Archive for Uncategorized
Martha on the Simpsons!
So I’ve been working on another post all night– and I didn’t save it… and lost it all! grr! how annoying– will do my best to recreate it tomorrow. But, in the mean time…
MARTHA STEWART IS GOING TO BE ON THE SIMPSONS! Ha I think this is going to be hysterical! So, I obvi had to share this link with you! enjoy!
http://popwatch.ew.com/2010/04/08/martha-stewart-simpsons/
Happy Baking!
-Kristy
WBFT: Better Late Than Never!
To learn more about ‘Will Bake For Tuition’, Click Here! To read all ‘Will Bake For Tuition’ Posts, Click here!
So clearly the theme of this week for my has been ‘Better Late Than Never’ and this Will Bake for Tuition Post is long over due. But I have lots to report so here it is…
Back in late November, I got the most distressing phone call ever… The International Culinary Institute at the Art Institute of California had withdrew my application due to not having the funds to pay for school. What a Freakin’ bummer! (I blame some of my blog absence during the month of Dec. on having a pity party for myself and trying to formulate a new plan of action!) I was so disappointed, and thought that my pastry school days would be a long ways ahead of me. For those that know me well, know that patience for things such as this is not something I have much of. I really did not want to wait years to make this happen. I want it to happen now… okay.. back to the drawing board I went.
The scholarship just hadn’t been working in my favor either. I applied to a few that I was eligible for, and had not heard a thing. I felt somewhat stuck, because I would have qualified for tons more scholarships if I were already attending the classes, or if I were a freshman, or were left handed… anyway, the list could go on… but all this to say my hopes in dreams for only scholarship money to pay for Pastry School were not quite working out.
So there I was, having a massive pity party for quite some time, until I had a wonderful revelation! So I’m going to be very open here about a topic that some my fine taboo, but whatever… Currently, I pay approximately $800 a month towards my student loans — outrageous and ridiculous I know… my monthly payment is more than I pay in rent (and this is Los Angeles!) and will only continue to grow until I am about 50-something years old when I finish paying them off. Essentially, my brain is worth the same amount of a small house in middle America… yes it was my choice to go to school and I have no regrets… but that’s alot of money for a bodily organ! Anyways, I digress as usual! As soon as you enroll in school half time, your student school loans can be deferred… which for me means I don’t have to pay them… which translates into an extra $800 in my pocket to do what I please with… so why don’t I get my foot in the door at AI and begin pastry school by paying out of pocket… at least my expensive brain is paying off! Clearly, this is the most Brilliant idea ever!
So I talked to my rep at AI today who reinstated my application for Spring and told me my next step from here is to meet with financial aid one more time on Wed. to confirm that this is a viable plan of action to make pastry school happen… and I am so pumped about it! My excitement and eagerness has been rejuvenated! Pastry school is that much closer!
Lastly, I must address one more thing… I am still going to apply for scholarships, save all my cash from cookie sales and am always open to accepting donations (see the button to your left! Hint, Hint, Wink Wink!) I’ve even picked up an extra shift at Pier 1 to continue to stockpile the savings! Even though the plan has drifted somewhat… I still plan to pay to pastry school with out using loans or credit cards— may not be easy, but I am sure I can make it happen!
Thanks for all your support! I promise to update you at the end of the week about my meeting with financial aid!
Happy Baking!
-Kristy
Cranberry Cake Encore!
Let me begin this post with sharing the first few conversations I had this morning as I walked into work…
Conversation 1
Nurse: Hey! I heard about your cake!
Me: What cake?
Nurse: Some Cranberry Cake??… Girl I heard it was good!
Me: Oh, Right! It was a cranberry upside down cake… yeah everybody seemed to like it.
Nurse: Yeah! So are you going to make it again?
Me: Maybe!
Conversation 2… 30 seconds later…
HouseKeeper: Krystal (she calls me that!) I heard your cake was gooood!
Me: They cranberry one?
