Announcing Chef...

I’m a chef!

Okay – let’s back up for a minute and recap what has happened to me thus far.

First – got a new roommate and then lost her when I moved to a semi-private room here at the shelter after another moved out. BEST thing ever because now I can study as well as sleep besides plan my next step towards finally moving out of here.

Second – passed my ServSafe test (over 90% - second highest in the class!) I was a complete and total nervous wreck …even had my moment of breakdown (which I was only allowed one by Chef) before taking the test. The stress of living on the third floor with a bunch of drama and fake weaves had finally got to me and it wasn’t pretty. I had to use my earplugs and headphones to block out EVERYONE (including my daughter’s friends and my roommate and her daughter) just to study my notes and practice tests. I wasn’t really cramming during the week of testing but this was so seriously important to me that I have to step on a few toes in order to get my quiet, alone time to study.

The day of the test (June 5) I was really excited as well as nervous about taking it. I thought it would be hard …especially since we were given two hours to complete it. I finished it 40 minutes. Yes, you can say it simply a breeze! After that – got my internship assignment (working long hours in the kitchen here). That was fun prepping and cooking for the resident. I basically lived in the kitchen most days. Learned a lot too …about myself and the kitchen.

*sighs*

Now the next step – have two interviews …one with a 5-star Italian restaurant and the other with a staffing company. Still deciding if the first one is the best fit for me and my daughter (I did have an opportunity when I first started my internship but that didn’t pan through – their loss). Heard not so good things about this Italian restaurant …but will check it out myself tomorrow. Right now, I’m leaning towards the staffing company because I would be able to start this weekend and work two other events too.

It’s a new adventure….

Wanted - Roommate...

My roommate is a complete waste of space.

Seriously.

I’ve had 4 roommates before her …and she’s literally the worst one to date.

There’s no stimulating conversation to be had with a young mom who’s such a “captain obvious” (for example ‘Ms. Vega, your daughter is not here?’  …well, duh, do you see her in the room?!), clique follower that demands to be treated like a princess (but is willing to be a “lap dog” to the court i.e. the clique). It’s funny how she sucks up these group of women …thinking they’re her friend when in actuality they’re truly not. They talk about her behind her back as well as in front of her …she’s mostly the butt of their jokes – so where’s the friendship to be had in this?

I don’t “get “ her mentality.

Oh the “princess” part – that’s actually fact. It stems from the treatment received from her father and step-father …now she expects the same from this guy she chats on the phone (until sometimes to 2 am). Still, she knows that she has to work for what she wants for herself and daughter. Again, this mentality of hers drives me crazy! Listening to her phone conversations (can’t help it because she TALKS SO LOUD when I’m trying to sleep – 5:15a for culinary class comes SO fast) will make you shake your head. She complains about everything …her baby daughter to washing dishes at a nursing home …to why her supervisor made her remake a food item after sneezing near it (well, she works in a high risk populace employment and her germs could get someone sick there …something learned while in culinary class).

The room is too hot …then it’s too cold – this girl (would not dare call her “woman”) is NEVER satisfied!

Now, I have resorted to playing my German/Russian rock music just to get some sleep.

Speaking of culinary class …I’m in my fifth and fast approaching the tail end of the 6 week classroom part before starting my 3-week internship. Getting nervous because the test is next Friday! I do study every night …every moment when I can in between helping out in the computer lab (oh yeah – I do that too …monitoring the lab on the weekends and then assisting the basic skills computer class 4 nights a week). Learned they love to see residents staying busy and focused on things instead of lounging around and doing nothing.

Besides, I like volunteering …for one simple fact to which I refuse to disclose here.

Anyway …wish me luck – 80 questions to pass in order to get my sanitation license (hopefully, my roommate will be gone by the time I start my internship)…

Cooking - Round 2

And now serving …again…

Did I ever mention that I love to cook? I love it so much that it gives me a good feeling to see the happy faces enjoying the food I prepared for them …because I make everything with “love” in mind (that’s what my case manager told me after sampling my enchiadas).

