Category: Uncategorized

Yay!!

At the Boston Brunchers event a few weeks ago, almost all of the other bloggers came prepared with their own cards.  I felt a little out of the loop.  Why didn’t I think of it before?  Instead of googling aimlessly looking for sites, a blogger card (similiar to a standard business card) is one of the best ways to spread the word about your blog.  Dur.

I immediately went onto the VistaPrint website and started designing.  I’ll admit I’m not the artsy-est person alive.  I’m probably the least artsy person alive.  Nevertheless, the website made it so easy.  I found a design I liked, plugged in my info and clicked the “Send Order” button (with free shipping, of course) and that was that.  Inexpensive, cute and perfect to give out to anyone and everyone!

Like ’em?

 

Just a quick post to say CONGRATULATIONS to all who ran the Boston Marathon today.  When I went into Boston for dance practice tonight, I saw lots of black and green Adidas Marathon jackets, medals, and accomplished, happy faces.  I won’t lie – I was SO jealous.  It was on the way home from practice on the train that I made a hasty but doable decision..

I.Want.To.Run.A.Boston.

I know, I know… it’s a far off dream, but it’s a dream nonetheless.  I want to be part of the very small percentage of the human race who runs those 26.6 miles, up heartbreak hill, through whatever New England weather has in store for them.

It may not be soon (baby steps, people, baby steps) but someday, I will run that marathon and cross that finish line.  Someday.

I MUST MUST MUST add more cooking blog sites to my page.  I need to figure out how to directly link them because some of these women really mean business.  This morning alone I found a recipe from Sing for Your Supper at http://www.singforyoursupperblog.com for Jalapeno Cornbread Whoopie Pies… unbelievable.  I want to make them ASAP.  I will have to change a few ingredients (sorry jalapenos, I can’t actually use you if I’m feeding you to my family…) and I’ll probably use ricotta instead of goat cheese in the filling (cheaper…:sigh:) but they look too incredible NOT to try.

More blogs to link?  Jump to these now; you’ll love them!

Bake at 350 .. the most beautifully decorated cookies you could imagine.. http://bakeat350.blogspot.com/

Dine & Dish at http://dineanddish.net/

Two Peas & Their Pod: A Cooking Couple : http://twopeasandtheirpod.com/

She Wears Many Hats… visit http://www.shewearsmanyhats.com/

Leslie Sarna: The Dainty Vegetarian: https://cookwithabandon.wordpress.com/wp-admin/post.php?post=87&action=edit

And I’m sad to say that I forgot my FAVORITE of all cooking blogs; one that I’ve followed on a daily basis since last summer.  Her e-mails and recipes have made her a celebrity, appearing on everything from Good Morning America to The Rachael Ray Show to Food Network’s “The Best Thing I Ever Ate”.  I aspire to be her.  If I could meet any celebrity, she ranks in the Top 5.  Her recipes slash the fat and calories from food that is normally known for being bad for us.  I can’t get enough of her “Holy Moly Cannolis”, her chicken cordon bleu and her scrambled egg mugs.  She is even coming out with her own show on the Cooking Channel this January! Have you figured out who it is yet?

The famous Lisa Lillien, the founder of Hungry Girl… my idol. 

How could I possibly forget to add her to my list?  She deserves a blog post simply dedicated to her company (…light bulb).

Please visit her site.  I know you will NOT be disappointed.  If my picky Italian dad likes her fat-slashed recipes, I know you will too!

Hungry Girl:  www.hungry-girl.com

That’s all I’ve got for today.  Still haven’t decided what I want to whip up for dinner tonight.  Definitely doing steak tips (just a little salt and pepper and your good to go!) but I think I may want to make a little sauce for it and something interesting for the veggie.  Hmmm….

I work 40 hours a week at a desk.  I greet patients and file paperwork.  I drink a lot of coffee and even more bottled water, watching the clock slowly tick away the minutes from 7:30-3:30 everyday.  So what do I do to fill all of the dead space?  I have found a new obsession with other cooking blogs.  (I mean, what better way to interact with other home cooks?)

I don’t think I ever realized how vast the world of cooking blogs could be.  Every day, I am finding newer and better blogs than the day before, all while making around $13.00 an hour.  Of course, I pay attention to my work and God knows, I need it (cough cough, stupid college loans) but now and then, I find a stellar website, one that makes my blogging look like a first grader’s homework assignment.  So I feel the need to share them.

The first one actually led me to many of the others and it happens to belong to a young woman I went to college with.  A very talented photographer, I stumbled upon her pages of recipes and photos while clicking around on facebook one day.  Here’s the link:

Cooking Whims: http://cookingwhims.wordpress.com/

She also has a sister site… Baking Whims: http://bakingwhims.wordpress.com/

I haven’t tried her recipes yet, but one particular one for creamy orzo parmesan has definitely caught my attention.

Attached to her blog, she has listed other online cooks who keep them as well.  That is how I found Buns in my Oven…and Not the Baby Kind and My Baking Addiction. 

