Labor Day Extravaganza

I have had a very productive week and thus a very productive three-day weekend. Three-day holidays are so very rare with my work, so when I finally got one, I celebrated like crazy in my kitchen. My co-worker just enrolled in Le Cordon Bleu Baking School. I'm trying very hard to not be jealous, but she did give me some leftover Sourdough Bread starter.

I hadn't fed the starter in about a week, so I had to do that. It took me three days! Three days! But it was so worth it. My boyfriend had made dinner, but I had to babysit the bread. Knead it for 15 minutes. So my dinner was cold, but again, the bread was worth it. One more obstacle was the final proofing before putting it in the oven. It needed to proof on the counter for two hours. Well, it was already 10p on Sunday, and we were both exhausted. I set a timer to wake myself at midnight. Of course, I did not hear this timer, but my body and mind woke me up at 4a. The bread had proofed for a little longer than specified, but I bolted up and quickly finished the recipe. I caught an episode of The Twilight Zone that I hadn't seen yet.

An hour later, I got two beautiful, bouncing baby loaves.

I also made another version of Red Velvet Cupcakes. I was using Paula Deen's recipe, and it called for too much oil making a very dense cupcake. I really didn't care for it, but I found another recipe that I like much more. I wanted to put a strawberry syrup into them. So I made this strawberry syrup. Of course, I stepped away for just a second and it spilled all over my stovetop. So that was fun cleaning up strawberry goo. And the irony? I forgot to put the syrup in the cupcakes. The next batch.

I made a peppermint ice cream. I have told myself before to not use a particular recipe site before, and sure enough, I did and didn't like the ice cream. It called for eight egg yolks. The ice cream tasted very eggy. I didn't care for it. The girls at the office liked it, so that's what matters. I will try another one this weekend.

I also made a Toasted Almond Cherry Chocolate Ice Cream. Now that one, I knocked it out of the park. It was incredible. I was almost sad to take it into the office, but glad because I would have eaten all of it. It's I'm sure gone at the office.

Well, because of these ice creams, I had a ton of left over egg whites. So I made three dozen meringue cookies. My boyfriend took a dozen, and I took a dozen to the office. I'm hoping the other dozen makes it through the week so I can take them to my boyfriend's family next weekend.

The last venture I did last weekend was a large quantity of applesauce. I peeled apples for hours! At least Mr. Don Draper kept my company, but I made a very nice sugar-free applesauce and canned them.

Well, rule #3 of canning is to make sure you have no air bubbles. I ran my knife through the applesauce, and somehow I still got a ton of little champagne air bubbles. They are all in my fridge waiting for my consumption. I will not give it away. It sure is yummy though. :) I do love me some applesauce. I wish I had taken more pictures.

But on a healthier note, I took some fitness tests at my gym. The first was to test my AT or Anaerobic Threshold. I get on a bike or treadmill and work out for 20 minutes. Then the personal trainer records where I switch over from burning fat to burning carbs. Well, honestly, I'm pretty normal. I definitely could be better, but I'm about normal for my age. So, he told me how to improve it to make my workout work better for me in the long term.

What you need to do is to find that AT number (mine is 156) and make sure to stay below it while you do a cardio workout. If you can sustain that heart rate, your number will get higher.

I also had my RMR test (resting metabolic rate). When I sit and do absolutely nothing all day, I burn 2000 calories. I guess this is about normal since the government thinks you need to eat 2000 calories a day. Since I work out everyday (sometimes twice a day), I burn on average 2600 calories a day. Therefore, I need to eat 1800-2000 calories a day. I've been eating 1200-1500 so I'm not eating enough. Sadly I know this. All day yesterday, all I did was eat. I felt like a cow just shoveling food in my mouth. Always something in my mouth. But the scale went down half a pound. It may be connected.

These tests did mean I had to skip two weeks of Mr. Prom King, but you know what? I'm going to make up for it tomorrow. He (and his wife) is hosting a two hour spin class. I'm so excited. I'll keep you posted on that one.

I will also let you know how the ice creams, chocolate-coconut macaroons, and pie work out. :)

Happy Saturday.

Cookies, Cookies, and Cookies

My little sister just moved back to college. I have decided I will make her a ton of cookies.

My first adventure actually came from an experiment from earlier this week. Well, two experiments. Last weekend, I found myself obsessed with wanting to make Olive Oil Ice Cream. I happened to have Lime Olive Oil from The Olive Oil Shops in Fredericksburg (which I know I keep raving about). So I made the ice cream. Honestly, I didn't care for it. As a matter of fact, I believe I spit it out.

But I took it to my work anyway to see what the girls thought. They all loved it. So, now I'm confused. I wasn't sure if they were lying to me to make me feel better or if they were being honest.

It turned out they were honest. It's gone. They wouldn't go back for seconds if they hated it. My assistant said her first bite is the one that is off, but the more you eat it, the more you love it. Okay -- I can work with that. My other assistant said I had a marketing problem. I shouldn't call it Olive Oil Ice Cream. I should call it Key Lime Pie Ice Cream.

Light bulb.

I hate Key Lime Pie. That must be why I didn't like it. As soon as she said that, everyone vehemently agreed. Okay, problem solved. So this then spurred me to another outrageous thought. Chocolate and chipotle. These two flavors compliment beautifully, and I wanted to see if their affair would make it through an ice cream marriage.

Oh my goodness, they did. The Chocolate Chile Ice Cream is incredible. I'll take it to the girls on Monday, but I did have my co-worker try it Friday night. *bing!

So it was because of the Chocolate and Chile marriage, I wanted to see what a baby would look like. I made a chocolate jalapeno cookie. I first made a compound butter of jalapeno and used that instead of regular butter.

Insert image of me spitting out the cookie. I'm sorry to say that it was a very ugly baby. My mom had a good suggestion though so I didn't just waste 30 cookies. I will freeze and crush the cookies and press it into a pie shell for a Chocolate Mousse Pie.

Next cookie: Coconut-Lime Ginger Butter cookies. I did the same thing of making a compound butter with ginger and using that as my butter for a regular butter and did a basic sugar cookie recipe adding lime zest instead of orange or lemon, and i put lightly toasted coconut in.

