Posted by The Herald News, IL on February 06, 2010 at 09:59:02:
Yorkville boy savvy about sandwiches
February 6, 2010
By DAVID GARBE For Sun-Times Media
YORKVILLE -- Ryan Jaskowski makes one heck of a peanut butter sandwich.
Never mind the grape-or-strawberry debate -- the Yorkville 8-year-old has moved on to more subtle flavors like avocado, soy sauce and scallions.
His creation was delicious enough to impress judges from Jif, who chose Ryan as a top-10 finalist nationwide in the peanut butter company's annual sandwich recipe contest.
The contest is open for public voting at www.jif.com, where all 10 recipes will be on display until voting ends on Feb. 12.
The five most popular sandwiches will earn their creators a $2,500 college scholarship fund, as well as a trip to New York for a final round of judging to determine the year's best peanut butter sandwich.
Besides bragging rights, the top spot carries a $25,000 scholarship fund for the winning chef.
The Jaskowski family has been campaigning hard with friends and family to get the vote out. The principal at Yorkville's Grande Reserve Elementary, Ryan's school, even sent a note home to parents.
Although he's is too young to vote for himself -- the voting limit is for ages 13 and up -- Ryan said the contest process has been fun so far.
"I want to enter it again if I don't win this year," Ryan said.
Jif created the contest eight years ago to encourage 6- to 12-year-old kids to experiment with cooking, and the rules encourage "out of the lunchbox thinking."
Ryan's "Crispy Fish Stick Wrap with Peanut Sauce" certainly makes the grade on originality, with its blend of Asian and Tex-Mex influences.
Like most great discoveries, Ryan's came by chance.
"I accidentally dipped one of my fish sticks in peanut butter," Ryan said, and he thought the unusual combination was pretty tasty.
"We were a little skeptical," said his mom, Diane, who knows that the tastes of 8-year-old boys don't always translate to the adult palate.
But the two of them set to work, experimenting with different ingredients to arrive at the perfect balance. It didn't hurt that Diane is an experienced cook, but she said the core of the recipe was all Ryan's.
"I'm just the sous-chef," Diane said.
He insisted on the avocado, fish sticks and tortilla shells, all of which are among his favorite foods. She insisted on the carrots, as Ryan tells it, "because my mom said I had to have something healthy."
Not that Ryan was complaining.
"He likes things that you wouldn't think kids his age would like, so that's good," Diane said.
And when your vegetables are mixed up in a fish stick wrap with rich, sweet peanut sauce, it's hard to say no.
Ryan's Crispy Fish Stick Wrap Recipe
• Ingredients (makes four servings)
12 frozen fish sticks
4 tortillas
12 slices avocado
32 shreds of carrot
6 teaspoons crispy rice noodles
• Peanut Sauce
2 tablespoons creamy peanut butter (Jif is preferred!)
3 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 teaspoon whole grain mustard
1 teaspoon light brown sugar
1 diced scallion
• Directions
Cook fish sticks per package instructions. Dice scallion. Prepare peanut sauce by combining peanut butter and soy sauce in the microwave for 45 seconds on high. Stir in the whole grain mustard, light brown sugar and diced scallion until well combined. Slice avocado.
Build sandwich wrap as follows: smear a tablespoon of peanut sauce in the center of the tortilla. Place 3 fish sticks on top of the peanut sauce in the center of the wrap. Top the fish sticks with 3 pieces of sliced avocado, 8 shreds of shredded carrots and 1-1/2 teaspoons of crispy rice noodles. Roll up wrap and slice in half to serve.
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