I'm So Glad We Had This Time Together...

Yes, it's been awhile since I've blogged, and I'll tell you why. My full-time gig is just that--full-time, and then some. I just haven't had the time to dedicate to my blog the way I want to. So I am afraid that this is goodbye for now.

But not forever. I plan to launch a new blog, Around The Way Gourmet, which is the name of my food business. I mean, I think it makes sense to support my business and to stick to one name instead of two.

I will always be a foodie wannabe in my head I suppose, but this blog and you, my dedicated followers, have really helped me grow in confidence and have helped me through this incredible life milestone. I can't wait to move forward on this new venture in blogging, and I hope you will follow along with me for the ride.

As soon as I'm all set up, I will give you the high sign--with my new blogging address.

The time feels right to move on. Life is change. And ain't life grand?!!

Peace,

Vanessa

Once Upon a Time...

...there was this woman who was having a mid-life awakening and she decided that it was time to stop thinking about her bucket list, and start acting on it.

The bucket had a few holes in it (dear Liza, dear Liza)--namely, the expense of paying for culinary school part time while trying to freelance and make enough ducats to keep a roof over my family's head.

But in October 2009, this mid-life maverick graduated from culinary school and was able to check off one more thing from her bucket list.

That's the end...and the beginning. I am still trying to figure out how to work a full-time job and not lose myself to the corporate world. How do I pursue my dreams without letting the dreams of others interfere? This is not an easy thing to do. Not at all. Not at all.

So I am a bit frustrated. And a bit lost, to be honest. Blessed to be employed, a bit sad that I haven't been able to put my training to in any physical way. I have to change that.

But first, I have to establish myself on the job--and that isn't easy working remotely. I realize I have some serious challenges here. But I keep reminding myself, at least I took the risk.

So, I will forge ahead, as always, to see what's around the next corner. I'm hopeful it's not a scalable wall, but a downhill valley where I can coast my way to the bottom, if only for a little while...

A Taste of Honey

There is this young foodie genius at General Mills who I swear should have her own show. Well, in about another month or so she will--on the GM websites. It's called Kitchen Counter Intelligence and, well, just watch out. Kristen Olson, the host, is SO passionate about food that it makes my head spin. I can't wait until you all get to meet her, and witness the wondrous foodie creations she comes up with on a daily basis.

Well, guess what surprise she had left for me when I arrived at the office yesterday? I piece of honeycomb from her own beehive. I mean, where does she find the time to do all this? I swear I don't know. All I know is that I have been enjoying this fresh honey ever since, in my green tea, as I relax in my hotel room. What a sweet treat (pun intended). Thanks Kristen--you rock!

Stay tuned for the launch of KCI--you won't want to miss this!

In the meantime, tell me: are any of you closet beekeepers? Inquiring minds want to know:)

In the Heartland

Since I've been traveling back and forth to Minneapolis so much, I've kinda fallen into a rut--you know, the living-out-of-a-suitcase, microwave-meal kinda rut. SO not appealing to the foodie in me.

Thank goodness I met Bonnie Marshall. Bonnie, who works for ARC in Minneapolis and is a dear friend of a dear friend of mine, has been kind enough to rescue me from my Springhill Suites Siberia and is introducing me to a few of the local locavore hot spots around Minneapolis and St. Paul. Last time around, we went to Lucia's, which was fab.

But this time around, she took me to Heartland in St. Paul. They describe themselves as a contemporary midwestern restaurant, but I think they are being WAAY to humble. This food is simply to-die-for. The menu changes nightly, so there's always a surprise in store. The night we went I knew I'd love the food as soon as I stepped into the door. The place just has a warmth about it that made me feel right at home.

And then, we ordered. And then, the food came. One word: FAB-U-LOUS!

We both had the $40 prix fixe and every bite was fantastic. Here's some photos and descriptions of the food:

Appetizer: Provenance Farm pork fromage de tete with candied sweet potato salad and pickled green tomato aioli

Main Course: Heritage breed Mangalitsa pork sirloin roast with shallot-cream cheese potato puree and brandied prune sauce

Dessert: Sorghum and ginger bread pudding with apricot coulis, bourbon sabayon and a honey oat Florentine

I know your mouth is watering...but the only way you can get this kind of deliciousness is to take a trip out to St. Paul. Address is 1806 St. Clair Avenue, St. Paul, Minnesota. Tell 'em Bonnie sent you!:)

Thank you Bonnie for helping me stay true to my foodie roots even when I'm far away from home. See you again in May!

