Wednesday: First Lady Will Unveil 2011 White House Holiday Decorations

Military families invited for first viewing, holiday crafts...
On Wednesday, Nov. 30th, as she unveils the decorations for her third holiday season in the White House, First Lady Michelle Obama will welcome military families, including Gold Star and Blue Star parents, spouses and children, for the first viewing. At 1:30 PM, Mrs. Obama will deliver remarks in the East Room, and then she will host the children in the State Dining Room for a special holiday craft and treat session.

Executive Chef Cris Comerford and Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses will demonstrate how to make edible holiday treats and decorations. White House Florist Laura Dowling will demonstrate holiday crafts. (Above: Mrs. Obama and Yosses making gingerbread cookies with kids during the 2010 holiday preview)

Yosses' annual Gingerbread replica of the White House will also be unveiled on Wednesday. Last year's white chocolate-covered extravaganza weighed 400 pounds, while the 2009 edition came in at 390 pounds. Both were created with honey from the White House Beehive, and featured marzipan miniatures of First Dog Bo, and the First Lady's Kitchen Garden. (Above: The 2009 White House Gingerbread House)

Two White House Christmas Trees will honor military families this year. Last Friday, Mrs. Obama was presented with the Official White House Christmas Tree, and the 19-foot-tall Balsam Fir, grown in Wisconsin, will be placed in the Blue Room, and decorated with a theme honoring Blue Star families. A special Gold Star Christmas tree decorated by Gold Star families will be displayed at the visitor’s entrance on the East Wing Landing. As many as 100,000 visitors will view the White House holiday decorations in the next month, according to an aide.

In 2009, Mrs. Obama's first holiday theme was "Reflect, Rejoice, Renew." In 2010, the theme was "Simple Gifts." Both themes were inspired in part by the First Lady's Kitchen Garden, and made liberal use of fruit and dried vegetables, woven among the more traditional greens.

*Top photo by Lawrence Jackson/White House; second by Eddie Gehman Kohan/ObamaFoodorama.com

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First Lady Michelle Obama Featured On EverydayHealth.com: "Eat Like The White House"

An "exclusive" interview with First Lady Michelle Obama was posted today on EverydayHealth.com as the website unveiled its Fall editorial feature, "Eat Like the White House Eats." The website claims 28 million visitors monthly, and Mrs. Obama begins her interview on healthy eating and the importance of the Let's Move! campaign by professing her love for French fries. The above photo compilation of Mrs. Obama and her favorite food is posted with the interview.

The web feature includes five recipes that are credited to the White House chefs, but three of these were NOT actually created by the white-jacketed folks working at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. There's also a section on presidential snacks; President Obama's favorite snack, according to the website, is chocolate Smoked Salt Caramels.

As her interview begins, Mrs. Obama is asked her favorite food.

"This is an easy one — it’s French fries. I love them. And I’m not afraid to talk about it because it’s important that we realize that healthy eating doesn’t have to be an all-or-nothing approach. Choosing a healthy diet isn’t about deprivation, it’s about balance. It’s about moderation. Like I tell my kids, as long as you eat fruits and vegetables at every meal, you’ll be okay if you have pizza or ice cream every once in a while. The problem is when the treats become the habits."

Mrs. Obama also offers some parental advice for getting children to try healthier foods.

"Give them some choice in the matter. Find nutritious recipes they like and build up from there. Garden with them. Take them grocery shopping. Get them involved in the kitchen."

The recipes...
As for the recipes: Three of the "Five Fresh Recipes From the White House Kitchen" that are posted online and credited to the White House chefs were actually created by the food editors at Better Homes and Gardens magazine to accompany Mrs. Obama's July cover story about the Kitchen Garden. These include the recipes for Sweet Potato Fries with Baby Tomato Ketchup, smashed Apple Jam, and Fruit Pockets. They're perfectly good and easy recipes, but the White House chefs did not create them.

