Musings of a pastry case

A letter I was thrilled to send

2011-07-27T23:01:00.000-07:00

Subj: A Long Overdue Update

Hello Fellow Food Bank Supporters!

I have now received all donations to the food bank, and as a result of the fundraiser dinner, I am able to transfer donations (including independent paypal contributions in my name) in the amount of $375 USD! I'm sure I don't have to tell you how amazing this is!

I'm really proud of everyone who contributed....I asked everyone to donate $10, and I suspect that most gave at least twice that!

I am SOOOO excited to be able to play a part in the success of the food bank, and also to be a tool in spreading the word of Chef Wasson's good work! I have already received follow up notes from a some people who attended the fundraiser, expressing their interest in continuing to support the food bank independently....This is humbling, and also makes me so proud!!!

As stated before, I fully intend to hold more fundraiser events....I may be able to get my workplace to donate groceries, which would be amazing.

Thank you so much for being a part of such a great cause...It means so much to have found an organization that I believe in and can help out!

Much Love and Thanks!!!

Kim

Not Quite Done....

2011-05-09T15:45:00.000-07:00

As you all know by now, The Tagum City Food Bank is near and dear to my heart. My Good friend, Chef David Wasson opened the first ever food bank in The Philippines last year. The Tagum City Food Bank is dedicated to feeding the severely malnourished children of Mindanao, and educating mothers on nutrition and maintaining healthy weight in their children. The organization has had many amazing successes, but they still need our help!

A...HEM.....SO!!! Please come out to a fundraiser dinner for The Tagum City Food Bank! I'll be making some delicious pork adobo, along with various other traditional dishes from The Phillippines, and my good friend Michel will be making her amazing lumpia, using her mother's authentic recipe! Please bring an appetite, as well as $10 (per person). Anything above and beyond the cost of ingredients will be donated directly to the food bank! (and 100% of all donations are used to buy rice for the kids! Win WIN, People!!!)

For more information about the food bank, and to donate independently, please go to the website:

http://tagumfoodbank.org/

At this point, the event will be held at my home, but depending on the number of RSVP's, it may be moved to a more suitable and roomy location! Please make sure to RSVP so that we know how much food to make, and also if the location needs to be changed!

I hope you all can make it out to catch up, enjoy some delicious food, and most importantly, to help David Wasson in his amazing efforts!

INFO:

Friday, June 24 · 5:30pm - 8:30pm

If you want to come out and support this amazing cause, please comment below and I will make sure you get the address!

Lend a Helping Hand

2011-04-15T21:34:00.000-07:00

My Good friend, Chef David Wasson opened the first ever food bank in The Philippines last year. The Tagum City Food Bank is dedicated to feeding the severely malnourished children of Mindanao, and educating mothers on nutrition and maintaining healthy weight in their children. The organization has had many amazing successes, but they still need our help!

I thought it would be helpful to get an exact idea of how little it takes to make a difference, and where exactly your donations would be going. Here's what Chef Wasson had to say:

"5 usd = 8 kilos of rice (we get the governments charity price for rice). Enough to feed a child for almost 3 weeks. 100% of all donations buys rice. It takes 10 to 12 weeks to completely restore a severely mal nourished child (down 40% of their body weight!!!!) to normal weight. So twenty dollars completely restores one child. This is the site where they can donate thru pay pal."

Please join me in helping Chef Wasson in his important work!

me...Me...ME...

2010-12-11T19:38:00.000-08:00

Alright, here's the list, for your reading and shopping pleasure:

Dressy Winter Coat
Mastering The At of French Cooking by Julia Child
Sock Monkey Hat
Amazing Grace Shampoo and Conditioner by Philosophy
A Homemade Life by Molly Wizenberg
Any Books by Heather B Armstrong
Fat Chances by Erin Shaw (my friend! She just published her book, and it's available in paperback!

And Den? NO AND DEN!!!

2010-11-24T22:36:00.000-08:00

So, it took me three tries to get logged into my blog account. I guess it's been awhile...If you're reading this, congratulations on holding out for THE AWESOME.

As usual, a lot has happened since my last post. Rather than continuing to avoid posting because I'm so overwhelmed by how much has gone on, I'm going to focus on the most recent events.

I graduated from pastry school! My last day of school was in August, but I still miss it every day. For my final showpiece project, I created an edible version of Starry Starry Night by Van Gogh - I think it turned out well.

After that, I had to take a performance test. I had two days, a total of 8 hours to make a 4-layer poured ganache genoise cake with chocolate filagree, 12 croissant, 6 plated mousse desserts with a sauce, garnish and tuille decoration, and 6 creme brulee. It was a lot of work, but amazing in the end. I decided to do a picnic theme, complete with sunflowers, red and white tablecloth, butterfly decorations and black plastic ant accents!

After a short but fun stint, the bakery closed down. There were several reasons things didn't work out, which I won't bore you with here. You just need to know that it was very sad for all of us who helped create such a wonderful space. The owners are going to keep the space for wholesale business, but have closed the retail side down due to limited retail business.

In the mean time...I found another job! I am now working at The Essential Baking Company, in the dessert production department. It is a great job, and I love everyone that I work with...jury is still out on whether this is the right place for me, long term. It's definitely a production focused job - great job security, and plenty of hours, but I'm still figuring out if the large scale stuff is really my cup of tea. Perhaps after the holidays when things are back to normal I can make a balanced judgment.

Nick and I celebrated our 5 year dating anniversary in August! Dare I say we are still as happy as the day we met??? Perhaps even MORE SO????? As usual, our Halloween costumes will be talked about for years to come. I'm still not sure how we come up with such great ideas at the last minute!

Nick is in the midst of his last year of law school at UW, and the most supportive of boyfriends when I come home ready to DIE after a 12 hour day on my feet. I've learned that he is amazing at hand massages, and really handy with a bottle of wine and an empty glass.

This week, during the busiest week of the busiest time of the baking year, Seattle got hit with a giant snow storm! I think most areas got 4 inches at most, YET it was pure insanity. Make fun all you want, but we have crazy crazy hills in Seattle, so driving is disastrous, no matter how well prepared drivers and the city may be. Sunday morning it started snowing, but didn't amount to much. Monday morning I awoke to an inch or so on the ground, but figured the work commute wouldn't be too much of an issue. I was an hour late to work due to bus schedules, but that was NOTHING compared to the commute home! Traffic was a total nightmare once the snow really started coming down...took me 4.5 hours to get home! First, the buses weren't running by my work, so I wound up WALKING about 3 miles to get into downtown Seattle, where I could catch a bus home....Finally got downtown, walking against the wind with ice pellets hitting me the entire time..brutal! So glad Nick talked me into wearing thermals under my clothing that morning, especially after I found out that the windchill brought the temp down to 9 degrees!

I managed to get a bus home, but I5 was totally gridlocked - My bus alternated between total standstill, and going about 2 mph. At one point we passed two vehicles sitting in the middle of the freeway, one giving the other a jump, because their battery had died in traffic! Then, one of the guys on the bus asked if he could step off to go to the bathroom, since we weren't moving anyway. Unfortunately the driver couldn't let him off because we were on the freeway, but the poor guy was so desperate. Someone on the bus offered him a water bottle to pee into! The driver made an announcement, and his very understanding and amused travel companions moved away from the back of the bus so that he could have some privacy.

The driver finally decided to detour and took an early exit....where we got stuck behind a stalled car. The bus driver got out and helped push the car out of the way. As she was walking back to the bus, two cars cut in front of us, and they proceeded to also stall! Oy!!! We FINALLY got out of that mess, and were making pretty good speed down the road, when the bus got stuck on a bit of an incline....we all packed on the back of the bus to try to weigh down the back wheels to help with traction, which seemed to be helping, but then the chains broke! I was a few miles from home at this point, and Nick came and saved me (he's currently driving an all wheel drive vehicle, thank goodness!)

Once home and warm, Nick made me a chili dog, and poured me a glass of wine! Such a pleasant way to end that commute!

And now? Now we prepare for Thanksgiving! Nick's parents are doing most of the cooking, but I am in charge of a dessert item, and Nick is in charge of a side. I wanted to make a less traditional dessert, so I'll be going with a chocolate peanut butter cream pie, and Nick wanted to do a slightly less heavy side, so orzo salad it is!

What are you thankful for this year? I'm thankful for the off-route bus driver who took pity on my cold, nearly lifeless body after work, and also for Nick's skills at making BLTs. Mmmmmm.

An Update on What I've Been Doing

2010-05-28T21:17:00.000-07:00

The bakery is open! Our soft open was today, and it was quite the success! I had school during the early afternoon, so I wasn't at the bakery to help out until 2pm, but from the sounds of things, we had several rushes and put out a lot of product!

There are **3** articles that have already been published - we're a hit!

The West Seattle Herald

Cakespy!!!

The West Seattle Blog

If you're in the Seattle area and in the mood for a treat, please stop by and check out the amazing space!

Hours of Operation:
Wed-Sat 7a-7p
Sun 7a-3p

Address:
2604 California Ave SW
Seattle, WA 98116

An Amusing Story, and then Part II of my Age Trilogy

2010-05-25T20:47:00.000-07:00

Nick and I took a trip to San Diego to visit his grandmother for Christmas this year. Nick's mom was kind enough to purchase our tickets, knowing we were poor students with some time to kill.

While we were there I had the opportunity to meet some of Nick's mom's highschool friends. One friend in particular she was really excited to see, as it had been many many years since their last reunion. I asked her to describe her friend. She reflected for a moment and said, "She is like the finest leather handbag."

I realized quickly after meeting this person, that she couldn't have been described better on more than one level. She the type of person that you appreciate and never want to part with. She also happens to have the skin of a fine leather handbag. Years of salt water and sun from surfing on the most beautiful beaches have left her looking about 20 years older than Nick's mom.

Segue to ME.

I'm turning 30 in just under 2 months! July 24, to be exact. I have needs! Age related needs, if you will. I have recently come to the realization that everything I desire for my birthday is directly related to skin care. I blame it on my girlfriend who is an Aesthetician. (I need a new camera lens too, but let's FOCUS**, People!)

1. Skin Ceuticals Gentle Cleanser
2. Phytomer Rosee Visage Toner
3. Phytomer Purifying Serum
4. Phytomer Instant Moisture Cream
5. Skin Ceuticals Daily Sun Defense
6. MD Forte Hydra Mask
7. Skin Ceuticals Eye Renewal Gel

So, there it is. You know what to do. I left links out because I don't know the cheapest place to find these products - I trust your Google skills.

**Pun TOTALLY unintentional...didn't even realize it was there until I went back to re-read my post!

Advanced Deco: Fancy Cakes Edition

2010-05-15T10:49:00.001-07:00

Apparently I am on a flower kick, because I just can't get enough of these:

This cake has imprinted fondant sides and is covered with white poured ganache. Decorated with marzipan roses.

Triple chocolate ganache cake decorated with modeling chocolate roses.

