Clementine Lunch Notes

One of my all time favourite fruits is clementines (or mandarins/cuties). I've always loved them this time of year since they're seedless and in season. When I go grocery shopping for the family I work for, I've been picking up a bag each week since the kids want two a day in their lunch boxes. While searching on Pinterest, I found an idea about drawing jack-o-lantern faces on them for kids. Perfect for Halloween! S and O loved it. Now, I've begun drawing other faces and writing notes to the kids. This is such a cute way to make their lunch special and let them know you're thinking about them!

Halloween Treat Bags

I hope everyone had a great Halloween! My husband and I couldn't be home to trick or treat because we had community wind ensemble rehearsal but we left a bucket out with lollipops and I have to say that I'm surprised my bucket was still there when we got home (even though all the lollipops were gone!) 

A few days before Halloween last week, I gave S and O treat bags with some fun things for them to play with. I decided it was better to give them the bags before so they could enjoy the activities since the day after begins turkey month. I got almost everything from the dollar section of Target - yay! Inside there was an activity book, spider decoration, mini M&M's, and a pumpkin puzzle. I also gave them glow sticks to use while trick or treating to be safe. They loved their pre-Halloween treats!

I was sad I didn't get to go trick or treating but I did enjoy my cut of the kids candy the next day! Brie spent the evening at my parents dressed as a princess. As you can tell, she "loved" her costume! 

"Nothing on Earth so beautiful as the final haul on Halloween night."  ~Steve Almond

Ticket Stub Display

Ever since I was young, I always saved tickets from things I saw, visited, or did. I have movie tickets going back to Patch Adams, plane tickets from my third trip to Hawaii in 5th grade, and concert tickets like the Backstreet Boys Millennium Tour! I have them all in a little box and love added a new stack every once in a while after some have accumulated in my wallet and reminiscing about all the incredible times I've had. 

The sad part about them being in a box is that I can't share my collection and have it displayed. How do you display hundreds of plane, movie, museum, theatre, and concert tickets? Well, while killing time while waiting to pick up O from kindergarten, I found a way! This is what I made:

 I purchased a shadowbox frame from IKEA, added some cute scrapbook paper, printed and backed the 'admit one' label, added some tickets, and hung it up! Now, this frame only holds about a fifth or what I have and you can't see very many of them but I can mix it up as I please if I find a ticket I'd like to display. This is now hanging in my den and I love how easy it was and how nice it looks!

Another cute way of making your tickets a keepsake is through a ticket stub journal. I have one that got hidden in my last move but it has a slot for your tickets and a place to write memories and who you were with. You can find things like it on amazon or make your own! 

'Buy the ticket, take the ride.' ~ Hunter S. Thompson

Shutterfly Photo Share Sites

I love taking pictures to the point of my friends and family barely tolerating me at events. (I always tell them that if they smile the first time, I'll only need one shot!) Needless to say, I've been taking a lot of pictures of the kids I nanny, S and O. 

They just had their joint birthday party and I was trying to figure out how to get the photos to their parents. Prints are a waste of money if you don't know exactly which ones they'd want and discs are pretty convenient but would require me to, you know, have discs to burn. Then I remembered that after my wedding, my dad made a photo share page through Shutterfly to send pictures to family and friends to view and add on to.

So tonight, I took the time to make a photo share site for all of the adventures the kids and I have. We've been to the zoo, aquarium, beach, and done a lot of fun projects that their parents hadn't seen photos of yet! I even have their birthday party and first day of school photos! So I uploaded them all to albums on Shutterfly and will send the link to their parents. 

What is nice is the site is only available to those who have the link and that the kids parents will have the option to send that link to grandparents, family and friends. They will also have the option to print photos they do decide they want as keepsakes.

I can see this being a great idea to do with friends after an event, coworkers after a conference, or family after a new baby so everyone has the options to view, add, and print the pictures they like!

"It is one of the most beautiful compensations of this life that no man can sincerely try to help another without helping himself." ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Subway Art Holiday Frame

I am so very excited we have reached the 'holiday season'! Yes, Christmas isn't for a couple months but we are finally in the time of the year when I have months of holidays I get to decorate for. Starting with Halloween!

