Winter Cleaning.

Today was good, busy at work! Been auditing the files so a lot of paperwork and computer time, but it makes the day go by so much faster. =]

After work I came home to clean the house and move stuff around. Adam is gonna move in so I had to "clean 1 of my 3 rooms" as Jonathan put it. So I'm not like disgustingly sloppy and messy. I just have too much stuff and not enough organizational tools to help me. So when I ask Jon for help cleaning stuff and he says no - my "rooms" get a little full of crap. Haha! I try to organize as I go, but I'm just terrible at cleaning my room for some reason =]. So Adam and Jon helped me (Adam without any complaint, and Jon with a lot of complaining) move out stuff and get piles ready for Goodwill! I really hate just throwing stuff away, such a waste. Jon has to go to Goodwill now. Hahaha I'm not very nice am I? BUT I bought the boys some nice dinner for their trouble, (BK Lounge anyone?).

Family Guy is on, and we're watching it of course. I don't think there's been a day yet that it hasn't been on TV at SOME time. Chris is this your doing? If so, thanks for reminding us to laugh buddy.

I want one of those crazy Blackberry charging pads! Those are awesome!

Anyway, Christmas is coming. Not as excited about it this year, probably because I didn't get to go shopping for people. My favorite part about Christmas is buying people fun presents. =[ oh well, you can't win 'em all.

Nothing good on T.V. - Lame.

It's been a month since I've even had time to do this thing. Ugh. Let's see if I remember everything that happened.....

Class went by so fast! I was excited for the bakeshop - but it turned out harder than I thought. You have to do 2-3 desserts everyday, and I made my desserts - buuut others didn't always do so... SO I was running crazy the whole time. I did get to make a gingerbread house that was pretty awesome though. It was on display at the President of OC's Christmas Party. =] It was so fun.


Got to flambe at a catering event too! I made the shrimp Frangelico, and had to set it on fire. A little scary - but fun.

I had my finals! And I rocked them. 100% on 2 of them and 94% on the other 2. I am pretty proud of myself, because I thought I was gonna be done for about a month in. =] Accumulative GPA 3.4 - hell yeah! I haven't had grades that good since junior high.

I was supposed to go to the WSCA Meeting tonight in Seattle, but I have a really bad headache. Kind of mad, would've been a good experience, but I would probably have been miserable there.

I'm making cookies again this year for people, since I don't have any money for present buying. I hate that... I feel cheap. Haha. WHATEVER. My cookies are awesome. =]

Also making ornaments for people, pictures to come! I'm off to Costco to get pictures.

Crying is for wimps right?

Today was a good day because I made good food at school, got 100% on my test (AND a gold star), and looked up recipes... But I cried today, ugh. I never cry.

Driving home Avenged Sevenfold came on, and I just started crying. The one thought in my head was Christopher, and how he was a bad-ass. I miss that guy. =[

Other than that, today I made gnocchi BY HAND. Which took me about 2 hours. Just to let you know the process......

You have to boil potatoes, then bake them to dry them out. Then you have to rice the potatoes in a ricer or through a food mill (basically a cheese grater with a hand crank, it takes a long time!). Next you mix in eggs, salt and pepper, nutmeg and flour. Since gnocchi is usually pretty bland tasting I added lots of fresh sage and nutmeg to give it flavor. So then you have to knead out the dough, while adding flour. I then rolled out the dough into logs and portion out 1/6oz dough balls. You use a fork (well coated in flour!) and smash the dough balls on the back side of the fork, and then roll the dough forward and pinch together the ends. Looks kind of like those little green squiggly magic bugs from James and the Giant Peach. =]

Anyway, they took FOREVER. So if you ever want a good idea for a family meal - do that! And have everyone help! But they look really nice, and taste pretty good too. Normally they're served with a pasta sauce that gives them flavor, but as I spent all my time making the damn things - I opted to saute them in butter and melt fresh Parmesan cheese over the top. It looked really fancy! Everyone kept telling me how professional it looked - yay for me! ha ha

I've been working on my notebook for school (a collection of all my recipes), and it's huge. I have so many recipes, because every time I see one in a magazine or book I steal it! Ha ha... all I have to say is that I'd better get a good grade on it because that thing is packed.

Haven't been up to much lately. Going to move to the bakeshop on Monday - YAY! This is the station I've been waiting for. All my cake baking will have paid off, because now I get to sell my cakes instead of eating them!

Going to make a dinner either Sat or Sun night. Making a Caesar salad, homemade sage ravioli with a ricotta-cream cheese filling and tomato sauce, then a cheesecake with pomegranate sauce. Oh yeah this isn't an everyday thing for me, it's Jon's and my anniversary this weekend so I fig I'd make him a nice dinner =].

Sometimes I wish I was enthusiastic about life as Rob Dyrdek, where does he get it all?

