Kids' Giving Program Submissions
November Submissions
At Wilbur-Ellis, we innovate to help customers be more productive – on the farm and in their businesses. Much of what we do is focused on food – feeding people and animals, and providing ingredients through Connell for many food products around the world.
With that in mind, in November, as the weather gets colder in many parts of the world, we’re asking:
“What is your favorite comfort food or drink – that food or drink that always make you feel good … and what makes it your favorite!
Bonus points for telling us about more than one favorite comfort food or drink.
Dalila Straws (12-14)
Four years ago, I found this recipe on YouTube for mac and cheese and wanted to try it. So, I made it for Thanksgiving, and everyone loved it! It is my favorite homemade mac and cheese recipe and I try to make it a couple times a year for me and others to enjoy. The secret is melting the cheese on a low heat for a longer time, enjoy! 8 tbsp salted butter 32 oz. sharp cheddar, cubed 2 lbs. elbow macaroni, slightly undercooked ¾ cup half and half, warmed ½ cup parmesan, divided 1 egg, slightly beaten 4 oz. cream cheese, room temp and cubed Topping: 1 cup panko 1 tbsp olive oil ½ tsp salt 1. Melt butter in a cast iron skillet on low heat 2. Add sharp cheddar cubes to skillet and melt 3. Add egg and mix into melted cheese mixture 4. Add cooked pasta to the cheese mixture. Slowly stir while adding pasta. 5. Add half and half to skillet 6. Add cream cheese to skillet and combine with cheese mixture 7. Combine panko, salt and olive oil in a bowl 8. Layer mac and cheese and parmesan in a casserole dish. Top with panko mixture. 9. Bake at 375⁰ for 40 min
Kendal Grabemeyer (3-5)
"Monster Cookies! I like to help mom make these cookies. My favorite part is cracking the eggs and mixing them up. You have to make sure you don't get any eggshells in the batter though. M&M's are my favorite part because they have lots of colors and they taste really good." (can also change up to match with the season) -Kendal Monster Cookie Recipe: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix together first bowl 1 stick Crisco (butter flavor) 1 cup white sugar 1 cup brown sugar 2 eggs 1 teaspoon vanilla Mix in second bowl 2 cups flour 2 cups quick oats 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1 teaspoon salt Combine dry ingredients (second bowl) into first bowl. Mix until blended together. Use a spoon to make batter into round balls and place on non-stick cookie sheet. Cooking time: 12 minutes Bake and enjoy!
Zheng Yan Cheah (3-5)
I like to eat cake - Cupcake, chocolate cake, vanilla cake, any type of cakes. I like cake because I can blow the candle and it is sweet. I feel happy after eating cake.
Annie Lee (15-17)
I am goddaughter to Aunt Jenmics since I was young. The photo shows me as a little girl and now as a teenager. She is a good friend to my mother. Knowing that I want to grow up fit and healthy, she made me a Wanpaku sandwich which is low carb. Don't think low carb food is bland and not much taste. This one is delicious and healthy. What I like about this sandwich is Wanpaku Sando (わんぱくサンド) or Wanpaku Sandwich is the glorious stacks of colorful layers and varying textures from meat, cheese, eggs, and fresh veggies all tucked in the pillowy Japanese bread just made me want to grab a big bite. Yummy! Thank you Aunt Jenmics for loving me. I am blessed to have my biological mother and her as my godmother.
Jocilyn Rubio (9-11)
Henry Bennett (12-14)
Now more than ever people need comfort. People need something safe and familiar. I know that I do. Nothing says comfort like the comfort food, Bacon! Bacon is the ultimate comfort food. There is something magical about waking up nice and cozy in your bed to the smell of bacon. The smell usually pulls me from my bed and I help my mom finish cooking up breakfast. I'll make the pancakes while she finishes the bacon and eggs. I always sneak a few pieces of the perfect crispy pieces of bacon while she isn't looking. I know she knows because everyone knows moms have eyes in the back of their heads. But she never says anything. It's like our little secret. Then my family sits down and we start our day together with my favorite comfort food. I really love bacon, but I am not sure it's the bacon that brings me comfort or the family around me. I think it's a little bit of both. Bacon and family equal the ultimate comfort. Now while bacon is the ultimate comfort food. You can't forget about hot chocolate. Hot chocolate is the ultimate comfort drink. When you’re cold it warms you up. My family, since I was a little boy, will fill a big thermos up with hot chocolate when we head out to find our perfect Christmas tree. It's always freezing, but the hot chocolate warms us up and it's our tradition. When I drink it all those special memories pop-up. It’s something I want to carry on with my own family someday. I think at the end of the day foods and drinks comfort us, but when we share them with someone we love, it is even better.
Bella Bennett (9-11)
Sometimes you just need a really big bowl of crab macaroni and cheese. There is something about melted gooey cheese with big chunks of juicy crab mixed with noodles that makes me feel all warm and happy inside. My mom makes it from scratch and lets me grate all the different cheeses and sometimes we even catch our own crabs for it. It makes me feel happy. I love it so much that I even ask for it on my birthday. While crab macaroni is my absolute favorite you can't forget about root beer floats. Root beer floats are happiness in a glass. You mix ice cream and root beer to get the perfect combination. There is nothing a little ice cream can't fix. The perfect day would be crab macaroni for dinner and a root beer float for dessert.
Sachi Banerjee (6-8)
Hi, I am Sachi Banerjee from India. My favourite food is hot Lady finger dish made by my mom. It’s my all-time my favourite food because the spices mixed in it taste really nice and wonderful and I even love to have a strawberry smoothy drink anytime because of its smoothness and colour and I love strawberries. Recently I had Lasagna which is an Italian dish and it really tasted yummy as it had a lot of veggies and cheese into it.
