I've been on the brink of panic since Tuesday night.
Wednesday morning I was scheduled to do a practice practical exam.
Since I was all caught up on my assignments, I asked my teacher if it would be possible to do this, so that I could better prepare for the real deal, which will happen at the end of the month.
Here is what will happen.
I will have approx 4 hours to put out 2 servings of:
1. a mayonnaise
2. a soup
3. an entree, with an assigned starch (potato, rice, or similar dish) and 2 chosen vegetables
4. A dessert, or bread product
Thing is, I won't know specifically what I'm making until I get there.
Each will have to be put out at different times, for instance, 10 AM, 11:30 AM, 11:45 AM, and 12PM.
Our garbage and compost will be monitored, to see if our waste is reasonable. They will also be marking us on professionalism, organization, skill, and a load of other things.
Since in class we usually are focusing on one thing at a time, this whole multi-tasking under pressure thing is FREAKING ME OUT!
Tuesday night I couldn't sleep. Well I guess I did, but it wasn't for very long. I woke up around 4AM with a racing heart and anxious mind. And this was only for the practice! When my alarm went at 6:20, I was already wide awake, and feeling sick to my stomach. I couldn't eat breakfast.
When I got to school around 7, my instructor said that I should set up as best I could, and we would start at 8.
When the hour finally rolled around and he handed me the sheets of paper, I was almost hyperventilating. I converted the recipe amounts, and quickly jotted down a workplan- the bane of my existence.
I was to create two artichoke and feta stuffed chicken breasts, spaetzle (small, pasta-like dumplings), and cheddar cheese soup, as well as the mayonnaise. I didn't have to make a dessert because all the dessert stuff is downstairs in the bakeshop.
Honestly, I've never mise-en-placed anything so fast in my life. I threw my mayonnaise ingredients into the fridge for later, and got to work on my chicken. When I was about ready to bread them, my instructor called all the entree students over and began talking about the exam, and explaining what I was doing, and how it would all work. With all those people there, watching me...I just lost it. I did the stupidest things, that haunt me to this day. Three days later :P
I can't even bring myself to tell you the retarded things I did. The shame...oh the shame.
Needless to say, everyone was looking at me with raised eyebrows and very skeptical expressions. Expressions that read, "How exactly did she get into level two?"
After my instructor gave me "the look" and the little confidence I had withered away, I just said,
"I CAN'T DO THIS WITH YOU WATCHING ME! GO AWAY!!!"
And they all laughed and moved on.
I, obviously, haven't moved on.
Despite a setback of having to redo my mayo, due to excessive amounts of vinegar (another boo boo on my part), I got it out on time, and my soup was also punctual...and very, very, delicious...If I do say so myself.
However, I waffled on when to put my chicken in the oven, and didn't follow my instincts...it ended up being 15 minutes late. Which is UNACCEPTABLE for the practical exam.
Also my spaetzle was gooey, and my broccoli was unseasoned...and I breaded my chicken with the skin still on...stupid, stupid mistakes.
I wanted to cry.
My teacher didn't seem too upset. He said it was a good learning experience for me.
He also said it was interesting what pressure did to people. He saw me make mistakes I'd never made before...he didn't specifically mention those moments of shame, but I knew what he meant. And
you will never know. ha!
As he picked apart my food, and my day, he summed up by saying it was a "maybe" pass. And this was a relatively easy dish. So now I am extreeeeeemely nervous about the real practical exam. Especially because I will have a dessert/bread on top of everything else.
Breath, Jill, breeeeeeathe. I could hardly eat for the rest of the day. My insides were in knots.
Knots, I tell you. Little waves of anxiety would run all the way through me. I felt sick.
And even though that was just the practice, and it was three days ago, I'm still having trouble sleeping at night because my mind is racing, and I still feel sick to my stomach when I think about this darn exam!
Ps. I don't handle stress well! What am I doing in this industry?!?!
This whole weekend was a delight. Four whole days off...indescribably wonderful.
What did I do with my time? Well, beyond what you've read about the past 3 days, I've really done a whole lot of nothing!
I got some summer shopping done, and I watched a lot of tv, and the highlight was a quick visit from the Homewood director and his family on their way to Calgary. Very fun!
