Waldo, Where in the World is Jesus!?!

US infant Jesus statue to get GPS.


The statue was stolen from a nativity scene like the one across.

A statue of the infant Jesus on display near Miami in Florida is being fitted with a Global Positioning System device after the original figurine was stolen.

The near-life-size figure forms part of a nativity scene in Bal Harbour, Florida.

The original vanished three weeks ago, despite being bolted to the ground.
Dina Cellini, who oversees the display, says the statues of Mary and Joseph will also be fitted with a satellite tracking device to deter thieves.

She said: "I don't anticipate this will ever happen again, but we may need to rely on technology to Save our Saviour." [WHAT!! oh, dear what is the world coming to!]

A Jewish lawyer, Jeffrey Harris, from Cincinnati, who read about the theft on the internet, has donated the new Jesus figurine in the Founders Circle area of the city.

Mr Harris, who celebrates Hanukkah, not Christmas, told the Miami Herald: ''I felt bad. How could someone steal a baby Jesus? Even though I am Jewish, I like the Christmas spirit.''... (or, according to me, he also likes publicising his name in Bal Harbour as a "Nice Guy" [read: getting more non Jewish clients] [read: ones that won't quibble when their bill arrives].

Source: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/7158698.stm

Keep This One Handy!

You may or may not need to go to more After Christmas sales but then their's always the day after New Years.

Consider this my little gift to you all. Ahh, how sweet. Cheap but sweet.

And a Merry Christmas it Was!!

I hope you all enjoyed a wonderful time eating, imbibing, and enjoying one another's company as I did at Casa Espinoza.

Everything was terrific. The food was fantastic. We enjoyed Prime Rib with a garlic, rosemary spice rub, Pommes Duchesse's Potatoes and then baked potatoes for a backup, fresh buttered string beans and ginger carrots in a brown sugar butter sauce. Oh yeah, we had Au Jus with mushrooms to top the Prime Rib and a fine bottle of Chateau Neuf du Pape to top it all off.

Then dessert of pumpkin pie and strawberry cheesecake. Yum. We all opened gifts by the fragrant twinkling tree and hugs all around.

Life just doesn't get any better than that! Amen.

Blessings Family and Friends. Chef Deb

Chef Deb's Fruitcake Recipe

Fruitcake Recipe

Items Needed ————-

4 Oz. Fruit Bits

1 Railroad Tie

Wood Saw

Large Rubber Mallet

Safety Goggles

WEAR YOUR SAFETY GOGGLES! (Children Get help from an adult!)

Cut a one-foot section from the middle of your railroad tie. The resulting block of wood should be about four inches by four inches by ten inches.

Then, take some fruit bits and pound them into the block with your rubber mallet. Spread the colors around, or you might wind up with an ugly fruitcake. Don’t be afraid to throw some elbow grease into that mallet! Good fruit bits should be much harder than the railroad tie so you can’t break anything.

For best result, you should pre-treat the fruit bits by setting them on top of your garage for a year (or by microwaving them on HIGH for 30 minutes).

Finally, cover it tightly in plastic wrap, and give your loved ones the time-less and enduring gift of fruitcake!

Wrap the fruitcake in saran wrap and I like to use a nice red ribbon and bow to give the saran wrap a nice warm glow. There should be plenty of railroad tie left to give fruitcake to all your family and friends.

P.S.

Be sure to sign the bottom of it so you know who all the Re-Gifters are next year! Those sneaky little devils.

A Chef's Nativity Scene

This is made only from veggies and fruits. Its my kind of NATIVITY scene. Edible.

But wait, I really like my Mum's (Auntie GMa).
Its sooooo pretty......!

(do you even appreciate how long it took me to find a vegetable based Nativity Scene on the Internet!!!)

Feh! You don't care...

Bad Day at Black Rock

The old movie phrase fits here today. I pretty much "blackened" most of my food products today due to an out of wack oven. True. Yesterday my friend had her Pommes Duchesse ruined by the same oven. My problem? I couldn't remember which oven it was today that overheats.

So after Tourne'ing all my Root Vegetables (which are hard as rocks and gave my hand cramps) I put them into the oven and they were desimated in a short amount of time. We have convection ovens which cook (or blast, as in my case) quickly. All that painful work for nothing.

Then I tried to make a simple pan gravy, which I've made thousands of times and ruined that by listening to another chef friend and used wine instead of chicken stock (something I know NOT to do) but under all the pressure to complete 2 full dishes in 1 1/2 hours I screwed that up. All I could present to Chef was the chicken. Which was fine and golden crisp.

In my rush to get my pork roast in the oven quickly I put it in the same oven as my tourne vegs and Chicken. It got too browned crisp on the bottom before I could change ovens. Then Chef decided to change our zucchini provencal to just tourneed zucchini and I thought we had to do both. Neither turned out since I was so busy I overcooked my sauteed tourneed zucchini.

It was a Kitchen Bitch Day from Hell. Send Sympathy Cards to someone who is paying attention. Not me, obviously.

^%^#(!!! (put your special words here). %&((#*@!!

Written Final is tomorrow for Skills class (Kitchen Cooking). Thursday is Competency in Roasting and Poaching and Friday is Competency in Grill and Saute.

After my screwups today I think I've cleared all negative hurdles and everything should be fine. I work well under severe pressure. Not the piddley ass kind like today.

Rock On!!!

What to Do Saturday Night.....

Gee, life is different now that I'm Over 50 and alone in one of the world's best Cities for fun, food, and excitement. Saturday nights slam that one home. I'd Love to go out and dance somewhere, have a toddy or two and listen to good music. Going alone doesn't really kick it up for me.

Where does someone my age find fun peeps to hang with? (Glo, move back to SF, STAT!)

So what did I do today for fun you ask? I cooked in the Espinoza Residence (my home)! I have a monkey on my back called COOKING JONES. I made Sweet and Sour Red Cabbage, Potato Leek Soup and Veal Scallopini with Lemon Caper sauce. I was beat tired. Hung out at Casa Espinoza relaxing and sharing family time. Very cool.

I had to work up some energy so I could drive home to SF. I knew I had work ahead of me. I had to make my bed with clean sheets, wash dishes, etc. Little things that take up time. I thought I'd be in bed reading the last part of my Sanford novel Mind Prey.

Something happened on the drive into SF. I had my CD player playing The Doors. I got so into it I was dancing in my car seat. I loved it. Music energized me. When I got off the Freeway I rolled down my window so I could pump up the volume even more. I loved the cool air, the city lights, downtown SF and my music. I just wanted to keep driving just to listen to more music.

When I got into room 206 I put on more music and just kept rocking. I got a lot done and can't believe that I'm still up at 10:45. I'm just loving the music cranked up to Saturday Night High.

I don't have neighbors on either side so I'm going for it. I'm dancing while working around the little room. Tonight, I feel eternally young. Stuck in time when music and dancing were all I lived for. It was fun.

I'm beginning to slow up, somehow I'll have to stop the rock and roll and roll into bed and finish my novel. Sunday is SLEEP IN DAY. Ahhh the luxury.

I miss my young lively life today. Most other days I'm happy with my older self. I'm sure tomorrow I'll embrace my older self tenderly so I don't hurt my old bones and muscles I spent dancing around my room tonight. Gotta hang with the Big Dogs. Just suck up Old Age and fugitaboudit!!

Lights Out Kids!!

Doin' the Hustle!

Today was kitchen madness. There's never enough work space and too many things to do, get, chop, dice, mince, peel, and pour. There were about 10 of us in class today and all of us were using at least 4 saucepans, bowls, plates, tools, and weighing and measuring. Its like working on the runway of Los Angeles Airport. Everyone has sharp knives and pots of boiling liquids. Its a constant effort to keep from colliding with others. Somehow we don't which is amazing in itself.

We had to do two different braises, one was a Swiss Steak and the other Coq au Vin (chicken). We also had to make two different starches for each and different veggies. We had to time it so it was ready at the same time to present to the Chef HOT! All in two hours.

The red cabbage was really good with apple, brown sugar, red wine and red wine vinegar and a few more things. It took time to "sweat" it out and not overcook. The rice pilaf was easy to do and just forget about. I boiled the potato long before I needed it so it for mashing with cream and butter so it had to sit and wait for me. I put it above the stove to keep warm.

