Cooking With

Kulsoom!Period 6

My Initial Plan Layout

Grocery Shopping!Grocery shopping was a fun experience. I had done it before, because I help my

mom do it sometimes. My first stop was the meat store. This was where we bought

all our meat, as well as the junk food. You can get other groceries as well there, so I

bought the things that I knew I wouldn’t be able to find in safeway. It was a small

little store, so things were tightly packed together, and you wouldn’t be able to find

them if you blinked. I bought my jello, as well as bulgur wheat, garlic, and finally

saffron. I knew that store carried it, but I couldn’t find it anywhere. It was in such a

small box usually, that it was impossible to find. Turns out that they keep it behind

the counter because saffron is a valuable spice. While waiting for the meat to be

cut, I looked at the selection of cuts already sitting there. I saw tongue of cow, as

well as its liver and kidney. Yum...if you’re a wolf! Anyways, as soon as we got our

food, we headed out of the store. Then we drove to Safeway, where I ran around

the store, clutching the 4 pages of grocery I had written out. When I tried to find

the sponge cake for the trifle, I was told that they didn’t carry it. They told me to

substitute either pound cake or angel food cake in its place. After considering

prices and sizes, I chose the pound cake because it was smaller and it was the

right flavor-lemon. While running through the aisles, I happened to glance at

Starbucks stall, and saw 3 kids from my school. I turned my head, and awkwardly

walked faster past them. I walked up to the baking aisle, and looked up and down

on the shelves. I was trying to find cornflour, but I couldn’t. I panicked and called

my mom over, and she pointed out the cornmeal and told me that it was the

same thing. Relieved, I grabbed a box and put it the cart. Then, we headed over

to the checkout, paid for my stuff, and headed for the exit. Before we walked out, I

glanced longingly at the Starbucks stall, the smell of coffee inviting me, and I asked

my mom, “Do you want any coffee?”. She smiled knowingly and responded,”No,

and neither do you.” I sighed, and walked out of the store, frappuccino-less.

In front of meat shop

Different Types of meat I saw

The jello

The Bulgur Wheat

The Oil

Finished shopping here

Outside Safeway-Before

The Bell Pepper

The Parsley

The Potatoes

The Cumcumber

The Mint

The Onion

The Whipped Cream

The Chickpeas

The Canned Fruits

The Vanilla

The Pound Cake

The Corn Starch

Outside Safeway-After

Recipe #1-Lemony Mediterranean Chicken

-¼ c. olive oil

-2 tbs. lemon juice

-2 tbs. lemon zest

-4 cloves garlic

-1 tbs. dried oregano

-¾ tsp. salt

-½ tsp coarsely ground black pepper

-4 skinless boneless chicken breasts, halved

-8 baby red potatoes, halved

-1 red bell pepper

-1 red onion

-1 lemon

From: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/lemony-mediterranean-chicken/

Recipe #1- Process

These pictures show the

process, and all the ingredients

measured out, and above, the

final product.

Recipe #1- What to do

1.Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). 2.Combine olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, garlic, oregano, salt,

and black pepper in a bowl. Place chicken breasts into a 9x13-inch baking dish. Brush lemon juice mixture over chicken.

3.Place potatoes, red bell pepper strips, red onion, and lemon slices in a bowl, pour remaining lemon juice mixture over vegetables, and toss to coat. Arrange vegetables and lemon slices around chicken breasts in baking dish.

4.Bake in the preheated oven for 30 minutes; brush chicken and vegetables with pan drippings. Continue baking until chicken is browned, the juices run clear, and an instant-read meat thermometer inserted into the thickest part of a breast reads at least 160 degrees F (70 degrees C), about 30 more minutes.

Recipe #2- Tabouleh Salad

-1 tsp. lemon zest

-¼ c. lemon juice

-¼ c. olive oil

-1 tsp. salt

-¼ c. bulgur wheat

-½ red onion, sliced

-5 oz. of parsley

-1 Lebanese cucumber

-2 cucumbers,sliced

From: http://norecipes.com/recipe/tabouleh-recipe/

Recipe #2- Process

Recipe #2- What to do1.Whisk the lemon zest, lemon juice, olive oil, black pepper and salt together in a small bowl, then add the bulgur wheat. Let this soak for 30 minutes or up to 2 hours, depending on the coarseness of your bulgur and how soft you want it.

2.If the raw onion is too strong for your tastes, soak the minced onion in cold water for an hour or two to tame it. You may need to change the water a few times. Drain and dry thoroughly with paper towels before using them in the salad.

3.Wash the parsley then use a salad spinner or paper towels to thoroughly dry it. Remove all the stems, then grab a handful and roll it up and slice the roll as thinly as possible. Chop the parsley in the opposite direction to the direction you sliced and you should get it pretty evenly chopped.

4.Add the parsley to a large bowl along with the cucumbers, tomatoes and onions. Add the soaked bulgur along with the dressing and toss everything together. Taboulehtastes fresh the day it's made, but if you let it sit overnight, the flavors have a chance to meld and it tastes even better.