This is a flower arrangement I made for my theory class. Gumpaste flowers, a rye dough basket and modeling chocolate "tissue paper" and bow.

A close-up of my flowers.

What I've Been Doing

2010-05-03T16:59:00.000-07:00

So, it's been a little crazy. Crazy *exciting*, that is! I have a job! At a real live bakery! Well, almost. First the bakery has to open. That's right, I'm helping open a bakery!

I count my lucky stars that I stayed in touch with someone who graduated from my program last summer. She and I have become good friends since, and I was the first person she thought of when she and her boss decided to expand from selling pretzels at farmers' markets to opening a retail space.

Queue: Heavenly Pastry and Cake

It has been a fun process, and more work than I ever could have imagined. We took over an old newspaper office, so much needed to be done to fit into the owner's vision. Walls were taken down, new walls put in, plumbing installed, painting, drywall...you name it! We're done with all the painting, and currently the space is being taken over by contractors of every kind imaginable. Once all the "dusty" work is done we can get to work finishing the tables and chairs!

Open date is slated for May 15th - confirmation and more info to come!

Staying Home To Make Pancakes > Going To School

2010-04-16T10:19:00.000-07:00

Yet another recipe, courtesy of Orangette:

Oatmeal Pancakes

Adapted from the Inn at Fordhook Farm

2 cups rolled oats
2 cups buttermilk
½ cup all-purpose flour
2 Tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. table salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted but not hot
Vegetable oil or spray, for greasing the pan
Maple syrup, for serving

The night before: Combine the oats and buttermilk in a medium bowl. Stir to mix. Cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate overnight.

The morning of: Take the bowl of buttermilk and oats out of the fridge. Set aside. In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

Add the eggs and melted butter to the oat mixture, and stir well. Add the flour mixture, and stir to blend. The batter will be very thick.

Warm a large nonstick skillet or griddle over medium-high heat, and brush (or spray) with vegetable oil. Scoop the batter, about a scant ¼ cup at a time, onto the pan, taking care not to crowd them. When the underside is nicely browned and the top looks set around the edges, flip the pancakes. Cook until the second side has browned. Re-grease the skillet, and repeat with more batter. If you find that the pancakes are browning too quickly, dial the heat back to medium.

Serve hot, with maple syrup.

Yield: about 12 pancakes, or 3 to 4 servings

In Loving Memory

2010-04-10T16:05:00.000-07:00

Daniel Janzer - 10/4/1950 - 3/25/2010. A great friend and step-father who had a true sense of adventure.

Valentine's Day

2010-02-13T18:54:00.000-08:00

Chance meeting: over moving boxes and a crock pot.

1st Date: "sometime in August", 2005 - a party at Golden Gardens park with a late night/early morning breakfast at Minnie's Cafe. Conversation included, "I'll get this, and you can pay next time.".

Dating: 4.5 years.

A Delicious Day Off

2010-01-18T12:54:00.001-08:00

Thanks to my mom's post about stuffed french toast, Nick and I simply couldn't go on without making some of our own. Since I didn't have any cream cheese on hand, I went with the un-stuffed variety, but next time around I'll make sure I have the cream cheese!

A few points:

My mom followed the recipe over at The Flour Alchemist, which calls for blending vanilla extract in with the cream cheese. If you're using cherry topping like my mom did, I would definitely recommend using almond extract instead of vanilla - cherry and almond go beautifully together! Also, I would probably blend some of the strained cherries into the filling, then just use the juice as a syrup on top - I love a chunky filling!

Now, for my un-stuffed version, I decided to use a topping that I learned at school, homemade moreno cherries. The most amazing thing you've ever tasted - it will change your life, I promise.

Moreno Cherries

3 cups frozen cherries
1/2 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup light corn syrup
1/4 cup honey
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 tablespoon almond extract

Put all ingredients in a sauce pan and simmer on low, stirring occasionally, until sugar has dissolved and sauce is thickened.

I served this on top of my french toast, but it would also be excellent on ice cream or cheese cake. It also saves really well in the refrigerator.

New Favorite Site!

2010-01-16T12:03:00.000-08:00

Via Jewshi:

"I could almost cry brothy tears just thinking about that fact that the majority of Americans think ramen is nothing more than a 10 cent packet of culinary desperation, eaten primarily and shamefully by college students who'd rather spend their parent-supplied grocery money on cases of Keystone Ice."

My List

2010-01-03T13:25:00.000-08:00

In no particular order:

1. Try out at least one new recipe each week - I have a collection of bookmarked recipes in new cookbooks, as well as an entire file of printouts and emails saved with recipes that I have yet to try!

2. Lose 40 pounds by my birthday.

3. Keep the weight off for the rest of the year.

4. Maintain a company-ready level of clean at home.

5. Expand my daily clothing choices to more than jeans and tshirts.

6. More yoga, less sitting. More rice, less pasta. More healthy beverages, less booze.

7. Send out more timely thank-you notes.

Share your list in the comments!

Today's Lovely Thing

2009-08-25T13:38:00.000-07:00

If you do nothing else today, watch this video!

In the words of Dooce, This is not the official video, but something someone made in his spare time out of the love of what he does. I don't know much about this guy, his name is Gabe Askew, but I hope whoever employs him pays him a lot of money.

Two Weeks - Grizzly Bear from Gabe Askew

How unbelievable and beautiful is that?

Awwww Yeah!

2009-08-22T16:31:00.000-07:00

I'm on summer break! Even though my program goes for the full year, there's a 5 week break between summer and fall quarters. I'm on day 2 and have already had to remind myself what day it is. Probably a good sign of my stress level.

My sister Michelle came up for the weekend for a cake tasting! She is getting married next weekend and is brave enough to let me tackle the cake. She came up with her fiance and they loved everything, but somehow managed to limit themselves to 3 flavors. We're going with almond cake with lemon curd filling, vanilla cake with strawberry buttercream filling, and german chocolate with coconut pecan filling. Sounds delightful, no?

After they left to go back home to Portland this afternoon, I checked the mail and was happy to see an item I have been waiting for...a letter from the financial aid department at school! Opened it and I am just OVER THE MOON! They are giving me enough in grant money to fully cover tuition for the next 3 quarters!

Things are good!

Wishing the buttercream roses trend would come back to the cake world

2009-08-14T13:51:00.000-07:00

The best of school this week.....Roses and multi-colored pearls were all hand-painted!

Cake Party!!

2009-08-05T18:03:00.000-07:00

Had to share pictures of the totally adorable cakes that I made this week. They totaled about 2 inches tall - SO CUTE. Of course, the small size made the decorating especially tedious - but the results made it totally worthwhile.

If It's Too Hot in The Kitchen....

2009-07-30T20:55:00.001-07:00

I recently celebrated my 29th birthday! My friend Zak offered to host a party at his house so that I could invite more people to celebrate. I had a summer dress-up cocktail and Hors D'Oeuvers party. About 25 people showed up, all with amazing offerings of appetizers, wine and cocktail fixings! Unfortunately no one took pictures at the party, but trust me, it was an amazing time!

One of the best gifts I received was from Nick, of course. I have been talking about betta fish for some time --- he surprised me on my birthday with a whole setup for two! I have a red and a blue. They're in the same tank, but there's a plastic grate between, so they can't get at each other -- not that attempts haven't been made! They have natural rocks and they each have their own houseplant! I'd like to introduce you to Bebop and Rocksteady:

The coolest fish ever! I've mentioned the attempted aggression - they are both pretty fiesty! They both come up to the glass when I touch it, and they even come up to the surface for a pet when I dangle my finger in the water!

As most of you know, we're having a bit of a heat wave in the NW these days. Last Wednesday hit 103 in my neighborhood, 112 not too far away. Friday only hit 99 and it was a bit of a relief, actually. It's currently 80 degrees at 9pm. Crazy by normal standards, but damn refreshing in Seattle these days.

Of course, when it rains it pours, so to speak. Last week when we were in the midst of our high temps, the AC went out at school. Let me remind you that my schooling involves baking. with ovens. hot ovens. lots of them.

In spite of the heat, amazing things are happening. Take Exibit A:

Unfortunately this is not my handiwork, but a fellow student. One day... ;>

To beat the heat, Nick and I took an overnight trip to Anacortes, WA this weekend. We have a friend who has parents who own a house. What an amazing trip. Beautiful house on amazing property, right on a serene lake. We were there for less than 24 hours, but felt we had been gone for several days by the end. It was so rejuvinating, it seemed we had been on a mini vacation! While we were there, our friend Zak took this great shot:

So, that's this week's update! I hope it has been as enjoyable to read as it has been to retell!

Holy Update, Batman!

2009-07-18T18:33:00.000-07:00

Good grief, has it really been that long??? I've received a number of comments lately that my site updates are particularly enjoyable, which has only made me feel guilty, regardless of the intent!

SO! Nick and I took a really amazing trip at the beginning of the summer! We went camping for a week and saw some really cool things. We started our trip at Glacier National Park, and ended at Jasper National Park, with a midway stop at Banff National Park. It was quite the week! I took some great pictures, as evidenced below. Also, as an added bonus, we stopped at campgrounds the entire way, so we're a good reference for what is good and what isn't worth your time along the way!

For more great pictures from the trip, please visit my Flickr album.

Also, I have been baking! No big surprise, I'm sure! I hosted a cake tasting for some very good friends who are getting married in September. I made and decorated 6 different cakes - we celebrated with champagne! The happy couple were made even happier with my creations, and they walked away with 3 flavor choices for their special day! I also made graduation cake for a friend. Rather than making a typical graduation sheet cake, I decided to make something to fit the barbeque theme:

Yes, those are made out of cake, and yes, I did fool a few people! I had several moms stop me on the way to our picnic site to take a look at my creations, and I had more than one person tell me that if I hadn't been in attendance they would have been totally fooled!

So, that's what I've been up to...Oh! And my garden, of course:

I have four MONSTER tomato plants - I can see tons of tomatoes, and they aren't even ripe yet - can't wait to see what my harvest will be once they start turning color and I can actually see them in that mess! I also have a red pepper plant, basil, parsley, rosemary, thyme and strawberries!

What a Girl Wants

2009-06-18T23:30:00.001-07:00

It's birthday time again! My special day is right around the corner! This year's list:

Shampoo and Conditioner. My favorite right now!
Gift Card for Victoria's Secret. I am poor and need new underwear.
Gift Card for Old Navy. I am poor and need new jeans - Old Navy is one of the only places I'm guaranteed to find jeans that fit for a good price.
Any jewelry made by my good friend. She makes amazing stuff!
Cash Money!!! As most of you know, I am a poor student these days. Would be great to have some money to go towards tuition and/or books and/or groceries!
Please note that I do not have any room for kitchen items!!! I know it's super tempting when you find something interesting, but I seriously don't have anywhere to put it! (I'm currently storing some items in my bedroom closet!!!)

Product Placement

2009-05-30T19:26:00.001-07:00

Nick and I are driving home from breakfast, and as we're pulling up to a red light we see a bumper sticker that says, "Nice truck. Sorry about your small penis". Three cars later, at the same red light, a 4X4 "off road" truck with a window sticker that says, "It's not how deep you fish, it's how you wiggle your worm."