When I first began wasting my life away on Pinterest, I saw a wonderful post about holiday subway art by eighteen25 and pinned it to look back at later. My mom's birthday rolled around and I was thinking of something unique to give her. She always had our home decorated for holidays growing up so I went back into my pins and found this amazing project again!

The ladies from eighteen25 created this amazing 'subway art' for each holiday throughout the year! On their blog page, click subway art and be amazed at all the artwork! I printed them all for my mom and myself (I could resist!), picked a frame, and let the decorating begin! 

What I adore most about these prints is that it is a subtle way to have a frame constantly out but mix it up throughout the year. The prints are created for 16x20 but you can print them for 8x10. I used cardstock but there are instructions on how to get them printed at Costco. All of these are available to print for personal use. 

So get printing and enjoy the holidays to come! Now if only we could be through with the heat!


“I like nonsense, it wakes up the brain cells. Fantasy is a necessary ingredient in living.” ~ Dr. Seuss

'Let's Do This!' Lists

With my new job comes 'chores' and one of my chores is to make sure S and O do theirs. First, I was just telling them each thing as they went. This led to "How long until am I done?" and "How many do I have left?" so I decided to write out a list on their whiteboards for them to cross off. It was a great change but required me to make a new list each day. What I FINALLY got around to making tonight is going to save the day!

This evening, I made each child their own 'Let's Do This!' list. It has each of their individual responsibilities written out so they can see them and I don't have to rewrite each day. By doing this, I have saved myself time, made the kids more responsible for themselves, and given them the security of being able to see and know what needs to get done without having to ask me. I put each list in a plastic page cover and they will use their whiteboard markers to cross the chores off as they go and erase them when done for the day!

I tried my best to put everything in order but things change with their busy after school schedules and depending on how much homework they have. I didn't put it on the list, but if we have time, we read. The kids read every night with their parents but I also like to read with them when I can. 

S's list is all written out but O's has pictures next to each chore because she is learning how to read. I still wrote out the list so she can learn the words, too. Someday, I'd love to make one of those cute magnet boards or clothespin ribbon charts but for now, this will be perfect and accomplish everything I need it to!


"A half-baked idea is okay as long as it's in the oven."  ~Author Unknown

Photo Wall

I finally had some time this summer to pick out wedding photos I wanted on display in our home. Luckily, this came around the same time Michael's had their 70% off all frames sale. Yay! I found a design idea online of how I wanted the wall to look. I chose to hang them on my staircase since there was a lot of room so I needed the display to be at an angle. 

The prints I chose were 1-8x10 and 12-4x6. I filled the frames and laid out my idea on the floor. Next, I cut tissue paper to match the size of each frame. I then poked holes using a pencil at the hook where the nail would be placed. 

Then I put the paper up to the wall and nailed it in. I started with my middle most frame to use as a guideline. 

I did this for each picture until they were all up the way I imagined! 

It is now a beautiful focal point for when guests enter our home and I feel like it showcases many beautiful memories from our wedding day (which was just over 6 months ago!)

"A memory is what is left when something happens and does not completely unhappen."  ~Edward de Bono

Sound of Little Paws

Hello again! So there I was, about a month ago, going on and on about how much more time I was going to have to get back into blogging since S and O were back in school. Then Mike and I decided to get a puppy! Our sweet little addition is named Brielle and she is a 16 week old pug-poodle mix (pugapoo!)  We adopted her through the Pug Rescue of San Diego and went to meet her and her brothers at the foster home they were staying at. She was so well taken care of and all up to date on her shots! It was love at first lick and, although it is exhausting, we are so happy we brought her home.

Most of my free time has been devoted to snuggles, kisses, potty training, driving the pup, and finding a vet. She loves to sleep, give kisses, and follow us EVERYWHERE! Mike and I joke "Are you sure she's a companion dog?" She came mostly kennel trained and sleeps through the night but hates being left alone when I go to work. We are lucky to have wonderful family and friends that help take care of her and love her so much!

"Whoever said you can't buy happiness forgot little puppies." ~Gene Hill

Book Club: My Life in France

During the last month while away from my computer, my book club met for the second time! We had 4 members this round and I'm so happy with how it went. 