It's a hit! The Lime in the Coconut song comes to mind.

The next cookie to go into the oven will be a regular sugar cookie with chocolate and peanut butter chips for a Reece's effect (my sister's favorite). And the last cookie that will be made tomorrow will be a Chocolate Nutella Cookie. If you have not been blessed to meet Mr. Nutella, you must run out and find him. He is well worth his acquaintance.

On a healthier note, I've been going to the gym twice a day. Okay, most days. I've been going to the gym every evening. Yes, there were two days last week where I just went to bed too late and couldn't get up the next morning (most likely because I was at the gym late), but I've been going twice a day. I feel fabulous. The scale hasn't changed too much as of yet, but I'm still optimistic.

One more batch of cookies, and I'm heading back to the gym after a grueling spinning class this morning. Or maybe I'll just do Jillian Michael's yoga. The thought of going out in the Texas heat is making me sweat in my chair.

I know it has been a couple of weeks. But I do have some things to talk about.

Last night I had an epiphany. I realized that when I come home from work, all I do is watch Seinfeld before I get so tired I either collapse on the couch or just go to bed. Well, no more.

I do all my best thinking when I'm driving, and as I was driving back to Austin from Blanco, TX, I decided that the much needed hour of decompression cannot be ignored. I must go home to feed my cat and to chill after the eight hour day. My other complaint about going to the gym after work was the heat. It's so hot in Texas. Today's forecast is 103 as a high today. That does not count the heat index, by the way.

If I wait until about 830p, then the sun is setting and it's not as bad. Also, my office has shoddy A/C. My apartment has amazing A/C. Therefore, I am cooled down and ready to sweat again.

Last night was my first experiment. I went to the gym at 815p. I was on the elliptical for thirty minutes and then got on a spinner for another thirty minutes. Amazing. I now have time to read, and I burn an extra 6-700 calories.

Granted, it took me a while to go sleep because I was awake, but I still made it to the gym this morning, so it can't be bad.

My new complaint (since that's all I seem to have) is that now school is back in session, there are a lot more people in the gym. I had trouble with parking this morning. At 520am! I was dodging people running in the parking lot. I mean, wow.

But to update you on a couple of culinary things, I made Irish Soda Bread for my mom this weekend. She was my cat-sitter when I went out of town. I was actually quite proud of my bread. It's a very quick recipe. I'll post it soon. But it was simple, easy, and made the apartment smell amazing.

I haven't had too much time to embark on other experiments. I was about to make an Olive Oil Ice Cream, but then I noticed my boyfriend has stolen all my milk. So, once I get to the store, the ice cream will come.

Oh, here's the kicker before I sign off. My co-worker has quit to go to baking school. Apparently I have inspired her to go because she saw my passion for baking. I'm trying very hard to not be jealous of those who are embarking on adventures I want to do. Ah well. Here's to another day for another couple dollars.

Update

Hi everyone. So there are a few things to update you on. I have made some fantastic things and slipped on a few others.

Last Friday, I signed up for the 90 Day Challenge at my gym. I started on Saturday and already I have not been on the ball. I'll get on the ball tomorrow morning. But I have bought Jillian Michaels' Yoga Meltdown, and I am here to tell you that she is amazing. It's only thirty minutes, but it's a very hard core workout. I only do the beginner right now, and it's a challenge. My shoulders are sore, but I know I need to up the ante on it. I have to lose this weight. While I am still below the weight of when I stopped the class, I have gained a couple from my lowest point.

Anyway, I'll get back on my track and make this happen.

But I will take a moment to go over the wonderful treats I have made the last couple of weeks.

First thing, I had a wonderful class on canning. It was quite a relief to know I've been doing it right. We made a strawberry jam, peach jelly, and we pickled green beans. I have finally learned the difference between jam, jelly, preserves and marmalade. So, a jam is where there are physical chunks in the jar. You will see bits of fruit.

A jam is where you get the fruit and squeeze the juice from the pulp of the fruit through a cheese cloth. We made a peach jelly. No, I have not tried either of these yet, but they smelled amazing.

Unfortunately, I did not take a picture of the pickled green beans, but after the Pepper Festival, I had a ton of sweet peppers, so I pickled those. I did that just this last weekend and used a recipe from David Lebovitz.

It was fairly easy save the peeling of the peppers. That took forever.

It was worth it though because I made some really amazing pickled peppers. I must say, again, I have not tried them, but they smelled amazing. And once I got the vinegar smell out of my apartment, I started on Red Velvet Cupcakes.

I made some very traditional red velvet cupcake, but a) I forgot baking soda and b) I've never been a fan. I thought that Red Velvet was like I don't know what. I'm tempted to compare it to something in Hollywood. Where something is glittery and fancy, but it's actually quite plain. It's just a red cake. It's very simple.

So what I did to dress this up was added pumpkin spices. I added nutmeg, cloves, and ginger to the recipe with a couple of hits of cinnamon. Then instead of the cream cheese frosting, I put a good 1/4 cup of chocolate powder. So while this picture is not them (they are the traditional version), they were both delicious, but I am partial to my souped-up version.

I took both of them to the office. The girls loved them. I plan on making some ice cream soon before my cream goes bad. But until then, I have to go to bed so I can get back to the gym. Tomorrow is FIT. I have to go. I will lose this weight.

The last thing I made was a Peach Salsa. I had to throw that list bit in. :)

A Nice Surprise and a Bittersweet Twist

I had a very nice surprise this morning. I made it to the gym first thing this morning fully expecting to see the new, lanky instructor who is okay, but it shows that he was a former high school teacher, but instead I saw Mr. Prom King. I was thrilled. It was a great way to start the day, a grueling workout. However, the twist is that he has shaved his head. He looks menacing with a big smile. I have to say he looks rather strange. Not like that. :)

But it's okay. He gave me a fist bump and a big smile. Then later he gave me a tap on my back. *gush!

Anyway, I started the day with the amazing workout. And yesterday, I signed up for the 90 Day Work Out Challenge offered at the gym. I'm so excited about it.

