Crusing Across Cultures....

Well my last "classroom" class has begun! Cuisine Across Cultures is the study of foods around the world. An introduction to the many different ways foods are prepared throughout the world. It is interesting so far!

I am thrilled with our new Chef! He is a Master Chef and holds the CMC designation. There are fewer than 100 Certified Master Chefs in the United States. In fact, his jacket has more designations embroidered on it than I have ever seen! One day I will jot all of them down and do the research to completely understand his depth and breadth of study! Totally in awe of his accomplishments and level of knowledge. He has a very strong accent and I must pay very close attention to lecture to be sure I don't miss anything. He hails from Ghana, Africa and studied in Germany. His stern demeanor is welcomed as we continue to have some slackers who remain in the class! Yet while he is stern he also has a playful personality and is able to laugh at us and himself! Truly a pleasure to head to school every morning at 7am!

Many of us were thrilled to hear that they had split our class and several folks would be taking Catering & Buffet this rotation rather than Cuisine Across Cultures. The physical space of our CAC class is much smaller than any kitchen we have been in before and the thought of fewer students was exciting. Alas, it did not end up this way! We did lose a few students to the Catering & Buffet class but we gained a few more who transferred to the 7am rotation for one reason or another. We still have 34 students.... WAY TOO MANY for this small room. But, now that week two has ended we are making the best of it and finding ways to manage in the small space.

The old favorites are with me... Sarge, Bride2B, Chick-fil-A, Fifth-wheel, The Felon, Doughboy and Opie. I have some new characters to introduce to you this blog. I never get tired of sharing some of the antics !!

There has been this guy in my class since day one in August. For months I racked my brain attempting to figure out WHO he reminded me of. Then, as if a lightening bolt struck me from above ... one day in Foundations III it hit me.... Inspector Clouseau!! He is in his mid 40's, slight in height at ~5'3" tall yet stocky, pencil thin mustache, greying hair. He has an annoying way of repeating everything chef says & replying with Yes Chef...Yes Chef. I honestly think he repeats because he can't hear. Truly!! I think his hearing is really bad and he is too vain to look into some sort of hearing aid! His voice... think beach dude talk and slightly nasal. Bride2B thinks he sounds like Matthew McConaughey & I hear what she means. He'll walk by a pot on the stove and using his hand wave the smells his way. It's totally ridiculous! Now, to his credit. He has earned a seat on the competitive Hot Foods team for Georgia. One of six who tried out from our class he has managed to work hard to maintain his right to be there. They have their first competition coming up in March. However, his being on this team adds to his already arrogant attitude (or is that short-man complex?). He'll stroll around the room and look at every one's work with a snide little Inspector Clouseau look on his face.

We added a new student to our class in Baking & Pastry that has moved on with us to this new class. I must preface my following comments with the fact that I have no issue with people who choose an alternative lifestyle. My comments regarding Precious are not meant to offend or hurt anyone. What can I say... Precious is an interesting individual. I am not sure how it is that he has made it this far in the program. He can not make vinaigrette, or "dress" a salad without letting it swim in for-mentioned vinaigrette, sets a pot on the stove and walks away and rarely returns to see the progress until someone hollers that "such and such" is boiling over or boiled dry. When asked a question he stares off into space as if not hearing (or caring) that he has been asked anything and RARELY knows an answer. UNBELIEVABLE!!

His appearance is forever a mess. He is wrinkled and generally maintains a dirty apron and chef jacket. This is a BIG stickler for Chef!! More than once in the last 2 weeks he has been sent to student services lounge to iron his clothing. Yesterday in lineup Chef stood in amazement and shook his head. He then shared that he was not to return to class next week if his attire was like that again. He wears his apron high enough to nearly be a bib and often walks with his hand up high on his hip and the other limply in front of him. He has offered to share his "Blushing Cherry Blossom" pink hand lotion from Bath & Body Works (a gift from a friend) with Bride2B and wears more shiny lip gloss than I do. However, I believe the thing that has put me totally over the edge regarding Precious was the day last week when he shared with a bench mate that he was so tired because he had been up so late having SEX the night before...OMG! Not appropriate, Not interested & DEFINITELY too much information!

