Chicken Minestrone Soup

I’ve caught a nasty case of the sniffles and I am completely impossible to deal with as of this moment.

Nothing sounds good to eat, I don’t want to wear proper lady under garments, and all I want to do is cuddle up in my blankie/scarf/wrap  thangy that I’m so in love with.  I guess I’ll consume some of this soup while I’m at it.  I need to keep my strength up so I can continue to be a royal whiny mess.

Candy Bar Dough Bites

This is what happens when a sweet tooth gets over powered by a more sophisticated and rational side.  As you know, I’m all about maturity and poise here folks.

I love being fancy and wearing evening gowns and elbow length gloves to dinner on a regular basis.  I seldom can be found in my kitchen in yoga pants, hair tousled into a perfected side braid, blathering on about the high prices of organic goods at the normal grocery store.  Cowgirl boots are never a staple in my wardrobe, and I always iron my sheets.

Scalloped Baked Spuds

When I first muddled across a potato recipe similar to this I was temporarily memorized by the beauty of this tuber.  I sat there, a woman under a spell of whimsy, eyes agleam with delight.

It’s the wee things in life that make my little heart go pitter patter.  Perfectly fresh tomatoes out of the garden, clean sheets, chopping celery, and the indescribable beauty of baked cheese.

Turkey Cabbage Cups

I’m back at it with the Asian-y foods.  Not something I dabble in very often but this was a doozer-mc-doozville.

I don’t know if I’ve ever told you about my paralyzing fear of take out Chinese food?  Really.  I get spooked and need to back out of the area ever so slowly.

It repulses me to no end.  Weird dark sauces, heavy salt, mystery meats, and little white boxes with lots o’ grease  dribbling from the bottom.  Don’t even get me started with the look alike kibble veggies.  I never have and I never will like Chinese take out.

But that doesn’t mean I won’t experiment in the safety of my own kitchen with plenty of fresh ingredients and items that I can pronounce.

Chocolate Chip Fig Cake

Whoa Nelly.  Nellers.  Nellie-he-hum.

This cake.  Lwady, this cake.  I feel so naughty eating it.  Almost like I’m up to something inexplicably bad and socially unacceptable.

I can only describe this feeling to parallel purse snatching or high jacking a car.  Now, now…I’ve done neither of these but I’m just guessing this is what it feels like.  I have however seen a good bag or two in my day, and I’ve been tempted to grab and go.

Seafood “Nachos” With Cilantro Cream

When I was young; like 5 minutes ago I used to L-O-V-E nachos.

We are talking Velveeta cheesey, gooey, drippy nachos.  Not so much anymore.  I actually kind of cringe thinking about something like that.  This is my “refined pallet’s” take on what a nacho should be.  All grown up and ready to meet the world.  Wait is that me or the nachos?  Oh right…nachos.

 

Pumpkin & Fig Granola

Fall hath landed.  The doors of summer have closed, and I’m standing in front of that open window of fall like a giant gorilla.  A goofy lopsided smirk plastered upon my face.

Happy Fall, officially!

Morning Glory Muffins with A Honey Yogurt Drizzle

Sometimes, just sometimes I resemble a weasel on Meth when I catch a wiff or a tasty-tast of something extra special.  I cannot say these are my proudest moments, but it does happen occasionally.  We all have our problems.

Unfortunately, this was one of those times in those darker hours.

 

Ghost Rubbed Whole Grilled Chicken

I spend countless hours foraging, prying, rifling, scouring,  and sniffing out new inspiration for recipes.

My husband simply wakes up and decides he is going to grill an entire chicken (mind you he has never done this), throw down some of his favorite seasonings on the bird, and brush it with a little olive oil.  There did not seem to be a lot of planning, plotting, or researching done prior to this event.

Then Viola: just like that; the best BBQ chicken I’ve ever eaten enters my life and will forever change me.

No Bake-Cocoa Almond Oatmeal Bites

WARNING: after consuming approximately 582 cocoa almond butter bites your mouth may become irritated, raw,  inflamed, and angry.

Or at least mine is.