Gratitude and Giving Thanks

10 days… Oh. Em. Gee…. 10 days?!  TEN DAYS!!

In just over a week, I will wear a black gown, place a golden colored stoll over my shoulders, and walk with approximately 600 other students across the stage of the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center to receive a diploma in Food Production from Fox Valley Technical College.  What an amazing journey this has been for me!

It’s fitting that I’m penning this post on Thanksgiving eve, because I have SO much to be thankful for this year.  Among my list of personal reasons, I am so incredibly thankful to have had the opportunity to better myself over these past 2 years.  I’m filled with gratitude for the financial assistance I’ve received in the way of scholarships, grants, and student loans.  Without them, a college education would have been impossible for me.

I’m grateful for the amazing instructors I’ve had, whose knowledge, passion for teaching, and compassionate demeanor encouraged me to work hard at getting the most out of every educational experience I was given.

I’m equally blessed to have had some amazing mentors and advisers along the way.  Chef Jeff, Barb Dreger, Casey Britten, and Shiela Kahler…God bless each and every one of you for your support and encouragement.

I’m thankful to have had employment opportunities during my schooling, that helped to keep a roof over my head and food on my table.  Many students aren’t aware of the opportunities for extra cash during their schooling that are right inside of the walls of the school!  I spent time and was compensated for being a student ambassador, a peer tutor, a student blogger, an administrative intern, and for assisting with food prep and catering events through the culinary program.  If you’re interested in learning more about any of those programs, I encourage you to click through the links I’ve attached below and learn more about them.

STUDENT AMBASSADOR

PEER TUTORING

STUDENT INTERNSHIPS

WORK OPTIONS TO HELP PAY FOR COLLEGE

Fox Valley Technical College is truly a one-of-a-kind, amazing place to gain the knowledge that can help you live out your personal passion and career-related dreams.  I am SO thankful that I will soon be spreading my wings and soaring to heights of greatness in my career!

In closing, I want to share a recipe with you that I feel is very appropriate.  I named it “Bountiful Harvest” and the name is quite fitting for the bounty of gratitude that I feel at this time in my life.  Enjoy…and Happy Thanksgiving to you and your loved ones.

BOUNTIFUL HARVEST DRESSING

Ingredients

1/2 (12 ounce) package fresh cranberries

1 pound ground sausage

6 cups dried bread or stuffing cubes

1 medium onion, chopped

1 clove garlic, minced

1 teaspoon chopped fresh parsley

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano

1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh sage1 pinch fresh thyme

1/3 teaspoon celery seed

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/3 teaspoon ground black pepper

2 cups reduced sodium chicken broth

1/2 cup diced celery

1/2 cup diced apple with skin on

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (325 in a convection oven).

Place cranberries in a medium saucepan with enough water to cover, and bring to a boil. Cook just until skins pop. Drain, and cool.

Place sausage, onion, and celery in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Drain, and cool.

In a medium baking dish, mix cranberries, apple, sausage, bread cubes, onion, and garlic. Season with parsley, oregano, sage, thyme, celery seed, ground ginger, salt, and pepper. Stir in chicken broth to desired consistency.

Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven, until surface is crisp and lightly browned.