Term 4 Week 6 and 7 Kitchen Garden

In week 6 both F/1 and 1/2 picked fresh strawberries from the garden and used them to decorate cupcakes. They are becoming very good at creaming butter and sugar together as this has been also the basis of many of our muffin and biscuit recipes.

The Grade 3/4 and 5/6 class have worked in their kitchen groups to design menus which include an appetiser, a main course, a side or salad, a dessert and a drink. Each week, we are cooking a different group's meal, with each group preparing a different course. The results are then shared and evaluated.

The dishes cooked so far are:

3/4 Week 6: garlic bread, seared lamb chops with mint sauce, pasta salad, candied apples and mulled apple juice

5/6 Week 6: Nachos, tacos, Caesar salad, choc chip cookies, lemonade

3/4 Week 7: Cheese Pizza, Mac and cheese (GF), fresh garden salad, Pancakes (GF), strawberry milkshake

5/6 Week 7: Garlic bread, oven-baked fish and chips, Tartare sauce, mini cheesecakes, berry coulis, hot chocolate

A great variety of dishes has been prepared, and the students have successfully coped with the challenge of cooking different dishes. Some of the recipes have required the use of electric appliances such as blenders and beaters. While the students have enjoyed tasting the food, completing all the cleaning before the end of the lesson is still a work in progress. It has been wonderful to see them sitting together at the tables and sharing what they’ve made.

STRAWBERRY CUPCAKES (Makes about 8 cakes)

Ingredients

62g butter
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 cup Full Cream Milk
1 cup self-raising flour

Method

Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan-forced). Line a cup tray with patty pans and set aside.
Cream the butter, vanilla and sugar together.
Add egg
Add half of the flour and milk and then repeat until well combined.
Pour equal amounts into the patty pans and bake for 12-15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and ice with your favourite icing.
Spread frosting over cupcakes. Before serving, decorate cupcakes with slices of reserved strawberries. To form butterflies cut 2 slices lengthways down the middle of a strawberry. Cut each slice in half lengthways (this forms the wings for 2 butterflies). Cut 2 slivers from the strawberry offcuts to form 2 butterfly bodies. Place on top of two iced cupcakes to form butterflies.

Ingredients