food fight!

I need to come up with a really classy/creative/descriptive/fun/funny name for a food blog/business name/etc. I'd appreciate any suggestions. Ideally, I would like to use food fight, as it was the plan for a make up line I will (eventually, sometime down the road) be creating. It’s very fun, playful, and descriptive for a majority of the things I want to do.

So, I've been in school for 7 days now. Not too long at all! We've been doing a lot of technical things - "serve safe" classes, knife skills, broths, and today - sauces. I'm not going to be sharing many recipes yet (as I'm not creating a ton of things that you can't figure out yourself), but I am going to share some photos - because who doesn't love looking at photos of gorgeous food?!?

After creating homemade stocks in class -  we were allowed to take home mirepoix from our knife skills class. I decided to make a homemade broth that night, and utilize it in my first EVER risotto. It was a scallion, lime, and basil risotto - rich, creamy, and sweet! It was a Monday, the night Hell's Kitchen is on, so it was only fitting.  (By the way, Chef Gordon Ramsay is coming to Austin THIS WEEK to film an episode of Kitchen Nightmares. I emailed for reservations over 2 weeks ago, unfortunately, I was never contacted. I would have been so beyond stoked to get a chance to say hi to him or try something he had a hand in making.)

Today, we made sauces. Pesto is considered a "contemporary" sauce, and that's what I made this evening. I sauteed eggplant in a pan every so slightly coated with oil and bits of garlic, then garnished with a pesto made of purple basil, arugula, olive oil, salt, pepper, and CASHEWS. It turned out very nicely - not what you would expect of a common pesto, that's for sure. I served it with an arugula salad with olive oil, apple cider vinegar, and agave nectar dressing. It was still very yummy though.

 

Tomorrow, we start talking about dry & wet cooking methods. I'll have to work after school, so I won't get to experiment 'til the weekend. Bummer city! I'll be holding dinner parties soon with the very FEW friends I have in Austin, so expect more photos & foodie updates. (Funny enough, most of the friends we're making here are from Indiana. It's just easier.)

School

Tomorrow, I start school. This hasn't happened in about 10 years. It is a very strange feeling.

On Being Homesick

It's true! (made by rararpress)

I think being homesick is probably just about one of the worst things ever. You might have your stuff from "home" around, your loved ones, but it still isn't "home." Everything you know, memories at every corner, that sort of stuff. Having recently moved, I am really starting to suffer from this terrible feeling. It took 2 months, but I suppose it must take a different amount of time for it to sink in for different people.

I don't really know what to do to squash this feeling, either. I'm sad, I don't feel like doing things, I can't sleep well, I literally feel sick, and I just feel myself sinking further. It's pretty bad, and it's not good when you need to go out and meet people and explore your new town.

It's been a rough few days, since it's really been settling in my heart. Here are some tips that I've found just in the past couple of days to help me feel a little better. Please, share any tips you have - I can use anything you can think of!

???? (made by bopeepbaby)

1. Call your mom/dad! I know, totally lame - but sometimes just hearing a completely familiar voice can help.
2. Hugs - if you're fortunate (like I am) to have loved ones with you, hug them. Alot.
3. Call/email friends - I know you're feeling forgotten/left out, but they more than likely still love you & miss you, too.
4. Create to-do lists. Yep, give yourself things to do so you don't waste your whole day lying on the couch. And keeping busy will help keep your mind off of it.
5. Take a shower every day. There's nothing like a good cry in the shower, and wallowing in your own dirt doesn't help anything/anyone.
6. Plan a visit home. If it's in one week or 4 months, anything, just something to look forward to.
7. Remember why you're there. Refocus on your goal & remember that you're there for a purpose.
8. Write postcards/letters/send packages. You might think people should be sending you bits of home, but honestly, sending others you love mail helps, oddly enough.
9. If it starts getting really bad, do something! Take a bath, cook a meal, take your dogs on a walk. It should help the feeling pass.
10. Stay off of facebook/twitter for excessive amounts of time. Reading about what all your friends are doing at home (i.e. what you would be doing) only will make you long for home even more.

So - what do you suggest? I'll try out any suggestions you have, cause I really gotta stop this feeling!

Matt's awesome Indiana patches. Check him out here (& buy one!)