Better Day

So I seem to be pushing my wake up time back more and more I'm thinking bed earlier would be smarter for me. Fingers crossed aiming for 11PM every night this week [maybe not Tuesday].

Class was MUCH better today! Chef is AMAZINGGG! Since I've been having issues with the EBooks and it's just adding to the rest of the stress I'm carrying around he lent me HIS book until the end of the Quarter! Hallelujah I can actually sit by the pool on Wed [if it's still as gorgeous as the past few days] and study! Today in class we finished the L'Opera Cake, and platted it. Mine actually came out better than I thought! Chef said he really liked it so that was a bonus too! We platted it with Coffee Anglaise and a crispy. We also learned about Chocolate today and tempering, then we made Filagree Chocolate Decors! I will be posting pictures of both, it's kind of neat to look at the progress of the designs I was great at the bottom row and and ND row but need more practice for the other two. The only bad part was I made mine to thin so when I went to use it, they just fell apart so the actual chocolate on my plated piece belongs to the girl who cooks next to me. We also made a Classic Genoise, not used until tomorrow. And we lastly, we learned how to fold Cornets and did 25 each, the first was difficult but I got it and took off.

Week 4 is almost over, Week 5 is Midterm! I'm NERVOUS! I'm really trying to stay with my all A's and high GPA. I found out that in the 5th Quarter if you have a 3.7 and higher and have maintained it the whole 5 quarters you get a red neckerchief to wear! Sounds corny I know but I've never had anything to really distinguish me as someone with honor like that. Other than that just a nap and a LONG day at work. For some reason Mondays seem to be REALLY busy days for us and now my back is killing me I can't wait to go to bed and relax it. Ohh the only other thing, I cut my own bangs this morning before school. I've been debating on how brave I really want to be and cut my own hair. But I think I may just wait until the night before my birthday and have a professional do that one! [28 days!]

I'm going to save the American Regional recipes for Wednesday when I don't have much else to write to you about. But here are the two recipes from today & pictures of the plated L'Opera Cake & Filagree & the cornet I made. Not much was done today or I could share more, but Enjoy!

Creme' Anglaise [This recipe makes 40 fl oz, you only need about 8 fl oz, so PLEASE cut the recipe ]

Half/Half 1 qt

Vanilla Bean 1

Egg Yolks 12 yolks

Granulated Sugar 10 oz

To get the coffee flavor, add Coffee extract, and if you are worried about it having a really strong coffee flavor at the end DON'T! It is DEEElicious! I tried to eat the whole thing before they took up plates but I couldn't finish it before they got to me! So sad.

Classic Genoise - This picture will be posted later, all we did was make the cake today.

Eggs 10

Granulated sugar 8 oz

Butter, melted 1.5 oz

Vanilla extract 2 tsp

Cake flour 9 oz

makes enough for 2 - 9 in rounds

Wow.

It feels like it's been forever since we last spoke. Let me give you a short update then the recipes you are missing.

Ebooks... well I had to update the version, my computer virus blocker thing was deflecting it. So I went to the tech lab at school and the guy messed with it and got the new version to upload, Awesome. Ohh wait THEN my books were DELETED! AHHH! I had to get on the phone with the company and have them reconnect me with my books. So about an hour or so more later I had the new version and my books back. So lucky for all of you and myself we have recipes once more and I can "study" I really hate studying on the computer but I won't get back on that soap box! I just plan to talk to someone at the school about making it a students CHOICE on whether or not to get an Ebook or a wonderful HARDCOPY COOK BOOK! (:

After I was all through and done with that I walked out to my car to go home and what do I come to find... post-it note attacked! [ha you thought it was going to be bad, didn't you?] Well my wonderful lab team and friends decided to turn my day around with some great notes left on my car, and it definitely did! Thanks ladies!

Other than that just great day in American Regional! Baking and Pastry not so much I felt really off of everything I was doing but I'll pick it up this week! Below are the recipes I owe you for Baking & Pastry. Tomorrow I will post American Regionals, because I'm still gathering that information up.

DAY ONE:

Tart Glaze: Ingredients: Simple syrup (1:1) 4 fl oz, Sheet gelatin, softened 4.5 grams, Fruit Juice/Puree/or Flavoring 2 oz. Use warm enough to not melt the Bavarian cream.

