Spring Break!!!

So I'm on Spring Break and visiting my parent's in the mountains for a couple days. I thought it would be nice to relax for a bit after some stressful finals at school. I did very well, thankfully, getting a 98/100 on the final knife skills test. Also got a 70/75 on my written final. My mayo and hollandaise sauces came out pretty good too. It was a pretty good first 6 weeks of school!

Now I'm diving into planning the wedding! I never thought I would be looking at dresses again but I am. There are sooo many lovely ones. I went to David's Bridal with one of my bridesmaids, Aleanea, yesterday. Just from that store I had about 5 favorites! I'm definately going with white, at least I know that for sure! hahaha

Colors...I still haven't decided on colors. It's tough choosing. This is my 3rd wedding so I'm trying to be original. I am really leaning towards Mostly Moss and Perfect Plum from Stampin Up. The other colors I'm looking at are Night of Navy and Bordering Blue. Also Melon Mambo and Bermuda Bay. So do I go with a "contrast" in colors or colors from the same family?? What do you think? :) Maybe I can do a poll....

Knife Skills

Ok...knife skills. To say the least, it was a stressful. We only had 30 minutes to do 10 cuts. I don't think I even breathed for those 30 minutes. We had to produce specific amounts and pieces of each item. I did 8 of them. I need to practice!!! 30 minutes does not seem like enough time.
On a lighter note, we watched our Chef instructor make Tomato Sauce today. It was just basic tomato sauce with only an herb sachet, and garlic to flavor it. After it was pureed, it was delish! I want to make some this weekend. We'll see if I have time, I'm going snowboarding! Then headed to my niece's 1st birthday party, then practicing my knife skills. The test is next Wednesday! :O
Oh, I made the potato soup but it had too much chicken bouillon I think. I would share the recipe, but I don't think it is worthy enough. I'll think of something else to share with you all that you'll really enjoy. :)

2nd Week of Culinary School & Some Thoughts

So this week we have been busy! We are still practicing our knife cuts, julienne, brunoise, baton, small dice, chiffonade, minced. We have a practice test tomorrow! OMG, tomorrow?! Our Chef instructor gave us his grade sheet so we can see how he will judge. I am nervous. I mean, chopping, how hard can it be? But julienne, baton, brunoise?? These are precise cuts people. We're talking 1/4" and 1/8" slices that have to be SQUARE or you will not get a perfect square brunoise or small dice! I better practice. Good thing I am making Baked Potato Soup tonight. :) I will be practicing on my potatoes! I'll let you know how that goes...
We also dropped a beef stock. No we didn't drop it on the floor LOL...but we poured it out from the stock pot into a china cap (sieve). Then we skimmed it, brought it to 70 degrees F in an ice bath and then refrigerated it. I did not realize that there were so many steps to stock making!
Today we watched our Chef instructor make Brown Sauce or Espagnole, White Sauce and Veloute. We only tasted, but he said in our next 6 weeks it will be on! We'll be stock making on the first day of school! I can't wait! There are so many sauces that are made from the "mother" sauces. I hope that I'll be able to learn them all and be able to make them!
So right now I'm wondering what I will do with my training and knowledge from culinary school. I pretty much have no idea. But I do know that I've wanted to do it for so long and it's fun. I'm enjoying it immensely. I will post pictures soon, and maybe a recipe for the Baked Potato Soup!

Off to practice knife cuts!!

The first week of Culinary School...

So, I made it through the first week of culinary school. We had our first test today. It wasn't too bad, I think I missed maybe 4. It was multiple choice and some T/F.

Today I felt the pure happiness of living a dream. I realized I am so blessed to be attending school full time and not having to work. Not only that, it's culinary school. Something I've dreamed about for probably the last 7 years.

I'm loving it so far. Today we got our knife kits. They are very complete with several tools I can't wait to use like my microplane/zester, my whisk, and my sheet pan rubber thingy (although I don't think that is the name of it)...lol...I'll get the hang of all this name stuff. I'm learning that a saucier makes sauces, hot hor'dourves, stews and sautées foods to order and that Boulanger first starting serving soups he called "restaurants" or "restoratives" in 1765 in Paris.

We practiced some knife cuts today, julienne and brunoise. These cuts are very small, only 1/8". They are pretty difficult, but I know with practice it will get easier.
I'm not sure what my plans will be after culinary school...maybe a food writer, or working in a kitchen somewhere...there are so many possibilities.

I'll have to take some pictures of all the fun I'm having and share them. No actual food is being made yet. Well except for my own cooking at home. :)

Closing Sweet Scrap Deal

Hi friends!

I just wanted to post that I will be closing the site SweetScrapDeal.com. It's been fun running my own business, especially doing something I love. However, after starting culinary school I'd like to focus on that. Remember my word this year is FOCUS! ;)
I will be closing the site down sometime on Friday, February 19th. So, if there is something you were wanting to get, but have been waiting, now is the time to get it. The site will be removed by Saturday.
I think I will still have a couple more Meet Ups because I still have a couple projects in the works. Also, if I have extra items from the class, I may post it here for sale as well.
Thank you so much to all my customers. It's been a pleasure serving your scrapbook needs!
I hope those that love food and love to eat will still read my posts and enjoy them! So far I've had 3 days of culinary school and love it! We're learning knife cuts right now, small dice, baton, julienne and brunoise. I get my knife set on Monday and we have our first test! I need to go practice cutting on my carrots...

A Thank You Card

I made a few thank you cards for my mom and this was one of them. I used my Stampin' Up demonstrator's card as an example. I just replaced one of the squares with the Thank You stamp from Four Square. I just love these design papers Sending Love from Stampin' Up. They go perfectly with the Real Red cardstock they sell too. My Martha Stewart butterfly punch came in handy...until I get my Butterfly Beautiful Wings Stampin' Up! Embosslits Die :) (on backorder until March 1st) :( I'm also posting a card on my Ippity site too, so please head over HERE and check it out!

A Game, an Engagement & a Giveaway!

So, did you know that Bunco is all the craze?? I found a steal of a deal on the game at Wal-Mart in their kid's toys section. They were $4.97 and included a score pad, 3 pairs of dice, 1 bell, and a fuzzy die for traveller. If you have never played, it's a super fun and easy game for 6 or more people. It works best with 12,but I have played with 8, 9 10, 11 etc.
I purchased a Bunco box (Wal-mart $2.00) so that I would have all the contents on hand, and decorated it using my Cricut. The dice on the box I just cut freehand and rounded the corners. Then I used my Crop-a-dile to punch black circles.
Just something fun to dress up the box!



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I also have been a bad blogger and I do apologize!! For this reason I had an earlier blog giveaway that I'm changing. To enter the old one, you would have to leave a comment on every blog post...But there weren't many posts! SO, just leave 1 comment on this post to win blog candy. I'll pick a name on Sunday, the 14th and announce it on the 15th. Here are the yummy Valentine goodies you can win:

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And...last but not least, I just wanted to share that on Saturday, my boyfriend Galen asked me to marry him!!! I was so, so shocked! I didn't see it coming at all. I am so so happy and it shows. :) I just wanted all my blogging friends to know. I've been through a lot of stuff in the past and it was really hard to see a happy ending. We haven't set a date yet. I'm also starting Culinary school on Monday!!! It's going to be a year of exciting and new experiences! I hope to share my journey with you and maybe some tips and yummy recipes! Oh, you probably want to see the ring??? He did good, it's dainty yet elegant - I LOVE IT! I feel like the luckiest girl....