Oh man. Totally crazy week. Started off with a 340 person catering on Monday. No school, but I still had to go in at 6:30am! We all worked on plating everything. There was croissant chicken salad sandwiches, with pasta salad, and kahlua tiramisu for dessert! It turned out really awesome.Def need to get that recipe - it was so good! (We also covered 4 other tables just like this, most dessert I've ever seen!)

So after THAT crazy day, had to go to work all week of course. But we also had to cater to the Washington Accreditation Board, who was using our conference room and Fireside Bistro while they were doing their "accreditation" thing.. We served them from Wednesday to Friday, and it was a lot! I was in the Bistro kitchen and did a ton of different stuff. A lot of good food! Did my first fruit platter too.. Also got to make a breakfast menu (not fun getting there at 6am, but fun to make the food!) I made a hazelnut cream cheese stuffed french toast with a blueberry syrup, uhhmmmmm amazing? We also made a smoked salmon eggs Benedict which was phenom. We all got to sit out on the loading dock and eat it =].

Chef Plemmons' fruit platter... Pretty awesome!

For lunch we made a pumpkin white bean soup, a northwest salad with peaches and feta cheese, and a cranberry dijon chicken. Thursday we had two caterings, (I know .. so many) which we had to make a dish to send to the president of the board. We made seafood louie (sp?) that had crab, mussels, and shrimp - did I tell you I love seafood? Find the recipe for this, it was AMAZING. Then we made ratatouille en croute, and a pork tenderloin with a apricot veloute sauce. Then today we had the Bistro Four Course, and we switched stations - so I am now in the Bistro service. Wow lemme tell you, I'm glad I never had a serving job before this because it's much better to learn first. Had 34 covers today which normally on a busy day we get 20. Had to serve for an hour and 40 mins, and then one of my team members decided to walk out because she was mad that it was busy? Not sure exactly why she got so mad but then I had to take over her tables.. Super awesome. It's a school, so don't yell and get all pissed off, because you have to spend the rest of the year with those same people right? Whatever. People are amazing!

So I thought I did pretty good, but I do need practice at serving. Oh well! Everyone has to learn sometime. At least I got some tips to take to the bar with me tonight! It's Julie's 52nd birthday week and we're going to the Sidebar for happy hour! Good I need a drink. =]

Have to work tomorrow, boooo. But it's rainy so maybe it won't be too busy? Who knows! I'm hoping for a relaxing weekend.

My computer sucks, just typed out a post - and it CLOSED THE WINDOW. Ugh. Let's try again!

I finally got to the shop this week, and had a huge pile of receipts waiting for me! Jon showed me his new ride too..

Last weekend I went to run errands with Jon and De. We went by Sportsman's Warehouse (Outdoor Outfitters Wholesale Sports? Stupid) so that they could find new gun holsters. I was informed that searching for a gun holster is the same as me looking for a purse, so I was sympathetic to their quest. But while they were shopping I wandered around the store, because I like wandering. I stumbled upon this little beauty..

Not only funny because Jon was in the store when I text him this picture, but you also had to buy the special funnel adaptor to fit your butt. Yuck. But I did find this really nice filet knife for my Dad. It even came with leather cover that had Indian designs on it. I'm definitely getting one for myself!

So school this week was okay. Fun because I started in the Bistro kitchen, but sucked because I was sick and had to miss school and work. Had a pretty high fever (100.4) and couldn't really do much about having to miss school.. Still felt like a slacker though! Anyway, Fridays are 4 course meals from different countries in the Bistro restaurant, so this week it was Chilean cuisine.

First course: Soup

Crema Fria De Palta
(Chilled Avocado Soup w/ Sour Cream Garnish)

Second Course: Entree
Zenzero Achiote Sea Bass w/ Pineapple Salsa

Third Course: Salad

Ensalada a la Chilena

(Chilean Tomato and Sweet Onion Salad)

Fourth Course: Dessert

Baked Apple Ice Cream w/ Caramelized Chilean Apples

Everything tasted really amazing. I helped plate some of them, but the "salad" plate was my responsibility. I made tomato "flowers" with tomato petals and a green salad dressing on the plate, then put the salad in a mold and put it on the plate with a chopped cabbage garnish. It was really fun to plate - I love the creative aspect of it. But I was kind of bored because I was done with all my stuff so fast. Haha dang, guess that's what I get for being uberproductive. The dessert was TO DIE FOR. I recommend it highly! I am going to buy an icecream maker just so I can make that icecream.

I also took three tests this week, which I got an A+ and an A- on two (haven't gotten the third one back yet). So I'm pretty proud of my study regime, even though I don't have free time for anything else during the week. At least I'm getting good grades right? =]

Off to watch Food Network, and work on my recipe notebook! <3

Sweet Cherry Pie!

