CRESTVIEW — Northwood Arts and Science Academy third-graders Aidan Bush, Kyle Bourque and Junior Paul are awaiting the Feb. 21-25 edition of the News Bulletin so they can make a special sandwich at home.
“This is so good!” Junior said upon sinking his teeth into a Cougars Meatball Slider. “I can make it when the recipe comes out in the paper,” Kyle said.
See photos of Sherri Williams cooking for Northwood third-graders>>
Sixty-time blue ribbon-winning Crestview chef Sherri Williams, who visited Northwood Feb. 19, created the sandwich especially for the visit. Williams offered inspirational messages as she mixed Italian seasoning and seasoned greens into healthy, low-fat ground turkey meat.
“I’m not culinary school trained,” Williams said. “I’m self-taught. But when you have love and passion about something, you can do anything.”
The kids also learned the importance of math and science in the kitchen. Heat energy, for example, is integral to cooking. “If you want to divide a recipe, you’re going to need to know your fractions,” Williams said. “And baking is like a science. If you want to bake a cake, you need to follow a recipe exactly or it may not rise up.”
Williams is one of 10 home cooks from across the country starring with celebrity chefs on “All-Star Academy,” premiering 8 p.m. March 1 on The Food Network. She’s also been featured on “The Today Show," “Good Morning America” and in Macy’s “American Grill” in New York's Herald Square.
“Food is something we all have to have,” Williams said. “Food to me is therapy and love. Food brings everybody together.”
COUGARS MEATBALL SLIDER Ingredients Approximately 2 pounds ground lean turkey 2-3 tablespoons Italian seasoning mixed with granulated garlic and onion powder, to taste ½ to 1 cup shredded Italian cheese blend or mozzarella, to taste 2 small cans seasoned greens (such as turnips and collards) 1 medium jar spaghetti sauce 1 baguette (slim French bread), sliced thin (the grocery bakery can slice it for you) Shredded mozzarella for topping Drain greens. Mix seasoning mixture, Italian cheese blend (or mozzarella) and greens into the ground turkey. Form meat mixture into meatballs; flatten slightly. Place flattened meatballs on oiled baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 15 minutes until firm to touch. Heat spaghetti sauce in pot or microwave; add favorite seasoning to taste. You may mix meatballs into the heated sauce, or spoon sauce over meatballs individually. Top slice of bread with a meatball. Spoon spaghetti sauce over it if you didn’t mix the meatballs into sauce beforehand. Top with shredded mozzarella and another slice of bread to make a sandwich. Makes approximately 40 sandwiches.
Sherri Williams
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This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Crestview competitive chef inspires Northwood Cougars (PHOTOS, VIDEO)