A fourth recipe that's posted, for Turkey and Spinach Lasagna, was previously released by the White House, created by Executive Chef Cris Comerford for an appearance on The Martha Stewart Show. But the recipe is credited on EverydayHealth.com as a creation of Assistant Chef Sam Kass. There seems to be one new White House recipe, for "I Made It Myself" Pizza, which is a veggie-loaded pie. But the White House, as of this writing, has not yet confirmed if a White House chef actually created the recipe.

Above: A screengrab of the online feature, which also includes ten recipes "inspired" by the First Lady's White House Kitchen Garden, and a healthy eating quiz.

The press release for the feature notes that "In addition to the French fries indulgence admission, Michelle Obama also notes in the exclusive interview that healthy eating does not have to be an all or nothing approach and she encourages Everyday Health readers to remember that treats should not become the habit. She offers ideas on how to involve children in the process and provides insights into a typical Obama family dinner – a time she says helps her family be a bit healthier, with their eating and as a family."

*Images from EverydayHealth.com

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White House Recipe: Roasted Pumpkin Squash Soup With Pepitas And Greek Yogurt

A savory Autumn soup, perfect for Thanksgiving...Executive Chef Cris Comerford gave Nate Berkus, host of NBC's The Nate Berkus Show, a cooking lesson in the White House kitchen when he visited during the October 5th Fall Harvest of First Lady Michelle Obama's Kitchen Garden. Berkus interviewed Mrs. Obama (video here), toured the garden with Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass (video here), and then visited the kitchen, where Comerford showed him how to make Roasted Pumpkin Squash Soup. The aromatic Autumn creation is garnished with sweet/spicy Pepitas (pumpkin seeds), a drizzle of Pumpkin Seed Oil, and Greek yogurt. The video of the cooking lesson shows all the steps. It also contains a glimpse of tasting dishes being prepared for Mrs. Obama for the menu for the Oct. 13th State Dinner for South Korea. The show aired on Monday. (Above: Comerford and Berkus at work)



While Comerford used small pumpkin squash for the soup during her lesson, she said that it is equally good with other squash varieties. "Any squash can be used," Comerford said, noting Acorn and Butternut as good swaps. The recipe calls for chicken stock, but vegetarian stock can be substituted. A blender is required, as is a mesh strainer for a less chunky soup.

Two other seasonal White House soup recipes: Click here for Broccoli Soup; and click here for a different version of Broccoli Soup. Check the sidebar for all other White House recipes.

Roasted Pumpkin Squash Soup  
with Candied Pepitas and Greek Yogurt

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Ingredients
1 ½ lbs Pumpkin Squash

1 Tbsp olive oil

1 Vidalia onion, chopped

6 cloves garlic

1 Cup celery, diced

1 Cup carrot, peeled and diced

1 ½ Tsp paprika

1 sprig thyme

2 bay leaves

4 Cups chicken stock (vegetable stock can be substituted)

Salt and pepper to taste

Garnish ingredients
1 Cup Greek yogurt

Pumpkin Seed oil

½ cup Pumpkin seeds (Pepitas)

Espellette powder (Basque chili pepper powder)

Powdered sugar

Method for the soup
1. Cut the Pumpkin Squash in half and place it, cut side down on an oiled baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees until it is easily pierced with a knife, about an hour.

2. Remove from oven and let Cool. Scoop the flesh out and discard the skin and seeds.

3. Warm the olive oil in a soup pot over a medium heat. Sweat the carrots, onion, celery and garlic until translucent, about five to ten minutes.

4. Add the dry spices and the aromatics. Add the Squash flesh and chicken stock.

5. Bring to a boil and simmer for about fifteen minutes.  REMOVE Bay leaves and Thyme sprig if still intact.

6. Using a blender, puree in batches. For a less chunky soup, strain through a fine mesh.

7. Return to pot to gently simmer.

Candied Pepitas
1. Preheat a small sauté pan with a medium heat.