Cream Cheese Icing: Ingredients: Butter softened 6 oz, Cream cheese softened 1lb 8 oz, Margarine 6 oz, Vanilla extract 0.5 fl oz, Powdered sugar 2 lb

Crème’ Chantilly: Ingredients: Heavy cream chilled 1 qt, Powdered sugar 3 oz, Vanilla extract 2 tsp

Apricot Mousse: Ingredients: Apricot puree 1 lb (the flavor is optional0, Egg whites 2, Granulated sugar 4oz, Water 1.5 fl oz, Sheet gelatin 11 grams, Heavy Cream (soft peaks) 13 oz

Caramel Sauce: Ingredients: Granulated sugar 4lb 8oz, Water 1pt, Lemon juice 2fl oz, Heavy Cream 2 at, Butter (cut small) 5 oz

DAY TWO:

German Chocolate Cake: Ingredients: Sweet baking chocolate (58%) 8 oz, Water 4 fl oz, Butter (soft) 8 oz, Granulated sugar 1 lb, Egg yolks 4, Vanilla extract 1 tsp, Cake flour 10 oz, Baking soda 1 tsp, Salt ½ tsp, Buttermilk 8fl oz, Egg whites 4

Coconut Pecan Icing: Ingredients: Evaporated milk 8fl oz, Granulated sugar 8 oz, Egg yolks 3, Butter 4 oz, Vanilla extract 1 tsp, Coconut (flaked) 4 oz, Pecans (chop) 4 oz

Almond Sponge Cake: Ingredients: Sugar 8 oz, Egg yolk 8, Whole egg 3, Almond mill 3.5 oz, Cake flour 3.5 oz, Egg whites 8, Sugar 8 oz

French Buttercream: Ingredients: Sugar 1lb 3 oz, Corn syrup 3 oz, Water 6fl oz, Egg 3 (this makes it different from a traditional buttercream), Egg yolk 10, Butter 1lb 10 oz, Vanilla extract 1fl oz

Coffee Simple Syrup: Make simple syrup, and then add Coffee extract and Kahlua

Bon Appetit!

Eliminate EBooks

So why do I so Passionately dislike EBooks? Well because mine is no longer working! I can't study for my test tomorrow, I can't get the recipes for my readers or my class tomorrow. So now I don't really have much to tell. However, I cleaned my Whole apartment [minus dishes] EVEN washed my sheets! I couldn't wash my comforter my drier isn't top of the line or anything.

Then a friend came over we did some of our homework, much didn't get done too busy goofing around on FB and youtube and itunes, all well, at least some got done. Then we watched Easy A - good movie and ate some delicious take out! Yum! Well I know I don't have the recipes BUT I will still post the pictures! Hopefully the tech guys at school can locate my books! Since I did pay for them and I think I'll be talking to the dean or someone in higher power about how obscured these EBooks are!!!

So with not much more left to say, and an early bedtime I want to achieve before a long day tomorrow I will bid you Goodnight and enjoy the photos!

[From left to right, Day 1 - Carrot Cake w/ Cream Cheese icing, Day 1 - Charlotte]

[From Left to Right - Day 1 - Platted Apricot Mousse, Day 2 German Chocolate Cake]

If you would like any of the recipes let me know! I WILL get the recipes for you! And hopefully my books back too!

Ohh and BIG BONUS NEWS!!! I have my FIRST WEDDING ORDER - actual sit down, plan out, create, design, THE WORKS! Next Wednesday at 10 AM! For those of you who know how old I am, this is HUGE! And I haven't graduated yet! And the Wedding is November, I graduate in December! ****FIREWORKS****

Okay Ta-Ta!

Holy Moly

Ahh dang TWO days! I'm very sorry! Sunday was crazy from Church to work to Church, I came home and finished my journal for Baking & Pastry then passed out! Let's see I heard the best quote at Access [that's night church] and it will be tonight's ending quote since I didn't get it on here on Sunday! It's a really good one and when I heard it I was halted by it's power and truth! I'm really starting to look at life in a more open and different way. So Sunday was good, Friend went to church with me, I went to work and jammed to my ipod making paninis then back to church [with a starbucks stop on the way - yummy cinnamon Dulce].

So now Monday, WOW 515AM came FAST! In fact I snoozed till about 545, that's the great thing about not having to worry about hair, makeup and which outfit to wear. Clothes is the same uniform, no sense in fixing hair you wear a hat and make-up...really not worth it when you're cooking. And trust me not trying to impress anyone with anything but my pastry skills.