Huh.

Connection

2009-05-29T22:23:00.000-07:00

I'm walking to the bus stop downtown to catch my next bus and I notice a sweet smoke smell - reminiscent of camp fire. I spend several minutes trying to figure out what on earth would be burning in downtown Seattle at 6am that would cause that smell. Finally look over to see a man with a fire extinguisher who has just put out a fire in a newspaper box. A newspaper box that I walked by on my way to the bus stop. I start to recall incidents where I have slept through and/or not noticed things like earthquakes and ants nests.

Who Knew Legos Could Be So Amusing...

2009-05-23T10:23:00.000-07:00

Cake or Death (via Cakewrecks)

A Past Due Update

2009-05-18T09:13:00.000-07:00

First, my most recent Facebook Status, for those of you who aren't on Facebook:

"Suggested orange tea cakes instead of lemon. After some convincing Chef let us experiment with the recipe. The next day he tried our new creation and liked it! He said, "Kim, I think you're on to something!", then made orange tea cakes a regular part of the weekly rotation. The End. PS - King of the lab!!!"

And, some pictures!

Hat Cakes:

We got about halfway through decorating the second one before it really started to take on the Minnie Pearl vibe...so we threw the price tag on for good measure.

And purse cakes!

Apparently accessory cakes are HUGE around Mother's Day....

Endearing

2009-05-12T17:37:00.000-07:00

"I take this class because I want to get more knowledge about the nutrition. In this way, I can have a chance to serve my future customers more knowledgeable in cooking the delicious dishes."

Heads Up

2009-04-18T14:15:00.000-07:00

School is going well and I'm learning a LOT of neat stuff. Check out the bagels I made at home today:

So, going forward, if you're invited over to my place for brunch, you probably won't want to miss it!

Plan C???

2009-04-06T17:33:00.000-07:00

I just received the unfortunate news that a second cosigner for my student loan was not approved. Anyone out there with good credit wanna put their financial future on the line and help me get funding for school?

In Passing

2009-03-31T17:03:00.000-07:00

IM Conversation:

Me: Ah! I'm brilliant!
T: ?
Me: So...I have an idea for a "alcohol abuse affects those around you" commercial
Me: It opens with a couple having a party...so many people bring beer that they have to store it in a cooler out on the deck...
Me: One night, the boyfriend decides to get a beer.
Me: We'll call him Nick
T: ok...
Me: The next morning, the girlfriend gets out of bed and sees a soaking wet, very unhappy cat locked out on the deck.
Me: We'll call the girlfriend "Kim" and the cat "Cricket"
T: Ahhahaaha
Me: Dood. She won't come out of hiding from the litter box.
T: Oh man
T: Poor cat
T: lol

Like Fresh Snow Without Footprints

2009-03-23T17:39:00.000-07:00

I started school last week and I'm really really enjoying it. I've always hated school, but the passion I have for what I'm doing seems to make all the difference. I made enough chocolate chip cookie dough this week to bake 1,000 cookies! I learned a new recipe and put my own spin on it at home over the weekend!

I'm on spring break for the next week and a half, though it won't be too much of a break for me - I have 15 dozen cupcakes to bake for a wedding this week. This is something that I would dread to a certain extent if I were still working full time at my office job, but now that baking is my whole focus, I'm really excited to get started!

Don't get me wrong, there are certainly some challenges. Take for example my alarm that goes off at 4:30am. No, seriously. 4:30am every single morning. It's all I can do to keep my eyes open until 8pm at night! Anyone who knows me even a little bit would tell you what an anti-morning person I am, but I've been getting up to my alarm every morning, sometimes even waking up 5-10 minutes before it goes off!

Then there are the other students. Let me be the first to tell you if you don't already know: There is a HUGE difference between 28 and 18. HUGE. There are a variety of ages in my program, including retirees, career changers, and those fresh out of high school, and it seems that the later is the majority. Lockers are decorated with pictures of characters from High School Musical. Conversation consists of Britney Spears and "My parents suck so bad you don't even KNOW." (Nevermind that said parents are paying your full tuition AND letting you live at home rent-free AND driving you to and from school every day. God.)

But. I digress.

So, school is awesome sofar. Here's hoping that it's not just the same way I feel about a new job until the novelty wears off.

A First 1st!

2009-03-06T17:03:00.001-08:00

Birthday, that is! Check out the pictures of the 1st birthday cake I made for friend's daughter:

And...what post would be complete without pictures of cupcakes I made for a wedding tasting???

Moving Right Along....

2009-03-02T16:12:00.000-08:00

So, I wasn't kidding about the school thing. I registered for classes this morning, and I'm so excited I could pee my pants! Classes are as follows:

Pastry Orientation
Breads 1
Cookies 1
Cakes 1
Pies
French Pastry 1
Sanitation
Nutrition

French Pastry 1....it just sounds awesome, no?

Get Thee To The Seafood Counter!

2009-02-17T17:59:00.000-08:00

My new favorite recipe, courtesy of The Wednesday Chef, courtesy of Orangette:

Roasted Broccoli with Shrimp
Serves 4

2 pounds broccoli, cut into bite-size florets
4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) extra virgin olive oil
1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds (or 1/2 teaspoon ground)
1 teaspoon whole cumin seeds (or 1/2 teaspoon ground)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/8 teaspoon hot chili powder
1 pound large shrimp, shelled and deveined
1 1/4 teaspoons lemon zest (from 1 large lemon)
Lemon wedges, for serving

1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees. In a large bowl, toss broccoli with 2 tablespoons oil, coriander, cumin, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper and chili powder. In a separate bowl, combine shrimp, remaining 2 tablespoons oil, lemon zest, remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper.

2. Spread broccoli in a single layer on a baking sheet. Roast for 10 minutes. Add shrimp to baking sheet and toss with broccoli. Roast, tossing once halfway through, until shrimp are just opaque and broccoli is tender and golden around edges, about 10 minutes more. Serve with lemon wedges, or squeeze lemon juice all over shrimp and broccoli just before serving.

My side note: Don't skip the lemon at the end! Also, though it seems like a small amount of liquid for the broccoli, don't double it! Just stick with the recipe as is, and you'll thank me later.

Seriously, guys, this is awesome. I found the recipe and it looked easy for a weeknight. Plus, Nick was gone***, so I could get away with cooking seafood (I was willing to put up with the complaints of "fish smell" when he got home in order to try it out). I have literally made this 3 times in the last 2 weeks - it's that good. I've hit the seafood counter at the grocery store, and even splurged at Pike Place Market once for uber fresh prawns. It doesn't seem to matter - I bet it would be just as good with thawed out prawns from the frozen aisle if that is more cost effective for you.

Unfortunately you will have to go to The Wednesday Chef to see pictures - I couldn't stop eating long enough to take a sip of wine, much less to take a picture!

***I've since made just the broccoli portion with a lemon chicken dish for Nick. I think oven roasted broccoli might be my new favorite thing!

Y'all's Just Jealous!

2009-02-12T18:32:00.000-08:00

I suspect this would crack me up even if I weren't on The Wine.

superpoop.com

Friday Photos

2009-01-23T10:40:00.001-08:00

These are some amazing shots from the inauguration - some very cool perspectives.

This Year

2009-01-22T13:48:00.000-08:00

Remember this post? I did eventually receive them, and I still have them. They're just lovely.

Now I'd like one of these bouquets. Just as cool as the last ones, but much cheaper.

Sweetie?

At Least It's Still January

2009-01-21T09:57:00.000-08:00

Alright, 2008 reflection piece!

Daunting, yes.

Where to start? I guess January 2008?

This would be so much easier if I kept a journal! I guess this site is a journal of sorts, but I certainly don't keep it updated as much as I should.

Okay, January. Oh! Yes, I remember now. January started out with unemployment! So, as you may remember, I was laid off from my last job the day after Christmas. It was a nice break, actually, what with the severance pay to cover the bills. I was diligent in my online job search and found new employment within 2 weeks. I did enjoy my two weeks of afternoon wine drinking and CSI marathons!

The job has been....well...interesting. I feel like I've learned a lot, both about administrative work and how to deal with very difficult people. There have been times I've wanted to pull a Starbucks and walk, but I've stuck it out for a year now. There have been some great times - some of the people that I work with are absolutely wonderful to be around. I've made some amazing friends during my time here.

To celebrate my one year anniversary, I've decided to move on! A conversation with Nick over Thanksgiving weekend brought about a decision that will change the course of my career. You all know that I have my baking business, which is a lot of fun for me, but I feel that there are some missing elements that would make it that much more successful. I'm going back to school in the spring! I'll be taking a pastry and specialty baking program for the next year. I'll learn new techniques and even get some business management classes in!

So, that's new.

Summer brought some interesting health issues to our household. Remember summer of 2007, when I got all sick with an abscess on my backside and had to stay in the hospital for a week? Apparently this is an annual occurrence which has rotating victims! Nick had something very similar this last year. His was technically a Pilonidal Cyst, which is in the same general area, but a bit higher, and in my opinion, a bit grosser. Of course, I guess I didn't really see mine on a regular basis, but WOW. Luckily Nick's was caught before his ass had a lump the size of a small cantaloupe, so there wasn't a hospital stay, but that didn't really make matters any easier for him in the long run. Imagine not being able to sit upright or lay on your back for 3 weeks straight. Yeah. Good times. Because of the location of his wound, I had the privilege of playing nurse for those three weeks, changing out the gauze twice daily.

I can now say from experience, that seeing your loved ones in a wounded state is very hard to take. Remember the CSI marathons in the first paragraph? I can handle blood and guts, but when you're dealing with them in relation to someone that you care about, it's very difficult on an emotional level. It's especially hard when what you're doing to help is causing more pain!

On a more positive note, summer also brought an anniversary! Nick and I celebrated 3 years in August. It's been a great three years, I must say! There's been a lot of good times! Traveling, cooking, Scrabble marathons, heartfelt conversations, laughing at stupid jokes. (and seriously people, there have been some bad jokes to laugh at). We've seen some friends start relationships, some get married, some having babies and even some getting divorced over the years. All the while, we sort of float along and get excited for the end of the day when we can sit down with a glass of wine, good food and maybe a little unexpected butt grab.

Fall brought a trip to Africa for Nick! He had the amazing opportunity to fly out to Togo to visit a friend from high school stationed there for the Peace Corps. They had an amazing trip and Nick took some really great pictures. He brought me back pretty things, of course, along with tons of great stories. Perhaps one day he can get everything organized enough to guest post here! Unfortunately he's ridiculously busy....

Because....

Nick started at the UW Law School in September! So far things are going well. He participated in a mock trial competition and went all the way to the championship! I was able to go out to see him in action for the semi finals and the championship - I'd say he's definitely in his element in the courtroom! (of course, it helps that he looks damn good in a suit!)