We chose to read My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme in order to celebrate what would have been Julia's 100th birthday in August!

August 2012 Book Club: My Life in France by Julia Child and Alex Prud'Homme

Here is the Amazon description: In her own words, here is the captivating story of Julia Child’s years in France, where she fell in love with French food and found ‘her true calling.’

From the moment the ship docked in Le Havre in the fall of 1948 and Julia watched the well-muscled stevedores unloading the cargo to the first perfectly soigné meal that she and her husband, Paul, savored in Rouen en route to Paris, where he was to work for the USIS, Julia had an awakening that changed her life. Soon this tall, outspoken gal from Pasadena, California, who didn’t speak a word of French and knew nothing about the country, was steeped in the language, chatting with purveyors in the local markets, and enrolled in the Cordon Bleu.

After managing to get her degree despite the machinations of the disagreeable directrice of the school, Julia started teaching cooking classes herself, then teamed up with two fellow gourmettes, Simone Beck and Louisette Bertholle, to help them with a book they were trying to write on French cooking for Americans. Throwing herself heart and soul into making it a unique and thorough teaching book, only to suffer several rounds of painful rejection, is part of the behind-the-scenes drama that Julia reveals with her inimitable gusto and disarming honesty.

Filled with the beautiful black-and-white photographs that Paul loved to take when he was not battling bureaucrats, as well as family snapshots, this memoir is laced with wonderful stories about the French character, particularly in the world of food, and the way of life that Julia embraced so wholeheartedly. Above all, she reveals the kind of spirit and determination, the sheer love of cooking, and the drive to share that with her fellow Americans that made her the extraordinary success she became.
Le voici. Et bon appétit!

As far as I recall, everyone enjoyed the book. It was fun being able to picture scenes from the movie Julie & Julia as we read. That's what most of the book was - stories that Julia Child remembered and were written down, mostly chronological. It was like you were old friends just sitting around sharing stories... except she was doing all the talking! One of my favourite themes expressed throughout the book was love. Julia had so much love for her husband, friends, and food. Those are three things I can relate to and hope to become as passionate of a woman as her.

If we were going to celebrate Julia Child there needed to be French food! Since I was limited on time, I arranged a tray of French cheeses: brie, comté, and chèvre. My coworker, V, made Julia's infamous boeuf bourguignon and potatoes which was incredible! KM brought French wine and salad.

For dessert, I picked up some beautiful macaroons from 'lette. They were beautiful and delicious! The winners were sweet wedding almond and passion fruit. 

Our next meeting is in a few weeks and I'm really enjoying this month's read! There won't be much food but probably some good wine and company!

"Find something you are passionate about and keep tremendously interested in it." ~ Julia Child

Back to School: New Job, Homework Organization and First Day Photos!

Hello! I apologize for my absence. I made the marvelous decision to go back to being a nanny and couldn't be happier! My new kids have been keeping me very busy so although I haven't been writing, I do have plenty to write about! I now spend my days with an 8 year old boy, S, and a 5 year old girl, O. We had a busy first month together swimming, going to camps, reading, playing with friends, and hiking. We also went to the aquarium, zoo, movies, and had lots of ice cream! Over the summer, I am with them all day but now they are back at school, I get part of the day back to take care of my neglected home, husband, and blog.

Today was their first day back at school! O started kindergarten and S began 3rd grade. I met their teachers and look forward to volunteering in their classrooms. (I can't stay out of schools completely!) Soon, S will have homework so one thing we did this summer was set up special "homework only" tools. They each have a bin that workbooks and library books go in. O gets her own set of tools also and I make up work for her to do. I'm so lucky that she loves learning because it makes up for her brother not liking it as much! 

They each have a bin with tools that are only used for learning, not for all the time use. If they want to use any of it for a craft or other project, they need to ask. This way, we always know where everything is when they need it for an assignment. Here is what is included:

~ Bin with separate compartments (Target dollar section)

~ Pencils

~ Pens

~ Thin tip whiteboard markers

~ Tiny whiteboard eraser

~ Pencil sharpener

~ Big eraser

~ Crayons (box of 24)

~ Scissors

~ Glue stick

There is also a 'share' basket with things that didn't fit like glue bottles, stickers, tape, whiteout, and my laminate Iphone and Ipad (more on those another time!)

