Turkey Break Part 1

The one thing I love about turkey break is the extended weekend we have, and time off from the school. On Monday, November 21, my day started off with me going to my Food Principle class. We learned the definition of Hospitality and how it affects us in the culinary world. Hospitality is basically a family tree that extends into various branches of job titles and careers. That’s why I feel the food industry will be around for a long period because people always need to eat no matter how bad the economy is. After class I got ready for my work shift at Qdoba. The hours I worked went pretty smooth and steady for a Monday afternoon. Then I headed to Solid Grounds Coffee shop on Johnson Street across from Pizza Hut. I got a white chocolate latte with a hint of vanilla; it was so good I recommend anyone who is looking for a small friendly coffee shop go to Solid Grounds.
Later in the evening a group of my friends went to the Fond du Lac Theatre to see the new film Breaking Dawn, which is part of the Twilight Saga series. This film had a lot of expectations especially for the fans who read every book. Although this film is part one of the final chapter of the Saga, there was still a huge turnout of people. Luckily I got my favorite spot to sit in the theatre which is center and top row of the stadium seating. Compared to the previous films, I felt this film had more humor and an interesting plot line. I will not ruin the film for you, so what I saw is minimal; all I have to say is that I am looking forward to seeing how part two will end. To catch a glimpse of Breaking Dawn check out this YouTube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PQNLfo-SOR4. I can tell already this is going to be a fun turkey break, until then see you later!
Cheers,
Lee IV

Good o Thursday

Today became another long day especially since I was looking forward for the weekend; the day seemed to go by slowly. In my vegetable and potatoes class we made chicken with rice and snow peas, baked apples, and fried vegetables from carrots to tomatoes. These meals turned out pretty good, but I really prefer to cook with meats although vegetables complement each meals. In my salad class we made German potato salad, an Asian salad, and deviled eggs. All of these dishes are perfect for any occasions, and of course even better when you make it from scratch. These recipes can easily be done within 30 minutes, if you need any tips let me know and I will help you through.

Later in the night I got ready for my scholarship dinner held at Moraine Park Technical College in Fond du Lac. The Moraine Park Foundation dinner was dedicated to the students who applied and won scholarships awards ranging from various donors. The scholarship I won was the MPTC Foundation Donor award. This was the first time in awhile where I attended an event that I didn’t have to help or serve for, I actually had the opportunity to relax and enjoy the evening. The night kicked off with all the scholarships recipients meeting in different rooms to meet their donors and meet other students who attend MPTC. This Foundation dinner was really good; so many great options were offered. We all had a good time talking to each other, meeting new people, and best of all eating. This scholarship is offered to everyone. You can click here http://www.morainepark.edu/financial-aid/scholarships/ , to find out more information about the Foundation Scholarships. Well that’s all for now, but on my next blog I will be writing about my Turkey Break! Check you later!

Cheers,
Lee IV

Wacky Wednesday

Welcome back! My favorite day of the week, Wednesday, was once again super fun; this time in my baking class we made apple pies and a coconut crème pies. The pies turned out really good, and I learned that these pies are not that hard to make. I recommend anyone to try making a pie from scratch as you get to enjoy it more because of the hard work you put into it. The best part I like about baking class is doing the decoration of various desserts; it adds an extra appearance to the final product. If you ever want to try these freshly made pies and treats stop on by the culinary corner or just follow your nose it will lead you to the right place. Making these pies were perfect timing because Thanksgiving is one week away, and plus who doesn’t like an extra serving of desserts.

After my baking class I got ready for my hot sandwich; we were preparing a thanksgiving meal for the maintenance staff for all the hard work they do and all the help they do for us, so in appreciation we cooked up a delicious meal. I made coleslaw while other student made some amazing food from turkey to desserts. Once everything was finished we gathered together and ate as one big family. We had ham, cranberries, sloppy Joes, potatoe salad, meatballs, cider, and plus more! I almost got sleepy but then it was time to clean up. We didn’t take long to clean up then we started to help Instructor Lois Zingsheim for her largest salad bar in MPTC history. If you don’t know Instructor Lois she has a big heart and she likes to make class fun and interactive with the public. She definitely takes her ideas to the next level; she goes big without any doubt. Overall I heard people say nothing but good things about the salad bar her class did that night, I have pictures of all the things of this day. Now you can see why I say Wednesday are my favorite days of the week! In my next blog I will blog about my scholarship dinner at Moraine Park Technical College in Fond du Lac.
Cheers,
Lee IV

