I have been off my game the last couple of weeks.  First, I tried to make an easy kiwi dessert for that kiwifruit competition and FAILED.

It literally tasted like metal.

Lucky for anyone that might actually cook something from this blog, I do have a little integrity and didn’t blog all about it like it was awesome. Zespri kiwifruit competition judges- is integrity something you look for in a competition winner?  Hmmm?  Just kidding, I failed and that’s ok.  Please send a consoling bushel of kiwifruits my way.

Secondly, Simon caught a bad cold and requested LASAGNA.

I think lasagna is dumb and do not enjoy making it.  What I do enjoy making cold-havers is chicken noodle soup, because when else can I make chicken noodle soup?  Simon does not like chicken noodle soup.  Simon only likes things that are dumb.

I said things!

But I made the freaking lasagna anyway.  And I took pictures, because I have not been cooking anything different lately and this poor blog is getting neglected, again.

Now, maybe it was because I (although I didn’t know it yet) was also coming down with a cold, or maybe it was because I was feeling like I knew nothing about cooking after the kiwi can dessert, but I took these pictures way too seriously.

See this butter?

The recipe called for 60 grams of butter and when I measured it on my scale, the weight was teetering between 59 and 60 grams.  So I blew on it while I took the picture to impress you guys (???) with my precise measuring skills.

There really isn’t much to say about this lasagna other than I don’t know why people choose  flat noodles over something with more bite and substance (like penne or twisty noodles or macaroni or basically any other pasta that’s not lasagna noodles).

I guess I just like carbs.

At least there was cheese.

And though I had hopes of photographing a beautiful cube of lasagna, I knew that it wasn’t likely.  That’s why I blew on that butter.

Had to get something right, right?

Might as well be Stoffer’s.  I’m not proud.

I also wasn’t proud of the giant batch of vegetable noodle soup I had to throw out on account of me overcooking the noodles and also all the other ingredients.

Nor was I proud of the giant salad I made that was too peppery to eat on account of the rocket + peppery sprouts + pepper.

What I was proud of, though, were the chocolate desserts I learned how to make with the other members of the Dubai tumblr mafia.

A chocolate cooking course at Table 9 turned out to be just the excuse we needed to get together again, and I’m so happy we did!  Simon gifted me a spot in a bread-baking class at Table 9 last month and I loved it.  The chocolate cooking course wasn’t as hands-on, but I do feel like I learned a lot.  I’d be happy to go back for the chicken and fish courses too.

As for the company, I had a great time hanging out with these ladies.  Gubbi, Michelle, and Lindsay… It was so, so nice to see you.

And funny thing- I hadn’t seen Lindsay in over a year before our cooking course, then saw her the day after the course at the mall.

Here’s hoping that next week I’ll have something chocolate-related to blog about!

Eid Mubarak!

[Sloppy end of blog post.]