The Clay County 4-H Cooking Club met on Tuesday, September 23rd, for a hands-on session centered on a delicious and hearty dish: Chicken Chimichanga Casserole. The meeting served as both a culinary lesson and a final preparation for the club's upcoming fundraiser.

Under the guidance of club leaders Natasha Michael and Sue Brown, the young members worked together to create a multi-layered masterpiece: a Chicken Chimichanga Casserole. The process began with frying strips of tortillas, then moved on to chopping peppers and onions. They sautéed these in butter and flour to create a roux, which served as the base for a creamy and rich sauce. After adding homemade chicken broth, they stirred in sour cream and cheese to finish the sauce. Finally, each member built their own layered casserole dish, alternating between the fried tortilla strips, the creamy sauce, and cheese.

It was great to see everyone get so involved in the process while they learned how to build layers of flavor and finish a dish that's perfect for a family dinner.

In addition to mastering the casserole, the club also finalized plans for their bake sale. The fundraiser will be held this Saturday, September 27th, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on the town square as part of the Tractor Parade Agriculture Day. All proceeds will help the club fund future projects and educational activities.

For more information regarding the Clay County 4-H Program and any of its clubs, please contact the 4-H Agent, Kiffney Stokes at 828-389-6305 or kiffney.stokes@ncsu.edu.