All Things Mimi

Roasted Pork- the Zeus of Leftovers

2012-01-29T12:37:00.000-08:00

If I ever get around to writing a fiction novel, it will be one of those Greek mythology/fantasy hybrids. But the twist I'm planning to add is: I'm going to write it about leftovers. In the pantheon of leftovers, roasted pork has got to be the Zeus; really any kind of roasted meat. Having leftover roast is like having 3 more instant meals in your ice box. Plus- it kicks butt over any other

Snowy Day Potato Soup

2012-01-21T12:55:00.000-08:00

We're getting more snow today. I hope it keeps snowing- all day today and tomorrow! I had left over mashed potatoes from the Bangers and Mash experiment earlier this week (post coming). As I have discussed before- one of the best things to do with leftover mashed potatoes is to make mashed potato soup! I won't go into the procedure again, but I'll link you to the original post. This

Quick Tamale Dinner

2012-01-21T12:48:00.000-08:00

There are quite a few good cooks in my building. One of the things I love about living around here is the plethora of ladies selling tamales by the dozen. Every time an email surfaces advertising tamales in the lounge- Dev and I always jump on it. Dev scored 1/2 a dozen fresh tamales yesterday, so I knew dinner that night would be super quick and tasty! Our favorite way to celebrate Friday

Breakfast on a Snowy Morning

2012-01-07T14:31:00.000-08:00

We woke up this morning to a winter wonderland! This is quite a change from the weather back home in GA. Because I haven't cooked breakfast in over a month, I was anxious to get in my kitchen. I decided to go with some kind of breakfast sandwich and hashbrowns. I even juiced some oranges to top everything off. I wanted to boost the hashbrowns with some veggies, so I added chopped fresh

Chicken Fajita Salad with Pickled Okra

2012-01-05T21:01:00.000-08:00

Weeknight dinners. Enemy of every amateur chef who has to work to put food on the table. This is a pic of our dinner Tuesday night. It was our first full day back at school since we got back from Savannah. Needless to say, we were both pooped! We had to stop at the grocery store on the way home to pick up milk. I was so tempted to grab a frozen pizza and call it good, but I decided to

Last Lunch in Savannah

2011-12-30T09:41:00.001-08:00

Excellent Techie News!

2011-12-30T03:16:00.000-08:00

I am so excited that I can finally post things from my iPhone- even pictures! I have been able to send short text message-like posts from my phone for a while, but I could never get pictures to work. I just finished downloading the Blogger App for the iPhone, and now I can post full length stuff with pics on the go! I'm not sure that necessarily equals more posts on the blog, but it is

Remote Test Post

2011-12-30T03:13:00.001-08:00

Test post

Blue Turtle Bistro- A Review

2011-12-09T20:32:00.001-08:00

Tonight I decided the women in the Witherington family needed to get out of the house for a while. We have been working hard the last few days, playing hostess to visiting friends and family in the aftermath of my Daddy's death. I wanted to go somewhere nice, but comfortable. And I wanted insanely good food. Boy, did I ever get what I asked for. After much thought, I took my Momma and my

Wine Braised Swiss Chard Mac and Cheese

2011-12-03T19:00:00.001-08:00

Yeah, still taking pictures of dinner with my iPhone. Sorry. So tonight's dinner was inspired by a trip to Natural Grocers. They had some Swiss Chard in the produce section and it was beautiful. I could not keep a bunch of it from jumping into my cart. I bought the stuff to make mac & cheese last week, intending to make it for a dinner party. I ended up doing Brunswick stew instead, so I

Chicken Divanishness

2011-11-28T20:49:00.001-08:00

This is a terrible picture. It makes my dinner look like spotted dog food. I promise it tasted really good, though. I seriously need to stop taking blog photos with my iPhone. I bought a really good camera to take food pics for the blog, and apparently have become too lazy to walk upstairs and get it. Bleck. So this was a clean out the icebox kinda dinner. It is loosely based on a

Brunswick Stew

2011-11-27T15:54:00.001-08:00

This was today's project. It's a big ole steamin' pot of Brunswick Stew. I'm sure lots of different people call it lots of different things, but where I'm from, it's Brunswick Stew. I'm willing to bet this recipe came up the way most Southern recipes do- out of necessity. Someone had some leftover chicken or pork or beef from a Sunday roast and decided to do something different with it.