We also braised celery and fennel in chicken stock which was surprisingly good. I thought I overcooked them but Chef said they were perfect. Just needed more salt! Imagine someone telling me I need to use more salt! Ludicris. I'm trying NOT to ruin everything with my salt addiction.

We also had to cook some mushrooms (quartered) and pearl onions (blanced and peeled) in bacon rendering to add to the Coq au Vin as garnish. There were easily 65-70 pots to clean in addition to all the other stuff.

I feel like I ran a marathon. I'm pooped! I completed all my stuff and Chef liked everything except needing more salt on the Swiss Steak dish everything was good. By that time I was starving so guess what we get to do? Yes! We eat our own food. It was yummy. This is where the pounds are creaping on though.... Oh well, job hazard.

Oh yeah. I PASSED my Safety and Sanitation State test. This is a certificate that is really good to have as a chef. Its like a license. It's given by the National Restaurant Association. Some students didn't pass. One gal told me that out of her class of 15 students, only 5 passed the test. I know there were some in our class but not how many. You HAVE to pass to graduate so they'll have to PAY for the test again in February.

I'll have to go to the Espinoza's this weekend to practice some of my dishes that will be on my Competency Test next Thursday and Friday. I'm looking forward to it. A bit of Christmas music (or not) and a kitchen all to myself!

Life is good. Eat well.

Fat and Skinny Had a Race

Fat won. End of story.

I'm beginning to understand that eating in a restaurant is really a high fat adventure. Just don't do it every day or even every week. You'll lose the race. We use a TON of clarified butter which is just the Fat left over from the butter once we skim the protein off and drain all but the water into a container. Refrigerated, its hard as oil refrigerated. They're both just fat. Plain and simple. Just so you know...

Today we made Veal Scallopini in a lemon and caper sauce with gratin potatoes (thin sliced potatoes and heavy cream 40% fat) and some green beans and carrots julienned. It was good but we did melt whole butter with the veggies after blanching them to warm them before plating them with the veal and potatoes. Sure. It tasted Wonderful. I ate most of what I cooked. No friggin' wonder I'm not losing weight.

Then we also made Salmon with a Beurre Blanc sauce (basically butter) with some blanched spinach mixed in with Orzo pasta. I added a touch of butter for flavor (to please the Chef). She loved it and I did excellent. I ate some of that too.

I've got to plan out a way to avoid these high fat foods or I'll just scream. We HAVE to taste the food we cook before giving it to the Chef. But by the time we're in Skills class cooking we are ravished and everything smells so wonderful. Its like a chockoholic working at See's Candies.

Tomorrow is Braising. Braised meat with all kinds of good things.

My Christmas List has now been updated. A stomach pump is at the top of the list.

Screw it. It is what it is and I am what I am. A Chef! I must taste all that I cook and if its real good I'll eat a bit more of it. Gawd I'm good!

Burp......

Dorm Room Pix (1st of 3)

The biggest item in the room, by bed. I like the blue walls, it sets off the room nicely. The furnishings are a nice wood and the end tables have a granite slab on top of each. The Curtains are burgundy.

You see my mini fridge in front - opps, left the milk out! Bad chef.

Home on the Rangeish...

Dorm Room View!

I actually have what is known as a View from my window. I have a tree (very rare) and can see lots of blue sky (much rarer) I get a good cross breeze when I open my front door for plenty of fresh air (or fog).

Love it.

Dorm Room Bathroom

The room is big enough to move around

in. I like the flooring and pedestal sink too.

I have my water purifier on my "kitchen" table top. Not much but its home for the next year or so.

Nativity Scene - My Way

Recently, I sent around a Christmas thing asking all these questions about how people feel and what they do during Christmas. There was one about a Nativity Scene. I thought this one was pretty clever. Lego Land style!

Doesn't it just scream Christmas! Aren't you filled to the brim with religious fever just looking at it?

Oh Wait..... This is the last supper! See, I just don't get why the nativity scene is so important. I think people eating good food and drinking fine wine is way holier than a baby surrounded by cows and sheep and 3 strangers dressed like drag queens. Go figure.

Food and Drink are always served in Catholic churches. Up on the alter where it belongs. Let's all just eat, drink and be merry with family! That's Christmas for me.

I'd Love a Plate of FASHION!

It's not easy or fun to force yourself out of bed at 5:30am let alone wonder what to wear, what's the weather, do I really care? I might care at 11am but paaaalease, its 5 frickin' thirty.

I used to open my door to "check" the coldness. I stopped doing that since it was so stoopid. I'm in the corner on the 2nd floor of a 4 story building. I face the atrium patio, from a safe weather proof spot. How hard is that to figure I still don't have a clue as to the weather.

What this all leads to is that sometimes I dress "off" for the weather. All male readers won't understand this part so skip to the sports section.

Anywayz. Last night the weather report was Clear, some clouds, basically nice day. Okay, I think I'll wear light pink fleece like pants and a white pullover type cotton shirt. Since the morning is cold at O'Dark Thirty I wear a zippered pull on with a hood. (thank you Glo, I love the Grey pull on).

I'm good. Happy. Going to school, catchin' the shuttle, draging my red carry 0n with my Halloween Uniform and shoes inside, hefting my knife kit. I go to the ladies changing room and see a classmate (they're all half my age). She looks at me and, with surprise, says "I didn't know we could wear our pajamas to school".

I could have responded two ways.

1. Oh, these aren't my pajamas, this is what the retirement home gave me when I left.

2. Oh yeah dude, I was too, like tired to dress so I just hustled out of bed and beat it to the shuttle. Ya know what I mean?

#1 They may or may not have questioned my attire after that comment.

#2 She would have thought I was some fool trying to play my "game" long after the batteries ran out.

What did I say, you ask?

I said. "Oh no, these aren't my pajamas." Indicating of course that I should burn my clothes now and that I have no clue what these kids wear.

I just want to blend. I don't want to stand out in a fashion sense. If she really saw my pajamas she'd never even talk to me. I'd be a scary homeless person. I mean, I'm still using my terrycloth robe I got when I went on the Royal Carribean Cruise xyz years ago. Its not exactly at its peak anymore. But you can still read the label.

I may avoid the changing room for a while. Don't want everyone seeing my entire wardrobe of 2 full drawers! (there is only so. much. room. here). Fooey.

Oh yeah, we made pasta today. I'm getting sick of heavy sauces. I wish the next class was fruits and liquids.

As My Grandfather Used to Say....

"that was a yolk meja". Today we had EGG day which was fun after all the chaos of our competency final on soups and sauces. I purposely came to class hungry, meaning I didn't have a blueberry muffin or egg and chorizo burrito, etc. before class. I was focusing on the eggs, which I love.

There is a student in class that NEVER had an omelet!!! I was shocked. She didn't think she'd even want to cook one. We all had to cook eggs: Scrambled (how hard is that), over medium (very hard since we had to PAN flip it) I wasted about half dozen eggs not to mention the mess. Glad I didn't have Hot Line (cleaning the stoves) or Steward (cleaning the floor). I had Dishwashing. Again. Damn. I wish I could use gloves...

Then we had to poach an egg in a pot with hot water, vinegar and salt. When it rises to the surface you're good. If it doesn't you're an idiot. Means you forgot to add the vinegar and salt. We had to put this little piece of sunrise on a half toasted english muffin (that was panfried in the oil left over from cooking the Canadian Bacon then top it all with fresh made Hollandaise (which is pretty much pure fat).

After that we made a European Omelet. yada, yada, yada..... I'm tired. I stuffed mine with minced leeks and mushrooms with parmesan. Chef liked it. That's all that mattered.

Tomorrow is Pasta Day. Its gonna be a bit hard since we have to work in teams. I hope I get my culinary expert Phil. He's good. But probably the other students will have hissy fits since both Phil and I are - lets just say it - the best in class. There. Its said.

I never thought my hand muscles could be sore. They are. The bottoms of my feet are sore, my back, my neck, my upper arms, my..... ad nauseum.

