• EAT Archive •

I like to think I have a strong head on my shoulders.  One that is reasonable and non-judgmental and open.  I’m extremely liberal.  Especially considering my conservative upbringing.  The first concert I attended was for the Christian rapper Carman. (“Who’s in the house?  JC is!”)  I was in church a minimum of three days a week.  Certain channels that were on my cousin’s television didn’t exist on the TVs in my home.  Chase still can’t accept the fact that I’ve never seen the movie “Varsity Blues” which explains why I don’t understand the new car commercial with James Van Der Beek.

I wouldn’t have changed a thing about the way I was raised.  Some of my best qualities are a direct result of Mountain Grove Baptist Church and prayers before bed.  To a certain degree, I lived eighteen years in a small town bubble.  Shielded from heartbreak.  Pitying my friends who were suffering through their parent’s divorce.  Oblivious that a boy could like another boy.  And then one day, that bubble unexpectedly popped and I became exposed to a completely different world filled with imperfect people making risky decisions and hiding well-guarded secrets.  For the five years that followed my high school graduation, I was in life’s fast lane.  Since everything I thought I knew was a facade, I felt this sense of responsibility to be the stabilizer and to not shake things up more than they had already been rattled.  I pressured myself to do everything in the exact order that people expected.  Go to college.  Get a job.  Buy a house.  Get married.  And I did.

I’m a thinker by nature. I decipher song lyrics. I analyze people’s behavior to try and hypothesize the root of their actions.  I often think about where I was last year at this exact moment and where I’ll be next year on this same date.  I secretly wanted some insight without completely removing the element of surprise and decided to talk to an intuitionist.  I promise I’m not completely crazy.  I just wanted to hear a stranger’s take on my life and the direction I’m going.  A girlfriend had told me about this woman she talked to and was blown away by her accuracy.  The excitement and validity in my friend’s voice was contagious and I knew I had to have a session.

My first experience seeing a psychic was a joke.  It was my birthday.  I had spent the day at a winery and was a little (a lot) tipsy. At the end of our ten minutes I was stupidly surprised she knew how old I was until I played back the session I had secretly recorded and realized the second sentence out of my mouth was my birthday, including year.  This time around was legitimate.  Talking with this intuitionist was on a completely different level.  I spent one hour conversing with a stranger and hearing her talk so candidly about my family and me made me feel as if she had been a fly on the wall during our private conversations.  She offered precautions like advising I do a better of job of paying attention while driving because she sensed I’d be involved in a traffic accident while texting and driving.  The conversation offered hope that I’m fulfilling my life’s passion.  It gave encouragement to finally write that book my friends and family have been pressuring me to do for years.  It gave me a sense of closure that sometimes the only thing we can do is send love and light in the direction of someone struggling with their own happiness.  I took four pages of notes.  Notes that I intend to keep and evaluate in the future.  Notes that encourage me to do the things I’ve been putting off, try something new and finally face those decisions I’ve been dragging.

Maybe I drank the Kool-Aid.  Maybe I took my critical thinking a step too far.  Maybe I looked in the wrong place for answers.  I’m not trying to convince you to follow my path.  I’m merely recounting my experience and confirming that a lot of what she had to say was concrete and specific and kind of blew my mind.  Who am I to judge whether or not she has the ability to actually connect with my energy?  She could have been just blowing smoke but I inhaled it.  It’s a lot more fun to believe than it is to be a Negative Nancy.

Perhaps you don’t believe in psychics or intuitionists or those sort of voodoo things.  That’s perfectly ok.  You should, however, believe that the below guacamole recipe is one of the best north of the equator.  I whipped this up during a mexican feast at the Erwin household recently and received rave reviews.  Here’s to growing up slow or fast, easy or hard and double dipping in some amazing guacamole along the way.

Ingredients

3 Haas avocados, halved, seeded and peeled
1 lime, juiced
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
1/2 teaspoon cayenne
1/2 medium onion, diced
1/2 jalapeno pepper, seeded and minced
2 Roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
1 tablespoon chopped cilantro
1 clove garlic, minced

Directions

1. In a large bowl place the scooped avocado pulp and lime juice, toss to coat. Drain, and reserve the lime juice, after all of the avocados have been coated.