Pillsbury Bake-Off: The Inside Story

One of the great advantages of working for General Mills is I get to experience all the buzzworthy excitement surrounding the Pillsbury Bake-Off. And let me tell you, this is one well-oiled machine.!!!! I don't know how they get it all done in just a few days, but they do--it's practically seamless. I'm such a food geek, I just get a natural high looking at how many pots and pans and cookie sheets and bubble wrap it takes to get this baby off the ground. Read: I probably need to get a hobby. Nah....I like being a food geek!:)

I'm a newbie to the company, so I won't be attending this year (*picture me crying in my Crescent rolls*)--but luckily I work with the Pillsbury.com web editor, Libby Pomroy, who is going to be blogging about what goes on behind the scenes from now until early next week when the million-dollar grand prize winner is announced. This is the first time ever that users will get an inside peek at how all of this comes together. It's really remarkable--and I'm not just saying that because I work there...it's the total truth, cross my hot cross buns!:)

Libby's blog is pretty cool. I totally recommend checking it out. Her first post can be found at this link below:
http://www.pillsbury.com/CommunityBlogs/blogs.aspx/bakeoff/2010/4/6/warehouse-wonders

Enjoy foodies!

California Love

I just got back from Cali, and I (blush, blush) fell in love there. Not with another human being, mind you. But with a hotel. It's called Le Petite Hermitage, on Cynthia Street in West Hollywood.

What does this have to do with food, you ask? Well, they had the best fresh yogurt and fresh berries I've had in, like, forever. Really. Kid you not.

Some friends and I were in town pitching a reality series, and we got to stay at this lovely boutique hotel. If you are ever in the area, I swear, make it a point to stay there. It was fantastic--service, atmosphere, food, wine. Order the Malbec--you won't be disappointed.

That's all for now--have to get back to work:)

Check it out on the web--you won't be disapppointed...

Boom Boom Pow!

I'm not really much of a coffee connosieur. Decaf hazelnut light and sweet is my standard order. Purists would probably pooh-pooh my neophyte ways. But I think I've found a happy middle ground.

Starbucks Coffee was so kind as to send me a sampling of its latest ready-to-drink coffee beverages: low-calorie, low-fat, grab-and-go. Hmmm....sounds like something that fits right into my "running in heels" lifestyle!:)

So I tucked the samples away in my fridge until I felt it was time to pull out the heavy artillery. This morning was one of those mornings. I'd had a late night out with hubby, got to bed late, then my nine-year-old has a bad dream and decides to climb into bed with us. Game. Over. Sleep. Over.

Needless to say, I woke up groggy. Groggy and glum (Webster's Definition: gloomy, sullen-- as discovered by my precocious 6 year old who said the word yesterday and I insisted she look it up in the dictionary because she is always saying big words without having any clue what they mean....but I digress)

To the rescue: Starbucks DoubleShot Energy + Coffee Vanilla Light. Not only is it light and sweet, which as you recall from the top of this post are two of my major qualifications, but it also contains ginseng, guarana and B-vitamins. That's the shot of energy I needed this morning. Problem solved.

There's other options too: Frappucino Light Mocha, Frappucino Light Vanilla, DoubleShot Light--Espresso and Cream (which also tastes good). Have you tried any of these yet? If so, please do share! TGIT (Thank God It's Thursday)

Finding Betty Crocker

Sure I know Betty Crocker, in the abstract. But I had no idea of the kind of power this woman wielded back in the day. She taught a certain generation how to cook. And I'm thinking, we may need her to work her magic again.

One of my co-workers hipped me to a cool book that tells the story of the Betty Crocker legend--it's called "Finding Betty Crocker." I immediately went to Amazon.com and ordered it. And as soon as I finish "Outliers," Betty is next on my list. Well, that and Game Change. Why can't I ever finish one book without started two others?!?!

If you'v ever read this book, or have an opinion about how to update Betty Crocker for the 21st century, please do share!

Inside the Google Cafeteria--Chicago

I don't know how I scored such a lucky invite, I'm just happy I made the cut. I found myself last week enjoying a delicious lunch at the Google offices in Chicago, which is one of their satellite locations. They're originally based in Mountain View, CA., but I was just happy to have a Google moment and be totally immersed in their brilliance.

Aside from the conferences (of course), I was truly impressed with the free lunch. Okay, first I was impressed by the idea of FREE--yes, indeed there is such a thing as a free lunch on this planet!:)

No doubt, these folks work very hard for that privilege--I mean,they work HARD. But they also play hard!