Day One, not too many recipes to give you on this day we just assembled the Charlotte and finished the Carrot Cake. The recipe I do have for you is another mousse, Apricot Mousse with steamed apricots & caramel sauce, platted with a crispy & chocolate decor. Now you saw last weeks and how great that one was, please don't compare it to this weeks, I'm so mad about this weeks. I have been in such a weird funky feeling the past two days that my platted dessert doesn't not stand close to last weeks. The flavor was great on the mousse, my American Regional Chef really liked it, but I didn't take credit I gave it to my partner who made it. Today I made the Tart Glaze for the Charlotte & helped the rest of the team do anything they needed. We were supposed to get a German Chocolate Cake done, but that didn't happen! I was aggravated with myself about this, just one of those days where the puzzle piece wasn't wanting to fit.

As for Day Two, still funky! Luckily tomorrow is Wednesday and there is no school or work, just lots of relaxing and errand running I can handle that and get rid of my massive headache! Day Two didn't have a lot either, German Chocolate Cake from Day One, this I made & it was good! Trust me I licked the spatula after -HAHA! Partner made the icing for it and I don't like German Chocolate Cake but I tried it and not half bad, I just can't get past the coconut flakes! Another Partner-2 she assembled the German Chocolate Cake & you'll see in the picture how awesome it looks! Lot better than the first one I ever made alone, we almost crumb coated & final coated it with chocolate ganache, it really tied it all together. Next we made an Almond Sponge Cake, traditional French Buttercream, more ganache & a Coffee Simple Syrup to make a French pastry called an Opera, we also assembled this cake before leaving today. I will have to post the recipes tomorrow for everything because since our book is an EBook now it expires after the "Trial period," so now I have to go FIND the book so I can give you the recipes I don't have. So tomorrow's blog will be just be recipes instead of my boring day -Haha! And lastly we filled and coated more Eclairs and got to trade them for some food from the Latin class! I got tasty Red Beans & Rice -YUM!

So to keep you in suspense one more day, since I don't have the recipes TOMORROW I will post BOTH pictures of everything & the recipes. Hopefully y'all aren't too upset (: I think you should make the Apricot Mousse though, it's really good! I'm not a huge apricot fan but it was tasty! Let's see as for work, yesterday HECTIC! I left two hours late stayed and helped close, we got super busy my last thirty min & with no dishwasher the closers would have been there all night so I stayed and did what I could to help. Today wasn't too bad just a sassy manager that I don't think realizes how she really talks to us. What's with rude people, eh? I mean doesn't it really get them any further? We all encounter them, and may even have a moment as one but think about it next time. Well I'm off to bed EARLY it's so nice!

Enjoy the quote! Goodnight!

"If today was your last season

Is what you ARE doing,

What you WOULD be doing?"

[told ya powerful!]

Pictures!

So I know I'm a bad blogger, it's Saturday and I didn't post yesterday. So tonight tons of pictures from this week, including, Tuesday's baking & pastries & both Thursday & Friday's American Regional, Mid-Atlantic. And yes the recipes too! Because not much happened today, went to work it was dead then got my phone fixed!!! The FB pictures are completely updated! Updating the blog! Then...homework. I like how I make that the last thing. I've got 6 journals to write for one class, Oy vey! I'll be writing those tomorrow after work & church. Tonight I have only one to write & study a little.

Baking and Pastries - Tuesday. I gave you most of the recipes, some I didn't have but if you still want them just ask me. It's a Classic Chocolate Mousse w/ Mango Sauce [both of which I made] topped with chocolate curls, a tulip batter crisp, with raspberries on the side. We all got to plate ours in a different creative way and I really Love how mine came out. Chef called it a tornado twist and it kind of is - hope you enjoy it too!

American Regional - Week 2, Mid-Atlantic Region. Let's start with Day 1, Thursday. There was Vichyssoise Soup, Waldorf Salad, Braised short ribs w/ [rice pilaf, glazed carrots &] sauteed swiss chard. A very tasty day. I did the Swiss Chard, it was interesting to make. Pictures at the end as always. Ohh and we were the FIRST to put out plates! WHOOP!

