Home > News > Features > Display

Malmstrom's Missile, DFAC Chefs compete in first 2011 competition

By Staff Sgt. Dillon White , 341st Missile Wing Public Affairs Office / Published February 10, 2011

PRINT | E-MAIL

Related Links

MALMSTROM AIR FORCE BASE, Mont. -- Airmen in chef whites teamed together and competed under their squadron colors Tuesday afternoon during the first Warrior Chef competition of 2011 in the Elkhorn Dining Facility.

Senior Airman Anastasia Miller and Airman 1st Class Estrella Zapata Miles, missile chefs from the 12th Missile Squadron, took the win for the Red Dawgs with a spinach-stuffed chicken breast and baked macaroni and cheese. Both included the mandated ingredient of the event, cheese.

"This was the first time I made it," said Airman Zapata Miles nonchalantly about the stuffed chicken breasts. "I found it on Google and I liked the recipe. The mac and cheese dish was [Airman] Miller's idea -- it's a homemade recipe of hers. They both turned out great."

The two worked quickly, boiling pasta and ensuring the macaroni and cheese ingredients for Airman Miller's proprietary dish were combined perfectly. Then, they filleted the chicken and added the spinach stuffing; a mix of spinach, sour cream, pepper jack cheese, minced garlic cloves and black pepper. Then it was rolled into the breasts and a wrap of bacon was woven around the outside.

Despite having never made this dish before, both Airmen appeared as though they had been practicing this dish their entire lives and were outwardly confident it would be delicious.

Not only were Airmen Zapata Miles and Miller from the same squadron, but they also worked in the DFAC together when they first arrived at Malmstrom.

"I think having worked with her before made us a better team," Airman Zapata Miles said. "It gave us an advantage."

With both dishes in the oven, they stood attentively, occasionally stealing glances into the convectional heat.

"I really hope they like this," said Airman Miller while looking into the oven, smiling.

The two also discussed how they would present their dishes to the judges and practiced carrying empty plates near their work area. While they waited for their dishes to bake, they even took several minutes to speak to local media who were in the kitchen filming.

When it came time for the two to present their work, they carried their plates from the kitchen and stopped by the serving line to remove their hats and aprons. Airman Miller checked her hair in the reflection of a dessert case, and they stepped out to deliver their meal to the judges.

"This competition means a lot," said Brig. Gen. (sel) Anthony Cotton, 341st Missile Wing commander, who was seated in the audience. "Watching Warrior Chef Competition is no different than when you watch the Food Network and see these top chefs competing in the Iron Chef Competition. We have young Airmen working in the [341st Force Support Squadron,] the dining facility and our [missile alert facilities] who are producing incredible food. When I was a second lieutenant going to the field - not so much."

After the winners were announced, Brig. Gen. (sel) Cotton coined the participants and Airmen Miller and Zapata Miles were presented award plaques cleverly affixed to frying pans. The two will also have their names engraved on the Warrior Chef trophy.


---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

WINNING RECIPE

Spinach-stuffed chicken breast with baked macaroni and cheese

10 oz. package fresh spinach
½ c sour cream
½ c shredded pepperjack cheese
4 cloves garlic, minced
4 skinless, boneless chicken breasts pounded to ½ inch thickness
Pinch ground black pepper
8 slices of bacon

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place spinach in large glass bowl and microwave three minutes, stirring every minute or so until wilted. Stir in sour cream, pepperjack cheese and garlic. Lay chicken breast out on a clean surface and spoon some of the spinach mixture onto each one. Foll up the ckicken to enclose the spinach, then wrap each chicken breast with two slices of bacon. Secure with toothpicks, and arrange in a shallow baking dish. Bak uncovered for 35 minutes in the preheated oven, then increase the heat to 500 degrees F or use the oven's broiler for an additional 5 to 10 minutes to brown the bacon.

Baked macaroni and cheese

8x8 foil pan
Small block of Velveeta cheese, cut into small cubes
1 package Kraft Deluxe sliced cheese (not individually wrapped), cut into small cubes
4 eggs, beaten
1 can Carnation evaporated milk
Salt and Pepper
1 lb. elbow macaroni cooked

Mix all ingredients together and bake for one hour at 350 degrees F.

USAF Comments Policy
If you wish to comment, use the text box below. AF reserves the right to modify this policy at any time.

This is a moderated forum. That means all comments will be reviewed before posting. In addition, we expect that participants will treat each other, as well as our agency and our employees, with respect. We will not post comments that contain abusive or vulgar language, spam, hate speech, personal attacks, violate EEO policy, are offensive to other or similar content. We will not post comments that are spam, are clearly "off topic", promote services or products, infringe copyright protected material, or contain any links that don't contribute to the discussion. Comments that make unsupported accusations will also not be posted. The AF and the AF alone will make a determination as to which comments will be posted. Any references to commercial entities, products, services, or other non-governmental organizations or individuals that remain on the site are provided solely for the information of individuals using this page. These references are not intended to reflect the opinion of the AF, DoD, the United States, or its officers or employees concerning the significance, priority, or importance to be given the referenced entity, product, service, or organization. Such references are not an official or personal endorsement of any product, person, or service, and may not be quoted or reproduced for the purpose of stating or implying AF endorsement or approval of any product, person, or service.

Any comments that report criminal activity including: suicidal behaviour or sexual assault will be reported to appropriate authorities including OSI. This forum is not:

  • This forum is not to be used to report criminal activity. If you have information for law enforcement, please contact OSI or your local police agency.
  • Do not submit unsolicited proposals, or other business ideas or inquiries to this forum. This site is not to be used for contracting or commercial business.
  • This forum may not be used for the submission of any claim, demand, informal or formal complaint, or any other form of legal and/or administrative notice or process, or for the exhaustion of any legal and/or administrative remedy.

AF does not guarantee or warrant that any information posted by individuals on this forum is correct, and disclaims any liability for any loss or damage resulting from reliance on any such information. AF may not be able to verify, does not warrant or guarantee, and assumes no liability for anything posted on this website by any other person. AF does not endorse, support or otherwise promote any private or commercial entity or the information, products or services contained on those websites that may be reached through links on our website.

Members of the media are asked to send questions to the public affairs through their normal channels and to refrain from submitting questions here as comments. Reporter questions will not be posted. We recognize that the Web is a 24/7 medium, and your comments are welcome at any time. However, given the need to manage federal resources, moderating and posting of comments will occur during regular business hours Monday through Friday. Comments submitted after hours or on weekends will be read and posted as early as possible; in most cases, this means the next business day.

For the benefit of robust discussion, we ask that comments remain "on-topic." This means that comments will be posted only as it relates to the topic that is being discussed within the blog post. The views expressed on the site by non-federal commentators do not necessarily reflect the official views of the AF or the Federal Government.

To protect your own privacy and the privacy of others, please do not include personally identifiable information, such as name, Social Security number, DoD ID number, OSI Case number, phone numbers or email addresses in the body of your comment. If you do voluntarily include personally identifiable information in your comment, such as your name, that comment may or may not be posted on the page. If your comment is posted, your name will not be redacted or removed. In no circumstances will comments be posted that contain Social Security numbers, DoD ID numbers, OSI case numbers, addresses, email address or phone numbers. The default for the posting of comments is "anonymous", but if you opt not to, any information, including your login name, may be displayed on our site.

Thank you for taking the time to read this comment policy. We encourage your participation in our discussion and look forward to an active exchange of ideas.