That started my day, and then I made it to work. I was noticing that my pants were a little loose. So, I went into the bathroom to give it the old shimmy test. That's right, I wiggled out of my pants with the button and zipper up. I did it! I can shimmy!

So I went right home and did a double hitter. I made Brown Butter Ice Cream. I saw this on Iron Chef America and wanted to try it. I got the recipe off of the website of one of the judges. It actually tasted really good. It's very nutty and salty, but also sweet and creamy. I'm actually quite thrilled with the result. However, it has to be the fattiest thing I've ever made. It's two sticks of butter and sugar with half and half and skim milk. (You gotta skinny it down somewhere).

But, after I made this, I grabbed my trusty measuring tape. And you know what? I've lost a little all over since a month ago. No, it's not as drastic as my Eat to Live class, but in the last month I have lost:





1/2 inch off my chest
1/2 inch off my hips
1/2 inch off my thigh
1/4 off my calf
and
1 1/4 inch off my waist!

More off the waist! I'm at 33 1/4. That's really amazing to me. I have technically lost 3 pounds, but that's another inch and a quarter. Hopefully at the end of August, I'll need to buy new jeans. I'm more than thrilled with my progress. I definitely plan on continuing.

3rd Annual Chili Pepper and Salsa Festival

I can remember a handful of days that I would consider the best of my life. One was when I met David Milch and Ian McShane at the Austin Film Festival. I sat in the front row to hear Mr. Milch talk about Deadwood. Then the star of the show walked in. The whole room gasped. Mr. Milch also gave the front row lottery tickets. I won a whole $5, but it paid for my parking that day.

Another one of my favorite days was when my boyfriend and I went to LA to screen his film at the DGA theater on Sunset Blvd. That whole vacation was really amazing. But that was one of my favorite experiences.

Another one of my favorite days was when I was a flower girl at my aunt's wedding in San Francisco. My cousin and I ran around like crazy eating chocolate and taking pictures from cameras on the tables.

Another weekend was the weekend of the UFA conference. My boyfriend and I had been dating a couple months and he ran the festival as I ran the conference. We lucked out and had a private hotel room since a guest backed out at the last minute. It was a remarkable night.

I have another day to put up with the list. That day was yesterday at the 3rd Annual Chili Pepper and Salsa Festival in Fredericksburg, TX.

I went with my co-worker/new best friend and we had so much fun. We first got there a little early, so went to have brunch at The Herb Farm. I know I have mentioned that place before. I had some remarkable crab cakes will dill and I had the peach feta dessert again. It was a little different because they used goat cheese this time. It was really good, but I missed the edgier bite of the feta.

It was about noon when we headed back. It was really getting set up and we first walked around the festival so we could get an estimate of what we were dealing with. We made it about halfway across when we had to stop for some amazing Mint Limeade.

It was so refreshing. We also got some German Roasted Nuts. Almonds, cashews, and walnuts roasted with brown sugar. They were heaven.

We continued to walk around, now getting hydrated in the 95 degree heat. But then I saw the Olive Oil and Vinegar stand. I seriously gasped. They gave us little pieces of bread and were able to sample the various flavors. I couldn't resist the bottle of Jalapeno Oil. Move over olives.

The stand right next to it was a Pasta Stand. Homemade pastas with all kinds of flavors. I bought four: Cajun Spice, Jalapeno Garlic, Habanero, and Chocolate. I have seen them use Chocolate Pasta on Iron Chef America so I had to give that a shot. I haven't cooked them yet because in order to keep it for a while, I want to cut it with regular pasta.

These two wonderful stands came together when the gentleman at the olive oil stand said I could get a sample of the pasta and sample the jalapeno oil. He would pour it on if I brought it over. It was a little bite size of heaven. Pastamore was the stand of the oil and vinegar, and the pasta was from Gourmet Texas Pasta. The latter is here in Austin, so go and grab some pasta for yourself.

After that, we made our way to the butterfly haus. We got free admission with our festival admission. It was amazingly beautiful. The colors and fragrance was overwhelming. We didn't stay in there too long since it was a pretty small area, but I must say, I was anxious to leave. When we walked in they had an option to buy a bag to pick your own peppers from their garden. I had to jump at that chance. Granted, yes, they were already picked over pretty well, but I got a decent amount of peppers.

We then made our way back to the grounds. It was getting so hot. My friend had to sit out the pepper picking. But we did another round, but I got immediately captivated by the cooking demonstration. He quickly whipped up a rustic pico de gallo and then made a Jamaican Jerk Shrimp and topped it with the pico. Of course, we all got a sample. I wanted to faint. Whether it was from the heat or the amazing flavors bursting in my mouth, I will never know.

I noticed my friend was getting a little antsy, and I was also getting to my threshold for heat. I finally spotted a chili pepper stand. I bought a basket of sweet peppers, serranos, and El Joe's -- the biggest jalapenos on earth. I threw one of those in with my dinner tonight. Unbelievably fresh.

One more walk around the circle, and I wound up buying 3 tiny jars of cranberry pepper jam, raspberry pepper jam, and Austin pepper jam. Then I bought a jar of super hot salsa from 2 Brothers. It was very good and nice to hear that they will soon be selling here in Austin.

We finally left. The heat was really getting to us, but since we were in Fredericksburg, we had to stop by the Bariloche Farms. I had been dreaming about the Peach Pepper Jam and Jalapeno Jam available. The man who runs the farm recognized me from the last time we were there. I did also buy a jar of Amaretto Whipped Honey. I swear it's like sin from heaven. So tasty and delectable. Move over Nutella.

Anyway, we made it back to Austin and we both crashed. We were so hot and sweaty. But now the weekend is over and we have to get ready for the week.

Pie in the Sky

Okay, I know it's been a while since I've posted. But what do you care? No one is reading this blog (ha).

To go ahead and describe my amazing discoveries, I will have to start on what I bought several months ago. I was walking around the store a few months ago and saw something amazing. I saw a Solo Foods product of Almond Pie Filling. I love almond, so I overbought and got two cans. I know that canned anything is a sugar bomb, but it was too intriguing to pass up. Well, they've been sitting in my pantry since then.