Thai Chicken Soup

2011-11-06T17:49:00.000-08:00

On Thai menus this is called Tom Kha Gai. It's always yummie, even when the restaurant doesn't get it quite right. I found the recipe I used on the Food Network website. Most of you know I live out in the middle of nowhere, so there was no way I was going to be able to find galangal, or kefir lime leaves at my local grocery store. But I did find something called Gourmet Garden Thai Herb

Long Winter Nights Ahead...

2011-11-06T16:24:00.000-08:00

I know some people hate this time of year. Long, cold nights, short, cold days. Waking up in the dark and getting home from work in the dark. All these things can wear on a person. But I guess I'm weird. I look forward to the long nights. The cold I'm not so crazy about, but around here, one goes hand in hand with the other. Why do I like this time of year? Because it's comfort food

Roaring Fork Bakery- A Review

2011-10-30T13:38:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, Dev and I were doing our regular Saturday errands (Target, Natural Grocers, Lowes, etc.) and we stopped for lunch at the Double Dog Pub. While sitting there, looking out the window, I noticed the bakery was open. Usually when we're in Glenwood, it's later in the afternoon during the week, and the bakery is closed. After settling our tab, we walked over to take a look at what Roaring

Sunday Lunch

2011-10-30T13:18:00.000-07:00

So we had a light lunch today, because we're going to have taco soup for dinner (hopefully pretty early). This is a piece of 9 grain bread with some "Moody Blue" cheese, dribbled with a little bit of honey from the Savannah Bee Company. I got the bread and the cheese from Roaring Fork Bakery. You will hear more about them, later. This was a very satisfying lunch. Kinda fancy, but at its

Halloween Treats

2011-10-30T12:16:00.000-07:00

Since I've been on a cupcake decorating kick lately, it seemed logical to practice my new hobby on my class at school. Once again, I didn't make the cupcakes or the frosting. I figure I don't want to put all that work into them if I'm not confident they will come out. And I'm FAR from confident about my cake decorating abilities. I ordered some more cool things from "Cupcake Social" and they

Getting Back to My Roots

2011-10-23T18:31:00.000-07:00

When I was little, my mom signed up to take a cake decorating class at a local bakery. I'm pretty sure it was sponsored by Wilton. I remember her baking a cake each week to take with her to class, and I remember she always came home with a decorated cake- which we (my sister and I) got to eat. It was cool for the first few weeks, but after that- we all kinda burned out on cake icing. I always

Dutch Babies and Other Odd Culinary Subjects

2011-10-23T12:29:00.000-07:00

I was reading my blogs last night before I went to bed and saw that Angry Chicken had posted a "Dutch Boy" recipe. I've heard of these before...some people call them German pancakes, or oven pancakes. I guess I just assumed they were too much work to bother with. Well, according to this post it's not difficult at all. I had all the ingredients- butter, flour, eggs, milk. And I had a large

Weekend Project

2011-10-16T20:09:00.000-07:00

We were busy this weekend! We were kinda stumped over what to do with the stairway in our new house. There's a huge blank wall, and we don't own enough pictures (or the right types) to fill this space. While wandering around in the blogosphere a few months ago, I came across a post on a design blog about ledge shelves. I loved the way they looked, plus I figured it was way better than

Happy Birthday!

2011-10-16T10:44:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday, Diane! I tried to upload this onto 1700 Miles, but it seems wordpress wanted to charge me to add a video uploader. Hmmm. Anyway- I hope you have the best birthday ever!

The A-Z of Me!

2011-09-24T20:41:00.000-07:00

I just found this cute little survey on Oh So Lovely, a blog I read often. I thought I'd answer the questions and post them here. I will even go so far as to copy her and say if you post answers to these questions, link me to them in the comments so I can check them out! A. Age: 42 B. Bed Size: Full C. Chore that you hate: Cleaning the Bathroom! D. Dogs: I have one big dog named Bear E.

We Have a Grill!

2011-09-24T20:03:00.000-07:00

Very blurry dinner We finally bit the bullet and purchased a grill. After several months of research, Dev decided on a CharBroil Red. The flames don't actually touch the food. It has some kind of cast iron shield that conducts the heat, but doesn't allow flare ups. Anyhoo- alls I know is that it has made some good food for us lately. First, I threw some ordinary quesadillas on. They came

Strawberry Banana Bread

2011-09-11T17:11:00.000-07:00

Strawberry Banana Bread 1 ½ c. sifted flour 2/3 c. sugar 2 t. baking powder ½ t. salt ¾ c. quick-cooking oats 1/3 c. oil 2 eggs, lightly beaten ½ c. strawberries, mashed ½ c. bananas, mashed ¼ c. almonds, diced In a medium mixing bowl, sift together the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; stir in the oats. Add the oil, eggs, strawberries, banana and almonds, stirring just

Mixed Herb Butter

2011-09-11T17:07:00.000-07:00

In this bowl I have chopped.....mint, oregano, chives, basil and parsley. I softened a stick of butter, mixed them all in and put them it in a small glass container with a lid. I always use salted butter to make compound butters. I know most people say not to, but I find that it makes for a more flavorful butter. Sometimes I'm not great at guessing how much salt I should use, and using

Fresh Herbs!