Plus, a notebook and a whiteboard for each!

I hope that these things stay organized for as long a possible and will focus on practicing the 'tools not toys' rule!

One of my new favourite places to look for ideas is How Does She? and I found the best free printable for back to school! If you sign up with your email, they will allow you access to some of the incredible printables on their website. This morning, I used the first day of school signs! I took photos of S and O each holding the one that goes with their grade level. Someday, I will print them all out and use them with my own children - what a great memory! Find the printable here and sign up on How Does She? for access to this and many more!

"Education's purpose is to replace an empty mind with an open one."  ~Malcolm S. Forbes

Happy Olympics!

I went to watch the opening ceremony at a friends since Mike and I don't have cable. I thought it was a little strange at times but overall beautiful and moving. It was fun to watch Voldemort get defeated by Mary Poppins clones! The Olympics are such a special event that really shows was people are willing to work for.

I wish all the athletes competing from all countries luck in pursuing their dream!

"May the odds be ever in your favour!" ~ Effie Trinket, The Hunger Games

Bake Sale for Bella

On Saturday, my mom, KM, and I volunteered at a garage sale being held to raise money for an amazing little girl! Her name is Bella and she is the daughter of my high school assistant band directer and she is fighting brain cancer. She has a wonderful spirit, beautiful smile, and never ever gives up!

Our crew was in charge of the bake sale and Friday was a crazy baking day at all three houses. Mom made muffins, chocolate covered pretzels, rice crispy treats, and brought donuts and fruit to sell. KM and her mom made M&M and chocolate chip cookies (I got to lick the bowl while watching the Olympic opening ceremony!). We had a lot of other friends volunteer to bring treats to sell and ended up with a full table!

I made devil's food cupcakes with strawberry frosting, red velvet crinkle cookies, and chocolate alien cupcakes.

I put the cupcakes in plastic cups (like the ones you get on airplanes but nicer) then wrapped them in plastic treat bags with a ribbon. This helped keep the frosting pretty! The alien eyeballs are premade candies that you can find at Target or Michael's. They were a big hit with the kids! There was even a lady that came to make balloon animals and gave her proceeds to help!

It was a fun and successful garage sale with a lot of helping hands all there to support Bella! Bella's family has a blog that can be found here. They do most of their updates on Facebook but are getting back into the blog!

"What you do today is important because you are exchanging a day of your life for it." ~ Unknown 

Masquerade Birthday Party

This year my birthday fell within a month of my wedding. I was pretty 'celebrated out' but since it was my 25th, I didn't want to completely ignore it. Everyone in my life had spent a lot of time preparing and celebrating the wedding so I just decided to host a little party at our place. It was supposed to be a joint party with KM since her birthday is only a week from mine, but she ended up getting appendicitis the day of! She's ended up recovering well but unfortunately had to miss our party.

While in Florence for our honeymoon, I had picked up a lace mask which is where the inspiration came from. Guests brought appetizers and I baked pink champagne cupcakes with little toppers I had made. Due to time reasons on the day of, I picked this recipe off of the Betty Crocker website. I like champagne and pink so when the recipe popped up in a search, I knew they'd be perfect! I put up a few decorations, lots of flowers, and we played Celebrity!

Pink Champagne Cupcakes

1 box Betty Crocker® SuperMoist® white cake mix

1 1/4 cups champagne

1/3 cup vegetable oil

3 egg whites

4 to 5 drops red food color

Champagne Frosting

1/2 cup butter or margarine, softened

4 cups powdered sugar

1/4 cup champagne

1 teaspoon vanilla

4 to 5 drops red food color

Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick pan). Place paper baking cup in each of 24 regular-size muffin cups. In large bowl, mix dry cake mix and champagne. Add oil, egg whites and food color. Beat with electric mixer on medium speed 2 minutes. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups. Bake 17 to 22 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool 10 minutes; remove from pan to cooling rack. Cool completely, about 30 minutes. In medium bowl, beat frosting ingredients with electric mixer on medium speed until smooth. Frost cupcakes. Sprinkle with garnishes. Store loosely covered.

