Tuesday @ Dorsey in Waterford

Hello everyone, I hope that everyone is doing well this week.  It has cooled a little so at least the weather is a little nicer.  Today we are still working on cakes, pies and tarts, decorating cakes and icings, butter creams and other fillings, and then there are pie fillings and then all of the specially things that can go with cakes.  Today was my first attempt ever to decorate a cake so it was quite an experience.  First you get it out of the cooler (you made it yesterday and mine was a yellow sponge) and then you cut it into 2-3 layers and fill with a filling, mine was filled with chocolate Bavarian creamed laced with raspberry sauce ... very good.  Then you put that on each layer and then you put back in the cooler to make it stable ... especially if it is very warm where you are working.  Then you bring it out again after a while and cover with a crumb coat of butter cream and back into the cooler it goes.  Then back out again for the final icing and then back into the cooler while you decide how you are going to decorate/finish it to make it pretty.  I will enclose pictures to show you how I finished mine ... Chef said that would get me an "A" for mid-term test next Wed.  Lets hope and pray that I can do it again just the same .... under pressure I am not sure it can be done.  Anyhow, that is all that I have to report for now so have a wonderful afternoon and I will catch up with you again tomorrow.  Signing off for now from 1HappyChef.

Wed. @ Waterford Dorsey

Good afternoon to everyone out there.  Hope that everyone is staying cool.  I think that it is darn miserable outside ... I don't want any part of it outside these days.  Way way too hot!  Today was our last day in the kitchen doing cakes and frosting's.  Today my only job was to make "butter cream frosting".  It took (because of the process) 3 1/2 hours to make ... wow, but I do have to tell you that it tasted very good no matter how we flavored it.  So, tomorrow is classroom work and I am looking forward to the break.  I need a sit down day ... I came home covered in chocolate and frosting and cake and butter and you name it ... so right away when I walk in the house I need to clean me and clean my cloths for tomorrow.  Not much else to report ... I got some awards today at the BBQ.  That was short but sweet and I have to tell you it was good to bite into a piece of meat (if you can call a hot dog meat) for a change.  Never the less it tasted like "MORE".  I was so hungry for real food.  So for now I will go and get my work done and catch up with you later.  Signing off for now from 1HappyChef.  Have a really great evening everyone.

Tuesday @ Dorsey in Waterford

Good afternoon everyone.  Pretty good day today but am getting a little sweeted out.  All of the cakes and frosting's and doughs and sugar and more sugar and more sugar.  This frosting that we made today was the best ever but a heart attach waiting to happen.  1 pound of eggs whites and 1 pound of sugar over a double broiler until the sugar melts and then you put it in the mixer with whisk attachment and whip it for 10 minutes or so until stiff peaks and then very slowley you incorporate 3 pounds of room temp. butter into that and mix well.  It is the smoothest, creamest best stuff ever ... but wow.  I will put some pictures with this post.  Tomorrow we are doing pies and tarts ... different kind of sugar .. oh, and I forgot we are decorating all of the rest of the cakes that me made today.  I am thinking that "Healthy Foods" will be a welcome change coming up very soon ... maybe my ateries won't get too over clogged?  So, for now there isn't anything else to report so I will sign off from 1HappyChef.  Have a really great evening everyone.  I will check in tomorrow with really big news ... I made the "Dean's List" and am getting an award ... very exciting ... yes, very exciting.

Back 2 school tomorrow ... yea!

Happy Sunday everyone.  Hope that everyone is staying cool.  I just took out my garbage and it is really HOT out ... too hot for me that is for sure.  Didn't do much today but several hours of homework ... written and on computer MCL.  I will be glad to be back to school tomorrow as we start the week with cakes and decorating cakes.  I think that I am a pretty crafty person so I should be able to do some good decorating ... at least I hope that I can.  It might be different working with frosting and a piping bag ... I guess that I will see.  Also tomorrow is a test ... I have that down so no worries there.  Not to much else to report today ... just another Sunday.  Have a great evening everyone.  Signing off from 1HappyChef.  The picture that I am enclosing is from the Roseville competition on Friday.

Happy Saturday everyone!

