My FInal Blog, A Look Back on This Year's Activities

My senior project this year has been an incredible experience for me. I have learned so much and developed a life-long trait that I will use constantly. Throughout this year I have taken cooking classes, learned many things from my mentor and senior project advisor. I have provided foods for my family, the senior class, Redeemer Presbyterian Church, and for families in need. I have enjoyed every minute of it. I really do love to cook and have truly enjoyed my project for this year. Lots of people do a project they get tired of, but I have liked my project progressively throughout the year. I have learned so much and still have a lot more to learn. I loved bringing in food for the class and other people and seeing their reactions and comments about the food. I really focused in on desserts. I found out that baking is my favorite part of cooking. I did not like the research paper process to be completely honest. I had a hard time with that and needed a lot more help than I thought I did. That was defiantly my least favorite part of the project although I like reading and learning about the subject of vegetarianism. I have learned many new skills and things to avoid also. Seniors say it every year, but we still all make the same mistake, procrastination. It is a horrible horrible thing. With others classes and senior project combined, using my time wisely was key.  Although I had may fumbles, I also had many great new recipes to go in my collection that I will have forever. My senior project has been an incredibly amazing experience for me. I am so glad I chose the path I did. 

Projects are Fun

This week had been a lot less calm than last week.  But for our economic class we have the business product type thing. We have to create a business that provides a healthy food and exorcize type thing. Its kind of hard to explain but we basically have to convince and sell that physical activity will stimulate the mind and help students or teachers focus more in class. And of course we can create a healthy food or snack. After many changes of ideas we finally came up with a good new idea. We are going to do a non-profit lunch for the teachers that give the money to a feeding program in Nicaragua. Then we will do Zumba class for a physical activity. I do not want to get into all the details and aspects of our project right not so the point is that we are going to be trying to come up with a healthy menu. So I am going to be tying to come up with a healthy menu for one day and then another day we are going to do a taste from Nicaragua day. We want to do rice and beans, fresh fruit, and maybe banana chips. So my next little project will be coming up with an easy cheap and healthy lunch. Fun Fun! 

Busy Bee Me

I had a really busy week during senior project. Nicole Halla had her performances of her first and second graders this week for her senior project.  So she asked me to provide the refreshments for the students and parents that come. So I have done a lot of cooking this week. On Monday I made cranberry bars, on Tuesday I made ooeey gooey chocolate cookies and no bake cookies, on Thursday I made white chocolate raspberry truffles and these chocolate brownie type things, and on Friday I made peanut butter balls. I also made a strawberry punch and an nectar type punch for this week also. Every night I have been cooking and making desserts. I was never really told how many people were going to be there so I just had to prepare a lot.  All the recipes took me a long time to make. The cranberry bars took a long time because I had to make two and they had meringue which I discovered also takes a long time to make. Then all the cookies, truffles, and balls all could make several dozen so the rolling out and forming process was the most time consuming and annoying. But this way I had enough to serve all everybody with one recipe. I also had my second cooking class at the Cooking Station in Greenville and learned how to make bread. I love home maid bread so I am excited I know how to make it now with the help of the class and Mrs. Halla. I don’t know what my next project will be but I know I am tired after this week

Busy Bee

This week has been a really busy week for my senior project. On Monday night I made the meal for the RBTCI at the Redeemer Presbyterian (the Halla’s church). I made a bean and chicken soup, zucchini bread, cake, and had chips too. I made about ten loafs of the bread and a lot of recipes of soup. Luckily my mom was able to help me get all the ingredients and make some of the bread because it was such a large number of people to serve. There is usually about sixty people so we made enough for that number but not everyone came because there were tornado warnings and really bad whether that night, so we ended up having a lot of extra, which we let them keep. This event took a lot more planning and time than I was expecting unfortunately. Then I also made a meal for an older couple at my church on Thursday. I made Russian chicken, fluff and puff bisects, sesame almond salad, corn pie, and double chocolate fudge cake. They were really appreciative and sweet. I had to do a quick meal because I was visiting Appalachian state on Wednesday and so I had to do it after school on Thursday. Once again, I underestimated the time and preparation needed for these events, luckily my mom knew and warned me.  So I had a very successful and busy week for my senior project! 