2011-09-11T17:04:00.000-07:00

Fresh herb time will soon be over here in Colorado. It's time for me to start coming up with ways to use larger quantities of herbs as I harvest for the last time. On this board I have chives (used this morning for herbed cream cheese and butter), mint (used for making simple syrup for iced tea, herbed butter and canteloupe sorbet) and parsley (also used in herbed butter and pork chops).

Sunday Morning Projects- herbed cream cheese!

2011-09-11T16:47:00.000-07:00

So this morning, after our lovely ham and cheddar scrambled egg breakfast, I made a list of the projects I'd like to do for the day. This yummie cream cheese was on the list. When I was making my scrambled eggs this morning, I used the last of a container of chive-onion flavored cream cheese. As I was putting the container in the recycle bin, I looked at the ingredients list. It had way

Ham and Cheddar Scrambled Eggs

2011-09-11T09:53:00.000-07:00

So this morning I wanted something very comforting for breakfast. Because of the significance of the day, I wanted a good breakfast, so I could spend the rest of the day being thankful for the people I love. I decided to do some simple scrambled eggs. Devin loves scrambled eggs. I actually prefer fried or poached eggs, but it seems silly to cook eggs two different ways for one meal, I

Chicken Pot Pie!

2011-09-10T21:26:00.000-07:00

Tonight my friend Kari came over for dinner. She is my tech-yoda, and we have a great system set up where I feed her and she helps me stay up with the latest and greatest in technology. I decided to make chicken pot pie tonight, because I saw a really cool looking pastry crust recipe I wanted to try, and chicken pot pie is one of the best crust-related dishes I know. I found the crust recipe

More Fun with Picnik

2011-09-08T20:58:00.001-07:00

Fun with Picnik

2011-09-08T20:51:00.001-07:00

Labor Day

2011-09-07T20:18:00.000-07:00

Dev and I headed to Montrose for Labor Day. On Sunday, Dev and I joined his mom, his Uncle George and Aunt Lou, and Larry (a family friend) on a 4 wheeler trip to Animas Forks in the San Juan Mountains. I took about a million pictures (as soon as I get them all uploaded to flickr, I'll let you know). I thought I'd put at least one here. My souvenir from this trip was a nasty sunburn.

Pantry Remodel

2011-09-07T20:10:00.000-07:00

So Dev and I have been busy tackling the millions of projects we need to do in our new house. The very first one was making a pantry for my teensy little kitchen. We decided to use the space in the closet under the stairs. I don't have a before picture, but I do have some afters. Oh, and please ignore the goldish yellow horrid paint. It's gone now. That was the second project.

2011-09-03T14:54:00.001-07:00

Tried 2 new cheeses today- Truffle Goat and Cocoa Cardona. Both VERY good!

I'm not dead...

2011-08-18T21:51:00.000-07:00

but school started back, so that kinda explains why I haven't posted in a while. Tomorrow is Friday, so hopefully I'll get in the kitchen this weekend and come up with some stuff to post about. This week, believe me, nothing we've eaten is blog-worthy (unless you dig cheerios and store-bought blueberry muffins).

Things to do with Leftover Mashed Potatoes V.2

2011-08-05T19:55:00.000-07:00

What else can you do with mashed potatoes? Tonight, I was feeling a little down and icky, so I decided to use some of my stash of leftover mashed potatoes to make potato soup. I've never done that before, but after finishing my experiment, I think it will be my go-to potato soup method from now on. So- I chopped up half a medium Vidalia onion and sauteed it in my soup pan over medium heat. I

Things to do with Leftover Mashed Potatoes

2011-08-05T19:39:00.000-07:00

One of the few dishes Devin ever requests is potato pancakes. There are probably as many recipes and techniques for making them as there are people who like them. In my family, we always use leftover mashed potatoes, instead of grated potatoes. I have all ideas we do that because the first time my Daddy ever made them, he was trying to use up leftover mashed potatoes- and we liked them so much

Mashed Potatoes

2011-08-05T19:14:00.000-07:00

I should start a series on 100 things to do with leftover mashed potatoes. I'm betting if I really put my mind to it, I could come up with almost that many things. Whenever I make mashed potatoes I ALWAYS make more than I need. Around my house, the leftovers are more sought after than the original dish- the same thing happens with lasagna. Anyhoo.... My basic recipe for mashed potatoes

Day 5 of the Photo Challenge

2011-08-05T18:56:00.000-07:00

Someone I love...... Isn't he cute?