Here it is Saturday already.  Yesterday I went to the Roseville Campus to see a special competition and see 6 different Chefs participate in a practical exam to be certified in different areas.  It was really something to see and all of the really top Chefs in MI were there to be Judges.  There were some really important people there and the room was just electric.  I don't know how the six Chef's did it under all of the pressure they were under and with all of the people standing around watching.  Wow, I will never forget it.  So, that is what I did Friday for my 5 extra credit points ... and I took about 200 pictures too.  On Thursday we had our reviews and I still am carrying an AA and perfect attendance.  So far so good.  Today I am making a white bean and tomato dish ... my apartment smells so very good!  Well everyone have a really great day/weekend and I will check in tomorrow if I have something new to report.  So signing off for now from 1HappyChef.

Thursday is over

Good afternoon everyone. Hope that everyone is doing well this little cooler day. School is over ... I though for this week until we were asked if we wanted to go to the Roseville Campus and see some renowned Chefs in action and I was asked to take pictures. It is going to be an all day competition and I really am looking forward to seeing them at their finest ... hot and under pressure. Today was just bookwork and we watched a movie on Nutrition (which was very interesting) while the Chef did our reviews. I am still doing A A ... can't do better than that I guess. He seemed very pleased with my work and my attitude ...

So for now I think that I will let you go and see if I can get some of the homework done that he assigned. I would rather do it now than wait until the last minute. So, for now everyone have a really great day and take care. Over and our for now from lHappyChef.

Thursday is over



We finally finished Puffed Pastry ... yea!

Good afternoon everyone.  Not too much to report today other than we finished the week off with using up all of the stuff that we had started on Monday and then added somethings to it ... there was a lot of food out today.  I came home covered in chocolate and flour and raspberry filling.  I smelled like the dough that I used to love so much.  I think that I just had enough this week of all of the sweet stuff.  Never the less, school was good and am looking forward to classroom tomorrow (sitting down) and not in the kitchen.  On Friday is a special credit day at the Roseville campus ... full dress uniform and starts at 7 AM and ends at 5 PM or so.  Will be a long day but am looking forward to seeing the other school and how it is ran.  Should be lots of good food there too for us to eat.  I am looking forward to it ... Molly is the car pool person and I just have to thank her a head of time.  It is very generous of her to drive the people with no gas and bad cars that wouldn't make it to Roseville.  So, thank you so much Molly!  I am doing my laundry .... uniform covered in chocolate ... icky.  And while I was washing I decided to do my bed and the rest of the stuff and I already got my dinner and shower out of the way ... so, it will be some TV for me tonight ... hope something is on.  So, for now have a great evening and I will check in again tomorrow.  Over and out from 1HappyChef.  Good night.  PS> I can't believe what I just did ... I erased all of the pictures that I took today before I saved them ... what a dummy ... so, sorry no new picture for today (and I really had a good one).

Happy Tuesday everyone!

Well, today was a better day all the way around ... except very HOT in the kitchen today.  I am happy to report that I think that my banking is fixed ... at least until the SS check comes and doesn't know where to be deposited.  I did however have a little trouble getting on line last night but when I got home today it is working just great ... so, so far so good.  Let's hope that it stays good and there is no problem with new ATM card or new accounts.  I know that it will be just fine.  Well today we are still doing Puffed Pastry and Danish.  We had to make some more dough to give to another class for tomorrow and we made a couple of fillings which turned out wonderful and we made some pecan sticky buns with the danish dough and they turned out very nice and tomorrow we are just filling the puffed pastries and the cream puffs that we made and eclairs and what not.  We are making some more swans too tomorrow ... that was fun last time.  I will have pictures of the food that we did today with this post.  Hope that everyone is having a wonderful day and staying cool.  Signing off for now from 1HappyChef.  More to come tomorrow ... over and out.

Cheese Danish

Hi everyone, I have to report to you today that I have had the strangest day off all.  Today started out just fine and all but I had to stop at the bank on my way home to activate a new ATM card and what a deal that was.  I have been told that I am a victim of fraud and so I guess that even people with NO money can have problems with people trying to take from them.  They say that some people fro Nigeria or somewhere were trying to access my account and money on 7.1 so that is why I can not/have been unable to use my accounts.  So, I opened a new checking and savings account and ordered new checks and ATM card and come home thinking this is the end of it ... nope you guessed right.  Now, I can not sign on to my online banking and called and talked to a really nice guy but when I hang up and do what he says ... guess what ... you got it ... still won't work.  This is so maddening.  Then I decided to take a break from the banking problem and decided to use my cell phone ... I have a load in the washer and don't remember taking it out of my pocket after school so now I am in a real panic ... I tear the entire load out of the washer 2 times and can't even find the coat that I was running the load for in the first place ... why was I washing then?  I don't know ... but I found the coat ... took the phone out of the pocket and then rewashed the entire load.  Wow, am I loosing my mind or what?  Anyways, school was great.  Danish and Puff Pastry ... I will share a picture with this post.  They were so good and looked very nice too.  For this entire week we will be doing the same thing so I will share pictures from each day so you can see if we are improving in out technique ... I am going to take a break now so I hope that everyone has a wonderful evening.   That's all for now from 1HappyChef.