Busy day! I filet-ed a giant halibut today. LOTS easier than filet-ing salmon. Then I poached it in a court bouillon and served it with a sauce made from it! Also came with a pineapple orange salsa! I love cooking seafood, it's really easy and tastes amazing. Def going to have a lot of seafood at my restaurant =]. I move to the "Bistro Kitchen" on Monday, which is a "real" restaurant. We make food for orders in the Fireside Bistro Restaurant. I'm pretty excited because I'll get to learn a whole bunch of stuff. And we have a whole day dedicated to prep! Ahhh so much easier =]

Been cooking all week at school, then coming home and making stuff too! Last night I made chipotle pork fried rice, uhm, YUM. It turned out pretty good. Also bought these mini pots de creme bowls and made mini apple pies with creme anglaise.. I used apples from the tree in the yard, and they were really tart so I had to use a lot of sugar. They turned out good though! So def using a different kind of apple next time. And the creme anglaise was really good on it.
Here they are!





I also started to make a present for my Dad for his birthday. I usually make him cherry pie, but I wanted to make something that would last a little longer. So I made a little slice =]



How cute! I had a lot of fun making it. Plus I think I'm going to paint a plate to put it on. Fun and easy gift to give! Lemme know if you have a birthday coming up! =]

AND it starts..

Yes I have been absent for awhile. BUT I have started school so it's a perfectly logicial absence.

There are a lot of people in the class who prob shouldn't be there, but I feel really at ease. I'm on the "Main" station this week, and I've been kicking butt (not taking names though..). I'm pretty proud of myself for finally getting this thing going and being able to support myself through school and all. I'm pretty lucky I have a good head on my shoulders ya know?

Anyway I love class it's a lot of fun, and learning about cooking is pretty awesome. SO much better than the Food Network. =]

Here's one of the things I learned to do:

It's an apple swan, can you tell? I thought it was inventive!

So once I get my camera battery charged I can post more pictures of my daily stuff - but right now time is a high priced commodity! I get up at 6am and I am usually at school around 6:30-6:45am to get ready for the day. Then I run like hell all day cooking and learning, and get out of class at 2:00pm. I then get to go home and eat, rest, and change before heading off to work at Snap Fitness from 4pm-7pm. OH YEAH! I have to fit like 2-3 hrs of studying in before bed at 9:30pm... =] Prettttyyy crazy, but it makes the days go by pretty darn fast if you ask me.

I got my business cards in today! They are pretty amazing. Totally me, ferrshhhh. =] My "company name" is really more of a mission statement. It is "À moitié plein " which is a French saying meaning "The cup is half full". That's the way I've been trying to look at things lately. Jon doesn't like Negative Nancy, so I've had to pull out Optimistic Opal =]. I think it's pretty awesome, what do you think?

Anyway, I have to go cook dinner now, but I'll put up some more pics of little projects I've been working on lately! =]

Farmville takes too long.

Started to play that game on Facebook - Farmville? You have to time when you play it to harvest your crops and I always forget about them! Ugh.. I wish it was like Sims where you could speed up time, and it stopped when you stopped playing. =[

Finished some cupcakes for people's birthday presents. They're so cute! Didn't take as long as the other stuff either. It will be fun to give them away.

I started to talk to Brandon about my tattoo last night, finally! I'm pretty excited about it. I hope he has time to get me in there. The only thing I'm worried about is it being overpowering on me. But Jon says I can pull it off, and Brandon will make it look super awesome soooo no more negativity.. haha

My house needs to be cleaned, and my laundry need to be folded, so I'm off to be domestic. Ugh. =]

Sandwich done!

Finally finished the sandwich for my "sack lunch"..


All the fixin's! Bread, cheese, pickles, tomato, lettuce, and bologna!

I think the pickle is my fav.

Watching my guilty pleasure show right now, America's Next Top Model..... They're modeling with the Wild Boyz... HA

Came up with some new ideas for the cafe I'm opening one day. Pretty excited about that. And also more ideas for my tattoo. But I can't post cuz I don't want anyone to steal them! Ha =]

Ben and Jerry's

Totally forgot.





Best invention EVER tribute to.....

The Ben & Jerry's pint coozie. Your hands don't get cold while your eating it. YES! Jon preceded to eat 3/4 of the pint after he realized this. Nice.

New to "blogging"

I'm so technologically behind. I've never blogged before so bear (bare?) with me.

Basically started this to share all the creative stuff I do, because I'm proud of myself for doing it! Didn't get to see Julie and Julia yet, and that's a darn shame. Prob would've helped me fig out how to do this better... Haha.

I'm kind of an 82 yr. old woman in a 21 yr. old body. I like to sit and sew things while I'm watching TV. So here are some things I've been working on lately...

First saw some woman's cute little pea pod amigurami and totally fell in love. These are the cutest little things I've ever seen. And they're so freakin easy to make! They are time consuming, but so worth it. It cost me $5 for enough supplies to make a whole bunch of different food objects.

Cute little "McDonald's" French Fries

Fried Egg
Vegas likes french fries =]

We got our pottery back from the Dancing Brush today! Everyone's looks really good.. I put pictures of them on my Facebook and they got some funny comments.... It was a successful activity though =].

Started a sandwich today so I'm off to finish it! More pics tomorrow..