Students in Toni Floyd’s family and consumer sciences classes at Columbia High School got a lesson in “party planning 101,” by hosting a Halloween party for faculty and staff.
The students prepared a variety of recipes and enjoyed serving the meal.
“We prepared for several weeks,” Floyd said. “We looked up recipes, then made the decorations and prepared the food. They worked together and worked through the problems.”
Though the foods were decorated for Halloween, many of the recipes can be adapted for other events, from Christmas parties to Super Bowl Sunday. Floyd said the students learned more than just cooking and decorating.
“They actually learn a lot,” she said. “They learn to project the costs involved in hosting a party. They learn about the basic recipes and ingredients, and they learn how to problem solve. Some of them even stayed after school and helped to prepare.”
The students planned for and served approximately 70 people.
Bacon Queso Dip in a Baked Pumpkin
(6 servings , Prep: time 15 minutes, Total: 90 minutes)
Ingredients:
• 1- (2 to 3 lb) sugar pumpkin
• 8 oz bacon, diced
• ¼ cup Gold Medal™ all-purpose flour
• 1 ½ cups Progresso™ chicken broth
• 1 (4 oz) can Old El Paso™ Chopped Green Chiles, drained
• 1 chipotle chili en adobo sauce, diced (optional)
• ¼ teaspoon ground cumin
• 2 cups shredded Mexican cheese
• 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
Directions:
1. Preheat the oven to 375ºF. Cut the top off the pumpkin. Spoon out the seeds and clean out the inside of the pumpkin.
2. Heat a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and fry the bacon until crispy. Drain all but a tablespoon of the bacon grease and stir in the flour. Add the chicken broth and bring it to a simmer, stirring until thickened to prevent lumps.
3. Add the chipotles, diced green chilies and ground cumin to the dip. Add the shredded cheese and stir until melted.
4. Place the pumpkin in a casserole dish (to catch any leaks). Pour the dip into the pumpkin. Cover the pumpkin loosely with aluminum foil and bake for 50 minutes or until the pumpkin is tender. Remove the foil and continue to bake for another 20 minutes or until the cheese is bubbly and beginning to lightly brown on top.
5. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving. Be very careful when transferring the pumpkin to a serving platter, placing plenty of support on the bottom of the pumpkin so it doesn't collapse.
6. Serve with homemade toast points or tortilla chips.
Hamburger-Vegetable Soup
This hearty hamburger soup is loaded with potatoes and vegetables, all in a savory broth. The perfect easy dinner option the whole family will love! Double or triple the recipe to freeze a batch!
(Prep Time 20 minutes, Cook Time 40 minutes Total Time 50 minutes, Servings 6)
Ingredients
● 2 teaspoons olive oil
● 1/2 cup onion finely diced
● 2 carrots peeled, quartered and sliced
● 2 stalks celery thinly sliced
● 1 pound ground beef I use 90% lean
● 2 teaspoons minced garlic
● salt and pepper to taste
● 1 15 ounce can diced tomatoes do not drain
● 1 8 ounce can tomato sauce
● 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning or equal parts of garlic powder, dried oregano and dried basil
● 6 cups beef broth
● 1 large russet potato peeled and diced into 1/2 inch cubes
● 1/2 cup frozen corn
● 1/2 cup diced green beans fresh or frozen
● 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley optional
Instructions
1. Heat the olive oil in a large pot over medium high heat. Add the onion, carrots and celery to the pot.
2. Cook for 5-6 minutes or until softened.
3. Add the ground beef to the pot and season with salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cook, breaking up the meat with a spoon, until browned and mostly cooked through. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds more.
5. Add the tomatoes, tomato sauce, Italian seasoning, beef broth and potato to the pot; bring to a simmer.
6. Cook for 25-30 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Taste and add salt and pepper as desired.
7. Stir in the corn and green beans and cook for 5 minutes more. Sprinkle with parsley and serve.
To Freeze: Allow soup to cool completely. Label a gallon-sized freezer bag with the soup name & date. Get as much air out of the bag as possible and seal. Lay the bag flat in freezer. When ready to eat, cut the bag away from the soup block and heat in a stockpot.
Crispy Cheese Nips
• 2 sticks butter, softened
• 2 cups sharp cheddar cheese , grated
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• 2 cups Rice Krispies cereal
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cayenne pepper
Directions
1. Put softened butter and grated cheese in mixing bowl and mix until creamy.
2. Sift the flour together with the salt and cayenne pepper.
3. Add the flour about a half cup at a time to mix well.
4. Add the rice krispies and mix on low until blended.
5. Roll into balls and place on cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
6. Press with fork and bake at 325 degrees for 15-20 minutes.
7. Cool on wire rack and store in airtight container.
Old Fashioned Potato Soup
Ingredients
18 peeled and quartered potatoes
• 3-4 potatoes peeled and cut into very small cubes
• 3 sticks butter
• 2-3 cups onion, chopped
• 2-3 cups chopped celery
• ½ cup flour
• 2 quarts milk
• 1 Tbsp salt (or to taste)
• 1 Tbsp pepper (or to taste)
Directions
1. Start by boiling potatoes until fork tender. Put the quartered potatoes in large soup pot and cover with water and 2 cans chicken broth. Bring to a boil.
2. Put the small cubed potatoes in a separate smaller saucepan and cover with water and a half can of broth. Bring to boil.
3. Melt the butter and sauté the onion and celery until clear and soft.
4. When potatoes are done, strain out some of the water and add the butter and veggies to soup pot.
5. Melt ½ stick butter on simmer in the smaller pot with small cubed potatoes, then set aside.
6. When butter is melted in soup pot, add flour to the soup pot only. Stir gently to make a paste between butter and flour. The paste will coat the potatoes.
7. Add Milk to the soup pot.
8. Gently stir. Allow the pot to boil. When it reaches boil, turn down to simmer.
9. Simmer on low till soup thickens.
10. Add the small cubed potatoes to the soup pot and stir. Add more milk & broth if it’s too thick.
11. Add Salt and Pepper to taste.
12. Garnish with shredded cheddar cheese and bacon if desired.
Yield- approximately 30- ½ cup servings.
Pictured Above: Pictured at the feast are, front row, from left, Reniah Anderson and Toni Floyd. Second row, from left, Kara Morgan, Latoria Preston, Brooke Dickerson, Jaelyn Alford, Christian Holloway, Talaijha Pace, Gavin Bullock, Ahston Debate, Jazmyn Haynes, Sierra Morgan, Javier Amador, Keysha Sims and Gabriel Lewis. Not pictured are Saria Guthrie and Skye Abram. | Photo by Mark Rogers
