All I want for Christmas is .....Cake!!

TY's began making their Christmas Cakes today - a selection of traditional fruit, chocolate biscuit and even a chocolate biscuit wreath!

All cakes were made in a double class (80min) and while the choc biscuit fridge cakes were wrapped up and placed in the fridge to set before freezing, the fruit cakes took a few hours longer (3-4) to bake. 

Below are the recipes we used, the choc biscuit is great with added fruit/nuts/marshmallows etc and lasts for 1-2 weeks in the fridge if you can resist eating it! I usually make half the amount in the recipe and this is still enough to fill 2 loaf tins.

Will update with pics of the cakes iced and decorated over the next few weeks so stay tuned!

Link to Neven Maguire Traditional Fruit Cake:
http://www.nevenmaguire.com/userfiles/file/Christmas_Special/MacNean%20Traditional%20Christmas%20Cake.pdf

http://lovehomeec.blogspot.ie/2015/10/apple-sponge-recipe.html
recipes
recipe

 5th yrs Assignment 
#1 - links!

Here are some links to relevant websites for journal assignment 1: nutrition for 2-5 year olds.

Remember to check that all info you use is up to date and relevant to 2-5 years..

• http://www.first1000days.ie/toddler-food-pyramid/

• http://www.bordbia.ie/consumer/aboutfood/nutrition/pages/nutritionfortwotofives.aspx

• http://health.gov.ie/wp-content/uploads/2014/03/Food-and-Nutrition-Guidelines-for-Pre-School-Services.pdf

• http://www.safefood.eu/Healthy-Eating/Food-Diet/Life-Stages/School-children.aspx

• http://www.safefood.eu/Healthy-Eating/Food-Diet/Eating-In/Top-10-ways-to-make-your-dishes-healthier.aspx

• http://www.first1000days.ie/toddlers-are-not-mini-adults/

Apple Sponge - Recipe

Apples are "in season" at the moment so 2nd years after learning how to correctly core and slice cooking apples last week when making apple crumble, put their skills to practice again last Friday.

They made "Eve's Pudding" also known as Apple Sponge, an ideal winter dessert which would be delicious with berries added in also.

Here is the recipe and some photos of how they turned out, they looked great.  

Could be a possible contender for the @Keelings Apple Competition! 

Keelings Home Economics Competition

Keelings have teamed up with the Association of Teachers of Home Economics (ATHE) to offer student’s and schools great prizes this autumn. 

Prizes are a €500 Voucher for your school and a €100 voucher for one lucky student.

All interested students can ask any Home Ec teacher in school for more details. Some years will be participating in class your Ms Carr, Ms Dunne or Ms Buckley will let you know in advance.


Ms. Dunne

Macroom Food Festival 2015 - Winners!

We were barely back to school when the Home Ec dept received an email inviting any interested TY students to submit recipes to participate in the Macroom Food Festival Schools Cook Off 2015. 

The competition open to all Cork Schools, had two main requirements - students had to keep the produce used as local as possible and try show off their culinary skills.

Lena Foley and Lucy Linehan were both very eager to participate and with some help from Ms Dunne, Ms Buckley and Ms Carr,  came up with an adventurous recipe, based on local (ish!) Skeaghanore duck.

We emailed off their recipe and were delighted when the girls were picked to represent St. Mary's in the final.

After much practice and deliberation over presentation, the girls took to the stage in an open air final held in the square in Macroom - it was exciting and nerve wracking!

The girls cooked up a storm and the judge - Chef Joe Murphy was more than impressed with their confidence, hygiene and safety, cooking and presentation skills. 

It was a tense wait but finally the girls were announced the winners!

Their dish - Skeaghanore duck breast with an apple balsamic reduction, celeriac potato layer, wilted winter greens and carrot puree was executed perfectly.

The girls were presented with an Apple iPad mini each and a wooden trophy in the shape of a chefs hat, which is now proudly on display in St. Marys!

Well done girls, I cant wait to get planning for the next competition!

TY trip to the Ploughing Championships.

TY students travelled to Ratheniska Co. Laois on Tue 22nd Sept to attend the National Ploughing Championships.

It was a glorious day and there was lots to be seen. We wandered around the stands and exhibits with many having a Home Ec link. These included the National Dairy Council, Bord Bia, UCD - dept of Agriculture & Food Science and our personal highlight,  watching and then chatting with Neven Maguire after his demo at the Irish Farmers Journal Stand.

Neven had great advice for the girls and was very enthusiastic and positive about Home Economics.

It was a great experience and definitely one which should be tried even once, I'm already planning our trip to Tullamore in 2016!

A New Venture

Welcome to the very first blog post by Ms. Dunne, a.k.a. @lovehomeec! 

I decided that a blog would be yet another way to engage students, parents, other teachers, and all those interested, in the fantastic work completed by Home Economics students from 1st to 6th year in St. Mary's Secondary School, Mallow.

Keep an eye out for photos of not just work students complete but ideas for crafts, study links, field trips, notes, recipes and teaching ideas in what I hope will become an exciting new venture!

Don't forget to leave feedback and some lovely comments - we will really appreciate it! 

Finally follow us on Twitter or YouTube - see the link in the sidebar, or contact me via email: lovehomeec@gmail.com for more info.

Wish me luck in what I hope will be an exciting and motivating, educational resource!

Welcome to our classroom!

Ms. Dunne