What's Been Cooking?

After my embarrassing absence from the blogger sphere at the beginning of the new year, I've made a considerable effort to work on my documentation.  It's not that I haven't thought about blogging and I have done a decent job of catching some moments in digital memory to illustrate what in the world the Schafers have been doing.  I must confess that I do feel quite horrible for not broadcasting the exciting news earlier...

On February 26th Pete's CUA adviser brought his dissertation proposal to the Ph.D. committee for approval.  With only a few minor corrections, IT PASSED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  This is one giant step in the right direction since the proposal phase to the department's Ph.D. committee is often the most difficult to complete.  Now that it is done for Pete, the proposal needs to be okayed by the Academic Dean and then two (I think?!) other faculty readers in other departments.  By no means is the process complete but we are very grateful for the hard work and prayers that have brought us this far and humbly ask for your continued prayers for the next few stamps of approval.

Please also pray our family as we go through some other changes.  I have decided to accept a job offer from Walsh University (my alma mater ('07) and place of employment from 2008-2010 in Campus Ministry before my husband whisked me away).  On April 15th I'll begin training as a Professional Adviser for freshman students.  It'll only be up to 20 hours a week.  I'll be cutting back my hours at Little Flower once the new job starts to get right around 25 hours per week between the two jobs.  With this opportunity though I've had to consider other options for childcare since I can't have Augustine with me during the day at Walsh like I could at Little Flower.  Even though it will really only be for one full day since I can offset my hours with Pete's on the other it has still been a wee bit unsettling.  There are a few other unknown factors that are playing into the whole situation.  As usual, I'm stressing out about things that God will reveal in due time and so I ought to trust and pray for patience.  Again, any prayers you have to offer wouldn't hurt.

Since cooking is another one of my favorite, stress-relieving pastimes I decided to follow up with an activity in the kitchen update.  Not a bad feast for the eyes.  Or the tummy:-)

Layered Chef salad and French Onion Soup

White Bean, Spinach, Sausage, and Fennel Soup. A conglomerate creation: a little from this recipe, a little from that one, and the other one too, dictated by the contents of the cupboards.  YAY! for Chemistry in the kitchen though I doubt Mr. Vagedes would have approved of my measuring procedures.

Our little helper for our Holy Family Feast day pasta making tradition.  We decided to forego the traditional cuts of spaghetti and fettuccine and focus on specialty stuffed ravioli.

Long pasta sheets prepped for stuffing

Ravioli fillings. 1. Cinnamon, Pear, Ricotta 2. Cranberry, Pistachio, Cream Chees 3. Spinach, Mushroom, Garlic, Parmesan 4. Four cheese (not pictured)

Banana cake torted, leveled and filled with vanilla pudding

Base coat of Icing on the cake

Writing and Outline. Black, chocolate icing.  It's yummy but tough to make even with the Wilton gel.

George finished product for Luke's party.

Week 2 Cake Decorating Course.  Dimensional Icing.  Apparently in all the years the instructor has been working, NO ONE has ever chosen the hamburger ( the other options are a fish or a cupcake).  I was the first.  I figured it would work best with the icing colors I had left over from George.  Plus, Pete does enjoy Whoppers ;-)  This was a carrot cake with Vanilla Pudding filling.

Uncle Adam getting some Daddy Practice.  He came over for dinner to enjoy some Garlicky Beef Enchiladas and followed the entre with a serving of the book Duck Soup.  Pete and I sat back and enjoyed the story as well.  The book is quite humorous actually...I've read it to Luke numerous times but for some reason when Uncle Adam read us all the story I couldn't contain my laughter over the characters' shenanigans.

Extruding noodles for Passate a soup recipe that my Great Grandma Gambaccini used to make.  A simple soup of broth and noodles made with flour, egg, parmesan cheese, a little lemon zest, and (my favorite) cinnamon.

Putting the passate noodles in the broth to boil.  For the first time making the soup myself it turned out very well.  However, even with 14-16 cups of broth I felt it needed more for the amount of noodles the recipe made.  Pete also approved of the family dish and it gives us a chance to use some of our fun Kitchenaid gizmo gadgets so I will likely make it again.