School

Sorry it's been almost a month since my last post! Things have been so busy with school and work I haven't been able to find the strength to sit down to blog. When I'm not busy, I'm either sleeping, with Matthew, or relaxing on the couch. And with everything going on, I'm still trying to find time to cook dinner at home, however I eat so well and so much at school sometimes, I don't cook or go out for several days! Free, delicious food. How much better does it get than that?
So, I love my classes that I am taking. Intro to Baking, Soups, Sauces and Consommes (yes, its all one class!), Intro to Foods, Catering, and Yoga!
In Intro to Foods, it's about learning all aspects of food and a kitchen. Very easy for me, but there is always so much to learn in this field!
In my Soups class, it's interesting and it is very important to know, however it is extremely boring! In the first class we had to make a chicken stock. After we put everything in a pot, we basically watched water boil for two hours. It's getting better though. We started doing sauces and we were able to make steak or chicken to go with our sauce. Finally, cooking!
Catering is by far my favorite class! In it, we are learning how to cook for buffets, family style dinners, plated banquets, and boxed lunches. In each class, my teacher buys a certain protein and vegetables. Each group gets the same thing and assigned different types of catering. I eat the best in that class.
I'm taking yoga for several reason. One, I want to strengthen my core, or really just my whole body. In a kitchen you stand all day and your back starts to compress so I really want to strengthen it as much as I can. Two, if I take it at school, I am more likely to go since it is for a grade and I will suffer the consequences more if I don't go.
Finally, there is Baking. I don't like it. "Hate" is too strong. I am awful at baking. Just last week I made pastry cream, and it didn't thicken right, so into the trash it went. I feel like when I mess up, it is a big deal, especially to my teacher. She never really helps, so it makes me want to give up even more. We made cookies the first week, and I was really good at that! I was amazing at it! I could make cookies with my eyes closed! I was ok when we did tarts, but again, my pastry cream didn't thicken right. I feel like I don't have the patience for this. In cooking I just estimate and add as much or little of something as I want and it is delicious and easy, but in baking, you have to measure every single thing, and sometimes I don't measure. If it looks like a teaspoon of salt, then it is a teaspoon of salt. I really want the Baking/Pastry degree. I think with it, along with the Culinary Arts and Culinary Management degrees, it will better my chances of getting a job. I don't need to know everything, but I will at least have experience of baking. And who knows, maybe it will grow on me. For right now though, it's like pulling teeth, and everyone "hates" having their teeth pulled.
Well, I hope you don't mind drooling. This is what I have made this semester so far.

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies & Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Cream

Stewed Chicken with Latin flavors, Sauteed Green Beans, and Roasted Red Potatoes

Orange Peel and Lime Crown Garnish for Hors D'oeuvres Cheese Platter

Soy Sauce/Honey Pork Spare Ribs and Roasted Asian Veggies

Fruit Tart with Homemade Pastry Cream

Hopefully, I will post more pictures soon! Enjoy and leave comments!

"Vegetables are a must on a diet. I suggest carrot cake, zucchini bread, and pumpkin pie."
-Jim Davis