Merry Christmas!!!

Oh Look at them!!! aren't they CUTE!!!! oh sorry I didn't introduce you! LOL these are "Peppermint Meringues" sandwiched with a little chocolate....ahhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!! so melt in your mouth!!! they leave a refreshing yummy feeling afterwards that lingers long enought to make you want to keep eating more!!!!

Argentinean "Alfajor" from "El Zaguan Bakery" in Dallas. Thanks to my dear friend Adriana who took me there and who has taken on her self to show me the culinary wonders she discovers! LOL :) Thank You Adri!!!

Merengues or Suspiros sandwiched with Dulce de Leche from "El Zaguan Bakery" in Dallas

Apricot Paradise! Hand dipped apricots

Ok, ok I cheated on this one I din't bake this but hey Baklava for $ 8!!! is a great time saver deal counting on the fact that one you save yourself some time and lots of $$ since nuts went up! $12 a bag @ Costco!

BISCOTTI ! ! ! Buttery Orange biscotti so light and crisp : ) dipped in chocolate and coated with praline bits

X-mas gift platters prior to wrapping

Hope everyone is having Great Holi-daze!
Here is the gift platters we gave at work for our business accts.
They had:

-Baklava,
-Orange-Almond Biscotti with chocolate and praline,
-Florentine Cookies,
-Peppermint Meringues,
-Apricots coated with chocolate and praline,
-Ferreo Rocher and Belgian Chocolates.


>> * Adri!!! this is how yours would of looked! I'll try not eat most of it!!! LOL kidding! : )

= Turkish coffee = in picture traditional turkish pot called a
"cezve" & Turkish Coffee. I went to check out this new middle
eastern ethic grocery store in Arlington,TX and the store
was small nice and clean. They carried lots of interesting stuff
and they had the works to make turkish coffee! which I had always
wanted to try so, I bought the pot and the coffee.

From the days of the Ottoman Empire through the present,
coffee has played an important role in Turkish lifestyle
and culture. The serving and consumption of coffee has
had a profound effect on betrothal and gender customs,
political and social interaction, prayer, and hospitality
customs throughout the centuries.

Brought to Istanbul in 1555 by two Syrian traders,
coffee became known as the "milk of chess players and thinkers".
By the mid-17th century, Turkish coffee became part of elaborate
ceremonies involving the Ottoman court. Coffee makers (kahveci usta),
with the help of over forty assistants, ceremoniously prepared and
served coffee for the sultan. Betrothal customs and gender roles
also became defined through coffee rituals. In ancient times,
women received intensive training in the harem on the proper
technique of preparing Turkish coffee. Perspective husbands
would judge a woman's merits based on the taste of her coffee.

Derived from the Arabica bean, Turkish coffee is a very fine,
powder-like grind. An aromatic spice called cardamom is sometimes
added to the coffee while it is being ground. One can also boil whole
seeds with the coffee and let them float to the top when served.
Turkish coffee has six levels of sweetness ranging from very
sweet to black. Since sugar is not added to the coffee after it is
served, spoons are not needed. As the coffee begins to heat, it
begins to foam. A rule of the Turkish coffee ceremony dictates
that if the foam is absent from the face of the coffee,
the host loses face.

Turkish coffee is served hot from a special coffee pot called "cezve".
Tradition states that after the guest has consumed the coffee and the
cup is turned upside down on the saucer and allowed to cool,
the hostess then performs a fortune reading from the coffee
grounds remaining in the cup. Rich in tradition and flavor,
Turkish coffee remains a favorite today.

LOL sorry this pic I borrowed from the internet but it depicts very well how to prep "Turkish Coffee"

Some colorful sopes!

In the below pictures you will find the final projects forourfinal exam practical. We came in and had to cook something good and well garnished from whatever was available / finders keepers! and off we went to apply all we learned during the semester! In the end it was all good!!!
It was a G R E A T semester see you all in spring!!!
Happy Holi-daze! to all : )

Slacker # 1 & 2.... the rumors are FALSE they are NOT dating!!! LOL just kidding... best wishes to both of you and see you next semester!!!!

THE BEST!!!!!!!! Erica, Mitchell and Jose!!! all love to my slackers and Jaques Pepin part deux (Mitchell ! LOL :) )

ERICA!!!!!!!!! doesn't want a picture!!!!!! LOL best wishes and see you next semester!!!

Jose and Jeff, you both look very nice and smiley with your chefs attire but tired! it was crazy!!!! but you both did good on your finals!!! See u next semester!

# 1

# 2 The Texmati wild rice was MMMMM!!!!

# 3 Erica's!!!!!!! chicken pockets??? sorry can't remember :( hey but the chicken was MMM!!! good! very moist, juicy and delicious!!!

# 4 KATIE's scones!!! MMM!!!

# 5

# 6

# 7 Good flavors!

# 8 Jose's pork Stroganoff? maybe? Anyway it was So, SO Good!!! the creamy mushroom topping, To die for!!! and the garnishes!!!! OH My!!! so this one was the WINNER for me! Way to Go Jose, aka. Slacker # 2

# 9 Vegetarian Omelette with hash browns a la paprika! Good stuff : )

# 10 Country Chicken by David!

#11 Nice Garnishing! the Rice and Garnishes looked even better from a top view. Chicken Teriyaki or is it yakatori? Good stuff any way! :)

#12 Joseph's if i am not mistaken. Cool! or more like HOT!!! LOL he even made some drinks to quench the heat! LOL :) Good one!

