Kenmore Blogging Summit – Day 2 #CookMore

When I said Day2 would be full, that was an understatement!!  Here’s how it went:

7:30am – Breakfast at LM Bistro

9am- After breakfast, we headed down to the Kenmore Live Studio and prepared ourselves for a day full of FUN!  The theme this year is “Traditionally Different Twists.”

First we listened to two photographers talk about how to make food photography appetizing.  It was very interesting and now I want to take a class on how to better use my camera!

Challenge 1:  In our teams, we had to pick one protein and two sides.  (We picked spaghetti squash, red bell pepper and eggs.)  Then the team leaders stayed in the kitchen and the rest of us went back to the seating area.  We had no clue what was going on!  The team leaders had FIVE minutes to get the dish started.  When their time was up, they went to a “holding area” and one person from each team went in to continue the dish.  They, too, had five minutes.  And then it continued.  The fifth (final) person from each team had to complete and plate the dish.  It was then judged by Kenmore reps!  Talk about a difficult challenge – especially since we couldn’t plan in advance!!  My team made Vegetarian Cajun Stir Fry Spaghetti Squash.  In the end, Team Fab 5 won with their chicken dish.

Challenge 2:  Slow Cooker Beverage!  We had 10 minutes to throw anything we wanted into the slow cooker to create a fall drink.  We made Slow Cooker Spiced Brandy Apple Cider!  When it was judged, one of the judges told us, “If it were 20 degrees colder, I’d take that whole container home with me!”  My team won this challenge and our prize is a new Kenmore Slow Cooker!

Challenge 3:  Before this challenge, we watched a special guest chef show off some of her Brioche recipes.  So she provided the Brioche for each team and we had to create a recipe in 30 minutes.  We made a Salted Caramel Apple Tart!  I really thought my team would also win this, but we didn’t. Team Hope won Kenmore Stand Mixers!

Challenge 4:  Ok, so as part of our “homework” before we arrived for the Summit, we had to submit a recipe to cookmore.com.  The Kenmore reps picked a side dish that we had recreate so it would be something you’d serve with an Asian Chicken provided by a guest chef.  Anyway, so the reps picked MY Corn Casserole recipe to recreate!  My team knew what we were going to do – and we made Asian Corn Cakes.  It turns out that all but one team made a version of corn cakes!  So, Team Arugula won Kenmore Blenders based on their originality!

Kenmore wrapped things up by announcing TWO special winners – Cher and Hope both won new Kenmore Refrigerators!!  HUGE congrats to those girls!!

5:15pm- Went back to the Hotel Felix to drop some stuff and head to dinner with Paula and Rob.  But, there was a “housekeeping” sign on the door, so I didn’t actually drop anything.

6:30pm – Dinner at Lou Malnati’s!

8pm – Back to Hotel Felix.  The housekeeping sign was still on my door, after talking with the front desk I removed it and entered.  My plane was scheduled to depart at 8:15 Sunday morning, so the driver will arrive at 5:15am.

The weekend was jam-packed with fun and a busy schedule but I wouldn’t change it!  It was great to see “old” friends, meet new ones and compete with them!

Thanks so much, Kenmore!!  See you next time!  {I hope!!}

 

**Full Disclosure: Kenmore sent me, all expenses paid, to the Kenmore Blogging Summit.  This post is me sharing the experience I had on their dime.  All thoughts and opinions are my own!!