Flemings watch out! Central High Can do Beef Wellington!

Stephanie San Sebastian originally shared:

Beautiful beef Wellingtons from the kitchen at Central High School advance cooking. I'm so proud kids. They are perfect.

5/7/14

2 photos

Cordon Bleu Training for Students at Disney?? YA!!

Now this is a field trip I can get behind and fund-raise for! Next year in May

Cordon Bleu Training for Kids at Disneyword

We Vote for the best Tomorrow :)

This is my personal FAVORITE. I gave them an idea and a basic artist "push" and Wallah! Perfect! It's just seasoned rice that is a fusion with the traditional sushi rice concept with Latin flavors and a hint of sweet. 

Aren't they pretty?

All Magazine covers go up for judging tomorrow. We see what the judges pick!

Guest Chef is COMING!!

Getting back in the swing of the last 6 weeks had it's challenges today but also an awesome surprise as well. My former student Micheal came by to tell me that he had a great opportunity to get the students a back of the house tour at Macaroni Grill.  My eyes lit up like a Christmas tree until I realized that there isn't enough time to write up paperwork and secure transportation with our new 60 day policy BUT... that never stopped me from thinking about a "way to make it work". Micheal's dad recently took a position at the grill and has a vested interest in making a community connection to his restaurant. I thought this would be a perfect win win situation if I can coordinate a guest chef opportunity under the demo mirrors of my room.  I threw the idea out to my students and they thought it would also make a GREAT program promotional commercial for CFS on our school daily TV announcement show. I agree! SO I'm off to make a new community connection and find a camera crew! Maybe I can even enlist the help of our Central Film Institute kids... oh the possibilities. How exciting!

Back Room Clean Up TURNED Photo Shoot

OH MY GOSH... my backroom of  the 1200 building looks like a mix between the dollar store, grocery outlet center and a paper recycling plan.  You just have to love the end of the year in a Consumer Family Service department. As the budget dwindles, the temperatures rise and the seniors are battling the mysterious "senioritus", I had to figure out a way to disguise clean up as a multi-tiered lesson. This was the product of a little quick thinking and maniacal giggle. Its called "Anything but the Kitchen Sink Challenge" Challenge will be winners are awarded a 5 course gourmet lunch prepared by me for the team members and 1 guest each. Let the games begin!

First: Put EVERY food product in the back room on the counter like a grocery store.

Second: List the student objective = Students will be able to create a unique creative original recipe that showcases the skills previously learned in class to produce an original recipe. The students will additionally use food stylist techniques to photo the food product be be used to create a food magazine cover. YEP... the kids thought I lost my mind until I showed them last year's beautifully tantalizing Fudge Brownie a La Mode cover from the challenge

NOW the students followed the next steps:

A. Walk around the room "window shopping for available foods"

B. Collaborate with team mates to brainstorm ideas, 

C. Present foundation Ideas to Ms. San Sebastian for approval, redirection or further conversation.

D. Develop final recipe and final approval

E. Shop and gather good for next class.

F. Meanwhile: Plan for food Props or backdrops for photo shoot.

G. Second day.... COOK, CREATE  and Photograph!!! The fun begins tomorrow.

Here are a couple of the outcomes.... I SO EXCITED!!! I snapped the photos with my phone but the originals are awesome!

Croatian's and Their Love for Pure and Simple Food

My sister called me last week to tell me about an article in Saveur Magazine.  I ventured to the link online and ...WOW.....it was like being back in Croatia.  I could almost taste the garlic and parsley sauce.  I could almost smell the wood fired up for the grill.  Saveur Article

My trip in 2013 with my sister was a treat for the eyes, nose and taste buds.  Being on the Dalmatian coast, the climate is similar to the Central Valley and most everything grows well (but grazing animals have a bit of a challenge with the rocky hillsides so you are sometimes limited to fish and lamb!)

Blitva (which is Swiss chard) is available in EVERY restaurant on the coast.....no matter if it is on the menu or not.  In my house when I was growing up, it was a staple and is referred to as my sister's "Happy Food" (she could eat 2 to 3 pounds of the stuff at a sitting and we are not sure if it is the veggie she likes or the garlic and olive oil!)

We rented a car near our flat and went on a little road trip (me driving, my son texting, my sister warning me to slow down).  Our goal was to get up the coast, eating our way every few kilometers and boarding the car ferry south of Makarska to visit my father's relatives on the Island of Hvar.  It was a colorful trip with roadside fruit stands bursting with color and rich with the smell of ripened fruit.  It also was stocked full of homemade "hooch" and questionable juices (nothing to be said about the bottling measures....Good grief!) My sister, ever the brave one, bought a big bottle of sok (juice) and proceeded mixing it with mineral water as we drove down the windy roads.  Such an adventure. Thank you Saveur for the above two photos......my son was too busy texting to take photos of our bounty.

Happily, we found our family in good health and spirits.  We spent the afternoon munching on juicy ripe peaches in the afternoon shade ......Summer at its finest (in the lazy village of Zastrazisce!)

2014 Central High Cupcake War Individual Flavor Winner

2014 Central High Cupcake War
Individual Flavor Winner

Salted Carmel Mocha Mini Cupcakes

Inspired By: Kourtney Maynard-AVID 10

Created By: Stephanie San Sebastian

Cake Base

·         1 box yellow cake mix

·         1 cup water

·         3 eggs

·         1/3 cup vegetable oil

·         1 box instant pudding- vanilla, cheesecake, or butterscotch

·         1 tbsp Watkins Carmel extract

Chocolate Swirl

·         3 tbsp cocoa powder

·         1 tbsp sugar

·         ¾ tsp coffee extract

PREHEAT OVEN TO 350

1.      Base

·         In mixer bowl, blend all of cake base liquids.

·         Gradually add cake mix and pudding mix to liquid and blend on low speed.

·         Once blended, mix on med-high for 2 minutes.

·         Set aside.

2.      Chocolate Swirl

·         In a small bowl, measure one cup of base.

·         Add swirl ingredient into small bowl with the 1 cup of base.

·        Blend well

3.      Line mini cupcake tins with Paper liners

·         Fill cups ½ full with cupcake base.

·         Add ½ tsp. (estimated) swirl mix to base cup

·        Using toothpick slightly swirl together DO NOT MIX COMPLETELY.

·         Bake 13 minutes. Cool before frosting.

  

Frosting

·         1 cup of butter ( 2 sticks)

·         1 tbsp. Watkins Carmel extract

·         4 cups powder sugar (1 lb)

·         3 tbsp whipped cream

Directions

1.      Soften butter and add extract.

2.      Alternate cream and sugar until fully blended.

3.      Adjust consistency. Add cream or sugar for desired result.

Topping

·         Carmel Sauce.

·         Heath bar pieces (from baking isle)

·        Course sea salt

Cup Cake Completion

·         Frost Cupcakes.

·         Sprinkle with Heath pieces then salt (lightly)

·        Finish by drizzling with Carmel

·        SERVE ..................YUMMMMMMMMM!!!!!