Kade's ePortfolio Site

"Teaching is only demonstrating that it is possible. Learning is making it possible for yourself" - Paulo Coelho

Learning Project/Kade’s Kitchen: We Built This City…. On Nanaimo Bars!

I am making a classic Canadian dessert for Kade’s Kitchen to impress faint-hearted sweet lovers. I have memories of it during family gatherings and reunions. My grandma would always make them and put them next to Butter Tarts on a tray for everyone to devour. Without further ado, say hello to Nanaimo Bars. They are a three-layered no-bake dessert bar with a mixed chocolate walnut coconut bottom base, a heavenly to-die-for custard filling, and a silk semi-rich dark chocolate that helps mediate the delightful adventure.

Nanaimo Bars were first officially created as chocolate squares in the 1952 edition of the Women’s Auxiliary of the Nanaimo Hospital Cookbook. Although it might have been made during the city’s early coal mining settling days, this is problematic with similar baking treats named the New York Slice and Prayer Bar. Hopefully, you enjoyed that sweet slice of history (hahaha, pun not intended)! What is your favourite no-bake dessert?

I used the recipe from TikTok Milkshake connoisseur Spirit Alchemist, who has 6.8 million followers on the platform. His real name is Larry Canam, and he is a 71-year-old X-Military member from Fredericton, New Brunswick. The short video is precise, like a well-crafted recipe from a cookbook, and the steps are to the point. Larry makes it easy and informative for new bakers. The presentation and home-style editing help create a legendary video that will make anyone crave Nanaimo Bars. It made me want to check out the rest of his videos, which are wholesome food videos for responsible desert drink lovers. For more, outside of the World Wide Web, look no further than this unique Milkshake Monday cookbook on Amazon and Indigo.

Here is the recipe video and one from Larry’s Milkshake Monday series. Get ready to read my reactionary tale on the road to fun, joy, and experimentation!

@thewhyteelephant

Heres a delicious no bake dessert recipe. The 3 layer Nanaimo Bar. #recipe #dessert #tutorial

♬ vlog, chill out, calm daily life(1370843) – SUNNY HOOD STUDIO

@thewhyteelephant

A delicious Nanaimo Bar #milkshake #milkshakemondays with music by @Lance Allen

♬ original sound – Lance Allen

The Ingredients: 

Bottom Layer

  • ½ cup of Butter
  • ¼ cup and 1 tablespoon of Cocoa
  • ¼ cup of Yellow Sugar
  • 1 beaten Egg
  • ½ cup of Graham Cracker Crumbs
  • 1 cup of Flaked Coconut
  • ½ cup of a Nut or Granola

Middle Layer

  • ½ cup of Butter
  • 3 tablespoons of Heavy Cream
  • 2 Tablespoons of Custard Powder
  • 2 cups of Powered Sugar

Top Layer

  • 1 Dark Chocolate Bar
  • 2 teaspoons of Butter

I started the recipe by using a scary and new baking technique, the double broiler. I added softened Butter, cocoa powder, and brown sugar to the broiler, constantly mixing until melted. Then, I made sure the beaten egg would not turn into a scrambled, inedible mess by slowly tempering the completed mixture. The DB is an exciting technical process involving two pots and boiling water trapping steam, making indirect gentle heat. Next, in a medium-sized bowl, I added all the dry ingredients for this bottom layer, whipping them together to a refined shape and then putting them into the container.

I proceeded to the delectable custard layer using a hand mixture for a fluffy texture. Some advice: I would like my audience/classmates to get used to mixing because that is in a lot of baking, but boy, is it fun to taste in the end. Is it snowing in my house? No, it’s only the powdered sugar, and I followed Larry’s recipe to the tee for this part because no one wants to clean the residue clouds. After all this, I mixed again and patted the custard into my container. Leave the Nanaimo Bar mixture in the fridge for an hour to cool. This will always test my patience because I am consistently hungry.

We are close to finishing this recipe since it is time for the dark chocolate layer! I used my microwave to melt the rich dark chocolate bar butter mixture in fifteen-second increments. Remember to keep stirring until the consistency is thin and melted to perfection. I finally poured it over the custard layer by smoothing the chocolate over the dessert area. The Nanaimo Bars were finally completed after a quick ten-minute chill and an arm workout of slicing them into bar shape!