I have learned how to roll sushi!! We were instructed to come to class with a sushi mat during our first week of class. Not having one in my kitchen at home (I know ... it's a shock!) I had to visit the local Oriental Market to acquire one. I stopped at the "Super H" on my way home from class one day. THIS PLACE IS HUGE!!! It's about half the size of Sam's Club and completely packed with Asian foods. Everything is written in Chinese and has English subtitles. They have an indoor fish market, a huge fresh produce area with Lotus root, Lychee, Chinese Long Beans, Fuzzy Melon, Daikon Radish, Durian and Tamarind to name just a few! (search Asian produce on Google to see all these beauties). Tons of frozen ready to prepare items, seaweed wraps, sticky rice and soy sauce & hot sauces to overwhelm!! What an outstanding place!!

Originally sushi was a preservation method for fish. This method utilized vinegar rice to ferment the fish. The fish was then removed from the rice and eaten as needed. What we know today as sushi was invented by Hanaya Yohei (1799-1858) some 200 years ago. He designed it as a fast food! One that could be eaten with one hand along the road or in a theater. It used fresh fish and vinegar flavored rice.

Have you ever heard of Quinoa? I recently discovered the ancient grain while here at school! It is from South America and was a food stable of the Inca Indians until the Spanish explorers arrived in the mid 1500's. At that point the Indians were punished by death if they cultivated, harvested or consumed this grain. Damn Europeans trying to control the natives! Anyway, we know what happened to the Inca Indians and it likely could have been because they were no longer able to eat this very healthy food stable! I have committed myself to working more of this healthy food into my diet! It can be eaten cold or hot and cooks much like rice. Because of it's mild nutty flavor it can be combined with many other flavors to add variety to your meal. It aids in the prevention or lower risks of type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular health, migraines, and gallstones. It is gluten free and StarK approved so that the Jewish community now has a new food to enjoy during Passover & other leaven restricted food High Holidays. Here are the statistics!

1/4 cup of dry Quinoa... and the daily allowances it provides!

158 calories (22 from fat)

11% Protein

10% Fiber

10%Vitamin B2 (riboflavin)

10% Vitamin E

22% Magnesium

48% Manganese

All of the Amino Acids including Lysine and therefore a complete protein!

1 cup of quinoa is equal in calcium to drinking 1 quart of milk!!!

So!! Take the Quinoa Challenge!! Find it at your local health food store or organic market!! Start enjoying this ancient grain and the health benefits it provides!!! Here are a few recipes to get you going!!!

Lemony Quinoa and Asparagus with Shrimp Scampi

Serves 6

1/4 C Olive Oil

3 Tablespoons Butter

1 medium Onion, finely chopped

1 1/2 cup quinoa, rinsed

2 3/4 cup Vegetable stock (or water)

Salt & Black pepper

1/2 lb. asparagus, ends snapped off and cut into 1 1/2" lengths

1 1/2 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1/4 cup juice from 1 lemon

2 pounds large shrimp, peeled, deveined (if desired), rinsed & dried

4 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 cup dry white wine

Cayenne pepper to taste

1/4 cup minced fresh parsley

Adjust the over rack to center position, place ovenproof serving dish on rack and heat oven to 200 degrees. In a large saute pan set on medium hear, heat 2 T of oil and 1 T of butter. Add the onion and cook until soft. about 5 minutes. Add the quinoa and cook, stirring constantly, until quinoa smells toasty, about 4 minutes. Add 2 3/4 cups Chicken stock (or water) and 1 teaspoon of salt. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer until the quinoa is just tender, about 12 minutes. Off the heat, sprinkle the asparagus over the quinoa, replace the cover, and set the pan aside until quinoa has absorbed all the liquid and the asparagus is tender-crisp, about 12 minutes. Add the lemon zest and juice, season with black pepper and additional salt (if needed). Stir. Transfer the quinoa to the warmed serving dish, spread out and keep warm in the oven.

