A Few Weeks of Fun

I just have to share this picture, it always gives me a good laugh... (Courtesy of Top Chef Season 8 "Night at the Museum")

So it's been a fun few weeks with some silly stuff happening...

First of all some great news. My quantity foods class had an "Iron Chef" Challenge in class, cooking a meal not knowing what ingredients we had. We had to serve an appetizer, entree, two sides and dessert was optional. And my group won!! Hooray!! The winning menu:

Appetizer: Bacon Wrapped Shrimp Kebob
Entree: Chicken Roulade with Spinach, Asparagus and Parmesan Cheese
Sides: Oven Baked Diced Potatoes with Parmesan, and Side Spinach, Pear and Strawberry Salad with homemade Balsamic Vinagrette Dressing.
Dessert: White Cake tppped with Strawberry and Pineapple Infused Whip Cream

On the way to school one day I came across a very mathematical equation to make a baby, I found it quite hilarious:


And of course had to take a picture to share, even though it has no relation to nutrition.

We have been working in the TCU kitchen as part of my class and recently we were working with the receiving department. (Receiving food, putting it away) One of the days while we were working in the coolers (which are super cold btw) we finished putting food away and went to another room to make a shipment order. About 5 minutes later we realized one of our group members was missing. We go back to the cooler and see him banging on the window shouting that he was locked in. Another employee opened the cooler door and pointed to a sign that was posted on the inside part of the cooler door:

We all had a really good laugh for a few minutes after that.

Only 4 more weeks until the end of the semester and it is going by super fast. Next semester I hear is fairly less hectic, so maybe I won't have as many fun stories. :( But I am very much looking forward to a month off for Christmas break. I love the holidays and getting super excited for Christmas approaching.

~Brittani

"A cheerful heart is good medicine."  Proverbs 17:22

Gloves... Boo

Let me vent here just a little bit on the requirement of gloves in the kitchen.

I now despise them....

 Of all kinds....

Basically they just add an extra layer, get hot, and get in my way.

Now these cutting safety gloves (bottom right) are to prevent you from chopping off your fingers. Not only must you wear this, but you must place an additional plastic glove OVER these. (2 gloves, 1 hand) (Disclaimer: I am not super chef when it comes to chopping food) BUT if you're paying attention to what you're doing it shouldn't be an issue, and these gloves slow me down so much, it's painful to cut anything! Plus, half of the plastic gloves don't fit, so I end up chopping off excess glove that gets in the way (hmmm.... Food safety issue... partial glove in the salad!!!) I will admit that there have been a few times I've taken them off while chopping because they frustrate me so much. Shhh don't tell :)

These "one size fits all" gloves (bottom right) drive me nuts too, they just get in everything, it's almost as though my fingers extend an extra inch, but there's nothing to hold them up and they just tend to droop into anything and then they're dirty within 5 minutes of wear.

Sometimes I feel as though there should be a Knife Skills 101 Class for glove wearers, because I suck.

Sidenote, I would also love to take my knives with me, because they are badass... (Thank Aunt Jane!) I am way more comfortable with a chef's knife versus these long skinny knives most kitchens have.



My Knife



What is this?



At least I can make my own rules in the Castle Kitchen. Other than this minor setback, I'm still having fun and will update shortly.

Until next time!

~Brittani

One Month Down!!

Wow! I can't believe it has been a month already since I started this adventure.

We have been working in the community garden for the past few weeks, and I'm not going to lie, I was a little hesitant at first with this project, but I have been having a blast. We made a raised bed. (see picture below for example) And to do so, we used some power tools!! Yeah!! It was fun working as a group to complete this and to work on something so hands-on. And now we have completed it and delivered it to Ecofest in Arlington. It has inspired me to garden, but we were given basically "invincible" rose plants and mine have already died, so maybe that green thumb of mine isn't going to come out any time soon.

(we did something like this)

(look at me go... haha) ;)

(growing lemon thyme on my porch, look at that thing grow!)

This past week we FINALLY had our big Scholarship Event that we have been working on since day one of school and I am so glad it was successful and it's over. My group was in charge of the recipes/menu and during one of the prep days in the kitchen I was just joking around when someone asked me if I wanted anything to drink and yelled out "VODKA!" forgetting my professor was in the room (i turned lobster red in about 2.3 seconds).... whoops, now my group jokingly labeled me "CP Lush" awesome... ;) mind you, this was also about 10:00 AM

(yes please!)

Overview of some of the other projects I've been working on the past few weeks: taught a Nutrition Lab on protein, Education Workshop on nutrition in the garden, and working in the TCU Kitchen. Working in the kitchen has been fun and we get free lunch after lab! Woohoo! Currently I'm in the baking department and I want to eat everything we bake, thanks dad for my sweet tooth. ;) It all looks and smells incredible. One of the employees there made a swan out of an apple!

In a couple of weeks we will be switching up our rotations, I will be working in a school system, still at meal delivery program and I will be working with an after school education program.

It's been a little hectic trying to make sure I'm at the right spot, at the right time, on the right day, with the correct materials because we are working at so many locations this semester, but I can guarantee it does not get boring!!

Stay tuned!

~Brittani

" 'For I know the plans I have for you,' declares the LORD, 'plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.' " -Jeremiah 29:11

The First Week

I have successfully completed my first week of school, and it was a blast, but it was a little chaotic.

I was definitely nervous the first day going in because I am the "new girl", but everyone has been so welcoming and nice, it's awesome!!! So those nerves went away pretty fast.
This first week was orientation week; we visited all the sites we will be working at through the semester; a community garden, food bank, school district, food and play program, senior outreach center, and meal delivery program.

Well, I left an interesting first impression at the community garden... We visited Tuesday about 11:30 in the awesome summer Texas heat, and about 30 minutes into the tour I begin to lose my sight and hearing (signs of heat exhaustion apparently) and had to sit in the shade while my classmates finished the tour. Great... I really was more embarrassed than anything, but I was fine after sitting for a while and drinking water, and I will be sure to come prepared when we work there.

The other site visits were not as eventful (luckily) :) They all seem to be really interesting and fun projects we get to work on. It's been a little overwhelming hearing about all of the projects we will be doing over the semester in just 4 days. I will get to be one of the cool lunch ladies at a school, teach a class on gardening, teach a nutrition lab at TCU, make a food/fitness video and quite a bit more.

I am truly lucky to have the support of my husband through this, he sees just how busy it's going to be, but it will all be worth it in the end when I'm able to add at the end of my name RD, LD. (Registered Dietitian, Licensed Dietitian)

So if these two years are going to be our hardest, we're in great shape!!

Until next time!

~Brittani

My Time has Arrived

Aprill 11, 2011 I received the call that changed my life.

It was TCU calling to offer me a spot in their Dietetics Program beginng Fall 2011!!!

After the phone call I had to cry tears of happiness and then pinch myself to be sure it wasn't a dream. Then of course dance to some Miley Cyrus. (such happy music)

I want to journal my experiences through the internship because this is a once in a lifetime opportunity I want to remember and I want to share with you.

I will not list names or specific locations for privacy reasons, but I plan to document the good, the bad, the fun and I hope you enjoy following me in this journey.

The journey will begin August 22, 2011 so check back soon for an update.

This is going to be a great time!!!

RAH RAH TCU!!!