November brought pride and inspiration with the election of our first black president. I watched the inauguration yesterday and some of the celebrations last night - what an amazing time to witness. A lot of peoples' hopes are resting on him, and I'm sure that must be incredibly overwhelming. I look forward to seeing the positive changes he can make over the years.

Winter brought the holidays, which were just lovely. We ate a lot of ridiculously good food and received some truly amazing gifts. My family doesn't live close by, so I count myself fortunate that I'm able to enjoy the holidays with Nick's wonderful family. His grandmother flew up from San Diego for Christmas and she was able to stay for an entire week. It was great to see her and spend the holidays together.

Well, I think that about covers our whirlwind 2008!

In closing, I feel like I've grown in so many ways this year. Most of the growing has been a result of those around me, and I am so thankful for those people. Now I look forward to 2009 and all the crazy amazing things that could happen.

Telling Text Message

2009-01-17T16:10:00.000-08:00

Jesus Christ. Good thing I don't want kids. Trying to use the new steam cleaner on the couch. First, couldn't get the cap off the reservoir. It finally went, unexpectedly, causing me to knock over the solution, which exploded all over me. Clean that up. During cleaning, try to figure out why spray is going sideways. Spray self in face. Tasty.

UPDATE - Sent the following morning:

Oh my god. There is something seriously amiss with my karma. Steam cleaned the entire couch yesterday. This morning I woke up and one of the cats had puked all over the center cushion. Awesome.

So Close

2008-12-31T09:58:00.001-08:00

I'm working on a "reflection" piece for the new year. In the mean time, I'd say this is about right.

Snow Day

2008-12-22T11:20:00.000-08:00

Looks like we might get a white Christmas this year - which is exciting even if it is old snow....

Keeps Gettin' Better

2008-12-12T09:28:00.000-08:00

Hallway conversation:

K: I keep smelling cinnamon around the office.
R: Oh, yeah. They put a cinnamon air freshener in the women's bathroom!

I'm then called into my bosses office:

B: I bet they're trying to cover up bad smells coming from the drain.
K: Well, there's always an air freshener in there - I think the cinnamon is just more festive.
B: Well, you know, if you let a floor drain get dry, it starts to smell really bad.
K: Yeah, I think I knew that.
B: I think you need to go in once a week and pour a bottle of water down the drain to keep the smell down.
K: Um, well, have you talked to building maintenance about this?
B: Yeah, I mentioned it. I go into the men's every week and do that - it really keeps the smell down.
K: Uh-Huh.

Last Minute

2008-12-08T13:06:00.000-08:00

Still looking for that perfect gift for me??? As Nick and I were decorating our tree last weekend I remembered that the last two Christmases I worked at a company who's CEO gave out the annual edition Swarovski Crystal ornaments. I have 2006 and 2007. I would like 2008 please.

Thank you.

Tis The Season

2008-12-03T09:23:00.000-08:00

I could watch this over and over again.

And This!

2008-11-24T10:12:00.000-08:00

Remember when I posted about this site? Well, Orangette has a book coming out in March! I want this book. Think on it.

Not Extreme Cakes, But...

2008-11-23T15:58:00.001-08:00

Pictures from a dessert party that I hosted - there were a total of nine different desserts, all made by yours truly:

Chocolate cake with raspberry filling and chocolate cream frosting
Almond cake with lemon curd filling and vanilla buttercream
Pecan tarts with chocolate drizzle
Carrot cupcakes with cream cheese frosting
Cheesecake bites with orange cream buttercream
Apple pie
Pecan pie
Oatmeal cookies
Nutmeg shortbread

Comforting, To Say The Least

2008-11-21T10:28:00.001-08:00

A few months ago, someone introduced me to Orangette. I love this site. Unfortunately she does not update her posts daily, but when she does, it's always spot-on.

This was truly the best time of year to come across this site. All comfort food, all the time. (for now...) I've tried out several of her recipes, and they're wonderful every time. Now when she posts about something out of the ordinary, I don't hesitate before running to the grocery store. Her recipes are simple, inexpensive (except in the case of a really delicious triple cream cheese or two....), and oh-so-delightful.

Of course the conversations are always entertaining.

"What are you making?"
"You'll see. It's going to be epic."

chopping, braising, serving....

"Um, what the hell is this??"
"Just try it. Trust me on this one."
"Wow. That's really good."

Every time. Seriously.

I haven't tried out her most recent recipe - just not in the mood for a crisp refreshing salad, but her others are good enough to make again and again until the salad craving kicks in.

The ones I've tried (which are now favorite recipes):

Tomato Soup with Red Onion and Cilantro Stems
(Finally, a reason to keep the stems!)

Lima Beans in Cream
(Don't question it. Just make it and try not to cry when you taste it.)

Savoy Cabbage Gratin
(Melty deliciousness....)

So, get to it, and thank me when you're done.

The Next Chapter

2008-11-18T15:42:00.000-08:00

1. Kim, you need to be more mindful of what you're doing when you're sitting at the front desk. When you put your elbow up and rest your chin in your hand, it makes you look tired. You don't want to be giving off the impression that you're tired at work.

I don't think the UPS guy gives a shit if I'm tired. And since he's the only one who ever comes in the front door.....

2. Wow. We went through a lot more toner than usual this last month, Kim. Maybe you should start keeping an eye out when people are using the printer to try to get an idea of what it's being used for.

Yeah. Better yet, why don't I send out a memo asking everyone to email me when they're about to print something so that I can run down the hall to watch what comes out of the machine!

Extreme Cakes?

2008-11-16T11:09:00.000-08:00

Okay, now this is just cool. Thank you cakewrecks for sharing this video!

And here's where you can see the behind-the-scenes stuff. Brings extreme cakes to a new level!

Ahead of Schedule

2008-11-06T08:45:00.000-08:00

Is it too early to post Christmas present ideas?

These are so pretty! I love everything in their collection, but the cake plates are especially tempting.
Still holding out for this shower set.
Gift Cards! Business as usual: Here. Here. Here.
I'm planning to expand my garden next year. A couple of these would be awesome.

Alright, that's all I have for now.

I'm Just Sayin'....

2008-11-05T12:33:00.001-08:00

For those of you who are angry, shocked, ashamed and sickened....You're about 4 years behind schedule.

This is "An historic moment that none of us will ever forget.
...I'm sorry, but this is a day a lot of people never thought they'd see...what a monumental moment for America."

~As stated by The Superficial Writer, and felt by a land-slide inducing majority.

Stuck in The Middle

2008-11-04T15:49:00.001-08:00

Email conversation:

Me to J: So, the manuals I shipped to you yesterday were damaged by UPS. They're sending them back to us. I know you needed them for your training - any thoughts?

J to Me: Go ahead and send me four more - next day air

Me to D: J's asked if I can send replacements next day air. Assuming I need approval due to cost of shipping.

D to Me: No, just send them ground. The classroom portion is where they use the training manuals, and that finished today.

Me to J: D says I can just send them ground since you're done with the classroom portion of training.

J to Me: No, ground shipping won't get them here until next week - I'd like them to arrive before I head back home.

Me to D: J wants the manuals before he leaves the site.

D to Me: Ground will be fine. J will just have to tell the trainees that the manuals will arrive next week.

Me to J: Alright. This isn't working. D says they need to go ground. You will have to discuss this further with D directly if you want them sent next day air.

J's Manager to Me: I just received an email from J. Please just send the manuals next day air.

OH MY GOD THE HELL!!!!

Weekend Recap!

2008-11-02T16:23:00.000-08:00

We had a good weekend. Halloween was tons o' fun, and the costumes were low-stress:

I find it amusing that Nick and I never mean to have coordinating costumes, but somehow always manage to!

Saturday evening was a surprise 75th birthday party for Nick's grandfather. I was asked to make dessert - German Chocolate Cake - his favorite! I was happy with how it turned out looks-wise, and he was thrilled with the taste factor!

Recently....

2008-10-24T20:26:00.000-07:00

1. "What do you have planned this weekend?"

"I'm making cheesecakes for a wedding. The rest of the year is going to be pretty crazy for my baking business!"

"Hm. About that. I don't think you should be broadcasting side endeavors at the office. This is your full time job, and that's all you should be talking about while you are here."

Verdict: Work is stifling, to say the least.

2. "I don't know whether to laugh or cry. I'm on the bus with 25 pounds of cream cheese. Thank you Baby Jesus for sturdy canvas shopping bags!"

"Wait. 25 pounds of cream cheese??"

"Yeah. I ran out and I have to finish these 100 cheesecakes so they can be picked up tomorrow. Is it too early to drink wine???"

"I'd say it's the perfect time to open a bottle of wine! Hang on. My mom wants the phone."

"Hi Kim, how are you? Ummm...HOW MUCH CREAM CHEESE????"

Verdict: I work too hard for my money.

Foodie

2008-10-19T23:17:00.000-07:00

As posted on Confessions of a Young Woman:

The Omnivore’s Hundred is a list of 100 things
that every good omnivore should have tried at least once in their life. The list includes fine food, strange food, everyday food and even some pretty bad food - but a good omnivore should really try it all.

Here are the rules:
1) Copy this list into your blog or journal, including these instructions.
2) Bold all the items you’ve eaten.
3) Cross out any items that you would never consider eating.
4) Optional extra: Post a comment here at www.verygoodtaste.co.uk linking to your results.

1. Venison
2. Nettle tea
3. Huevos rancheros
4. Steak tartare
5. Crocodile
6. Black pudding
7. Cheese fondue
8. Carp
9. Borscht
10. Baba ghanoush
11. Calamari
12. Pho
13. PB&J sandwich
14. Aloo gobi
15. Hot dog from a street cart
16. Epoisses
17. Black truffle
18. Fruit wine made from something other than grapes
19. Steamed pork buns
20. Pistachio ice cream
21. Heirloom tomatoes
22. Fresh wild berries
23. Foie gras
24. Rice and beans
25. Brawn, or head cheese
26. Raw Scotch Bonnet pepper
27. Dulce de leche
28. Oysters
29. Baklava
30. Bagna cauda
31. Wasabi peas
32. Clam chowder in a sourdough bowl
33. Salted lassi
34. Sauerkraut
35. Root beer float
36. Cognac with a fat cigar (Not together, but would be nice)
37. Clotted cream tea
38. Vodka jelly/Jell-O
39. Gumbo
40. Oxtail
41. Curried goat
42. Whole insects
43. Phaal
44. Goat’s milk
45. Malt whisky from a bottle worth £60/$120 or more
46. Fugu
47. Chicken tikka masala
48. Eel
49. Krispy Kreme original glazed doughnut
50. Sea urchin
51. Prickly pear
52. Umeboshi
53. Abalone
54. Paneer
55. McDonald’s Big Mac Meal
56. Spaetzle
57. Dirty gin martini (Well...Vodka, actually)
58. Beer above 8% ABV
59. Poutine
60. Carob chips
61. S’mores
62. Sweetbreads
63. Kaolin
64. Currywurst
65. Durian
66. Frogs’ legs
67. Beignets, churros, elephant ears or funnel cake
68. Haggis
69. Fried plantain
70. Chitterlings, or andouillette
71. Gazpacho
72. Caviar and blini
73. Louche absinthe
74. Gjetost, or brunost
75. Roadkill
76. Baijiu
77. Hostess Fruit Pie
78. Snail
79. Lapsang souchong
80. Bellini
81. Tom yum
82. Eggs Benedict
83. Pocky
84. Tasting menu at a three-Michelin-star restaurant.
85. Kobe beef
86. Hare
87. Goulash
88. Flowers
89. Horse
90. Criollo chocolate
91. Spam
92. Soft shell crab
93. Rose harissa
94. Catfish
95. Mole poblano
96. Bagel and lox
97. Lobster Thermidor
98. Polenta
99. Jamaican Blue Mountain coffee
100. Snake

Note: You may notice the lack of cross-outs. As most of you know, I'm pretty much open to anything, barring health issues, so I'm game for most anything. Perhaps this should be a life list???