They were cute and you could even tell they had champagne in them by how light they were!  

Since people are always getting their cups mixed up, I put tags on the glasses we used. Guests wrote their own names on and they looked classier than red solo cups! 

It was a fun gathering and I enjoyed spending a low key birthday with my friends!

"Three be the things I shall never attain: Envy, content, and sufficient champagne." ~ Dorothy Parker

Our Honeymoon Photo Book

Shutterfly photo books offer a wide range of artful designs and embellishments to choose from.

If there is one thing I've learned over the years about scrapbooking and photo memories is that if you don't do it right away, it won't happen. That is why I wasted little time getting together our honeymoon photos and making a photo book. We received a gift card as a wedding present and am so lucky we did! The book ended up being 64 pages but I'm so happy it is done and ordered!

When I travel, I keep a journal. Instead of captioning each photo I instead copied my journal pages into the album. I'm really happy with how it turned out and it's going to great to have these memories put together to share. 

Above is the electronic version of the book from shutterfly.com and if you have the patience or interest to look through the whole thing, enjoy! If not, just know that it was worth it and shutterfly makes photo books easy and customizable. 

"Every man's memory is his private literature."  ~Aldous Huxley

P.S. I hope you like the new layout! I was in the mood for a new look :)
 

Guest Bathrooms

We all have a bathroom designated for guests to use when they visit our homes. For some (especially in college) it's the only bathroom and for others, it's a downstairs powder room. Whatever the case, you want your guests to feel comfortable using it. We've all been there: no toilet paper, no tissues, or in the worst case scenario, no plunger. I was recently in the home of a family I work with and discovered no toilet paper. While it isn't an uncommon or embarrassing situation, it does make your guest uncomfortable to ask or inform you about it. Mike and I host a lot of parties and gatherings for our friends and the last thing I want is for them to feel uncomfortable in any way, especially using our restroom. Below are my tips for stocking the bathroom that your guests will be using!

~ Extra toilet paper. Seems like a no brainer but we've all been in a situation where it has run out and there are no extra rolls easily found. 

~ A box of tissues. Usually used on noses but can be used for emergency toilet tissue. Either way, if a guest needs one, they will usually look in the bathroom first.

~ Soap. Again, seems like a no brainer but refill before an event.

~ Towels. I mostly came across this in college but there would magically be no towels in the bathroom so my clothes would become drying apparatuses. 

~ Plunger. Quite possibly the most embarrassing thing for a guest to ask for. Save both of you the trouble and just keep one in there. It will help you, the host, out a lot because by the time they ask for one, it may be too late!

~ Extra feminine products. Sometimes we forget to bring our purse to the bathroom. Sometimes we run out. Sometimes we didn't plan well. Do us a favour and keep a few under the sink and easy to find. Mine are in a little basket next to the extra toilet paper.

One last tip: Please do not have photos of your family members in the bathroom. No one wants to look at their hosts while using the toilet. Keep the artwork simple like landscapes or quotes. If you must have a member of your family featured in the bathroom, make it the dog or cat.

“Comfort is no test of truth. Truth is often far from being comfortable.” ~ Swami Vivekananda  

A Little Bit of Christmas in July

It's been hot this week here in Southern California so naturally, I've begun dreaming of Christmas. It is, no doubt, my favourite time of year but more on that later! I just wanted to share how we hung our Christmas cards this past holiday season. 

Mike and I had just moved in together the weekend before Thanksgiving so the holiday season was in full swing and we immediately began receiving mail. I had a few walls 'reserved' for wedding photos I knew would come so I pick one in between the living room and kitchen to display all the lovely cards sent by family, friends, and students. I stuck up the first few with blue tape because that what my mom uses. It turns out, the blue tape did not hold up well to my walls. Mike suggested using push pins for each card and all I could picture was a wall full of tiny holes that would drive me crazy for the entire time we lived here. I was almost ready to give up when I pulled out some wrapping supplies and came across some gorgeous silver and glittery winter ribbon and knew it was the answer to my problems. 