HouseKeeper: Yeah, that one!
Me: That’s what I’ve heard too! Guess I’ll have to make it again.
Conversation 3… 5 seconds later…
Tech: Kristy you’re cake was gooood!
Me: I’m so glad you liked it!
Tech: Thanks for saving me that last piece!
Me: No Problem! It was gobbled up pretty fast!
Conversation 4… a few minutes later…
My Boss: Kristy I heard about your cake!
Me: Really? Ha.. the entire unit has apparently been talking about it!
My Boss: Yes, yes the Cranberry one. It sounds so good! I think I’ll sign you up to bring that in next week for the Holiday Pot Luck.
Me: Oh it was good! And, I’ve beat you to the punch… I’ve already signed up to bring that cake!
My Boss: Oh great! I really want to try it! And, could you bring me the recipe?
Me: For sure!
Someone has been spreading rumors about my cakes! (Good thing they are all good rumors!) What a wonderful greeting I received this morning about a cake I made a week ago… yes a week ago and people are still talking about it… and yes it was delightful! It was Cranberry Upside Down Cake which was featured in the November Issue of Cooking Light! I wish I could say the pic to the left is my own, but its not… although my cake looked just a beautiful, the pic on my phone just would not do it justice… so this is the photo from Cooking Light.
This cake was easy to make. I ended up by making it twice in one night– because I dropped the first one in the oven– it was horrible— I was in tears out of seeing my cake in a big old mess, while my boyfriend was in tears from laughing so hard… Anyways, good thing I made it in a cinch. It was 3 simple steps— 1. make the brown sugar cranberry topping, 2. make the batter and 3. bake…. so check out the recipe by clicking here and bake it for yourself!
On to the taste… Amazing! The cake it self was super light, fluffy and sweet which so nicely complimented the tart sweetness of the cranberries. I think the only thing I will do differently next time around is make some sweet whipped cream to top the cake with. I love things extra sweet and I think the whipped cream would have added that extra yummy-ness I was seeking. This beauty of a dessert is really perfect for the holiday season and I highly, highly recommend giving it a try… clearly it’s a crowd pleaser!
Happy Baking!
-Kristy
A Lay Over in Denver!
During my recent travels I had a layover in Denver. Once the puddle jumper of a plane landed I deplaned to the tarmac… I was blown away by the frigid air of Colorado! (I’m a west coast girl now… I was SO Not ready for 20 degree wind!) I managed to hurry into the terminal and booked it to the first coffee shop I could see for a Hot Cocoa. The only thing I really like about about chilly weather are the delicious warm drinks like Hot Cocoa and Hot Totties!
So I ended up at the Caribou Coffee… a wonderfully amazing coffee shop that is only in 15 states (California not being one of the 15!) I was all ready to order a small Hot Cocoa until I saw a very exciting sign… I had 3 choices of chocolate for my beverage… Milk, Dark or White Chocolate. I know, I know, its a bit ridiculous that I got as excited as I did, but it was really the first time I saw such an option… and I LOVE LOVE LOVE the intense flavor of dark chocolate. I will frequently pass on a dessert or treat if its made with milk chocolate because the flavor to me is just so bland.
Anyways, I went all out with this beverage… The Dark Chocolate Hot Cocoa, Topped with Whipped cream and a sea of semi-sweet chocolate chips. OMG this was the most comforting beverage ever! It warmed me right up after that frozen walk from the plane till the terminal. On top of being super tasty with a rich dark chocolate flavor… when I took the top off to let the drink cool a bit… I thought the sea of chocolate chips was so freaking cute! I must have looked a little off taking photos of this at my gate… but they looked to good I had to share!
If you are lucky enough yo live near a Caribou Coffee… go indulge in this seasonal cup of deliciousness before it’s discontinued! Thanks so much for letting me babble about a beverage!
Happy Baking and Sipping!