Just turned 46 on Tuesday …so what better way to celebrate it by cooking a special dinner for everyone! In a way, it was my birthday gift back to my friends …mothers with children …single men, et al. And the dinner of choice – my famous enchiladas with Spanish rice!

This was a tougher challenge than making lasagna …rolling tortillas shells with meat mixture isn’t easy (even burned myself a little on the arm – first battle wound!) …especially with people watching and waiting for more enchiladas. They loved the smell and vibrant flavors that burst through the meat …loved the spiciness in the cheese sauce. I have requests for personal pans of enchiladas from a couple of men.

Like the last time, people LOVED it!

It was exciting and something new for them to try …didn’t even make them spicy like I usually make it if I had my own place. They wanted more …and more …and more …some came down for seconds (that’s when I ran out of enchiladas to serve). In the end, my feet were seriously hurting …arms were hurting from carrying heavy pans and boy, did I smell like onions and garlic – again.

It’s amazing how my cooking sparked lively conversations amongst the residents …compliments from the kitchen and staff (they want me to make enchiladas every night!) …kids were finally eating something they could enjoy. In other words, my gift made everyone feel special as if it was their birthday.

PLUS – there NO chicken on the menu for dinner! I think that’s what made everyone happy.

Luckily, I saved the last two enchiladas (I didn’t eat before dinner service began because I wanted people to eat and enjoy my cooking …it’s something I do when cooking – always serving myself last).

Now, I have the difficult task of coming up with something to cook in two weeks. I’m torn between making meatloaf (if I do that, I would have to kick out the entire kitchen …can’t give away my secret recipe!) or something for the kids in mind …like pizza – pepperoni pizza in fact. I’m leaning towards the pizza because I want the kids to have a fun meal to eat since shelter meals aren’t really designed with them in mind.

*smiles*

Oh yeah …starting Monday, I shall embark on obtaining my food sanitation license here at ASHF …soon you can call me “chef” …but cook is just fine. Not into fancy titles …cooking to me is about passion …making people happy and feel loved.

Who knows – maybe one day, you might be a guest at my restaurant …already have a name for it – it’s quite simple with four little letters…

In the kitchen again!

Now, serving for lunch….

What an amazing feat! 

Cooking not for one or two …but for hundreds within a 3 hour time frame!

On Friday, I finally had my chance to cook at the shelter making my famous lasagna. First, I would like to recap what happened before telling you the result and reaction from the shelter residents.

First of all, I was nervous. I have cooked for family and friends – Thanksgiving/Christmas turkey (thanks to Julia Child for the tip on how to get a moist turkey breast) but never for an entire set of strangers who may or not like my cooking. I even woke up two hours early before the alarm went off. That’s how nervous I was. Then too, I was excited. Excited about FINALLY being able to cook in a kitchen. It felt GREAT! To chop and dice real veggies, herbs and spices for this special meal …and even though Skyler didn’t have all of the ingredients for this amazing dish …Edam was a good substitution for mozzarella cheese and the ground beef worked wonderful as the Italian sausage replacement.

Boy, did I ever work my arse off! 

If I was making lasagna for family and friends, I would take my time with the sauce …perfecting it until ready to ladle over the noodles and cheese mixture. Not enough time for that – I had to get everything ready before lunch started …11a! What a challenge …and if you know me really well – then you know I love a good challenge. My goal was to make at least 6 (2 inch) pans of lasagna. Yeah, it did seem daunting at first but I rose to the challenge, folks. I first tackled the process of chopping and dicing my mushrooms, green peppers, onions, and garlic for the sauce since that would take the longest of time to complete. I had until 9a to do that.

No problem!