Currently, I'm on a mission to clean out my pantry and refrigerator before I go back and buy new things. I'm trying to save money and also see how well I can improvise. So far this week has been pretty good. My freezer is almost empty and there is a dent in my pantry.

I had a random fish filet, hashbrowns, and soy beans. Made a wonderful dinner. For tonight's dinner, I had one left over pizza dough in the freezer, a couple of tomatoes, goat cheese and almost expired spinach. So I made this fabulous pizza. It was very good. I have the other half for tomorrow's dinner.

But back to the almond paste...I had two pie crusts in my freezer and a bag of frozen peaches that I couldn't do anything with. So, ta da, I made a pie. It was actually very good. The almond paste was very moist and sweet. I usually don't like frozen peaches, and honestly I still don't, but it made for a decent pie. The plate was almost licked clean by the end of the work day.

So then today, with the remaining pie crust and can of almond paste, I made a complete guess for the pie. I had dried cranberries, slivered almonds, coconut, crystalized ginger, and white chocolate chips. I put the pie crust down in the pie plate and coated it with shredded coconut. Then I put the filling in. Then I topped it with more coconut, cranberries, and the rest of the list. I put a dash of cinnamon on top and popped it in the oven at 400 degrees for 45-50 minutes.

This pie didn't go as quickly as the Peach Almond Pie, but I think my co-workers were pie-ed out. I left it in the refrigerator because if I brought it home, the other half would be missing. (Did you notice half of the pizza was missing?)

I had a wonderful workout as well. I found out Mr. Prom King is going to continue to teach on Friday mornings. *Phew. His class was amazing this morning. I had a great time. I even got a fist bump. *Sigh.

I noticed that Mrs. Prom Queen was going super fast during the "race" song, so I made it a point to go faster. I sure did. If we were on the road, I would have gotten in front of her. That being said, I have never moved that quickly on the bike. I was holding my breath for a while before I realized. It was an amazing work out. Unfortunately, I haven't lost the next pound. The pizza might be the culprit, but I am proud to say I had half slices of the pie. Not even the peach one to be honest. Just a half slice of the Trail Mix Pie.

I'm very excited for tomorrow. I'll be heading to Fredericksburg for the 3rd Annual Chili Pepper and Salsa Festival. I'll be going with my co-worker, and I'm thrilled to go and buy a ton of salsa and peppers. I'll also get peaches and go back to that farm stand for the Peach Pepper Jam I've been dreaming about since I last went. I'll report.

Time Flies Too Fast to Catch

Hello. I realize it has been about a week since my last post. I apologize my avid readers. To be honest, I got a little slammed at work and was unable to go to the gym and/or cook. I usually never take work home, but this week was a rare exception with a key player in the company quitting and leaving without fulfilling her two weeks. Thus, I got her responsibilities on a quick turn around.

Nonetheless, I am happy to say I have made something (hopefully) scrumptious today. First off, I will mention that no, I did not go to the gym yesterday. Save this last Saturday, I haven't been since last Tuesday. I know. I feel awful. But my wonderful boyfriend has decided that leaving for his two hour commute to his home/work was more efficient for both of us if he left on Sunday afternoon rather than crack of dawn Monday morning. As much as I'll miss that Sunday night together, I understand that being tired on a Monday of all days during the week is horrible.

Therefore, I will be able to go to Mr. Prom King's class Monday mornings. Unfortunately, Mr. Prom King is training for the Iron Man in May 2011, and therefore will not be teaching Sundays and maybe not Mondays. *sad face.

However, I am going to blog about Strawberry Balsamic and Cracked Black Pepper Jam.

I bought way too many strawberries. I had twelve cups of chopped strawberries and boiled them down. I did half the sugar in this batch since the strawberries were so ripe and sweet. But when you remove the pot from the heat and add balsamic vinegar and pepper. Stir and voila.

I got nine jars out of this recipe. I'm very excited about it, but of course I can't try it until tomorrow.

A few other things. I did try infusing vodka today. I took a handful of the strawberries before I put them in the fire and poured them in a mason jar. I also finally found figs! I infused those as well as a pear and a handful of orange-flavored cranberries. They are currently infusing in my pantry.

I'm looking forward to trying those in a week. A few months ago, I went to a new place in Austin called Red's Porch. They have a drink called an Eleanor Rigby . It has RED’S Fig Infused Vodka, muddled orange, OJ & Mathilde Cassis, served on the rocks. I will figure out how to make this at home.

Cooking Class #1

Well, I had a wonderful day yesterday. I had my first cooking class: Breakfast in Paris. I went with a friend of mine, so luckily we were put in pairs. The first thing we did was an Almond Brioche Toast. It was super simple.

First we made the franzipan and then put it on the bread. Popped it in the oven for 10 minutes. Amazing.

Next was the Palmier Cookies. These were so much fun, but the chef threw us on both sides of the spectrum. First off, we're in Texas in the Summer. So, the puff pastry was sweating. This made it particularly difficult to fold it over itself. But we coated the puff pastry in sugar and mapped out where it would fold over. However, slippery as it was, I stretched out the dough. Yes, I know this is a faux pas. But what do you want me to do?

So, the chef came over and helped us out a little. We got it back under control. But we made up for it when our cookies came out of the oven. She used us as an example of what the cookies should look like. So take that.

The last thing we made were Crepes Suzette. These were especially fun. The batter was very simple, but we didn't use our own batter. We got to take that home for homework. :)

Now, I will say this. We were given a bum pan. It was very heavy, so flipping the damn thing was again, particularly difficult. My first crepe was too thick and was sticking to the pan so it burned on one side. I was, however, able to flick my wrist just so in order to flip it. It looked like a large flat pancake. Not a thin one, though.

Then it was my friend's turn. She has weak wrists, so pair that was a heavy pan, and she used a fork to flip, which worked great. Then it was my turn. Needless to say, I did this one much better. It looked like a crepe. My friend's second one also looked like a crepe.