I hope you enjoyed reading this post; feel free to leave comments about new recipes for me to try or platforms to find some on! Next time, I will pair homemade soup with a lovely bun recipe. Here is a hilarious meme on Nanaimo Bars. As always, try to seek the adventurous side of learning!

Meme from patjames.com

Searching for a Stance on Digital Citizenship in my Future Classroom

Hello, everyone and welcome to my blog on Digital Citizenship in the classroom! As I am pursuing an elementary K-5 education degree, most of my thoughts will be based on that section of learners.  I think teachers should have a one-life perspective on technology in education because it is all around us and inevitable to our current social-community experiences as Ohler mentioned in this article. The Digital Age impacts the children of now with audiobooks, PowerPoint presentations, interactive videos, and other important ways that contribute to learning. As such, we have created a flow for a new perspective in teaching the rights and wrongs of being an informed, good, responsible citizen online. It gives participation and outcomes in Health classes focusing on empathy involving self or others in these online relationships.

Children engaged with tablet at home at night

Photo by Boris Hamer on Pexels

 

As a future educator, authority, and voice for our schools, I have to question the sources of technology we use today in 2024. This is in light of strengthening internet communities that give people hope or freedom on Discord, Reddit, YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, and other social media sites. Instead, we have dark, toxic, and insidious users who don’t correctly use the digital web to wreck it for the rest of us. I want to inform the youth about the Saskatchewan Curriculum as a starting point because it does not leave time for safety and ways to appreciate everything around us, like our families and friends (in-person or online). How do we healthily connect and notice the duality of the IRL Fetish? I should try to embrace technology and combine it with the theories that I am being taught during my university education. I will also lead for positive changes, experiment in the future of learning since it will likely never revert, and build relationships in the classroom that have consequences in everything we do—thinking safely, critically, creatively, and in society’s eyes in all forms of citizenship.

futuristic, education, cyborg

Photo by Scholaris on Pixabay

Hearing about the limited success of the phone ban highlights the role of the Nine Themes of Digital Citizenship. I want to provide a fair distribution of learning resources on online communication grading platforms like Edsby and Google Classroom that students can freely access from home. They should be taught in group projects to respectfully show their voice and positive collaboration digitally. As a sign of behaviour in my classroom, I would treat conduct the same involving self and others in a set of procedures that must be followed for success. Next, I would consistently implement fluency and digital literacy in ELA classes, tying it to the community by deciphering fake news or literary texts. We have a responsibility to help understand and protect the students so they can achieve a healthy, law-abiding, and preciously observant digital presence in life.

DC Progression Chart by Mike Ribble

Overall, I will be Savvy with a one-life perspective using the Digital Citizenship Progression Chart at whatever grade level I teach in the future. Another tool following the same principles closer to home in our province is Saskatchewan’s Digital Citizenship in Schools and its continuum. Learning about Digital Technology never ends, and I will continue to expand my efforts with evolving resources or skills in my education tool bag. Thanks for reading my blog post, and I hope you have a marvellous day!

Digital Citizenship Continuum guideline from the Government of Saskatchewan

Learning Project/Kade’s Kitchen: Swimming through the Food Network for Salmon

During week 6 of the learning project, I decided to swim over to the savoury side of cooking with salmon. I wanted to discover how to prepare and cook meat from the northern Atlantic and Pacific oceans. It also brings back memories because my family loves making a salmon recipe with a maple glaze, but I decided to broaden my horizons involving one of my favourite fishes. Thanks to all who commented on my last blog post with supportive and uplifting comments! The online source I used was the Food Network, which I have only watched without making anything from. The shows can be addicting to watch and make the viewers couch potatoes. I will base my review of the Food Network on three criteria: 1. The recipe clip from the website, 2. The information of the recipe, and 3. My overall impressions of it.

Mary Berg’s confidence and down-to-earth, likeable personality help complement the dish. She truly wants people to take something from each of her recipes. It helps that Mary won Master Chef Canada season three and knows what it means to learn as a home cook in the kitchen. The 4:46 minute segment is quick and reliable compared to some YouTube shorts or TikTok videos. Also, the information and steps have the purpose of not just entertaining the viewer, like a show by Guy Fieri. I would gladly watch and make another recipe from Mary Berg due to its simple and fun execution of flavours.

