Last week was… A week. Funny enough I went back exactly 4 years ago to this same week and I missed a post then too! 😂 Last week was ALL consumed by 2 things, 1 the American election and 2 HBear’s first official audition!
I’m not going to talk about the election because frankly I don’t want to fight with anybody. Let’s just say I am ecstatic by the results and we will leave it at that… For now 😆.
As for the audition, well HBear decided a few months ago that she would like to try out for the Royal Winnipeg Ballet Professional Division. Her friend from dance tried out last year and made it! Since then, HBear has realized that if she works hard enough, her goals could actually be a reality!
The night before the audition I printed up the instructions and I messaged my friend whose son was also auditioning the next day. We were chatting about when we should go and how early we need to be there when it occurred to me that CST stood for central standard time! 😳 Even though it was very late at night I had to message HBear’s head dance school teacher/owner to let her know I had screwed up the time and that we needed to rent the studio for 10:30 AM and not 1:30 PM! Dance Mom super fail 😂. The morning of the audition, Friday, HBear woke up super nervous! She had no idea what to expect and the not knowing was killing her. Even though the audition was early in the morning she still had to go to school for a big test and for her class librarian job interview. Big day! By the time I picked her up at 10:15 AM she was a pile of nerves.
We talked. She explained to me that she was more excited than nervous. HBear has only been taking ballet for 3 years while the majority of her dancer friends have been taking ballet since they were very young. HBear took ballet when she first began dancing at age 4 but quickly moved into musical theatre and acro because they were more “fun”. A couple years ago she wanted to take contemporary and the prerequisite was ballet and from there she found that she loved the rules of ballet. She understood technique. During these times of Covid, her ballet teacher asked us if she wanted to take some extra classes of ballet through the Royal Academy of Dance. She said yes! Since then (July) she has found a new spark for ballet. I can’t believe it’s only been 4 months of her really practicing ballet!!!!! From there she started pointe! Which she absolutely loves! So although her love of ballet has grown, her experience is pretty thin on a dance resume.
The audition was through Zoom. Once we set up and she was ready to go I looked at my baby with tears of pride in my eyes. As the people on Zoom introduced themselves and explained that they would be taking notes she nodded in agreement. As the instructor began talking, I looked at HBear and I wanted to run out of the room for her! The instructor was using words I had never heard of before and she was speaking so quickly! She told them all the steps and then counted them in to a live pianist! I thought for sure HBear was going to run out of the room in tears, do you know what she did? She danced! And that’s how it continued for the next hour! I was so impressed with her! Of course I wasn’t allowed to take any pictures or record anything during the audition but I did manage to get some during warm-up and after. She looked beautiful. She looked in the mirror and gave herself a silent pep talk and then she danced. Beautifully. I had no idea she could do that stuff!! I was so impressed!
Check out How Was Your Week, Honey? Episode #197: I Feel Good! HERE! This week we unwind after the US Election coverage. Topics include: Calm, Election, Royal Winnipeg Ballet, political kids, & a new Speaker.
Pork Tenderloin with Honey Garlic Sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
3 tablespoons cider vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 cup honey
Preheat oven to 350F.
Mix Sauce ingredients together.
Mix Rub ingredients then sprinkle over the pork.
Heat oil in a large oven proof skillet over high heat. Add pork and sear until golden all over.
When pork is almost seared, push to the side, add garlic and cook until golden.
Pour sauce in. Turn pork once, then immediately transfer to the oven.
Roast 15 – 18 minutes or until the internal temperature is 68C / 155F.
Remove pork onto plate, cover loosely with foil and rest 5 minutes.
Place skillet with sauce on stove over medium high heat, simmer rapidly for 3 minutes until liquid reduces down to thin syrup.
Remove from stove, put pork in and turn to coat in sauce.
Cut pork into thick slices and serve with sauce.
Better Than Take Out Fried Rice
Adapted from Chelsea’s Messy Apron
1 tablespoon butter
4 large eggs
2 tablespoons oil
1/2 cup onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tablespoon ginger, minced
1/2 cup frozen diced carrots and peas
1/2 cup corn
2 cups cooked day old cold rice
3/4 cup green onions, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons chicken stock
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 teaspoons rice vinegar
1 teaspoon sesame oil
Start by whisking together oyster sauce, chicken stock, soy sauce, pepper, and rice vinegar. Set aside until needed.
Add butter to a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. While the butter is melting, add all 4 eggs to a small bowl and whisk together. As soon as the butter is melted, pour all the whisked egg mixture into the skillet. Swirl the skillet to get the eggs in one layer covering the bottom of the pan. Let stand for 30 seconds. Grab a silicone spatula and press one side of the eggs to the other side. Tilt the skillet to get any uncooked eggs to now fill that section of the pan. Continue to press the eggs gently to the other side of the pan and tilting the pan to move any uncooked eggs to touch the hot skillet. Barely break up the eggs with the spatula and then transfer to a plate.
Add the oil to the skillet and increase the heat to high. Add garlic and ginger and stir for about 20 seconds. Add in the rest of the vegetables. Stir around and cook for about 2-3 minutes or until veggies are defrosted and the excess water has evaporated completely. Add in the cooked and cold rice and then the prepared sauce. Cook for 1 and 1/2 – 2 minutes or until the sauce coats all the ingredients.
Add in the cooked and reserved egg and the green onions. Stir together, taste and season with salt if needed and remove from heat. Drizzle the top with sesame oil.