Shake & Bake

I must say my classes on Tuesday were super busy than usual, and I had the opportunity to cook a dinner for seven people. The day started with my salad and vegetables classes; we prepped appetizers for the Association of Commerce event serving 200 people at Moraine Park Technical College in Fond du Lac. There were about twenty options for people to choose and eat from ranging from fruit trays to bit sized canapés. My friend Chelssie and I worked on two fruit trays. Our job was to cut, carve, and design a layout for the fruit display. Chelssie carved four melons shaped into eagles and swans; she also cut some of the fruits into shapes. I worked on making watermelon balls, and the letter carving. Although it seemed like a simple process the small letters are difficult because I wanted to make sure the words were clear, and didn’t look messy. Afterwards we finally started laying out the two fruit trays, this took longer because we wanted to make sure the colors were in a good pattern and make enough fruits for people to eat and for backups. You can look at the pictures above to get an idea how everything turned out. Everything was put out on time for the event; I could tell everyone was enjoying the food and having a good time. I didn’t stay long because I had to start my dinner for seven, and I was running out of time.

Afterwards I quickly prepped some food at school before heading over to the Motherhouse. This dinner started when I attended a golf outing over the summer for a live silent auction. My offer was I would cook dinner for anyone who bid on me and the highest bidder would win. The winner was Sister Joann of Sister of St. Agnes. I was delighted and she gave the date when she wanted to have the dinner. Once I arrived at the Motherhouse located next to St. Mary Springs High School in Fond du Lac, I gathered my food and kicked off the dinner. Afterwards I introduced myself to the Sisters and told them about the menu I planned out for the night. I started with wine and a cheese tray, followed by an autumn salad and butternut squash soup. For the main course I served a lemon chicken with wild rice and steamed broccoli, follow by the grand finally of apple crisp. The Sisters enjoyed every item on the menu; they said nothing but good remarks about my food. This dinner showed me I have the potential to be successful in the culinary world. Doing events like this helps me to learn new techniques and keep networking with people. Like I tell people all the time, if you ever want me to cook for you let me know and I will do it in a heartbeat. That’s all for now but on my next blog I will talk about my wacky Wednesday.

Ciao,
Lee IV

The Land of OZ

Well I thought I would be telling about my experience of my Aussie presentation at Marian University, but sadly not enough people came out so it was postponed. Since the presentation was postponed I was able to show my friend Tiffany from MPTC a tour of my previous school Marian University. It was good seeing friends and previous faculty and staff and telling them about my experience at Moraine Park Technical College. They always seemed amazed about all the fun things we do at school. I hope one day I can bring people from Marian University to MPTC to show them a tour of my school. When we went back to MPTC student activities offered students the chance to play Bingo during the lunch period and win some good prizes. I picked a card that would win me a prize; students were able to win a MPTC shirt, $25 gift card, and for the grand finally an iPod. After a couple of rounds I kept coming up short, but the people around kept winning, then my friend Haley won the $25 gas card. Our table cheered for her, but I was a little sad since I could’ve used that card, but I was determined to win. A round later I won then I yelled BINGO, but I was a little sad because I only won a MPTC shirt. I realized it is better to win something then nothing, and I still had the chance to win an iPod. For the final round of BINGO in order to win you had to get a blackout on the card. This was an intense round because everyone was determined to win. I kept getting closer to win on each number; my heart was beating fast. As soon as I thought I had the chance to win, someone yelled out BINGO! I was astonished because I was one number away, but I figured oh well there will be other chances in the future. I am looking forward for next month’s BINGO day.