Deep Breath, and Go!

This week during senior project class I have made a lot of future plans for next week. On Monday I went and helped Mrs. Halla with RBCTI at her church. I helped her serve and set up the food for about sixty people. Next week I am going to cook the meal for Monday night. So this is a really big responsibility and a lot of food. I think I am going to do a really good bean soup that is pretty easy to make with zucchini bread and some chips on the side. Also I called my grandma this week to see if she knew any families or individuals who could use a meal. She thought of two families and next Thursday I am going to bring a couple a meal. I have not planned this meal out yet but I am planning to do that this weekend. I also signed up for more cooking classes. There is this place in place in Greenville called the Cooking Station. I signed of for a three lesson package even though I cant go to the third one because I am going to be in Nicaragua. The first class (tonight) is going to be strictly on desserts, the next one is on baking bread, and then the last one is on cake and fondant decorating. Next week I also want to bring in something for the senior buffet that everyone will like. I have a busy week coming! 

Food Network anyone?

The shows that come on the food network are so much fun to watch! I don’t know how anyone can watch them and then not want to cook after. I like to watch Fabulous Cakes, Cake Boss, Ace of Cakes, and Top Chef the most. After I took the cake decorating class, I have a whole new appreciation for it. I understand the time, difficulty, and tediousness that goes into it. Everyone is always so surprised by how expensive they are but it actually is not that bad. All the supplies and icing that go into making those cakes is incredibly expansive. And plus, it is the most time consuming and tedious job I can think of. It requires incredible patience and creativity. Their job is defiantly not an easy one. Then on Top Chef, the challenges they have to do are so crazy, and then what they come up with is incredible. They have all these recipes on the top of their heads all the time and they are put through so many challenges and still come up with incredible results. I was watching Top Chef last night and one of the challenges was to go in Target and collect all the supplies and foods that were available in Target and cook a meal for a hundred or more Target employees all in the Target store in the middle of the night within three hours. It was intense. But the food looked so good still! One guy used a iron to make grill chesses, it was very innovative. He won that challenge and got 25,000 dollars too. They are also so good at just throwing things together without a recipe. It always amazes me what they can make and create with the limited amount of supplies and time they are given. But anyways, I think the food network is a great excuse to watch TV and could inspire anybody to want to cook. I know I want to!

Angelo, from Top Chef (he is my one of my favorites) 

Yes, that is a cake car. (guy from Cake Boss) 

What do you think?

Something I have often though about, especially last semester in econ class, is if cooking is a valuable trait or talent. We live in a nation where fast food and convenience is key. Not only is fast food for you, but also most of the packaged foods in the grocery stores are horrible for you and full of chemicals that clog up in our bodies. There are so many “packaged” deals and already made meals. Cooking is a lost art in my opinion. But is it valuable and worth doing anymore? I personally think it is. I think that cooking is something that everybody should know how to do. Cooking is can be a family event and sitting around the table brings people and families together. In America, it is all about getting things done, and getting what you want here and now. There is no time to cook and sit with your family and friends. When I went to Europe, sitting down to eat was a very long process. Nobody seemed to be in a hurry all the time. They genuinely seemed to be enjoying each other’s company. In the grassy are in front of the Eiffel Tower, hundreds of friends gathered around with elaborate meals and food. Here, it is like a grabbing a coffee is the only bonding time friends have over a meal. I think the way most of us treat cooking and mealtime is very impersonal and rushed. Eating and sharing a meal seems like it is just a thing to do in order to prepare you for your next task and refuel your body to get things done. It is hard to say that when I am sitting down and eating that I am not thinking about what I need to do and what comes next. During our lunches at school, we are always quizzing each other and studying for an English quiz. Studying isn’t a bad thing, but I think lunch is the one part of the day where it is completely okay to talk and laugh with friends in school. Like I said before, I was amazed at how so many people sat around talking and eating for hours during a meal.  Also, I think that cooking meals is healthier most of the time. Microwave meals and fast food is so bad for us, most people do not realize what it is doing to your body. What disturbs me most is that people know and can recognize that they are fat and are probably making their kids fat but they don’t do anything or change anything. They keep things the same just because it is easy and quick. What happened to caring for our well-being and bodies? It is not that hard to turn off the TV and go get some exercise. The funny thing is that at most gyms there are TVs attached to the treadmills and elliptical and yet America is still the fattest nation in to world. 

