Follow-up to The Bully Premier

I had a blast at The Bully premier on Wednesday, October 20th at SPACE Gallery. The night started with a performance by local band South China (check them out if you have yet to hear them- they are just incredible) and then filmmakers Derek Kimball and Matt Konkel of Last House Productions premiered "The Bully" followed by a showing of their film "I Want You to Know." The turnout for the event was fantastic- I'd say at least 100 people showed up.

The night before the premier I sat in my kitchen for three hours painting sugar cookies with scenes based off the film's promotional poster.





It was exhausting, but they came out much better than I expected and my boyfriend was flitting around them all night with "ooooo's" and "ahhhh's." I packaged them up in cellophane bags tied with black ribbon.

There were 14 in all and I almost sold out :) In addition, I whipped up a batch of Ginger Cookies and Mud Puddle Cookies. I packaged them in 3's and sold quite a few, though it seemed like the Mud Puddle's were most popular. No wonder- they're covered in dark chocolate ganache! Everyone who bought from me was sure to come back multiple times to tell me how good the cookies were. This is the first "event" I've ever sold merchandise at and I'd say it was a big success! In all I raised $25 to support getting the film into the international film festival circuit.



I'd really love to do another event like this again- just have to keep my eyes open for opportunities. Since the event, I've had 2 orders placed and two more pending ones, so I've got a big baking week coming up!

Butternut Squash Ravioli? Yes, please!

The food for my brother's 17th was a big hit. The cupcakes, version 2.0 are MUCH prettier this time. See photographic evidence below. (And I need to say thanks to my amazing boyfriend who took the following picture. He's local photographer, Justin Lewis- filmaperture Photography :)



I tried out a new recipe for ravioli and it's definitely a keeper. I made a few modifications and thought I'd share it with you. Enjoy!

Butternut Squash, Sage & Goat Cheese Ravioli, with Hazelnut Brown-"butter" sauce
For the Filling:
2 lbs butternut squash, halved & seeded
1 med. onion, chopped
1 1/2 tsp ground sage
1 Tbsp butter (or use olive oil like me :P)
1 garlic clove, minced
3 oz goat cheese mozzerella, grated

60 wonton wrappers (2 packages)
1 stick of butter (or substitute with olive oil like me :P)
1/3 c. hazelnuts, lightly toasted, skinned, & chopped coarse
3 cups spinach leaves

Preheat the oven to 425 & lightly grease a baking sheet.

For Filling: Put squash, flesh down, on baking sheet & roast for 30 mins. Cool. Scoop out the flesh into a bowl and trash the skin. Mash until smooth

While squash roasts, cook onion & sage in oil w/salt & pepper, about 5 mins. Add garlic. Cool and add to the squash. Add the cheese and stir.


Bring 5 quarts of salted water to a boil. Place one wonton wrapper on a lightly floured surface and mound 1 Tbsp filling in the middle. Wet another wrapper and seal the deal! Transfer to a dry paper towel. After you make a bunch- I did 6 or so at a time- put them in the boiling water for about 6 minutes, until they float. If you aren't plating right away, transfer them to a shallow pan and add some cooking water. If you don't, they'll all stick together. Continue doing this until you have used up your filling or have made as many ravioli as you wish!

For the sauce- heat 1 stick of butter or some oil in a skillet and add the nuts & spinach leaves. If using butter, keep it on the heat until it browns and then remove from heat and season with salt & pepper. If using oil, just heat it up a bit.

Serve ravioli with butter/oil hazelnut spinach sauce on top! Yummy!

Serving amount is debateable- I made 5 raviolis for each of 5 people, so 5 total and I've still got leftovers to make another batch tonight.

A very happy birthday to you!

My little brother turns 17 on Saturday- 17! I can't even believe it. Somehow, within the last 2 years the kid has sprouted into a 6'3, thin as a rail, bright and talented, almost-young adult. I invited him and my dad for dinner on Saturday night and of course I've got to come up with a fitting dessert for the occaision. I started listing out some of his favorite things and focused on Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. Inspiration quickly followed. I made a test batch this past Saturday.

I started with a simple cupcake batter and added a healthy helping of local raw honey from the Portland farmer's market.





As the cupcakes baked and the sweet honey smell started filling my kitchen, I pulled out my mixer and created a fluffy peanut butter icing. I don't have a ton of icing experience, so this next comment may not be saying much, but it is definitely the best icing I've ever created. It's light and airy and oh, so peanut buttery.





After the cupcakes cooled, I made a bowl of dark chocolate ganache. I piped the icing on top of the cupcakes and then dipped the tops in ganache.



Good idea- but it wasn't thought through. Of course, the icing did not keep it's pretty, evenly distributed shape. It melted and deflated a bit. I don't have photos of the finished product because I was sorley disappointed with their appearance. Apparently taste trumps appearance, though. The reactions I received have convinced me to make them again. One of my tasters told me it was an "orgasm" in her mouth, another placed an order for her and her boyfriend.

I will make them again this weekend, but I'm going to modify it a bit and hopefully it will be more visually appealing and I'll be able to get some pictures for you. Fingers crossed! Either way, I know my almost-17-year-old brother will devour them. Happy Birthday, Keith!

Inspiration from someone who knows her stuff

There are times when my job frustrates me to no end, but sometimes there are moments that certainly do make me smile. One of the trustees on our board is one of the founders of Bon Apetit magazine. She started it when she lived in California and took it from a little monthly newsletter to the magazine we know and love today. At first glance, this little woman in her 70's looks sweet, quiet, and unassuming. But having worked with her over the past year and a half, I've found her to be fiesty and passionate about everything she puts her mind to.

We were standing by the subscribers' entrance before a concert last week and I mentioned to her that I'm looking to move, but need to find a place with a kitchen that can handle my under-the-table-on-the-side-baking-company. She had no idea I'd started a baking service and her eyes lit up immediately. I told her of my dream to someday own a little bakery in Portland and she waggled her finger at me and said, "Someday doesn't come soon enough. Do it now!" I talked about my anxiety over my lack of "professional" experience, i.e. I haven't been to culinary or pastry school nor have I worked for a bakery. She touched my arm and looked me straight in the eyes saying, "Hunny, some of the very best chefs I know are the ones who learned it all on their own. They bring passion to the plate and that makes all the difference."

And I know she's completely right. There's no reason to hold myself back all because I didn't attend some prestigious pastry school. I'm learning day by day whether I'm in the kitchen or not- inspired by others' creations, by my surroundings,through relationships and interactions with the artistic people I'm surrounded by, from watching other successful small business owners, by the people I love giving me constant encouragement. It will happen.

Anyway- have a cookie! You know you wanna :)