Just to show my age, which I'm not proud of, I'll end with a quote from that lovely comediene Red Skeleton,

Good Night, and God Bless.

Chef Boy R DDay!!

We had our skills competency test today in the kitchen. We had two hours to make: Hollandaise, Mayonnaise, Bordelaise, Bechemel and then Mornay Sauce. Our "must make" soup was Consomme and then we got to choose another. I chose Cream of Mushroom. Mostly because this weekend I practiced my French Onion and New England Clam Chowder soups along with my Sauce Tomate (french spelling).

I managed to make all my required sauces and soups and the taste test from the Chef for each made me happy. I did well. Some excellent but I did forget to make a garnish for my Cream of Mushroom Soup. I did bring it home however so I could have something to eat. Screw the Garnish! (I would have made it, of course had I remembered).

Chef said that this was the HARDEST test we would all take at the CCA. I'm just glad she didn't share that with us before we started. We all kicked butt for 2 hours. We really were Real Chefs at Work!

Super Fun.

Now I'm just pampering my "kicked butt". I'm ever so tired. Its 6:30 and I'm contemplating sleep. Gotta get up at 5:30 and start a whole new routine. We'll be doing eggs tomorrow. Later this week we do pasta. Yum. We make it ourselves. Better yum.

I think its gonna rain tomorrow. Hurray. I got galoshes! Oh fun. Real rain.

I'm signing off now. Too tired to keep my little fingers tapping.

Find happiness. Do what you love.

Chef Deb

Over 50+New Life=Complete Body Ache!

It's finally Friday. I made it through the week with no cuts or burns. A good week. My body however feels quite the opposite. My body thinks I played a significant role in Sumo Wrestling. I literally ache from head to toe (even the bottoms of my feet hurt).

Naturally, in class, no one is the wiser. Its really quite a macho environment. You get cut or burned and just suck it up and keep on slicing, dicing and cooking over high heat. After you cleaned, bandaged and put on a little finger cot. (looks like a rubber an elf would use) I've even begun to check myself to make sure every time I bend down to do something I don't groan. Like a 50 year old gheeser.

I've been DYING for a fresh green anything so tonight I treated myself to the Temple Bar's House Salad and a burger with fries. Anyone who really knows me would be shocked about the last two. After eating raw carrots, green onions, Just Add Water Soups, and cottage cheese with raw tomatoes most peeps would be dying for a hot juicy burger (with a side of avocado for me.) Life makes me do these things. Its not really me doing it all alone. Life happens.

Today's practice competency test was okay. I didn't make the Hollandaise or Mayonnaise. If I can't beat Best Foods Mayo why try. Its easier to get good mayo out of the bottle. Who eats Hollandaise anymore. Its just PURE FAT and egg yolks blended together with a splash of lemon and dash of water. I don't even want to try my own! Yuck. Its not even in fashion anymore. We did that shit in the 70's when we didn't know we could kill ourselves with stuff like that.

Monday we have the Final Competency test for all our sauces and soups. I may actually have to make it. Bleech. I was thinking of sneaking in a small jar of mayo and adding it on top of my "homemade" crap. The jury is still out on that one. The whisking alone is enough to send you to a physical therapist for recovery.

I'll be practicing more soups and sauces at 12 Robert Place this weekend for Monday's final. My first time cooking Chef Stuff on (oh, God forbid) electric! I hope it turns out edible and not compostable. (new cooking lingo)

Have a great weekend everyone!

Edible Compost

Every day in Skills class (kitchen) we make these wonderful creations. This week is focused on soups. Last week was Sauces. Yesterday was a superb Potato Leek Soup. I found new appreciation for my culinary skills. Chef thought it was Excellent too!

Today we made 3 soups in one and a half hours. From scratch. We made French Onion Soup, Clam Chowder and Cream of Mushroom. I managed to make all three in the alloted time. Some student chefs made only 1.

I'm bragging here so if you don't want to read it don't read this paragraph. All 3 of my soups made Chef Happy! And me. I never liked clam chowder but having it made this-a-way was excellent. I actually ate a lot of my own soup. My onion soup was super good and I melted over the creamy mushroom soup. I didn't know I could cook so well. THIS IS SO MUCH FUN.

Tomorrow we make Consomme an Shrimp Bisque. I'm not crazy about either but we'll see what happens.

We have a mid-term Competency test this upcoming Monday on Soups and Sauces. I have to find a kitchen to practice!

After cooking all 3 soups in different pans I then checked the schedule to find out that I had Dishwashing!!! That's 12 students X's 3 pots each. Burnt, crusted, ruined pots. Left to dry over a flame! What morons. Way too much work including all the bowls we used to plate for the Chef. I wish I could wear gloves.

I'm pooped. Going to rest now. I know its early but I'm seriously flogged. We worked hard today. [just like a real kitchen]

Caio.

My Little Oasis

This post is another recap of the irritating nerve jangling noise of the family next door. Its worth repeating in more adjectives simply because of how disruptive it is as an only person living right next door. My level of compassion is ebbing. ******

This week I am co-host to a single mother with two teenage sons who speak an unknown asian language directly next door to me. I refer to them as the Bickersons. There is an adjoining door that helps transfer sound sufficiently. Suffice it to say that they have two manners of speech. Polictical and Jesse Jackson in another usual rage. I woke one night at 11:30 to the younger of the two screaming his wisdom teeth out calling for his mother. I take it that the older son (Daniel) was somehow torturing him while their mother was enjoying a nice hot shower.

I know the name b/c I can hear the mother yelling it regularly. I think the younger one is called stoopid. Or something like that. That's what the older brother seems to call him. I had to intervene by knocking at 11:30 to see if I could administer last aid. The mother said everything was fine. It woke me up. How could that be fine?

I complained to the management seeing if he could send them to another room or possibly to Child Protective Services or even Singapore as a last option. They are quiet tonight. Almost human. Daniel is a real complainer. He's a big kid. Glad he doesn't know the woman next door complained. They'er probably thinking someone else on the entire block complained.

The lighting in the bathroom is strange. If you wanted to have a romantic dinner for two I would recommend my bathroom at the Oasis. I wasn't aware that they made 5 watt bulbs. Luckily I have two in there. Shaving is becoming a sensory experience. Dangerously so.

I have the last room in the furthest corner away from the street which is absolutely marvelous. At the Red Roach Motor Lodge all rooms faced the corner of two very busy streets. Turk and Polk. I felt I was sleeping at SFO on a runway. My room here is bigger and the bathroom is much more modern. It means a lot in a small space.

I'm on the second floor of a four floor Inn. There is a patio area right outside my door with vending machines and ice machines. That good old ice machine makes a wonderful backdrop. I hear it often. Like someone trying to ski down a slope and falling head over heels in the process. People here in chilly SF seem to like ice well into the night. How odd.

Even more curious to me is that we seem to be built over a nest-burrow-enclave of skunks. I like to have my window open but this is worse than it was at my dad's house in Rolling Hills with horses and open space. These little critters are fighting for their lives with their only resource. The Stinker. Unbelieveable. I just shut my window at 7:45 from the intoxicating fumes. Great. Right after my shower. The school said not to wear perfume. Too late. Guess I'll make more of that Sauce Tomate. Then pour it on me. It's really good. I now prefer it to Whipped Cream. (back in the dayz)

That's all I can say about my little outpost on Franklin St. Except that I have about 3 outlets with about 17 things plugged into them. Refridge, microwave, computer, and all the other stuff including their lighting. I better buy some marshmallows just in case. Food. It all breaks down to food for me in any situation.

I LOVE BEING HERE AND BECOMING A CHEF. End of story.

My Neighbors

I've had two nights of my new neighbors (being that I am located in a hotel). I am fortunately located at the end of the row of rooms in the eastern most corner facing north. However I do have "neighbors" on the western end.

First. Our walls are constructed of re-inforced styroform and a 15% mix of toilet tissue, Army Grade. Second, there is a connecting door that will leave enough room for the passage of 3 Noregian Rats at the same time. (Check online. They are the largest)

Thirdly, these new neighbors have two speaking voices in an asian manner. Loud and Louder. The woman next door has 2 large children males. Therefore the loud manner of speaking is necessary as we know these males will eventually grow into full adult males. Their growth makes for automatic poor hearing by the male species from the female species. Its historically noted.