Ooey Goey Butter Bars

During this week for senior project I made Ooey Goey Butter Bars. That was the desert I made for Mrs. Halla’s event at her church on Monday nights. I also made them for my discipleship group that I meet with on Sunday night. And then I made another batch for the senior class this week. I got all positive remarks and comments. They were also really easy to make.  I will defiantly be doing those again.  Also this week I had a meeting with Mrs.Garison and all the other leaders clubs in beta club. We talked about the problems and what we need to do within the next week and month. I am going to have a meeting sometime early next week and approach them with different ideas. Mrs. Garison told me that Mrs. Seballos is looking for some help from the hospitality team. I talked to her later that day and she spoke to me about getting some servers for a parfait breakfast for the students going to Guatemala and then later fix food, breakfast casserole type dishes for another breakfast for the students going to Guatemala. And then she wanted servers for a mother son, father daughter dinner dance type thing in the spring. I am trying to think of some other ideas also. I also want to try and take another cake decorating class in the near future now that the rigor of my semester has calmed down. I am still deciding what dessert to bring for next week! 

Eating + Desserts= :)

This week for my senior project I cooked two desserts.  I made oreo balls and this cream cheese spread type thing with sugar and cinnamon on top. They were delicious! They were a huge success; everybody seemed to really like them. Carrie has made oreo balls before so everyone was really happy to see them again. The other dessert was new but still popular. They were by no means healthy or good for you. The oreo balls were kind of a pain to make. Sometimes when I dipped the oreo ball part in the white chocolate it would fall apart. The recipe also called for only one box of white chocolate squares but I needed two (luckily I got an extra one). I mainly tried these recipes to test trial for an event next week. Mrs. Halla has her church dinner thing next Monday and needs me to fix the desserts for the dinner. It is about two hundred people. So I am thinking that I don’t want to make two hundred something oreo balls so I am going to try to do some other dessert with the cream cheese spread for her church. I will also probably just help her out with that whole night’s dinner at her church. I am also hoping to talk to my mom or Mrs. Halla to find a family or person I can cook for. 

Yummy in the Tummy

Hello there! I got to cook this week! I had more of a laid back week because of Martin Luther King day and I didn’t go to school on Tuesday because I was getting stitches on my face from an icy snowball thrown at me. So I cooked an Sour Cream Lemon Pound Cake for the senior class/lounge. I got all good reviews and compliments on it. What I keep forgetting to do is put out comment cards. The next time I cook I will need to make sure to do that. One thing I have discovered is that I am not a big fan of bunt cakes or tube cakes. I still like them but out of the different desserts one can make those are probably my least favorite. I don’t like the uncertainty of it top coming out whole or in pieces. The Sour Cream one only had a little bit on the top that didn’t come off but an earlier bunt cake I made was completely ruined and didn’t come out right and I had to put together a simple box cake really quickly. Also, I should have read the instructions all the way through before putting the ingredients on the grocery list because I didn’t read the part about needed one and a half tablespoons of lemon zest. Zesting lemons is a very time consuming task. It took two lemons to grade/zest to get enough. But the good part was that our kitchen smelled amazing! I also made toast with and goat cheese and a low fate Greek yogurt spread with raspberries and honey on top. I made that for myself because it is a healthy recipe from the Jillian’s Michaels book, Master Your Metabolism. I like fixing the healthy stuff for myself and the unhealthy desserts for the class. I also fixed a Mediterranean Pizza. A lot of the ingredients in the Jillian Michaels cook book are organic and all healthy so it is a lot harder to find in the grocery store. So my mom and I couldn’t find whole wheat dough so we had to buy white dough from a package and the directions for that dough and the directions for the recipe differed a good bit. So I decided to improvise and just decide and assume what to put on it and how long to cook it. It turned out good but I forgot to put it in the fridge over night so we had to throw it away unfortunately.  I am planning to cook some more next week

Ready, Set, Go!