So, back to the FOOD. Not only is it nutritious, with generous options for vegetarians, but the flavor is to die for. Here are some pix below of this salad that was so good I cornered the chef to get his recipe. I think he must have thought I was a foodie weirdo, but I just didn't care. The salad was THAT GOOOD!

Here's the photo, and the ingredients. I couldn't manage to wheedle the recipe out of him (*arghh!) but I think I can experiment at home enough to figure out the measurement for myself. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! YUM....

Make Your Cookware Last Longer

This cool experience I had last night is begging to be shared. Wanna see it? Go to Google search, type in best kitchen tip ever, click on it and watch an 8 second video!!!

The Crave Wave

I love social networking. It saves me so much time, especially when I'm trying to find a cool restaurant in a city that's relatively unknown to me.

So when I put out the call on Facebook for somewhere to have dinner my first week in town, my friend Carla immediately recommended Crave. The name just sounds like someplace that has good food, right?

I went on a Saturday night without a reservation, but no prob: I was able to squeeze my way into a seat at the bar, and had dinner served up right there with a nice glass of Mirrasou Riesling. I ordered the Panko-crusted sea scallops with thyme and capers, which came with a salad of field greens (see photo).

I think this will be my go-to place whenever I'm in town (there are 3 locations across Minneapolis; I went to the new one at the West End Mall): I liked the atmosphere, the vibe, and, of course, the food! Carla, thanks for the head's up!

A Tisket, A Tasket, A Lovely Welcome Basket!

My first week on my new gig at General Mills was a whirlwind--it would take me too long to go into details. But just imagine me as Mary Tyler Moore in the middle of Minneapolis throwing my hat up in the air with the theme song playing in the background (now I really am showing my age)....

Just wanted you all to see the lovely welcome basket the team (really I know it was you Lisa:) put together for me. Sweet! Some of these treats might actually make it home to my family...well...*lips smacking*...maybe just the cookbooks:)

What a cool idea to put together for your favorite foodie friend...think about it. It's like today's version of the Neighborhood Welcome Wagon. There were snacks, microwavable treats, jam, kitchen tools and a few fab cookbooks and magazines.

So simple...so appreciated:)!

Microwaves--Evil or Genius?

Last week I got into this conversation with some of the seniors at my church about using a microwave to cook food. They were adamantly against it. I mean, like, they could barely hide their disdain and disgust. They weren't really trying to either:)

They said they warm up their food in the oven, like they've been doing since they were young. And they added that they just don't understand us "young folks" who actually cook a meal in a microwave.

Well, I had to speak up for the "young folks," of course. I use my microwave mostly for making microwave popcorn, but we also use it to warm up our meals, to steam frozen veggies, to make a quick cup of hot tea. I don't really see the problem with that--but then again, microwave ovens have been a staple in my kitchen for decades.

Now I know there are all kinds of controversies out there about the health risks of using microwaves--but I think for the amount of time I actually use the microwave, I'll take that risk because the benefits of efficiency and speed, in my opinion, far outweigh the risk.

What are your thoughts? Let's discuss. I'd love to hear your thoughts....

New Year, New Gig!

Yes, I have been throwing out teasers for weeks now. Yes, I know it's annoying. But I couldn't really say anything about my new fabulous gig until I got the official word. Wanna hear about it? Here it goes:

I am now the official Editorial Manager--Food/Lifestyle for General Mills web site brands. Cool, huh? This way I get to utilize all of my experiences in one fantastic gig!

I start on January 11, and I just can't believe that I've been able to find someplace to work that utilizes all of my background experiences, and feeds into my passion. Life is good!:)

The Oven Mitts are Off!

Right now my oven and I are having a love spat. I think my oven is selfish, way too temperamental, and I find her absolutely infuriating. I mean, I love her, but she has been so unreliable lately--cooking unevenly, getting overheated. In short, she just isn't warming up to me the way I need her to do. This relationship has become far too one-sided.

So, the oven mitts are off. I am going to give her a stern talking-to. Then I am going to lavish more attention on my stovetop and the crock pot; that'll teach her to mess with me!:)

*Pause*Heavy sigh*Pouty lips*Sucking of teeth* Rolling of eyes*

Um, then I guess once I get over my hissy fit, I will do the inevitable: call a serviceman and have the oven recalibrated. Why don't the ovens at home ever work as well as the ovens at school did? Well, because I don't have a top-of-the-line commercial class oven. I have what I can afford. So I have to be a little more understanding. Just not today.:)