Day 4 of the Photo Challenge...

2011-08-04T20:58:00.000-07:00

Day Four of the challenge... favorite color. This is a close up of the table runner we have on our buffet in the hall. I think I'm officially caught up now!

Day 3 of the Photo Challenge...

2011-08-04T20:54:00.000-07:00

Day 3.... clouds. I took this picture last year in Denver from the science museum.

Day 2 of the Photo Challenge

2011-08-04T20:50:00.000-07:00

Photo for day 2....what I wore. Because of the continual effort to reduce the box farm I'm being forced to live in, my outfit today was filthy by the time I got around to taking a picture. Therefore, I decided to spare you, dear reader, from the traumatic experience of seeing it. But here it is, safely tucked away in the dirty clothes hamper. This photo is for the challenge over at

We're Here! And already we're up for a challenge....

2011-08-04T20:38:00.000-07:00

Ugh! I HATE moving. I despise it. Especially in the hottest part of the summer. We're finally all moved in. Now we are surrounded by boxes. My kitchen and pantry are almost set, and as soon as that's done, I will be able to function. To further my attempt to become a better blogger, I've decided to participate in a little blogging event. It's really a blog photography challenge, so I'll

Moving

2011-07-27T20:21:00.000-07:00

Oh my gosh I hate moving. Seriously. I'm sure no one likes moving, but I really hate it. And I always end up doing it during the hottest part of the summer. I had great intentions of taking my big girl camera to the house today to get some before shots. Yeah. That didn't happen. The whole day is a hot, sweaty haze. Now that I've had a shower and taken way more ibuprofen than any human

We Are Home-Owners!!!

2011-07-26T21:28:00.000-07:00

After several disappointments, Dev and I finally closed on our forever home! We signed our lives away at 1:00pm today. I shouldn't complain, because we got an amazing deal on this house, and I can't wait to get busy making it into our first home. After purchasing a new washer and dryer, we came back to town and loaded up a few tools and the dog, then headed over to do a few things. Dev changed

Quick Yogurt Breakfast

2011-07-25T20:48:00.000-07:00

This is a dreadful picture. Sorry. But it really tasted good. I have mentioned before that I am lucky enough to have a husband who makes yogurt for me. We had a batch in the ice box and I had just made some strawberry spoon fruit. Sounds like a good combo to me! I just mixed a few tablespoons of the strawberry stuff into a bowl of plain yogurt. The spoon fruit is so sweet, it didn't need

Fig-Balsamic Glazed Pork Chops

2011-07-25T19:53:00.000-07:00

So I still have quite a few packages of pork in my freezer from when we bought half a pig last year. I took out some pork chops the other day and decided to see what I could do with them. Firstly, I decided to brine them. I've read quite a bit about brining meat (especially pork), and if it keeps the meat moist, I'm all for it. To me, one of the worst things in the culinary world is a dry

I missed Black and White Wednesday!

2011-07-21T14:41:00.000-07:00

I can't believe I missed Black and White Wednesday! I'm posting my pic anyway. Hopefully, it will be picked up in next week's gallery. I entitled my picture "Why Thank You."

Busy, Busy, Busy

2011-07-19T23:02:00.000-07:00

As the summer come to a close, things around here are really heating up. We are still hoping to move at the end of this month, so we're thinking about packing. Thinking. We're not actually doing it yet. I think part of our hesitation is the possibility of the closing not happening. We have had such weird luck during our search for a house, I don't think we'll believe it's happening until

Weekend Trip

2011-07-17T21:53:00.000-07:00

We just got back from our short trip to Montrose to visit Dev's Mom. It was a quiet weekend, but not without its firsts.... I attended my first ever bull riding event. I only took a few pics because I was using my iPhone, which I have not yet figured out how to zoom, so the pics aren't that great. Until I get around to writing up the post (hopefully tomorrow afternoon), here's a pretty sunset

2011-07-16T15:53:00.001-07:00

I am on my way to my very first rodeo. YeeHaw!