This week during senior project I did my timeline. There was a lot of thinking ahead and planning this week to get back in the swing of things. Here is what I came up with:

Senior Project Outline for January –May

January:

-Bring in Results on New Recipes twice this month

-January 22, 2011: Bake Bread with Mrs. Halla and distribute to the Senior Class

-January 29, 2011: Bring a meal to a family in need

-January 17 2011: Help Mrs. Halla with Monday night dinner at her church

February:

-Cook Three New Recipes and Distribute to Senior Class

-February 14^: Bring Hospitality Group to Church Builders

-February 28, 2011: Help Mrs. Halla with dinner at Church

-February 18: Cook with Mrs. Holbein

March:

-Cook Three New Recipes and Distribute to Senior Class

-March 14: Bring Hospitality Group to the Soup Kitchen

-March 7: Help Mrs. Halla with dinner at Church

-March 11: Cook with Mrs. Godenick

April:

-April 12: Bring Hospitality Group to the Soup Kitchen

         -have to go to Mrs. Garrison and get her permission and her suggestions

         -produce a Facebook message and conduct a lunch planning meeting to see who            can come and who is willing to help

          -call parents and ask if they will come and help also

-April 4: Help Mrs. Halla with dinner at her Church

-April 7- Preparation Day

-Either April 14, 18, 20 - do Presentation

           -Help Mrs. Zion organize and orchestrate snacks for presentations

I know last semester I really over planned and underestimated how hard the year was going to turn out. I didn’t think about how grueling and how many hours were going to be spent on homework and school assignments.  So this time I tried to cut down and not be to overambitious and then be disappointed if I don’t complete all my goals. So hopefully this is a much more realistic plan.

Christmas Comfort Food :)

Hey there! I have had a great Christmas break and been cooking a lot! I missed a blog another week this month so I am doing that now to make up for it. Every year we have a Christmas Eve dinner with all the family at our house; and I always help my mom cook every year. This year I helped her a lot and found out some great new recipes. I made a green bean casserole, this slow cook chocolate thunder thing, red velvet brownies, an oatmeal spice cake, strawberry cake, blondies, salad dressing, corn pudding, and 14 berry trifles. It was quite an eventful break. Everything turned out great except for the oatmeal spice cake. I had to use a bunt pan and when I turned it over it didn’t come out as a whole and it was really tiny. The cake part was good but it didn’t quite make it all the way. I do not know exactly what went wrong. I was once again reminded of the intense amount of time it takes to cook. On Christmas Eve I was cooking all day just for a twenty minute meal. It was kind a of depressing but still well worth it because I enjoyed the process. I also was reminded of the need to read recipes very carefully. I often find myself in a jam because I just didn’t read it closely or I was distracted or wasn’t paying full attention, but that did get me in trouble a few times. Luckily all the mistakes were minor and did ruin the food. I also got to use a little bit of my creative artistic side with the berry trifles because of the layers and different ways to arrange the berries and cream part in the glasses. One of my favorite things I cooked was the chocolate thunder recipe and the red velvet brownies. The chocolate thunder took four hours to cook but it was so delicious. It was warm, moist, and so chocolaty. It was great. Now the red velvet brownies were a little bit more tricky. It was annoying because the middle wouldn’t cook but the edges would so the edges got burnt or a little crispy but the middle part was perfect. So I cut off all the too hard and burnt parts and found all the moist cake part. So they ended up being really amazing but took more time than I was expecting. The free time was great and I am so happy that I got a chance to cook again. It was a great break and I am hoping that I will be able to cook more next semester since my schedule has slowed down a lot. Bon Appetite!