We then watched the chef make the Suzette sauce. She messed up. Her heat was up too high, so the sugar didn't melt creating sugar rocks. We had a similar problem. Okay, not similar, exactly the same. Our heat was too high, and our sugar crystalized rather than dissolved. Ah well. We just strained it, but not like it mattered. The cognac overpowered anything else. They gave us too much too use and made no note as to not use all that is given.

It really was a lot of fun. We were able to take home everything we had left over. The Palmier cookies are of course gone. Some went, actually, during a particularly hot movie called Eclipse .

Oh man, ladies and gentlemen. If you have not seen this movie, let me know and I will go with you. I officially resign my post on Team Edward and am full force applying for Team Jasper. He was a Southern Gentlemen with a capital 'S' and 'G'. Just hearing him say, "My apologies, ma'am" made my insides weak. Amazing. If you are a Twi-hard, you must go see it.

At the end of the evening, I decided to bust out a recipe for Raspberry Jalapeno Jam. I will preface this by saying while it was a success, please use this cautionary tale to not do what I did.

To continue my Southern fantasy, I put on Cold Mountain and assembled my jam. I did everything to a T. I chopped the jalapenos, washed and crushed the raspberries. My first mistake was to turn on the wrong burner. I thought I was simmering the jar lids, but I was in fact heating my empty pot. So, when I went in to pour my raspberry mixture, the pot spattered and steam coated my hands and face. Yikes. So, instantly my hand got a steam burn. It was okay. No problem.

I made the jam. It was beautiful.

They sat out, I finished my movie. But by the time I was heading to bed, I noticed my hand was really bothering me. I knew exactly what it was. My mom warned me to wear gloves when chopping jalapenos. But, as any mid-twenties daughter, I ignored my mother's advice. Now, I'm paying for it. I'm in agony.

My plan for today was to take two gym classes and get my hair cut at noon. I got about 15 minutes on the bike with a cool water soaked towel wrapped around my hand when I couldn't take it anymore. I left and went straight to Walgreens to find something to soothe this chemical burn.

Well, I found something that is working remarkably. Not at this particular moment because the pain is coming back, but it does say to use 3-4 times a day. If you find yourself in my position, even after reading what not to do, go find Burn Jel Plus. It's in an 80s looking picture box at Walgreens, but you put it on for 30 minutes and it soothes. It's amazing.

Don't worry, I tried honey, yogurt, aloe vera, and any soothing cream I had in the apartment to no avail. I'm about to reapply the Jel and chill before my hair appointment.

Needless to say, however, I had a great day yesterday. And I did try the Raspberry Jalapeno Jam this morning. I will say this, it's really good. But the jalapeno is a little overpowering. If you make this recipe at home, consider using two instead of three jalapenos. I will post the recipe after I put out the fire on my hand.

A Strong Wind

I would like to say something for the members of my gym, on their behalf and for their information. I understand that sweat isn't the best smelling odor and that body odor is a common side effect of a hard workout. I know I suffer from it. But, I must say there are a couple of things someone can do in order to stifle some of the offensive smells coming off of one's body.

a) please brush your teeth before you come to the gym first thing in the morning. I know it's first thing in the morning, and you want to eat breakfast before you come to the gym, but for the love of God, please brush your teeth. I just walk by people huffing and puffing and I get a huge whiff of bad breath. And not just one.

b) please do not pass gas when you know you are surrounded by dozens of people. I was on a bike the other day in class, and someone in front of me passed some serious gas. Of course, I can't get off the bike to run around, so I have to suffer through it. I mean, please. We're working hard--again with the huffing and puffing--and I have to inhale the stench, several times over.

It's just a common courtesy to keep some of your smells to yourself. Even if the B.O. is unavoidable.

Jammin' on the Fourth

So I did my Monday plan of making Ginger Pear Preserves. It was so much fun. I started out by boiling my jars and lids. Now, these jars are from the early 90s and were filled with dead Doodle-Bugs. Yay for sterilization. I boiled the jars and the lids in separate pots. And then, I bust out my cooking pot and reduced down six pears and ginger with lime.

Now, the recipe said I would get seven jars. Well, based on this: that was not going to be the case.

Lo and behold, I got three and a half jars.

Nonetheless, it was an amazing experience that included a facial. I have never stood at my hot stove for so long. After 30 minutes, the water canner finally started to boil, and I put in my jars of jam to cook away the germs. Then poof, Ginger Pear Jam.

Now, I must say, I have not yet tried it. I know, unbelievable. But I did give a jar to a friend, and she said it was really good. Yes, it is more than quite possible that she made it up to make me feel better, so I know I need to taste it. I will. Tomorrow for my lunch peanut butter and jelly sandwich.

Also, over the Fourth of July weekend, my boyfriend's parents came in town. I took it upon myself to challenge my culinary skills and cook them dinner.

I made a Panko and Parsley Crusted Catfish marinated in Wasabi Ginger Sauce with Shrimp and Edamame Rice. It was so good. The crust could have used more seasoning, but it was still pretty good. His parents were very appreciative. Even more so with the Summer Berry Ice Cream. I made a simple ice cream with the berries macerated in lemon juice. It really brought out the flavor with vanilla and almond. It really was a nice ending to our dinner.

After stewing on that Chai Tea Ice Cream, the more I don't like it. I will try again on that and hope for the best. I think I failed by using too small of a tea leaf allowing me to use much more. This made for a denser ice cream since the leaves soaked up more milk than I think they were supposed to. I will use a bigger leaf next time.

On another note, my boyfriend's parents have invited us on a cruise in February. I will be in a bikini on that trip if it kills me. That's my new motivation. :)

And as a good start on this mission of being 140lbs by February, I have finally dropped into the 70s. I haven't been in the 70s for almost 2 years. It was a great feeling to see that on the scale today.

July 6th: 179 lbs.
February 1st: 140 lbs.

So far this summer has lived up to the Summer of Me.

A Love Story

I made the first stage of the Chai Ice Cream last night. I didn't have time for the bread because I finally got the spring cleaning bug and proceeded to clean my whole kitchen top to bottom. I'll do the bread this evening, as well as step two of the ice cream, and then report.