2011-07-15T14:54:00.001-07:00

Heading to Montrose, CO for the weekend! Road trip (at least a little one)!

Summer Pesto!

2011-07-14T21:42:00.000-07:00

I love my herb garden. I use something out of it every day. I have been ignoring it lately, however, and my basil has exploded. I have 3 basil plants, mostly because when I'm on a kick, I use so much one plant usually can't meet the demands I place on it. To me, one of the best things about summer is juicy, ripe tomatoes, chopped with some Vidalia onion and fresh basil (maybe some mint if I'm

Laziness

2011-07-14T21:19:00.000-07:00

So I had grandiose plans to make a new recipe today. I wrote about it last night while I was watching "Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives." I didn't quite get to it. I really didn't get to anything today. I only left the house once- to take some donated items to Lift Up and pick up some empty boxes from school so we can start packing up the house. The rest of the day I spent laying on the couch

Inspiration

2011-07-13T20:45:00.000-07:00

Just for the record, Guy Fieri drives me crazy. He's one of those small doses people for me. However, with that said, I must also admit that I freakin' LOVE "Diners, Drive-ins and Dives." Every time I watch this show, I get inspired to make something. And usually, it comes out fairly edible. I can remember one of the first times I ever watched it, he was interviewing someone making smoked

Black and White Wednesday

2011-07-13T14:29:00.000-07:00

Here's my submission to the new "Black and White Wednesday" activity going on over at The Well Seasoned Cook. Basically people are encouraged to dabble in black and white photography, then submit their photos to this gallery where other bloggers and readers can look at all the pics in one spot. I can't wait to see what everyone submits! I call my submission....Tortilla on the Grill. I know.

Chocolate Ganache Covered Chocolate Cheesecake Stuffed Chocolate Cupcakes

2011-07-13T13:06:00.000-07:00

See what I mean about the naming thing? Isn't that ridiculous? First, I want to come right out of the shoot and admit that I cheated big time on this one. Big time. I used a chocolate cake mix. I know. I feel the shame being heaped upon me by the food blogging world. I'm sorry. Baking isn't really my thing, although I do get the bug to try it from time to time. Moving up to this altitude

Hearts of Palm/Citrus Salad

2011-07-13T12:34:00.000-07:00

I think I need someone to help me name some of the weird things I come up with. Naming things is not my forte. I love hearts of palm. Why? Because my Daddy loves hearts of palm, and he introduced me to them when I was in college. I don't eat them often because they are expensive- like $5 a can expensive. I can honestly say, however, that they NEVER go to waste, because what I don't chop up

Zucchini Carpaccio

2011-07-11T13:52:00.000-07:00

In addition to the ridiculous number of food blogs I read, I also subscribe to entirely too many food magazines. But every once in a while, I get an idea from one of them that makes the price of the subscription worth while. This isn't really one of them, but it comes close. :) Carpaccio is usually an appetizer involving raw meat (usually beef, I think), sliced thinly and served with lemon

Spring Pea Soup

2011-07-11T13:32:00.000-07:00

When I was growing up, pea soup meant split pea soup. I hated split pea soup. It always tasted gritty to me. But as I've gotten older, and more exposed to other types of soups, I realize that pea soup can mean all sorts of things. A few months back (it was actually during the winter), my friend Sue and I took a cooking class at the local hospital on cooking without salt. One of the dishes we

Gorgonzola Stuffed Burgers

2011-07-11T13:17:00.000-07:00

It's summer. Everyone is looking for the perfect burger recipe for those nights when it's just too hot to turn on the stove. Grilling out is a national obsession, and I'm the first to admit I'm hooked. I will do just about anything to keep from heating up my kitchen in the afternoons. I have always struggled with burgers. I love them, but I've never been any good at making them at home. It

Blue Cheese Vidalia Onions

2011-07-11T12:48:00.000-07:00

I've mentioned several times before that I read several food blogs. Actually, I read an obscene number of food blogs. One of the newest blogs I've found is called Baked Bree. I think I've saved almost recipe she's published in the last 6 months, at least. Anyway- she posted a recipe for grilled onions the other day that made me want to jump up and try it immediately. So I did. I just

Fresh Ricotta Cheese

2011-07-11T12:31:00.000-07:00

I am totally spoiled. I have a husband who makes yogurt and fresh ricotta cheese whenever I need him to. It has ruined me forever on buying either of these items from the store. The one drawback to the fresh ricotta is, it doesn't leave over well. That means if I don't use it all in one shot, the day he makes it, it's never the same the next day. It becomes gluey and sticky and a mess.