Recipe #3- Trifle

-1 packet of strawberry jello

-Custard

○ 6 ⅓ tbs. sugar

○ 1 tbs. cornflour

○ 7 tbs. flour

○ 2 tbs. butter

○ 1 tsp. vanilla extract

○ 6 tbs. cream

-1 can of cocktail fruit

-1 package of pound cake

-1 can of whipped cream

From: My mom, and http://allrecipes.co.uk/recipe/15891/easy-custard.aspx

Recipe #3- Process

Recipe #3- What to do 1.Set frozen cake out to thaw2.Boil 1 cup water, and add jello crystals. Stir until dissolved, the refrigerate to set.3. Create custard

i)Mix the sugar and corn flour in a saucepan. Stir in the water with a whisk. When sugar and corn flour have dissolved, heat it slowly, stirring occasionally.ii)When the sugar water begins to bubble (almost boiling) and begins to caramelize, simmer for about another minute, stirring constantly - the sugar will now become a syrup.iii)Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. When all the butter has dissolved, stir in the cream.

4. Set custard to cool.5. Open cocktail fruits; keep the liquid in a bowl.6. Using a wine glass, cut out a piece of pound cake and place it into the glass.7. Add fruit, and pour the syrup into the glass to keep the cake moist.8. Pour cooled custard over the fruits.9. Spray whipped cream over the custard, making sure to cover the entire surface. Spray in a circular motion to make it smooth.10. Place a jello circle on top of the whipped cream.11. Refrigerate before serving.

Recipe #4- Pita Chips

-12 pita bread pockets

-½ cup olive oil

-½ tsp. ground black pepper

-1 tsp. garlic salt

-½ tsp. oregano

-½ tsp. dried basil

-1 tsp. dried chervil

-sumac to taste

From: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Pita-

Chips/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=pita%20chips&e8=Quick%20

Search&event10=1&e7=Home%20Page&soid=sr_results_p1i1

Recipe #4- Process

Recipe #4- What to do

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Cut each pita bread into small pieces.

3. In a small bowl, combine oil, pepper, salt, basil,

and chervil.

4. Brush each piece with oil mixture.

5. Bake for 7 minutes.

Recipe #5- Hummus

-1 ½ cloves garlic, peeled

-1 can garbanzo beans, drained

-½ cup olive oil

-½ cup tahini

-1 ½ lemons juiced

-salt to taste

Garnish

-sumac to taste

-⅛ cup olive oil

-Sprigs of parsley

From: http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Traditional-

Hummus/Detail.aspx?event8=1&prop24=SR_Thumb&e11=traditional%20hummus&e

8=Quick%20Search&event10=1&e7=Recipe&soid=sr_results_p1i1

Recipe #5- Process

Recipe #5- What to do

1. Place garlic in food processor and chop

thoroughly.

2. Add garbanzo beans and blend into paste.

3. Pour in olive oil, tahini, lemon juice, and salt.

4. Blend until smooth and creamy.

5. Garnish and serve cold.

Recipe #6- Saffron Rice

-2 pinches good quality saffron threads

-1 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil

-1 small yellow onion, minced

-3 ¾ c. chicken stock

-1 tsp. salt

From: My Aunt

Recipe #6- Process

Recipe #6- What to do1. Take one pinch of saffron threads and put them in a spice mortar. Grind

the spice with a pestle to a powdery consistency.2. Add a second pinch of saffron threads to the mortar. Do not crush

these threads.3. Pour water into the mortar. Let saffron soak for 5 minutes.4. Meanwhile, sort your rice and rinse in a colander. Drain5. In a large heavy pot, heat extra virgin olive oil over medium. Add the

minced onion to the pot and sauté for about 10 minutes, till the onion begins to caramelize.

6. Add rice to the pot and sauté for 1 minute longer, mixing the rice together with the cooked onion. Pour the yellow saffron liquid evenly across the top of the rice. Make sure to scrape any saffron that clings to the mortar into the pot.

7. Add broth to the pot. Bring to a boil. 8. Cover the pot and reduce heat to low. Let the rice cook for 20 minutes,

or until all the stock is absorbed and the rice is tender.

Cooking- What went on...When I started cooking, I first soaked the saffron. I crushed half of it, and left the other half untouched, then I put ¼ cup of

