Celebrity chef to attend Minuteman Commons grand opening Published Sept. 1, 2011 By Sarah Olaciregui 66th Air Base Group Public Affairs HANSCOM AIR FORCE BASE, Mass. -- Celebrity Chef Herb Mesa will attend the Minuteman Commons grand opening Sept. 8 to recognize the winner of the Air Force Fit Family "Cook It Up" Healthy Recipe Contest, Tech. Sgt. Michelle Abrahamsson. Chef Mesa is the self proclaimed "energy chef," cooking healthy foods that also give energy. He will begin his visit at the Hanscom Middle School early in the day, where students, faculty and staff will have a chance to meet him. Following the school visit, Chef Mesa will visit the Fitness and Sports Center from 12:15 to 1:15 p.m. to sign autographs and meet with personnel. Finally, the chef will attend the ribbon cutting ceremony of the Minuteman Commons at 3:30 p.m., followed by a meet and greet with attendees. At 4:30 p.m. Chef Mesa will present Sergeant Abrahamsson with her award in The Den, formerly the Minuteman Lounge. Sergeant Abrahamsson, a medical NCO at the Boston Military Entrance Processing Station (MEPS), was selected for her original recipe, Apple Turkey Picadillo. It was selected from hundreds of recipes for its nutritional value and unique texture and flavor. According to the sergeant, she grew up on meat and potatoes five days a week in rural Illinois, and on the other two days she ate hamburgers. As a young adult, fast food became an easy fix and the weight started creeping on. Then with a personal challenge of added weight during pregnancy, she became an expert on manipulating recipes to make them healthier. Today she drives 60 miles to and from work, so with so little time, planning meals is really important for her and her family. She is happy to offer advice for other families with busy schedules. "Never give up!" she said. "Be determined, whether its weight you want to lose or simply get your children away from electronics or from in front of the television, there is so much available to do and see. Just do it!" Anyone interested in trying out Sergeant Abrahamsson's recipe may do so by visiting www.usafhealthyrecipes.com/page710509. For information about other contests, visit www.usaffitfamily.com. In addition to Chef Mesa's visit, the grand opening will include food from the new caterers, Thunderbird Express, as well as a chance to learn about the many services they offer. Children will have a chance to enjoy various activities, such as a bouncy castle, face painting and more. Others will enjoy ping pong, pool and washers tournaments, plus a chance to watch football on the new 70-inch television in The Tavern, formerly the Patriot Lounge. Lots of prizes will be given away, such as a $400 Apple gift card, $200 Best Buy gift card, $100 Target gift card, a pair of Red Sox tickets, plus two special kid and family prizes. The celebration will include a fireworks display starting at approximately 7:45 p.m., weather permitting. Besides the grand opening, many more events are planned in the upcoming weeks for the Minuteman Commons. For the latest information, check out the new web page at www.HanscomServices.com/MinutemanCommons.asp. Grand Opening Schedule 3 p.m.: Commons closed in preparation for ribbon cutting 3 p.m.: Beverages, snacks and appetizers available, Parking Lot 3 p.m.: Sponsors and vendors, Parking Lot 3-5 p.m.: Off Our Rockers, Parking Lot 3-7:30 p.m.: Bouncy Castle, Parking Lot 3:30 p.m.: Ribbon Cutting, Parking Lot 3:45 p.m.: Commons opens for activities and Herb Mesa meet and greet, The Den 3:45-7:30 p.m.: Holiday reservation table and caterer appetizer showcase, Commons Lobby 3:45-7:30 p.m.: Kids activities - face painting, contests, obstacle course and balloon animals, Hanscom Ballroom 3:45-7:30 p.m.: Ping pong, pool, washers, The Tavern and Heritage and Musket rooms 3:45-7:30 p.m.: DJ, The Tavern 4:30 p.m.: Award presentation to Air Force Fit Family Recipe Contest winner with Herb Mesa, Outside Stage 5:00-7:30 p.m.: Dub Apocalypse (Reggae Band), Parking Lot 5:00-7 p.m.: Giveaways, Commons lobby and The Tavern 7:45-8:15 p.m.: Fireworks (weather dependent), Parking Lot Note: There will be limited parking in the Minuteman Commons parking lot. Attendees are asked to park across the street in the Brown Building or Airman and Family Readiness Center parking lots.