2. Using a potato masher add the salt, cumin, and cayenne and mash. Then, fold in the onions, jalapeno, tomatoes, cilantro, and garlic. Add 1 tablespoon of the reserved lime juice.

3. Let sit at room temperature for 1 hour and then serve. Encourage your guests to scream “Holy Guacamole!”

Happy 1st Day of Spring!  I am so looking forward to shedding this winter white skin and infusing some color into my life.  March 20th not only represents the change of seasons but it is also the birthday for two of my dear friends.  Here’s to wishing Miss Carrie Marie and Mademoiselle Emily Johnston the happiest of days celebrating their birth!

I decided for this week’s edition of “What’s Cookin’ Wednesday” to incorporate a little mixology.  This decision was probably a direct result from the week I’ve had.  After Tuesday concluded, I needed a drink.  And not just some rinky dinky drink.  I wanted something sweet and fruity that would charm the edge off while leaving me with a giggly not-a-care-in-the-world buzz.  Let’s talk a bit about how I reached the need for an adult beverage, shall we?

As most of you know, my grandmother passed away last September.  She had been paralyzed for years and in order to transport her to and from her doctor’s appointments, she had a handicap van.  And not just any handicap van.  It was a 1986 retro Chevy van complete with orange shag carpet, old school radio dials and a wheelchair lift.  A week before my grandmother died, my brother totaled his car and was given the van until he could afford to get a new car.

I had never paid any attention to the van until Andrew suggested I use it to transport some items to a wedding I was working last fall.  Up until that point, I had been borrowing trucks and renting U-Hauls to move things to weddings which always cost me money and always took more time than expected.  Andrew had found a new car and the van was available for my undivided usage.  It was a life saver.  There was ample room, it was readily available and it certainly got attention while I cruised down the road.  Since Chase claims I like to walk on the verge of being weird, it honestly fit me perfectly.

There was only one minor problem with me owning the van.  I had nowhere to store it.  From the moment we moved into our neighborhood in 2008, Chase has complained about residents parking their cars on the street and not in their driveway.  By complain I mean pretty much every day as we have to swerve around a parked vehicle, he expresses his frustration.  And where do you think I parked the van?  You got it.  On the street right in front of our house.  I’m sure you can see where this is going.

The van became one of those control issues that we face as a married couple.  I saw it as a resource.  He saw it as an eyesore.  I saw it as a money saver and he saw it as a money pit.  He wanted it gone and I didn’t want him to tell me what to do.  After two months of having the van at our house, which I did use multiple times, I decided to implement the teachings of my therapist and have an adult conversation about the future of vehicle.  After some negotiation and promises, I decided I would sell the van and in the interim, I would park it at my office so it wouldn’t inflict such anger on Chase as he arrived home each night.

I arrived at my office on Monday night to pick up the van to move it and take it to be sold.  I was swinging the keys back and forth and had a little skip in my step until I reached the spot where I had parked it.  The van had vanished.  It wasn’t there.  I immediately assumed it had been towed by the Town of Wake Forest for improperly parking it so bright and early on Tuesday morning, I called the police to see if it had been towed.  This is an exact account of how I spent my day.

I called the police to be told they didn’t tow it and that I needed to check with who owned the public parking lot.  I called the Town of Wake Forest, who owns the parking lot, to be told they couldn’t tow it without the police.  I call the police back to inform them the town can’t tow without them only to be told the town can tow and I should check again.  I call the town to tell them they can have it towed only to be told they don’t “think” they had it towed.  I finally get a designated officer assigned to my case who does some research and finds out a local business owner had it towed.  However, because it was in a public lot, the business owner didn’t have the authority to do so. Only the police can tow from that lot.  The business owner claims the police told him to and the police say if they wanted it towed they would have towed it and wouldn’t have told the business owner to do so.  Of course the police officer who spoke with the business owner was off of work so my officer needed to wait to speak with that officer before releasing any other pertinent information.  As of Wednesday morning, I still have no idea where the van resides.

