Eatin' Like Teacher

So, we already know that teachers don't get paid squat-diddly (especially those of us who teach in Florida). But it gets even better. Not only do we not get paid enough (and yes, that 3% cut off the top to my supposed pension plan did hurt more than I expected) none of our extra-curricular programing has any funding or support from the district (well, the athletics programs do, but even that doesn't make ends meet).

So that means that every team, club, music program and of course SGA are constantly fundraising (and as a club sponsor I can assure you this gets dirty....don't even think about selling candy or baked potatoes bitches...I will cut you...err that is what my club actually makes money off so please don't step on my toes). And guess who the kiddies hit up first to buy their token chicken dinner, bbq plate or chili cook off ticket? You got it! Us broke ass teachers.

So this week the band was selling a bbq brisket plate, and I really hesitated getting it. I mean, I only eat so much meat, and dry smoked meat just isn't my thing.

Thank God this box of wonders was neither dry nor overly smokey. Let's go on a tour.

Juicy brisket with tangy bbq sauce and bright mixed peppers to top the sandwich, which was encased in the softest roll. SO GOOD. I actually devoured this like an enthusiastic 2 year old with birthday cake. No really, I was super messy and didn't care that I got sauce on my favorite pencil skirt.

On the side were potatoes, two ways. On the bottom was a sweet potato cake of some sort. It was very dense and moist, unfortunately I'm just not a "sweet potato dressed with more sweet stuff" gal. I like my sweet taters savory. But if you love sweet potato casserole you would enjoy this side dish.  The upper potato puff was a pipped and baked outside the shell "twice baked" potato. I think this would be amazing hot...and possibly with bacon? Yes, bacon FTW!

The icing on the cake in this boxed lunch was well..... the cake! You probably won't believe this, but I'd never had a whoopie pie before. Um, can I have one of these for lunch for the rest of my life? Okthanksbai! No really, the cake was soft and giving, with the perfect amount of crumbs. And the whipped cream, oh the whipped cream...somehow there were little pockets of sugar crystals that crunched for a millisecond and then melted. Heaven.

All dished up by the Side Dish Catering Company. Aaron Wiley is actually our tech guy at school. Amazing with computers and amazing with grilled meats? Cindy is a lucky lady! (and she is in culinary school-double lucky!)

And I am "lucky" that I guilted myself (and my empty pocketbook) into supporting our music department and my foodie soul.

Now, does anyone have a good whoopie pie recipe? Please?

Love to all,
~the broke foodie teacher gal, Jess

PS. In the ongoing classroom saga, check out this sweet little gecko I caught hiding in a box of new textbooks. I almost kept him as a class pet, but he was a wee babe and I was afraid he would die. So cute though! And yes, that is my watch band he's lying under. I think he liked me!