Cheesecake Saga

2008-10-15T21:18:00.000-07:00

I met with the bride and groom to be, and they were absolutely thrilled with my cheesecake - the exact quote from the wedding planner was "She said it was simply a matter of choosing between wonderful and even more wonderful!". I'm sure the champagne that I served for the tasting had nothing to do with that review.

So, I have a really good cheesecake recipe, but the bride's best friend is vegan, so she has asked if it would be possible to have a small vegan cheesecake. Since I had such success with previous cheesecake attempts, I told her it shouldn't be a problem at all. Since then, I've tried out several recipes, and I've decided two things.

1. Vegan cheesecake is THE DEVIL.
2. People who review vegan cheesecake recipes don't actually know what cheesecake is.

The first is based on the multiple recipes I've tried that have turned out terribly...one actually made me gag. Seriously. The second is based on the reviews that were posted on the recipes I've tried making. "This is so good! I'm so glad to find a vegan version that is just like the real thing!!!" I am very curious to know where these people were getting cheesecake prior to becoming vegan, because this stuff is truly disgusting.

I've tried all sorts of combinations of tofutti cream cheese, soft and hard tofu, soy milk and lemon juice. Nick won't even try my test cakes anymore if he hears the words "vegan" or "tofutti". I finally found a recipe that is rather similar to my standard. The only real difference is that it calls for fake cream cheese (tofutti - shhh!) and powdered egg replacer. Sofar, the texture seems right - we'll see about the flavor. Perhaps I could just douse it in sauce and call it good?

Closing opinion? I count myself very fortunate that I don't have to eat foods that are "almost as good as the real thing".

In Other News...

2008-10-15T19:33:00.000-07:00

Did anyone else think it was interesting that Michelle Obama wore a blue dress tonight, and Cindy McCain wore a red dress? Coincidence? Methinks maybe not.

Update!

2008-10-09T21:24:00.000-07:00

Kim's Test Kitchen has had yet another success! Nick tried my first cheesecake attempt, and his response was that it was the best cheesecake he's ever had! Ta-Da! I plan to try out more recipes in the future, so please keep the ideas coming!
I have an appointment with the happy couple on Sunday to try some cheesecake and various other items for their wedding...my first cake tasting!
I went out with a very good friend for dinner the other night. She's a fairly new friend, but I suspect she will be around for a long time to come, because she's nice and sweet and actually GENUINE. She's so nice, in fact, that she has offered to do marketing for my business free of charge! (did I mention that she's a marketing manager?) I'm seeing a LOT of cookies in her future. Like, a TON. Seriously.
New link under Sites I Like! Check out Cake Wrecks! This site cracks me up...and definitely makes me feel better about what I consider to be past personal cake wrecks.

A Little Help?

2008-10-07T10:19:00.000-07:00

I received an email this week from someone that Nick works with, requesting help with a wedding. Her friends are getting married and they're doing all the food themselves. This is a great way to save money, but I think somewhere along the line they realized how much work it was turning into and so they are looking for an inexpensive option for dessert. The theme is Tea Party, so they're doing individual cheesecakes for the guests, and a 10" cheesecake for the head table. That's one 10" cheesecake and eighty 2" cheesecakes. Eighty. Eight-Oh. 80 cheesecakes on the 26th of THIS month. Good Lord.

A little background: I've never made cheesecake in my life. Well, not until last night anyway. It looked and smelled pretty good, but wasn't cool enough before bed time, so I'll be tasting them tonight.

Any of you out there have a good cheesecake recipe you'd like to share???? Please???? I'm really hoping this one works out, but I just found it randomly online, so there's certainly room for error.

Weekend in Review

2008-09-30T14:13:00.000-07:00

Nick and I went to a Welcome Home party for a friend that just came back from a month in Brazil. She made some seriously amazing Brazilian food, complete with cocktails made with their signature liquor. After a few of those, things got a little crazy. I can't remember the last time I went to a party that so many stupid silly things happened - it was a great time!

First, there was Jello-Bear. There is a back story, of course.

There's this teddy bear, which has been around for a while now. About 3 years ago, Nick and Zak were roommates, and their apartment building had an underground parking garage. Zak found the bear abandoned on the dumpster, and put it on the hood of Nick’s car. Nick knew it was Zak, so he skewered the bear on Zak’s antenna. This bear has been going back and forth this entire time…one time it wound up under someone’s back tire, so when they backed out, it lost a leg. We snuck it into Zak’s mailbox once. Nick and I asked Zak to take care of our cats while we were on vacation in June…when we came back the bear was in our freezer.

So….we had to come up with something good….12 large boxes of jello and 2 days later…we had jello bear!

Then, there was the waxing. Our friend Elishia is an aesthetician - she brought a home waxing kit to help fit in with the "Brazilian" theme. If you don't get the reference, I would recommend Google - but do not click on any images!!!

So, the waxing kit. It turns out Nicole was due for a brow touch-up, so we started the wax heating. Nick and Zak couldn't turn down a crazy stunt.....

Reality Trumps Aspiration

2008-09-22T12:32:00.000-07:00

Remember that time when I talked about hand-stitching a quilt? Remember how determined I was to accomplish said task? Things have changed. Now I'm more determined to finish the quilt with my sanity intact. I bought a sewing machine. Hopefully I'll have this finished before next year!

Don't get me wrong, I still believe that I could finish that quilt by hand. Unfortunately this project was turning out to be a stressful deadline situation, and I was losing my motivation to do it with the thoughts of how much time it was going to take. So, screw it, I bought a machine.

Just Call Me "Covered Wagon Kim"

2008-09-15T10:26:00.001-07:00

I'm really inspired by the things my mother writes about on her website.

Scratch that.

I'm really inspired by the way my mom lives her life. There are certain things that I could never do, like homeschooling children if I had any, or live in the country full time, or depend on a wood burning stove for all of my heat in the winter. But then there are other things she does that are so simple and easy to do with a little motivation and creativity. She makes her own laundry soap and dries her clothes out on the line. She uses food containers for storage, and a coffee can for her knitting, rather than buying some fancy container at the store. She has a very productive garden, which lowers her dependence on the grocery store produce department considerably. She's not afraid to make big purchases when they are necessary, such as a new washing machine or food processor, but necessary is the key element in her spending. She's constantly trying to find new ways to be "green" - something I thought I had down pretty well as a Seattle-ite, but I'm constantly learning new things from her and those who contribute comments on her website.

I've started taking on new projects, which are inspired by her ideas, but not necessarily based on them. This year was my first attempt at a garden. I have to keep it pretty small, since I only have my apartment deck to store everything on, but I have a variety of plants going. I've definitely learned a few things this year, and hope that next year will be even more fruitful.

I've also taken up canning. I had some girlfriends over on Labor Day for a canning party where we made apple butter! I'm hoping to expand my pantry of home-canned goods in the next couple of months. Not only will this enable Nick and I to enjoy seasonal produce all year, but it will certainly make for inexpensive Christmas gifts!

My newest and biggest project is quilting. I'm making a baby quilt for a friend and it's turned into quite the adventure! I don't have a sewing machine, and though I could certainly fit one into my budget, I think I'm pretty good with a needle and thread. I have really short legs, so I get plenty of practice hemming most of my slacks. So, I'm hand-stitching the entire thing. That's right. I'm hand quilting the layers together, only after I've hand stitching each piece of fabric together. It's going to take me FOREVER to complete. I was hoping to have it done by the time the baby is born in November, but I suspect this may turn into a Christmas present when all is said and done....

I've even expanded my cooking to simpler things! Rather than spending tons of money every day to make fancy dinners, I'm spending more time studying what I already have in the kitchen, cooking from my cupboards. When I want to try something new, I usually find my recipes online, where I can review other peoples' reviews to determine if something is worth the time and cost to make. I'm also working really hard to not eat out as often - something that has not been easy with the social girls I work with!

Okay...I'm officially rambling. I guess I just want to brag about the positive changes that I've been making, and brag about what a great influence my mom has been!

But Wait, There’s More!

2008-09-05T09:29:00.000-07:00

It seems that some clarification is needed with regard to my last post. I think Sarah Palin seems like a cool person -- A kick in the pants, if you will. However, I have no intention of voting for her. Her stances on the key issues are exactly the opposite of what I believe. I think it would be fun to have a beer with her and NOT discuss politics. If we went there I might be tempted to punch her in the face.

Next on The Opinion Poll

2008-09-03T22:58:00.000-07:00

Alright, I'll admit it. I like her! I don't agree with Sarah Palin on many things. However, I think she is good at delivering a speech. She's SASSY! And FUNNY! I'd love to grab a beer with her sometime. Unfortunately I think some of her statements were less than factual, and she went on the attack a bit more than necessary. I also have to say that I think she shot herself in the foot with her statements about Obama's lack of experience. I certainly don't discount her experience and background, but I don't think she's in any position to point fingers.

As much as I think it was more strategy from the Republican Ticket, I can certainly appreciate the time Palin took to introduce her entire family. I'm sure she's a great mother who loves her family, but I stand by my previous statement.

Step down and take care of your family.

The Circus That This Election Has Become

2008-09-02T15:38:00.001-07:00

Oy. Where to start? I don’t think anyone would argue with my view that McCain’s choice of running-mate is curiously strategic. I’m just not sure how good his strategy really is. While I believe that there are women voters who would be happy with any woman in office – one step at a time, so they say – I also think most Hillary supporters are smart enough to know that Sarah Palin does not side with them on the key issues. It’s rather offensive that McCain thinks this strategy will work with the majority of women voters, really.

If I were a member of the Republican Party, I would be pissed at McCain. He’s made a complete spectacle of his campaign. He chose someone who he barely knows, who has very little political experience and zero foreign policy experience. Sortof kills his argument that Obama is too “green” for office if you ask me. He chose someone with quite the controversial background, who is in the midst of quite the shocking situation with her daughter.