Buns in my Oven… and Not the Baby Kind is run by a mother of 2 who, I believe, also has her own photography company.  And if she doesn’t, she should.  Her pictures are incredible.. it makes my mouth water at the site of her salted chocolate chip cookies and mexican cornbread.  Although the site doesn’t completely appear on my work computer screen, I can tell this chick is for real.  Check her out at http://bunsinmyoven.com/

The other blog, My Baking Addiction, is one that I just found today.  I’m already hooked.  This woman has taken cupcakes to a whole new level and they all look INCREDIBLE.  Oreo cupcakes? Snickers cupcakes? Sign me up.  I might make a few modifications to her recipes (aka lower-fat ingredients per usual) but I will not spoil the integrity of the recipe in any way.  I just need to bite into one of them.  You should too… find her here: http://www.mybakingaddiction.com/

Hope you enjoy them as much as I am.  Maybe someday, someone will link me too!

I’ve been away from the blog for a while but I’m back and with exciting news – today, my parents and I leave for Barcelona, Spain to visit my younger sister who is studying abroad there.  I’ve been to Europe before, more than once, but this is the first time that I will ever visit Spain – and the first time that my pallet is sophisticated enough to handle (or even care about) foreign cuisine.

My first excursion?  Spanish wine.  I’ll even have a glass (or two) on the international flight over there.  Tapas will be next – all sorts, just throw ’em at me!  Traditional paella and some of the best chocolate in the world are definites.  Gelato.. must have in large quantities.

More details to come.. for now, Viva Espana!

Today at work, I got to thinking about my last post and how I say that I don’t have time right now to cook.  I’m only 22 years old and already I’m saying things like “I don’t have time” ?  Scary thought.

My next realization caused my stomach to do a full aerial that would impress even the pickiest of gymnastics judges – if I don’t have time now in my “prime of life” so to speak, will I ever have time?  A typical married woman who is married and has kids has more than one job, probably around 20.  She works a 9-5 and then comes home to what?  After maybe fitting in a quick gym session, she can look forward to screaming children, a tired husband, a house to clean and on top of all of it, someone has to make dinner, right?  I have none of those responsibilities (except for the job and the gym) just yet and already I feel like I can’t do everything?  I think I need a serious reality check.

I won’t always be 22; I won’t always have to work two jobs or worry about my student loans or getting into grad school.  I’ll probably always care what I look like and how fit I am but those are personal choices that I live with.  In the eyes of others, I probably have one of the most care-free, stress-free lives and here I sit complaining that I need a 4p.m. nap because I worked a couple of 16 hour days this week…

So tonight, I will do my sit-ups and pushups, try one of the new appetizers, cook a WW healthy dinner and skip that second glass of wine.  I might be 22 now, but I definitely won’t be forever.

For the past few days, I have been pulling 16 hour days working both of my jobs.  Unfortunately, that leaves little (aka NO) time for cooking dinner since my day shift at one job ends at 4 and the night shift at the other begins at 5.  The situation has not been helping my healthy plan since I find myself ravenous by 10 p.m. and eating whatever is available.

I vowed that if I wouldn’t cook it, I’m not going to eat it but that’s probably the most difficult thing to stick to when one of your jobs requires waiting tables at a restaurant known for it’s fried appetizers and HUGE pizzas.  I did make my own version of WW pizza the other night – it was quite good and I indulged just a little too much.  Nevertheless, at least I avoided eating half of the pizza at work.

I am definitely anxious to get back to my kitchen and my appetizer project.  I am tackling baby stuffed mushrooms and spinach-artichoke dip next.  Plus, I haven’t forgotten that I must go back to try the mini quiches again, this time with the pancetta.  Very excited.

Turkey sandwich for dinner.. boring, but better than french fries.

Hello all…

Welcome to my blog!  I’ll be honest – I decided to create this blog on a whim, with the simple desire to record all I can about something I genuinely love to do…cook.

I am a recent graduate of college where I majored in English, Mass Communications, Writing and Performing Arts.  I’ve had other blogs dedicated to journalism and dance and clearly, I love to write.  So why not merge another aspect of my life into an online social network?  And who could hate good, wholesome food after all?

I am a self-proclaimed home cook.  I have no academic or professional training or experience.  Just me, my cookbooks, a few time-old recipes and my family and friends’ pallets to test on.  I consider myself more than lucky – especially for my mom, dad and sister who have, on countless occasions, be subjected to my not-so-successful attempts to make dinner (or dessert.)  They tirelessly taste and honestly evaluate my food, encouraging me to try new things while giving (mostly) helpful suggestions on how to tinker my recipes.

I tend to cook on the healthy side, due to a past of being slighly on the heavy side.  Salads are the fiber of my being while anything sweet (especially chocolate) is my kryptonite.  Nevertheless, I have done my fair share of cooking with full-fat ingredients. (No one loves real butter as much as my Italian dad, except maybe Paula Deen.)   But with that said, I have a lifestyle dedicated to healthy food with amazing flavor.. just don’t martyr me if I throw in a cheesecake or something made with an absurd amount of nuts every once in a while. (Hey, I’m only human.)

In the past, I have more often experimented with other cooks’ recipes rather than my own.  With this blog and some more free time now that my Bachelor’s Degree is hanging in the hallway and is no longer a distant dream, I hope to break out of my cooking shell for good; forging ahead into the art of creating recipes rather than only making them.

I hope you will follow me as I attempt to make as many recipes from as many chefs and home cooks as possible and devise a few of my own.

Happy Tasting!