The FN website is unique and different from a site or blog from individual cooks. It has sections for breakfast, lunch, dinner, chicken, and pasta recipes. The layout makes it easy for people to find the recipe they want from specific chefs. However, the site is gimmicky, focusing on shows, “trendy news,” and storefronts to capitalize on the network’s superfans. When they focus on proper recipes, it is well executed for beginners like myself. For this recipe, the seven directions are practical and educational in that anyone can cook salmon in 45 minutes. I would give the Food Network 4 out of 5 chef’s hats for a learning focus in the kitchen!

Ingredients for Crispy Salmon Fillets:

  • One 1.5-kilogram/3.3-pound salmon side
  • 1/4 cup unsalted butter (56 grams)
  • 4 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 2 teaspoons garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons dried herbs (such as Herbs de Provence or Italian seasoning)
  • Kosher salt
  • Freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 eggs
  • 3/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons Dijon mustard
  • Nonstick cooking spray

I started by getting a baking sheet and cutting my salmon. Luckily, mine did not have skin, so it was less labour-intensive and time-efficient—and I was hungry! In the meantime, I melted butter on my stove and gradually added the other dry ingredients. These were panko, which I recommend adding slowly, or you will create a big mess. Then, I seasoned the panko and made sure it got to a golden brown colour. Next, I transferred it to a sallow dish to get the breadcrumbs to room temperature. 

I easily mixed eggs, mayo, salt, pepper, and Dijon mustard for the sauce or dredge. It was finally game time to prepare the salmon by dipping it into the panko breadcrumbs and the dredge. Finally, the oven was at 425 degrees Fahrenheit, and I put the salmon on the baking sheet for 15 to 18 minutes. I completed the Crispy Salmon Filllets with mini-roasted potatoes and asparagus. Side note: This is an excellent recipe for meal-prepping and a fantastic meal worth your money off the internet!   

As always, I look forward to your reactions and feedback. Next week, I will look at one of my favourite content creators on TikTok; a hint is Milkshake Monday! Till then, I will leave you with this inspirational advice!

Pinterest post by Gail Shinkle

Learning Project/Kade’s Kitchen: Are you PUMPED for Pumpkin Cheesecake?

I am falling right back into the swing of things in my kitchen; after cooking a great steak meal, my next step involved something related to the autumn season in Saskatchewan. This week, I searched far and wide to create one of my favourite desserts, Cheesecake with a pumpkin spin. Thanks to the previous comments on my posts about different baking recipes! The source I used was from Natasha’s Kitchen, and it was an honest, trusted recipe with step-by-step documentation. However, the challenge in baking was lovely and in a setting where I felt like a professional due to the amount it produced. I gave it to lucky friends and family members who enjoyed the rich taste and hard-working effort.

The history of Pumpkins in baking dates back to early American settlers of the 17th century, when they would make a pre-version of pumpkin pie with milk, honey, and a variety of spices inside the vegetable over hot ashes. Cheesecake evolved from Greek and Roman recipes using honey, flour, eggs, and crushed cheese. Fun fact: the “dessert” was presented at the first Olympic games. It would later include sugar during Tudor England (1485 – 1603). Then, cream cheese was created in 1872 by American immigrants, and its current form was created with New York Cheesecake’s creation during the Roaring 20s.

Here is the Pumpkin Cheesecake for your consideration, lifted from the website:

The Crust:

  • 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs/12 whole graham crackers
  • 6 Tbsp unsalted melted butter
  • 1 Tbsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon

The Filling:

  • 24 oz room temperature cream cheese
  • 1 1/2 cups packed light brown sugar
  • 15 oz can pumpkin pie mix
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 2 Tbsp all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 Tbsp vanilla extract

Starting the recipe, my head was filled with thoughts about making this cheesecake, which is truly a science, like in the chocolate chip cookies. It made me confident and excited to conquer the long 7 hours and 30 minutes. First, I grabbed a plastic bag and put the graham crackers into it. Letting out some steam, I smashed them like the Hulk into a fine form that would soon resemble a crust. So, I added the crumbs into a mixture of sugar, cinnamon, and everything nice (melted butter), stirring them to perfection. I deviated a little bit because I did not have a springform pan; instead, using a glass baking pan. I gently jammed them into the bottom and let the crust cook for eight minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. They then had to cool to room temperature, but that was alright since it was time to fill it with the Pumpkin Cheesecake goodness!