Good Sunday Afternoon

Hello to everyone out there today.  Hope that you are all having a wonderful weekend.  Today and yesterday have been pretty HOT and it is not very nice outside at all.  Way too warm if you ask me.  I will be happy to get back to school tomorrow and start "puffed pastry and danish".  I think that this week is going to be so much fun ... just a couple of weeks and we will be doing mid-terms again.  I guess what they say is true.  Time flies when you are having fun!  Well, not too much to report.  I am working hard on finding a Nutrition Book 3 weeks sooner than we get one at school so I can get a head start on it.  I am thinking that it will be as difficult or maybe even more difficult than the ServSave exam so all the extra time I can get would be great.  I feel the same way about the Math too but I am not sure if I will ever over come that, I did however find a helper ... a friend who went to Culinary school in NY said that he would go over it with me until I got it ... we will see if that ever happens, right?  So, for now I am going to take a break the rest of this afternoon and I will check in tomorrow with pictures from tomorrows class.  Have a great afternoon ... signing off for now from 1HappyChef  :)

Happy Friday everyone.

Hi everyone.  Today is Friday and I decided this morning not to go for the extra credit class since it would go until about 4-5 this afternoon.  I also just wasn't in the mood to be around some of those people again so soon ... it is nice having 3 days off in a row to get a break.  I hope that they all did well and that the event was a huge success.  I had a crazy experience at the Clinic last night.  I am not sure when it went so wrong there ... I have never had these kinds of problems before.  First of all I could not have one bite of that wonderful food that they made yesterday because I was fasting for a blood test all day ... when I got there they they decided not to do it and said that I wouldn't need any more blood test because I was on meds for the problem and it wasn't going to change so why take the test every 3 months?  I don't know ... why did they not decide this before I fasted all day?  Then it took about 3 hours to get my meds which are suppose to be for the next 90 days ... when I got home and was putting them away I only got enough for the next 30 days ... what is going on with them?  So, I called and left a message but have not heard back from them yet as to when to pick up the other 60 days.  Then as I was leaving I made an appointment for 90 days from now to do this all over again and guess what?  The appointment is 60 days not 90 and that will be too soon to get my meds refilled ... what is going on with them?  On a good note though I did get a dentist appointment in August to get my teeth cleaned when we are on a break from school for a week ... finally something went right, yea!  And I did stop at Mary Donnelly's on my way home and get one of the best sandwiches that I have ever had .... it was wonderful and by then 9 pm I was very hungry.  So, enough for a Friday update.  Signing off from 1HappyChef .... have a wonderful afternoon everyone!  (This is a picture of the kitchen that we make all of the wonderful food in everyday).

Classroom day today ...

Hi everyone.  How is it going this afternoon?  I hope that everyone is enjoying this warm weather ... me, not so much.  I do not like it hot and humid ... bad on the allergies.  Today we were in the classroom so there isn't much to report.  We just did the usual like our "On Cooking" stuff and then we were trying to learn some Culinary Math ... that will be a long road ... my brain just doesn't want to get this.  I am not sure what the problem is.  I can do it and do it over and over if I don't stop but the minute I stop I don't have a clue what I did.  I just am having a really hard time getting this ... the rest of school compared is easy ... I even sailed through ServSafe ... I just can't get it.  I will however keep trying and trying and hopefully I will get enough of it before it becomes critical and it effects my grade.  So, there was a big banquet put out by a class ahead of us and I took some pictures and they did a very nice job.  I will share one or two of them with you so you can see for yourself.  Tomorrow is a special credit class to help for a function that it taking place ... we were suppose to be there at 8 am and work till early afternoon and now before we left they changed it to 11am to 4 pm .. I don't mind going and helping and of course getting the 5 extra points but I am a morning person ... that is why I signed up for the morning class ... I guess I will just have to wait and see if I go.  Anyhow for now I will sign off as I have to go to the Clinic for blood work and my Rx's for next 3 months.  Have a really good evening everyone ... for now good night from 1HappyChef.