Day 1 Recipes:

Vichyssoise Soup -served cold

Leeks 3 cups

Butter 1/4 cup

Onions (1/2in dice) 1/2 cup

Potatoes (1/2 in dice) 2 cups

Chicken Stock 3 cups

Salt/Pepper To taste

Milk 3/4 cup

Heavy Cream 1 cup

Chives, snip at angle 1/3 cup

Waldorf Salad

Apples, Julienne 3 cups

Lemon Juice 1 Tbsp

Celery, Julienne 1 cup

Walnuts, chop & toast 1/2 cup

Mayonnaise 1/4 cup

Braised Short Ribs

Beef short ribs 3 lbs

Salt/pepper To taste

Flour As needed

Vegetable Oil 1/4 cup

Onions (1/2in dice) 1 1/2 cups

Carrots (1/2 in dice) 3/4 cup (peeled)

Celery (1/2in dice) 1/4 cup

Garlic, minced 1 tsp

All Purpose Flour 2 Tbsp

Tomato (1/2in dice) 1/2 cup (peeled & seeded)

Dry red wine 1 1/2 cups

Beef Stock 2 cups

Thyme leaves, chop 1 Tbsp

Rosemary, chop 1 tsp

Bay leaves 2

Tomato paste 1 tsp

Sauteed Swiss Chard (pictured above)

Spinach leaves 6 cups

Swiss Chard 6 cups

Olive Oil 2 Tbsp

Onion, minced 1/4 cup

Garlic, minced 1 Tbsp

Butter 4 Tbsp

Salt/pepper To taste

Week 2, Day 2 Mid-Atlantic. This was a pretty awesome day as well, we were the 2nd team to produce plates this time but still better than last! I took on making the meat product this week which was "Shaker style" Turkey, it came out good. Although I mistakenly began frying it rather than simmering it, oops! Either way it was still juicy and DEEELicious! Today we made, Navy Bean Soup, Egg, cucumber, & tomato salad, the "Shaker style" Turkey and that was platted with croquette potatoes, [spaghetti squash & green beans].

Navy Bean Soup

Navy beans 3 1/4 cup (MUST soak 24 hours)

Bacon (1/4 dice) 1/4 cup

Carrot (1/4 dice) 1 cup

Celery (1/4 dice) 1 cup

Onions (1/4 dice) 1 1/2 cups

Garlic, minced 1 Tbsp

Sage, chop 1/2 tsp

Chicken Stock 3 cups

Smoked Ham Hock 1

Chives, minced 1 Tbsp

Egg, Cucumber & Tomato Salad

Black pepper 1/2 tsp

Salt 1/8 tsp

Garlic, minced 1 Tbsp

Olive oil 3 Tbsp

Red wine vinegar 1 Tbsp

Lemon juice 1 Tbsp

Green onion, (1/4 dice) 1/4 cup

Hard boiled egg 4

Celery (1/4 dice) 1/2 cup

Cucumber (1/4 dice) 1/2 cup (peeled & seeded)

Radish, sliced 6

Bibb lettuce, chiffon 1

Tomato, sliced thin 2

"Shaker style" Turkey

Turkey Cutlets 8 (1/4in thick)

Salt/blk pep To taste

Vegetable oil As needed

Shallot (1/4 dice) 1 Tbsp

Dry white wine 1/2 cup

Brown stock 1 1/4 cups

Tomato 1 cup

Parsley, chop 1 Tbsp

Croquette Potatoes (pictured above)

Potatoes 16 oz (1lbs)

Egg yolk 1 yolk

Butter 1 oz

Salt/white pep To taste

Flour 4 oz

Bread crumbs 5 oz

Whole egg 2

-Bon Appetit

Faith's Hands

So I feel like a bad blogger today, I forgot all my recipe cards in my car and my camera, again. So tomorrow will be full of tons of juicy recipes from the Mid-Atlantic region. Plus a lot of pictures of my pastry class Tuesday, and today and tomorrows. I may have to include some that my Chef took when I went on break, they are pretty random thinking he got camera happy. Class was great though, we were the first team to plate everything and it was all good! We got a Great critique so go us! And BONUS! While I was at my dad's going through my piled up mail collection I received a letter from school concerning the end of last quarter. I GOT A 3.9, AAAANNNND I'M ON THE DEAN'S HONOR ROLL!!! Come on graduating with honors! That's my next goal.