Wipe out saute pan and add 1 T. of oil. Set over high heat. When the oil is hot add half the shrimp and cook, without moving, until they begin to turn opaque, about 1 minute. Quickly turn the shrimp and cook until fully opaque, about 45 seconds longer. Transfer to a bowl. Add remaining 2 T of butter, place over medium heat and quickly cook the garlic until fragrant. Add the wine, cayenne to taste, stir to blend. Return the shrimp and any accumulated juices to the pan. Add the parsley, season with salt and pepper and stir. Pour the shrimp and juices over the bed of quinoa and serve immediately!

Marsala Braised Quinoa with Crimini Mushrooms in Roasted Tomato

Serves 4

1 Cup quinoa

2 cups vegetable stock (or water)

pinch of salt

2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

2 shallots, minced

1 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 cup Marsala wine

2 Tablespoons Soy Sauce

1/2 lb. Crimini mushroom caps, minced

1/2 teaspoon whole fennel, crushed

1/4 cup fresh cilantro or basil, chopped

4 roasted tomatoes

Cook quinoa, 1 cup of quinoa to 2 cups of chicken stock. Bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, cover and cook until liquid is absorbed. About 15 minutes

Saute shallots in olive oil, cook until clear. Add mushrooms, toss well and spread over pan. Stir occasionally until mushrooms are deep brown in color. Add cooked quinoa and mix well. When the grain is heated through and may slightly be sticking to the pan, add the Marsala wine to deglaze. Stir in and add the soy sauce. Cover for a few minutes. Toss with fresh herbs. Use to fill the roasted tomatoes.

*Roasting the tomatoes! Use a small knife to cut the core and center, scoop out some of the inside of the tomato. Rub the inside and outside of the tomato with Olive Oil. Lightly salt the outside with salt. Bake at 450 degrees until the skin is slightly soft, about 6 - 9 minutes.

Enjoy these tasty treats! Thank you again for joining me on my journey!

Til next time!

Sourdough...Boy!

It is hard to believe that my Baking and Pastry rotation has already ended because in many ways it seems as if it only just began! Yesterday we completed our written exam and gave the kitchen a good cleaning to prepare it for the next new group of young bakers! But before I get too far ahead of myself and look to the future (and my final class at Le Cordon Bleu) I need to share a few more stories!

We had a project assigned in this class that accounted for 20% of our grade. This Dessert Project was designed to get us thinking about all aspects of dessert design. We were to create 7 individual plates, they were to consist of 4 flavors each, no flavor repeats so basically 28 different flavors! We needed to consider all aspects and balance the desserts with taste, texture and appearance. My Papa's favorite piece of apple pie with vanilla ice cream wouldn't cut it! Oh, and then we had to draw each plate! Give Chef an idea of what the plate would look like when we set it before a customer. Those of you who know me and know why 25 years ago I changed my major from Fashion Design to Home Economics know that I am "drawing challenged"! I did manage to put a few circles, squares and squiggly lines on the page and add a dash of color with my colored pencils to complete the assignment. Whew! Here are my personal favorites....

1) Blackberry Tart in a hazelnut crust. Served with a hazelnut cookie, apricot sorbet and a warm Brandy sauce.

2) Fig & Mascarpone cannoli with a Walnut tuile, Cranberry sorbet and Cranberry sauce.

3) Pear cobbler with Ginger snaps & Coconut ice-cream with candied Mint leaves and dried pear crisp.

I am taking on the personal challenge now that the class it over ... to actually MAKE each of these desserts. To work them until they are what I imagine them in my head... flavorful and appealing to the eye. I'll have to keep you posted on that part of the process!