I have personally grown tired of listening to a combination of half asian and part english shouted from a short 4 inch distance. Last night I put on ear plugs AFTER 11:30 when the youngest spawn was screaming from the top of his voice like he found bugs in bed. I knocked on the interior passage door and heard the outside door open. Then I opened my outside door but it had already closed so I knocked again. The mother was apparently in the shower at the time hiding behind the door (as if I cared) and I mentioned my concern at the Psycho Shower show of emotion by her youngest child. She was apologetic and I saw no visible signs of dismemberment so Off I went to beddy-by.

Tonight was a reoccuring episode of a drama better left undone. I finally decided to go to the manager to press for a resolution. Afterall, I'm paying $1,000 a month and they are here for a short duration. I threw my only weight around asking if he could either move them or send them to another planet.

We in America welcome all from all nations. You just better learn the tricks that make you a good neighbor or one who should be on the new space exploration plan.

A happy home is one that does not wish your neighbors to think of clever ways to anniliate you and your loudmouthed loved ones.

Today I heard a litiny of asian slammed like (ieoaf;alh tj, fiadsusjnt. ksl. itwt98j ) [asian words] followed by "its just that simple!" in English. Damn. Like I didn't know what that meant?!.

God Bless Us All (with earplugs)

Just Hangin' Loose for the Holidays

Passed my first official test Wednesday with an "A"! This is for all the work in Skills (kitchen), our Safety and Sanitation class, showing up for class and professionalism. I am happy.

Now I have to study for the Certification test on Monday for our Safety and Sani class. We can't be a chef without one. If we don't pass we have to pay $35 to take it again. I didn't budget for that so I'll have to make sure I pass.

It was a nice Thanksgiving with the family here in SF. Good food, great appetizers, nice wines, and plenty of laughs.

I'm glad I had days to sleep in and feel human again. What a luxury! Can't wait for winter break. I sure started school at the right time with all these holidays and breaks.

A Few More Alcatraz Pics

This is not a sign of the Good Times. This is not the kind of Cell Call I want to get.

Alcatraz at Night

I got to take a nighttime tour of Alcatraz recently. It was really chilling. The fog shrouded island was eerie enough but then the darkened builings looming overhead was fairly intimidating.

As we got on the Rock, it appeared that someone was still leaving the light on. I didn't want to approach the Bates Motel to check in.

Week One Under the Belt!

A million zillion more to go.... I've had a great week but at the end I was EXHAUSTED. I had to take the BART back to Millbrae to pick up my car and cousin so he could help me move to my new place at the Oasis Hotel a couple blocks up from the Red Roach.

We moved and then had dinner at a place called Max's Opera. A Fabulous meal that was Hot, Fresh, and I had Finally had a Grey Goose Martini UP!!! (with olives) Yes, Joey it IS good!

We walked back to the hotel in the dark with the fog carefully shrouding the City Hall building in lights. It was really quite the sight. So eerily beautiful.

I wallowed in bed Saturday morning Because I Could. I am muscle sore and hand slashed. I need some 2 days to try to heal. I lugged my laundry a few blocks to a washeteria/laundramat for the afternoon, grabbed a Philly cheesesteak sandwich and went back to the room to unpack. I had to be at Pier 33 at 4pm where the culinary school was treating students to a night tour of Alcatraz!

We arrived at the end of the day and the closer we got to the island the foggier it got. When we arrived the island and buildings were draped with a fine mist of traveling fog. It was sooooo COOL (and litterally cool to about 54 degrees). It was the first time in about 4 years that I was able to wear this big oversized turtle neck sweater AND my heavy jacket at the SAME time!!!

It was cold. I saw the cells and the whole place was lit with little naked bulbs just like it would have been back in the day. I even walked into a place for bad characters called "the Hole". They kept prisoners in there w/o lights for a few days and up to years depending on their offenses. Unimaginable.

Today was another sleep in day. At 10ish I wandered outside to hunt and forage for food product. I landed, through shear desperation [I am a chef afterall] at some idiotic place that had golden arches like you were entering heaven. More like hell after eating the bkfst egg and sausage meal. Yuck. I have vowed not to revisit this horror again.

I saw a guy who was overdosing from Sat. night at the corner while I was eating my imaginary delicious breakfast. Seriously. What a depressing site. He was a good looking, fit, well dressed fellow but was completely going into overdose shock. Finally the Fire Dept and Ambulance came and took him away. I can't understand why he'd do that to himself. It was really sad.

I studied all day, took a nap, and went to forage for more edibles. I went to a corner market (?) that was smartly decorated with iron bars. Clever decorating indeed. Inside I found an edible avocado and a frozen low cal meal of compostable food and liquid grape juice with a dash of alcohol. Oh the joys of going to culinary school!

That covers my first weekend. Light candles in church for me. Even if you aren't catholic!

Movin' on Up

Well, today was moving day. From the Red Roach to the Oasis on Franklin. Beeg diff. I'm on the second floor (which is just for Culinary Students) but I'm at the end furthest away from the street towards the back so I don't hear nearly all the noice I did on Eddy. I can't even hear anyone screaming and cursing here. Nice place. In addition, right outside my door is a patio with lots of plants, the ice machine, a snack machine and a soda machine. What? No wine machine?! Oh, the sacrifices I make.

Its too totally pleasant. The courtyard is all green and frondy and there are at least 5 tables with umbrellas to sit out during the weekend and work on homework, read homework, practice homework and slit my wrists. J/K!

I'm so in heaven with my life now. I finished a whole week! I stayed after class two days, one to practice my knife skills on the julienne carrots (1/8 x 1/8 x 8) EXACTLY SQUARE and my Tourne Potatoes. The nerve pricking little icehole footballs. I hate them now. When I get it right I will be dancing on the rooftops but for now they are the devils playground. The other after school was today to help Chef cook up 100 lbs of potatoes into mashed for the Thanksgiving Feed the Homeless Project. I mashed 50 pounds of potatoes. I'm still alive. wait....okay, yeah. I am.

My dear sweet Cousin Guy the notable watercolor artist helped me move my Starvation Army stuff to the new place. I took the BART after class and overtime to Millbrae and we drove my car back to SF to facilitate the move. Then we had the most lovely delicious and splendid dinner at Max's Opera Restaurant in the Civic Center. I had the Ribeye steak (like Shannon would) and my cousin was dying for the combo of pastrami, corned beef and pastrami sandwich which came with 3 salads!!! Potato, cole slaw, and a pickled cucumber thing. We dined.

I was in heaven since I don't like to venture out at night by myself. With Guy, we walked the way from the Oasis to the Opera and back. It was slightly foggy, misty and cool. MY FAVORITE TEMPS!! YESSSSS. The Civic Center was so lovely in the foggy mist. With the lights shining on it and the colors muted it was a beautiful site. I'm right in the middle of the entire Civic Center. Its really like being down by the White House in Wash. DC. Just that immense and beautiful. Gawd I love this city.

I finally get to sleep in tomorrow. I hope I sleep past 7am! A whole week..... whew.. Tough job. 3 kids didn't even show up to class today. I did. Go Me!

Its 10pm. I'm toast. Burnt. Nighty night all.

Wagons Ho!

Well, I gotta move again tomorrow to my new permanent housing two blocks west of the Red Roach Motor Lodge. That would be 2 blocks further away from the Tenderloin District which is a notoriously unsavory neighborhood. Yea for me. Although it is 2 blocks further from the two blocks I already have to hoof it to the shuttle bus that I take back and forth to the South Campus every day. Oh lordy, increasing my exercise further by dragging my bright red carryon and 1000 lb knife kit up and down hills every day. Hopefully I'll lose weight and gain stamina. Otherwise I have a handy knife or two to end the complaining. he he

Did I mention that everyday I'm POOPED!? I can't wait for the weekend when I have to hustle to BART tomorrow for 40+ minutes to Millbrae to fetch my car and then pack it up to the gills with all my crapola and haul it to the new location. Might take two trips. Yippee. More hauling and tugging and lugging. I feel like a pack mule. Thank Gawd for showers or I'd closely resemble one!