Luckily, my stove was already at the desired temperature, and I was reunited with an old friend, the mixer. This is the rich part with the heavenly cream cheese and brown sugar. I made sure not to have a lumpy filling, but the part I did not enjoy was how sweet the brown sugar was in the final result. So, I recommend putting less (1 cup instead of 1 ½) for your tastebuds to not be overloaded by sweetness, saving you a trip to the dentist afterwards, haha! Then, I added the remaining wet ingredients into another bowl and ensured they were finely combined. It is also great because this part of the recipe adds a little extra flair for the baker besides the traditional baked cheesecake! The final part, before baking, required me to transfer the completed filling to the graham cracker crust.

The Pumpkin Cheesecake was in the oven for around one hour and thirty minutes, and I remembered to leave the stove ajar to allow air to circulate during the baking process. Also, I let it cool for forty-five minutes.  In the meantime, I made homemade whipping cream, beating the vanilla, sugar, and heavy whipping cream together for a delicious finish to the recipe that only took two minutes. Now, there was waiting time for the cheesecake to cool in my refrigerator for four-ish hours. Side note: it was cracked when I took it out of baking. I know it was only my first time making any cheesecake, but be sure not to bake it too long, get the perfect speed or time for incorporating air during mixing, take your time while cooling, and check the (cold) temperature of ingredients. Lastly, I have to work on my patience, precision, and timing, as mentioned earlier, while baking to limit mistakes. However, they are a part of the learning process, and I should accept that because nobody is perfect at everything!

Thanks for reading about my discoveries in the kitchen with this famous rich and filling dessert! What is your favourite Cheesecake? As always, I am up for suggestions in the comments! Next week, I will dip my toes into the world of cooking shows on the Food Network. Keep staying positive, and have a tremendous week!

An Educational Reflection on the Internet’s Participation Culture!

For as long as I can remember, the Internet’s technology and landscape have impacted my bubble in society. Before I knew about the Internet, I remember watching cartoons on the old box television. There were always commercials trying to coax the viewer to check out the product’s website between shows. Although, since I was young and naive, these thoughts never faced me as a number one priority on my family’s home computer. Instead, I would play video games like Club Penguin (rest in peace to that legendary game), where you could participate in conversations with people across the globe. When I wasn’t doing that, I was actively watching YouTube videos on all that was wacky in the early 2010s, and it was the same evolved climate as in Michael Wesch’s video. I often found uncut gems of videos on the platform, and I will never be the same because they started my obsession with YouTube.

Modern home security surveillance camera

Photo by Jakub Zerdzicki on Pexels

It is crazy how webcams have transformed the world, giving individuals newfound purpose and confidence to participate online from their homes. Like millions of others, Gary Brolsma and his Numa Numa video were among the first things I saw on the platform. I recommend watching his 2023 remake of the viral video because of how transformative and nostalgic it is on today’s internet.

The original video was indeed the first trend and led the way for memes and so-called 15 minutes of fame on TikTok, like Saturday Night Live’s Domingo skit-music parody. As such, our thoughts on social media have a blinking sensation that stays in the back of the internet’s memory. So, be careful about what you post because some participants might keep track of your online activity. This class would not exist without the growth in exploring different sites, including the reach of Canva, recipe websites, Discord, and creations on previously discussed platforms (Youtubers and TikTokers). Even commenting on classmate’s posts and interacting with unique expressions of self was a vision of the future in a sci-fi film. Showing that everything around us is a learning journey and that we are only documenting the bare bones of tasks in life for these four months.

This could and should apply to classroom education. Brolsma and Wesch got people to think outside the box by exploring new parts of themselves that were not present outside the digital web. A culture of participation would promote ways for students to collaborate in creativity and problem-solving for a better tomorrow with diverse worldviews in exposure to communities of people. Start with small steps like unique engagements by shaking up the typical written assignments for expressive projects promoting diverse ideas. Anything is possible if you believe in yourself and strive for greatness! Thus, educators should focus more on tools that facilitate learning instead of hindering them from hating school, like virtual field trips, Prodigy, fun presentations, use of audiobooks for English, and GarageBand in Arts Ed music units to amp up engagement. How do we create classrooms guiding technology so students don’t fear missing out on learning with friends in the same regard as social media?