Next, I had to get my cheese mixture which contained the Ricotta and Edam cheeses as well as the variety of herbs and seasonings like Thyme, Oregano, Parsley, and Basil. Yep, I had that kitchen smelling like my old apartment for about two hours while I had another cook stir and simmer my sauce (though it did need a little more salt and some dried spices in it). Even had the kitchen workers wanting to taste my lasagna before it was done. Told you, I add I special hidden ingredient when cooking – that ingredient is “love”. I love to cook for others. It puts a smile on my face …warms my heart to see people enjoying what I cook for them. It was soon crunch time …had only an hour to get the first pan in the oven …no problem but since the uncooked noodles would take an hour to bake, I had to switch up my recipe for the cooked noodles. I don’t like using cooked noodles but as mentioned – lunch was to start in one hour and I didn’t have enough time now.

The end result – 3 or so good pans of lasagna to serve …plus 3 others with spinach, noodles and sauce only – ran out of ricotta cheese making lunch. Yes, it was an amazing feat to accomplish in such little time…

The reaction? 

Well, I didn't "kill" anyone ...LOL

I did receive a lot of positive feedback not only from the kitchen but from the residents. Those three pans of lasagna went fast! If you weren’t down for lunch early …you certainly missed out on a great meal (though they did have other lasagna choices besides mine – a chicken one with white sauce and a “no meat” one). I stood in the kitchen after getting my daughter served her plate and watched the residents blindly picking my lasagna (others I knew – I told them which one was mine) over the other choices. Yeah, I was beaming inside again. It felt good to have that feeling. The kitchen staff meanwhile were raving how people were enjoying the food …asking me when I’m cooking again …the residents were totally raving about my lasagna. Some said I “put my foot” into it …meaning I kicked ass in the kitchen …they loved tasting “real” food again …reminded them of home and eating real food. Others thanked me …someone told she had to take a nap because it was that good. And here I was freaking out because it would turn out so well.

The reviews are still pouring in as people discover it was me who made lunch on Friday as well as the sad disappointments from those who missed my debut in the kitchen. Even have some of the staff and case managers wondering when I'm cooking again.

What’s next?

Well, I’m returning to the kitchen again on my birthday (April 21) to make not one but hopefully two meals for the residents …I have this taste for some Mexican food …and you guessed it – my enchiladas and chicken fajitas with Spanish rice. I already have my shopping list to give to the kitchen again. I’m also deciding whether this should be a permanent thing or not along with deciding if I should enroll the culinary arts program here at ASHF.

I do love to cook but never thought about making a profession out of it.

Maybe I should …and be the next "Julia Child"…

SouthSide's Back on the Town...

The old me is gradually making a comeback…

Last night, I reviewed my very first band at the same place where I reviewed my final show of 2014. With my daughter, I was at Old Town School of Folk Music to learn a few new dance moves before seeing Kreyol Roots perform for my other blog. It was strange at first to be outside the walls of A Safe Haven beyond the 7p curfew before yet it was refreshing to feel the cooling winter breeze and the excitement of another fun night “on the town” at the same time again. And being a music blogger for nearly 9 years, you “expertly” know the CTA bus schedule and system to memory. So I knew I would have no problems getting back to the shelter before the 11:30p curfew that I’ve set up with my caseworker.

We got back with 40 minutes to spare …and you could tell people were watching and wondering if I would get back in time. How do I know this? Oh the little things people do or not do …it’s all about body language …the tone of their voice …the way they look at you  - the surprise and shock that I’m back at the shelter before the late curfew expired. Did I ever mention I’m quite observant? It’s a gift as well as a curse …being a music blogger/press person for so long you pick up on certain things about people and the way they communicate to you. They don’t have to say much to tell you what they’re thinking. And I certainly got a lot of that upon my return.

Who cares!

I was SouthSide of SouthSide On The Town blog again …roaming the city streets covering a fun reggae-world fusion band at this legendary music venue in the heart of Lincoln Square last night. It was great to smell the grease paint and alcohol (no SouthSide doesn’t drink while working …in fact she has never touched a drop…) in the air …to be amongst the hustle and bustle of a Friday crowd scene in this diverse neighborhood …to hurry along the busy sidewalks as others travel to and from the bars or restaurants up and down Lincoln Avenue. Ah …what a feeling to have again! I loved it but probably won’t do it again for a while. The show I went to last night I was able to bring my teen daughter …my usual Friday night takes me to places where it’s 21+ only …there a few AA (all-ages) shows happening however they may be in the burbs or places where I would need an overnight pass to cover. So, this was a rare Friday night I could share with my teen.