I cut 3 long pieces (floor to ceiling - we had a lot of cards!) and used push pins to pin them to the wall way up high out of sight, and they were lovely. I then began stapling each card to the ribbon. It was the perfect solution to my little holiday problem and was a beautiful way to display our loved ones!

That wall now has a large canvas wedding photo on it as planned so I'll have to get creative when Christmastime arrives! To top off our mini holiday break, here is our Christmas tree from last year!

"If I missed my chance, I didn't even try, I'm not one to regret Christmas in July" - Sufjan Stevens

Pinwheels

I've been looking for a fun summer craft to do with kids when I looked out into my own backyard and saw my ladybug pinwheel! Pinwheels are so fun and add life and colour to dull spaces so I knew I had a mission. My pinwheels, however, do not spin. I'm sure there are ways to make ones that do (or even make mine spin!) but the way I learned make pretty decorations for parties, cupcakes, or playhouses. 

Here's how to make pinwheels in 9 easy steps!

1. Start with a square

2. Fold in half diagonally

3. Fold diagonally again

4. snip off the very tip - just a tiny bit to create a hole in the center of the square

5. Unfold

6. Cut just over half way up each fold

7. Punch a hole on right side of each cut

 

8.Gather the four holes together and place a brad through all four

9.Fasten bad on reverse side

Voilà! You have a pinwheel!

Use two sheets of paper, back to back for double printed pinwheels and attach a skewer or dowel to back of pinwheel with wire or glue gun. Below are the ones I made with the child I was babysitting. So sweet!

Enjoy your pinwheels!

"As long as the world is turning and spinning, we're gonna be dizzy and we're gonna make mistakes." ~ Mel Brooks

Babysitting & Nannying

 Last night I babysat a sweet little girl. We did crafts, watched Lilo & Stitch, read, and had dinner. All the usual fun babysitting activities! What was different was that I had not babysat her before and this was my first 'new family' in a while and because that was the case, I had to dig through my documents and find my babysitting forms. 

Taking care of other peoples children, while fun and for the most part easy to do, is a huge responsibility! I've been a babysitter since age 9 and have always taken it seriously. It's a fantastic job and I have so much fun with the kids but it is important to remember that YOU are in charge and YOU are responsible should anything happen. This could be as small as a scrape to as big as a food allergy reaction. Since one of my many motto's is "Better safe than sorry and better paranoid than dead", I make sure I get all the information I need to be an effective care taker for the time I'm with the children.

There are certain kids (like my cousin and the two boys I nanny) that I have all these things memorized or already in my phone because I am with them frequently. When I only see a family for date night sitting, I make sure I get what I need from the parents before I go. 

One of the things people forget to ask for and parents forget to leave clearly marked is the home address. In an emergency, the first thing 911 asks you is where you are. (I unfortunately know this for a fact - not from babysitting though!) If there is a child not breathing or seriously hurt, you do not want to be running outside the house looking at the number and trying to remember the street name. I've been lucky enough that the only time I've needed an address urgently while babysitting was because the pizza place was asking for it. But sitters, make sure you know where you are and parents, leave it clearly marked by the phone. 

The other bits of information I get are allergies and medications. You'd think that would be common sense but unfortunately it isn't. As the sitter, you need to ask. Sometimes parents are so flustered getting out the door that they will forget to tell you. They aren't thinking about telling you because it is a part of their daily lives that is like breathing to them. If I give a child medication, I always write down the time and how much. You don't want to have given a kid a dose of Tylenol and then the parents come home a half hour later and give them another dose. That would not end well... So my point is clear communication!

The last thing I leave is my information. If something were to happen to me, I want the parents and older children to know who to call. I will admit that when I was going through some health issues, I made sure to ask the older child if he knew what to do if I wasn't breathing (I just wanted him to call 911, not attempt CPR) It sounds odd but you can't help the kids if you can't help yourself.

I have, below, the link to my Family Information form. It has spots for all the information I find useful to gather when I am taking care of someone elses children. Feel free to use this form or make your own based off of it!

