Aug
01
2012
My husband reminds me every week how long it has been since I posted a blog here. I have a very wonderful reason for my absence. Hubby and I are expecting our first baby in December! Baby Girl made me very sick and tired in the first 3 months. After that, I had month full of migraines. I am finally to the point that I can say I am feeling blessedly normal (except for the little soccer player who practices her skills in my belly.)
Mar
27
2012
A large, grungy, smelly rug from trash to treasure in 24 hours with no elbow grease.
Hubby’s grandmother just moved into a nursing home and we are trying to clean up and divvy out the furniture from her retirement home. There is one big problem: everything that comes out of the retirement home smells like retirement home.
This was a worst case scenario: lots of hair, lots of dirt, lots of smell.
My left-brained engineer hubby proved his worth with an ingenious plan. This was not one of those “I wish I thought of that!” moments, it was a “I NEVER would have thought of that” moments. I know this post is a little off the beaten path for me, but it is too cool not to share. I was ready to send this rug to a garage sale, but in just 24 hours (only 2.5 hours of active cleaning) it was ready to dress up our living room!
Mar
20
2012
When I was young, my grandma bought a trailer on Toledo Bend Lake in Louisiana. It was just a simple trailer with some folding chairs outdoors, but to me, it was the ultimate adventure. There was a pontoon boat that we would use for tubing. We would boat to find little stretch of sandy beach to swim from. And of course, there was fishing. Lots of fishing. We would walk out on a neighbor’s house boat and fish whenever we wanted.
I learned something very important in those days: I have no skill for fishing, but I am a bottomless pit for fried fish. We would take the fresh fish fillets (usually sac-au-lait which is a type of perch) and deep fry them out by the patio. In my adult life, I only get fried fish at restaurants…so I decided this Lent was the time to have my own fish fry. I cooked up 4 pounds of catfish and some of Emril’s jalapeno hush-puppies for my family in law. It was a huge hit and the prep work was pretty minimal. I see many more fish fries in my future.
Feb
28
2012
Big flavor comes in small packages. In this dish, shrimp, wine, basil, and sun-dried tomato combine to make a sweet burst of flavor that is so elegant. It get the ringing endorsement of my hubby who licked his plate clean. But the best part is that this meal can be fridge to table in 15 minutes if you have precooked orzo. Fridge to table in 30 minutes if you need to boil your pasta first.
I adapted the recipe from Ellie Krieger’s shrimp orzo. She uses fresh tomato, but I prefer the intense richer flavor of sun-dried tomatoes. I recommend watching this video of Ellie cooking the dish, if only just to see how easy it is!
Feb
13
2012
We have had the wackiest winter weather here in Houston. It has been springtime hot, depriving me of my favorite wintertime foods. Today was the first day we were in the 40s in the daytime in months; definitely an occasion for hot savory soup.
I had intended to make girlichef‘s udon noodles with bean sprouts, but none were to be found in the grocery store. I made the snap decision to go with super thin sliced mushrooms instead. The result was a rich tasting soup made spicy with sliced jalapenos. My hubby decided this was his new favorite soup, which is a very good thing considering how healthy and wholesome it is. Healthy, wholesome, flavorful, and cooked in 45 minutes all make this the perfect chilly weekday meal. It will grace my table many times this “winter”, regardless of the weather.
Feb
06
2012
When it comes to food, my hubby and I agree on nearly everything. Everything but pickles. That crazy man likes his pickles sweet. He doesn’t understand my love for tart and garlicky pickles. I don’t know why he would want to eat candied cucumbers on his tuna. For the last nine years it has been irreconcilable…
Until Bobby Flay’s fridge pickles came into our life. Why have I never made my own pickles before? Seriously! This recipe is so easy, and yet they have the vinegar and garlic tang I want with the sweet after note that he craves. I made a quart of pickles last week. We have had them on hamburgers, on pulled pork, chopped up in tuna, and I sneaked some in as a snack straight from the jar.
I make this pledge to save our foodie happiness: no more grocery store pickles.
Jan
28
2012
Quite the show stopper, this chocolate pie has almost no prep work and can be on the table in just over 2 hours making it perfect for last minute entertaining. It has a rich chocolatey taste that is incredibly silky and decadent… and actually fairly healthy.
The main ingredient is TOFU! Before telling my guests what is in it, I let them ooh and ahh over how delicious it is. I know you might be hesitant about using tofu, but when chilled with melted chocolate it makes a pudding that is silky, slightly fluffy, and rich without being overpowering.
Jan
22
2012
There is a tiny breakfast shop in my hometown that serves the best raspberry muffins. They are tender and sweet with big chunks of raspberries. I woke up this morning with a hankering for raspberry muffins, but being 400 miles away meant I had to make my own.
When I got in the kitchen, I was out of all-purpose flour and milk, two key ingredients for my go-to Betty Crocker recipe. It was a lucky misfortune because the substitutions I made ended up giving me a much more fluffy and flavorful muffin. The slight tang that yogurt adds to the recipe is delightful. I will never go back to Betty’s recipe again.
I live in a suburb of Houston with my hubby and our bird Cheeky, where I am a full time art teacher and a full time grad school student.
My love for art is only slightly overshadowed by my love of food. I mostly cook dinners for two so my food is almost always unpretentious, comforting, and savory (though a few desserts never hurt anyone!)