Oh, by the way, my teen thought the band was awesome …my review and pictures coming soon on my other blog – http://southsideonthetown.blogspot.com.

Anyway, on Sunday, you shall find SouthSide and her teen at the House of Blues rockin’ out to another band …do expect pictures and review of that show….

Oh in other news – I shall be cooking dinner for the shelter.

Yeah, I know. It’s still shocking for me too.

Long story but here’s the short version. Yesterday during lunch (in which I’m never there for but since my daughter was ill and had to pick her up from school early), I made a comment about the chef’s spaghetti. I said I don’t eat anyone’s spaghetti unless I made it myself. So he dared me to try some of his. Had to admit it was good …could use a little less sauce but some mushrooms and garlic. That’s when my daughter said “you should cook with them” and the chef agreed. He said pick a day when I could come in the kitchen and make something. On Thursday – I shall be making my famous lasagna with spinach in the cheese mixture (I learned if you put veggies within the cheese mixture aka ricotta, mozzarella, and parmesan …kids will eat it! I do the same with my meatloaf but I’m not giving them that secret). I’m nervous yet cannot wait to chop, dice, mix and eat my own cooking again!

Already gave him a short list of things I will need to make dinner minus one. You can’t buy it at any grocery store. That other “secret” ingredient for making lasagna – I add a dash of “love”…

Don’t worry, I shall report how dinner turns out…

Two months and so later....

Two months and counting…

That’s how long I’ve been at ASHF …hopefully not for long. Spring has sprung (sort of) and it’s time to enjoy the fresh air …warm sun …longer daylight hours and the hot rockin’ music scene that will soon explode in Chicago. The last statement – I need to be a part of that again. I miss it so much. Hanging out with my bands …friends …fans …celebrities …and my “stalkers” (I actually do have a stalker or two). MORE importantly my time here at this shelter is numbered and I’m SO ready to flee …as soon as I gain employment and housing.

That’s the goal, folks.

The “air” in this place is stifling …there’s no room to breathe or feel “free”. This is why I tend to “disappear” most days when taking my daughter to school. I honestly cannot for the life of me understand how anyone stay within these walls all day long. Unless you’re in a “class” aka Computer Learning …Life Skills …etc – there’s basically nothing to do here except lounge around …hang out on the computers (if available and or not used for a class) …or whatever most people do when their hands are idle.

“Idle hands…” – something someone very dear to me once told me.

I don’t have idle hands. My hands are busy applying for positions and typing pages for this book I’m writing …to which I’m ALMOST finished – YES! It’s a major accomplishment and (hopefully) it will be completed on time since an official completion date has been set. Let’s just say – it’s getting really, really, REALLY good. More about that later as I approach the due date.

Back to being at ASHF – I’ve learned to navigate the system …the pecking order as it were. Whom to avoid or not associate myself with to whom I should align myself with but from a safe distance. It’s almost like “keep your friends close and your enemies closer” type of scenario. Yet, in my case, I’m keeping all fronts closer than ever. My skills as an observant music blogger comes quite in handy when analyzing residents at this place. I’m not here to make friends or join a clique …I’m here for one thing only.

That being said - you would be amazed by the things I know and see as well as heard. Not going to give anything away but if I was to write my life story today …gawd, what sordid tales I could tell and secrets I would definitely expose especially about living inside a homeless shelter. It may not be the glamorous part of my life at the moment but I do keep it real and somewhat exciting …always an adventure these days…

…but for now – the goal is to be “free” …to breathe in the fresh air …and rock with the music scene again.