Family Information Form

The last important detail that is especially important when nannying or any time you take the children out and about is a medical release form. For my nannying job, I have a hand written one their mom made when I began with them almost 4 years ago. I keep it in my wallet because if we are going to the hospital, my purse will be with me. With other families, I leave it under the Family Information form so it's easy to grab. This document basically says that in an emergency situation, you as the nanny/babysitter can act on behalf of the parents until they arrive. Again, one of those forms you never want to use but if you need it, you want to have it. Below is a link to the one I like to use. Have the parents fill it out and leave it somewhere easy to grab!

Nanny Medical Release Form

So those were my words of wisdom on nannying and babysitting! Last bit of advice, make sure you get CPR and First Aid trained (if you aren't already) and that you renew your training every 2 years!

"A good film is when the price of the dinner, the theatre admission, and the babysitter were worth it." ~ Alfred Hitchcock

Culinary School: Basics Day I

For my birthday this year, my incredible family members gifted me with donations toward taking cooking classes! I've wanted to take classes for a while but it was so expensive - this was the perfect gift! I chose a culinary school that meets nearby and picked the basics class in their gourmet series. A few friends have asked me why I signed up for the basics class since I already cook so much. I told them that since I've never had formal training, I wanted to see if there were any habits I could change with my cooking techniques and you always learn new things from classes like these! My coworker, LM, signed up to take the class with me, too!

Our first class was Thursday. We walked in and we were in a professional student kitchen. There were three other students, the chef, and a dishwasher. During the introductions, it was interesting to hear why people were taking the class - anything from being a fresh out of college student to a sweet woman who claimed she couldn't make anything other than spaghetti. Our chef explained to us that she had once worked in the corporate world and decided she needed a life change. She says she is much happier now!

We learned a lot of basic skills in class including how to hold, use, and sharpen knives but the big focus was cutting different vegetables. Each class has a menu of recipes designed to teach us different techniques. We received a page with notes of kitchen skills. Here are some of my favourites:

Prep your ingredients. Having everything ready to roll before you actually start cooking will make you more efficient and your cooking more enjoyable.

Cook onions more and garlic less. Give onions time to take on some colour and develop a sweet, round flavour. Bot don't add chopped garlic, which burns easily, until you've given other ingredients a head start.

Clean as you go. A neat workspace is safer and more efficient. Plus, you get to enjoy your meals without the dread of washing all those dirty dishes. *I already do this one, I learned it from my mommy, but it is something everyone should do!*

Let all meat rest before carving. Without a rest to let the meats juices redistribute, your meat will be dry.

*All of the above tips are written in my notebook and belong to LCA

Our next discussion was about pantry basics. Things you should always try to have on hand to cook most recipes. The list includes food items, cookware, and tools. I'm excited to say that I'm only missing 11 out of the list of 67 items and most of those are things like olives and a stove top smoker.

We began chopping and cooking vegetables for our recipes and I more excited than I should have when I realized I had already been prepping green beans and asparagus correctly (Thanks mom!) and cutting onions the right way (Thanks Aunt C!). There are so many other great tips I learned that were new to me:

• Prepare all citrus and salt but only add half to the recipe. Then taste and add as needed. You can always add more but you can not take away.
• Use white pepper for light sauces and fish
• 'Seasoning' just means salt and pepper
• Asparagus is fresh if the tips are tight. It is old if the tips are frayed
• You should wait for water to boil before you add salt, except with potatoes

The recipes we made were so fresh and delicious! I enjoyed eating vegetables I hadn't been a fan of before (like peppers). Our chef explains each recipe then we all get to do different parts to work together to create the beautiful plates below. I made sure to get tasks that I hadn't done before in order to practice (like this really amazing way of cutting peppers!) Once all done, we plate the food and get to enjoy it together as a class. Here are our dishes:

Sauteed Green Beans with Almonds and Blue Cheese

Gazpacho (we added creme fraiche after I took the photo)

Grilled Vegetables with Smoked Tomato Aioli and Ponzu Dipping Sauce

Crostini with Roasted Peppers

We got to take leftovers home which Mike enjoyed that evening. Everything was incredible - the food, the people, and the experience. I can't wait to return next week!

"Cooking is not a particularly difficult art, and the more you cook and learn about cooking, the more sense it makes." ~ Julia Child