2. Add the pumpkin seeds and powdered sugar.

3. Stir the mixture continuously until you hear a popping sound and the sugar starts to caramelize. Add salt and a dash of espellette powder, mix.

4. Cool.

To serve: Warm soup bowls, and pour in soup. Sprinkle Candied Pepitas into each bowl of soup, drizzle with Pumpkin Seed Oil, and top with a dollop of Greek yogurt.

*Photos and video from The Nate Berkus Show

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Video: Nate Berkus Interviews First Lady Obama

First Lady discusses Let's Move! campaign, the importance of gardening for children, and praises America's chefs...
Nate Berkus, host of NBC's The Nate Berkus Show, visited the White House during the October 5th Fall Harvest of First Lady Michelle Obama's Kitchen Garden. In this video clip from the show that aired on Monday, Berkus interviews Mrs. Obama. They discuss the Let's Move! campaign, Mrs. Obama's efforts to change the palates of America's children, the Chefs Move to Schools initiative, and how the Kitchen Garden has inspired similar projects in schools and communities across the country. The special White House episode aired on Monday, and to date it is the best visit by a TV series. (Above: Mrs. Obama and Berkus during their interview)

"Our ultimate hope is that when kids participate in the growth of food they'll be more interested in using that food, and being more likely to try some new things," Mrs. Obama said. "And then that way you can slip in a little education...and they take pride and ownership in it."



Chefs Move to Schools is a Let's Move! component run by USDA that marries professional chefs to local schools to boost nutrition initiatives, and has become an important initiative.  3,700 chefs have now signed up to participate, according to Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass.

"The chefs in this country have stepped up in major ways," Mrs. Obama said.  "And many of them — I'm proud to say — have found it as a pathway to healthier living for themselves as well."

The White House chefs have adopted DC's Harriet Tubman Elementary School for Chefs Move. The collective 75-pound weight loss of three of the chefs made national headlines last week.

Berkus during his visit also got a special Kitchen Garden tour from Kass, and cooked soup in the kitchen with Executive Chef Cris Comerford (the video and recipe). "American Grown," Mrs. Obama's forthcoming book about the Kitchen Garden, will be released in April of 2012.

*Photo & video from The Nate Berkus Show

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Video: Kass & Nate Berkus Tour Kitchen Garden

Does the Secret Service protect the Presidential vegetables?
Nate Berkus, host of NBC's The Nate Berkus Show, visited the White House during the October 5th Fall Harvest of First Lady Michelle Obama's Kitchen Garden, and he got a special tour from Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass. Berkus also interviewed the First Lady and cooked soup in the kitchen with Executive Chef Cris Comerford (the recipe and video is here). The special White House episode aired on Monday, and to date it is the best visit by a TV series. (Above: Kass and Berkus in the Kitchen Garden)

There's an amusing moment near the end of the tour when Berkus asks if the Secret Service is involved with the garden.

"Does the Secret service protect these cabbages from rabbits and things like that?" Berkus asks.

"Yes, I hold them to task. If a bird gets a tomato, I'm all over them," Kass responds, laughing. "I'm just kidding. They have more important people to protect than our tomatoes."



Click here for more videos of Kass giving Kitchen Garden tours. "American Grown," Mrs. Obama's forthcoming book about the Kitchen Garden, will be released in April of 2012.

*Photo & video from The Nate Berkus Show

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White House Chefs Featured On "Today" Show

Comerford, Morrison, and Collick in the spotlight for losing 75 pounds...
Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford, Assistant Pastry Chef Susie Morrison, and Assistant Chef Adam Collick were featured in a segment on NBC's Today show on Friday morning, thanks to their collective weight loss of 75 pounds, which they credit to First Lady Michelle Obama's influence with the Let's Move! campaign. All are eating healthier foods and exercising. Comerford, 47, has lost fifteen pounds this year, while Morrison, 44, and Collick, 46, have both lost thirty pounds. (Above, from l: Comerford, Collick and Morrison during the segment)

The chefs were filmed making healthy veggie sandwiches, and cutting cookie dough--in the shape of First Dog Bo--that will be frozen for the upcoming holiday receptions, when the President and Mrs. Obama will welcome thousands of guests. The chefs said they are getting plenty of support from Mrs. Obama for their health efforts.