#13 MINE!!! LOL here it is! "Gorditas" the true and original!!! LOL my mom's recipe but let me tell you it was meant to be! While everybody
was going crazy grabbing the chicken. I calmly walked to the abandoned pantry haha! so forgotten but, hiding treasures! LOL not really I was up
there Wednesday and had already planned to do either crepes or wontons but when I saw the package for 'masa Harina' aka. Maseca full and new
I felt obliged to use it! Furthermore on the day of the lab there they where! Cilantro, a can of chiles,tomato,onion and YES Avocado!!! only one!
So as you see it was meant to BE! And Alas here they are the Wonderful soft gorditas with melted cheese filling topped with a fancy 'pico de gallo'
with sour cream and a black olive for contrast, all in a bed of lettuce chiffonade with granishes.

#14

#15 (Mitchell's Work of Art!!! :) )

#16

Sweet ending!!! LOL not really...well maybe. So I was done with the project 17 minutes early SO not to make feel rushed those still not finished I went back and rescued the poor sad raspberries! The secret ingredient!!! LOL no seriously this was due to the fact that there was NO dessert other than Katies scones, since the majority of projects where meats and other. So I need some dessert! LOL and you thought it was for the class! LOL
[[[What is it? WELL!!!!!! something my mom does for a light dessert, see it like a triffle with out bread or cream,yogurt,condensed milk + raspberries, hazelnuts and delicious Ghirardelli chocolate!!! MMMM! Creamy and light (right!...well not on calories!)]]]

Everybody grading the presentation dishes

Chef Warner,Shawnna, Liola, Martell and Erika!!!!

Katie & Me.. Great

I finally got it!!!!! My very own Time Life "Foods of the World" collection!!! Ok for those wondering yes I have gone mad because this very hard to find cookbooks are a true treasure. 27 countries 54 cookbooks total! This was a collection from the late 60's to the early 70's from the long gone 'time life' publishers. The collection was never sold in stores and was only available to subscribers. All of the above makes it very hard to find...a true cookbook collectors joy! A true treasure even though it is old it contains and depicts world cuisines with such detail!

1. American Cooking
2. American Cooking: Creole & Acadican
3. American Cooking: The Eastern Heartland
4. American Cooking: The Great West
5. American Cooking: The Melting Pot
6. American Cooking:New England
7. American Cooking: The Northwest
8. American Cooking: Southern Style
9. The Cooking of the British Isles
10. The Cooking of the Caribbean Islands
11. The Cooking of China
12. The Cooking of Germany
13. The Cooking of India
14. The Cooking of Italy
15. The Cooking of Japan
16. The Cooking of Provincial France
17. The Cooking of Scandinavia
18. The Cooking of Spain & Portugal
19. The Cooking of Vienna 's Empire
20. African Cooking
21. Classic French Cooking
22. Russian Cooking
23. Latin American Cooking
24. Middle Eastern Cooking
25. Pacific & Southeast Asian Cooking
26. A Quintet of Cuisines
27. Wines and Spirits

YES!!!! we got a Belgian Waffle Maker!!! for thanksgiving!!! LOL ok it was at a great after thanksgiving price so we couldn't say no LOL it is WONDERFUL!!!! it makes a waffle like in 3 minutes!!!! and they come out so nice with a crunchy exterior and a moist donut like interior!!!

I am thankful for a very very blesses year. / Here is our HUGE! turkey which was a pain to handle in and out of the oven, not to mention the work it took prep it.

Hungry? LOL here is Fred Flinstone's plate!

"Wild Mushroom Soup" The picture doesn't do justice to this wonderful creamy-licious soup.

BEST SALAD EVER!!!!

DELICIOUS and fresh Ahhhh! what can I say so so many flavors at play here and they al marry so well!!! LOL The sallad is some Romain lettuce mixxed with bibb lettuce then comes: Bacon, avocado, pomegrante,granny smith apples, tangerine and ruby grapefruit slices. And to top it some Sour cream - yogurt dressing with a hint of curry!!!! MMM Magnificent!!!! First time ever I wanted seconds on a salad!!!!

Gravy, the real thing no envelope mixes here! LOL :) and the wonderful canned Cranberry Jelly sorry the can for this one is always better.... Look forward to it every year! LOL :)

"Gratin Dauphinoise" This petit homage to Julia Child. I tried there her first recipe on public TV for the 60's show "The French Chef" which BTW is availiable on DVD through Netflix! VIVA! Julia Child

Corn bread, Chestnut and Sausage Dressing MMM super!!

French green beans with scallions with lemon zest + almonds.

'Tarte Tatin' this french classic ended our thanksgiving meal. It was d-e-l-i-c-i-o-u-s! The caramel infused the apples with so so much flavor and it was quick to make.