Mike Vogel
LightNews LightNews
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
Mike Vogel
@michaelvogel1.bsky.social
370 followers 430 following 210 posts
Husband and Father of 3 from MN. Compliance Attorney. Mostly here for parenting jokes and baking posts.
Posts Replies Media Videos
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
It's still going! A lot more green now...

#Aurora #AuroraBorealis #NorthernLights
A green glow emerging from behind trees along the East/Southeast horizon Camera pointed nearly straight up but slightly south shows green glow interspersed with a very faint red
November 12, 2025 at 2:15 AM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
Minnesota is getting an epic #Aurora show right now!!

(Taken from Brooklyn Park, MN)

#NorthernLights #AuroraBorealis
Shot pointed more Northeast and more directly up showing significant red and green behind trees, especially towards lower and middle portions of the shot. Shot pointed North and slightly northwest showing green glow through the trees and red beams above it. Camera pointed more due north showing green glow through the trees lower down and faint red/pink beans above it.
November 12, 2025 at 1:12 AM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
Did some pumpkin rolls today (cinnamon roll dough with a pumpkin and spice filling). Was a bit slow in getting the tin foil hat on so they got over browned, but that's what generous helpings of glasses is meant to cover...

#Baking
Pumpkin rolls in their pan but a bit over browned The same pumpkin rolls drenched in a vanilla glaze.
October 26, 2025 at 12:08 AM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
Final product turned out well!!

#Baking #Breadsky
A baked 5 strand challah plait cooling on the pan.
October 12, 2025 at 8:28 PM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
My youngest wants a French toast dinner for her birthday. I usually do challah for that since it's great French toast bread. When I know it's for that, I take the opportunity to practice different braiding patterns, and this 5 strand turned out well and ready for second rise.

#Baking #Breadsky
A freshly braided 5 strand challah plait sitting on a pan before being covered for the second rise
October 12, 2025 at 6:29 PM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
Our family did our Rosh Hashanah festivities today. I did a regular challah round (recipe via Allrecipes) and sourdough challah rolls (recipe via Sourdough Brandon). Both turned out well.

Wishing all my Jewish friends a wonderful New Year, and a meaningful Yom Kippur.

#Baking #Breadsky
Top view of challah round, cooling on parchment. Side pic of challah round showing flower type pattern A dozen sourdough challah rolls cooling in a muffin tin.
September 28, 2025 at 9:36 PM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
On my baking bucket list was mastering those ultra fluffy pancakes that I see a lot in internet videos, where the egg whites are beaten separate and folded back in. These turned out PRETTY good but I definitely needed to have weighed the flower, as these wound up a bit dense.

#Baking
3 stacked fluffy, and a bit clumpy pancakes on a white plate.
September 20, 2025 at 11:34 PM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
I've been trying the higher hydration doughs lately, and I'm happy with how this 90% hydration Italian bread turned out.

Not pictured, the Pan De Crystal from last week which could have been used as an acceptable frisbee...

#Baking #Breadsky
A baked 90% hydration loaf cooling on an wire rack.
September 7, 2025 at 12:17 AM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
Just busted out my best batch thus far of sourdough English muffins for my family, and my 7yo's immediate reaction was apparent disappointment that the bread doesn't speak English (or at all), and now I'm questioning all the Dad jokes I ever made while parenting...

#Baking #Breadsky #Dadjokes #Fail
A batch of sourdough English muffin cooling on a wire rack.
August 17, 2025 at 5:57 PM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
Got another shot after it rose a bit higher

#Supermoon
Supermoon decently high in the sky over trees and a lake in Northern Wisconsin.
August 10, 2025 at 2:46 AM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
#SuperMoon is epic tonight!!
Super moon shining above the trees over a lake in Northern Wisconsin.
August 10, 2025 at 2:27 AM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
Sourdough brioche rolls came out of the oven yesterday. They are incredibly fluffy and are almost gone already with my family, despite baking a double batch!!

Recipe via the sourdough brioche recipe by Sourdough Brandon

#Baking #Sourdough #BreadSky
2 dozen sourdough brioche rolls cooling in the muffin tins that they were baked in
August 4, 2025 at 9:39 PM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
I usually stovetop cook naan when I make it for the family, but today I tried it on the gas grill, and they turned out excellent!! It was even a great way to test out my new marble rolling pin.