-Kristy
French Women Eat Pastry…
I am still recovering from my trip and from a very Manic day at work, but was excited to finally be writing this post… my apologies if I am scattered, but I hope you enjoy!
So I have finally (after 2 months too long…) finished reading French Women Don’t Get Fat: The Secret of Eating for Pleasure by Mireille Guiliano, the CEO of Clicquot, Inc (they make the awesome Champagne Veuve Clicquot). I absolutely, positively adored this book. Please allow me to explain some of her tips that I found useful and why I loved this book….
1. This is NOT a diet book. (I know… this blog is far from a diet or healthy living blog… just bear with me here!) You all know how much I enjoy my sweets, yet eating healthy is just as important. My life simply would not be complete without cookies, cake or pastry. It is important to me that they are a part of my eating life style. Guiliano makes eating pastry acceptable, guilt-free, and with a little common sense strategies, will not pack on the pounds. If you eat a pastry today, skip the pastry tomorrow and compensate with some extra healthy meals in your day. As I have mentioned before, making healthy choices and eating well is important to me… and Guiliano meshed these two ideas well in an adorable and witty way!
2. Tip: Eat QUALITY not QUANTITY. Yes, sometimes nothing is better than satisfying your chocolate craving by binging on 100 Mini Snickers— but really you will be more satisfied with just one piece of uber high quality dark chocolate or milk chocolate. All the sugars and processed ingredients in the Snicker’s just make you crave it more, and over eat. Personally, I’ll take a decadent piece of 70% cocoa chocolate square any day over a Snickers! This was a simple, straightforward tip that I have heard before… but a friendly reminder is always helpful!
3. Move more and drink more Water and Wine: Take the stairs, always have your water in hand… and don’t forget a spectacular red wine with dinner. Yes, Mireille… I can handle this! (Oh how I love a good Pinot come winter time!)
These are just a few tips, and the book is full of so many more. The premise and overall philosophy is eat good food, drink good drinks and savor every minute of it. I think it was a philosophy i was already trying to live by, and Guiliano clarified this for me. She encourages baking your own bread a pastry, enjoying the fruits of your labor and not over-doing it. She makes it do-able and gets you so excited about your next meal. She has totally inspired me. I am now obsessed with the French culture and have tentative plans for a trip to Paris with my sister. Guiliano also has a second book… French Women for All Seasons and I can’t wait to get it. Overall awesome book… and would make a fab. holiday gift! If you’ve read it already, I would love to hear your thoughts!
Happy Baking and Reading!
-Kristy
This book is a must read.
Pie Tasting!
Tasting Sheets
Last night I had a couple friends over for a pie tasting. I’ve been a pie making machine lately because I am entering the Pillsbury Bake-Off Monthly Challenge. From September to December, Pillsbury will award $2,500 monthly for the best dish in each months category. September was quick and easy dinners, and October is sweet and savory Pies, hence my pie tasting festivities! If I am one lucky enough to win, my winning will go straight into my Will Bake For Tuition Fund to help me pay for Pastry School! Like I said before… I will bake for tuition, and I have surely been baking alot!
I love having tastings and take them very seriously. I make score sheets, ask questions of the tasters and take time to consider all feedback provided. I figure four mouths are better then one when it comes to testing flavor, consistency and even aroma! I also create my score sheets based on the judging criteria of whatever contest it is I am entering. For this Pillsbury Bake-Off, all recipes are judged on three categories… Taste, Ease of Preparation and Creativity, so my scoring sheets were made accordingly.
Mac-n-Cheese Pie
Taco Pie
We had lots of fun last night and ate tons of pie! I started out with the savory Pies… First a Garlicky Mac-n-Cheese Florentine Pie followed by a Taco Pie. I wanted to take simple, everyday meals that appeal to many for my savory pies. Pillsbury is all about ease and appeal to the stay at home mom and busy families (or the random 20-something girl that is obsessed with baking, such as myself!) I had many a taco night growing up as did we frequently eat Mac-N-Cheese. So to me, it seemed natural to turn these staples into pies! In the tasting, we decided my mac-n-cheese pie needed a bit of adjusting, but the Taco Pie was a huge hit. Actually, when my Boyfriend came home at lunch today, he had 2 huge pieces of it and you can see in the pic there’s not a whole lot left! I think an easy way to judge the success of a dish is how many times people go back for seconds! Based on that criteria… Taco Pie was a success!