Myrka Hernandez (15-17)
Hello, my name is Myrka and my favorite comfort food is Birria/birria tacos (Mexican style deep pit beef in a soupy broth) because I love the flavors and it taste so good and makes me feel good and full. Favorite drink is water.
Pax Hansen (9-11)
Tacos, I love them so much. I love hard shell tacos especially from Taco Bell, I love it because it’s so tasty and satisfying. I like tacos with hot sauce… Also, my favorite drink is, Coca-Cola. I love it because it has caffeine so it makes me more energetic so I can do my best work on the things I love. Another food and drink would be nice, yummy breakfast food of; waffles, bacon, eggs, with orange juice.
Joshua Jr. Hansen (3-5)
My favorite food or drink that always makes me feel good is milk. I like it. I love it. It’s nice and cold and makes my tummy feel full. Another food I like is pork butt. It’s my FAVORITE. It’s yummy. Dad makes it into pulled pork. I like it when dad makes meat on the smoker because it's spicy and it’s yummy. When I eat it, it’s reeeeally good and it makes me feel yummy and a little bit full. I also like it when my sister Eve makes chicken nuggets. I like that they're warm and with mac n cheese.
Vera Hansen (6-8)
Goldfish are my favorite comfort food because it just makes me feel good, it’s really cheesy, and I LOVE CHEESE, so I really like goldfish. My favorite comfort drink is milk, it’s so cold and creamy. Another comfort food I like are COOKIES. One time me and my mom made S’MORES cookies! Anyone can make ALL KINDS OF COOKIES!
Eve Hansen (12-14)
My favorite comfort food is chips. I really like spicy flavored chips like Flaming Hot Doritos, and Jalapeño Tim Cascade’s, but when I’m in the mood for something sweet, I construct an odd delicacy. Some people might find it weird, but one of my all-time favorite comfort foods is topping Lay’s Original potato chips with homemade chocolate chip cookie dough. Whether I’m having a rough day, have my best friend over, or just finished a big project and want to celebrate, I love to get a big bowl of homemade cookie dough and a bag of potato chips and enjoy it in all its salty-sweet glory.
James (Jay) Hansen (12-14)
My comfort food is orange chicken because it is a warm food full of protein. I really like the sauce a lot. It tastes good both in hot weather and in cold weather. It is no lower on my list of foods than my #1 food, it is my absolute favorite. For the cold days I like to eat creamy stew with potatoes and bread bowls and bacon with some cheese. It feels warm and good and delicious.
Valor Hansen (3-5)
My favorite food or drink that makes me feel so good, and have a white mustache, is milk. It's cold and it's my favorite. It is yummy. Another food that I love that makes me feel good is mashed potatoes. It makes me feel full and happy and strong. It tastes like potatoes; it has red parts of potatoes skin in it. They're smooth and yummy. I don't like tigers.
Bennett Draper (9-11)
Dayton Draper (12-14)
Lilly Meyers (12-14)
Hello! My name is Lilly. I'm 13 years old and from Minnesota. My favorite comfort food is Tacos. I love tacos because you can make them in many different ways. You can make breakfast, seafood or vegan. For dessert there is endless opportunities. My comfort drink is for sure juice or tea because once again the flavors and styles are endless. My favorite is for sure apple juice or lemonade and tea mixed. Those are my comfort foods and drinks.
Avalon McElravy (9-11)
Aidan Issler (6-8)
I really love to make desserts. I like baking cookies and cupcakes. I also like noodles. I like chicken noodles. This is my favorite. I even dressed like a chef for Halloween!
Shi Heng Neo (9-11)
My favorite food is a homemade sandwich. I like it because my auntie made it very yummy. The bread is slightly toasted. The lettuce is fresh and crunchy. The cherry tomatoes are sweet. The cheese is dense, but firm. And there are slices of sausages and bacon underneath the cheese! Which are also my favourite!!!
Atharva Kulkarni (3-5)
Charis Chew (3-5)
I like to eat sweet stuff. One of them is cheese cake because it is soft, sweet and creamy. I like it better when mommy baked the cake with me and I get to decorate it myself. Yeah!
Ivan Chong (12-14)
Hi, I’m Ivan and I love to eat! Mum found this really simple recipe that turn overripe bananas into sweet and fluffy pancakes. And my family enjoys having this comfort food for breakfast, brunch and even dessert. Best of all I can cook it all by myself. So, let me share with you the recipe of this super easy, quick and tasty 3 ingredients humble pancakes. You will need: one overripe mashed banana, one egg and some flour …that’s all! Whisk all the ingredients together, spoon one tablespoon of batter on a non-stick pan and fry on low heat. Cook until pancakes are golden brown on both sides. By the way the flipping part is the most challenging part for me. I like pancakes not just because it’s easy to prepare, but it’s also packed with healthy nutritiously rich ingredients. You can get as creative as you want with the toppings, serve it with honey, nuts, fruits or even a scope of ice-cream! I hope you will try this fun and healthy pancakes recipe 😊
Lyndi Hollinger (12-14)
“What is your favorite comfort food or drink – that food or drink that always make you feel good … and what makes it your favorite! My favorite comfort food is chili on top of a fresh from scratch cinnamon roll. This is my favorite because it’s salty mixed with sweet and it makes you feel all warm inside especially when it’s fall/winter time. My favorite comfort drink is a pumpkin spice latte because it smells like fall and it just makes you warm all over.
WE ARE ONE (HUNDRED)
As part of our 100th anniversary celebration, we launched the Giving Program to help people in need worldwide. In total, the Giving Program raised $52,000 USD for the Red Cross, building on the company’s $100,000 donation in 2020.