Dough recipe via Allrecipes.

#Baking #BreadSky
A very large batch of grilled naan, cooling in a pile on a sheet pan A large white marble rolling pin on a counter
August 3, 2025 at 3:45 PM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
My kids came in the living saying, "There's a Phoenix saying bad words and insults" to them. I needed proof and they showed me this, so I guess I'm about to have some words with a Phoenix now...
A stuffed phoenix, with a hand drawn taking bubble next to that has the word, "Redacted"
July 20, 2025 at 3:01 AM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
Tried doing Pan de Chapas for the first time. Used our gas grill to cook them. Turned out delicious. You can tell which batch made me realize my grill heat was too high 🤣

#BreadSky #Baking
A dozen cooked pan de Chapas cooling on parchment paper. The 6 on the left are over done with black grill lines, where the 6 on the right are done better with brown grill lines.
July 19, 2025 at 8:22 PM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
My kid has labeled our kitchen pantry door the "Magic Food Portal," and she is now officially responsible for labeling things around the house...
A brown wooden pantry door with a red post-it note affixed to it saying, in kid's handwriting "Magic Food Portal"
July 13, 2025 at 9:15 PM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
Absolutely epic full moon tonight!! I was lucky to be by a lake to catch the reflection.

#Photography
Full moon reflecting off a lake
July 11, 2025 at 3:02 AM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
For my birthday, my family let me spend most of the long weekend baking up a storm: Sourdough English muffins, sourdough discard Italian bread, berry and white chocolate dessert rolls topped with meringue and chocolate, and flourless chocolate cake and a buttercream frosting.

#Baking #Breadsky
A batch of sourdough English muffins cooling on a wire rack Baked sourdough discard Italian bread partially cut into on a cutting board Baked dessert rolls topped with meringue and chocolate chips cooling on their pan Flourless chocolate cake with vanilla frosting piped on it in circular patters
July 7, 2025 at 10:30 PM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
Family loved how these Detroit style pizzas turned out! Crust recipe via King Arthur.

#Baking #Pizza #Breadsky
2 pans of fully baked pepperoni Detroit style pizza, cooling on the stovetop
July 5, 2025 at 12:32 AM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
Proud how this 4 strand challah round turned out!!

#Baking #Breadsky
4 strand challah rose plait cooling on parchment paper.
June 13, 2025 at 9:50 PM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
Made new attempts at some bread projects over the past week. Did a batch of sourdough English muffins, which turned out really well and are quickly becoming a family favorite.

Also did sourdough discard pretzels. Both had better shaking than prior attempts!!

#Baking #Breadsky #Sourdough
A batch of sourdough English muffins cooling on a cooling rack. A batch of baked sourdough discard pretzels, cooling on a wire rack.
June 13, 2025 at 9:48 PM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
First attempt at Chicago Style deep dish pizzas. They turned out delicious. They could have used another 5min in the oven to crisp the bottom of the crust more, but were delicious!!

#pizza #baking
2 deep dish pizzas fresh from the oven cooling on pans
May 28, 2025 at 3:20 AM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
I used my new sourdough starter to do my first ever try at English muffins. Tried to get too many muffins from this batch so the shaping was a bit off, and I still need work on the stovetop part of the cooking, but the fam LOVED them.

Got the recipe from FB which credited Bims

#Baking #Breadsky
16 English Muffins cooling on a rack
May 19, 2025 at 1:22 AM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
Tried to do a New Haven crust pizza. After a disaster with over hydrating the dough, I had to add more flour, so instead of winding up with enough dough for pizza and a few bread sticks, I got a pizza and a full Italian bread. Pizza wasn't perfect, but both were yummy.

#Baking #pizza #breadsky
Less than perfect attempt at a New Haven pepperoni and banana peppers pizza. Fully baked Italian bread cooling on a cutting board.
May 18, 2025 at 2:01 AM
michaelvogel1.bsky.social
This is an amazing event. 100% of the entry fees goes to spinal chord research and helping people who have suffered from spinal chord injury live better lives. Check it out here www.wingsforlifeworldrun.com/live/en/follow

#WingsForLife #wingsforlifeworldrun
My finisher photo superimposed with the WingsForLife logo, and the slogan "I run for those who can't".
May 4, 2025 at 1:06 PM