Summer comes extremely fast and I definitely do not was to be still here missing out on the fun that comes with it…

In other news – the food here is sort of improving. It’s a gradual improvement actually. One Sunday for dinner – they served meatballs with spicy marinara sauce (so delicious – we had two plates) …however they need to serve something other than chicken. When I leave here, chicken will NOT be on the menu at my place for a while! It’s not that they don’t know how to cook chicken but they have run out of ways to serve it. And pouring sweet and sour sauce over cut chicken pieces does not constitute that it’s sweet-n-sour chicken. That’s just sauce poured over chicken pieces. They recently did try to serve meatloaf – HA! I trust no one’s meatloaf except my own and my mom’s. All others are crap and you can definitely quote me on that! I did enjoy they “honey” flavored chicken they had one day. Now, they need to add some BBQ sauce …or at least have chicken nuggets or strips for the kids. Today it was “chop suey” …heard it was good. Unless it has fresh veggies and noodles – it’s not good to me. I don’t “do” canned veggies with my cooking. Something I miss doing SO terribly. Anyway – chicken is about the only thing here that’s safe …besides the eggs (sometimes they’re too runny …swimming because they’re not cooked fully) and the salad bar – but leave the black olives out of the greens! They did try to serve a burrito type taco – mine’s better …of course. Sunday – the turkey/ham sandwiches were totally not appealing. I like my daughter’s suggestion – pizza. There should be a pizza night here …and I don’t mean the nasty-looking pizza casserole they served in January that looked as if they had a pizza …dropped it on the floor and mashed it into a casserole dish.

One day …the kitchen staff will get it right…

…or not…

"...the keys to your new home..."

Keys

Having a pair of keys may seem trivial as well as unimportant you. However to a homeless person, it's means normalcy ...the freedom to come and go as they please ...without having being told when to eat or what to eat ...normalcy ...a life beyond the walls of A Safe Haven Foundation. 

Keys ...I had such a pair when my daughter and I were moved into the apartment room in a building known as "Richmond" (named after it's location). And during that brief time outside and beyond the confines of the main building site of ASHF, we enjoyed a bit of normalcy though there were chores to do ...rules to follow and classes to attend. However there was normalcy and a bit of freedom while living there.

I was able to shop and cook my own food. Ah ...to have FRESH vegetables rather than whatever the kitchen staff considers "fresh" to be ...it was nice to have cumin, peppers, jalapenos, cilantro, sugar snap peas and many other veggies in my diet again. Though it made me sick for a couple of days but it was wonderful to eat "healthy" without the cafeteria grease. My daughter enjoyed it the most because she was eating again (she had lost a lot of weight by not eating the food since arriving - it will definitely try to kill ya). Stir fry cooking ...tex-mex meals ...pizza! 

Yes, it nice being able to cook again. Plus my roommate never met a person like myself who would bring home the vegetable aisle nearly every week. I don't do canned (unless it's water chestnuts) or processed food products. It has to be fresh and spiced with seasonings and spices.

Also while at "Richmond", there was peace and quiet. Finally, I was able to get a decent night's rest without hearing the yelling, screaming, gossip and "...I'm going to *bleep* *bleep* your ass if you don't..." from the mothers on the second floor. Since we mainly kept to ourselves while at the main site (and still do), we practiced the same while at "Richmond". We got up at the same time leaving around 8a and didn't return home until 5p or so ...just in time to cook a small meal and then head to class. I like disappearing from the site all day ...it's all about normalcy. Don't get me wrong I could stay at ASHF and use their free wi-fi connection (since my laptop is set up for that) however I like hanging out at the library near my daughter's school during the week ...away from the noise and gossip ...away from those who like getting into other people's business except their own.

Normalcy and keys...

The goal now that I'm back at the main site - "Richmond" is designed for mothers with one small child from 0 to 5yrs old ...not moms with teenaged children - is getting my own set of keys. It's a process since I'm looking for a job ...something to do in between finishing this book and reviewing the local music scene (which I have taken a hiatus from - nightly curfews of 7p hinders that part of my life).

Can't wait have keys so my daughter and I can return to normalcy again...