Kai Māori - Home Economics

Growing and Gathering:
In New Zealand, the temperature was much cooler than the places around them o when it came to planting food they managed to find a technique to help adapt them to the surrounding environments. They were prepared in huge communal gardens where they sometimes used gravel, sand, shells, and charcoal to the soil. This helped to hold onto the plants' nutrients and it slowed down the leaching of nutrients by rain or watering. They brought in more birds by bringing in some native trees, flax, and flowering shrubs which attracted the birds into the civilization. The Maori mostly ate seafood as there was plenty of fish and it was high in protein. Each tribe had its own fishing grounds which was very important as some may have called it sacred ground. 

Preserving Food:
Maori preserved large amounts of food so they could trade with other tribes or save the food for leaner times. Some of the food that was most commonly dried was kumara, shellfish, and fish (Such as shark and eels). Meat, fruit, and seeds were also dried. Some birds and meats were preserved in their own fat after it is boiled into a hot substance. Another thing that they did was ferment the fish and corn. 

What food sources did the English bring to the Maori when they settled into their country?
When the English settled in the Maori quickly accepted the food that they brought with them, some of the foods include potatoes, pork, wheat, corn, Ect. Even though they brought the crops over to the Maori, they still had the problem of the climate changing for the crops. In the end, the Maori managed to adapt the crops to the different weather and so they managed to grow the sid crops.

What was the English cooking style? How did it compare to the Maori?
The English mainly used ovens to bake their food like bread and chips. Compared to the Maori, their method of cooking was healthy and helped to bring on more flavor to their food.

At the end of last week, we had a look at or of the foods that the English ate. Scones. 

Bacteria - Home Economics

Burger Competition - Cooking

BBQ BLAST - BURGER

Flavor: 8.5 - Carimarilizing the onions and cooking the tomatoes a little gave the burger a sweet and tangy flavor. The sauce we made out of garlic aioli and BBQ sauce made the BBQ blast into a BBQ mess because we put too much on it and since the pattie was already juicy it had a lot of moisture. Overall, it was a nice combination with a delectable and flavorful burger.

Texture: 3 - The bacon was meant to be crunchy but it was soft and didn't give the burger the texture we wanted. The only other thing that was meant to bring out the texture was the crotons but our teacher ended up forgetting to get those. In the end, our burgers texture was plain and it wasn't great for most of the food in it was soft and sloppy. 

Color: 5 - Our BBQ Blast had a great color scheme but it was just the normal color scheme for a burger so it wasn't really an intricate and stunning burger. We got the award for the best presentation with our burgers but we didn't really stray from the traditional burger look. Ultimately, basic looking burger and not really much else to it.

TikTok Wraps - Home Eco

 This term we have been learning about color, texture, and flavor. This is demonstrated when we made our TikTok wraps. The lettuce was the most vibrant color making it very prominent and giving the wrap a different look overall. When we made a cheese mixture from cheese, cream cheese, and carrots, the carrot orange color didn't really come out for it was mostly covered by the cheeses. This is important because without the colors it wouldn't look appetising and if something isn't looking nice then you won't want to eat it.

Colour, Texture, Flavor - The Base Of Food!

When cooking food, color, flavor, and texture are the most important things to think about. When we eat we eat with our eyes so the color is important for us to want to eat it. The flavor is what everyone thinks about when eating for if it has a bad flavor contrast or in general then people won't eat it. The texture is a big thing in foods, some people like eating crunchy food whereas others prefer soft so depending on the person, It may be great or bad.

Chicken Tacos!! - Cooking

Today for cooking, we made Crispy Chicken Tacos. The people in my group were Sunny and Jacob for Hayley wasn't here today. It was a Strange and chaotic lesson but my group and I managed to pull together in the end and create some great tacos. In our tacos, we had chicken breast, lettuce, cheese, carrots, sour cream, and salsa. 

The Taco was divine, the chicken was very nice for it melted in your mouth. The only thing that troubled me with the chicken was the fact it wasn't as crunchy as I expected so next time I would put it in for longer. The lettuce and carrots were fresh and added some different texture with the crunch making up for the lack of crunch in the chicken. I think I may have added a bit too much sour cream to the tacos for it had an overpowering taste. I think next time I make this I won't add the sour cream for I didn't like the way it blended with the flavors and textures of the taco.

I didn't get any photos for my group, and I didn't have our phones there for making it impossible to get photos of our tacos.