"When she sees us, she'll comment 'you look great,'" Morrison said. "I used to comment myself that I was the Cookie Monster, because I love sweets."

"We try to live by her example," Collick said.

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Download This Mini White House Cookbook

Five easy, family friendly recipes, from the White House to Your House...
First Lady Michelle Obama threw a big South Lawn party on Monday to celebrate the success of the HealthierUS School Challenge. All 1,000 guests were given a lovely little book containing five recipes created by the White House chefs. It is now available to the public in digital format, which is a first for the Let's Move! campaign and the White House. Included are recipes for Cauliflower Mac and Cheese; Broccoli Soup; Grilled Chicken Salad with greens; Warm Baked Apples with Dried Cherries, Raisins, and Blueberries; and Fruit and Oat Snack Bars. DOWNLOAD the book here [PDF]. (Above: The cover of the mini cookbook)

Each recipe is family friendly, low-fat and healthy, of course. Check the sidebar of this blog for all the previously released White House recipes.

White House Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses and Assistant Pastry Chef Susie Morrison demonstrated the Fruit and Oat Snack bars during Mrs. Obama's party on Monday, to much enthusiasm from the crowd.

"It was a wonderful day," Yosses said.

Mrs. Obama's party decorations were pretty special, too. Check them out here.

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A Presidential Thank You For The Chefs

President Obama and First Lady Obama summoned their Top Toques to the East Room on Thursday night to introduce them to the more than 200 guests invited to the State Dinner in honor of President Lee Myung-bak of the Republic of Korea.

The guests paused after dessert to give Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford and Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses a round of applause for the four-course extravaganza. (Above: Yosses is at right. Vice President Joe Biden smiles at left)

The Fall Harvest menu commingled flourishes from traditional Korean cuisine with American favorites; the main course was a Texas Wagyu Beef rib-eye, with an Orange-Ginger Fondue, accompanied by Sauteed Kale and Roasted Kabocha Squash. Click here to read more about the menu, and watch a video filmed in the kitchen during prep. The post has links to all other State Dinner posts.

*Pete Souza photo

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The Obamas' State Dinner Menu In Honor Of President Lee Myung-bak, The Republic of Korea

A Fall Harvest celebration featuring bounty from the White House Kitchen Garden, Texas Wagyu Beef, and mystery wines...
President Obama and First Lady Obama will honor the Republic of Korea's President Lee Myung-bak and First Lady Kim Yoon-ok with a Fall Harvest State Dinner this evening. The four-course menu was "conceived by" Mrs. Obama and Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford, according to the White House. It "highlights the best of local produce combined with Korean flavors and traditions." The star of the show is Texas Wagyu Beef rib-eye steak with an Orange-Ginger Fondue as the entree, accompanied by Sauteed Kale and Roasted Kabocha Squash. Dessert is "Chocolate Malt Devils Food Layers," because chocolate is "a universal taste," according to Executive Pastry Chef Bill Yosses. The guest list of more than 2oo is here.

"The inspiration for the Republic of Korea State Dinner is American Hospitality. At State Dinners, we extend our hand in friendship and convey a generosity of spirit designed to welcome guests," noted the White House. The East Room, where the 8:35 PM dinner will take place, is a riot of autumn colors, featuring floral arrangements anchored by hundreds of apples in a nod to the First Lady's Let's Move! campaign. Shadows of fall leaves and apples are projected on the walls and ceilings, too. The graphic logo for Mrs. Obama's signature initiative features an apple. (Above: The Presidential couples during the arrival for dinner under the North Portico)

The dishes spotlight American regional foods and local sourcing, in particular the Fall Harvest bounty from Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden, plucked with student helpers on Oct. 5. "Vegetables from that harvest are highlighted in this evening’s dinner and perennial herbs from the garden are used throughout the meal," the White House noted.