Today in skills class (which is where we get to use our "tools") we had to do all 10 knife cuts in addition to making a roux and some clarified butter. After demos we all get assigned jobs daily to help clean the kitchen. First day I did Dishwashing, second day I did another equally stimulating job - Garbage, and today I was on Hot Line which means I clean all the stoves and counters that we used. Tomorrow I'm on Dry Goods. Definition to follow some other time. Its past my bedtime.

Gotta go. I'll miss the Red Roach Motel. Not. I hate moving. But I love every little thing I'm doing in school. I'm a chef in progress! YES.

Edwarda Sissorhands

I now have the thumb, index finger and bird flippin' finger maimed. I noticed today that my right hand thumb has curious paper cut like slices that I have no idea how I got them. My hands are becoming hazardous contaminating apendages not conforming to a professional kitchen.

I'm in boot camp. What do you expect?! I've got my Chef looking over everthing I slice, dice, mince, and chiffonade. She finds one thing wrong with my style. I keep slicing at an angle. I told her today that I think I'm kind of crooked, its not my slicing. She didn't buy it but I got a laugh.

Yesterday we learned 5 different knife skills. Today we learned 5 more. So that meant that today we did 10 different skills in the same amount of time that we did 5 just yesterday. I managed to do them all. Therefore the injuries. Or my clumsiness. I got 8 more fingers, way I see it.

I had a difficult time with the "tourne" cut today. Chef tried to help me and then realized I had a dull paring knife! Finally I got it going. BIG difference in a sharp knife vs dull. The tourne cut is making a little red potato look like a 7 sided football. Why I asked. "Because we can" Chef answered. Yeah, we can after 80 hours of practice, then lifetime followup. I made 3 footballs.

I ate lunch after school at this FABULOUS Mexican restaurant today which is in the next block from out school. If I wasn't so tired I'd explain what the 3 soft little Polla Abadao (something like that, I'm too tired to think straight) tasted like. I had them Super It which meant adding guacamole, sour cream and something else. I got red fresh med. hot sauce (clearly home made) to add to them and Good Gawd they were incredible. Or maybe I'm just anemic from very little hot food. Naa, they were excellent.

Tonight for dinner I failed my cooking skills. I had an Udon noodle package I got from Trader Joes that I just add water. Its all natural. Trouble is I added hot water from the sink. I forgot I have a little kettle thing that heats up water for me. The hot sink water wasn't hot enough and I ate the noodles which tasted pretty starchy. Yuck. But that's all I had. I don't wanna venture outside at night here. Too close to the "Tenderloin District". If you don't know what that is I dare you to Google it. Very interesting place.

Well, it's 8:40. I'm setting my sleeping goal for 9pm today. I need to have a serious look at my pillow before 5:30am rolls around. Its getting more difficult every day to get my honky ass up and parade it down the street. (proper lingo for my locale).

Ciao ....xoxo

A Note from the Trenches

1. I'm Tired.

2. I'm Happy.

3. I'm Crazy.

4. I'm Tired.

Daily Schedule: Alarm goes off at 5:30. Do everything possible to ignore it. Shut the #$! off at 5:40. Get the lazy ass up and head two blocks to the shuttle that transports me to the 2nd campus. Pay no attention to street hookers up at that hour in the complete dark. Remind yourself you carry knives and lots of them. Very Sharp.

Get to CCA and change into the world's most amazing black and white transformation that Chris Angel cannot explain. I become a CONTENDER. Or a Chef for the time I have on this uniform. Its Christmas every morning.

First 2 1/2 hours of lecture, second 2 1/2 hours of lab (kitchen work). Day is over at 12:10. Take shuttle back to base and walk uphill back to the Red Roach Motor Lodge. Opps. Typo. Same meaning. Kidding. Its not bad. No edible bugs.

I scour around the blocks trying to orient myself as to establishments of worth. Walgreens, Subway, ..... that's about it. Subway was iffy.

Back to the room, shower, check uniform for spots or messes, eat something like noodle ramens (I get the natural kind from Trader Joes) and it works for me when I'm so beat tired.

I don't go out after dark. (you wouldn't either if you were here) so I do homework, prepare for tomorrows class and check the student portal to the CCA (Ca. Culinary Academy) to see if I need to know anything soon.

Gotta move into a new hotel room this weekend (2 more blocks away from my favorite hookers) so that's a drag. "scuz the pun"

Life is good. I love school. I will most likely lose weight since this is the most exercise I've done daily and I have NO time to eat. Halleluija (spelling challenged) Like I care.

I collapsed into a deep sleep today at 3 until 5:30 so I'm okay with being up late but this is late enough. I'm out of here. I miss all my family and friends but I'm LOVIN' this slice of pie my life has turned into.

Orientation Day

Yahoo. Today I finally got to the REAL school of CCA. They have a campus in Potero Hill not too far from the original campus. The new one is 5 years new (as opposed to the original which was rebuilt in 1977).

I'm really feeling like a Chef! They gave us all a duffel bag of clothes, aprons, hats, scarfs, blah, blah, blah, that weighed at least 60lbs. I drug it everywhere while all these youngun's carried them. I didn't care. I was trying to protect my pinched nerve in my neck. I just couldn't let them all know I was so handicapped at the first meeting. I saw a new doc here in So. City who got me on some new stuff for nerve pain, and by God it works! I'm almost feeling sane again.

We took a tour of the campus today and all the various rooms for instruction. They even have a room that looks like a Bar (for bartending) and a game room (Vegas style) for the peeps who have to run a room like that. They will also teach us all about Vegas cheating. ?? I dont' know why but it sounded good. I guess that is for the folks who take the Culinary Management course.

All said, its been a fun day. Got all my outfits and long pants that have to be sewn by Monday. I have two huge books I have to read 4 chapters from before MOnday and I still have to finish moving into my temporary place for this week before I'm able to move into my permanant dorm room for a year. Gawd, I hate moving.

Its finally raining today. I think of it like a final wish I have been wanting. I've been staying in my families camper to sleep in since I got here and it never rained. Uncle John said the rain sounded so nice so I was hoping to experience it. It rained today. I'm so lucky. It sounds so soothing on top of the camper. This is a special moment for me, I'll remember it always. In my Home Town, cutting edge to my own future, living life as it comes, no one else to watch out for...

I'm living a dream. Sort of odd since I haven't worked since February. Life is pliable. Keep the faith.

Ready, Set, Defrost!

Today I met with the SF Housing person regarding my room location at the Temple Bar and Grill. Finally I got to Temple. I had the kosher Ceasar Salad and a diet coke. She had trouble getting me into the Oasis Hotel this week so I'll have to bed up at a little slice of heaven called the Red Coach Motor Lodge which is on the very corner of Eddy and Polk. A little red and white number with 3 floors. The room had two double beds, a TV, a desk, 2 chairs a No Closet closet (no doors) and a fairly nice restroom with a shower that has a nice tiled side you can sit on, if you dare. The room was conveniently located right next to the elevator. Oh boy. Better than next to the ice machine I guess.

Tomorrow is orientation where I get the outfit and the books. They won't give us the knives until Monday when we show up to class. Hummmm I wonder why. Who told! Anyway.

I'm really psyched up about the move, seediness helps build the ambiance, and the books I'll get. The outfit is fine since I'll look like every newbie within 3 blocks. They hang out everywhere. I've yet to see anyone even remotely near my golden years. This all should be interesting. I haven't decided how I shall present myself yet. The Aging Rock Star, The Quiet Librarian, the Older Hippie Cool Gal, the Mother of All youngun's or what. One only gets a first chance at a first impression and I want it to be a wing dinger!! (ie. very old phrase only a person over 50 uses).

Okay. I've got to plan for my induction into my future tomorrow so I'll sign off now. Hope you all hang in there so I can tell you all about the interesting folks I'll meet at school and around the neighborhood.

Welcome to my world. :))

5 Days and Counting!

Well, I'll be moving into my new "home" this Friday. Time is flying. The weather is hot up here and I thought I left LA for the cooler climate! My neck is acting up again since yesterday. I went to take a pain med and was shocked to find that my neighbor must have helped himself to them when "helping" Karen and I pack our car on my last Friday night in LA!! I had 3 left and I know I had at least 50 in the bottle. What a Buttwipe. I thought I liked the kid. Fargin' Icehole. I'll be looking for another doctor up here tomorrow. I may just need the steriod shots in the neck now.

