Golden Chef Challenge

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

We haven't had one of these in a while. So, I'm putting forth a challenge theme for October.

Mini-Pumpkin, Stuffed Jack-O-Lantern, Golden Chef Challenge. Regular rules.

Anybody up for this challenge? If so, do we need to have all of the courses, or maybe limit it to a main course, desert, and beverage, all pumpkin related.

Let me know.

If we do this, I'm going to use my entry in my cooking instruction blog as well.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

[Steve Kroll]

For those of us who don't know, what are the "regular rules"?

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

For past Golden Chef Challenges, the rules were:

Make an appetizer, main course, , desert, and beverage, all using the theme ingredient.

All entries will include pictures, recipe, and cooking techniques.

Judging will be done for each category, by popular vote.

The challenge is for fun, and to expand our cooking abilites. We are challenging ourselves to step outside the box and be creative.

All participants, that is, those who cook, and those who judge, are volunteers.

All DC members have the right to vote for their favorite recipes. You don't have to enter anything to be able to vote.

Individuals who enter should not vote for their own food.

The Golden Chef Challenge is supposed to be fun.
The Golden Chef Challenge is supposed to be fun.
The Golden Chef Challenge is supposed to be fun.

The cooking may be serious, as, we are challenging ourselves to be the best we can be; but again, I repeat one last time; The Golden Chef Challenge is supposed to be fun.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

[LPBeier]

Forgive me, Chief. But I am not sure what you mean by mini-pumpkin, stuffed Jack-o-Lantern and then having different courses.

Can it just be about pumpkin, whether canned or cooking pumpkin (I saw them in my store for the very first time this week and want to try it!).

I think it is very possible to do all the courses with pumpkin, but these contests have been very hard on the cooks (me doing several of them) which was part of the reason they faded out. Could we just say it is a pumpkin contest and come up with our one very creative dish - whatever course?

Just a thought.

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Originally Posted by LPBeier

Forgive me, Chief. But I am not sure what you mean by mini-pumpkin, stuffed Jack-o-Lantern and then having different courses.

Can it just be about pumpkin, whether canned or cooking pumpkin (I saw them in my store for the very first time this week and want to try it!).

I think it is very possible to do all the courses with pumpkin, but these contests have been very hard on the cooks (me doing several of them) which was part of the reason they faded out. Could we just say it is a pumpkin contest and come up with our one very creative dish - whatever course?

Just a thought.

That works for me. I still like the idea of creating an edible jack-o-lantern. But then again, that might just be my entry, with others entering whatever pumpkin recipe they like. It's all good.

And I agree with you. I enjoyed the challenge of making multiple courses from a theme ingredient. I mean, how many of us would have every thought of using mushrooms in a desert befor the mushroom challenge? And yet, we were introduced to the candy-cap mushroom, and wonderful candy-cap ice cream, and candy-cap sweet rolls.

But mulitple courses can be both time consuming, and expensive.

Seeeeeeya; Chief Lognwind of teh North

[LPBeier]

Oh, okay, I now understand what you meant - to make a Jack-o-lantern out of other food. A specific idea of course comes to my mind, but that is probably too easy

Why not two entries? An Edible Jack-O-Lantern and a recipe using pumpkin. Would that work? Would people have to do both or could they choose one or the other or both?

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Originally Posted by LPBeier

Oh, okay, I now understand what you meant - to make a Jack-o-lantern out of other food. A specific idea of course comes to my mind, but that is probably too easy

Why not two entries? An Edible Jack-O-Lantern and a recipe using pumpkin. Would that work? Would people have to do both or could they choose one or the other or both?

That, my dear LP, is up to DC. I'm just trying to determine what everyone wants to do.

Ok, so here's what I see so far as possible ideas for the challenge:

Make a jack-o-lantern out of food, any kind of food you want.

Make an edible pumpkin-based jack-o-lantern as a main course

Make a pumpkin based food challenge, any recipe you want

Make a pumkin themed challenge with apetizer, main course, beverage, and desert

Other ideas are possible.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

[DaveSoMD]

Originally Posted by Chief Longwind Of The North

That, my dear LP, is up to DC. I'm just trying to determine what everyone wants to do.

Ok, so here's what I see so far as possible ideas for the challenge:

Make a pumpkin themed challenge with appetizer, main course, beverage, and desert

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

This one gets my vote!!

[Steve Kroll]

I don't know if I could do multiple courses. There's only the two of us. We never have appetizers, and neither of us are dessert eaters.

Therefore, my vote would be for "Make a pumpkin based food challenge, any recipe you want".

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Originally Posted by Steve Kroll

I don't know if I could do multiple courses. There's only the two of us. We never have appetizers, and neither of us are dessert eaters.

Therefore, my vote would be for "Make a pumpkin based food challenge, any recipe you want".

Steve;

This could be a chance to serve up a special meal for you, and your special partner; a light pumpkin soup for the appetizer, with stuffed pumpkin for the main course, Pumpkin juice makes for a great hot drink, when flavored with the right spices, and sweetened lightly, and maybe pumpkin cookies for desert, with just one served, and the rest saved for later, or a pumpkin granita.

These are the kinds of things you can make for just the two of you, and not break the bank.

However, if you like the idea of one course, any recipe, that's just fine as well. I'm just offering ideas here.

All suggestions are valid.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North