of the hygiene and cleanliness like wiping the table and doing regular wash ups. I also wore a clean apron and pulled back my hair so that it would not affect my food. I feel that the values that i have learnt will help me now and definitely for my future. I hope i will have more of such activities which is both challenging and enjoyable.

“You will never get out of pot or pan anything fundamentally better than what went into it. Cooking is not alchemy; there is no magic in the pot.”

| 04:14

In week 5-9, we had to design ideas and to do processes. This is an indicidual task. It was a rather tough process, as I had to do things by myself. I had to think of 2 recipes based on the survey results that i have done in week 3 and 4. We also had to test out the original adn modifed recipe and then to write down my remarks in Annex A and B. For my Macaroni cheese, it was very cheesy and it was fattening, as it contained a high content of fats. I find that it also look very plain as there was not colours and there was not much shape added. The macaroni was already yellow and yet the cheese is also yellow, so there was not much of a colour. Although the macaroni cheese has protein such as sausages and it has calcium and minerals in the cheese, it is unhealthy because it contains a lot of fats and processed food. If consumed too much, the person would grow fat and might the fats might block the veins causin the person to have heart problems. Therefore, I did not choose Macaroni cheese for my practical exam. However i chose a much healthier chioce, Spaghetti. It is both nutritious and has fresh protein such as minced beef. I chose this dish as i find that it has more colours and more shapes to it, for example the sliced mushrooms and sausages, this makes the dish look appetising. There are also different colours to it: red [ spaghetti sauce ] , yellow [ spaghetti ] , brown [sausage and mushroom ], Redish brown [ minced beef ]. I also included lettuce during the practical and carrots which makes it more nutritious and healthier. It is also high in fibre, vitamins, minerals which will help in digestion, Therefore, I chose this dish as it is very healthy and it looks appetising. During the tests, we must also take videos and pictures so that we can add to either our video or blog. For me, I chose to do a blog because it is much easier and besides, it will look moe interesting! In week 10, we had to do decision making which requires me to think a lot, some questions which i think of are: Is it appetising? Is it nutritious and healthy? Does it suit people's taste? Is the recipe unique or different from the normal dishes served in a typical cafe? Is it innovative enough? Will people buy if it is soled in my school cafe? We also had to analyse the nutritient content, using a Recipe Analysis software from www.hpd.gov.sg . In term 2 week 1, we had to do a time plan, it was very detailed and i had to include seps like wash-ups and preparation steps. The time plan helps me to organise my time well and to remember special points which i need to note. The time plan is also very effective as it helps you to conduct my practical exam within the appropriate time.

“Cooking is like love. It should be entered into with abandon or not at all.”

Thursday, May 14, 2009 | 02:20

In term 1, week 1 and 2, we had to present an overall work plan which was done with Ms Aisyah, my home economics teacher during class, we had to elaborate how we were going to do our tasks and provide logical and detailed planning. I feel that we have to be organised to do this and to be very precise on this tasks that we have planned. In week 3 and 4, we had to do research, this requires team effort and to choose either breakfast lunch or tea, we had a hard time choosing but in the end we chose lunch as it was a meal whereby everybody would have. My partner, Felicia and I also produced 10 survey questions, and printed out 20 survey forms for people to do. This helps us to know what people like and dislike and what they prefer. The questions thatFelicia and I had made up are : Do you have breakfast in the morning? ; What is your preferred ethnic food? ; Do you prefer spicy or non spicy? ; What is your preferred cooking methods? Do you have any allergies? ; What is your favourite meat? ; Are you heath conscious? ; What vegetables do you like? ; Do you like soupy food? ; Would you rather purchase food that i costly and nice or a cheaer food but average tasting? From the survey results that we have gathered, most people do not take breakfast in the morning, as they either have no appetite or have no time. People also chose western as their preferred ethnic food, they also do not like spicy food. as for their preferred cooking methods, there was a tie between frying and boiling and therefore i have chose boiling which is a much healthier choice and also would not cause them to be obese if taken too much, frying on the other hand, will cause people to grow at and the oil might also block up th veins and cause heart problems and other diseases. Most people do not have allergies and like beef. They also are health conscious and only eat healthy food such as fruits and vegetables which will help in digestion. They are also very conscious about being fat and to maintain a beautiful body. Most people also chose lettuce as one of their favourite chioces of vegetables, as it is crunchy and both delicious, when consumed, either raw or cooked. Soupy food is also not very recommendable as Singapore has a very hot weather and people do not like to sweat, so people do not like soupy food People also prefer cheaper and average tasting food, which is not a bad thing as they know how to safe money and to understand people from the other countries who have no food. Therefore, i decided on two dishes, Macoroni cheese as well as Spaghetti.

“Good painting is like good cooking: it can be tasted, but not explained”

| 02:12

HELLO, everyone out there, my name is CHERMAINE and i am here blogging about my home economics food that i have made. :D Firstly, my task is to come up with an innovative and economical dish for our school cafe for both students and teachers as the targeted consumers, I must re-create my very own unique and healthy recipes for lunch. At the end os the project, i will have to produce a blog or video, which i have chosen blog that is why i am writing, to show my processes in product testing and improvisation of recipes.

“Try to cook so that it will surprise a little, agreeably and astonish slightly, without shocking.”