España

I will be spending 6 weeks in Spain this summer, and 8 weeks in Europe total, and as the time slowly approaches, I am starting to feel the excitement.

My plan (just a plan, remember!) is to blog in both Spanish and English about the delectable things I try while I am there. After finding out I got a $1,000 scholarship this weekend, I am even more excited about it, particularly about the FOOD! This means I can spend all of my free time nibbling and munching my way through the country without worrying about all of the money I'm spending.

Most of my time will be spent in Santander, a small coastal town on the Northern tip of Spain, not too far from France. It is going to be a seafood extravaganza, and I can't wait!

So stay tuned, and be prepared for some mouth-watering photos and tempting words.

Getting creative with the Co-op

Because my sister is part of a co-op, we always seem to have an over abundance of vegetables. At first it was great, but after a while you get sick of trying to invent ways to use sweet potatoes and kale. So one night, after weeks of arugula, I remembered a pizza I once had with my grandmother in Germany, who, by the way, does not like arugula in the slightest. But I liked the pizza and remembered it, so I did my best to recreate it.

I grabbed some fresh mozzarella, tomatoes and prosciutto, sliced it all up, and layered it on top of my homemade dough. And while the dough could have been rolled out thinner, I was being lazy, and it turned out great anyway.

The only complaint I have is I should have made two pizzas. I definitely didn't get enough.

When tradition is broken

Don't get me wrong. I am all for holding onto tradition, and sometimes I prefer the original version of things: the first Nintendo gaming system, the original Facebook layout, Neapolitan pizza, etc. But, sometimes, tradition has to be broken.

This is how I feel about Paula Deen's "Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding" recipe. While I have always loved, and always will love, classic banana pudding chock full of Nilla Wafers, Paula Deen's version of the yellow-tinted, creamy classic elevates the dessert to a whole new level.

With the addition of frozen whipped topping, cream cheese and sweetened condensed milk (and surprisingly no butter,) the pudding becomes lighter and more complex. And while the use of Pepperidge Farm Chessmen Cookies in place of the Nilla Wafers renders this version a little more expensive, it is definitely worth shelling out a couple extra dollars.

Even for all of you die-hard traditionalists, this is one twist on the original you should try.

Paula Deen's "Not Yo' Mama's Banana Pudding"

Ingredients

• 2 bags Pepperidge Farm Chessmen cookies
• 6 to 8 bananas, sliced
• 2 cups milk
• 1 (5-ounce) box instant French vanilla pudding
• 1 (8-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
• 1 (14-ounce) can sweetened condensed milk
• 1 (12-ounce) container frozen whipped topping thawed, or equal amount sweetened whipped cream

Directions

Line the bottom of a 13 by 9 by 2-inch dish with 1 bag of cookies and layer bananas on top.

In a bowl, combine the milk and pudding mix and blend well using a handheld electric mixer. Using another bowl, combine the cream cheese and condensed milk together and mix until smooth. Fold the whipped topping into the cream cheese mixture. Add the cream cheese mixture to the pudding mixture and stir until well blended. Pour the mixture over the cookies and bananas and cover with the remaining cookies. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

My logo

In my visual storytelling class, to practice using Adobe Illustrator, we had to make a logo for our name. We were supposed to choose a font and object that represents us. I used a font that I found creative yet professional, which is how I see myself. I hope others see me like that too. We were to use only one color other than black so I chose green to emphasize my last name. I picked a whisk as my object because it was easy to draw in illustrator and it signifies my love of cooking and food. I hope you like it!

Talent rises

We met at, what was for both of us, our very first restaurant job. We were both enrolled in high school culinary programs. And while we have taken very different paths, we have both become extremely successful.

I am so excited for my talented friend Morgan's success in his new restaurant Slyce in Ocala. I hope I can review his restaurant soon, but for now here is a piece that was in the Ocala Star Banner.

Slyce Bistro & Pizzeria

If you are in the Ocala area, please try it out, and support another local eatery!

Not my latest, but fairly new

Freedom at last

I am so excited Reporting is over. I can finally resume my life, including continuing this blog!