I LOVE Creme Brulee!!! In my years of travel with Whirlpool Corporation I used to measure a restaurant by the quality of it's Creme Brulee. If the Brulee was good, that restaurant remained on my list as one I would return to the next trip. I also used this measure as a suggestion to people who would ask me about restaurant options. My favorite still is Metropolitan Grill in Seattle! It's been years since I have been there so if you happen to be in Seattle, give it a try and let me know!!!

SO, Creme Brulee and Creme Caramel. The difference between the two... Brulee has caramelized sugar on top and remains in the dish it was baked in for service. Caramel has caramelized sugar on the bottom and is turned out of the dish for service (think flan). Caramel is sweeter and Brulee is heavier due to the Heavy cream. Honestly, you can't go wrong with either!!!

Our final exam included Creme Brulee. But as with most days in school there is always more to this story.... wait for it!

We worked with Tuile batter this week. It is a batter that typically is used to fill a template/stencil and produces a light, delicate crispy cookie. It is great for adding texture to a dessert or for making a base for an individual cheesecake or creme caramel to rest in. It requires that you spread the batter evenly with your spatula over the template then carefully remove the template and move on to the next one. Doughboy worked on the same flower shaped template for 20 minutes! He had batter ALL OVER the bench, the slop all over the outside of the batter container. It was a MESS! In order for Opie (new name for All American) and I to work the process we had to scoop up batter from the table and scrape if off the outside of the container. Honest to God it was like a 3 year old had just stuck his hand in a bowl of very sticky play dough and smeared it all over! One really cool thing about this dough is that when it comes out of the oven and is still hot, it can be molded to form a cup of sorts. You have to work quickly and carefully because they are very fragile but it can be done. Mine and Opie's turned out OK. Doughboy had some issues with his ONE cookie and "shit, shit, shit" spewed out during his Tourette Syndrome filled rant.

I am organized and move toward task completion. I don't stand around waiting to be told what to do. I like the bench wiped clean as we move through our tasks. Some of the dishes can wait as there is room below our bench for a sheet tray to contain the dirty items. Timing during the process is often more critical. As with hot food production, mis en place is essential in the bakers kitchen. When melted sugar is ready to go in with the air wiped egg yolks for French Buttercream you need to be ready to do it! When the milk & heavy cream are at a boil for the Creme Brulee you need the egg yolks ready to go! My team has struggled with this concept since day one! You also have to anticipate the steps in the process and that often requires READING the instructions and referring to notes taken during Chef's Demo. Oh!That means you had to TAKE notes!!

My friend Bride2B is on the bench across from me. She too has had a challenging six week adventure in class. Like me she is organized and methodical about the process. Ever ready to learn and asking questions to understand the techniques and how to recognize when the product is ready for the next phase of production. Chef makes both she and I nervous but in a good way, we are wanting to please and receive praise for a job well done. These traits are not always appreciated by our team mates. Her group especially! She has "Pat" and "Drive-by" as her partners and I believe that they may in fact be brother and sister separated at birth!! Now I call Pat "Pat" because from day one in class (she joined us this rotation) I was not sure of her gender? So, pulling from my memory banks of Saturday Night Live skits, Pat became her name. She has the menopause haircut, you know the one.... the underneath layer & nape of your neck hair is shaved up the head about 2 inches & then the long hair from above covers it when your hair is down. Rosie O'Donnell calls it the menopause cut because it keeps the neck cool when the hot-flashes start! Problem with Pat's... she wears her hair up in the beanie and it really just looks like she went to the nearest Army Base for a fresh shave! Drive-by is named for the felony he committed and served time for! He has been rehabilitated and now wants to be a chef.... Humh!