Afterwards I went to the Wisconsin DMV because I had to get my Wisconsin license plates and changed my mother’s van title to my name because I have the ownership of the vehicle. I am not a big fan of the DMV because usually there is a long line and the people are not the friendliest sometimes, but this time it was not crowed at all and the workers were helpful and kind. Now I officially have my Wisconsin plates but I still will never be a cheese head. I finished my day off working at Qdoba and watching the Monday Night Football which included the Packers and Vikings. I watched bits and parts of the game since I am not a big fan of either of the teams, but the Packers did play well that is all I have to say. Well next time I will blog about my day of garnishing for an appetizer event and doing a dinner for seven. This is going to be a crazy interesting day, but until then, Check you Later!

DA Bears,
Lee IV

Snow Already?

You can tell winter is near because we had our first official snow fall. This felt like a dream since we had some nice weather previously, then all of sudden snow started to fall and the wind was blowing crazy. This weather didn’t ruin my day because in my baking class we made several tasty pie treats such as lemon tart, blue berries, and cherry pies. These pies were a lot of fun to make. There are so many creative things you can do with pies. I learned there are different techniques of making a pie crust depending on the kind of pie it is. Out of the three pies my partner and I made, my favorite pie was the lemon tart because I love the color and taste of lemons and sugars. For our blueberry pie we made a special design on the crust with pie symbols that represented fall decorations. After my baking class I got ready for my hot sandwich class, and this week we worked on making different types of hamburgers. During this time we used three different types of cooking techniques such as grilling, pan-frying, and steaming. Making hamburgers for class is defiantly not boring because there is so much you can do with burgers. I decided to add some salsas to my burgers to add an extra flavor profile; I made a corn and tomato salsa with jalapenos. I have some pictures above to show how my burgers & pies turned out.
Later in the day my friend Alyssa from school stayed in town because the weather was not the greatest to drive in, so we decided to hang out in town and go shopping. We went to Wal-Mart to get some food and snacks for the night, and basically chilled until our friend Chrissie got off from work. Once she came to my house we decided to go out to Applebee’s because after 10 they have half off appetizers, and it gave us something to do. As we went to the restaurant there were few people there, but the workers didn’t mind so we ordered our food. We just talked about how we are looking forward to our classes next semester because we will be in the same class for ethnic restaurant. I must recommend for anyone who is short on cash, but still wants to go out to eat, go to Applebee’s after 10 to get your money’s worth and some good food. Afterwards we headed home and called it a night; it’s funny how a snowy day can turn out to have a good ending. Well on my next blog I will be talking about my Aussie presentation!

Cheers,
Lee IV

Manic Monday- Monday, November 7

Usually people frown upon Mondays because it is the start of a new week and they are already looking forward to Friday. Similar to the song “Manic Monday” by the Bangles. If you never heard this song before you should check out the music video on YouTube at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAZgLcK5LzI. Well this Monday was special because it started off with me calling my grandma telling her Happy Birthday. Since I don’t go home often I sent her a birthday card, she loved it! Afterwards I went off to class for food principles. We learned about various types of cheeses and milk products. It is amazing how the evolution of dairy changed throughout the years, but I must say what would Wisconsin be without cheese?
I was super excited for Monday night because Da Bears were playing since they didn’t play on Sunday. Like I said before any chance I have to watch Da Bears I am super excited. Anytime a game is played on these nights you know you are going to see a good game. Throughout the game I was on the edge of my seat yelling at the television cheering on my team. Until the very end of the game it was undecided who would win, but Da Bears found a way to pull through and get the victory. I jumped in joy! It’s always great to be a Bears fan!

As soon I thought the night couldn’t get any better I realized I preordered my video game for my Xbox system. I had to wait along with many others to pick up my game “Call of Duty Modern War 3 at the midnight premier at Game Stop. Although it was cold, people were still brave enough to wait in line for the most anticipated game. My roommate and I were lucky enough to wait only 30 minutes to get our reserved game, but the wait was worth it! Once we got back home we played till 3 a.m., even though I had class in the morning. My adrenaline kept me wide awake to keep playing. I was surprised I wasn’t tired for class the next day, which was a good thing. Well that wraps up my Manic Monday, I hope this shows Mondays are not always a bad thing. Until next time I’ll see you on the next voyage!

