February 2017
School Foodservice Operator of the Month: Samantha Cowens-Gasbarro
Title: Chef/Nutrition Coordinator
School/District: Windham Raymond Schools, Maine
Number of students served: 1,000 breakfasts and about 2,000 lunches
Favorite Potato Recipe or Potato Hack:
“One of our most popular menu items is our Baked Potato Bar. We make a variety of toppings from homemade chili and steamed broccoli to a cheese sauce. In the past, our cheese sauce has come out of a can, but in recent years, we have begun making our own traditional cheese sauce to serve on our baked potato bar, which the kids love. I am currently working on a recipe to incorporate Greek yogurt into our homemade cheese sauce to lower the saturated fat and increase protein. It’s a simple recipe made with cornstarch, milk, Greek yogurt and cheese that also holds well for service.
The kids love to have options at lunch and all of these toppings can be made ahead, frozen in the amounts you will need and pulled out and reheated on the day of service. We have chili on our menu, so we always make extra to freeze and take out for the baked potato bar. It is a quick and easy way to be able to give them homemade options on their baked potato bar! Kids love to customize their food!”