"The main dish features Wagyu beef from a Texas ranch, fresh kale from a DC-area source and squash from the White House Kitchen Garden," the White House said in menu guidance issued to reporters. On the White House website, it's noted that "fresh turnip greens from a DC-area source" accompany the entree. Turnip greens aren't listed anywhere on the menu, however.

Texas Wagyu Beef is highly marbled and very tender, and the herds are descended from Asian cattle breeds. Comerford rubbed the rib-eye cuts with garlic and locally sourced scallions, in more homage to Korea. The beef is "lathered with butter," Comerford said in a video (below) released about the State Dinner preparations.

The scallions are "a wondrous Korean ingredient," Comerford said.

The first course, Butternut Squash Bisque, also includes squash grown in the Kitchen Garden, and the second course, Early Fall Harvest Salad, uses red and green lettuces grown there. The soup "represents the best in local, seasonal fare: the dish is light yet robust and features the scents of fall," said the White House.

In homage to the guests of honor, there are flourishes from the Korean culinary tradition--Daikon sheets and "Masago Rice Pearl Crispies" and a Rice Wine Vinaigrette for the salad--and Yosses' delirious chocolate finish uses "a blend of" Korean and American pears.

Dinner will be served on the gold-rimmed, cream-colored Clinton State China created for the 200th anniversary of the White House. It is the only State China that features depictions of historic Washington buildings in the center of the plate, rather than the Presidential seal.

"An American wine will be paired with each course," the White House said, but did not release the names of the wines.

State Dinner Menu

in Honor of
President Lee Myung-bak

First Course
Butternut Squash Bisque,
Honey Poached Cranberries, Virginia Cured Ham
Pumpkin Seed Praline, Crème Fraiche

Second Course
Early Fall Harvest Salad on Daikon Sheets
Masago Rice Pearl Crispies
Rice Wine Vinaigrette

Main Course
Texas Wagyu Beef, Orange-Ginger Fondue
Sauteed Kale, Roasted Kabocha Squash

Dessert
Chocolate Malt Devils Food Layers
With Pear and Almond Brittle

Above: The Head Table, where the two Presidential couples will be seated.

No shout-out for American wine producers...Again
While the White House is spotlighting local/regional foods and Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden by announcing sourcing for ingredients, for the third high-profile dinner in a row, the names of the wines that will be poured are being kept top secret. Why?

When queried by Obama Foodorama about why it now seems to be a policy for the White House to not reveal the names of the wines that are poured at important dinners, Mrs. Obama's Press Secretary, Hannah August, had no explanation for why this might be the case. The names of the wines poured for State Dinner #4, in honor of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, and the Return State Dinner in honor of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, were also not revealed to press. The vineyard owners who had their wines selected for that dinner, held in London, later sent copies of the dinner menu to Obama Foodorama, so the wines appear with the menu in this archive.

Tonight's wines for the State Dinner are definitely American, August said. Using only American wines at the White House has been a tradition since the Johnson era.

Decor duties outsourced...
All the details on the decor are here. Round tables for ten surround the rectangular Head Table for twenty where the Presidential Couple will be seated in the center, facing outward towards the East Room. Each table takes a single color for its dominant theme. Tonight's State Dinner is the fifth of the Administration, and the third this year. It is the second managed by Social Secretary Jeremy Bernard. Decor duties were outsourced to Rafanelli Events, as was the case for the first State Dinner Bernard oversaw, in honor of German Chancellor Merkel. The firm does "exclusive, high profile" events around the US, including former First Daughter Chelsea Clinton's "wedding of the decade." (Above: A long view of the East Room, before the dinner)

This afternoon, the White House released a video of Chef Comerford discussing the menu, and giving a tour of the kitchen during the prep for the State Dinner:



The post-dinner reception...
During a 10:00 PM post-dinner reception in the State Dining Room, classical musicians (and sisters) The Ahn Trio, and vocalist Janelle Monáe will perform separately. Monáe, based in Kansas City, Kansas, has been nominated for Grammy awards multiple times. All four performers will dine at the Sate Dinner before entertaining in the State Dining Room.