Today, I saw two different love stories at the gym. The first revolves around Mr. and Mrs. Prom King and Queen. Mrs. Prom Queen was my nutrition coach for the twelve weeks that led to my 10 lb deficit. Mr. Prom King is the super hot spin instructor whose class I take on Fridays and Sundays.

So, as I was walking to the kickboxing class, I heard a couple behind me flirting and giggling. Trying not to be nosy, I just kept walking, but hearing how close he was to the women's locker room, I did turn around to see Mr. Prom King walking away realizing he was in fact flirting with his wife. Cute, right?

I had forgotten Mr. Prom King also teaches every other Wednesday. Well, I guess today was the other Wednesday because lo and behold, he was in my kickboxing class, and so was the Mrs.

Luckily, they were on the other side of the room, so I could spy without being obvious. He had no rhythm, which made me feel better, but she kicked ass. That just made me want to kick more ass in case she saw me.

Well, I totally rocked the class. Which brings me to the other love story.

Me and kickboxing. I had been taking Jerald's** class every Wednesday for quite some time. I love his class, believe me. But all we do is leg work. It gets rather cumbersome and predictable. Well, he had a sub today, Jessica**. I hadn't taken Jessica's class in months because she typically teaches on Saturday at Everyone-Come-to-the-Gym A.M. It made it quite difficult to kick and punch when you're swimming with salmon.

Well, her class is kicks and punches. Don't get me wrong, some people deserve a good kick, but sometimes punching really gets the shoulders that nice definition. We punched like crazy, and I hadn't sweat that much in kickboxing in quite some time. It was refreshing and it made me realize what I had fallen in love with.

It was a great work out, and I wish I could do it again. Alas, Jerald comes back next week. So my fling has flung.

Now, back to Mr. and Mrs. Prom. Being my nutrition coach, she of course knows who I am. I don't like this in the confines of the locker room. So, I changed quickly and showered quietly. I was fully prepared to use a dressing room to get dressed because who knows when she'll pop out from a corner.

Well, I got back to my row with my towels around my head and body. One dressing room is occupied, and the other open to Mrs. Prom Queen's breasts. I didn't see her face, so hopefully she didn't see mine, but the tattoo said it all. I have never changed that quickly in my life. My hands were shaking in case I got the, "Oh, how are you?" question.

Not a great way to start the day: anxiety. Hopefully she didn't see my pasty, flabby body as I struggled to get my wet suit in the heavy jeans. Luckily I made it out of there without her seeing me. Mr. Prom King, however, gave me a big smile as I left the gym. He's so dreamy.




(Names have been changed**)

Upped the Ante...6 or 9?

It's Tuesday. Day two of driving in my rented yellow Beetle. I feel like I'm driving a giant five cylinder bubble. I hate it. But my car is in the shop as a result of another woman's faulty flip flop. Don't drive in shoes that slip off your feet. Baby's First Car.

Anyway, today was the Bra Complimenting Instructor's class. Last week she urged us to up the ante and add more resistance or weights to our normal routine in the class. I'll usually grab a middle to easy resistance band and get 8 and 5 lb dumb bells. Is that how it's spelled? If not, they are dumb.

So, in order to up my ante, I grabbed 10 and 6 lb weights. I had been using 12 lbs for various exercises when I work out by myself on Thursdays, but classes are harder since you do more reps than you voluntarily do in the solace of a dark studio.

I was so proud. Until I couldn't take the 10 lbs anymore on a move that has my shoulders falling off. Start with a dead lift, bring the weights to your shoulder as a bicep curl, and then bench press it over your head. Do that 20+ times with weights you're not used to. So, I thought it was a good time as any to switch to my 6 lbs.

Well, guess what? If you turn a 6 lb weight upside down it's 9. Yup. So much for a break.

The other thing was I got there late since I was playing with my poor neglected cat this morning and I had to station myself in the front of the class. Thus, was unable with my dignity intact to go and get 5 or the real 6 lb weights.

So, yes, I pushed through and made it through the crazy class with 9 lbs weights. Now knowing I can do it, you'd think I'd want to do this for every class. Well, you'd be wrong. My arms can barely stay up on my desk to write this. No, I will drop to 10 lb and 8 lb for next week. Sound good?

Chocolate Makes The World Better

I'm sorry my non-existent readers. I have been out of touch for a little while. But my little sister was in town, and we have some culinary stories to share.

First off, Wednesday where we left off, we made some peanut butter cupcakes. This sounds great, especially when they are supposed to look like apples. Red icing and stems. The works. Well, I'm sure they would have tasted better if she used the correct flour. I know when you stand in a kitchen with seven different flours, you go for the one that looks like it would work. She went for the cake flour, unbeknownst to me.

So what happened? She made little hockey pucks. I probably could have broken a window if I threw it. Of course, I thought she could handle cupcakes, and I didn't notice this until it was too late. She learned her lesson. Always ask.

Aside from that, I worked on the Watermelon Cherry Sorbet. I was so thrilled when my mother gave me her Cuisinart circa 1980-God knows when as a wonderful addition to my kitchen. So, I bust it out for the sorbet, and what happens? It leaks everywhere. The bowl has a crack from ear to ear.

I remember Mom saying they used that material for the space shuttle. Hmm...

Anyway, I had my backup, little red waiting to be used. I bought little red for my Christmas present. It's a 3 cup food processor. Too cute. It did the job, 3 cups at a time, just fine.

The sorbet turned out great. No added sugar. I brought it to the girls at the office. They liked it and equated it with Sour Patch and Jolly Ranchers. I'll take that.

But I titled today's post for chocolate. Father's Day was now two weekends ago. I got my dad a book I thought he would enjoy, but I had wanted to make him some Dark Chocolate Covered Cherries -- his favorite. Well, the 20th came and went in a flash. So I vowed to make them with my little sister. What better way to make something for Dad than together as sisters. Well, she didn't do it. I did it while she continued on her peanut butter hockey pucks.

They turned out pretty well. By that, I mean, they tasted great. They just looked a little strange. The chocolate started to take on a strange texture. I tried adding cream and amaretto, but to no avail. I will come back with an answer.