ai generated, computer, laptop

Photo by geralt on Pixabay

Another possibility is balancing our K-12 education system to promote media literacy. In one of my grade 12 ELA classes, the teacher showed us ways to decipher fake news and find credible sources that touched on our own safety in society. To a similar extent, it should be promoted at each grade level in various subjects, most notably Health and English, because they deal with the discovery of self. Schools should focus on the current rights and wrongs on the Internet by following Katia’s policy planner for Digital Citizenship Education in Sask Schools. I don’t think teachers are aware of this document, and it should be required reading to help students with daunting participation online because the curriculum does not address this issue. Figuring out ways to install positive and actual strategies in combating fake slang (skibbity) and creators infiltrating real life. It is the new Hollywood-promoting scandals, pranks, video games, and other lies glued to our screens. Likewise, the welcoming and participatory space in 2008 was not exclusive to exploration due to flaws. In 2024, everyone should build personal relationships in the NOW without dictating fear or missing out by putting down the phone and living in the moment. Hopefully, this participatory education outlook will help the current generation look toward their future and the impact they want to achieve! Thanks for reading my blog post. Do you agree with our online participatory culture? As always, have a fantastic day!

EDTC300/Learning Project: Staking Out Photo Editing

In this combination of EDTC300 and Learning Project posts, I tested my Photo editing abilities using two online applications: Foodie (an app) and Photoshop (one of the most popular ways to edit images). It was a battle of prices because Foodie’s cost was free, and Photoshop would generally have a subscription, but I used a free trial to test the full abilities without wasting money.  Besides the applications, I looked up suggestions on Reddit for the best photography platforms to use on an iPhone. Also, I found an article by Allison of Some the Wiser on Food Photography: How to Edit Food Photos in Photoshop. They will support me on the Week Four quest in Kade’s Kitchen. So, let the cooking and editing begin!

The subject or food for the photos was a steak meal, and I documented my journey in the kitchen/grill visually. Usually, I do not make this type of meal as a university student, but since it was the end of reading week. I decided to cook my parents a meal they love from restaurants and show them some newfound confidence in me. I followed two video recipes by YouTube chef Nick DiGiovanni this week to learn. First was a video on how to cook the perfect steak, and it was a detailed video with various ways of discovering the art of steak. The second and last was a YouTube short, where Nick made golden garlic butter mashed potatoes. It was a quick recipe like the short and one of the best ways to make a great side dish in ample time. I also made a Caesar salad from a grocery store kit, which complemented the healthyness of the dinner.

 

The pictures help describe the thoughts of learning that went through my head during this grand learning event. I wanted to capture the look of stereotypical food from Instagram or even a cookbook. I believe that I succeeded, but what do you think? My first task was to season the steak, which I deviated from the video a bit by using salt and Montreal Steak Spice for a bolder taste. Then, I sent them to the grill for 7.5 minutes per side for our desired rarity of medium well. It was a different experience than frying up chicken for the Sweet & Sour recipe, and I enjoyed the various challenges/perspectives of grilling. How do you cook your steak? What is your favourite alternative product if you do not eat steak/meat?

I returned to the kitchen to put the cold, bathed Yukon gold potatoes on the stove and started to brown the butter. I removed the steaks and covered them in tin foil until the rest of the meal was finished. By this time, I was hungry and prevailed by adding the garlic butter to the mashed potatoes. I used a masher instead of a strainer because I don’t have one. Lastly, I mixed up the Caesar salad and would recommend it for simplicity, taste, and time efficiency. It was time to plate the meal and take the final product picture. 

Foodie is a good version of a photo editor for beginners like myself because it has filters specifically for food. It was simple and improved my shots, making my food more colourful/less bland. The controls and features were understandable, but sadly, it is behind a paywall for some of the filters that could have jazzed up my pictures. Using my phone instead of a chunky and confusing laptop for images was pleasant since they are more accessible to the everyday user. However, where it shined for me was combining it with the competition of Photoshop. I imported the filtered photos over to the web version of Photoshop. It is overwhelming at first, but there are plenty of videos online and websites on which to figure out how to work the application. I edited by altering the property values/numbers, going from levels to curves to colour balance to most other layers except black and white until they looked breathtaking or aesthetically pleasing. If I had more time and bought it, I would enjoy taking pictures/editing of my food/other things in my life. High Schoolers could use this in a design or photography class without hardships. Also, there is an app version for iPads and a school discount. So, regarding the previous sentences, here are the SAMR model approaches

