SWEET 16

What happened to my baby girl?

She grew up.  She turned 16.

On her birthday she got to go on her first date.

Her father took her to Havana Rumba and to Culvers.  They also went driving for awhile.  (Shhh - she doesn't actually have her permit quite yet.  She has to take a test on Wednesday before they will issue her permit.)  Her first date was a huge success!!!!!
Saturday was Key Lime Pie's Birthday Party.  (Unfortunately, the pictures were all blurry....  I'm sooooo sorry.)  Here's what happened:

"Welcome to DeGooyer Cutthroat Kitchen.  This is a special birthday edition.  The challenge: to create a birthday feast worthy of a sweet 16 celebration."
We had six chefs competing for top honors:

Chef Jalapeno claims his mentors were trolls.  They taught him how to make salamander stew and dragon stew.  His first foray with bacon was unforgettable.  (Not sure what the story is there.)  His greatest accomplishment was a chocolate hazelnut torte.  (Why have you not made this for me, Jalapeno?)

Chef Key Lime Pie has been cooking for the DeGooyer bakery for about 5 years now.  Her specialty is Peeta's Cinnamon Bakery Bread and homemade rolls.  She also enjoys cooking all types of pasta.  Unfortunately, she does not enjoy doing dishes, but will do them when prodded.

Chef Muffin has been baking for about 4 years.  She loves to bake and her specialty is snickerdoodles.  Her favorite thing to do is bake for others.  She also has set up her own "romantic dinner for two restaurant" for her parents.

Chef Doritos loves to eat, but don't tell him what you put into the food.  He is quite the pizza chef because his mother put too many vegetables on the pizzas.  "If you are the chef, it gets made your way." he explains.  Doritos has been baking since he could stir and would sit on the floor stirring the cookie batter.

Chef Kotten Kandy is known as the hardest working chef, albeit a bit clumsy.  She willingly tries new recipes and especially loves making people smile with her brownies.  She is famous for her BYU mint brownies, Ork brownies and Buck-Eyed brownies.

Chef Lemon Drop was tutored under Chef Jalapeno in making biscuits.  She progressed to muffins, mac n cheese, jello and quesadillas.  Her favorite thing to make is dessert.  Just don't ask her to bake at night; her mistake ratio increases with how tired she is.
These 6 chefs had two culinary challenges to complete in the time allotted.  But this was no simple test of skill.  They each had $16,000 with which to bid on "sabotages."  They were allowed to impair their fellow competitors.  The sabotages forced rivals to change their cooking strategy.  And the celebrity judges had no knowledge of these changes before sampling the final entries.  Our celebrity judges were:  Amy Bettenhausen, Jan Melanson and Dave Melanson.  (Honorary judge, who couldn't be here, Joyce Glaze!)

Each chef had 45 minutes to make the perfect pizza.  The dishes were judged on two criteria: presentation and taste.  The sabotages included being tied up so you could only use one hand.  Adding a banana to your pizza.  Switching places with someone else and finishing their pizza.  Baking in a microwave.  Having less time than other chefs.  And not being able to use a cheese grater.  The chefs were amazing!  And all the pizzas were DELICIOUS!

Chef Doritos took the grand prize though!  What a proud moment for him....

After the pizza round, we went to round two.  We decorated cakes - and they were supposed to represent Key Lime Pie (since it was her 16th Birthday).  The cakes were AWESOME!

The sabotages included not being able to use any utensils, using pickles in the decorating, blowing 20 bubble gum bubbles before being able to work.  And only using German Chocolate frosting (not white frosting.)  This time Key Lime Pie won!

It was a fun evening!  With really good friends!  And Key Lime Pie was spoiled rotten.

She is an amazing young lady.  She makes everyone around her smile.  She is always laughing and has a great sense of humor.  She loves music and is willing to share and work hard to strengthen her talents.  She loves the gospel.  And she has a strong desire to be the best she can be.  I'm proud of my 16 year old!  I just wish she wouldn't grow up so fast.