I saw a mini fridge at Costco that I want to get for the room. I bought some queen sized sheets and a nice spongy mattress pad all on a 50% sale they were having at JC Penny's. What a cool sale! Everything was so cheap. Including Me! ha.

I'm working on finding a provider for my laptop so I can have internet access. Right now, I use my Aunt's computer.

I made some Crab Ceviche today. Yum. Haven't been cooking much since its been so hectic. I'll keep you posted on the happenings. This Saturday I have an orientation meeting where I'll get to meet the other students, get my kitchen clothes, shoes, and books. Just like real school. (that's probably when it'll stop being fun huh).

Gotta go. Sitting too long at the computer does no good for my cheap Irish neck. ta-ta.....

Ah, Sweet San Francisco!

I've finally landed and unloaded the last items of my life's belongings. Interesting, that after 50ish + years one can call a 16ft truck to cart off all they own. I would have thought I'd have qualified for at least a 25 footer. Actually, I never really gave it a thought.

I checked out the "new" digs today. It has this most unsuitable name called the Oasis Hotel on Franklin St. downtown SF. The room is bigger and has a more updated look, better bathroom and is bigger. Oh yeah, did I mention it was slightly bigger? With weekly maid service?? I HAVE landed on an Oasis! LOL The O Hotel is two blocks from the Academy so I'm certain to get 4 blocks of exercise every day. I'm further from the Tenderloin District which is better than being the other way around.

I'm right down the block from the San Francisco Ballet too. There's a thought. I'm going to be more cultural now.

The drive was swift and easy. No problems. The weather is a cool 60 something and much cooler at night. I'm in heaven. Its overcast most the day and windy a little. I love it.

I'm staying in my Aunt/Uncle's 6th wheel camper in their driveway which is lovely. Like a little hermit shell at night. I'll be moving to the "property" on November 9th and school starts November 12th.

I smile at night before drifting off to sleep. From Lemons to Lemonade. I've made it!

Wagon's Ho!

Today's the day to pack the truck with all my earthly possessions and drive uphill to San Francisco tomorrow 6am. This is it. No turning back, no last look. Buh-by smog and heat, toodleloo hazy days, Up Yours 405 fwy, and Hasta La Vista Baby!

I won't be bloggin for a few days obviously. Not like you really care anyway. I act like I have a real audience. Delusional figments. I've got all the audience I need right here in my brain. Uh-oh. More info than you need....

I wish I had an I Hate LA bumper sticker. What will I miss about LA? ummmmm, no, give me a minute here. ummmm, nope, not that, uh, no..... Oh yeah, my favorite cafe Polly's On The Pier! I love that place. Eat outside under an umbrella and sit over the ocean. Lovely. A definite Will Miss place. Ta-ta Polly's.

There ARE a handful of peeps here I will sorely miss. You know who you are. I won't name names. Love ya!

Letting Go

I've been packing and boxing and moving things into the garage all week to prepare for the MOVE.

I'd like to share with you how I'm feeling about all this but it is difficult to explain to the younger crowd how scared I am to be the oldster in the group and yet it is the same position that makes me the "go to" person for experience. An interesting dicodomy to say the least.

My dear sweet step daughter Karen and I spent the day packing and packing yet again. So much stuff so little places to put it. Most of the stuff she takes home thank goodness. Her little place must becoming quite a site.

I'm soooooo excited that it is hard to envelope. This is truely the meaning of finding out what makes you happy and following that path. I feel very fortunate that I can take this time now to follow my own dreams that I've be closeting all these years. It's a glorious escape to a fantasy made real.

I love San Francisco.

Ocean Feast of Crab and Shrimp!

Went to San Pedro's Fisherman's Village with my daughter and her boyfriend this past Saturday and had a wonderful feast of fresh steamed crab, lemons, hot sauce, avocados, garlic bread, roasted potatoes, beer and a grilled mix of shrimp and veggies. OMG! Delicious. What a great beautiful Saturday afternoon.

I love the Village for its fine fresh seafood cooked on open flames while you wait. We sat by the harbor and enjoyed the warm sunshine. It was a memory maker. I'm getting into the habit of making memories along my path to achieving my life dream of Chefdom. Gosh.... (kleenex handy?)

Whooo hoooo...... How fun.

Student Housing

I found out yesterday from Student Housing that I don't have to stay in the Academy's dorm room. There is an affiliated group that works with the Academy to house students and they have QUEEN SIZED BEDS. In Addition, the rooms are a tad bigger (figure matchbox to shoebox) and there is MAID service once a week. Does this sound like a slam dunk or what?!

Oh. Did I mention that the dorm Does Not Allow drugs, alcohol or firearms in their rooms??! What the hell would I do without my Uzi and AK47? So its a no-brainer that I'll head for parts NSEW or whereever the other place is. When I go with all my crapola this Saturday up I'll go and spec it out. Film at 11.

I holed up in my place like a fugitive at large for 3 days DOING NOTHING but try to get comfortable and read. My pinched nerve in my neck slowly got better with the anti-inflammatories, muscle relaxers, ice packs and pain meds. Finally. Today I went with my sweet daughter and her "poohbear" honey to San Pedro's Port's O' Call. I had Fresh steamed crabs, crispy roasted new potatoes, beer, and they slaved over a platter of shrimp with potatoes and veggies with garlic bread (and beer). I brought lemons, an avocado, hot sauce, salt and my "tools" for breaking down the crab. What a feast for Queens (sorry poohbear). By the time I got home I was back to mainlining (almost) pain meds, and the rest of the crippled team of medical dumb drops. Damn. Someone needs to treat me humanely and take me out back and just shoot me. You wouldn't let a horse suffer like this!!

I guess I'm back on the Wanted Poster in the Post Office again. Gotta git rid of this stupid condition somehow. It feels like my left shoulder blade is totally out of wack. Like if someone were to hit me with a hammer on my left shoulder blade I'd kill 'em. Slowly.

Once I'm done with School I'll be primed for detox. Gotta go to school no matter what.

Okay my dear audience. I bid adieu. For now. More garbeled, incoherient stuff to come.

One Big Pain in the Neck!

I won't be blogging for a few days while I try and work out my inflamed neck and left shoulder. I guess it got all freaked out with the move or whatever. I need to get "back to nurmal" asap so I can move on.

Yeah, right. Me normal. HA!

Quick Chicken Dish

Tonight I was kitchen challenged since most of my GOOD stuff is packed. I was dying for some fresh veggies and protein with what I have to cook with so I found a chicken breast in my freezer and thawed it.

I had baby spinach, a tomato, a shallot, lemon, and olive oil and pepper. I dipped the chicken breast in egg batter then breaded it with some parmesan cheese and sauted it in butter and a dash of olive oil to keep the butter from burning. Then after about 5 min. per side, I browned it. If you're not sure if it is cooked enough slice it before plating (something a chef would NEVER recommend). When it is cooked white, no longer, plate it and add the "salad" on the top. You have to let the "salad" marinate at least two hours first to combine flavors before you add it to the chicken.

It was a very light, tangy and excellent quick dish to make with things on hand. I have other ideas to do with this dish now but those are my secret since I may want to do a cookbook.

Try it. I think you're going to like the quick simplicity.

The Limbo Bimbo

Well I've packed all that I can pack. All my dishes, glassware and most pots and pans. I eat off paper plates, which I will be doing come November 12th so I'm getting used to it. There's not much I can cook anymore since I've given things away or packed them. I'll have to get used to not cooking in my domicile too. Big changes.

This weekend the bedroom set, the barstools and the cat tree goes to a neighbor so I'll start sleeping on my sofa couch. My daughter will pick up my computer, printer and harddrive since I bought a laptop so I'll have to figure out the wireless thing on the laptop and get busy saving all my important files to disks. My ONLY best friend picked up my glass and brass coffee table so that's gone. I gotta find someone to take the fridge.