Ingredients:

Tortillas
Salsa
Carrots
Lettuce
Cheese 
Sour cream
Chicken breast 

Cooking Method:

1. preheat oven to 180

2. Slice chicken into strips 4cm wide. These may be cut into 6cm lengths.

3. Place chicken into a bowl.

4. Drizzle with oil and mix to cover all chicken surfaces.

5. Add crispy chicken spice mix and stir to coat chicken evenly.

6. Place coated chicken on an oven tray lined with baking paper. 

7. Bake for 10-12 mins until crispy and golden.

8. warm tortillas in the microwave for 30 sec.

9. Build your taco with chicken, lettuce, carrot, cheese, and top with sour cream and salsa.

Vegetarian Burgers - Home Economics

Yesterday in home economics we were making open steak burgers but because I can't eat some meats two others and I made some vegetarian burgers. Instead of having the steak, we had hashbrowns, which in my opinion is much better than any meat. We used the normal buns from the supermarket instead of the fancy once you would buy at the bakery. We were given a lot of choices to personalise our burgers not only in taste but with the appearance too. One of the choices was if we wanted to post our buns but I chose against it for I like the chewiness of the bun. My burger had lettuce on both the top and bottom bun so the wet ingredients don't make the buns soggy. I also had tomatoes, some onion, and of course, one hashbrown in the middle of it all. 

INGREDIENTS - 

Hashbrowns or steak
1 Tablespoon Oil - optional
Tomatoes - optional
An Onion- optional
1 Leaf of Lettuce - optional
Cheese - optional
Beetroot - optional
Sauce:
BBQ
Tomato
Mayonnaise
- optional

METHOD - 

1. Collect your chosen ingredients.
2. Steak - Cut into thin strips and add into a pan with 1 tablespoon oil.
    Hashbrown - Use directions on the box.
3. Prep your ingredients to put on your burger.
4. once your steak/hashbrown is done then start adding your ingredients onto the buns.
5. Enjoy your beautiful burgers!

HOW DID IT TASTE?

The chewiness of the buns contrasted with the crunchiness of the lettuce, onion, and the hashbrown giving it more texture. The tomato had this sweet but sour taste contrasting with everything else. I added the mayonnaise and barbeque sauce and I think I made the right choice. The barbeque gave the burger a smokey type of flavour whereas the mayonnaise had this rich and sweet flavour profile. Though there were a lot of contrasting flavours I thought that they all brought the burger together giving it an amazing and unique flavour. 

Muffin Testing - Cooking

Today in Home Economics, we made Mini Apple Sauce Muffins. It didn't take to long but it wasn't the fastest we could have been. Our lesson was a little different because each group's recipe was different from everyone else's, so our muffins all had different tastes and textures. Each group got to taste each other's muffins and have our opinion. I didn't try any of the muffins because I had to leave before I could eat them but I did get my group's opinions.

The Opinions:

Group 1: Original muffins - It was okay. It wasn't their favorite but they thought it still had a good taste.

Group 2: Butter & Wholemeal flour - It was okay. It was a little too soft kind of like it was undercooked.

My groups: Butter & Soy -  My group thought the muffins were okay. They thought the muffins could have been better if it had more flavor or sweetness. They also were undercooked making them not have the best texture.

Group 4: Canola & Wholemeal flour - It was okay. It was rough on the outside but the texture was soft on the inside. The muffins were nice.

Ingredients:

1 c Apple sauce

2 T Butter, melted & slightly cooled, or canola, a neutral oil

1 Egg, lightly beaten

1/2 c milk or soy milk

1 t vanilla essence

1 c wholemeal flour or white flour

1/2 c rolled oats

1/4 c sugar

1 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1 t cinnamon

Cooking Method:

1. preheat oven to 180°C and grease mini muffin tins or line with paper cases.

2. In a small bowl, use a fork to whisk together the apple sauce, melted butter, milk, egg, and vanilla (liquid ingredients)

3. Add liquid ingredients to the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and sugar - gently fold together.

4. Fill the muffin tins/paper cases (mini ones) to 3/4 full.

5. Bake about 10 minutes or until cooked.

6. Remove from oven. Let cool for 2 minutes before removing from muffin tins.

Spaghetti Bolognese - Cooking

A few weeks ago for cooking, we had made some Spaghetti Bolognese. Our Spaghetti Bolognese had carrots, spaghetti, tomatoes, Mushroom, cheese, and more. My group didn't do too well, We have definitely improved since then. The taste results were okay because our spaghetti was a little over cooked but I still enjoyed it. Overall cooking was good once again, and I can't wait for the following more.