I’m not going to lie.  For a moment I was convinced it had been stolen.  And quite honestly, I felt relieved.  I was taking it as a sign that God had intervened and removed something that had been causing friction and unnecessary stress.  The only thing that really upset me was the fact my beach cruiser was inside and I envisioned some homeless dude in the park riding circles around the van on my turquoise bike giddy as could be.  Unfortunately, God thinks I’m capable of handling a little challenge so the van saga continues.  I feel like I’m Scooby Doo searching for the Mystery Machine.

As I doubt anyone else is searching for their handicap van, maybe you’re dealing with some sort of stress of your own this week.  Or perhaps you just want something refreshing to drink.  I whipped up this recipe, poured myself a glass, turned off every light in my house, lit candles and laid flat on the floor in complete quiet to find some sort of calm and to remind myself to let it come and let it go.  That was also my attempt to take the frustration toward Chase for making me move the van from the security of our home and redirect it internally in order to assume responsibility for being stubborn and not handling the van issue in January.  The combination of the alcohol and zen allowed me view this entire situation as comical and as a teaching tool for the future.

If you’re looking for a means of relaxation, you can use any brand of Moscato or Reisling to create this delicious beverage.  And yes, my nails match my straw.  Drink up buttercup.

Ingredients:

1 Bottle of Moscato or Reisling

1 Can of Pink Lemonade Concentrate

Splash of Sprite

Lemon and/or Raspberries for Garnish

Directions:

1.  Mix all of the ingredients together.  Serve.  Enjoy.  Forget about misplacing a van.

When I worked for the TV station in Charlotte, I was often asked to step in as the “actress” for the promos they would create for upcoming stories.  It was a win-win.  They didn’t have to pay an actual actress and I loved telling my family I was on television.  Let me tell you, I had really important roles.  I was the dancing shadow in the promo for the iPod story.  I was the underage girl on the computer being pursued by sexual predators.  I was the spokeswoman for a car dealership owned by the most obnoxious tool.

The Creative Services Department was creating a promo for an upcoming story about self-defense and since I had been so willing to participate in the shoots in the past and probably because I’m petite, they asked me to be part of it.  We filmed in the station’s parking lot after dark.  It was a typical scenario.

It’s after work and I’m walking out of the office toward my car.  My work tote is securely positioned on my left shoulder and my keys are firmly in my right hand, ready to be put into the ignition.  Out of nowhere, a dark shadow appears behind me and literally picks me up off of my feet and carries me away.  I’m abducted.

The whole concept stuck with me long after the shoot was over and the promo aired.  It wasn’t unrealistic to think something like that could easily happen.   At the grocery store when I’m loading bags.  At Target when I’m walking to my car distracted by my phone.  At midnight when I’ve just finished working a wedding.  It’s so easy to think, “That will never happen to me.”  The reality is it could.

For Christmas, Chase bought me a 38 Special.  He and I started shooting guns together this past year and I quickly became addicted.  We made the decision to go obtain our Concealed Carry Permits and this past Saturday, we endured the 8-hour class.  I’m happy to report we both passed with flying colors and even graduated the course with honors.  Ok, not really honors, just a round of applause and a certificate.  I’m now armed and dangerous.   I wouldn’t mess with me if I was you.

We did both out-shoot and out-score everyone else taking the class.  That’s not saying much because what I’m about to tell you really happened.  I’m not making it up.  We’re in the middle of a class discussion about home invasions.  The instructor asked, “If someone broke into your home, where would be the safest place to hide?”  A few students raised their hands and replied their various and valid answers.  “My closet.”  “My bathroom.”  No joke.  A middle-aged man who had to have some sense to operate a firearm, raised his hand and said, “I’d hide behind my refrigerator door.”

Really?  The refrigerator door?  Someone breaks into your house in the middle of the night and you think the safest place is behind a door filled with condiments that illuminates when opened?  That guy was completely serious and yes, he also graduated.