Photo editing can be used in educational settings for many different reasons. It could be used from Upper Elementary (Grade 4) to the end of Secondary in Grade 12. Augmentation would be as simple an activity where students create a collage of the environment and edit the pictures on Foodie to have a filter on them, replacing a small chunk of the boring slideshow that half the students probably would not be paying attention to in the first place. This way, the change is interactive in a combined Science/Arts Ed lesson, producing a better result in the classroom for both parties involved. An example of redefinition is its use in a fully online photography/film class like Sask DLC on video communication platforms, where students learn how to use phone cameras to make experimental photos/videos to be creative in learning—varying from Photoshop to editing pictures into short-form content showcasing the semester’s development to an extensive digital independent film festival/gallery.

Overall, photo editing is an exciting and fun tool to use in my search for culinary art. It made me think about how my food looks after I make and eat it. What could I do to make it more appealing and not rush through life or this project? Instead, I should take in the sights and appreciate the good in everything that a person does/eats. I am happy with this diverse learning outside my comfort zone and can not wait for next week. I plan to make something involving a pumpkin or spooking-related because Halloween is approaching. Remember to relax since hard work pays off!

Learning Project/Kade’s Kitchen: C is for Cookie!!!

During week 3, thanks to Peter S’s supportive comment, I decided to try baking for the first time in forever. The world of baking is vast, like cooking, and my sweet tooth overpowered all my thoughts on this learning project in Kade’s Kitchen. So, with Brynn’s friendliness and suggestion, I decided to channel my inner cookie monster and make Chocolate Chip Cookies! I would recommend this website to anyone who wants a simple way to find BAKING recipes because the layout is straightforward and inspires me for my site. You know, a person can trust Sally instead of using the quick format of a Facebook short like last week. If you enjoy videos, she has a whole section of them, and they are great for all types of bakers! 

The recipe is on Sally’s Baking Recipies, and here is the recipe on my blog without having to look online for it:

  • 2 and 1/4 cups (280g) all-purpose flour (Spooned and Leveled)
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch*
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup (170g / 12 Tbsp) unsalted butter, melted & cooled 5 minutes*
  • 3/4 cup (150g) packed light or dark brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 1 and 1/4 cups (225g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chocolate chunks 

This is my step-by-step reaction to this recipe and everything I did for it. I started by mixing all of the dry ingredients into a bowl. Due to all the components, I thought I was in a lab experimenting, like in a chemistry class. Then, combining the wet ingredients with the dry ones confirmed to me that baking is scientific. I used a stand mixture for the previous instructions, which is a valuable form of kitchen technology. Next, I had to wait for the cookie dough to chill and firm up overnight because patience is key to learning the culinary world.

It was Monday night, and I took them out of my refrigerator for 10 minutes (to bring them to room temperature). So, I got the cookie sheets and a scooper to scoop the dough out of the bowl. Operation Cookie was underway, and I shaped them to be small because a flat is unsuitable for a cookie. While doing that, I warmed my oven to  325°F (163°C)! I cooked each batch for 12-14 minutes, with time to cool on the baking sheet and a wire rack. I have cookies for my busy week and will make them again because they are so yummy! I think you should try this recipe, especially if you are having a bad day since it will cheer you up and put a warm smile on your face!

Before I say my plan for next week, I will tell my audience the history of the Chocolate Chip Cookie. It was created in 1938 by Toll House restaurant owner/baker Ruth Wakefield in Whitman, Massachusetts, United States of America. Legend says it was made by testing recipes and adding small chunks of chocolate to the cookie dough mixture. In all, it combines a 7th-century dessert with the introduction of sugar in Persia (the cookie), the production of chocolate bars in the 18th-century United Kingdom, and the previously mentioned American creation during the 19th century. I hope you found these facts interesting and that I did not bore you to death with this little section in my blog!