Updated & related: A post about the Presidential Dinner Toasts is here. A report on the guest arrivals, with video, is here. The brief, soggy arrival ceremony under the North Portico is here. Details on Mrs. Obama's gown are here. The Presidents' joint news conference is here. The morning Arrival Ceremony is here. This afternoon, Mrs. Obama and Mrs. Kim made a special visit to a Virginia high school. On the eve of the State Visit, on Wednesday, President Obama took President Lee out for a traditional Korean dinner at Woo Lae Oak restaurant in suburban Virginia.

Related: The menu for the State Dinner in honor of Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel in June of 2011 IS HERE. The menu for the State Dinner in honor of China's President Hu Jintao in January of 2011 IS HERE. The menu for the State Dinner in honor of Mexico's President Felipe Calderón in May of 2010 IS HERE. The menu for the State Dinner in honor of India's Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, in November of 2009 IS HERE. The menu for the President and First Lady's Return State Dinner in Honor of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Winfield House in London in May of 2011 IS HERE. (Above: A closeup of one of the centerpieces, featuring apples)

*Photos by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama; long shot by Alex Berliner for Obama Foodorama

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2011 Kitchen Garden Fall Harvest Recipe: White House Grilled Garden Pizza

Garden-side picnic: From dirt to dining in under an hour...
This afternoon, First Lady Michelle Obama, clad in black slacks and an argyle top the color of autmn leaves, plucked jalapeno peppers and sweet potatoes in her 1,500 square-foot Kitchen Garden for the third annual Fall Harvest. She was joined under a cloudless Washington sky by excited 3rd grader Mia Mejia and fifth grader Sterling Zapapta. There were a couple of breaks to reassure the worried kids that both ants and worms are just part of life. (Above: Mrs. Obama in the jalapeno plants with the kids)

"We're going to wash all of this before we eat it," Mrs. Obama said. "That's why it doesn't matter if there are ants on them."

The rest of the garden was a beehive of activity as the kids and the White House chefs paired off to harvest the other vegetable beds, spending about half an hour in the crop rows. Then it was time for a late lunch. Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford and the other White House chefs created the healthy garden-to-table treats at a prep table set up at the bottom of the South Lawn, which had a hot grill in action. On offer: White House Grilled Garden Pizza and freshly plucked salad.

Mrs. Obama sat at a picnic table covered in a red and white checked tablecloth to eat with five excited kids. (Above: Mrs. Obama demos the proper way to eat pizza)

"This young man is killing it," Mrs. Obama commented, chuckling, as she watched one of her young dining companions wolf down pizza.

Another child told Mrs. Obama that she usually dislikes tomatoes--then devoured her tomato-covered pizza.

All the vegetables used for the pizza were harvested from the garden today, including the eggplant, sweet potato, red pepper, and basil. The recipe will appear in Mrs. Obama's forthcoming book about the Kitchen Garden, which will be published in April of 2012. The rest of the bounty from today's harvest will be used at next week's State Dinner in honor of President Lee Myung-bak of the Republic of Korea, and donated to Miriam's Kitchen, a DC social services agency.

White House Grilled Garden Pizza

Ingredients
1 12-inch pizza dough; it's okay to use frozen dough

2 tbsp olive oil

1 eggplant, cut into coins, ½ inch thick

1 red pepper, sliced, ¼ inch thick

6 oz. tomato sauce, your favorite brand

6 oz. shredded mozzarella, lowfat

Salt and pepper to taste

Chopped fresh basil, for garnish

Method
1. Toss the vegetables in olive oil and salt and pepper. Grill until softened but still a bit crunchy. Set aside.

