CCSD School Nutrition today celebrated Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy parent Keisha Brown as the annual CCSD Parent Recipe Contest winner! The top prize included a $100 gift card from contest sponsor Credit Union of Georgia and seeing her winning recipe for Spinach and Chicken Quesadillas appear on school menus this week. From left to right, Georgia Department of Education Academic Nutrition Manager Kelly Toon, Jason Blakey of Credit Union of Georgia, CCSD School Nutrition Executive Director Tina Farmer, Ms. Brown, Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy School Nutrition Manager Michelle Dubose, CCSD Preschool Centers Assistant Principal Angela Moody and Principal Debbie Ritter, and Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy Penny Valle.
An Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy mom is the winner of this year’s annual CCSD Parent Recipe Contest!
Keisha Brown, mom of twins who attend preschool at Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy, earned the top prize for her Spinach and Chicken Quesadilla recipe. The recipe contest, which highlights a different vegetable each year in honor of Farm to School Month, drew a record number of entries this year with its “Spinach to Win It” theme.
Ms. Brown, who works as a paraprofessional at Clark Creek ES STEM Academy, was congratulated today by CCSD School Nutrition and Georgia Department of Education School Nutrition leaders and presented with a $100 gift card from contest sponsor Credit Union of Georgia.
Her recipe was enjoyed by Oak Grove students today as part of the celebration and will be featured Friday on CCSD school lunch menus. Some of the spinach that was used in the quesadillas at Oak Grove was grown in the school garden, supplemented with spinach that was locally grown and sourced.
“Mrs. Brown and her husband entered recipes in the contest, and his recipe was a chicken alfredo with spinach that ended up as our second place recipe,” CCSD School Nutrition Executive Director Tina Farmer said. “She was glad to know that her recipe was the winner in their household!”
For the judging process, the recipes were prepared by CCSD School Nutrition staff and then tested by a panel made up of Georgia Department of Education Academic Nutrition Manager Kelly Toon, Cherokee County School Board member Kelly Poole, Cherokee County UGA Agricultural and Natural Resources Agent Joshua Fuder, CCSD Culinary Specialist Jessica Emmett and CCSD Chief Financial Officer Ken Owen.
Here is the winning recipe:
Spinach and Chicken Quesadilla by Keisha Brown
4 large whole wheat tortillas
1lb. shredded chicken (rotisserie works great)
1 c. shredded Colby Jack cheese
2 c. chopped spinach
Sour cream and salsa for dipping
Preheat oven to 425F. On a parchment- or foil-lined cookie sheet pan, assemble tortillas: divide the shredded chicken, cheese and chopped spinach between the tortillas, filling only one side of each tortilla. Fold the empty tortilla side over to meet the filling; spray with non-stick cooking spray. Bake for eight to 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and tortillas are golden.
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Oak Grove ES STEAM Academy students enjoyed the winning recipe for Spinach and Chicken Quesadillas today, and it will be featured on all CCSD school lunch menus on Friday.