Ingredients:

- Olive Oil

- Onion

- Garlic

- Carrots

- Celery

- Mushrooms

- Basil

- Can of tomatoes

- Tomato puree

- Spaghetti Sticks

Cooking Method:

1. Heat the oil in a large pot and add the onion and garlic.

2. Cook for 2-3 minutes stirring frequently until onion is soft.

3. Stir in carrots celery and cook for another minute. 

4. Add mushrooms and cook until they are as your liking.

5. Add basil, tomatoes, and tomato puree.

6. Bring mixture to boil then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cover for 10-15 minutes.

7. Boil water and then add spaghetti sticks to cook for 10-12 minutes.

8. Drain spaghetti and toss with a little olive oil to avoid sticking.

9. Then arrange your plates dividing the mixture up evenly.

10. Serve and enjoy.

Apple Crumble - Cooking

This week we made some delicious apple crumble. My team had 5 people for there were too many in the class to have groups of 4. Although the topping could have been better if it had browned in the oven for longer. Overall my team worked really well and the food tasted amazing. My group split the responsibility evenly and we got everything done on time. Would definitely make it again!

INGREDIENTS - 

1/2 cup of flour, 
1/2 a tsp of cinnamon, 
1/2 cup of brown sugar, 
75g of cold butter, 3/4 of rolled oats, 
2-3 medium-sized apples, 
1 dessert spoon of white sugar,
1 Tbsp of water. 

*Preheat the oven to 180 on fan bake.
1. put the flour, cinnamon, and brown sugar into a medium bowl.
2. Rub the butter lightly into the flour using the tips of the fingers.
3. Add rolled oats and mix with a fork.
4. Peel and quarter the apples. Cut the core out and slice each quarter into thin slices.
5. Divided evenly and place into 2 greased pie dishes.
6. Sprinkle with white sugar and water.
7. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until edges are going brown.

Mac And Cheese - Cooking

A few weeks ago in class, we made some Mac and Cheese. My group and I shared the workaround equally and all understood the process but we still had a few hiccups. I had a fun time making this and it is super easy as well as a great tasting dish to make. The pasta was a little overdone giving it a mushy feeling but it still worked well with the sauce. We had a few problems with the sauce but once we had started to get on track we went head first and completed everything else with no other mistakes. The flavor of the Mac and Cheese was very pronounced for it had quite a bit of cheese. The texture was a bit off but overall a lovely meal. I Don't have the recipe so I'm sorry about that.

VEGETARIAN NACHOS - Cooking

Yesterday in cooking class we made some vegetarian nachos. My group and I shared the workaround equally and all understood what to do making the prosses easier to do. I had a fun time making this and it is super easy as well as a great tasting dish to make for your friends and family. The chips gave the dish some texture while the beans gave it the feeling of eating meat which made it even better. The vegetables gave to food some color as well as a variety of flavors. Overall, a great and easy dish to enjoy for dinner.



INGREDIENTS -



2-4 mushrooms.
1 grated carrot.
half of an onion.
1/2 a can of chili beans.
1/2 a can of tomatoes.
A handful of nacho chips.
Sprinkle of cheese.
Sour cream/ optional.

CHICKEN STIR FRY - Cooking

On Tuesday for cooking, we were making chicken stir fry. My group and I worked well together but like every group, we had some disagreements and arguments. The cooking was easy and tasted great. The chicken was cooked perfectly and the sauces added a great flavor. The vegetables added some texture as well as some different colors. The noodles made it look bigger and filled my hunger faster. Overall great tasting and easy making recipe.

CHICKEN STIR FRY -

2 pieces of chicken
2 tablespoons of soy sauce
2 tablespoons of honey
2 tablespoons sesame sauce
Any vegetable
2-minute noodles


Cut the chicken into bite-sized pieces.
Saute the onions.
Add the chicken and cook until lightly browned
Add the vegetables and sauce.
cook for 5-6 minutes or until vegetables are cooked.

Cooking - Pita Pockets

Today in cooking class we were cooking we made pita pockets. We had a choice of carrots, onion, cheese, lettuce, and ham but I decided that I didn't want ham and just made a vegetable pita pocket. We started by collecting our ingredients. We had to grate the cheese and carrots while someone else was cutting the onion. The lettuce and ham were all ready to put in the pita pockets. The hardest part was assembling it together because they were very fragile. All in all, it tasted great and if you can learn how to cut open the pita pockets perfectly then it would be a nice and simple meal for you to enjoy.

