128 !!!! HANDMADE empanadas... FYI ( ( 70 ) ) of these disappeared in the first minutes of me announcing they where ready!!!! THE POWER OF FOOD! LOL

Saturday Lunch

Saturday Lunch @ home / Spicy pasta (rotini), Gratin Dauphinoise, Mixed vegetables and Baked Italian Chicken + Cream of Zucchini

Making a Gratin Dauphinoise @ home

PRACTICUM: YUMMY Pecan Turnovers...I did a few of this with the leftovers from the pecan tarts in my practicum job...

PRACTICUM

PRACTICUM: Pecan Tart

PRACTICUM: Pecan triangles

PRACTICUM: Chocolate Chip Muffins

ADRIANA IN THE KITCHEN!!!

My good friend Adriana has finally made me the honor to participate in my blog!!!!! YES!!!! Thank you Adri for your submissions! She has made for us some nice Summer Fruit Salad and a Potato salad which her husband swears is the best!!! Adri credits her inspiration came from watching Giada De Laurentiis show "Everday Italian" on the FoodNetwork. All the BEST Adri and keep'em coming!!!

Casa Vieja

This is an empanada platter from: Casa Vieja Restaurante (972) 416-8172
1927 E Belt Line Rd
Carrollton, TX 75006 In casa Vieja you'll find wonderful colombian food! This pic is back from april the pic was taken with my camera phone so it is not the best but never the less the food was SUPER the empanadas are meat and potato filled with a crispy skin...the salad was very fresh with a nice misterious dressing. The sauces you see above the plate where to die for!!!!! tangy comb. of vinegar, tomato + shallots plus other stuff ??? Either way it is worth a visit specialy on weekend nights the place is packed with a rythm filled crowd that came not only for the good food but to dance! It's a small, intimate restaurant and nightclub with blue and green-checkered tablecloths and cozy aqua-colored booths. Live music, dancing and TV viewing gives it a festive atmosphere.

PRACTICUM 6/15/06 > (pictured mini peach crisp-pie) Even thought the bakery does mainly cheesecakes we get unusual requests... this is one of them LOL :P The client wanted a "sugar-free" peach pie... What she got was a 'hybrid pie' a cross between a pie and a crisp! Developed by me using the knowledge learned in Advanced Pastry! THANKS ALISON!!!! I think I butchered your peach-cherry crisp trying to make it "Sugar-free" with Splenda ... never the less everyone LOVED it at the bakery.

PRACTICUM 6/15/06 > raw peach pies

PRACTICUM 6/16/06 > More decorated cookies ... for father's day

PRACTICUM 6/15/06 > Decorated a birthday cheesecake

PRACTICUM: I did these today at the bakery in which I am doing my practical. A lady special ordered these pro MAVS cookies for a party. These are sugar cookies, choc.chip and oatmeal cookies decorated with MAVS stuff...not exactly a piece of art but still fun to make. : )

Last day of chocolate work for Adv. Pastry Competition class ... final project was a all chocolate box with ribbon. We all got the same assignment and each one rendered their very own version of a chocolate box.

my chocolate box center piece

view from top

My work space before assembly... ribbon + choc plaque for the box bottom and top covers + PVC cylinders holding the choc covered acetate in place

Making the white chocolate ribbon's "a la Fred!"

by: Evelyn / Chocolate box project

Fred's Chocolate box project

Monica's (Mo) Chocolate box project....cut flowers nice color contrast

Amber's Chocolate box project / THE BEST!!! Look at the Ribbon!!!!! OMG!!!

Chocolate box project

Chocolate box project

Chocolate box project

Chocolate box project

Chocolate box project

The work space... a chocolate canvas

BUBBLE WRAP CHOCOLATE!!!!

Choc. covered cherries + cherries wrapped in almond paste waiting to be dipped in chocolate

Finished Chocolate & fruit center piece (by: Evelyn) / Chocolate dipped cherries and strawberries, raspberry filled chocolates, choc. truffle + bubble wrap chocolate

back side (chocolate & fruit center piece by: Evelyn)

side view (chocolate & fruit centerpiece by: Evelyn)

(by: Evelyn) upper left: covered cherries in almond paste dipped in chocolate, covered cherries, bubble wrap chocolate and raspberry filled chocolates.

Chocolate center piece by: ??? / done with bubble wrap chocolate, peanut butter cups, covered cherries, dipped strawberries and assorted filled chocolates

laced peanut butter cups

Amber's box of chocolates

Monica's molded chocolate centerpiece

working on chocolate

Bill Hodges (chef / instructor) demo'ing how to work with chocolate tubs to create different patterns

First 2 centerpieces in the "Advanced Pastry Competition" Class @ El Centro!!!!! Both 100% edible (minus cardboard base!!!!) made with Peter's tempered dark and white chocolate + plastic chocolate. Kind of a pain to make but in the end it is all worth it and so, so nice to look at.

All chocolate centerpiece, all edible! LOL made with: Choc. lace panels, chocolate buds and roses + tendrils, white choc. leafs and plastic choc. hearts

Close up ...

by: Evelyn / Plastic Chocolate Roses (yes it's perfectly edible!!!) + Chocolate cigars + leafs and musical notes

by: Amber / Very eye pleasing arrangement

by: Amber / Very nice steady hand on the lace work of centerpiece + the butterflies are WOW! Great Job!!!

I am pretty exited!!! Today was the 1st day of Advanced Pastry Competition class @ El Centro / This morning Bill Hodges (our instructor) demo'd how to temper chocolate and created a chocolate center piece with the tempered choc.