Category: Culinary

Marshmallows: Mini-Lesson & Lab

I don’t know if this happens to you, but it happens to me quite frequently. Let me explain…I can go for a long time never seeing anything about a specific topic and then all of a sudden it’s everywhere!  This happened with homemade marshmallows. All of a sudden, I’m seeing videos, blog posts, social media feeds, etc. about homemade marshmallows everywhere. Maybe it was my sign to create this Marshmallows: Mini-Lesson & Lab for you to use with your students!

43 Minute Lab Series: Hash Brown Patty Pizza

After noticing continuous requests for lab suggestions that are doable in 43 minute class periods, I’ve decided to do a recurring series, featuring recipes that can
be completed from beginning to end in a 43 minute time frame. In some cases, longer recipes will broken into two day labs. When possible, I will include my pre-lab review questions that pertain specifically to the recipe. This helps to ensure that students are reading the recipe. It also allows me time to show any videos that may demonstrate the product or specific techniques. So, without further ado, I present the 43 Minute Lab Series: Hash Brown Patty Pizza!

Make Your Own Series: Flavored Finishing Salts

It’s been awhile since I shared a post in this series. So, in this Make Your Own Series, I’ll be sharing products that can easily be made from scratch, using common ingredients. Today I’m sharing…Make Your Own Series: Flavored Finishing Salts. Introduce your students to different types of salts, their characteristics and uses before creating their own finishing salts and experimenting with them in the lab.

Sheet Pan Meals

I don’t know about you, but I love quick and easy meals for a variety of reasons! With that being said, I thought that a lesson and lab on Sheet Pan Meals was a great topic to add to a culinary class. This activity has students exploring the concept of sheet pan meals, their pros and cons, formulas for putting them together and then creating one for their group to vote on and then prepare in the lab.

Star Superfoods

When teaching about MyPlate and the importance of eating a variety of foods, I always included superfoods as “stand out” foods in each food group because they were extremely nutritious, offering a variety of health benefits. The Star Superfoods is a way to introduce these foods to your students and includes a variety of interactive activities that will keep your students engaged!

Mastering Food Textures: Why Some Foods Crunch, Chew, or Melt in Your Mouth

I’m excited to introduce and share this article and lesson plan collaboration by Dr. Courtney Simons and I titled, “Mastering Food Textures: Why Some Foods Crunch, Chew, or Melt in Your Mouth”. Dr Simons is a food science educator and is an Associate Professor at Wright State University-Lake Campus and the founder of Food Science Toolbox. His goal, like mine, is to help teachers feel confident and prepared by giving them resources to deliver engaging, effective lessons while saving time and reducing stress. Continue reading to learn more about this topic!

Create Your Own Aioli & Wrap

I love a good aioli sauce especially in a wrap or on a burger!  Because of this, I was inspired to do a Create Your Own Aioli & Wrap mini-lesson and lab. Before students enter the lab to create their own sauce and wrap, they must learn more about aioli. Continue reading to see how this is done!

Pop Culture Baking Mix Project

The Pop Culture Baking Mix Project was inspired by the Bridgerton Baking Mixes offered from Betty Crocker!  I thought it was such a cool idea and thought of a ton of television and movies that teens might be inspired to create baking mixes for that I created this project for use in many classes from foods to marketing. So, have a look and hope you’re inspired as well!

Exploring Salads

There’s a lot of components when teaching about salads! Use this Exploring Salads hyper-slide to help your students navigate through a variety of resources to learn more about salads and work their way into the kitchens in order to prepare all types of salads!

Cowboy Cookies

When teaching students measuring skills and then introducing them to the kitchens and labs, I often demonstrate a recipe. Demonstrations can be helpful because students see the measuring that needs to be done using the same equipment and tools that will be available to them. It also shows them the mixing procedures and what it should look like at various stages until it reaches the final product. This Cowboy Cookies recipe is one I’ve used over the years that students have enjoyed and is nut free. This recipe can easily be made by students and because I always had extra cookies, we shared them in the office for all faculty and staff to enjoy!