They both smoke and have to take numerous breaks to sneak out for a fix during class. They both KNOW everything and refuse to follow the instructions given by Chef. This causes stress and product "misses" throughout production. Bride2B has hung in there but it's been rough! They give her a hard time for bossing them, think she is just trying to be Chef's pet and even choose not to participate if things are not done the way they THINK they should be! Definitely separated at birth.... aside from Drive-by's facial hair they even LOOK alike!

We have been each others saving grace as bench mates across from each other the past six weeks! Her kinship was never more needed than Thursday of this week (during our practical!)when Doughboy went SOUR! I will never again make Creme Brulee without this event coming to mind. Doughboy is boiling the milk, heavy cream, sugar & vanilla. He had not prepared the other needed items & tools back at the bench. Opie & I were completing the other tasks of the morning. Upon realizing that he was boiling milk and the station was not ready to accommodate the completion of the Brulee we kick into action! I get the yolks and sugar blended, Opie has the strainer & pitcher ready to receive the mixture once blended. Doughboy pours in the hot liquids, I stir them together and strain.

What happens next will likely go down in the history books as one of the most disruptive events to occur in a classroom during a practical!!!! The three of us head to the front to pour our mixture into the ramekins. We have three cups to fill, they are to be filled 1/8" from the top. I am pouring in the mixture, half way for each and planning to then go back and top them off so we have an even amount by dish. Doughboy begins ranting (loudly) that I am doing it wrong, that they need to be 1/8" from the top and I need to fill them more. I stop and ask if he would like to do it?

He explodes!! His face becomes beet RED, he screams that YES I would! YOU have done everything and are such a Bitch and YOU don't know what the f**k YOU are am doing! I know the f-bomb was dropped three to four more times during the tirade but I was in such shock I don't recall the exact words surrounding it!

I believe the whole classroom froze. Refusing to engage (what I really wanted was to give him the quietus with my fist, knocking the crap out of him!!!!) I quickly turned around IN TEARS, nearly plowing over Chef who was on his way over to see what all the ruckus was about. Three Chefs observed the outburst as well as 36 of my fellow classmates. My swollen eyes were full proof of the humiliation I felt. This guy is certifiably nuts! He has gone off on someone in EVERY rotation and for some reason is still allowed to return. I filed a formal complaint with the school on Friday. This isn't Gordon Ramsey's Hell's Kitchen for crying out loud.... it's a learning environment! I don't care how DoughBALL acts when he is in a kitchen working , but here, the nonsense has got to stop!

We had to return to our bench and complete the remaining items for the practical. He started up again while back a the bench and I simply suggested he consider medication. He flew into another rage and this time Chef tossed him out until he could get a hold of himself. It was a rough and uncomfortable situation. Not that I am a profiler, he just fits the shoot-em up type if pushed too far! Oh the Drama!!

As I mentioned I have only one class to complete and then I am off to my externship! Cuisine Across Cultures begins on Monday and is designed to give us an overview of the many different types of food techniques and different types of ingredients that are used throughout the world. I'll have an opportunity to be totally immersed in a new culture in April when I begin my externship as I have decided to go to ITALY for 8 weeks!!! I will be in Sorrento at a place called Mami Camilla's. Check out the website http://www.mamicamillas.com/ to learn all about it. It is a bed and breakfast & cooking school. I'll work & live on site for 8 weeks. I'll take Italian classes and work in the kitchens there with the Master Chef. I have heard nothing but wonderful things about the experience from other students who have gone. It will be difficult to be so far away from home for so long and I'll miss George & Olive. Those nutty cats will likely not miss me at all as they will be on a vacation at Grandma Mimi's house!!

Sourdough Bread Starter

75 Grams Water

50 Grams All Purpose Flour

50 Grams Whole Wheat Flour

Combine the first three ingredients

Leave at room temperature overnight

Feed/Refresh the starter daily if left at room temperature or Feed/Refresh once a week in left in refrigerator.

To feed use the % of each ingredient as the sour grows. 12% water, 19% AP flour, 2% whole wheat flour.

