Culinary Institute

I guess I am one of those weird women that loves Mother's day. I do sometimes feel guilty with all of the 'ode to mother's' talks in church, about how so and so's mother is so great because she can clean the house, do laundry, cook a nutritious meal, play games with the kids, sew clothes, run 10 miles a day, look beautiful and stylish all while she remodels the house. Ya, that's not me, therefore I feel bad or guilty, but that guilt is easily erased when I am served breakfast in bed or allowed a nap after church. This year our friend Than, asked Cache if he wanted to surprise me with a Culinary Institute cooking class for mother's day. Cache couldn't spend the money without consulting with me first, so it wasn't much of a surprise. How often would I get an opportunity to cook in a culinary institute kitchen and Erica was going and that would make it all the more fun.

Thanks Cache, it was an amazing experience, even though the class turned out to be less of a class and more of an experience. Erica and I were hoping that we would learn some great techniques, but were a little embarrassed that we didn't know how to do a lot of things (that's why you take a class, right?). The Chef at first was a little frustrated, but I think in the end he began to like our amateur personalities.

It was such a beautiful building in the heart of wine country (napa).

I could have taken pictures on the grounds all day.

chef Erica cooking her Pad Thai with THE Chef.

Erica knows all the Thai names of the dishes we made, but this is the spicy coconut chicken soup I made. It was delicious! I have since made it at home and can pull it off pretty good. (I will pat my own back at this time)

mmmmm, delicious. Especially the mango rice you see in the top left corner.

May 12x12

Warning: I am trying to play catch up, expect a lot of posts with publishing dates from the past months.

1. Growing lady bugs.

2. Ainsley eating a grape.

3&4. Pretty flowers from our yard.

5. Ainsley riding her bike we picked up off of the side of the road (yay for free).

6. Trying to document Ainsley's horribly rough skin.

7. After school snack.

8. Dinner: pringled halibut and rice pilaf.

9&10. Eden's date night to Powell's candy shop.

11. Waiting for school to start: Eden playing i-touch, Ainsley eating breakfast, and who knows what Asher is doing (digging for gold is my guess)

12. Ainsley looks so big in this picture.

Happy Birthday Cache!

Happy Birthday to the best husband ever. I hope you like your TOMS.

Cache turned 34! Although he thought he was turning 35.

Because he is getting so old he forgets his age.

Sunday#10

Mother's Day! What a fun day. Cache and the kids worked so hard to surprise me. I woke up in the morning to a tray of my favorite breakfast foods; Toast, Simply Orange Juice and Pillsbury Orange rolls. I was able to spend all morning taking my time to get ready for church without the hustle and bustle of ironing clothes, doing hair, preparing snacks. Cache took care of all that. Eden was a little upset that I wasn't allowed to do her hair, but she settled on a down 'do and she looked great. At church we had a small yucky moment when we found a tick on the back of Ainsley neck and I almost started freaking out. I haven't had to deal with ticks before, but everything I have heard is to smother them with Vaseline, which I didn't have at church (nope, I don't carry Vaseline in my purse). I went out into the foyer hoping someone would come out who knew what they were doing, and a one of my sweet friends came out and said I needed to get it out as quickly as possible before it dug in deeper and became more engorged. We found someone with tweezers 9which I thought was a big no, no) and I had an alcohol wipe in my Car emergency kit. She was able to pull it out and clean the site and all was good. After church Cache worked hard preparing my meal of choice of Sloppy Joes (don't laugh they're my favorite). It was such a relaxing day and I didn't do anything except enjoy the ones that make me a mom.

And as a treat Cache and the kids made my favorite dessert.

Chocolate Frosted Angel Food Cake.

I know you are going to want the recipe, because it is so yummy. And fairly Healthy (okay healthy might not be the right word-low in calories is better).

1 angel food cake (we like to make ours from the Betty crocker or Pillsbury mix)

1 tub cool whip (you can even use light cool whip)

Nestle Quick chocolate milk mix

Make Angel food cake according to package directions, be sure to use an angel food cake pan.

Mix cool whip and Nestle quick together and taste as you go for the desired flavor.

Either dollop on individual slices or frost onto entire cake.

YUMMM.