This recipe was perfect for the second week and showcased a different attitude toward baking compared to cooking. These thoughts can be summed up with this quote: “As the saying goes, cooking is an art, baking is a science”—John Thomas. I enjoyed the moulding of the raw cookie; it was almost relaxing with the chilled sensation of a Play-Doh mixture. Also, watching the reaction in the oven to where they became soft and chewy was interesting! I want a new cooking recipe with something different and a more intricate variety. I like the challenge this project has done for me and the growth mindset I have developed in my kitchen. If the recipe tastes excellent, it will succeed in my book! I can’t wait for my next time baking! My next adventure will be using YouTube because I already watch it daily, and the site has a multitude of knowledge of it. I will still gladly take suggestions from commenters/the audience for recipes or platforms to use! Thanks again to Peter S and Brynn! Have a terrific week, and remember always to be yourself!

Learning Project/Kade’s Kitchen: A Sweet and Sour Adventure on Facebook

Hello everyone, and welcome back to my journey in the Kitchen!

*Disclaimer* I did not follow through on the NYT Cooking app this week because it is a little bit more advanced for my current comfort level, and there is a paywall behind the app. So, it can wait for a few weeks! So, I narrowed it down to a noodle stirfry or a take-out favourite of something covered in Sweet and Sour sauce. I chose the latter because of the ingredients and because I would love to learn how to cook Asian food.  I also made white rice and boiled buttered cabbage with my S&S Chicken to complete the meal!

Picture of Sweet and Sour Chicken recipe

The video recipe is here, and I found it on Facebook. I decided to give that social media platform a starting edge in my learning project because they constantly pop up on my feed. I chose a relatively safe recipe without exciting ingredients to make the result edible! In that regard, I succeeded in a yummy meal!

The cultural history of Sweet and Sour sauce: it was created in China during or before the 1800s. On the surface level, it combines a sweet sauce and a sour meat taste that is prevalent in other Asian regions/countries like South Korea. Mine and the American versions have evolved to become the deep-fried Cantonese-originated scrumptious sauce of our dreams from Chinese take-out restaurants.

The dredge for the chicken used flour and eggs (which was quite fun, coating it with vigorous tossing movements in Ziploc bags). I don’t think it was an orange chicken like the home-cook content creator’s kids called it because the recipe did not have fruits or other traditional items. The sour category had vinegar, soy sauce, and garlic (salt). It uses ketchup, apple cider vinegar, and sugar as sweets. This means I cooked a semi-traditional Sweet & Sour Chicken; if you want a more historical recipe, the S&S Chicken is not for you.

Reflections and Overall Thoughts: 

  1. I thought it was a healthier meal that only took an hour, and the recipe had some ingredients out of my comfort zone. Being confident is a new kind of calm in the culinary arts for me!
  2. I also acquired new skills, such as chopping chicken, dredging, frying it in a pan, and cooking it in the oven with a sauce.
  3. I am learning a task like cooking because of the transferable skills this can have for the classroom and life. As such, I notice how students feel about consuming content in different processes or even assignments.
  4. To survive, a person needs to know it is a part of life, and doing it for university brings some fun to education. Seeing a different side to myself with technology is efficient and not draining!
  5. This video’s technological use was significant due to its quickness and the ease of cooking the meal. Videos are the bread and butter of Facebook recipes since the commentary adds to my self-awareness when preparing and cooking the food on the screen. It is not one of the AI or fake pictures that do not follow through with the authentic recipe. I would use it again and could even compare it to the fake pictured ones for a learning objective during a week.
  6. A part of me feels I should be doing two recipes a week: the first is a cooked meal, and the second is a baked dessert. I also want to start being prepared for this and have Sunday as my Learning Project day! What do my fellow learners/commenters think about this?

In week 3, I will explore another cultural dish through online recipe forums, try to improve my cooking, and be excited to learn more about the mysteries of the kitchen. Until then, have a fantastic week, and strive for curiosity!

The Life of a Technological Addict and Procrastinator

Technology is all around us daily; it depends on how you use it to achieve objectives such as coursework, your job, or even your much-needed leisure time. I remember waking up and having breakfast from a toaster at a very young age. Then, I would watch cartoon shows before school in the morning and laugh with my favourite characters. To get to school, my parents would drive me into town, and I was constantly distracted by the radio’s music, especially during the cold winter months. My education focused on projectors, computers, ipads, and the information said in post one. After school was pretty much the same as in the early morning except for the trickling of homework before bed. As I got older, my view and reliance on tech strengthened, with social media becoming a bit of an addictive nature!