water in the bowl and let it sit. The bulgur wheat, it needed to sit for 2 hours! Whoo! So, I had to measure out all the li. I preheated my oven, then proceeded to chop and measure all of my ingredients, which took a long time. I stopped in the middle to soak my chicken to defrost it, so it would be ready to cook. I tossed together all the ingredients for the tabouleh salad except for the wheat mixture, because I thought the wheat wasn’t soft enough.(After eating the leftovers, I realized that overnight was the right amount of time for the wheat to soak.) I decided to start the chicken first, to marinate it, so I added all of the ingredients to a bowl and let it sit. Then started the custard and jello, which were surprisingly easy to make. I popped them into the fridge to cool. I mixed together the liquid for the pita chips, and brushed it onto the bread. I put that into the oven, and while it cooked, I mixed together the ingredients for the hummus and blended them. I poured it out onto a plate, but then noticed that the chips were looking a little too crispy in the oven. I hurriedly pulled them out, and let out a breath when I saw that they were unharmed. I set the chicken into the oven, along with the bell pepper and onion for the minimum 30 minutes, and got started on the rice. I measured the rice out and washed them, and then I set it aside. I caramelized the onions and then poured in the rice, broth, and saffron mixture. I Iet the rice sit, and pulled out the chicken. I started washing some of the dishes, and soon the rice was done as well, and most of the bigger pots and pans were washed. I quickly started plating the food, because it was getting quite late. I stuffed a portion of rice into a plastic bowl, and then dumped out the cake into a plate, and sprinkled mint on it. I put a piece of chicken onto the plate, and cut up cucumber and lemon, and placed them there along with the potatoes and bell pepper. I put that on the table and finished making the trifle, layer by layer, topped with whipped cream.

Cooking- My Thoughts and FeelingsAt the beginning of my cooking time, I was relaxed. I started at 5 o’clock, hoping to finish by 9, just in time to eat. Little did I know that my scheduling was way off. Initially, work did not get done too fast. I was slow, and it took me around 2 hours to get things prepped for only the salad. At 7, I had only chopped and measured out a few things, and made the jello, and I had started getting a little worried. My mom came in and saw my progress, and told me that marinating the chicken would make it taste better in the end, as well as cooking faster. So, I quickly added all the ingredients of the chicken, and let it sit. Then, I mixed everything for the salad and happened to glance at the clock. It was already 8, and I started panicking. My family came in, and my mom was on the phone with my uncle. After hearing of my position in the kitchen, he gave my mom the number of a pizza place. Hearing that my mom laughed and I protested, “That’s not funny!” Seeing my distress, my mom came in and started helping me, pulling out the ingredients for the hummus, so I could blend them together, and then pour it out. After she had left, I was relieved, because I was starting to gain control of things again. Then, I whipped together the pita chips and popped them into the oven, along with the chicken. The rice was bubbling on top of the stove, so I thought I was almost done when my brother came in and asked me what was for desert. Whoops! I thought. I hopped up again to make the custard, and prepare the rest of the desert. I really enjoyed putting the trifle together, because it was fun to cut out all the foods, and spray out the whipped cream. Soon, I pulled out the chicken and pita chips, finally mixed the bulgur wheat into the tabouleh, moved the rice off of the stove, and I was ready to plate. Looking at the foods I had in front of me, my first thought was, ‘So. Much. Yellow!’ But when I looked back at the pots and pans behind me, I saw red potatoes, now more purple looking, and red bell pepper strips. Grinning, I packed the rice into a bowl, and dumped it onto a plate, and it came out looking like a little rice cake! I popped a spring of parsley on top of it, and then moved on to the chicken. I placed on breast half next to the rice, and 2 potatoes, a lemon since in the middle, beside it. Finally, I placed a couple red pepper strips on the other side of the rice, and voila! I was finished. Sighing deeply, I happily stared the plate in front of me, before my brother asked my mom, “When are we eating?”, I jumped back into action, quickly plating the rest of the food, stirring up some lemonade (Using the same 2:1 formula I always use, and it turned out perfect), and clearing the table. Running around, I was finally able to set the table, with all the components, and I called my family in, anxiously waiting for their response.

Clean Up

The night of the meal, I mostly only washed the dishes that were used during the dinner, like the plates, utensils, etc. I put them all in the dishwasher, and ran it, so they would be ready to use the next day. I told my mom to leave the rest of the kitchen, and I would do it after school the next day. I couldn’t forget to do that, otherwise my mom had a habit of cleaning everything and anything she saw dirty. But, when I came back from school , it was thankfully left alone. I put on some music before starting, because I always like to listen to it when cleaning, then I started washing the pots and pans, scrubbing to get all the food off. Thankfully, nothing got burnt, so there wasn’t any hassle there. Also, I thought that putting

The Kitchen

Before After

Guest Book

“It was a wonderful experience to see my daughter prepare and

serve us a whole meal. I was really happy that she had done a great

job all by herself. The food was excellent, we loved it, except for the

fact that the chicken was a little dry. The presentation was very

professional, and she did a great job of cleaning all the mess she had

created the next day. I hope she makes many more meals for in the

future.”—Mom

“Yay! My sister can cook yummy food! I loved the pita chips and

hummus most, and the desert too.”--- Little brother

How I liked the food

Honestly, I didn’t like the food as much as I thought I would. I found the chicken dry, and the chips way to oily. Afterwards, I realized that I had accidently doubled the oil, because I was reading a recipe for 8 people, and I was halving as I worked, so I missed that one. Otherwise, I though that the food was great. On the other hand, my food prep I thought was not good at all. I figure that I had started too late, thus giving me only just enough time to make the food, and even then I finished at 10 o’clock. I though it looked pretty enough from the plating. I would probably make the tabouleh salad again. It was amazing in my opinion, and I liked the trifle too.

My Final Table

My Final

Table Setting