Speaking of refrigerators, boy do I have a treat in store for you today.  I discovered this recipe while working a summer job at a sandwich shop in my hometown of Hudson and immediately added it to my repertoire.  It’s ooey and gooey, over-the-top sweet and will have you screaming its name!  Quick note – you can use German Chocolate Cake Mix instead of the Milk Chocolate Cake Mix.  I’m not a big chocolate person so the Milk Chocolate suites my taste better.  Chase and I have our final “Financial Peace University” class tonight and I’ve prepared this dessert to celebrate saving money and carrying guns.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1 Pkg. Milk Chocolate Cake Mix
14-oz Can Sweetened Condensed Milk
12-oz Jar Caramel Ice Cream Topping
2-oz Reese’s Cups (Crushed)
8-oz Container Cool Whip
8-oz Pkg. Cream Cheese – Softened
1 Cup Sugar

Directions:

1.  Prepare the cake mix as directed.

2.  Combine the condensed milk and caramel topping.

3.  When the cake is finished baking, poke holes throughout while still hot.  Pour the milk/caramel mixture all over the top of the cake.

4.  Chill the cake in the fridge for about 2 hours.

5.  Mix together the cool whip, cream cheese and sugar to create an icing.

6.  Spread the icing on top of the cake and top with the crushed Reese’s Cups.

7.  Dig in and put some sweetness in your mouth!

Silly WordPress was acting like a fool yesterday and was running as slow as a snail.  Therefore, this recipe is hitting the web a day later than I would have liked but it’s here nonetheless.  Speaking of snails, I tried one for the first time last Saturday night at dinner.  I didn’t hate it.  It’s definitely not something I’d order but if it was in front of me, I’d give it another go. You should see me when I’m trying a food for the first time.  I hesitantly move the item closer to my face like it’s toxic.  I always give it a quick sniff because if I don’t like the smell, chances are I’m not going to like the taste.  Once it’s marinating inside my mouth, my uncontrollable facial expressions will immediately let you know whether I’m fond of what I just ate or completely disgusted.

One food that always gets a positive head nod up and down, closed eyes and a long “mmmmm” is mexican food.  I’m addicted.  It’s possible if you cut my finger, I’ll spill out queso.  In college, my best friend and I would eat at Monterrey’s before class every week.  We ordered the same thing every time and left with our bellies full and our hair smelling like fajitas.

My office is located directly across the street from a mexican restaurant.  It’s a curse and a blessing rolled in one big tortilla.  It’s a daily temptation and I strategically try to convince myself with all sorts of excuses to eat there regularly.  ”It’s cheap!”  ”It’s healthy.  It comes with beans and rice!”  ”They have Coca-Cola in a styrofoam cup!”  No joke.  I sometimes pick where I eat lunch based solely on if that establishment serves their beverages in a styrofoam cup or not.  The quality and standard of the receptacle a restaurant uses for their beverages is very important to me because I’m the queen of the “Can I have a to-go cup?”

If you crave mexican food on a monthly, weekly or daily basis like me, this recipe will have you shaking your maracas and screaming “Muy Bueno!”  My mom discovered this recipe while I was in high school and it’s been a staple in my collection ever since.  It’s super simple to make and oh so tasty.  Here’s an incredibly important recommendation, become familiar with Jack’s Salsa.  I don’t know what Jack is doing but he’s doing it right.  That boy sure does know how to make some kick butt salsa.  So here’s the plan.  Go pick up some Jack’s Salsa, whip up this Taco Ring and have a mexican fiesta at your house tonight!

Ingredients:

1. 1lb. Ground Beef
2. Packet of Taco Seasoning
3. 1 Can of Crescent Rolls
4. 1 Can of Black Beans
5. Salsa
6. Shredded Cheese
7. Desired Toppings (Lettuce, Tomato, Sour Cream, etc.)

 
Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2. Brown ground beef and drain grease.

3. Stir in water (according to packet instructions) and taco seasoning.

4. Unroll crescent rolls and separate. Arrange triangles in a circle on a round baking stone or baking pan with wide ends overlapping in center and points toward the outside.