When ready to bake bread use 225 Grams (or 1 cup) of starter and mix in with other bread dough ingredients.

Keep in mind that the "sour" is environmental. So, sour dough from San Francisco will taste different from that in Indiana & that from Georgia. It takes on the properties of the growing yeast around it. The Boudin Bakery in San Francisco keeps the bread consistent by flying the starter in daily to the locations outside of San Francisco because the flavor will change slightly depending on where the sour is grown. This is the only way they can remain true to the flavor of San Francisco Sourdough. That means that the Michigan Ave. location in Chicago uses the starter (that incidentally first started fermenting in the early 1900's) flown to them from California everyday to bake the bread for that $14 sandwich!!

Creme Brulee

255 grams Heavy Cream

170 grams Whole milk

35 grams Sugar

6 grams Vanilla extract or 1/2 vanilla bean, sliced with beans extracted

136 grams Egg Yolks

34 grams Granulated Sugar

Yield 3 ~ 7oz brulees

Prepare half sheet pan with brulee dishes

Bring heavy cream, milk, sugar & vanilla bean to boil

Mix together the egg yolk & granulated sugar ("Blanchir")

Temper the hot milk mixture slowly into the egg yolk mixture (you don't want to cook the eggs)

Strain the mixture to remove the bean and bubbles

Fill each dish 1/8" from the top

Bake at 325 degree oven with a water bath (half way up side of brulee dishes) until the brulees don't jiggle when pushed.

Enjoy!! And be sure to get those ramekins 1/8" from the top!!! :)

Cost Control & the Skill of Business Management

So just before holiday break there were some changes made at Le Cordon Bleu allowing Certificate Students the option of adding classes "a La Carte". This was great news because three classes ... Cost Control, Wine & Beverage and Buffet & Catering... were ones not in my program but of interest. I made arrangements to add a few more hours of my day at the school and add on Cost Control this current term. The other two I would hold off on until my final session.

The Cost Control class is instructed by a very interesting gentleman with many years of experience in the "front of the House" as a Maitre 'd and Waiter/Server. He has a wealth of knowledge that he is eager to share everyday! Wednesday's always include a review of the New York Times Food section and Thursday's he covers the Atlanta Journal Courier Food section. Many of the students find him to be odd and somewhat of a bore. I personally think he is hysterical! He has some funny quirks like clearing his throat incessantly and always referring to the fellas in the class by their last name while the ladies are always on a first name basis. This one sort of rubs me as a bit sexist but I honestly don't think he even knows he does it. Perhaps he fancies himself as a "ladies man" and is attempting to be endearing?

The National Restaurant Association provides the text and there is some really good information and learning's to aid us in understanding the business side of this industry. I have discovered over the years that I am a bit of a nerd and I like analysing the numbers. Generating spreadsheets to assist in making decisions and understanding what is happening. Thank you Corporate America for that geeky side of my development!!! So obviously reviewing Profit & Loss statements has been interesting and understanding how to calculate the "cost of food sold". Not to mention drilling down to identify the balance of sale % by item. I LOVE this stuff!! My classmates... well, some seem to get it while others have difficulty converting fractions into whole numbers...!

This group of characters in my Cost Control class are a whole new crop for me. See, my fellow classmates in the Production class took Cost Control in the last rotation. BEFORE the school decided that Certificate students could "add a la carte". I now understand what it feels like for kids who change schools in the middle of a term or half way through high-school. Everyone knows one another, the groups and cliques are formed and you (I) am the outsider!!

Meet my new group of friends.... If you have seen the movie Midnight in the Garden of Good & Evil then you will likely recall Lady Chablis ~ The Doll. Well, he (she) is in my class! The rail thin body, the long braids, the tail-swing of the walk. I KID you NOT it's him! And the "Good Morning Mr. Instructor" each day during line-up, with all the Southern drama of an award winning performance, just sends my mind into a fit of laughter and fascination!

