Cooking Badge

Cooking **is a Junior Badge from the Girl Scouts of Central Texas Council.**

# Activities

Cooking Badge, Our Council’s Own
Level(s): Girl Scout Junior

Requirements—Complete four activities, plus the three \* starred.

1. \*Before you prepare food, you should be familiar with the appliances you will use and gather your ingredients together. You must also wash hands and work surfaces. What might happen if you don't? Discuss other kitchen safety precautions. Role play with your troop at least three of the following situations:

• While tearing lettuce for the family salad, you cover a sneeze with your hand.
• You are halfway through a recipe when you discover you don't have an ingredient listed.
• You are going to prepare dinner at a relative's house. Their stove is a new electronic gas stove, and you are used to a basic electric stove.
• Your aunt is visiting with your 2-year-old cousin. He might be able to reach the stovetop.
• A grease fire starts in a pan on the stove.
• A kitchen towel is left too close to a burner and catches fire.
2. \*Learn how to do five of the following -Try at least three yourself.

• use a vegetable peeler
• use a whisk and an electric mixer
• use a rolling pin
• use a hand held can opener & church key
• use a meat thermometer
• grease and flour a pan
• separate an egg
• use a strainer or colander
3. What special job does one of the following do in recipes? Be able to explain your answer.

• baking soda
• yeast
• hot air
• baking powder
• salt
• eggs
• liquids
• oil/shortening/butter
*OR*
Learn about proper freezer, refrigerator, and shelf storage. A good, basic, cookbook will usually have this information in it. If your cookbooks at home do not, try one from the library.

4. Find out why it's important to eat a variety of foods for good health. Learn about fiber, vitamins, and proper amounts of fat, salt, and sugar. Discuss dietary restrictions some people may have and the causes for them. (i.e. religion, personal choice, medical condition.) See your Junior Girl Scout Handbook.

5. Make your own cookbook with favorite recipes you have tried or tasted. Be sure to include any tips, charts, or other notes you have made while working on this badge.

6. Learn to make a condiment (such as ketchup, mayonnaise, jelly or jam), sauce, or gravy and serve it to someone.

7. Make a loaf of bread or rolls from scratch.

8. Bake a 2 layer cake (using a mix is okay) and learn how to frost it correctly. Then decorate it according to a theme - use your imagination.

9. Attend some type of food tasting event, like a chili or BBQ cook-off, or salsa competition. Ask the cooks what they think their dish should taste like and why theirs is best. OR Find out how the judges determine whose dish is best.
*OR*
With your troop, have a cookie tasting party. Assign each girl or patrol to bring different types of cookies for the event such as bar cookies, drop cookies, molded cookies, pressed cookies, refrigerator cookies, fruit cookies, sandwich cookies, or rolled cookies. Try to make the cookies yourself if possible.

10. \* With your troop cook a lunch or dinner for someone who helps your troop. Use the food pyramid as a guide for preparing a menu. Set the table properly, and use a centerpiece to make the table look festive.
*OR*
Use any method of cooking to make a meal for friends or family. (You may direct others to help you with the meal, but must be responsible for at least one dish yourself.) Set the table properly and use a centerpiece. Be sure to use the food pyramid as a guide for preparing your meal.

# External Links

http://www.gsctx.org/ama/orig/Cooking%20badge.pdf