Cheers,
Lee IV

Start of a new Weekend

The one thing I love about the weekend is that I don’t have classes on Friday. That is a good day for me because it gives me the chance to run errands, write blogs, and plan things out for the weekend. On November 4, after attending a couple of meetings for school, my weekend officially started. A group of friends and I went to Coliseum Bar & Grill located downtown Fond du Lac on main street for supper. For some reason it was really packed with parents and their children. Usually it is not this crowded, but lucky enough one of my friends reserved seats for us. It actually didn’t take too long for our order to come in. I ordered chicken wings with extra hot sauce and french fries. If you are ever looking for a place to eat in town for a casual restaurant, I recommend this place. They have a wide range of menu choices to choose from. After supper we headed off to the Marian University Men’s Hockey game at Blue Line in Fond du Lac. They played Lake Forest College hockey team. Both teams were eager to get the victory, and the game showed how much passion they have. Marian took the early lead and didn’t look back; Marian eventually won the game 3-0 showing their fans this season will be great. They appreciated the fans to give them the support to carry them on to victory. Afterwards I headed home and called it a night, since I was a bit tired from the busy week.
The next day got even better, after I finished my shift at work I got ready for Brew Fest at the Elk Lodge in Fond du Lac located on Sheboygan and Main Street. This event featured over fifty flavors of beers from local and statewide brewery and around the world. Although I went to the event by myself since no one was able to come with, I figured I would meet new people there. In fact I did as time passed I met some really cool people, ranging from all ages. I even met people who were alumni from my former school at Marian University. I also met people who homebrew their own beers and I learned new information about beers that I didn’t know before. Coming to this event allowed me to get a better understanding about beers, meeting new people, and trying something new. I hope there are more events like this to learn new things and share my knowledge to others. I reckon (means recommend in Aussie) for people to attend events like these to have fun and do something different. Til next time check you later!
Cheers,
Lee IV

Everything taste better when deep-fried

As I promised in my last blog I would update you on my deep-fry experience of several foods. I must agree with myself everything does taste better deep-fried, “Just Saying”. In my Hot Sandwich class our agenda for the day was to think of any food recipes and deep fry them. I decided to deep fry bananas, pumpkins, and hot dogs. The key factor of deep-frying is finding the right ingredients for the batter you want to use for your food. Each food has to be a certain temperature and mixture to get a good result of your recipes. Once I deep-fried my bananas they turned out pretty good; since I like spicy food I added in my favorite spices to kick it up a notch. I figure fried bananas would be perfect for a top on vanilla ice cream drizzled with caramel. I realized deep-fry pumpkin is an alternate way of eating chips because once I added cumin to the flavor profile it enhanced the chip like flavor. For my final recipe I made corn dogs, which is an American favorite food at fairs and ball games. This recipe is fun to make and I recommend this dish for all ages, I guarantee you will not just eat one. My other classmates made some interesting deep-fried recipes as well ranging from snickers to vegetables. I must say my favorite dish of them was a deep-fried Oreo. Some say it is really good; and indeed it is, something about the sweetness of the cookie and the fry dough is a perfect combo of goodness.

So after an afternoon eating “heaps” (mean a lot in Aussie) of deep-fried foods I decided to hydrate on water, and get ready for Yoga. I have not worked out since the summer, so I figured it was time for me to get in better shape and refresh the body. I attended a Yoga session at the Fond du Lac Center for Spirituality and Healing located downtown on Main Street. This Yoga session went for 90 minutes; during this time I challenged my body to be flexible and worked on my breathing count. Afterwards I felt so refreshed and full of energy. I learned Yoga is good for anyone, during this workout it allows you to become calm and find your inner self. I hope to continue doing yoga because it is good for my health. For more information you can look online http://www.fcsh.org/ for class and events. My next blog will be about my first weekend of November! Stay Tuned!