I'm happily stressed out but my neck and left shoulder are not happy. I've been going to physical therapy 3 times a week, taking anti-inflammatory stuff and pain meds. As long as its gone by November 12th I'm fine with it. Getting an audit letter from the IRS for 2005 taxes didn't help either. But hey, they can't take blood from a turnip. Especially from one that's been sliced, diced and lightly steamed with garlic butter! Ha

All in all, I'm just waiting it out till it gets closer to moving. Now I'll just chill. Watch some Netflix and read my chefing books. Life is good.

The Moving, Packing, headache

I've been packing and packing things as the days go by. I am using paper plates now since I packed all my dishware for my daughter along with my glassware. Its getting me started to getting used to living in a dorm room with no oven or stove. I don't need dishes or glasses. At 54 years old its pretty strange to be cutting my ties to even the simplest things. For one year I won't have an oven, stove or cooking area. For me this is unthinkable.

On the other hand, I am soooooo excited that its hard to explain. I'm reading chef books to prepare myself and finding out how much I DON'T know that it scares me. I recommend that everyone find something after 50 to excite them so much that it encourages them to forget about age and focus on creativity. That is what life is all about.

Cheers to all of you who are doing the most to create a life that is enjoyable and satisfying. That would be Andi and my baby girl Karen D.

A toast to all us Campos Family Clan!

Truck Driver Position Filled!

I finally found a guy to drive my moving truck up to San Fran! It wasn't easy and I have to purchase his flight back home. He's a family member that has actually been moving me since my 20's! We're all getting to old for this heavy lifting crappola. But he's on for One. Last. Time.

Everything should be fine, doncha think? No catnaps allowed in route!!

Weekend wit Da Goils!

Me and my girls had a LOT of fun in Porto Nuevo, Mexico. Drove down on Saturday morning and lunched at a fantastic rustic restaurant on lobster, shrimp, fried fish, and buckets of Mexican Beer, hand made tortillas, rice and beans, chips and salsa....what more could you want?

Then we did the street (dirt road) tour of all the shops and had even more fun clowning around. It was a great day. We stayed in Rosarito and spent the evening at Papas and Beer dancing and listening to all the music under the stars. We drove home at 8am the next day with a lot of memories to send me off to Culinary School happy. I love my girls. Mariah can BURP, Gaby cheats at table games, Michele is ALWAYS in charge and I was the tag along. Kinda.

I bought a couple of very colorful serving dishes for catering with color Mexican style. It was a fun weekend for all of us.

The Fish Market

I bought some fresh Sole yesterday for dinner last night. Just panfried it in butter and chopped fresh tomato with capers. Simple, but good. I found a decent artichoke at Whole Foods that I steamed too. Oh, I love artichokes. Right Paul? (he's artichoke challenged cuz he lives in Seattle). I would think that Pikes Market would have them....

Anyway, I didn't take a photo of my dinner but I added a picture I took when I was in Sicily a few years ago of the fish market in Palermo (or thereabouts). What a great trip that was.

Going to Mexico with my girls for the weekend so no posting till I return. We'll find nice hideaways to eat I'm sure.

Don't Buy Cheap Cheese!

Since I'm moving, I'm trying to buy ingredients in small quantities. For a recipe that I didn't think I'd need the ingredient again I purchased a small container of parmesan cheese. That Is The Last Time I Ever Cut Corners.

Trust Me. It Ain't Worth It !

Got Shrimp?

Oh Boy! I tried this recipe from Bon Appetit magazine that I found on Epicurious that is Really Good!! It has all my favorite ingredients and is EAZY to make ahead and serve later or the next day. I bought a bag of frozen uncooked-deveined shrimp with tails on at Costco or Trader Joes and my sweetpea daughter cooked some for herself and boyfriend when I was out of town. I had a few left and wanted something different than tossing them with pasta so I ran across this recipe. I used a lot less olive oil than they suggested and it helped for me. (plus cuts the calories) The best thing is NO BUTTER!

I bought some Garlic French Bread and toasted it with butter and parmesan cheese as something crunchy to eat it with. That and a cool glass of Savignon Blanc was a perfect dinner!

Here's the Link for you shrimp lovers http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/102468

When I marinated it overnight the oil gets sort of congealed so I heated the bowl with shrimp in the microwave for about 30 seconds, stir and add more seconds as you need. You don't want to reheat too much or the shrimp get hard and overcooked.

The "Sample" Dorm Room

Mumties face is very telling in this shot don't you think? Why would some idiot hang such a huge shoe tree over the door? How many shoes are necessary? Its going to take some fixin' to make my little patch of home look suitable for a year... I'm open to clever ideas. They already said No Painting the room. Maybe I'll redo it in padded walls. Something I'll need when I get claustrophobic and more insane.

Here are a couple more photos of the dorm room where I'll be hiding out during the school year. The school supplies the dresser, the wooden matchbox size desk and the miniature dwarf bed. I've got to squeeze in my baby refrigerator, microwave, heater, and toothpicks.

I'm not sure if all the bathrooms are this daring bold orange. I can only hope not. Good thing I'm not taller or I'd get calluses on my knees from sitting on the pody. At least I won't spend a lot of time mopping the floor.

Fortune Cookie Pays Out $$

Food for Thought Category

The U.S. Powerball lottery drawing of the March 30, 2005 game produced an unprecedented 110 second-place winners, all of whom picked five numbers correctly with no powerball number. The total came out to $19.4 million in unexpected payouts. 89 tickets won $100,000, but 21 additional tickets won $500,000 due to the Power Play multiplier option.[3]
Powerball officials initially suspected fraud, but it turned out that all the winners received their numbers from fortune cookies made by Wonton Food Inc.[4], a fortune cookie factory in Long Island City, Queens, New York. Apparently, number combinations printed on fortunes are reused in thousands of cookies per day. The five winning numbers were 22, 28, 32, 33, and 39. The sixth number in the fortune, 40, did not match the powerball number, 42.[3]

Fried Disappointment JUMBO Style!

Southern CA has been preparing for the Big Storm of the season for the last couple of days. Yesterday, late in the afternoon the clouds were darkening and I was getting excited. When you live in So. Cal. it NEVER rains (okay, occasionally). By 6pm it started to dribble a little. by 6:30 when I was going to dinner with my daughter it was dry.

When I got home around 9pm it was dry. WTF?! Storm Watch 2007?? I wanted to call the weather news studios and tell them to quit their day job. There was 1 (one) lightening bolt thing. A token heavy weather promise. One. The rain gods were throwing us a bone.

When I got up this morning it was dry until around 10:30 then it started to Rain. Real Rain. Not dribbles. Coming down in sheets. This was fun! I got to turn on the inside lights like a real winter day, got a sweater on and made my tea so I could thoroughly enjoy the wild weather. Then I got an idea to take pictures of the rain streaming outside my bathroom window b/c it looked so cool. By the time I got the camera locked and loaded it stopped. It got brighter, I turned off the lights, took off my sweater and opened the front door and windows again.

Southern California is the entire reason those fools sell CD's that sound like rain. We're probably the only people who buy them except for the brain dry people in Arizona in the summer. So. Cal peeps are Any Weather Challenged. I was planning to spend the day inside cuddled on the couch reading my novel. Now that its nice out I guess I'll get my list of errands done. (slow violins in background)

I can't wait till I move to SF! No. Cal. has REAL weather that lasts for days. And fog too.

The Academy Grill

I'm not sure yet if this is something only the students eat at or the public. Probably just the students since some students probably don't know squat about cooking and there could be some serious poo amongst some of the newbies. Heck, I've been cooking forever and I've made two serious mistakes, that no one lets me forget.

One was Vodka Soup and the other was some fish with a flaxseed crust. Good Grief. Do Not Try anything similar. I know this sounds kinda smug for the bazillion years I've been cooking but, hey, I got a horn for Christmas and I plan on using it!

I'll probably be annoyed at the "kids" who I have to "team up" with for team cooking. I will definitely live up to my blog name then. Darn spawn tadpoles.... I'm already in a cranky mood.

The uniform I will be required to wear is shown above by the 3 stooges. I have been plotting how to make mine unique in some unspeakably unfashionable way but the head chefs actually do uniform inspections on a regular basis. I'm glitter marker challenged now. Maybe I can wear neon panties and leopard bras.