ANZAC BISCUITS - Cooking

Today in cooking we got split into groups and got given different recipes and types of baking goods. My group consisted of Dominique, Kahciar, and Brayden while we made some delicious ANZAC Biscuits. we could have worked better together but in the end, we got the jobs done and our food made.

ANZAC BISCUITS

1/2 cup standard plain flour

1/3 cup sugar

2/3 cup coconut

3/4 cup rolled oats

50g butter

1 tablespoon golden syrup

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

2 tablespoon  boiling water

Pre-heat your oven on 180 bake. Mix together the flour, sugar, coconut, and rolled oats. Melt the butter and golden syrup together in a small bowl. Dissolve the baking soda in the boiling water and add it to butter and golden syrup. Fold the butter mixture into the dry ingredients until it is combined. Roll the mix into medium-sized balls and fit them on a lined tray 4x3. place them in the oven for about 12-15 minutes or until it turns a golden brown color.

TASTE EVALUATION - 
They had a nice crunchy outside while the inside was soft and chewy. The outside had this sugary coating while the inside had this chewy mix between a sweet coconut and the bitterness of the rolled oats. Overall it tasted amazing and had a great texture. When they cooled down they still have around the same taste but the biscuits were cruncher and colder. They still have an amazing sugary coating and chewy inside. Best ANZAC Biscuit ever!

Chewy Choco Chips Cookies - Cooking

Last Friday in cooking class we made some delicious chocolate chip cookies. I would totally recommend this recipe for these are some of the best cookies I have ever made. When made right it has a chewy texture on the inside but crunchy on the out. It becomes cruncher when left our for a little so if you like a chewy and soft cookie then I would recommend you eat them after cooling for a little so they are warm but not so that it burns you when you eat them.

INGREDIENTS

100g butter softened,
1/2 cup of white sugar,
1/2 cup of brown sugar,
1 egg,
1 tsp vanilla,
1 1/2 cups flour,
pinch of salt,
1/2 tsp of baking powder,
1/2 cup choco chips

DIRECTIONS - MADE SIMPLE

We started off by turning our oven to 180 on bake. We then got our mise en place done (Finished getting our ingredients and putting them in order). After that, we softened our butter and added the sugars as well as the vanilla. Once that was creamed together, we added our egg and whipped it until it was incorporated into the mixture. When the wet ingredients were together we mixed all of our dry ingredients (flour, salt, baking powder, and chocolate chips) into a separate bowl to make sure everything would be incorporated at the same time. After that, we mixed the dry ingredients into the wet mixture making sure nit to River mix because that would activate the gluten. When we mixed it we got a tray and lined it with baking paper so the cookies don't stick to the tray. We rolled the cookies into medium-sized balls and placed them down so they don't touch when they spread out while cooking. Then you put them into the oven on the top shelf and cook for about 8 - 10 minutes.

     

            

Bacteria - Home Economics

In cooking, we have been talking about bacteria and how we can stop it from growing. During this lesson, I had found out that I have been doing things wrong and I had learned more about how I can keep my food safe to eat.

What are the Bacteria?

1. Tiny single-celled microorganism.
2. Three main shapes: rod, spiral, and sphere.
3. Some can move using a whip of a tail.
4. No nucleus (control centre of the cell)

Are Bacteria dangerous?

1. Not all are dangerous.
2. Bad Bacteria are called pathogens.
3. Some make you sick.
4. Saminallia, Food poisoning, Tetanus, Pneumonia, Diarrhea, Typhoid. Etc
5. Fight bacteria with antibiotics and antiseptics.

What are the Good Bacteria?

1. They are found in some foods and soil.
2. Foods - bacteria are in cheese, yogurt, pickles, soy sauce.
3. In our body - help in break down of food. (Digestion)

What do bacteria need to survive?

1. Warmth
2. Moisture
3. Oxygene 
4. Food 
5. Time
6. Neutral PH

3 examples of how to avoid spreading bacteria?

1. Clean hands
2. Bandage over cuts
3. Clean workspace. 

What is cross-contamination? What effect does it have on you? How can we stop it?

1. Cross-contamination is when you mix raw food together like raw meat and raw vegetables.
2. Minor side effects include upset stomach, loss of appetite, headache, nausea, and diarrhea.
3. Have a board for each raw food, bread, meat, cheese. etc