Getting better and better everyday!

Good afternoon to everyone out there.  Today school was so much fun ... we made "Danish Dough" and it is quite a process ... kind of like you make "puffed pastry" from scratch ... folding and putting in more butter and folding and putting in more butter and on and on.  Also, we made some NOFB ... "French Bread" with a little twist and I have to tell you the dough was beautiful.  It is hard to describe what that means beautiful dough but when it is made right and worked right and kneaded just to perfection and then is rises and you punch it down and you let it rise again and then finally after a couple of hours you are almost ready to made the bread.  You really know that you have done something wonderful if you can get through this entire process ... yes in Deedee.  So, tomorrow we are in class all day and then there is a special credit class on Friday because we are cooking for 80 people (I am not sure where they are coming from) but they asked us today if we wanted to be a part of it ... I would like to be ... yep.  And of course there are those who always say they will be there and never show up so we will see the turn out ... I would bet not too many.  Also today we had a mishap and it upset our Chef very much and I understand exactly.  The class that I am in is about 1/2 of people who care or are there to learn.  He is trying his hardest to change that but it is going slow and I can see that it is difficult for him ... but I give him a lot of credit for trying to make it a better class ... Thank you Chef David.  So, that is all I've got for now so I will say good night and I will check in again tomorrow with some more pictures for you to see.  Signing off from 1HappyChef ... so long and have a good night.

Not Guilty

Boy oh boy ... what is this world coming to?  I can not believe "not guilty"!  I am speechless ... I do not believe that justice was severed today for little Caylee ... what a shame.  Any way back to school.  Today was a really great day ... We are all adjusting to our new Chef ... Chef David and I think that he is doing a wonderful job so far.  He is very knowledgeable in Pastries and it has been fun this week working with him.  Today we made "Cheese Cakes" and I did not take any pictures because they are not done.

We had to make the crusts and cook that and then make the Cheese Cake filling and then cook again and cool and on and on so the pictures will be tomorrow ... lots of them.  Today my team also made a Bourbon Bread Pudding with some of the bread that we made last year and I do have to tell you that I don't care for bread pudding as I don't like soggy things but it was really good!  I will also take some pictures of that tomorrow ... it was a thing of beauty.  Well, enough for now as I am still upset with the Verdict.  Will check in with you tomorrow.  Signing off for now from 1HappyChef.  Have a wonderful Summer evening.

Happy 4th of July

Hi everyone.  I am relieved that this weekend will soon be over and I can get back to school starting "Cheese Cake" week ... very exciting!  I have been watching this Casey Anthony trial since Thursday and I have learned that the "Law" is very different for different people.  It is not always the same or consistent as it should be ... I think everyday the Judaical System lets us all down in some way or another.  I think that Casey Anthony did this, I believe that it was pre-mediated so she could continue on with her life without that sweet, beautiful little girl.  What a shame ... that entire family needs help.  Enough of Casey Anthony for now ... I hope that the Jury can find the right thing to do after they decider all of the evidence.  So, now back to cooking as this blog was intended.  I will check in tomorrow with pictures and an up-date on our "new Chef" and how he is doing and what the class was about.  Signing off for now ... 1HappyChef.  Happy 4th of July to everyone!

2HappyChefs is now 1HappyChef ... sorry you are gone Heidi ... I miss you!

Good morning everyone.  Not too much to report ... finals all last week and although I did very well it was very hard for me.  I am proud that I did such a good job though.  This week my sister had to leave school for personal reasons and I am very sorry to see her go ... she was a very big help to me  ... especially with the math part of it.  I will miss you Heidi and good luck with your new endeavors!  I will start writing and posting again regularly starting on Tuesday next week.  I should have some really good pictures too as we are starting "Cheese Cakes" and we will be decorating cakes too.  This will be an exciting next 6 weeks and then we go into Healthy Foods ... not all that exciting.  Well, I need to get some sleep now so signing off for now.  Have a really great Holiday weekend and stay safe. Good night from 1HappyChef.