THE NEW SPAM CHALLENGE

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 THE NEW SPAM CHALLENGE

  We have come to another SPAM Challenge.  The idea is to come up with the tastiest SPAM recipe that uses the fewest (TOTAL) ingredients.    

   An example of TOTAL ingredients would be if you make Spam with Pasta.

    Using the pasta as the example, you have to count all the ingredients that it took to make the pasta.  Flour, eggs, etc...if you use two different flours in the recipe then you need to count them.  But you also need to count any ingredients that you used to prepare the pasta as well.  An example would be using boiling water (and possibly salt) to cook your pasta.  That's up to two additional ingredients necessary to make pasta for this dish. 

   (No, we are not going to get into heat for the water or sun to grow the wheat, etc)

   In my example, used in Ron's initial 5 item SPAM Challenge, I made spam fried rice.  I initially had a total of seven ingredients in my recipe.  Brook, correctly, pointed out that I had used at least eight and probably more.  Just to start with...I forgot to count the SPAM.  So the count is already at eight.  But I also failed to count the water or salt used to prepare the rice...so the count is now at 10 ingredients.  

   If you use an ingredient in two or more parts of your recipe, they should be counted as such.  An example would be if you were to put some sesame oil in a saute pan to cook your diced spam, then you add sesame oil in water to cook your rice, and pour some sesame oil when combining ALL your ingredients at the end to top/complete the dish...then you should count the sesame oil as being used as three separate ingredients.  

   ALL ingredients on your store bought item should be counted as such.  An example would be using tomato sauce in your recipe.  The most simple tomato sauce recipe would be to reduce down some whole tomatoes in a pan with no oil, no seasoning...this is counted as one ingredient.  BUT, if you buy Ragu Traditional Sauce you will need to count ALL the ingredients on that label.  So if you use a prepared item, be prepared to include what brand and the number of ingredients on the label.

  In my example, of the SPAM fried rice, my ingredient count was questioned (rightly so!).  I then needed to amend my ingredient count to include the forgotten/overlooked item.  This was not a big deal and I needed to change my initial count to include my forgotten item (THE SPAM) (okay...how did I forget the main ingredient!!!).  Some other questions were raised if I used Soy Sauce in my recipe, which I never do for this type of fried rice...so I didn't need to change my count.  

    The ingredient count in your recipe WILL BE SCRUTINIZED, so please do not take offense.  If someone brings up a challenge to your ingredient count you can concede right away and make the necessary changes to the count number (as in me forgetting the SPAM.  If someone brings up a challenge to you and you feel they are in error...let them know why you believe they are in error and an agreement will be made between the parties involved (an example would be the questioned soy sauce in my SPAM fried rice recipe.  Did you use Soy Sauce?  No)

   ANY person can scrutinize your ingredient count, provided that they have a participating recipe in this contest.  So, if you want to challenge another persons recipe and you don't yet have a recipe in the contest, you must submit one before you raise the ingredient challenge.  

   EACH recipe needs to be directly challenged individually.

     Our goal is to make the best dish possible with the fewest ingredients.   You will have one month, after the START NOW post, in order to submit your recipe.  After the recipe entries are closed the contest will continue open for two additional weeks, to allow for any challenges.  

     If there is a tie for lowest number of ingredients, there will be a cook-off between these contestants..  A panel of judges, to be named later, will cook each of the finalist recipes and send their best tasting dish for submission.  The recipe contestant who has the most votes will determine the tie breaker.

    Please note that Open can of SPAM and serve (or any variation) will not be accepted.  Two entries are accepted per person.

   THERE WILL BE A GLORIOUS PRIZE FOR THE VICTOR!  (the winner will receive the prize in the mail and can then reveal themselves to the rest of us)

  I'll leave the discussion open for a period of time, add any questions then.  After I post the START NOW post the time will start ticking and you may submit your recipes at that time.  

   Okay, so what recipe do you hope to submit.  I'm relying on you guys and gals a little here, to submit honest true recipes that you feel compose a dish...or something that you were truly trying to interpret in your SPAM recipe.  