Chef? NO!
One of my issues and major struggles in life is not being able to take a compliment. I can go into the reasons that Bobby (my counselor) has helped me discover, but I'll save that for another post. Yesterday was quite the eventful day. We had Sohaila's birthday party and while we had 14 kids and 9 adults running around our oven caught on fire, while I was in the middle of cooking pigs in a blanket. 
Our friend Joy said "Don't you have an electric stove? Should we see flames?" It was not a big deal because the enchiladas for the adults were already done and it was just the tube thing on fire but it still was very exciting!
Anyways the days events were not over because we were having our new friend Vicky over for dinner. The challenging part of the day was that I had planned to make this amazing dinner that required an oven. So what did I do? I busted out the toaster oven and made dinner in there. I had to take shifts but it worked out and everyone loved it. Carlos began to proclaim that I am a great chef (which drives me crazy, because I am not a chef)
[yes she is. this is carlos stealing her post. She trained professionally at the Mission Inn in Riverside, CA]
That is funny I left this post open on my bed and look who came by. My point exactly. I am not a chef. I never went to school therefor not a chef. Can you call your self a doctor if you put a bandaid on someone? No.
I can say that after today and two parties with no oven that I am a quite creative cook!
Do you cook? Burn toast? Or order in? What would you have done for party #2?
Oh EM GEE. I haven't seen pigs-n-a-blanket like that since I was a kid. What a great memory! I think we'll have to have some this week!
Posted by: Nikki Jo | April 27, 2008 at 04:24 PM
I agree with your husband you are a chef! As for me?? I would have ordered out... not as good under pressure...
Posted by: Kendra | April 27, 2008 at 04:44 PM
I will officially confess to messing up Easy Mac. My husband came into our wonderful marriage knowing this about me and he loves me dearly anyway - good thing! I swear I walk into the kitchen and my IQ plummets about 20 points!
As for what I would have done... ordered take-out for BOTH! I guess I wouldn't have had the oven on to catch fire to begin with. (Although, I did manage to give myself a pretty nasty burn last week while making cupcakes - from a box of course - for my daughter's birthday! Ah!)
Posted by: Jill | April 27, 2008 at 05:35 PM
Real chefs call it FLAMBE' when there's flames in the stove :) - good job!
Posted by: Rick | April 27, 2008 at 05:47 PM
You did the right things, didn't freak and made something work wonderfully in a situation which would have caused the average kitchen person to have a melt down. Perhaps since "chef" bugs you as a term you could go with "gifted nourisher of bodies and souls?" just a thought. btw - I love cooking and am decent at it - even got paid for catering and you are right - I'm not a chef - just a happy cook.
Posted by: Linda Sue | April 27, 2008 at 06:34 PM
*ahem* Well... seeing as how I wouldn't have cooked in the FIRST place (because I want my friends to keep liking me haha), I would have definitely ordered out had my oven caught on fire. Sadly, my oven rarely gets used so if it DID catch on fire it would probably be from all the dust inside! :)
Heather, I have eaten your cooking art... you my dear, are the best chef I know! As for me? I'm a momologist... I can put on bandaids with the best of them!
Now I'm hungry... it's usually Ricardo and Amanda's blog that does that to me! LOL
Posted by: Renee Garcia | April 27, 2008 at 06:57 PM
I actually like my pigs in a blanket well done. Crispy is a better term!
Posted by: Jules | April 27, 2008 at 08:32 PM
when did you train at the Mission Inn? I have a clothing store on the backside. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog!!!
Posted by: sorrelle | April 27, 2008 at 08:50 PM
When did you train at the Mission Inn? I have a boutique on 6th and main on the annex side. I LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog!!!
Posted by: sorrelle | April 27, 2008 at 08:52 PM
I tried to make nachos one time using our gas-powered broiler. The cheese on top of the chips caught on fire, which looked quite impressive when one opened the oven door.
These days, I love to cook -- although, like you, I wouldn't call myself a chef. Still, anyone who can pull off a dinner par-tay for friends using only a toaster oven has some serious cooking genes.
And remember -- "Anyone can cook." Ratatouille taught us that.
Posted by: Kelly @ Love Well | April 27, 2008 at 09:09 PM
The banner looks good, as do you. my question is HOW do you ALWAYS have perfect hair?
Posted by: Isaac | April 27, 2008 at 10:48 PM
I love your new banner. Heck - I love your couch... I love your sweater... You are so put together!!
The chef thing... I'm impressed that you cook with all those people around AND that you thought to use the toaster oven. If I had company coming after an oven mishap, I think I would have done pasta with some kind of sauce I could do on the stove top or I would have called for chinese takeout.
Posted by: Ladybug Crossing | April 28, 2008 at 03:21 AM
Hey Heather,
I discovered your very cool blog through Vicky's Blog.
I'm trying to get better at cooking!
Love in Christ,
Revecca
Posted by: Rebecca | April 29, 2008 at 09:24 AM
I would have never thought of a toaster oven in place of a real oven so BRAVO! I would have done a stove top meal...something like macaroni and cheese and hotdogs....- I'm so lame.
Really, I would have done my special potatoes, salad, and spicy spaghetti. Yum-o.
Oh yeah...the new banner is great!
Posted by: JudiFree | April 29, 2008 at 05:52 PM