Well, I got the best validation today. Dad was apparently feeling a little low over the weekend. But today he texted me thanking me for the "dang good chocolate covered cherries." That's all I needed to know that he felt better by my effort. Even if they look a little gross. ;)

Anyway, no workout/culinary blog would be complete without the work out section.

Sunday, it was on. I brought a friend with me to the super-hot spin class with the super-hot instructor. I knew my friend (we'll call her Heather for anonymity and I don't know any Heathers) would pass out, but I wanted her to see him. Well, see him she did. That class was killer. He does this wonderful move where he'll pump the bike with one leg. I swear it's such a turn on.

But *cough, he also does this move with the whole class where we spin and do push ups on the bike. It's amazing. You want t sure fire way to up your heart rate, do that with minimal resistance. You'll get there in a flash.

Well, I didn't want Heather to miss out on that since I can bring guests only every 60 days. But as I watched my watch, he was cutting close on time. Well, I took it upon myself to start the push ups to give him the clue. He got it. He stared right at me and laughed that I wanted push ups. Well, he gave us push ups. It was awesome.

Two songs later, the usual push up song came on. Last one. Couldn't believe it. He started jumping up and down. He pointed right at me and said, "You wanted push ups. I'll give you push ups." I nodded my head. He couldn't hear me scream if I tried the music was blaring.

At the end of the class, he said, "Anyone who wants to stay for the next class in 15 minutes, just stay on your bike." I looked at Heather whose hair was plastered to her face, and her shirt was nearly see-through with the sweat and white cotton. Her face was priceless as she shook her head almost in disgust. I could have gone a second round, but I got my second round today in spin. Today was also a great class.

Off to tomorrow and the mission of Chai Ice Cream

Sushi Samba

Last night, I went out to dinner with a friend and my sister. I slipped and ate way too much as Sushi Zushi. Born and raised in Texas! It was very much worth it because it was so over the top delicious, but the scale went up to 183lbs. It was the salt, I'm sure. But I'm back and will be chugging water today. Not just for that, but also because the office will become a large sauna for a large portion of the day.

The door will be taken off to be replaced, and that means the 96 degree heat will be filtering in causing us to pool in our seats and stick to our keyboards. You can't imagine how thrilled I was when I also heard a jackhammer was coming. Oh, but it's a little one.

Is there such a thing as a small jackhammer? Just saying.

I did go to kickboxing this morning to try and combat my sushi overdose, and I overcame a little fear of mine.

To bring you up to date on this fear, we need to back a few months. Back when I was still going to the gym in the evening, I would go to a weight incorporated kickboxing class on Tuesdays. I strongly dislike this instructor (I know, as well...), but I wanted to push through the class. I noticed on that particular day that I was full of energy and was pushing myself more than I had before at the gym.

There is a move many instructors like to do where you bring your knee to your chest, contracting your abs. Visualize grabbing your attackers hair and thrusting your knee into their face. Well, the next progression is to jump with your standing leg during this move. While this sounds great on paper to get your heart rate up, you also must be coordinated.

During this Tuesday evening class, I fell straight on my ankle and wiped out. Luckily, it was a slow Tuesday, so I didn't take anyone down with me, but it was certainly noticeable to everyone in the class that was paying the least bit attention. I jumped straight up, and a few beats went by as the instructor came over to me. I was fine, but my ankle was out. I tried to push through, but it was impossible.

I didn't sprain or break it. Just a twist. I was fine by the next day at kickboxing, but needless to say, I stayed away from that jumping knee...until today.

This morning, we did this move, and I can successfully say, I rocked it. Granted, I didn't push on other things in the class that I was still uneasy on, but I did that move and didn't fall.

It's the little things that get you through the day. So even if the number went up by one, I was able to push through an injury and fear of future injury.

Off to the sauna. Maybe I'll sweat that pound out.

Punctuality

My number one pet peeve is when people are tardy. I make an effort to be on time. Actually, I make it an effort to be early. So, when people are late, or make me late, I'm furious.

My beef with the woman who teaches the Tuesday class goes back a ways. The woman who taught before is the head of the trainers at the gym. I loved her. She was always spunky and fun to watch, even though you wanted to treat her to a typical Barbie meltdown.

One day, I was changing in the dressing room. I have finally gotten to the point where I don't care, so I'll change at my locker instead of the little closet they have. Wastes time--again time. Well, this woman was changing next to me, and as she pulled on her thong, she turned to me and said, "That's a pretty bra." I was wearing my lace Victoria's Secret bra. That's an odd thing to say when you're pulling on your own secret, ya know?

I politely thanked her and continued to change. Then, in my routine, I put on hairspray. I used this wonderful Flaxseed Aloe hairspray from Aveda. She chimes in, "I love that smell. I have that hairspray."

Uh--thanks?

Again, I politely thanked her and continued to change. It was a very bizarre experience. So imagine my surprise when the next week, she was the new teacher of the class, replacing Spunky Barbie.

Great.

Well, I have let bygones be bygones and continued to go to the class because it's the only strength training class I can get to.

A few weeks ago now, Ms. Bra Complimenter was a no-show to her own class. My anger for her rose. The kickboxing instructor luckily came in to sub. That was nice. I wish it was like that for every week.

That was just another tidbit. Well, since then, she has started the class late and thus ended the class late. I take a 5:30am class for a reason. It allows me ample time to get ready. Yes, I understand that I have extra time, but when you say the class ends at 6:30am, I need it to end at 6:30am. Not once since her absentee class has she ended on time.

Today was the first time I had to actually leave before she finished her routine. Amazing. Just finish on time. That's your job.

Okay, that's over. Now I get to rush off to work.

Peaches, Figs, and Feta--Oh My!

I did not go to the gym today. Sad panda. But the wonderful thing of being a girl kept me bend over at my desk for the last hour at work.

But, I'm also here to report on what I made over the weekend.

A couple of weekends ago, I went to Fredericksburg with a friend of mine. I'm pretty sure I mentioned this. We had brunch at The Herb Farm. It was spectacular as usual. I am dying to go when they have the Tomato Basil Soup ready.