I'm feeling better already.

The Culinary Academy, Polk St., San Francisco

Here is a photo of the front of the building - the entrance to the California Culinary Academy where I will be learning my skills. The building was the site of the old historic California Hall of 1912. Throughout the years it was many buildings including, most famously, a venue for up and coming musicians. Janis Joplin sang there and Jimmy Hendrix played at the classic nightspot.

Progress!

I found a storage site today for my remaining belongings. That is a BIG relief since I can't move without it ahead of time. You think it would be a breeze like I did but it is difficult to find someone who will "reserve" a space until the end of next month. One place would reserve until October 17th, one place I needed to check with them 7 days before moving in, ad nauseum. Finally we found one that would save a space until I moved in with no money down! My aunt (aka Mom) will be able to sign it up before I come up so I don't have to make another trip. Nice people.

I also went to scope out the Dorm Room for the Academy. Teeny Tiny but adequate. It is in a converted hotel (pics to come when I get home), which is conveniently located directly across the street from the school and has 24/7 security desk with a guard. Very reassuring since I'm in Downtown and not exactly a single woman wandering kind of neighborhood. Thank Gawd I have knife skills! opps...

I'll be heading back home Wednesday morning early so I can beat some of the traffic when I get to LA. Next project is to find a truck and some movers to pack it and someone on the destination point to unpack it.

The weather here is wonderful and cool. Just how I like it. I hope by the time I get back to Redondo Beach its going to be cooler than when I left. I hate working in the heat. Unless its over a big Gas stove!

Gonna run now. Family time. :))

My Daughters Favorite Chicken Dish

I cooked dinner for the family last night. Its easier to cook for more than myself. I didn't bring any recipes so I did old time favorites from my dusty brain. I'm sure many of you have a similar recipe since this one is so universal so don't expect anything exotic, just delicious.

I take a pint of sour cream, a cup of dry sherry and 1 can of cream of golden mushroom soup. (the store didn't have it so we sub'd with cream of chicken with roasted garlic). I mix these all together in a separate bowl. I take chicken thighs, (depends on who you're feeding but I used 6 for 4 servings here) and season them with marjoram, rosemary salt and pepper, then I place them on a warmed skillet sprayed with pam and with some olive oil added, just a bit so things don't stick. I brown them about 4-6 minutes over medium (we have electric here) turn them and brown the other side.

Once they are sufficiently browned, not fully cooked, I drain out the fat, add a bit of sherry to deglaze the pan then add the sauce and chicken back to the skillet and cover and cook for 30 minutes over medium. I don't walk away and ignore them or they will stick to the skillet so you have to turn them occasionally and baste them with the sauce. They're done when you poke them and no more red surfaces add another 5 minutes and serve over rice with some steamed broccoli for bright green color.

This morning I had the leftover rice with sauce - heated it up and put two over medium eggs on top for breakfast! It was really satisfying with my cup of tea.

No photo here as I thought the camera would get sauced and eaten once I plated it!! LOL

Base Camp - San Francisco

I drove from my Redondo Beach, CA home yesterday to "base camp" Millbrae, CA. My temp home until I get into the Culinary Academy's Dorm Room. It was a perfect driving day and I made it in 6 hours straight stopping only once for gas. I was greeted by my mom/aunt/godmother, my cousin, the superbly talented watercolor artist Guy, and my uncle John who always hides away a perfect bottle of red for these special visits.

"Mom" made lamb shanks in the slow cooker with plenty of osso bucco type sauce, a gremolata topping and nice lumpy semi mashed potatoes with parsley (garden grown) butter, salt and pepper which contained the sauce very well. It was falling off the bone GOOD. John served a Cabernet Savignon by Raymond Burr vineyards. It was a perfect pairing.

The weather is way cooler here than my place so it was nice to settle down from the long drive with a hearty meal since all I ate on the drive was an Ensure, a nectarine, an aisian pear, and a 1/4 of a club sandwich from the day before. I was real hungry when I got to the gas station so I bought M and M's with peanuts and a small bag of Ruffles with Sour Creme and Onion flavoring. Ugg. Burp.

Tomorrow I will head to the Academy via the BART to check out the dorm room demo and look for storage space for all my belongings somewhere near my mom's place in Millbrae.

I'll stay for a week then head back home for the final packing and moving. I should be here in Millbrae by the end of October and ready to hit school November 12th!

Getting closer! I'm getting more excited! Can't wait to play on the BIG GAS STOVES!! (read: big ass stoves) I've put up with freakin' electric for the past 24 years and I'm done with that!

Wow.... I'm amazed at myself. cool

In Remembrance - 9/11

I will never forget this day. The memory of it still overwhelms me. We were all affected by it emotionally, some physically, definitely mentally and sadder still, spiritually.

God bless our soldiers defending this country regardless of my political beliefs about our presence on foreign soil. Because of their sacrifices I am able to have my dream of becoming a chef, have a blog to express my thoughts without retribution and enjoy my family and friends in laughter and tears.

I wish they could all come home to their family and friends again soon.

Buck Fush.

Grumpy, grumpy

I'm in a KitchenBitchy mood today. Don mess wit me now. I don't have my stuff to cook with since most everything is packed. I'm getting frustrated trying to figure out what to eat with what I have.

I'm throwing in this photo to keep food hounds off my back for a while. I'd caption it "Turkey Thighs and Mashed Potatoes anyone?"

Great Cabbage Salad

I LOVE this salad. Its easy to make. Thinly slice some cabbage (I used a third of a half cabbage), add chopped green onions (I used 3) chopped cilantro (a handful) and some diced avocado (3/4 of one b/c I love avocados). I sprinkle garlic powder, salt, pepper to taste then squeeze lime juice (1 lime), vinegar and olive oil. I toss it then wrap it in saran wrap and put it in the refrigerator to blend the flavors. Should feed two.

I usually make it with my "Chicken with Hats" which is basically roasted chicken thighs with marjoram and rosemary, salt and pepper. Sometimes I add sliced garlic in between the skin and meat if I have time. I called them hats because the skin is so crispy that the skin comes right off like a hat. You have to put the chicken closest to the top of the oven to get it crispy like that. I usually don't eat the skin but it's soooo good and crispy! I also had to come up with interesting names for food so my young daughter would be more interested in eating it at 4 and 5 years old. She still refers to it as Chicken with Hats at 23 years old. Sometimes I'd serve it with "Little Trees" (broccoli) to interest her. I'm sure lots of young moms have resorted to this culinary subterfuge to get kids to eat.

At this point in my blog I'm doing the BASICS of my cooking recipes. Also because I'm packing my stuff daily and realize that I don't have the gadgets and tools I need for more elaborate stuff because they're packed.

Also, a lot of my friends, family have asked for the easiest stuff to make life easier. I won't be cooking too many unique things from now until I move to San Francisco for Culinary School.

Life is tasty.

Easy Summer Dish

Its been too hot to cook until today. I wanted something quick, easy and tasty. By definition that always has something to do with garlic for me.

I bought a couple of Pork Medallions at the market and a quick bag of microwave veggies. No fuss here. I seasoned the pork with oregano, basil, sea salt, garlic powder and fresh cracked pepper. I put it in a small pan with Pam spray and covered it on a bit lower than medium. The cover helps make some juice from the pork. I cooked them about 10 min. per side and checked the pork for doneness after to make sure when pricked that the juices ran clear.

I sprayed a glass pie dish with Pam and added the veggies, cut the bigger pieces so all were even shaped to cook evenly. The potatoes should have been cut smaller since they cook longer but I cooked them about 10 minutes more than the veggies in the end. Since it's so warm it was fine, not too hot. I added coarse cut garlic to the veggies and about 2 tblspns of melted butter, salt and pepper. I cook the veggies at 400 degrees for 10 minutes then toss them and cook for another 10 min.

Basically, there is little preparation time and in 20 minutes you're sitting down to eat. I like the pan juices when the pork is done so I added a splash of water (or red wine) to deglaze it and pour the juice over the medallions to keep them moist. Nothing I hate more than dry pork.

Easy, simple, yummy. Enjoy.