Let the games begin! I know that any running-mate he chose would be under harsh scrutiny, and it’s pretty much impossible to keep your skeletons in the closet when you’re running for office. The celebrity comes with a very high price, and I certainly don’t envy anyone in that position. However, it seems that voting her into office is exactly the type of thing that the Republican Party would term a “Slippery Slope”.

If I were a member of the Republican Party, I would be pissed at Palin as well. What does it say for your family values if you’re willing to accept a position knowing it will put your pregnant teenage daughter on a pedestal? I absolutely agree that family should be left out of the campaign process – especially children. I don’t think anyone would argue that point. However, I can’t believe that Palin would actually think this situation would be left untouched because family should be held “sacred” in the political process. Shame on you, Mother Palin. Step down and take care of your family.

Perspective

2008-08-29T22:28:00.000-07:00

Nick left for Africa on the 18th, and won't be back until Thursday, September 4th. I MISS HIM!!! SO MUCH!!!

I used to love time alone. Even when I lived with someone, I craved my own space and made the most of it when I had it within my grasp. I've seriously lost my ability to entertain myself. The first couple of nights that Nick was gone, I went to bed before 9pm -- there wasn't anything good on television, and I was bored! I thought maybe it would come full-circle, and I would get used to my evenings of solitude. I guess Nick is my perfect match, because 2 weeks later, I'm still going crazy with loneliness.

Don't get me wrong, I've certainly kept myself occupied. Last weekend my dad was in town. I have a baby shower to host next weekend, so I've been busy planning that. I've had a very full Labor Day weekend, what with the cooking dinner for my girlfriend and her mother Saturday night, as well as the canning party I hosted on today. Tomorrow night I'm meeting some friends for dinner downtown.

Sure, I have plenty going on - a very full schedule compared to most....but I can't express how much I miss Nick. I ache with the feeling of his absence.

I've known married couples where the husband goes off for months at a time to fish up in Alaska or serve in The Peace Corps or perform Military service. I've heard tales of the long stints apart, and the stress involved with the unaccustomed companionship when he returns.

I have to admit, I don't think I could do it. If I'm in a relationship that gets to the point that I'm uncomfortable with my partner being around full-time, there's something wrong, in my opinion. If I ever find myself in this situation, regardless of whether that situation comes with my partner, or is acquired later in the relationship, I hope I always ache with the feeling of their absence.

No Way. No How. No McCain.

2008-08-26T19:49:00.001-07:00

I'm watching Hillary speak at the Democratic National Convention, and I must admit, I'm a bit choked up!

Despite the fact that I didn't think she was the right fit for the White House, and despite the fact that she had lipstick on her teeth during her speech, I was so proud. I was proud of Hillary Clinton and proud of where we've come as a country. I'm watching a woman who has worked her ass off and run for President.

Despite what you believe, or what party you support, you have to admit that it's a very exciting time when a woman is taken seriously as a Presidential nominee.

IT Dependency

2008-08-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

Nick left on a 3 week vacation to Togo yesterday morning. He has a good friend from highschool who is stationed there for the Peace Corps. She has some vacation time to take, and Nick is starting Law School next month, so it's the perfect opportunity! He's going to be staying in her guest room - in her house which has no electricity and no running water. I'm sure he's going to have tons of great stories when he returns (and hopefully pretty presents for his pretty girlfriend!)

Last night, when Nick had been gone for approximately 14 hours, I learned just how much I depend on him. It took me 20 minutes to figure out how to switch our television settings so that I could watch a DVD. Seriously. I actually called one of our friends to find out if he knew how our TV works.

Now, I'm not a complete idiot. I say this from experience - not just because my mom has convinced me. Normally I can figure these things out pretty easily, but this new setup has me a little stumped. Nick and I purchased a fancy new television a few weeks ago. It is widescreen, has HD capabilities, and even PC hookups, so we can watch stuff from the laptop (I even played online Tetris on the TV!) This is particularly cool for Netflix streaming movies. We just choose something from the "watch now" list, hook the laptop up to the television, and it's just like watching any other DVD. The HD part is pretty cool too. We don't actually have HD service, but because the television is set up for it, we have access to the HD broadcasted channels. So, several of our standard stations have multiple channels, so you can watch the same programming in HD.

So, all in all, it's pretty cool. The only unfortunate thing sofar is that I have to find the proper menu on the television, and not just click that handy little button on the remote that says "tv/video".

Now...to figure out how to set the alarm clock!

My First Email of The Day. Courtesy of the actions of a mystery dipshit that I work with

2008-08-15T09:09:00.000-07:00

From: Kim
To: Personnel
Subject: Kitchen Issues

A few items:

Please put your dirty dishes in the dishwasher! At least once a day I have to take care of items that have been left in the sink or on the counter.
Please be conscientious of messes left behind when you are making food or coffee. I don’t mind wiping the counters and appliances down, but I prefer not to scrape your crusty food out of the microwave or clean up your coffee spills that are left on the floor.
Please email me if there are problems in the kitchen area rather than leaving “Clean Me” signs for me to find.

Thank you.

Because I Don't Have Nearly Enough On My Plate Right Now...

2008-08-01T10:29:00.001-07:00

I'm hosting a baby shower for a good friend next month, and I'm having a really good time planning things out. I've never hosted any type of shower before, so I'm becoming really good at stealing other people's ideas!

My friend Rachel is hosting a baby shower this weekend, and she has a pretty good idea for a game. She asked the two grandmas-to-be about any quirky habits or situations from their respective children. At the party, she is going to present these items as possible things that the baby will do, and all of the guests have to guess which parent the trait will come from. I'm not really into cheesy games, and I don't think I can pretend otherwise, so this is a pretty perfect game for me to incorporate.

I'm also stealing an idea from a wedding that I went to earlier this summer. Instead of a guest book, everyone signed a square of fabric, which the bride is having made into a quilt. I figure with a group of 20 or so at the baby shower, it will be the perfect amount for a small quilt. Now, I don't have a sewing machine, so I'm going to stitch it by hand. Keeping in mind, I've never actually made a quilt before, but from what I've found online, it seems pretty straight-forward. I can hem my own pants, so how hard could it be? Famous last words? Possibly.

I'm getting pretty excited about all of the cool fabric I could get for it, and really personalize it. I'm thinking I might need to incorporate some big white and blue buttons as well...

So, any thoughts or ideas? I could use a little direction on the quilting thing...as well as any good shower ideas!

The Ol' One-Two Punch

2008-07-31T14:28:00.000-07:00

Me: This cake looks like crap
Nick: No, it looks good!
Me: No, seriously. See the white fondant trim, it has smudges all over it from the black frosting.
Nick: Well, I think it's fine.
Me: I know, but I just wanted it to be really clean.
Nick: Honey, you are an amazing baker, but if there's one thing you're NOT, it's clean.

This morning I woke up and there were black frosting spots all over the sheets which came from somewhere on my body.

The Kids

2008-07-23T20:47:00.000-07:00

I just finished watering our little deck garden, and thought it might be time to give you all a progress report.

Bell Pepper! There's one smaller guy coming in, and multiple blossoms, so possibly more to come:

Next up is the basil. Now, there were some basil issues in the beginning. I bought a basil plant and moved it to the planter box, and it died. The end. Kidding! I went back and bought two more, and left them in the pots. The potted basil is doing really well. I have the pots sitting on top of the dirt in the planter box, and it seems that the watering of the potted basil is doing wonders for the dead basil:

Finally: Tomatoes!: Alright. Not actually a baby. Right. This is two plants. I've heard about and seen some pretty bad tomato plant stories this year. If you're having issues, I highly recommend getting an earth box next year. I want to get several next year so I can plant everything in them. These things are literally the shit and my friend Don is the shit for giving me one as an early birthday gift! As a result, I have 14 (!!!) babies that I can see. I'm anxious to see how many there actually are, once they are red and I can see them in the midst of all the leaves!

Weekend Recap: To Be Continued

2008-07-22T10:06:00.000-07:00

Last Thursday Nick went in for a follow up appointment with a colon specialist who performed a really gnarly procedure called "coring". They cut out the entire area in order to avoid further infection, leaving Nick with a 2 inch gaping hole right below his tailbone! I'll spare you all the gory details, but know this: Stuffing gauze into your loved one's ass twice a day is VERY UNPLEASANT. VERY.

Doing much better, and things are healing quickly, though Nick is still quite uncomfortable. I'm doing my best to alleviate some of the discomfort, but there's only so much you can do in this situation!

On a positive note, I'm getting really good with the latex gloves, gauze and saline solution!

Weekend Recap, On Time Edition

2008-07-14T13:49:00.000-07:00

We've had quite the weekend! Most of you may remember that really lame hospital visit I had last year due to a VERY LARGE abscess on my backside? Apparently Nick felt like celebrating the anniversary of that event by going through the exact same thing!

Nick has been unable to sit comfortably since last Wednesday. He went in to see his doctor on Thursday, and was given a prescription for antibiotics. By Saturday night, the swelling had kicked in, and he was pretty much stuck with laying on his stomach. Add in a 102* fever, and you end up with serious discomfort. So, yesterday we went to the emergency room where we sat for 3 1/2 hours before finally being shown a room. They shot him full of antibiotics and pain killers, then drained the infection and sent him home with more pain killers and a bunch of gauze.

We're now home and doing much better. Nick is still pretty uncomfortable, but he's able to sit up for short periods, and his whimpering has subsided a bit. I took the day off work so I could take care of him -- he's a pretty good patient as long as you keep the toast with jam and fruit cups coming.

Missing You...

2008-07-12T12:24:00.000-07:00

Weekend Reviews seemed like such a great idea. Then summer showed up.

I realized this week that I have 3 weekends worth of catching up to do! This is certainly not due to lack of interesting adventures, I assure you! I'm going to do my best to recap everything while giving my weekends the post that they deserve....

June 21st and 22nd:

This was actually a four day weekend with the girls! One of my girlfriends is having a four day bachelorette weekend in SONOMA. 8 girls drove down Thursday night, arriving at the MANSION that we rented for the weekend on Friday afternoon. Saturday we rented a limo bus for a wine tour in Napa. Sunday a smaller group of us drove into Sonoma to do more wine tastings, while the rest of the group lounged pool-side. Monday we drove back, arriving in Seattle around 3am Tuesday morning.

Okay, now that the recap is finished, let's get down to the details!

Mansion. Right. 7 bathrooms. 10 bedrooms. Pool. 3 kitchens. Columns. Fountains. Statues. Think southern plantation house, complete with wicker furniture on the front porch.

Saturday's wine tour included The Hess Collection, Franciscan, St Clements. Lots of lovely wines. I brought home 9 bottles total, 2 of which were amazing ports. Sunday in Sonoma we hit tasting rooms, which featured wines from all over the world. In that environment we were able to have the undivided attention of the somolier, and we were able to pick and choose what wines we wanted to try, rather than sticking to a tasting menu. One of the tasting rooms had a cheese shop across the courtyard, so we were able to incorporate a cheese tasting with our wines. We simply let them pick a selection of cheeses for us, and they brought them over to the tasting room. I brought home an amazing truffle cheese, which is actually infused with truffle oil and about the consistency of brie. Earthy and delicious - just like my preference for Scotch.

