Last week, Middletown South’s culinary arts classes invited principal Olausen to guest chef in room 173. Donning a special Middletown South printed apron, he showed the students how to make one of his favorite dishes, Cornbread Casserole.

It mimicked a typical Food Network cooking show, as he demonstrated each step of the recipe and gave background information to his experience with cooking.

During the demo, Olausen explained, “I started cooking a while ago because my wife was a waitress and when I would come home, she would go to work. We had four kids, so someone had to feed them. Since then, I’ve really liked cooking.”

The students watched carefully from their kitchens as he made the dish; they then made the dish for themselves.

“It was really cool to have our principal come and show us one of his recipes. The cornbread was easy and fun to make,” said senior Meredith Parry.

“It was a really interesting experience seeing another side to our principal. He’s a pretty good cook!” said senior Amelia Tuttle.

“This recipe is really versatile,” Olausen said. ‘It’s somewhere between a cornbread and corn pudding. People make it as a side on Thanksgiving, but it’s also sweet enough to be a dessert.”

“We usually don’t get the chance to talk to the principal like this, so it was a nice opportunity,” said senior Juliana Cardeno. “If I were to do the recipe again, I think I would add more, like cheese, chives, and bacon.”

Culinary arts teacher Ms. Fiel was pleased with the class: “Students got a firsthand experience of seeing their principal as a teacher. He shared…the necessity of culinary arts as an everyday life skill or a career path.”

Curious to make your own cornbread casserole? Find the recipe below:

Ingredients
½ cup melted butter
2 eggs, beaten
1 cup sour cream
1 can whole kernel corn, drained
1 can creamed corn
1 package dry cornbread mix

Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2. Spray a 9×9 in casserole dish with non-stick cooking spray
3. In a medium sized bowl, drain the cans of corn. Set aside.
4. In another bowl, combine butter, eggs, and sour cream. Mix until blended. Add cornbread mix, whole and creamed corns. Using a wooden spoon, mix until thoroughly combined. Pour mixture into casserole dish.
5. Bake for 45 minutes, or until top is golden brown.
6. Enjoy!

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