TEKS & Objectives

7.1.A apply mathematics to problems arising in everyday life, society, and the workplace

7.1.B  use a problem-solving model that incorporates analyzing given information, formulating a plan or strategy, determining a solution, justifying the solution, and evaluating the problem-solving process and the reasonableness of the solution

We will practice adding fractions..

I will double a small batch of Christmas cookies.

1. Complete warmup.

2. Make cookies, but be sure to DOUBLE the recipe!

Snowball Treats

AKA Mexican Wedding Cookies

AKA Russian Tea Cakes

Ingredients:

• 1/2 cup butter
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 2/3 cup and 1 tablespoon chopped walnuts
• 2 tablespoons and 2 teaspoons confectioners’ sugar for decoration

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. In a medium bowl, cream butter and vanilla until smooth.
3. In a separate bowl, combine the 3 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar and flour.
4. Stir into the butter mixture until just blended.
5. Mix in the chopped walnuts.
6. Roll dough into 1 inch balls, and place them 2 inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet.
7. Bake for 12 minutes in the preheated oven.
8. When cool, roll in remaining confectioners’ sugar. I also like to roll mine in the sugar a second time.

Source: Allrecipes.com: Russion Tea Cakes

Try this while you wait for your cookies to bake…

3. See if you can spot all the kitchen safety fails in the video below:

How many could you find? Here are some below.

Scroll down when your’re ready…

• Hair – She doesn’t have it pulled back, under a hat or wrap. While not a sin for a home cook, it’s always a good precaution, especially with long hair.
• Rings – She’s wearing two rather large clunky rings, perfect harbors for bacteria of all sorts. They should be removed before cooking.
• Chef’s knife in the sink. First of all, that’s no way to treat a chef’s knife. Always clean and dry immediately after use or at least put it someplace where you can see it. That’s an ER visit with multiple stitches waiting to happen.
• Contaminated salt and pepper – Portion out enough salt and pepper for the dish. That way the whole pot isn’t contaminated after the raw meat is seasoned.
• Cutting board – She made so many mistakes here it’s unreal.
  • The cutting board was wood first of all. Again, not a sin for the home cook but much harder to keep clean and sanitized.
  • It’s not color coded, obviously, since it’s wood. I’d advise getting color coded cutting mats you can put over the base board in 4 colors: red for beef and pork, yellow for poultry, green for vegetables and blue for fish. Only use the color for the correct ingredient.
  • She placed raw meat and produce on the same cutting board.
  • Placed cooked food on the contaminated cutting board before serving.
  • A portion of the salad fell onto the cutting board as she was serving and placed back into the bowl.
• Did not wash hands after handling raw meat especially poultry.
• Coughed on her hand and did not wash them.
• Wiped her hands on the kitchen towel without washing hands and reused it to handle cooked food.
• Scratched her head and didn’t wash hands.
• Spilled dressing without cleaning up, a slipping hazard.

4. Check out some different ways to giftwrap homemade cookies below, then try it yourself:

5. “Desserts”

6. Practice at Brainzy.

….There are no assignments today. Practice at any island.

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Find access codes here.

Lesson Resources