Summer Bucket List Conclusion

Even though summer hasn't officially ended according to the calendar, I'm going to announce it's closure seeing as I'm already attending classes. I know. Ew.

Anyways, that means that it's time to see how I did with my Summer Bucket List (Sam will be writing her conclusion soon as well).

Let's look at the original list from June 11th.

"1. Ride ponies.
2. Find a way to remove the potato grime from the crevices of my hands (I don't think my appendages will ever recover from the amount of potatoes I cut/peel/grate/mash on a daily basis)
3. Watch Aaron Sorkin's new show, The Newsroom (so pumped)
4. Catch up on Mad Men (I'm at the beginning of season 3)
5. Find a reason to wear something other than chef's pants and a plain t-shirt covered in buttercream, potato skins, and chicken broth
6. Cook dinner for my family at least once a week, preferably twice (I think they were expecting me to cook everyday before I got a job... oops)
7. Make this, this, and lots of cornbread
8. Get on a plane to visit Simmie of Simmiecakes in Florida and go to Harry Potter World at Universal (yeah, the chances of this are pretty slim)
9. Try to find a way to use my sourdough starter once every week (I've been doing pretty well with this!)
10. Make Sam come visit me :)"

How did I do? Let's start from the beginning.

I did, in fact, ride ponies. Especially this little guy, Covington.

My absolute favorite, Susie.

And, of course, Romi pony.

I did eventually get the potato grime out of my hands. It was always replaced days later, but I did have a few days of spud-free digits.

I did watch Newsroom. Not as fabulous as I had hoped (though the opening credits are up to par), but I'm gonna stick with it.

Well, I'm now at the beginning of season 4 of Mad Men. Is fewer than 12 episodes really an accomplishment? Eh. I can get half credit for that one.

There were probably a total of six times that I wore something other than my work outfit or pajamas. Good times.

Look at me rocking that t-shirt and chef's pants.

Definitely didn't cook dinner every week. Another half-credit goal.

I made the scallion pancakes (AMAZING. And easy!), not the blueberry bread. But I made cornbread!

I even made Sourdough Cornbread! Killing two goals with one baking adventure!

I didn't go to visit Simmie. :(

I did really well with my sourdough goal! I would say I only missed a week or two!

Sourdough Pizza Dough! (My family loves it grilled into flatbread)

Sourdough Ciabatta

Sourdough Biscuits

And, as you know, Sam did come to visit in mid-August. It was awesome.

I think I actually did quite well considering that I worked an average of 50 hours a week and only had off on Mondays and Tuesdays. About 7 out of 10 goals reaches (counting the half-credits).

I'm sad summer is over. I'm ready for Christmas.

Meri

Request Granted

I have always been more than wiling to fill any request for baked goods (or food of any kind really).

Yet, since I've started telling people that I'm working in a restaurant kitchen this summer, the requests have definitely increased. Not that I mind. I work Wednesday through Sunday and I spend both Monday and Tuesday cooking and baking.

Tuesday I made sourdough biscuits, banana bread, and risotto.

On Monday, I worked on a request from I good friend from the barn I ride at. Her eyes lit up when I described my job and immediately sputtered out a request for something chocolate-y. Chocolate cupcakes in fact.

I wanted to do something more than a chocolate cupcake with buttercream frosting, so I thought about making a filling. I decided on peanut butter. Safe enough not to confuse non-foodies, and delicious enough to still be exciting.

I used this recipe for the cake and threw together a sweet peanut butter filling and chocolate buttercream. Then I topped them with honey-roasted peanuts.

The cake worked out great because it wasn't super sweet. So, the sugary peanut butter and buttercream weren't overpowering.

They were a hit! I don't have a picture of people eating the cupcakes at the barn, but I have pictures of ponies! (Which I think is even better.)

  
-Meri