Sitting in front of me is the Knower. He Knows all about running a restaurant, he Knows he doesn't need to learn this because his uncle is his accountant, he Knows his funding is secure for his future restaurant. Funny thing is he often turns around to see what my answers are in the workbook.... Humm?

The fella who sits in from of the Knower is Jolly. Jolly is shaped sort of like Santa and he has bright red cheeks. Everyday he is quick to inquire how my morning class has gone and then share some detail regarding his life. This week it was that he is very close to locking up his externship with Princess Cruise Lines!! The phone interview went well and he is feeling pretty good about it! Last week he indicated that his room mates were trying to have him kicked out because they didn't like him. Yet, through all of this he remains Jolly.

And next to me... J.J.Walker himself... Mr. DY-NO-MITE!! This kid cracks me up! It is absolutely uncanny how much he reminds me of the "Good Times" character! Anyway, DY-NO-MITE is a tender soul and has a good deal of difficulty with the math. I help him out and quiz him on ounces per pound conversions and such. He came up to me in the hall way Friday and put his arm around my shoulders and gave me a hug. It didn't matter or click with him that I was in the middle of a conversation with someone else that he was interrupting. He just wanted to let me know that he had finished the work problems I had put together for him in class the previous day. And to tell me he thinks he is getting it....

All of this brings be back around to a larger more perplexing question. What is happening in our elementary, intermediate & high-schools across America that kids are not grasping the concept of 8th grade math? That's what this class is. It's basic addition, subtraction, multiplication & division. The problems are set in a series of story problems and require a few critical thinking skills to figure out the answers. If you can't get past how to do the math.... how can you grasp the broader overview of business management and inventory control? I honestly don't know how some of these individuals received a high-school diploma. I also question how they were so easily admitted into this seemingly prestigious culinary school. This is likely the largest most disappointing realization for me. The No Child Left Behind act went into effect in January 2002 & likely didn't begin implementation until the 2003 school year. The majority of my fellow students were in middle-school at the time. It was too late for some of these kids as some were in fact left behind. All this got me curious about the average ACT (American College Testing Program) scores nationally. If you are interested in doing some investigation on your own you can check out www.act.org/news/data/09/states.htlm. There are some eye-opening statistics regarding the percentage of students who take the test and where each state ranks. Nationally only 45% of all 2009 graduating seniors took this college exam. I applaud states such as Michigan and Colorado who have 100% student participation in this testing program! Indiana shows that only 24% of students participated and Georgia shows a 40% rate. These two states scores were right at the average score for the nation. My gut tells me some things need to be changing here....

Well it would not be a blog if I didn't share a recipe!! So, fresh from the New York Times food section this week.... A DIP for the big game!

Spicy Molten Blue Cheese Dip

1 8-ounce package of cream cheese

2 garlic cloves

1 pinch kosher salt

1/4 cup heavy cream of half & half

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 teaspoon hot sauce (more if you want!)

1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

4 ounces blue cheese (= about 1 cup crumbled)

2 Tablespoons chopped chives

Celery Sticks, Chips or Chicken wings for serving

1) preheat the oven to 325 degrees.

2) Place cream cheese in food processor and pulse to soften

3) Mash garlic & salt together making a paste (mortar and pestle works well)

4) Add paste, cream, mayonnaise, Worcestershire sauce, hot sauce & pepper to food processor. Mix until smooth.

5) Add Blue cheese & chives. Pulse until just combined

6) Scrape mixture into a small gratin dish or baking pan. Bake until dip is melted and bubbling (about 30-35 minutes). Sprinkle with some extra sauce and serve warm.

I'll be enjoying this dip along with some baked chicken wings for the game today. While I am thrilled for the New Orleans Saints to be there, mainly because the quarterback is Drew Brees, a PURDUE Boilermaker.... I am all for the COLTS today!! Wahoo!!! Bring that trophy to INDIANA Boys!