2. Flatten the pizza dough until about 1/8 inch thick. Brush with olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Grill on both sides for about 2 minutes on each side.

4. Top with the tomato sauce, mozzarella and grilled vegetables.

5. Garnish with basil. Serve immediately.

*Serves four

The twenty kids on hand for today's harvest were from Washington, DC's Bancroft Elementary School and Harriet Tubman Elementary School, which have both previously participated in Mrs. Obama's Kitchen Garden events. The White House chefs have adopted Tubman as their own under Mrs. Obama's Chefs Move to Schools initiative. Also on hand today were about 18 adults invited to participate in the first-ever Let's Move! Tweetup. (Above: Mrs. Obama and her lunch companions being photographed by the media on hand to record the outing)

Above: Mrs. Obama poses with the chefs, kids, and baskets of harvest veggies after the plucking.

*Photos and additional reporting by Helena Bottemiller for Obama Foodorama

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Chef Comerford At The Let's Move! Tweetup

Executive Chef Cristeta Comerford gave the 17 folks invited to today's first-ever Let's Move! Tweetup some lessons in easy, healthy cooking this afternoon.

In the White House kitchen, the Top Toque demonstrated how to make healthy veggie wraps, using the MyPlate icon as guidance.

Comerford loaded vegetables into whole grain pita pockets as the group watched. During First Lady Obama's Kitchen Garden harvest, Comerford and the other White House chefs also "cooked" beside the garden, making Grilled Garden Pizzas, topped with eggplant, sweet potatoes, red pepper, and squash. Mrs. Obama sat with five kids at a picnic table and enjoyed the feast, which included a newly-plucked salad. Check the sidebar of the blog for White House recipes, including special MyPlate recipes.

The Tweetup guests--five men and 12 women--were selected "from hundreds of applicants" who follow the @Letsmove account, according to Hannah August, the First Lady's Press Secretary. They also met with Beekeeper Charlie Brandts, with Sam Kass, with Let's Move! Executive Director Dr. Judith Palfrey, and Policy Advisor Jocelyn Frye. The Let's Move! account has 13,875 followers as of this writing, and is written by staff. (Above: The group; the White House released the photo without id's)

Mrs. Obama will answer questions about her childhood obesity efforts on Twitter "in the coming days," the White House promised on Tuesday, with the hashtag #AskMichelle.

*Photos tweeted by @LetsMove

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Michelle Obama's Fall Kitchen Garden Harvest: 15 People Selected For Let's Move! Tweet-Up

#WHTweetup guests will cook with Comerford; tour Kitchen Garden with Kass; meet with Let's Move! team; watch First Lady & her helpers pluck produce...
Update, Oct. 5th: Actually, 17 people are expected to join the Tweetfest, East Wing tells Obama Foodorama
Tomorrow, on Wednesday, October 5th, when First Lady Michelle Obama hosts the third annual Fall Harvest of her Kitchen Garden, she'll be joined by about fifteen people selected to participate in the first-ever Let's Move! Tweetup, Hannah August, Mrs. Obama's Press Secretary, told Obama Foodorama.

The afternoon of events will be a busy one: In addition to watching Mrs. Obama harvest the garden, the group will cook in the White House kitchen, have a private tour of the garden, and engage in a conversation with leaders from Mrs. Obama's Let's Move! team.

The harvest bounty--think loads of Sweet Potatoes--will be used for next week's State Dinner in honor of President Lee Myung-bak of the Republic of Korea, and some will be donated to Miriam's Kitchen, a DC social services agency. Mrs. Obama last hosted a planting and harvest event on June 3rd.

The Twitter users come from "New York to California," and include "parents, gardeners, and people that are passionate about the solving the problem of childhood obesity," said August. Applicants had to be over 18 years old to be invited.

