Lab Reflections

7.5/10

What did you create and what does it include?   

We made pancakes, some with chocolate chips, some without, for one of our teammates. 

How did it taste and how was the appearance? 

Some of them were still a bit raw on the inside, others burnt on the outside, but there were a handful that were just right! It took us a few tries to get the hang of it. 

How did the group work together? Did everyone do their job? 

We all made sure to include each other, and some of us even helped each other learn new things about cooking. Everyone did their job, and if needed, helped, like how we all ended up helping Clara with mise en place.

What would you do differently with the recipe? 

Instead of plain, or with chocolate chips, I might add blueberries or another add-in for more flavor. 

What food group(s) is this recipe? 

Pancakes would be in the grain food group because of the flour. 

List a minimum of two nutrients found in this recipe.

Carbohydrates and proteins are both found in pancakes. 

8.5/10

What did you create and what does it include?   

We created chocolate chip cookies, but made some without chocolate chips for our teammate. 

How did it taste and how was the appearance? 

It tasted amazing and had plenty of chocolate chips. The melted butter made the cookies flat, but still perfectly gooey. 

How did the group work together? Did everyone do their job? 

I think we worked well. This time, I was working on the dishes, but watching the group, they seemed to do well. 

What would you do differently with the recipe? 

I would try softened butter rather than melted, and definitely add more salt. 

What food group(s) is this recipe? 

Chocolate chips would be a grain, as they definitely aren't a fruit, vegetable, protein, or dairy. 

List a minimum of two nutrients found in this recipe.

There are lots of fats and sugars in chocolate chip cookies. 

7/10

What did you create and what does it include?   

We made ramen! It has onions, carrots, and bell peppers in it.

How did it taste, and how was the appearance? 

Appearance-wise, I think it looked great! Taste-wise, I felt it was a little bland, but the vegetables tasted good. 

How did the group work together? Did everyone do their job? 

I think we worked very well together this time, though we took a while to cut the vegetables. I feel we all need to practice cutting. 

What would you do differently with the recipe? 

Definitely add some more seasoning! 

What food group(s) is this recipe? 

Grains and vegetables. 

List a minimum of two nutrients found in this recipe.

High in sodium and calories. 

9/10

What did you create and what does it include?   

We made mac and cheese with mozzarella and sharp cheddar. 

How did it taste, and how was the appearance? 

I thought it tasted amazing! Looks-wise, it looked better in person than in that photo. 

How did the group work together? Did everyone do their job? 

We worked well together, especially when grating the cheeses. 

What would you do differently with the recipe? 

I would cook the noodles a little longer.

What food group(s) is this recipe? 

Grains and dairy. 

List a minimum of two nutrients found in this recipe.

Calories and carbs. 

6/10

What did you create and what does it include?   

We made strawberry shortcake, making our own whipped cream. It included the biscuit-like dough we had to make and strawberries. 

How did it taste, and how was the appearance? 

The strawberries and whipped cream tasted amazing. The shortcake had too much salt in it, though.

How did the group work together? Did everyone do their job? 

We worked well together, all working our part to create the different components. 

What would you do differently with the recipe? 

Less salt!

What food group(s) is this recipe? 

Fruits and dairy.

List a minimum of two nutrients found in this recipe.

Calories and sugar. 

7.5/10

What did you create and what does it include?   

We made jerk chicken and coconut rice, which includes chicken breasts and boiling the rice in coconut water. 

How did it taste, and how was the appearance? 

It tasted good! The chicken could have used more salt, and the rice was made with a little too much water, but nothing too much. 

How did the group work together? Did everyone do their job? 

We worked well together! A good group cut the chicken very well, and we were all proud of them. 

What would you do differently with the recipe? 

Definitely less water in the rice. 

What food group(s) is this recipe? 

Protein and grains. 

List a minimum of two nutrients found in this recipe.

Carbs and fat. 

8/10

What did you create and what does it include?   

We made eggs individually. All it included was eggs, water, and a little seasoning. 

How did it taste, and how was the appearance? 

It tasted great for plain eggs. They looked pretty bland, but tasted amazing. 

How did the group work together? Did everyone do their job? 

Since we worked individually, we didn't cook together. We cleaned together well, though. 

What would you do differently with the recipe? 

Add a bit more seasoning, and let them cook a bit longer. 

What food group(s) is this recipe? 

Eggs are considered protein!

List a minimum of two nutrients found in this recipe.

Antioxidants, and healthy fats. 

What is the leavening agent?

Baking Powder

What is the mixing method? 

Quick Bread

What is the leavening agent?

Yeast

What is the mixing method? 

Kneading

What is the leavening agent?

Baking Powder and Baking Soda

What is the mixing method? 

Cut-In/Biscuit method 

What is the leavening agent?

Yeast

What is the mixing method? 

One Bowl method/Kneading

What is the leavening agent?

Baking Powder and Baking Soda

What is the mixing method? 

Tradtional Mixing

What is the leavening agent?

Whipped Egg Whites

What is the mixing method? 

Folding

How well did your group communicate and work together?

I think we work well together! Some work better than others, but everyone helped out and is good at different things. 

What did you notice about manners and etiquette during the meal?

I've come to the realization that a lot of kids my age lack proper dinner etiquette and generally have not learned many manners.

What new skill did you learn or improve during this project?

I've learned specifically how you are meant to place your napkin on your lap, and improved my knowledge of place settings. 

If you did this project again, what would you do differently?

I would try to plate the food differently, as I think the place setting is great, but the presentation of the food on the plate looks a bit sloppy.

What role did you take on in your group, and how well do you think you performed it?

I cleaned a lot when cooking, and did the place setting. For the digital aspect, I did a lot of the planning. 

How did you decide which ingredients to use in your dishes? If you could redo your recipes, is there an ingredient you would use differently? Why?

We chose our ingredients to check off every food group. For this, we added a fruit topping to our cake and broccoli to our casserole. I don't think I'd change anything. 

What parts of your lab plan worked well in helping you complete your recipes within the 45-minute time limit? What would you change about your planning process next time?

I think the lab plans really helped us keep on schedule. If I could change anything, I would've wished for more time. 

What was the biggest challenge you faced during this assignment (ingredient limitations, time, technique, teamwork, etc.)? How did you solve or adapt to that challenge?

The biggest challenge for me was the panic at the end of the cooking session. It felt overwhelming trying to clean up, finish cooking, plate dishes, and take pictures all in a short amount of time. This was easy to adapt to with the help of my teammates, though. 

What is one skill or concept from this assignment that you could apply to cooking at home or in a real-world kitchen setting?

I'll definitely use some of the same recipes, and apply the food groups to every meal.