But other than that...well...
For as long as I can remember, I've had a weird fascination with mice.
Luckily, he was unhurt...though he did get a good dousing when Mike tried to rescue him with a rake and he fell off. And then he got catapulted over the fence into the yard. I didn't see him after that, but I hope he is ok, and that he lives a long and prosperous life...just not in our house.
We went to Drumheller once when I was younger, and I remember climbing up to Hoo Doos there, and it seemed very exotic.
Little did I know that we had our very own Hoo Doos right here in Kamloops!
Today I went out there to hike with my parents, Mike, and my friend Lin, from school. 
Lin is from Taiwan, and though she has lived in Kamloops for about 3 years, she's never really explored the area. It was fun to bring her out for the experience.
She is a good sport, and always up for any kind of adventure! 
There were a lot of cacti out and about! Every once in a while one would pounce on our unsuspecting legs...I have no idea how, but one thing was certain: it desired our flesh.
Mike had an unusual way of dealing with the threat. But what else is new.
They struck back with a vengeance.
There were a lot of tricky sections on our "trail". Sometimes it was really scary.
In the end we all survived, and it was a beautiful day. A great way to start the holiday!
Necessary materials for Tim Tam Slamming: Hot Chocolate, and Tim Tams
...but I wasn't exactly sure how to do that. So this weekend, I got the expert to teach me, and now I'm sharing that knowledge with you!
This may look like the Pioneer Woman set-up, but I'm definitely no Pioneer Woman. You'll see for yourself...
The recipe from my textbook makes a huge batch, and I wasn't exactly sure how much I wanted to do...so I just eyeballed it. Around 1 1/2 cups of Ricotta, probably. Lots of parm. The egg. And the seasonings. Mix 'em up. Pop it in the fridge until your pasta is done. Just say "NO" to salmonella poisoning!
I threw some cheddar in as an afterthought. I wanted a little more bite.
This also makes a large amount, so...ya, I guessed on this one too! Probably somewhere near a third of this recipe.
Flour, olive oil, salt, and egg! If you can find semolina sub it for half your flour. It makes a much nicer, and more professional product. Dump your flour (and semolina if you have it) on the table and make a well in the center. Crack your egg and toss it in there.
Bonjour Katie! She is demonstrating for us how to mix the egg. Start by beating just the egg with a fork. Then slowly start incorporating the flour by brushing the sides of the well as you beat. Don't forget to add about a tablespoon of olive oil to the egg at this point. I did.
It should begin to form a gooey dough.
Eventually you will have to get your hands dirty and give that goo a little press or two, until it holds together. Don't be like me and add waaaay too much flour. It makes it tough.
I don't own a pasta maker. Its a handy-dandy tool we use at school that reminds of me of those old-fashioned contraptions people would use to wring the water out of their wet laundry. Only at school we are squeezing pasta through it, not underwear.
When your pasta is nice and thin, like construction paper (?!), cut it into 4 inch squares. Or if you are completely angle-cutting deficient, just make irregular rectangles, like me!
Now here's the fun part! Get a cup of water and a pastry brush. Lightly dip your brush in the water, and wipe it on the edge. You don't want toooo much water on there, just enough to moisten your pasta square, so that it will stick together.
Now its time to pull out that scrumptious cheese filling! Place a little spoonful a little to one side of the center.
Fold one corner over to meet the opposite corner.
Now, starting at one side and working your way to the other, press the pasta together. The trick is to get all the air out of the pocket, and make it seal cleanly, with no cheese in between the layers. If this happens, when you boil it, the tortellini is going to open up and leak cheese into your water....ewwwww!
Take the two side points and fold them, one on top of the other.
Like so. Now take the point, and tuck it back, on the opposite side of the folds.
Isn't it CUUUUUTE?!?!?! (I forgot to take a picture of our finished product on Saturday, so I had to go and make one single little tortellini to take a shot of! That's why this ones a little pale. I didn't use an egg in making him.)
Scrumptious homemade cheese tortellini! It really doesn't take that long to make at all, and it tastes soooo good :)
The weather was sooooo nice and sunny yesterday, we decided to go for a hike.