I frequently use online platforms for leisure, such as YouTube, TikTok, Snapchat, Reddit, Discord, and various video games. YouTube has become my new TV, with its algorithm of different creators that I enjoy watching. There is a lot of history/politics with the upcoming US election, commentary videos, comics, playthroughs, podcasts, and music. For coursework, I use it to review for tests and try to figure out how to do something in a math class. That said, I could spend hours on it without doing anything productive, which is a big problem for me. TikTok is the same for me as YouTube, and I often doom scroll on my FYP because of procrastination. I need the willpower to stop and be productive; I love and hate it simultaneously!

Meanwhile, Snapchat and Discord are used for my social interactions with friends, to chat about life interests, and to play video games. They often share videos complaining about something happening, and then I snap back to keep the streak alive! On Discord, my friends and I have crazy server names and conversations. At the same time, we talk and play video games like Dead by Daylight, Overwatch 2, Minecraft, and other indie games. It is helpful because most of us are at different universities or post-secondaries and could not physically be together during the school year! Side note: I also have used it for communication in group projects and joined servers for courses like this one. The last personal social media is Reddit, which I look at for other people’s opinions on my interests and even the Canadian Teacher community (it can sometimes be toxic). Sometimes, I post and comment occasionally, but I mostly lurk in the shadows. Next up is the online technology use in my academic life!

I use UR Courses the most with my classes and handing in assignments. It has the tools my student schedule needs to survive university now! I have a calendar to track my workload, even though I have a personal one to figure out how long I need to work on a task. Also, it has some of my readings, and I also use online textbook software, which helps me focus better than a physical book with my different coursework. I check my emails constantly and use them as reminders to get stuff done during the day. Other than that, I use Google Docs to write assignments because of the auto-saving feature, and I am accustomed to it. This has me wondering what is better, Microsoft Word or Google Docs for university? A feature or gadget I use for my writing is Grammarly, which helps my writing in ways I usually would not notice. Even though, as Katia said, it is frowned upon in some departments. As such, I use it cautiously because my professor for ENGL 110 was unsure if it was academic misconduct. This is due to the ever-changing world of AI and technology. Be careful; it can be the saving light or lead someone down a dark path!

The best way to minimize these constant distractions is to put my devices away in rooms and focus on the tasks that must be done. I look on social media only during special small breaks for snacks, water, or lunch/supper. I looked into Stay Focused and will use it on my laptop because it should help me complete my assignments without distraction. At night, I try to stay off technology or use it for only 30 minutes to an hour as a reward for doing work. Anyway, I can’t wait to read and comment on everyone’s posts! Have a great week, and seize the day!

Intro to my Learning Project: Welcome to Kade’s Kitchen!

At first, I had trouble figuring out something to learn or improve that would pique my interest. I could choose between learning a language like French, which I am doing right now in a course, getting better at different drawing styles, or trying to bake and cook recipes outside of my comfort zone. After tossing and turning the ideas around, I decided to follow the culinary arts because of shows like MasterChef, the influence of cultures on food, and the variety of recipes online.

Man in white chef uniform holding chopsticks

Photo by cottonbro studio on Pexels

My first exposure to cooking was as a teenager when I cooked eggs, microwavable noodles (KD and Ramen), and pancakes at home. Then, I cooked in Foods class from Grade 8 to Grade 11. I learned a bit about cooking and baking tasks in a kitchen group with other students and the theories behind it all. Since then, I have only cooked prepackaged meals and want to eat homemade meals without relying as much on fast food. I am not confident in doing most dishes or recipes at the moment, but I am ready for a challenge to become better versed in them.

I plan to search for a basic recipe for a beginner on NYT Cooking: Recipes & Tips and for suggestions from classmates in the comments. After accomplishing that, I will go one step further each week by discovering new dishes on Facebook, websites, cooking shows, YouTubers like Nick DiGiovanni, and Celebrity Chefs, asking AI for recipes on platforms like Chat GPT, and comparing some to ones found in a cookbook. One of the weeks, I also want to figure out recipes that a teacher could teach in a home ec class. My ultimate goal in this plan is to see the unique ways a person could cook and bake from the information of technology in the overarching age of the internet. How does it consume these everyday tasks? Are there ways that it could make a person a better cook? Follow me on a culinary journey in Kade’s Kitchen!

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