Cheers,
Lee IV

Something New

For my vegetables and potatoes class we made foods I have never cooked with before. Every time I go to the store shopping in the produce area I wonder how to make certain vegetables into a meal such as brussel sprouts and parsnips? After learning how to cook these products I will not hesitate to purchase them anymore. Once I learn a new cooking technique I’m determined to find new creative ways to have other people enjoy them as well. We made a parsnip puree, broccoli almandine, Brussels sprouts, squash soup, and vegetables skewers. These recipes came out really good; with the fresh herbs added it adds a unique flavor profile. I’ve notice many people do not like vegetables because the way they were cooked or they had too much of it growing up. Actually if people would continue to eat their veggies it can improve their immune system and vegetables have high nutrition values. All of these freshly made foods can be purchased by the public everyday in the Culinary Corner in the coolers, and the cost is at a low cost.

After class some friends from MPTC decided we should go to a restaurant where our friend works at. We drove to Fin and Feather Supper Club in Campbellsport, Wisconsin which is 30 minutes from Fond du Lac. I always heard about this place but I wasn’t sure what to expect from this supper club. Fin and Feather Supper Club is basically in the middle of nowhere, but after arriving at the restaurant I realized the beautiful scenery in the back of the building. I was told in the summer eating outside is the way to go because of the open space and the natural atmosphere surrounded by a creek and trees. For appetizers we got fried onions which were super massive, then shortly after we received our meal. I got a Jackie southwest burger served on ciabatta bread with french fries. The burger was good full of flavors from the peppers and onions and warm cheddar cheese. If you want to try something new I would say head out and checkout this place. The people were friendly as well so yeah just don’t sit there, come and try for yourself! On my next blog I will tell about my deep-fry experience for my hot sandwich class.

Ciao,
Lee IV

To be or not to be Hypnotized

To kick off the new month, MPTC invited Comedy hypnotist Frederick Winters to hypnotize people on campus. Free lunch was offered to students who joined this spectacular event; students were able to have their stir-fry choice of chicken or steak, water and a cookie! Hypnotist Frederick started off his show asking participants to join him on stage. There were about nine people who were brave enough to get hypnotized. Some people were not able to get hypnotized because they didn’t let their mind open, but the rest did indeed get hypnotize. Throughout the show, everyone laughed in tears because the things people were doing on the stage was hilarious. There was not a dull moment during the show; I enjoyed how funny the hypnotist was. At the end, I purchased one of Fredrick’s Hypnosis CDs. I got CD 1 which included experience hypnosis and how to learn self-hypnosis. I figured this is a great opportunity to get a better understanding of the world of hypnotizing.

Some people question, is hypnotizing real or do people make it up? Well the answer is yes; it is real. Actually, hypnosis is an “altered state of consciousness.” For example, people who tend to space out or day dream -that is a state of thinking in a mental state of mind. According to Frederick, people get hypnotized to a certain degree every day. I actually got hypnotized at another show two years ago and it was a lot of fun. For more information you can check out Frederick’s website at www.FREDERICKWINTERS.com. Check you later!

Cheers,
Lee IV

The Last Hoorah for October

Can you believe October is done? This month has been productive, busy and fun but now it’s time to get ready for a new month ahead. Just because October is done does not mean the last day would be boring, instead, I enjoyed the last day. While people are wrapping up celebrating Halloween getting their last trick or treating in, I started my day with a mini field trip for my Food Principles class. We went to Ollie’s Olive Oil Bar located on Johnson Street next to the Piggly Wiggly store in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Owner Julie Regan opened her business a month ago and she is determined her business will flourish for the months ahead. Some may ask if there are a lot of flavors of olives oils and balsamic vinegars. The answer is yes; in this store you can find flavors ranging from herbs to fruit flavors even espresso chocolate types.
As a class we tried all these great robust flavors and the samples were endless. Owner Julie gave us a quick lesson about her products and where they are from. She included these products are the freshest you can get from around the world and they are freshly poured when customers come to purchase their bottles. I was so impressed I decided to buy a bottle to use for my recipes at school and other students were on the same page as me. I recommend people to come to this store and try these product if they never have before, because I guarantee you will come back to buy more. For more information you can email Julie at Julie@OlliesOliveOilBar.com or check out the website at www.OlliesOliveOilBar.com. Well until next time, I’ll catch you on the next voyage.

