Layered Lemon Pie

Waylon's 19th Birthday! Yea!

For Waylon's 19th birthday I wanted to do something special since it was his first birthday that we would spend together (he's always lived in Georgia). So I decided to have some brother-sister bonding time with him and cook for him! He's allergic to lots of stuff--but I had a few recipes up my sleeve that would do just the trick!

They say the quickest way to a man's heart is through his stomach! My brother already loves me, but it's permanently solidified now. ;) He enjoyed the food. And he even called my torte "gourmet!" Oooo-la, la!

Beef Taco Ring!

Can I please cook for everyone's birthday?

Artistic, eh?

Waylon really liked his birthday present!

Introducing the Orange Dream Torte. Straight from heaven.

This torte was SO perfect...well, the taste was. ;)

Waylon LOVES citrus fruits!

The Easy Accent Decorator is SO much fun to use!

I'm quick on my feet! I totally forgot to get candles for the cake, and of course, Grandma didn't have any. So I improvised...just a little. ;)

Blowin' out the candle!

Waylon and I

Waylon and Grandma Thomas

My FIRST Show

Mrs. Alisha was gracious enough to host my very first-as-a-consultant Pampered Chef Cooking Show! It was SO much fun. I wasn't very nervous at all! It just seemed to run smoothly and felt very natural. I guess that's a good thing since I have plenty of years of cooking ahead of me! ;)
Check below for a list of the appetizers, entrees, and desserts--and their recipes!

Kris and Mrs. Yvonne

Mrs. Houser, Brandon, and Mrs. Zen

Mrs. Alisha avoiding the camera!

The hostess and I!

Kim, Mrs. Alison, and Shakira browsing the catalog!

Josh, Mrs. Alison's middle child.

Jayna, Josh, and Calvin--some of Mrs. Alisha and Mrs. Alison's children--enjoying appetizers we made for the party! I should have taken pictures of ALL the stuff we made!

Grant, Mrs. Alison's eldest son (we have the same birthday!)

Jo-Jo, Mrs. Alisha's youngest daughter!

The chicken braid I demoed at the party. It was so tasty!

You can bake cakes and cook food in Pampered Chef stoneware IN THE MICROWAVE! Neat, huh?!

A little too much icing goodness! (You dollop the icing into the cake mix pre-cooking. The icing sinks to the bottom of the mix and cooks with the cake. Then when you turn the cake upside-right it is already pre-iced and ready to go! Ta-da!)

Hostess with the Mostest

One of my buddies, Tracy, is a Pampered Chef consultant. I had attended a few of her shows since she started consulting again. I really enjoyed what I saw, and decided that since I'm not a poor college student anymore...it was about time I invested in my own kitchen tools. I couldn't just put it off until wedding registries and bridal showers.

I purchased a few products. Then I became interested in potentially hosting a show myself and perhaps even joining the business myself as a consultant. So Tracy answered all of my questions, and we booked a show for the end of March! I was so nervous! But it turned out just fine.

I invited everyone and their dog that I knew! I had set a goal to reach $700 in sales (before tax and shipping charges) so that I could earn 3-half priced items. I guess it was a bad weekend to host a show. Only five people were in attendance, and of those five--only two ordered! Nevertheless, I exceeded my goal. My show did about $950 in sales! So I earned $190 worth of free products, 3-half priced items, 30% discount on everything else, plus the host special--which for the month of March was 60% off any of the 28 new products! Needless to say, I racked up! The show was a blast; we had so much fun (I mean, really! Who doesn't want a live cooking show at their house?!?!) And the food was incredibly delicious!