Sherried Shrimp

2011-07-11T12:02:00.000-07:00

Here's a recipe I got from Damon Fowler. He's a cook book author and food historian. I've known him for a long time. We used to sing together in the choir at St. John's Episcopal Church in Savannah, GA. Anyhoo- when I saw this recipe he published on Paula Deen's website, I had to try it out. I love shrimp bisque, and this is very reminiscent of that, owing probably to the shrimp and the

Cold Hard Facts.

2011-07-04T14:55:00.000-07:00

Pretty staggering. Unfortunately, I watched this while eating tortilla chips right out of the bag.

Odd Things

2011-06-09T13:16:00.000-07:00

You know what I think is funny? Whenever someone comes in to Daddy's hospital room and wants to pray, when the praying starts, the person's voice gets way louder. Why is that? Does it matter if the people in the hall can hear the prayer? Does God have trouble hearing like my Daddy?

My Home Town

2011-06-09T11:34:00.000-07:00

Just in case y'all were thinking I wasn't having ANY fun on my trip home, I'll post some random pics I've taken in the evenings after I leave the hospital. Last night Di and I headed out to Vinnie's. I had to get my pizza fix before I head home. On the walk from the car, we passed a storefront with a rather unusual display.... I'm not sure what a huge paper mache pink elephant has to do with

Vacation?

2011-06-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

This has been the view for most of my vacation. I'm glad I was able to be here while my Dad was in the hospital, but it's a pretty depressing way to spend a week in Savannah. I have managed to sneak away and see a few of my friends, so that's keeping me sane. I know even more than ever that my mother should be up for sainthood. She has been at the hospital almost non-stop since Dad was

You know you teach 8th grade when...

2011-05-30T11:13:00.000-07:00

I saw this picture on a craft blog I read called "Knock Off Decor." Most people look at this and think how cute it is. I look at this and think, "Gee, I wonder how many inappropriate explicatives my 8th graders could write on this within 10 minutes."

Musings on Summer...

2011-05-30T10:18:00.000-07:00

School's out. I have turned off the weekday alarm on my iPod. My sleep schedule is already obliterated, as I slip back into my more normal, nocturnal rhythm. Endless projects lay around me, forsaken for a lovely afternoon nap. My icebox overflows with the remnants of culinary experiments and the ubiquitous pitchers of sweet tea. My daydreams are populated by memories; summers of the past.

Meatless Mondays...

2011-05-28T19:40:00.000-07:00

That's really not an attractive picture of my dinner. It tasted great, though. I wanted to make something different for dinner, and since I hadn't planned ahead enough to defrost any meat, I needed a meatless choice. I've been going through stacks of old magazines today, trying to get rid of extra stuff. We are hoping to move soon, and the less crap there is laying around, the less stuff I

Crafty Things

2011-05-18T21:12:00.000-07:00

I have, in the last few months, discovered a desire to craft. Not like macaroni covered cigar boxes, but stuff for my house. I have begun reading lots of blogs about home design and do it yourself home decor. One of my favorite blogs, Whipperberry, is giving away a fancy Silhouette machine that makes stencils and iron on transfers. Needless to say, I've entered about a billion times, because

Caramel Apple Pork Chops and Melting Pot Mac and Cheese

2011-05-15T19:30:00.000-07:00

So tonight I wanted to make something different for dinner. I had a package of pork chops thawed, so I knew I needed to use them. I also had odds and ends of several different kinds of cheese in the ice box. After thinking for a minute or two, this is what I came up with.... I boiled about half a box of elbow macaroni, and drained it in the sink. In the same pot, I melted a couple of

Weekend Waffle Making

2011-05-15T12:14:00.000-07:00

This was my Sunday morning project. I had decided I wanted waffles (mostly because most recipes make at least 12 waffles, and that means easy leftovers for the rest of the week), but wasn't sure what recipe I wanted to use. I had Biscquick, so I could have gone that route, but I wanted them to be home made. I turned to my trusty laptop, and her database of thousands of recipes I squirrel away,

Two of My Favorite Things

2011-05-02T21:22:00.000-07:00

I have discovered two new cheeses. I rarely meet a cheese I don't like, so I was bound to love these. But truly, these are outstanding. I picked them up in Montrose, at the fancy City Market store. Unfortunately, I can never find either one of these here in Rifle. Sigh. Flagship Reserve Truckle Fromager D'affinois Poivre

2011-04-30T06:54:00.001-07:00

My End of Conference Haiku...It's been great Denver. Conference- people watching.Blisters on my feet.