The drive home was frustrating and amusing and exhausting. Imagine getting a group of girls together for four days, when no one has met before. Estrogen at it's finest by day four. Luckily, by the time the wedding came around everyone was well rested and back to being friends. ;>

June 28 and 29:

Kim Time. Nick was gone for the weekend, so I had the house to myself. I had a very restful weekend for the most part. I had received an order for a bridal shower this weekend, which included 3 dozen chocolate truffles. This also happened to be the weekend that summer finally kicked in, and it was 85 degrees in my kitchen, which is NOT temperature controlled. There was lots of back and forth between the table and the refrigerator. I nearly cried on several occasions, but everything turned out beautifully, and my customer had rave reviews after her party.

July 4-6:

Another long weekend! Nick and I had several invites for the 4th, and were having a bit of a time deciding who to grace our presence with. On the 3rd, we both had decided that we wanted something more low-key, and we had just received yet another invite to spend the 4th with our friend at his parents' house. It was exactly what we wanted. Lots of good food and conversation. I even scored several great recipes from our friend's mom, as well as a tentative date to show her how to make tamales from scratch.

On the 5th, Nick and I had a wedding to go to. This was actually one of my really good friends from highschool marrying the girl who's bachelorette weekend I had just attended. They went all out, holding the wedding at the Salish Lodge at Snoqualmie Falls. In the invitation, they asked all guests to wear black and white, and the decor at the wedding consisted of white fabric lining the ceiling, canopy style, with red chinese lanterns hanging. It was beautiful. At dinner, Nick and I were seated at "the highschool table", so I had a little reunion with all my old friends. Rather amusing to see some of my old friends get plastered on red wine after all these years! Also rather strange to look around the table and see old friends who are now parents, some of which currently expecting a new little one!

Nick and I opted to stay at the lodge for the night. Because, well, who wants to drive home when there's no end in sight to the wine and dancing??? The next morning I woke up and realized Nick wasn't next to me. I sat up, wondering where he was, and realized he was just on the other side of the bed! Made me wish my bedroom were large enough to upgrade my bed!

Mama Always Said

2008-07-12T12:19:00.001-07:00

Yesterday my boss typed up a draft of an email to send out to everyone. Before sending it, he asked me to "make it flowery", and proceeded to tell me that he thinks writing is one of my biggest strengths, and he intends to take advantage.

That same day I sent him an email of frustration about our current insurance benefits. He liked it so well that he forwarded it to the president of the company that administers our plan.

I love putting together a letter, then creating several drafts until the words are just right. I always thought I was a pretty good writer --- Even better that my boss feels the same way!

This Interruption in Service Brought to You By My Television

2008-06-26T21:38:00.000-07:00

Yeah, I know.....It's Thursday night and I still haven't posted my weekend update! My life has just been a tad too crazy to post this week. I know, I know, I'm posting NOW, what the hell...but my weekend was pretty amazing, so I want to dedicate some time to my post. I'm tired and haven't been able to concentrate this week. My office is moving locations, and I'm the admin, so I'm doing most of the work....it's been stressful, to say the least. My boss made me cry within 10 minutes of my arrival this morning, for crying out loud!

Over It.

So, in the mean time, I'm drinking wine and watching tv. My evenings are my sacred time this week. Right now I'm watching Last Comic Standing, and I have thoroughly enjoyed the laughs.

Highlights:

Really cute cute cutie toot from Seattle...he got lots of laughs, and I don't think it had too much to do with his cuteness.

Another guys says "Why is it that when someone hands us a slice of homemade cake we always feel the need to comment how moist it is???"

Such a true comment...I wrote it on the back of my phone bill so I could blog about it.

Final highlight, which has nothing to do with television, or work or crying....Nick and I have a Baby!!! :

Lost in Translation: Foul Language Edition

2008-06-19T12:34:00.000-07:00

This afternoon's IM conversation:

Nick: K, I'm out like a trouble
Me: like a trouble?
Nick: Bubble, Bubble!
Nick: Damnit,
Nick: Like a trout
Me: what?
Nick: Bubble, like a trout
Nick: shit....
Me: what the fuck are you talking about?
Nick: I;m high
Nick: never mind,
Nick: Bye!

Weekend Recap!

2008-06-16T19:46:00.000-07:00

Migraine.

3 Days.

Seriously. I had a migraine that started Friday afternoon, and didn't really end until Sunday evening. I thought it was gone Saturday evening. I had finally taken the right combination of drugs, water and sleeping, and when I awoke from my nap, I felt great!

I made a strata for Father's Day brunch, which was to be held the next morning at Nick's Dad's house. Recipe:

18 slices firm white bread (such as English muffin bread), crusts removed
6 ounces prosciutto, thinly sliced
8 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
4 ounces provolone, grated (about 1 1/2 cups)
1/4 cup chopped green onions
6 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh basil

6 large eggs
2 cups whole milk
1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Preparation

Line bottom of 13x9x2-inch glass baking dish completely with 1 layer of bread, cutting some slices to fit. Arrange half of prosciutto evenly over bread. Sprinkle half of goat cheese and half of provolone over. Sprinkle with half of green onions and half of basil. Top with second layer of bread. Layer remaining prosciutto, goat cheese, provolone, green onions, and basil atop bread. Cut remaining bread into 1/4-inch cubes. Sprinkle over top.

Whisk eggs, milk, mustard, and salt in bowl. Season with pepper. Pour egg mixture over strata; press down on bread with spatula. Drizzle melted butter over strata. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

Preheat oven to 350°F. Uncover strata and let stand at room temperature 30 minutes. Bake until center is set, about 1 hour. Remove from oven. Preheat broiler. Place strata under broiler until top is golden, about 30 seconds. Cut into large squares and serve.

Delicious! I've made it before, and it truly is a favorite. Unfortunately I woke up on Sunday and my migraine was back in a very angry way. Not only did I have the raging headache, but I was sick to my stomach - couldn't even keep water down.

Ah well, I guess the rest was good for me. And I received rave reviews on the strata!

Suck It, Utah!

2008-06-12T12:13:00.000-07:00

I'm becoming more and more interested (read: concerned) in seeing what our summer is going to turn out like. We're currently experiencing the coldest June on record. Today was the first day that I have been comfortable without a jacket on, and the locals are starting to refer to this month as "Junuary". On Tuesday night there was a blizzard on Mt Rainier, which left 3 day-hikers stranded, and a fresh 7 inches of snow fell on Snoqualmie Pass.

In one week I'm leaving on a four day bachelorette weekend down in Sonoma. The plan is to drink lots of wine and lounge pool-side. And chocolate. There will be chocolate.

Inherent Goodness

2008-06-09T15:02:00.000-07:00

So, I've been having a really hard time with a wedding gift. I know what I want to get, and it's just perfect, but I'm having challenges in actually obtaining the gift. It's a specific bottle of wine that is made in New York. The problem is that the winery only ships to addresses in the state of New York! What a pain.

So, I've been tirelessly searching for someone who knows someone who lives in New York. My thought was that I could order the wine online, have it shipped to said person's address, and they could in turn, ship the wine to me.

How is it that no one knows anyone in New York! Just when I was starting to give up, I remembered that I used to work for company that has offices all over North America. So I touched base with an old colleague that still works at said company, and she asked two of her New York contacts, and one of them came through for me! And MAN did she come through for me! Not only is she willing to go out of her way to deal with the post office in order to get the wine to me, but she is going to go out and actually buy the wine for me so that I only have to pay for one leg of shipping! At one point in our email conversation, she asks "Only one bottle? Do you need anything else while I'm at it?"

I'm thinking some cookies might be in order here....

Weekend Recap!

2008-06-08T21:03:00.000-07:00

Here's what my weekend looked like:

Saturday

Coffee until the early hours of the afternoon. Nick went to a friend's house to do some computer work and watch a few episodes of Battlestar Gallactica. while he was gone, I cleaned the apartment. Nick says he didn't recognize the place when he came home. Score one for Team Kim.
Dinner was Orange Chicken made by Nick. Recipe:

INGREDIENTS:

4 boneless, skinless chicken breast halves, cut into 1-inch cubes
Marinade:
2 tablespoons Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Sauce:
1/3 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons dark soy sauce
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon chile paste
1 clove garlic, minced
1 slice ginger, minced
Oil for stir-frying, as needed

PREPARATION:

Place the cubed chicken in a bowl, and add the marinade ingredients. Marinate the chicken for 30 minutes.

While the chicken is marinating, prepare the sauce ingredients and the garlic and ginger.

Heat the wok and add oil.

When oil is ready, add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry until aromatic.

Add the chicken and stir-fry until it changes color. Push up to the sides of the wok, making a well in the middle. Add the sauce.

Combine the sauce and the chicken. Stir-fry for another minute and serve hot.

*Nick doubled the sauce and added sliced onion, broccoli and sugar snap peas.

Sunday

Woke up at 10:30am - thought "1030's not too bad..."
Breakfast of "Montana Mess" - hashed browns, bacon, green onions, cheese. Topped with salsa and sour cream. Yum.
Errands. Found a cat bed for Cricket and some shirts for Nick. Tried to find lingerie for my friend's bachelorette party, but the boutique I visited was lame. Macy's, perhaps? Also went grocery shopping for dinner.
Dinner was spaghetti and meatballs made from scratch. This is a favorite recipe from a cookbook I received for Christmas this last year. I've made it a few times, and it seems to get better every time I make it! Recipe:

MEATBALLS:

2 slices white sandwich bread, crusts removed and torn into small pieces.
1/2 C buttermilk
1/2 lb ground pork
1/2 lb ground beef
1/4 C freshly grated parmesan cheese
2 T minced fresh parsley
1 large egg yolk
1 small garlic clove, minced
3/4 t salt
freshly ground black pepper
1-1 1/2 C vegetable oil for pan frying

SAUCE:

2 T olive oil
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 (28oz) can crushed tomatoes
1 T minced fresh basil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 pound spaghetti
freshly grated parmesan for serving

1. For the meatballs: Combine the bread and buttermilk in a small bowl. Let sit for 10 minutes, mashing occasionally with a fork, until a smooth paste forms.
2. Place the ground meat, cheese, parsley, egg yolk, garlic, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Add the bread mixture and combine until evenly mixed. Shape 3 T of the mixture into a 1 1/2 inch ball. (when forming meatballs, use a light touch. If you compact the meatballs too much, they can become too dense.) You should be able to form about 14 meatballs*
3. Pour the vegetable oil into a 10 or 11 inch saute pan to a depth of 1/4 inch. Turn the heat to medium high. After several minutes test the oil with the edge of a meatball. If the oil sizzles, add the meatballs in a single layer. Fry, turning several times, until nicely browned on all sides, about 10 minutes.** Transfer the browned meatballs to a plate lined with paper towels.
4. Bring four quarts water to a rolling boil in a large pot.
5. For the sauce: Discard the oil in the pan, but leave behind any browned bits. (my "bits" are usually pretty black at this point, but still delicious for the sauce...) Add the olive oil and garlic; saute, scraping up the browned bits, just until the garlic is golden, about 30 seconds. Add the tomatoes, bring to a simmer, and cook until the sauce thickens, about 10 minutes. Stir in the basil and salt and pepper to taste. Add the meatballs and simmer, turning them occasionally, until heated through, about 5 minutes. Keep warm over low heat until the pasta is cooked.
6. Drain the pasta and toss with olive oil to keep from clumping. Serve sauce and meatballs over pasta with freshly grated cheese for garnish.

