Amazing Wedding Cakes!!

April is just around the corner and I am so excited to make the wedding cake for my little brother, Justin and Melissa! I have been searching the internet for ideas and insperation. I do have the picture of the cake they want but I will not reveal it till the big day!I did find some really beautiful cakes make by some really talented bakers. Enjoy!!

Baked Potato Soup!

Now that we are at the start of Winter and a new year, I thought I would post a warm and cozy soup recipe to warm up those winter nights. The ingrenience may be in your pantry right now and you can make this tonight!
ENJOY!!

Ingredients
1/3 cup butter
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
4 cups skim milk
6 large baking potatoes, scrubbed
1 cup sour cream
Directions
1.Microwave potatoes until done.
2.While potatoes are cooking make a roux over low to medium heat. Mix butter, margarine, or light olive oil, and flour. DO NOT BURN THE ROUX. When roux is thickened a bit, gradually blend in milk. Continue cooking over low to medium heat while preparing potatoes.
3.Peel and cut up potatoes. You may want to mash some of the potatoes also. Add potatoes to the milk mixture. Blend in sour cream. Soup is ready to be served.

Chocolate Cheese Fudge! Thank's Paula Dean!

As much has I "dislike" Velveeta, here is the only recipe I would ever recomend using the stuff in.If you decide to make it, let me know how you like it.

Ingredients
1/2 pound Velveeta cheese, sliced
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 cup chopped nuts, pecans, walnuts
2 (16-ounce) boxes confectioners' sugar
1/2 cup cocoa powder
Directions
Spray lightly the bottom of a 9 by 2-inch square pan with a nonstick spray.


In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the cheese and butter together, stirring constantly until smooth. Remove from heat and add the vanilla and nuts.


In a large bowl sift together the sugar and cocoa. Pour the cheese mixture into the sugar and cocoa mixture and stir until completely mixed. The candy will be very stiff.


Using your hands, remove candy from bowl and press evenly and firmly into pan. Because of the amount of butter in this recipe, pat the top of the candy with a paper towel to remove the excess oil. Place pan in refrigerator until candy is firm.

Enjoy!

A few things from 2010!!

Hello, Here is a few pictures I made into a Collage to highlight a little of what happend this past year.

Granola-Chocolate Cookies

Ingredients
1 cup butter, softened
3/4 cup white sugar
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 3/4 cups granola
1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
1/2 cup chopped, unsalted dry-roasted peanuts
Directions
1.Preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
2.In a medium bowl, cream together the butter, brown sugar and white sugar. Beat in the egg and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt and baking soda, stir into the creamed mixture. Finally, stir in the granola, chocolate chips and peanuts. Drop dough by heaping teaspoonfuls onto greased cookie sheets, about 2 inches apart.
3.Bake 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven, until cookies are lightly browned around edges. Remove cookies to wire racks and allow to cool.

" I Got It"

I got this for Christmas this year,the cookbook I have been looking at, wishing for.I am so excited to get started cooking from it. And no, I will not be blogging every recipe from the book, it made a good movie though.I might post a few pictures and maybe a few recipes.

I know, It's been a while!

Yes, It has been an while since I have posted anything on my badly neglected blog. I started this blog to document my journey through culinary school. There have been allot of things that have happened since I last posted in my blog.My last few weeks in class were very exciting.After an eventful time on "salad station" I was ready to scream,but I kept going.The station after that was "bakeshop", I was in my element.Of course It was my time to shine and with a few "bumps" in the road,it was really fun.I was really put in a position of having to take charge. I would come in early every day not know if anyone in my group, accept my buddy Chris, to show up for class.For what ever reason some people cant handle stress and go running out the door to get away! Anyway, Chris and I had the best time making all kinds of goodies and laughing along the way!!

Now,I am in Summer quarter at O.C. taking Biology and Math. I know, biology is not what I should be taking for a culinary student but that's what you get for having to wait till the first day of classes to see my adviser to get into classes.Its going pretty well, considering I am not going to be a nurse or anything closely related to that profession.Math on the other hand, has always been a struggle for me.I am doing my best and pushing through it.I am looking forward to the end of Summer quarter and heading back in to that crazy place we call the kitchen at the Olympic college Culinary school!