Ahoy,
Lee IV

October Weekend Wrap Up

This past weekend was filled with people dressing up and enjoying the weekend festivities. For me it was a normal relaxing weekend because I had the weekend off from work. I enjoyed spending the time with friends and catching up with my family since I haven’t heard from them in awhile. It is always nice catching up with my family because I only see them a couple times a year since I am three hours away and our schedules are always busy. Besides that my fun is always on Sunday once I start playing soccer at the YMCA in Oshkosh. We played another good game although we wind up tying the opposing team 3-3 after losing the lead with seven minutes left, but we fought hard to tie the game. Afterwards a group of friends from Moraine Park and I decided to go bowling at the Ledgeview Lanes in Fond du Lac. The Sunday specials were buy two games and get one free with cosmic bowling. I like bowling in the dark because the neon colors provide a unique atmosphere. To make bowling more fun we even decided to dress up in our costumes instead of the typical bowling clothing. I have pictures below of us bowling in our costumes. I recommend for anyone who is willing to do something out of the norm to try bowling dressed in their favorite characters. After two hours of bowling we finally finished three games then we decided to grab some food at Taco Bell since we burned so many calories bowling. I must say, the simplest things are the best way to have fun instead of planning things out because the expectations are not as high. That’s all for now until my next blog for the last day of October! Check you later!

Cheers,
Lee IV

Wacky Wednesday

On October 26, students and staff were encouraged to dress up in their costumes. There were various costumes of pirates, jersey players, and much more. This time of the year people can be creative and be anybody who they want to be. I think thus far my favorite day of the week is Wednesday because I start my day with my baking class. Although I’m not a big fan of baking, I am able to challenge myself to learn new techniques. For class, my partner and I made a chocolate Chiffon cake and cupcakes with butter cream frosting. I must say, my previous experiences baking a cake at home were never good, so I was hesitant of how our cake would turn out. We gathered our ingredients and baked the chocolate chiffon cake, during this process the cake smelled wonderful in the oven. Once the cake cooled down, we added on the butter cream frosting. We even designed our own Halloween themed toppings made with nuts and chocolate. Our cakes and cupcakes came out better than I expected, and they tasted wonderful! I have some pictures below to show our cakes and cupcakes. Overall, baking class was a successful start of the day.
In my afternoon class for Hot Sandwiches our theme was fun day, so basically we had to carve pumpkins and make recipes that included pumpkins. What more can you ask for — a class that allows us to be creative and do things we want to do and most important have fun! I decided to design a chef pumpkin with some lettering on the side. I also made pumpkin seeds made with Cajun seasoning because I love things made with a little kick to them. As the hours passed, I finally finished my pumpkin carving and it turned out really well. As a whole our class did a great job on their carving and recipes as well. People made cheesecake, soups, pies and much more made out of pumpkins. Culinary Arts is the place to be for anyone who loves food because it allows you to be creative and gain ideas from others. Well that’s all for now, I’ll see you next time for my weekend wrap up.

Grazie,
Lee IV

Windhover Dinner

On October 25, students from culinary arts helped prep and serve food for the annual Windhover Center for the Arts Dinner in Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. This annual event is a scholarship dinner to help raise money and $1,000 is donated back in the culinary arts department. People from local schools and art departments attended this elegant dinner. Participating in this event was fun because I was able to interact with my fellow classmates and friends outside of school. We had a good time prepping and getting the food out for the dinner. For the appetizer, we made a salad with romaine lettuce, salmon, red peppers and topped it with a red vinaigrette dressing. Afterwards, we quickly put together the main course meal with chicken en cruet and a Wisconsin pilaf made with potatoes, wild rice, and cheese, steamed carrots and broccoli topped with a Dijon mustard sauce. The main course was quite tasty and I heard nothing but good remarks about the meal. For dessert, we put together a variety of mousse flavors ranging from raspberry, chocolate and vanilla. These tasty treats were a great finish to the hearty dinner. Overall we had a great time laughing with one another and enjoying a fun event that benefitted the Culinary Club. I’m looking forward to more events like this to get hands-on experiences working with people in different settings. Don’t forget to check out the pictures below to see us live in action! Until next time, Ciao!
Cheers,
Lee IV