*I make larger meatballs, so only get about 8, per this recipe.
**I leave the meatballs sitting for about 10 minutes before I turn them. I make sure the meat has a nice crust on the bottom before turning, as this keeps them from falling apart. Usually one turn is enough to cook through if you follow this.

Post Post Post Post Post

2008-06-08T20:23:00.000-07:00

Alright....I know I've been so so so so horrible about updating my website. Well, not recently...it seems that I have a tendency to post for a few days in a row, and then nothing for like, a MONTH. Ridiculous, right? SO....I think I'm going to follow in my mother's footsteps, and post regularly! I figure the best way to accomplish this is to give myself a reason to post, and that would be...dun dun dun...The Weekend Recap! See, this would not only give me a reason to post regularly, but would also keep you, my Faithful Reader, in the loop! It seems that I actually do quite a bit every weekend, but unless you are someone I email with regularly, you don't get to hear the stories or see the pictures. A prime example would be the awesome backpacking trip that Nick and I took last weekend!

Here's an excerpt of an email I sent to Mom:
Had a great weekend! Nick and I went backpacking with a group of friends. We went to this place called Ross Lake, which is commonly referred to as The Alps of The U.S., so as I'm sure you can imagine, it was pretty amazing! We hiked 7 miles in, then camped over night, then 7 miles back out. The area that we camped can only be accessed by foot or boat, so it was pretty remote, and there weren't very many people around. I'm pretty sore today, but it's SO worth it to be able to tell people that I hiked 14 miles with 30 pounds of gear on my back! I was the only girl in the group who carried my own stuff! Hard Core!!! ;>

TAG. I'm it.

2008-06-07T11:55:00.000-07:00

Sean tagged me. Here we go.

What were you doing five years ago?
I was working at Starbucks Corporate office - working in a call center; I didn't have this website. I was probably still in the "I'm never making cakes if I open a baking company, because they always turn out like shit" phase.

What are five things on your to-do list for today (in no particular order)?
1. Clean my apartment. All of it.
2. Lingerie shopping for my friend's bachelorette party.
3. Come up with something interesting for dinner. Make it.
4. Find a baby gift for a friend who is expecting (no, not the one having the bachelorette party!) I'm thinking Burt's Bees Baby Bee.
5. Beep! Beep! Go get a fresh cup of coffee.

What are five snacks you enjoy?
1. Whole Cashews
2. Baby Bell Lite
3. Wheat Thins with a really yummy spreadable cheese
4. Homemade chocolate chip cookies
5. Wine (I could only come up with four)

What five things would you do if you were a billionaire?
1. Buy a storefront for my baking business
2. Pay for Nick's Law School
3. Quit my day job
4. Buy a vacation home (or 2...)
5. Take a long vacation

What are five of your bad habits?
1. Procrastination
2. Nail Biting
3. Pizza
4. Online Shopping
5. Not calling people back

What are five places where you have lived?
1. Seattle, WA
2. Camas, Washington
3. Topeka, Kansas
4. The Dalles, Oregon
5. Oregon City, Oregon

What are five jobs you've had?
1. Customer Service Rep in a Call Center
2. Executive Assistant
3. Bagging Groceries
4. Event Coordinator for high school grad parties
5. Crazy Cat Lady (unpaid - I do this every day for free)

There. Now maybe you know something about me that you didn't before. Please don't use it against me.

UPDATE: Nick just asked "When did you become such a Tetris Master???" Maybe I should add 'computer games' to my list of bad habits....

Helpful Hints

2008-06-03T18:33:00.001-07:00

Alright, my birthday's coming up again. Here are some ideas:

Mastering The Art of French Cooking, by Julia Child; Hardcover
Delon Asian Lily Body Butter
Philosophy Coconut Frosting body wash
Philosophy Amazing Grace shampoo and conditioner
Food & Wine Magazine
Esquin gift card
REI or Joe's gift card
Victoria's Secret gift card
Half Price Books gift card

Any gifts will be reciprocated with a very cute thank you card!

UPDATE: I would love copies of this and this. The authors' respective websites are here and here. By going to these websites, you might be able to get in touch with said authors, and receive info on how to get the books signed (hint hint.)

Consolidating

2008-05-08T15:38:00.000-07:00

I've created a new set on my Flickr account! Please check out Flour Power Baking Company photos!

Mother Nature and Father Time Need to Get in Synch

2008-04-24T20:50:00.000-07:00

April 17, Seattle Washington:

I guess I shouldn't complain about the long winter in Seattle. We've got nothing on Utah, after all...

But seriously? C'mon.

Forecast: Clouds about to break for sun

2008-04-23T15:03:00.000-07:00

I was having a bit of a "blah" day today. Nothing bad happened. I just didn't feel like being at work. Any time I start to feel that way, I can't help but think about how great it would be if I could afford to stay home and bake all day. That turns into, "Gawd my job is lame. I don't want to be here." Blah. Blah. Blah.

Just when I was starting to feel really sorry for myself, my boss walked in with flowers. "Happy Administrative Professionals Day, Kim!"

Aww Jeez. I guess it's not so bad here.

Funny of The YEAR

2008-04-10T19:51:00.000-07:00

Bumper sticker outside the grocery store today:

Do not meddle in the affairs of dragons, for you are crunchy, and good with ketchup.

O.M.G.

2008-04-10T13:52:00.000-07:00

I am totally freaking out about this AWESOME cake site I found. This woman does some truly amazing things with fondant. The link is on my sidebar - layers of love. Check it out here.

In other news, I had my first fondant experience the other night. I giggle every time I look at the picture of my cake. It sort of looks like playdough! I must say, I think it was pretty good for a first attempt! There are some ripples and wrinkles on the edges, but overall, it was pretty even and smooth!

Let's Spend The Day Together

2008-04-04T18:08:00.001-07:00

Watch the video on Gillian's blog, then go to A.M.'s website to get more info. Sounds interesting, no?

Cultural Divide

2008-03-31T17:42:00.000-07:00

Apparently there is more than one definition for the word "kosher". While preparing dinner this evening, I learned that when your talking about chicken, "kosher" means "Damn, Girl. Pull the feathers out yourself."

If You Can't Beat 'Em, Join 'Em. But First, Try to Beat 'Em.

2008-03-31T15:48:00.000-07:00

My boss comes back from vacation tomorrow, and I was given a warning this morning that he really likes to play pranks on April Fools Day. Apparently if I don't have a prank, I'd better come in tomorrow prepared with retaliation.

Sofar I've taped a small note to the bottom of his mouse. It says "April Fools!!!", and is placed to cover the optical ball so that it won't work. I also put a very small piece of scotch tape over the receiver of his phone so he'll think the line is dead when he picks up the handset.

I've got the pranks down pretty well - any thoughts on the retaliation? I only ask because I have a feeling that this could go on all day.

Friends With Benefits

2008-03-30T12:15:00.001-07:00

Please disregard the second paragraph of my previous post. One of my girlfriends surprised me with a gift which is so much cooler than the original print that I wanted. Not only did she paint it herself, but her use of colors is amazing! Now you see why I have such a hard time not inviting everyone over at once - I have some really great friends!

Brunch went really well...It was crazy having so many hens in my coop at once, but everyone had a lovely time! The food and company were fantastic, and all the hard work was well worth it. Can't wait to do it again sometime!

Estrogen Fest - 2008!

2008-03-28T10:12:00.000-07:00

Tomorrow I'm hosting a girls-only brunch at my place. I have about 20 ladies showing up, which is a bit more than I had originally planned on fitting into my apartment, but it should be a good time. The unfortunate side effect of having so many girlfriends is you have to figure out how to sort them out so that there aren't too many invitees. I skipped that part and just invited everyone, figuring it would work itself out in the end. I still think it will work out, in the form of my sitting in someone's lap! Get cozy, Girls!

The main theme of this gathering is Mimosas, of course. I'm providing coffee and oj, and everyone has been instructed to bring a bottle of champagne. I'm also providing all the FOOD. Here's a run-down of the menu:

Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Roasted Tomatoes
Italian Risotto Frittata
Prosciutto Goat Cheese Strata
Corn and Bacon Pie
Farm Eggs with Watercress Parsley Sauce

I'm also serving those little "cocktail" croissants with a few different jams and lemon curd. Lemon curd that I MADE FROM SCRATCH. Yessss.

I made these really cute little cards with the name of each item, and bought some silver place card holder things to put them in. I had so much fun shopping for all of my groceries last night, and tonight I'm going to have a grand time with all the prepping and chopping. Tomorrow morning? Tomorrow morning I'm going to happily get out of bed at 745am to start all the baking, cooking and table setting. And the napkins! I'll need to press the cloth napkins, of course.

Yes, I like to play the part of Hostess, alright? It plays into my obsessive need to display things nicely in a way that doesn't turn people off.

My Own Personal Playground

2008-03-27T14:06:00.001-07:00

It's as if The Internet heard about me and my love for Little Asian Girls. She is so freakin' cute I just want to scream!

UPDATE: SO much better without the sound. Seriously. The girl is really talented, there's no doubt, but after you watch it with sound, turn it off and watch again.

Where's Martha When You Need Her?

2008-03-26T13:37:00.000-07:00

Most of you know me as a pretty calm individual. The other day? The other day I completely lost my shit over the Tupperware cabinet. I'm not even kidding. I had a container, but no friggin' lid! Nick finally came in when he'd heard enough of The Throwing of The Containers, and has promised to find a solution for me.

Honey? Where's my solution already???!!!???

C is for Crazy

2008-03-20T07:55:00.000-07:00

I saw the cutest handbag on the bus this morning. As soon as I got to work, before the actual working part started, I went to the website (it's payday, y'all!).

This is my favorite among the "prints" section of the site. Too bad it's so expensive. Someone should buy it for me.

While you're shopping, any one of these would be lovely. Thanks.

Things I Need: Part One (possibly of many)

2008-03-10T14:44:00.000-07:00

Small business card holder that will fit in my purse
Jewelry organizer
New knee-high boots

Huh?

2008-03-06T13:15:00.000-08:00

She's such a nutjob. She hates Easter. And Russians. No, she didn't tell me all of this in the same conversation, but she may as well have for all the sense it makes. I have no idea why she hates Easter and Russians - I didn't bother asking. If I had asked, I would have to hear more of her Crazy.

I spent $20 on chocolate and red wine today. Is it time to go home yet???