Here is a little edible delight for all you Keto followers out there. The idea to do a fruit pizza came from a post shared on Twitter from a fellow classmate….if you are reading this please let me know who you are….I did not tag the post…..:( My partner follows the Keto diet with me tagging along when the urge strikes. I am not very good at any kind of restriction, but I try to do the best I can to support him. I have busy making fruity arrangements over the past few weeks while he observes. I figured this week I would broaden my audience a bit with a Keto dessert that he could actually eat! This weeks dessert was not leaving to a new destination, it was staying home to be devoured!

The Keto diet is a low carb, high fat diet where fruit is for the most part restricted. The exception to this is a small amount of berries, because they are lower in sugar content. I came across a tasty recipe from one of my favorite Keto sites: All Day I dream About Food. I have used multiple recipes from this site and feel with a name like that we must be kindred spirits.

This Fruit Pizza turned out amazing and was enjoyed by everyone, not just Dan. Next, week back to more edible arrangments to say thank you to essential workers! This one involves baking, ice cream cones, and carved strawberries! Stay tuned. 🙂

“Dessert is a necessity of life.” ― Adrienne Posey

In last week’s post I experimented with making a video clip using an app called iMovie. I found it easy to navigate in terms of creating a simple video clip from a single video. This week I wanted to further enhance my skills in creating videos to document my learning process. After asking for suggestions from my peers in our Slack community I decided to try a recommendation from Tracey called InShot. I had not heard of this app before and was curious to see how it compared to iMovie. InShot not only offers the creation of videos, but picture editing and photo collage options. I hope to take more time to explore these options in the future. I currently use PicCollage for photos, but like the idea of having 1 app that suits multiple purposes. The images below show some of FREE options this app offers. Text color, font, music, stickers, tools, layouts, filters, effects….many free monetarily. Some require a little of your time in terms of watching ads to acquire that sticker you had your eye on. Add-ons such as add and watermark removers, and specialty stickers, filters, music and other options are available for purchase, but not necessary to complete basic projects.

With this app I was able to choose multiple short videos and upload them as one video file and splice and edit from there. The screen displayed easy access to editing options such as splicing, adding music or text, deleting unwanted segments, changing the speed or volume of the video segments as well as recording your voice to accompany the video with explanations or narrations. I decided to add text and music to the video I created this time and found it really added depth to the overall product. I will continue to use InShot for videos and collages as it serves multiple purposes.

Some examples of my video making process.

Last week I bought a bag of granny smith apples….my favorite! I just happen to love them with caramel sauce. I have never made caramel sauce from scratch and decided this would be my learning goal for this week. however, I wanted to find a way to incorporate the sticky treat into my fruit arrangement theme. My first thought was to make caramel apples, but i also wanted to scaffold on my chocolatiering from last week. While scouring the internet for recipes, one of my favorite pastimes, I came across a delicious idea….Caramel Apple Nachos! I found a couple recipes and a couple YouTube videos I liked and took tips from each. There was one particular blog site that I came across and favored called All Things Mamma. She supplied a detailed recipe with ideas for additional toppings as well as a printable version of the recipe and a video to watch. Sort of like a one stop shop! The one thing it did not supply was a homemade caramel sauce as she used a sundae topping, but I was able to find a simple recipe that turned out amazing. Hope you enjoy my process journey collage and video compliments of InShot as much as the Parkland Co-Op Admin staff loved their thank- you treat.

I also tried out the app Canva this week, but was set on a video. Truth be told I am quite fond of the videos for showing the process of cooking and arranging. Canva does offer some unique options for recipe cards that I want to explore to make my boys family recipe books.

Any suggestions on video apps to try out or suggestions for an edible arrangement you have send them my way and I will try and check them out. Thank you for joining me on this pretty cool techy meets kitchen project 🙂

Welcome back to my edible arrangements creation journey. I decided to continue developing my skills with fruit art by making chocolate covered strawberries. I must say that my biggest takeaway here is that the art of melting, or tempering, chocolate is a science! This YouTube video by The Sugar Geek Show (below) provides an easy to understand video explaining the process of the breaking down of crystalline structures by agitating using LEGO. (her blog site is a must check out for baking enthusiasts) This would be a great relatable resource to show students! I like to challenge myself to get creative with the required outcomes so this may one for a science class in the future. I loved that this video also gave me the breakdown of how to choose the right chocolate for tempering. I wanted to achieve that shiny coating that is so beautiful. I also learned that not all chocolate is equal.

Even knowing what I did after watching the above video, I experimented with the process in the microwave first as it seemed like the easier way to melt the chocolate quickly.  I love when I can save time and have less cleanup! The Pinterest article I found assured me it was possible, though it would not be tempered as in the above video. Really, how different could it be??? I followed the wonderfully laid out step by step instructions given using milk chocolate but found the results to be undesirably gritty. However, the dark chocolate turned out beautifully shiny as I had envisioned.

The taste testers for my practice batch were a few of my nieces and nephews. As they pulled the treats off of the plate, that I had forgotten to put parchment paper on, half the chocolate was left behind. My nephew noticed that they chocolate looked like it had raindrops in it! An impromptu learning opportunity on patterning/imprinting presented itself. I have made note to try this with students in the future in a science/art setting. I love that I have an authentic teaching experience to takeaway from my learning. 