Nutty Pumpkin Apple Pie
Ice Cream Sundae Pie
On to the sweet pies. I wanted to make a variation of a classic, to give myself a bit of a challenge, so naturally an apple pie came to mind. Quickly and shockingly, I realized I had never actually made an apple pie before. I know, I know, crazy as it sounds, I have made tons and tons of apple crisps because I simply preferred that over pie. But now, it was my turn to take the apple pie plunge! I was a little nervous, but excited about my variation… a Nutty Pumpkin Apple Pie. I tossed the apples in Pumpkin Butter (yes, I am officially obsessed) and made an crispy and nutty topping. After I had served my guested the pie and returned to kitchen to grab my own slice, all I heard ringing from my living room was “Mmmm. Mmmm. Mmmm.” Yippee! They liked it! They really liked it! (Hopefully the Pillsbury Judges will too!) My other sweet pie was a Mini Ice Cream Sundae Pie. For this one I used cookie dough to make the “pie crust,” filled it with vanilla ice cream and topped it with chocolate sauce— super simple yet super delish! I thought this pie was going to be the bust of the night, because my cookie crust did not turn out quite the way I wanted it to, but instead turned out to be the hit of the evening! It was a bite sized ice cream sundae, tasted yummy and looked adorable! I actually sent one of my tasters home with 3 of them!
My taster’s gave some awesome feedback, and also gave my pie-baking abilities a bit of a confidence boost! Once my recipe adjustments are made and all are entered into the contest, I will be posting each for you on here, along with some bigger pics. So keep checking in and check out Pillsbury.com to see if my recipes made it to the final voting round! I am really pumped about this contest and the ones coming up in November and December (easy apps and simple desserts!) More tastings will be had as well! Volunteers for tasting are always welcome! Let me know if you are interested!
Happy Baking and Tasting!
-KM
WBFT: Donate Now and Featured Publisher!
To learn about Will Bake For Tuition (WBFT), Click here! To read all WBFT Posts, Click Here! (Remember to read from the bottom up!)
Great News! I’ve been given lots of fantastic advice on many ways to raise money for pastry school, and one of the most common suggestions has been to add a “Donate Now” button to my page. And Ta-Da! It has finally arrived! I am slowly but surely learning my way around running this blog, keeping up a web page with the help of an awesome sister and figuring out how to add these neat widgets/buttons to my blog page. With a little research and trial and error, my Donate Now Button is up and running! (And I even took the extra step to become verified with PayPal!) If you feel so inclined, Any and all donations of any denomination are welcome! Every dollar and penny counts (and by the way, I have begun saving my pennies is a very special ‘Tuition” jar!) So give the button to the left a click and see what happens! Thank you, in advance, for your kind generosity!
Yippee! Another step in a hopeful direction! Mmm… Pastry School… I can begin to smell its sweetness already!
One other new thing you’ll also notice on my blog is my “Featured Publisher” tag for Food Buzz. Yes, I am also happy to report I am on Food Buzz as a featured publisher! I am new to Food Buzz, which is an awesome website to connect you with other foodies, blogs and recipes, and am really enjoying it. It’s real easy to navigate and I have already found a number of great blogs and people on there. If you’re a foodie like me, you should soo go check it out!
Happy Baking!
-KM
WBFT: Scholarships and the Pillsbury Monthly Bake-Off!
To learn more about Will Bake For Tuition, Click Here!
