Real World 101

What's for Breakfast? Popovers

2011-11-17T06:56:00.001-08:00

Tuesday, October 25 we made 6 dozen popovers in Real World 101. Have you ever tried one? They are easy to make and delicious - especially if you have some good homemade jam or Nervous Nellie's Jam on hand.

The ingredients are simple: milk, eggs, flour, salt

And look what you get!Here's the recipe:

Keeping It Balanced: Checkbook Know-How

2011-11-17T06:43:00.000-08:00

Rebecca Emerson and Lisa Veazie from Bar Harbor Bank and Trust came to Real World 101 on October 20 to teach us how to balance a check-book. We went over the parts of a check, filled out blank checks, and practiced with a checking account register. Becca and Lisa encouraged everyone to write every single transaction, including deposits, cash withdrawals, and debit card purchases, in their check register. We also discussed the high cost of overdrawing your account (writing checks for more money than you have in the account) - both in terms of fees and the impact on your credit rating.

Here is the practice exercise if you want to work through it.

Starting A Business: 44 North Coffee

2011-11-17T06:34:00.000-08:00

On October 18, Megan Dewey Wood and Melissa Rafferty, co-founders of 44 North Coffee came to Real World to talk about starting a business on the island. We got to see unroasted coffee beans, learn about where coffee is grown, and sample freshly brewed coffee. Megan and Melissa talked about how they got the business started, including purchasing a coffee roaster on eBay and driving to New Jersey to pick it up in a borrowed truck.

Some of the tips they shared with us included finding something you are interested in and would enjoy that also has the potential to be profitable. They took advantage of the SCORE program in Ellsworth to get advice from retired business owners. Megan and Melissa said they also had to be open to change course and grow with the business. They are already looking for a larger roaster.

The class also talked about what kinds of new businesses they thought might do well in Deer Isle or Stonington.

What's for Breakfast? Breakfast Burritos

2011-11-17T06:22:00.000-08:00

On Thursday, October 13 we made Breakfast Burritos with a crowd.

Here's what you need:
Flour Tortillas
Olive oil
Frozen Hash Browns (or, dice some red potatoes)
Frozen corn
Eggs
Salt and pepper
Cheddar cheese
Salsa

Here's what to do:
Wrap up some flour tortillas in foil and put them in a preheated oven (350 degrees) to warm up while you cook the potatoes and eggs.

Heat some oil in a frying pan over medium high heat - just enough to coat the bottom of the pan. If you are just making 1 serving, use a small pan. If you are making 4 - 6 servings a large pan works well. Add a layer of frozen hash browns to the pan. Don't crowd them and don't turn them too often or they will stick.

Meanwhile, grate some cheese. Crack 2 eggs per person into a bowl, season with salt and pepper, and beat with a fork.

Cook the potatoes until golden, crispy, and cooked through. Add some frozen corn and stir until the corn is heated through. Then add the eggs and cook as you would scrambled eggs until done.

Take the flour tortillas out from the oven. For each burrito, spoon some of the egg/potato/corn mixture in a tortilla, add grated cheese and salsa, wrap it up, and enjoy.

What's for Dinner? Black Bean Nachos

2011-10-04T06:26:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday 30 DISHS students made Black Bean Nachos in Real World 101. Biggest lesson learned? There is a reason why the recipe says to add the tomatoes after the nachos are cooked. Putting the tomatoes on before the cheese is melted leads to soggy chips. They were still pretty tasty! Here's the recipe:

Before you get started, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Then grate your cheese. If you are using canned beans, open the can, dump the beans into a colander in the sink, and rinse them well. Spread out the chips on a baking sheet.

Layer on cheese, beans, corn, and then more cheese.

Put in the oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and everything is heated through. While the nachos are cooking, chop tomatoes, onions, and cilantro for toppings.

When the nachos come out of the oven (use an oven mitt!) - add any toppings you want - chopped tomatoes, onions, jalapenos, cilantro, or salsa. Yum!

What's for Breakfast? Blueberry Granola Sundaes

2011-09-28T10:59:00.000-07:00

Yesterday we had a great group of 17 or so students to make Blueberry Granola Sundaes. This is a good option if you are in a hurry and want to put together a healthy, fast, breakfast or snack. Here are the ingredients you will need:

Granola, blueberries, maple syrup, and plain yogurt. We used frozen blueberries and plain greek yogurt. Feel free to substitute other berries. Peaches or nectarines would work as well. Use either whole milk or low-fat yogurt depending on your preference - but plain is better than presweetened.

Grab a cup or a bowl and layer in yogurt, granola, and berries. Top with a drizzle of maple syrup. You can substitute honey or a sprinkle of brown sugar if you like. Here's a photo of the finished product.

Tomorrow... Black Bean Nachos.