Oh, Quantities.

Where have I been??you might be asking yourself this?I realize.  Oh boy.  Where do I even begin?  I started a new class almost immediately upon my return to the CIA from summer break.  (Bahaha, gimme a break.  It was a three-week pause.  I?d hardly call that summer vacation, CIA.)

I started Quantity Food Production, in the famous CIA kitchen, K16.  Where have I really been?  I?ve been drowning in pools of fryer oil, spilling mise en place containers of well, unfortunately necessary mise en place, bent over in prep sinks rummaging through cases of romaine lettuce to wash.  I won?t even start talking about the, ahem, cases of green vegetables that had to be blanched in the middle of service, or the bacon that I ran out of in the middle of service for a Club wrap that I had to cook off, or the vinaigrette I had to make, in the middle of freaking service!! Trust me, there?s a reason why we go through this seven-day lunch class  (Two seven-day classes of breakfast and lunch cookery instead of the regular fourteen-day block).  It is not only the most important kitchen on campus, feeding the majority of the student body (300-500 covers in a mere one hour) but it also puts things into a bit of perspective.  Back in Skills 1 & 2, we were cooking one or two servings.  In Skills 3, Americas and Asias class we probably fed 15-20 people as a team, 100 (if that) as a class.

In QFP we?re feeding the majority.  The crowd.  The lines.  Students come to K16 when there is nowhere else to go.  Tourists pass by K16 thinking K16 is the only kitchen students are able to eat out of during their day.  So you can imagine it gets a little crazy.  So crazy in fact, I haven?t even brought my camera to class.  I don?t have time to go to the bathroom, let alone take a picture for a blog.  I get back to my dorm room by dinner time, as opposed to the normal end time of about 1:30 PM.  I haven?t touched my yoga mat in seven days.  SEVEN DAYS.  This is the first class I?ve had in all the kitchens I?ve been in where I have felt legit, hunger pangs multiple times during everyday.  I literally cannot eat enough to help balance out how much we move in this class.

On top of that?I skipped out about an hour early on Friday to make it for the rest of BlogHer 2010 in Manhattan.  I stayed at The Hilton in Midtown on Friday and Saturday night and had an absolute blast.  Despite missing a few events Friday morning, I still managed to meet a handful of great people, spend quality time with some healthy living bloggers, and pick up a ton of cool SWAG?while also learning a ton about blogging!  Can?t wait to put my newfound knowledge to good use!  Unfortunately, on my way to BlogHer, I think my water bottle leaked on my precious Canon, so it failed to work all weekend.  FML, right?!  I was devastated.  This past year has sucked the life out of my electronic necessities.   My Dell crashed in February.  I lost my BlackBerry in a taxi in June, and now this.  I will recap BlogHer with the pictures I do have in a couple of days.  How can I not?!  It was so eventful!

In the meantime? here are some drool worthy pictures of my last week of eats from my time in Tucson, AZ.  I miss it already.  Tucson and my home food!  Yum!

Chocolate Protein Ice cream.

Egg whites, toast, and jalapeño Tabasco, Mexican inspired Fiesta Chicken Salad, and Oats with PB+J and crumbled leftover Devil?s Food cupcake.

Chocolate chip Protein Ice Cream in a KERF bowl.  (I met KATH this weekend!  How cool is that?  She was so sweet.)  Trout with raw broccoli salad and shaken iced tea.

Spinach salad with chicken from AJ?s Fine Foods, chocolate protein snack, watermelon and protein pancakes with yogurt+almond butter+maple syrup dipping sauce with nectarine+banana on the side.

BBQ shrimp with sautéed spinach and roasted cauliflower that I made for my family.  So delicious, yet we all agreed it was too salty.  Damn you salt!

Chicken fiesta salad (made with chicken breast, fat free yogurt, salsa, seasonings and spices, and cucumber with avocado on top) inspired by Janetha with watermelon and grapes; egg whites and toast; and a much adored lunch of cold chicken breast with tahini and jelly, and broccoli two ways: roasted, and raw broccoli salad!  If you can?t pick, have both!

Strawberry-banana-soft-serve whirled up in the food processor layered with Pumpkin granola.  And protein cookies.  Naturally.

And my favorite? poached eggs.    Poaching in the pot for lunch with a salad on the side with avocado, the-best-feta-cheese-I?ve-ever-had, avocado, nectarine and raw corn.  Perfect summer lunch.

I?ll catch up with you all later!  This crazy class calls for my time, energy and attention.  Basically twenty-four hours a day.  I eat, sleep, dream, and think Quantity Food Production!

Who?s all going to the Healthy Living Summit? I unfortunately didn?t get a ticket, but I also didn?t think I?d be able to make it and go to class, and make it all the way to Chicago after a week of culinary school.  Maybe next year.    Have any of you been to a blog conference?  It is definitely overwhelming I will say that.  But I recommend it.  It was good times.

I can?t believe its only Monday.  Have a good week guys!