For no good reason at all, over the last couple days I have been getting so completely nervous about raising my tuition money for Pastry school. My first quarter will cost $3,469, and thus far I have raised $55 (I have wonderful friends that support me!) So that’s $3,414 to go! And, I know it’s a doable thing and I am off to great start… every penny counts. But I have been simply unable to shake this nervousness.
So, when I get nervous I do the only think I know how to do… take action! Over the weekend I managed to find over 40 Scholarships that I could potentially apply for, and my goal for this evening is to organize them in a spreadsheet by date, locate the websites and have a clear, coherent and well planned schedule of scholarship-application-mania! (Clearly, the type A in me is out in full force today!) I already applied for all that were due by September 30th, which eased my anxiety some. Yippee… progress is being made!
In addition to my scholarship research, I have been asking friends and colleagues for their advice and suggestions about how to find my tuition money… and I have been given some awesome ideas! Earlier in the week one of my co-workers from Pier-1 (Yes, along with my day job as an art therapist I also work nights at Pier 1… I have a busy schedule!) suggested I check out the company websites for any and all baked goods to see if they offered contests or anything that could help me raise tuition money. So my first stop was Pillsbury.com. I usually frequent the site, but realized today I hadn’t been on it all that much. And much to my surprise and excitement I read about their latest contest… The Pillsbury Bake-Off Monthly Challenge! Each month throughout the end of this year, Pillsbury is taking submissions of recipes for a particular baked good…testing them out… having the public to vote on the best of the best and the voted winner will receive a $2,500 cash prise!
OMG talk about the most perfect contest for me! I am so freaking excited and I beleive I am more than capable of winning one of these! I missed the contest for September, but already have a few idea’s for the October Contest; Savory and Sweet Pies! For all my LA friends… There may be a pie tasting this weekend in order for me to perfect my Pillsbury Pie Recipe!
With all this progress made, my anxieties have eased a bit. I do have ALOT of work cut out for me this week, but of course, it is all work that I so enjoy doing and will lead me to my ultimate goal of pastry school! Stay Tuned for pie progress and scholarship updates!
Happy Baking!
-KM
‘Just Cookie’
Today is my friend Liam’s Birthday and we celebrated last night with a crazy evening of Sushi, Whiskey (might sound like an odd combo but was delicious!), 1 am trips to 7-11, pizza stuffed in purses, taco trucks and a batch of ‘cookie’ (really… the night was a bit out of hand…and also included a ridiculous stretch hummer limo… all that to say… I’m still recovering!). Note, I said ‘cookie’ and not ‘cookies.’ Liam is probably my favorite taste tester of anything and everything I create in the kitchen. He gives me honest opinions, feedback and suggestions on how to better recipes. And, he is a big fan of my cookies (always a plus!). If I ever have any extra cookies around the the kitchen, or even a dud… Liam will eat it and love it (which really helps me keep me from over indulging and keep the cookies off my thighs!)
So randomly one day in the mist of making a batch of my most famous chocolate chip cookies, Liam asked if I ever made “Just Cookie?” Hmm…. I was puzzled… what exactly was “Just Cookie?” Turns out Liam is not a huge fan of chocolate, but loved the dough of chocolate chip cookies. He wanted the chocolate chip cookies, without the chocolate chips… making it “Just Cookie.”
Since it was his birthday, I thought I would finally make some ‘Just Cookie’ just for Liam. My initial thought was that the cookie would taste bland without the the most important ingredient. Alas… Liam proved me wrong. He was really on to to something with this ‘just cookie’ idea. It was delish! The cookies baked up big and were soft to the bite… just the way I like them. It’s a bit tastier than a plain sugar cookie without the dryness. I suspect the mix of both brown and white sugar did the trick for the great flavor. Liam was surprised and pumped too! He thought they tasted great… as did the others we were celebrating with. The cookies were awesome late night snacks after a long evening of celebration. This is definitely a cookie worth baking again and I never would have tried it, or thought of it for that matter, with out Liam! So thanks for the help buddy! And Happy Birthday!
Happy Baking and Celebrating!
-KM