2011-04-30T06:50:00.001-07:00

I have fallen in love. With a caramel macchiato. But I'm sure I spelled it wrong.

2011-04-29T08:12:00.001-07:00

At the CEA Delegate Assembly in Denver! Lots of speeches, but fantastic people watching.

Random Quotes

2011-04-17T20:03:00.000-07:00

I read this in the latest edition of "Where Women Cook." I just love it. I'm not a chef. I'm not a cook. I simply love good food. And I love art. I love gardening, people, animals, the outdoors, traveling, and discovering far off places. And I love stories. What is life after all but our own unpublished books of short stories with colorful chapters following one after the other?- Ronelle

French Onion Soup

2011-04-09T18:45:00.000-07:00

This took most of the afternoon, but it was so worth it. I got this recipe from "Smitten Kitchen," who adapted it from Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. Onion Soup [Soupe à l’Oignon] Adapted from Mastering the Art of French Cooking1 1/2 pounds (680 grams or 24 ounces or about 5 cups) thinly sliced yellow onions3 tablespoons (42 grams or 1 1/2 ounces) unsalted butter 1 tablespoon

2011-04-09T11:34:00.001-07:00

Toads in a Hole, bacon and orange juice for Saturday breakfast. Yay weekend!

2011-04-05T22:14:00.001-07:00

Test post from my iPhone.

Potato Soup

2011-04-03T16:15:00.000-07:00

Potato soup is pretty darn good. But you know what makes potato soup even better? I do. Making potato soup with a great big ham bone. I baked a ham week before last and we've been eating from it blissfully ever since. Every single morsel of meat has been stripped from the bone. So last weekend, Dev's mom was in town, and I was contemplating what I should do with the ham bone I was saving in

Pictures in Blog Posts

2011-04-03T16:01:00.000-07:00

I read a lot of blogs. Seriously. A lot. And I enjoy looking at pictures, just like everyone else. But I also write a blog. And even though it's become much easier to upload pictures than it used to be, it's still a pain in the butt. I would love to post step by step pics of everything I cook on this blog, but frankly, I gots a day job, and sometimes (ok- most of the time) just writing the

Chili and Cornbread!

2011-03-06T18:48:00.000-08:00

This is the cornbread I made to go with a big pot of chili tonight. The chili was really nothing to write home about, but the cornbread- it was spectacular! Here's the recipe: Scallion Cheddar Bacon Corn Bread Makes an 8 inch cast iron skillet full! ¾ cup corn meal1 ¼ cup AP flour¼ cup sugar2 teaspoons baking powder½ teaspoon salt1 cup buttermilk1 egg beaten¼ cup vegetable oil or bacon

Crock Pot Ribs

2011-03-04T18:45:00.000-08:00

I made these ribs for dinner tonight. I will be making them again. And again. And again. So easy and so good. I found the recipe on one of the hundreds of food blogs I follow. I don't remember which one I stole it from, so if someone recognizes it, please let me know and I'll give credit where credit is due! Here's the recipe: Crock Pot RibsIngredients:• 2

Brie + Mango = Heaven

2011-02-27T11:55:00.000-08:00

Seriously, brie and mango were meant to be together. My first experience with this blissful pairing occurred many years back with my friend, Diane. She combined the two in some quesadillas one night as a munchie before dinner. Or maybe it was dinner. Whatever, it was good. Later, we added crab meat to the mix, which was divine as well. Since moving to Colorado, I have not recreated the

Crepes!

2011-01-09T11:55:00.001-08:00

This was a great lunch, but it was supposed to be breakfast. That's how long it took me to put the whole thing together. In hindsight, I really should have made the crepes yesterday, so that this morning all I would have to fuss with was the fillings.I like crepes. So does Dev. But they seem so fussy, I've never really had the desire to make them at home. Well, that's not really true. I did

Saturday Morning French Toast

2011-01-08T10:03:00.000-08:00

French toast is ok. I like it, but I really don't love it. And I'm ok with that. But yesterday, while Dev and I were driving over to meet some friends at a local post-school hang out, he mentioned that someone we knew had eaten cinnamon roll french toast for breakfast. Cinnamon roll french toast? French toast made out of cinnamon rolls? Heaven poured forth and rained inspiration down over