The group will tour the Kitchen Garden with Senior Policy Advisor for Healthy Food Initiatives Sam Kass, prepare "a healthy meal" in the White House kitchen with Executive Chef Cris Comerford, and visit the beehive with Beekeepe-in-Chief Charlie Brandts.
The select group will also have a conversation with Let’s Move Executive Director Dr. Judith Palfrey and Jocelyn Frye, Director of Policy and Projects for the First Lady. (Above: The First Lady and Kass at the the 2011 Spring planting)

The group will watch Mrs. Obama harvest the Kitchen Garden; she'll be joined by students from Harriet Tubman and Bancroft Elementary Schools in Washington, DC. Attendees will use the hashtags #LetsMove and #WHTweetup to discuss their experience on Twitter.

In the coming days, Mrs. Obama will also be answering questions about the Let's Move! campaign on Twitter, the White House announced today. Use the hashtag #AskMichelle to participate.

Hundreds of applicants...
Hundreds of people applied for the Let's Move! Tweetup in the short application window of 24 hours, according to August. The @LetsMove account has 13,855 followers.

"Tweetup attendees are active users of social media, expressed particular interest in the campaign to end childhood obesity, and many showed interest in the intersection of government and technology," August said.

The small Let's Move! Tweetup group is in contrast to the very large Tweetup that will take place on Oct. 13 for the Arrival Ceremony for the State Visit of President Lee; the White House and State Department are trying to make that event the largest Tweetup yet.

*Top photo by White House; others by Eddie Gehman Kohan/Obama Foodorama. On Twitter: @ObamaFoodorama

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White House Lunchbox Recipe: Whole Wheat Pasta Primavera With Grilled Chicken

Video cooking lesson from Executive Chef Cris Comerford: A kid-friendly MyPlate meal for school lunch...
Just in time for the start of the 2011-2011 academic year, White House Executive Chef Cris Comerford has created a healthy recipe for a homemade school lunch that's in keeping with USDA's MyPlate project, unveiled by First Lady Obama in June. MyPlate encourages citizens to fill half their plate at each meal with fruit and vegetables in keeping with the 2010 Dietary Guidelines for Americans, so the easy, kid-friendly lunchbox meal, Pasta Primavera with Grilled Chicken, is made with three kinds of vegetables and uses whole wheat pasta. In a video for the blog TheStir.com, the Top Toque demos how to make the dish, which she suggests serving with a side of Apple Dippers. (Above: The meal, packed for a lunchbox in pyrex)

The pasta "recipe" as issued by the White House has no directions for seasoning or cooking, but Comerford explains how to put the dish together in the video. She suggests using a small amount (no portion size is given) of grilled chicken left over from a family meal, but there is no recipe for this, either. Comerford has a terrific White House recipe that can be put to good use here: Check out White House Kitchen Garden Herb-Roasted Chicken with Braised Greens. (Above: Comerford with the First Lady in the White House kitchen)



How to keep lunchbox apples from turning brown...
Comerford also "demos" the Apple Dippers in the video, which she says can be packed in a lunchbox peeled and served with a tablespoon of honey for dipping. Comerford shares an old tip beloved by chefs for keeping the apples from turning brown: Dip the peeled slices in water that has a half teaspoon of powdered vitamin C mixed in, pat dry, then package them in an airtight container. The apple slices will magically remain white. More White House MyPlate recipes are on the sidebar of the blog. The recipe as released by the White House:

Whole Wheat Pasta Primavera
with Grilled Chicken

Ingredients
Whole wheat penne pasta, cut in half
Blanched broccoli, carrots, and tomatoes cut into bite-size pieces
Chicken cut into bite-size chunks

Method
Combine all ingredients as shown in video.


Related: By Presidential Proclamation, September is National Childhood Obesity Awareness Month.

*More information about MyPlate is at ChooseMyPlate.gov.

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