My New Knife Skills

Days to Finish Cooking Class:  81                                                                          Average Grade:  98%

I finished Unit 2 a few days ago.

At the end of Unit 1, I had an average grade of 100%.  In the middle of Unit 2, I had 99% and now, at the end of Unit 2, I have 98%.  At this rate, by the time I finish the class, (9 Units total), I will be lucky if I pass the class.

Unit 2 was comprised of learning about the different types of knives and how to use them properly.  The key is not to get injured with those dang things because, as I posted early, a good chef’s knife is extremely sharp.  Now I know how to use the proper technique, but it’s going to be awhile before I’m working at a hibachi grill.

Did you know there are 8 parts to a chefs knife?   I thought there were two parts ……… drum roll plz …….

  1.  Handle (duh)
  2. Blade (duh)The other part of Unit 2 was understanding the different types of cuts.  Our assignment was to “small dice” four different vegetables, demonstrating our knife skills.  The diced veggies had to exhibit clean and even cuts.  I took a photo and submitted it for examination and grading.  I received 23/24.

So what do you do with all of those diced veggies?

Make a veggie pizza, of course …….. And a fresh tasty salad to go with 🙂I have been looking for a really good veggie crust recipe that is truly crispy and stays together when you pick up a piece and this is the top contender!  I have tried a number of recipes out there, and although it is time consuming, if your GF as I am, this one was worth the extra effort!

I started with a cauliflower crust, spread my homemade pesto sauce on, added just a little bit of Parmesan and layered on the sautéed veggies!  It was a definite home run!  The salad was comprised of romaine, red onion, cherry tomatoes, toasted pecans and dried cranberries drizzled with a tad of evoo, lemon juice and seasoning.  Yummmmm

Earlier that day my oldest daughter, who lives in Virginia and was not able to come home for Mothers Day, had sent me a package.  When I opened it and saw what it was, I pretty much screamed ……. so cool!  Honestly, it is not anything I would ever dream about buying for myself.  I wouldn’t have even thought about buying something like this!  But, it was the perfect gift for a Mom taking an online cooking class and making a mess along the way.  Here’s a picture of me wearing the coolest Chef’s Jacket ever!

And, YES,  I got it dirty!

Happy Mothers Day from Katy-Ala-Surprise! 

Author: Katy

I am a business owner, a mom of two grown daughters, a wife, and lover of life! I am an active 50+ -er with many new developing interests. Physical activity has always played a role in my life. Sometimes, more ........and sometimes, less. As a "Baby Boomer," it has become increasingly important for me to navigate the aging process with grace and agility. Part of the healthy living equation is, of course, the nutritional aspect as well. This blog, first and foremost, is devoted to women over the age of 50 looking to improve the quality of their life by exercising and consuming a healthy diet. Cheers to a life well lived! *You can read more about me by visiting my Home Page.