My parents took me there several years ago now, and I had that soup. It was so amazing, it's the only thing I remember from that trip. But the last two times I've gone to The Herb Farm, it's not there yet. The last time, they had a wonderful Creamy Tomato Soup. Tasted so creamy I would have thought it was melted cheese and tomatoes.

Well, the dessert in season (being Summer in Fredericksburg) was a Peach and Feta Cheese dessert. Of course I was intrigued because who knew peaches and feta cheese, let alone cracked black pepper, would go together. I am here to tell you, they do.

It was amazing. Very light, refreshing and easy to make. That night, with my three pounds of peaches, I made it for my boyfriend. Again, I was amazed. The recipe was to put peaches in a bath of peach schnapps and honey. Chill and then serve with feta cheese and cracked black pepper. It can't get easier than that.

Of course, it was a Sunday, so I didn't have an ability to get the schnapps, but I used Amaretto instead. It was a little heavier on the palate, but it was still incredible with the aroma of almonds mixing with the freshness of the peaches.

Just last weekend, over Father's Day, I found some local figs. My father brought in the last of the peaches from our three beautiful trees in the backyard, and I made the dessert again. This time, I did use the peach schnapps, but I added figs to the mix, and I have to say, wow. Peaches, Figs, and Feta--oh my!

My parents were blown away by the flavors. I would absolutely recommend this to anyone. It's so easy, so light, and so flavorful. No need to eat a heavy dessert before bed when something like this is at your fingertips.

Happy eating.

Ginger

Okay, so I'm posting. That means my threat was real. I didn't just post the introductory blog.

First off, I'm going to say that I'm writing as my peanut butter protein shake is blending after my grueling spin class. So, that's done. And I'm still sweating in my clothes despite the shower.

So, I would like to delve into my new culinary infatuation of ginger. What a crazy ingredient. I had the privilege to watch ginger used as the secret ingredient on Iron Chef America, and I must say, who knew you could do so much savory and sweet treats with ginger. For most people it's an oppressive taste that is overpowering and off putting.

However, if you put the right amount in, you will be amazed at how much something will pop.

The first encounter I had with ginger (that I remember) was just this last February. My boyfriend and I went to a bed and breakfast in Waco, TX (far enough away, but not breaking the bank) for our three year anniversary.

The best restaurant in town was called The Green Room. It was an amazing place. Such great food in the middle of the historic downtown with absolutely nothing else going on. Well, we had our first dinner there. This place was so fancy, it had sorbet before our entree to "cleanse the palate." *Insert Princess Diaries joke here.

It was a lemon sorbet with tiny bits of candied ginger. I couldn't put my finger on the taste since I hadn't experienced ginger like that before, but I must say, since then I was hooked.

I try to incorporate ginger in my food more. I made an amazing Lemon Blood Orange Sorbet and did the same thing with tiny bits of candied ginger.

I just bought a giant ginger root at the grocery store. Big enough for the clerk to say, "Did you find everything--whoa. That's a lot of ginger." Felt good.

Now, I will say as well (because I said I would mention my failures) that ginger and I have had our first argument. It wasn't pretty.

I went to Fredericksburg a couple of weekends ago for their peaches. Well, when I came home, I busted out my giant ginger root and went to work on a Ginger Peach Ice Cream. Needless to say, the recipe I followed called for way too much ginger. That's what I get for trying to take a chocolate based ginger recipe and making it fruit based.

Don't get me wrong, ginger and I will make up. We will make a better ice cream this weekend, and I will let you know how our compromise goes, but for now, we're on a break.

Starting Over, Yet Again

Hi my empty audience. I know no one is reading this, so this acts as a virtual diary. Maybe I'll be brave and actually tell people about it, but until then, I will continue to talk to the expansive void that is the Internet.

I am back after about six months to share some good news and some new thoughts. I have finally gotten the ball rolling on what I hope will be a very successful weight loss journey. I have finally been infected (not just bitten) by the gym rat, and I am here to say that it's finally working.

At my gym, there is a program called Eat to Live. It's a twelve week program that details out healthy eating habits while keeping you accountable with weekly weigh ins. Well, yesterday was the last day of the class with our final weigh ins.

Because I want to keep myself motivated, I will post my stats. Now, the invisible people of the world will know what I weigh, but will also know that the number will go down.

I began the class at 192lbs. The final weigh in clocked me at 182lbs. My measurements also went down. Shockingly down. My nutrition coach measured me twice. I lost 5 inches off my waist. The most in the class.

But ladies and germs, it doesn't stop there. That number will, by all means, continue to go down.

I have incorporated much healthier habits (save the rare splurge) into my diet and I am a regular at my gym again. Everyday I am there for at least an hour. And I have cycling to thank for that. I have fallen so head over heels for my spin class that I now take it four times a week. Last Sunday, as a matter of fact, I was on a bike for two and a half straight hours. A) because nothing else was going on during a particularly warm Sunday morning, and B) the instructor is so cute. What else can a girl do on a Sunday but burn a few extra calories?

So because of this phenomenon and my love for sweat (it seems), I have been losing weight. Any day that I'm not spinning (Right round, baby, Right round) I am doing strength and/or kickboxing--my first love. I had a long, torrid affair with kickboxing, but when he cheated on me with Strike! and the instructors changed, it wasn't the same. Don't get me wrong, incorporating weights with kickboxing sounds as decadent as an affair with Jon Hamm, but something about the instructor really turned me off, and on top of all that, I got a full time desk job. But I'm back, and spinning is my new love.

The other thing I am getting more and more passionate about as each day goes by is food. Irony, the aspiring baker wants to lose weight. If this isn't a typical Catch-22 challenge, I don't know what is. But, experimenting is my game, and if I have to find ways to cut calories as I cook, so be it.

This blog is for me. I will report on my weight loss and I will also post on my new culinary experiments and successes. Don't worry, the failures will also be noted. What is life without a little failure?

I hope to get the courage to share this with the world as I embark on a challenge I have been waiting my whole life for.

Cheers to the next 10 lbs and the next 5 inches. Clink your tonic waters and let's hold on for the ride.