Even though the dark chocolate tempered nicely in the microwave, I still wanted to test the double boiler method and temper the chocolate to see how the results differed. A bit of a science experiment! I decided to document my experience with a video to expand my digital horizon. Being the rebel that I am in the kitchen, I decided to mix white and dark chocolate to see what would happen to the tempering process. This would also cut down on the bitterness. You will have to watch my video to find out what happens and see the final product! (below)

A big thankyou to the Medical Clinic staff for all you do! A special shout out to Dr. Henley for the photo op. Dr. Henley is a motorhome travelling rural physician who just recently starred in a “doc”umentary called Mobile MD on City TV.

Reflection: Making a video challenged me more than I thought. After taking the time to edit and splice and use fade techniques, I had to cut the video because the file was too large to upload from my phone. I later realized I should have saved it to google drive and then upload from my computer. I am feeling like this is rookie knowledge. I am desperately need to up my tech game! Regardless a 4 minute video is probably long enough for engagement purposes. All in all I am pretty proud of the fact I created, converted, and uploaded a video. I will gladly take any tips you have for an easier way to do this:)

I will admit I have not taken much time since children to explore what it is that I enjoy doing! I have willingly put my hobbies to the side to become chauffeur, sports fan, hunting companion, fishing buddy, head chef, school tutor, coach/volunteer and everything else that goes with being an involved and active Mom. Don’t get me wrong, I would not change those moments for anything, but I lost of bit of who I am as an individual along the way. As I said in my previous post, I once had a love for party planning and turning sugary treats into themed edible décor. After completing my first arrangement, I once again felt that satisfaction of turning food into an edible work of art.

Prior to diving in to my newest potential hobby quest, I researched what I was going to need for supplies. I had already decided my Mom was going to be the lucky recipient of my first creation. (strategically chosen as she would love it whether it was a total disaster or not, plus it was Mother’s Day) The next step was taking the directions I had found and put them into action. There were only 5 simple steps to make a fruit bouquet. Four in my case, as I had already decided to pass on the art of chocolatiering for another time and focus on shaping and arranging the fruit.

I was more excited about cutting fruit into shapes than what is probably normal (but what really is normal right?). My partner laughed as I pretty much squealed in delight when I cut my first flower shape successfully. I learned that although it was not what I would describe as difficult, there was more to factor than I expected. Lessons learned: only cut the fruit as thick as your cutters, thinly sliced fruit does not stay on a stick, raspberries and blackberries fall apart easily, metal cutters would most likely make a cleaner cut, it is not as easy to “skewer” a fully loaded stick of fragile fruit into a hard pineapple top, presentation is essential, and on a personal level, my need for symmetry gets in the way of artistic expression. My partner literally had to remove me from the arrangement and reassure me it looked amazing before my continuous meddling ruined what I had just spent an hour and a half creating.

Important Takeaways: I love making the fruit bouquets, my Mom was absolutely delighted with her Mother’s Day gift, my boys, family, and friends were amazed with the end result, I had someone ask if I was going to start selling them after I posted on Facebook, leftover fruit peices make an amazing fruit salad, and most importantly this new hobby/skill gives me a sense of pride and accomplishment which sparks an excitement to create more…….next up…..chocolate dipped strawberries for a couple special essential workers 🙂 Stay Tuned.

I want to start by saying that this assignment had me excited since I read the course syllabus. The ideas immediately circled in an overwhelming response while I unsuccessfully tried to focus on one! There was crochet, knitting, dream catchers, nail and sting art, ASL and many more…..how could I decide???? Finally, it was time to just make a decision. I began watching learn to crochet videos and found my mind wandering after a short length of time. This is a skill I will try at some point, but I wasn’t “hooked”. After a conversation with friends about my ideas and days of overthinking and stressing about what to get my amazing mother for Mother’s Day, an idea formed. My Mom is one the most low key ladies I know. She does not wear make-up, is not into fashion, is allergic to bath products and most metals, and has a house full of treasures. She, like a lot of other Moms and Grandams are delighted in the little gifts with BIG meaning. So, what could I give her that she didn’t already have much less need she is blessed to be able to purchase what she needs. This is where the idea of edible arrangements budded.

I remember my sister getting an edible fruit basket from a friend a couple years ago and thinking….”What a great gift!” I still questioned whether my idea was an actual skill…..While looking further I was able to find multiple online resources to help me learn: YouTube, Facebook, Pinterest and articles. I also found that there were many different aspects that could be incorporated: bouquets, arrangements, themes, chocolate dipping/decorating, strawberry carving, and the addition of edible accents (probably doughnuts!) My decision was made and I could not be more excited. Memories of my theme party planning days when the boys were little were flooding my mind as well as that feeling of joy an accomplishment I felt when pulling off that perfect cake or brownie graveyard for the playschool Halloween party, and how the boys eyes lit up with delight when they seen the finished product. While I have baking and decorating with icing experience, turning fruit (maybe veggies) into art will be a whole new experience. My plan….start simple and work my way to an elaborate edible masterpiece with all the bells and whistles!

Now, what will I do with multiple arrangements that are meant to be enjoyed within a short period of time? This is where I thought of the idea to make this learning project meaningful. I realized that fruit is quite costly, though easy to obtain in a small town during a pandemic, but decided it could be an investment. I am an active member of my community and the businesses here make giving back to service clubs and local organizations an ongoing commitment. During the uncertain times were are facing due to Covid-19, essential service workers enter the public on a daily basis putting themselves and their families at further risk. I decided I would say thank you these services and businesses by dropping off an edible arrangement as a small act of kindness to pay it forward.

Thank you for reading and stay tuned to see how may first edible arrangement turned out and the various skills I want to learn along the way!

Excited to learn, experience, give back and enjoy some of the fruits of my labour!

Shelly