Veggie Tikka Masala

2011-01-03T18:13:00.001-08:00

I love these simmer sauces from Seeds of Change. This is the Tikka Masala, but I also use the Khorma one fairly often. You can't beat these for whipping up a quick dinner. Just stir fry some veggies and the protein of your choice, add the simmer sauce, let it heat through, and throw it over rice. Done.Tonight I stir fried zucchini, mushrooms, onions, campari tomatoes and some fake crab. I

Afternoon Snack

2011-01-03T18:10:00.001-08:00

This is the kind of thing I miss when we're working. I'm not sure why I don't think of taking cheese and crackers to school as a snack or light lunch, but I don't. When we're home on a break, though, this is usually what lunch looks like. I guess that's because I cook huge breakfasts and we don't eat again until dinner.Anyhoo, this was a plate of havarti with dill, jalapeno cheddar, brie and

Epic Fail- Goose Edition

2011-01-03T17:45:00.000-08:00

“There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure.”- Colin PowellIf this is true (and I like to think it is), my next goose will be a rockstar.But as things stand right now, my first goose was an epic fail. A failure of BIBLICAL PROPORTIONS. A disaster worthy of federal relief funds.And I had such high hopes. Sniff.We acquired the victim

Random Thoughts

2011-01-03T15:40:00.001-08:00

I tight rolled my jeans a little while ago. I feel so....10th grade.

Wontons!

2011-01-01T19:35:00.000-08:00

I love wontons. I always have. But I've never really thought about making them at home. Until now, that is. For some reason, I was thinking last week about an appetizer I had while I was home in Savannah last summer. I was eating at a place called Bar.Food, and ordered an appetizer called something like Southern BBQ Wontons. Basically, the appetizer was pulled pork BBQ in a wonton wrapper.

Dinner When It's Below Zero Outside

2011-01-01T19:24:00.000-08:00

I could have made chili, or some kind of chicken stew, or even baked spaghetti, but I didn't. When it gets super cold outside, I only want one thing- risotto. I have a tried and true risotto recipe that I use with hundreds of variations. Tonight I made it by the recipe, but added sauteed garlic butter shrimp on top. This did not suck. You could put anything on top, really...roasted veggies,

Great Sushi!

2010-12-20T21:58:00.000-08:00

My wonderful hubby took me out for sushi while we were shopping in Grand Junction today. We went to one of my favorite sushi places....No Coast Sushi. Devin had the Wicked Garden and the Wasabi Nut Crunch rolls. I had the KA (eel) and the Cougar (fried oyster). I absolutely love this place. If you are ever in Junction and looking for great sushi, this is the place to go!If anyone knows any

Soup and Sandwiches for Dinner!

2010-12-19T18:33:00.000-08:00

Tonight I decided to take my panini press for a spin. I hadn't done that in a while. I knew we were having the cheesy brat soup for dinner, so I figured grilled cheese sandwiches would be a good combination.Dev just wanted gouda cheese in his sandwich. I was in the mood for something a little more...complicated.I took a slice of Dev's homemade bread and put 4 slices of brie on it. Then I laid

Cream Cheese Stuffed, Bacon Wrapped Jalapenos

2010-12-19T18:22:00.001-08:00

These are so good, they're sinful. And addictive. And rich. And easy. And relatively quick.A couple of weeks ago, Dev and I went to a covered dish supper for the last night of our Spanish class. One of the many wonderful dishes there was a tray of stuffed, roasted jalapenos. They were whole jalapenos, somehow hollowed out, with cream cheese piped in, and wrapped in bacon, then roasted.They

Beer, Brat and Cheese Soup

2010-12-19T17:57:00.000-08:00

Today was a good soup day. It was cold and rainy.I sat down and looked through my soup recipes and found an old favorite. The only thing I did differently this time was using kielbasa instead of brats (because that's what I had).Brat, Beer and Cheese SoupFrom Penzey’s3 bratwurst sausages, cooked and sliced3 tablespoons olive oil1 c. onion, finely chopped1 c. celery, finely chopped1 c. carrots,

Shrimp Curry and other pantry purging meals...

2010-12-18T20:05:00.000-08:00

Earlier today I posted about New Year's Resolutions. I had another brilliant idea. I resolve to figure out what all I have in my pantry, and start cooking with it. There are 2 benefits to this strategy. The first is, of course a neater, trimmer pantry. The second is the opportunity to make room for new stuff!Being a foodie, I have amassed some pretty odd stuff. And the sad thing is, I have