Speaking of goals, I so have not been working out and I should with as much stress as I've been under. I need to find a racquetball court so I can both work out and take out the frustration. I heard the church I'm starting to attend has THREE so if that's true that gives me an even better place because I can stay for services or go after. Not much other than school and work again, didn't feel as long as it was I had my ipod on the whole time and didn't have to cut the meat it was already done for me, Awesome! Other than that just horrible phone call and a huge upset stomach. Hence faith's hands title. The quote that ends this plays in well to how I'm feeling and my head is going to continue to remain high and maybe things will go like I wish they would and if they don't I will learn to accept that. Thanks for all the prayers you've been sending I appreciate it a million times plus! Well I'm off to bed early, been a really long day and it starts early tomorrow and ends late again. GOODNIGHT Readers!

Ket-chup

So no blog yesterday, Sorry readers! But I went from my early class, home took a well needed nap, then went straight to work and spent the rest of the night trying to make things better. Then I left to go back home this morning at 9AM, I decided driving really later (1AM) in the sprinkles & dark were NOT in my best interest since they terrify me when combined.

So yesterday in a short wrap up with recipes at the end (don't worry haven't forgotten) I don't have a picture of the dessert to post so I will do that tomorrow when I post. My camera is in the car, it's cold and we live three flights up, sorry. Baking & Pastry class we started to assemble our Charlotte cake by adding Bavarian Cream and lining the pan with the lady fingers. We made Carrot Cake then we did our First platted dessert, Classic Chocolate Mousse with sauce, we used mango, and a tulip batter crisp. The only picture I have is of the platted dessert, the Charlotte isn't finished and the Carrot cake was put away before I got a picture. I made the mousse & the mango sauce and they were GREAT! The mousse was a little darker than it should have been but it was still YUMMY. Chef really like the design I did on my plate and for my crisp, it had like a tornado effect, can't wait to post the picture of it.

Other than class just came home slept, then went to work, BOY was that BUSY! They just started classes this week so we were packed line nonstop till around 7 then a break then a crazy line again right up until close! Talk about being physically & mentally exhausted, 12+ hours on my feet. After work I was headed out of town but ended up staying till morning I needed to talk some things out and feel better before I left town to get fresh air. Hopefully God has something planned and it will all work out in the end.

Today I didn't do much. Got to my dad's, did bills, laundry & caught up on B.B.T [Big Bang Theory]. I went to the doctors to check my records then had met up with two of the BEST gals I know [& their friend] we went to our favorite place for some frozen yogurt & to make that experience better they now have HAPPY HOUR! Half price yogurt! I paid $3 for a huge bowl of fruit yogurt, fruit & of course mini gummy bears!!! Then instead of leftovers @ Dad's we asked if he wanted the best chicken fingers EVER, he agreed if the twins wore name tags. So we picked up some delicious chicken, special sauce, toast & fries! What a delicious day! All for 13$ I miss eating cheap like this. They went home & I hung out with my dad and little brother, definitely well needed family time, wish it could have been longer. But now that I have to be up in 5 hours I'm going to bed. I'll study a little in the morning & use my lab partners recipe cards.

Ohh & I've been re-thinking my bakery name, right now it's Kiss Bakery, but I'm unsure about it. Let me know any ideas you come up with, you'll get credit promise!

Charlotte:

Lady Finger batter 2 lb 3 oz

Simple syrup 6 fl oz

Fruit Liqueur 2 fl oz

Bavarian Cream 2 qt

Fruit Berries 1 1/2 qt (pitted)

Creme Chantilly As needed

Bavarian Cream

Milk 7 fl oz

Heavy cream 7 fl oz

Granulated sugar 3 oz

Vanilla Bean 1 tsp (paste)

Egg yolks 8 yolks

Sheet gelatin 11 grams

Heavy Cream 1 qt (whipped to soft peaks)

Carrot Cake (I lost this recipe card look for the post next week)

Classic Chocolate Mousse

Semisweet chocolate (58%) 7.5 oz

Butter 4.5 oz

Egg yolks 3 yolks

Egg whites 5 whites

Granulated sugar 1.5 oz

Heavy cream 4 fl oz

Sauce (ratio 2:1)

Puree 4oz

Granulated sugar 2oz

Tulip Batter (Recipe card ALSO disappeared, sorry readers)