5. Scoop meat mixture evenly onto widest ends of dough at center of ring. Top with black beans, salsa and cheese.  Bring points in and over and tuck underneath the wide end.

6. Bake for 10 – 12 minutes or until golden brown.

7. Garnish with sour cream, tomatoes, lettuce or other toppings.

My grandmother was an amazing cook.   I never really appreciated that as much as I should have when I was growing up.  I was stuck in meat and bread land.  My plate usually consisted of one large slab of protein and three freshly buttered rolls.  Because I had, and still do have, weird eating habits, I never really experienced her full range of cooking.  I didn’t eat her mashed potatoes because mashed potatoes shouldn’t have lumps.  I didn’t eat her sweet potatoes because they were orange.  I didn’t eat her green beans because they were a vegetable.  I didn’t eat her cooked cabbage because I wasn’t a rabbit.  She was never offended.  In fact, she always made extra rolls just for me and it was my responsibility to make sure they were properly buttered before going into the oven.

I can remember getting ready on Sunday mornings and overhearing my Dad on the phone with Meme.  “Yes Mom. We’ll be right over after church.  See you soon.”   And immediately after the church service, we’d pile into the car and head to Meme and Papa’s house for dinner.  Technically it was lunch but in the Short family it was labeled dinner.  A quick game of “Punch Bug” in the car with my brother and ten minutes later, we were there.

I’d swing open the storm door, scream “Hey Meme!” and run directly to the kitchen to see what she was preparing as if I was going to devour every single item in sight.  The house was always filled with the sweet aroma of a home-cooked meal and the sound of NASCAR in the background while the kitchen counter was always covered with every dish from the cabinet.  She was the messiest cook that could whip up the meanest chicken-n-dumplings and cornbread you’ve ever tasted.

Meme was never overly affectionate.  I never thought of her as a sweet little ole’ granny.  And although she would hug us and tell us she loved us, nothing said it more than those Sunday afternoons in her company.  She was always the last person to sit down with a plate, making sure everyone else was fed and that the food tasted “alright.”

I often think about Meme when I’m cooking.  I think about how she passed along techniques and recipes to my dad that he passed along to me and here I am, doing exactly what she did.  And just like she did for my Papa and my family, I now try to show love to others through cooking.  It’s a way for me to say, “Hey. You had a long day. I put this together to let you know I was thinking about you and thought you might enjoy eating it.”

A meal doesn’t have to be elaborate.  Take for instance this recipe I‘m featuring today.  It’s so dang simple.  But it’s delicious.  And because it realistically only takes 15 minutes to put together, it gives you time to share it with someone and create a memory that you’ll remember.

I took Sunday afternoons for granted.  That’s how life works I guess.  We wait until something is gone to realize the impact it really had.  So my advice is simple.  Call the family.  Get everyone together.  Cook.  Sit around the table and tell stories and laugh.  Answer enthusiastically every time your dad asks “Does it taste alright?  Do you like it?”  Take in that precious dinner time together and remember that you’re feeding more than your belly.  You’re feeding your soul and you’re creating moments together that will one day be an unchangeable history.

Ingredients:

Directions:

1. Bring all ingredients to a boil in a saucepan.

2. Simmer for 10 minutes or until heated throughout.  Enjoy! (I told you it was easy!)

I studied abroad for six months while I was in college.  Hands down, it was the most rewarding and life altering experience of my four years of education.  I can vividly remember sitting in the orientation class and listening to a past student talk about her time in London.  She boasted about how she had lost her “freshmen fifteen” during her stay due to the large amount of required walking.  I was bursting with excitement.  I couldn’t wait to feel a foreign pavement beneath my feet and if my walking around an unfamiliar country while soaking in the rich history meant I would also shed a few pounds, sign me up.

I had never struggled with my weight.  Even though I ate like a seven-year-old, I was highly active and went to the gym regularly during my first two years of college.  I stepped on a scale once a year at my annual doctor’s appointment.  My weight never weighed very heavy, or really at all, on my mind.

Looking back, I think I prematurely convinced myself that my experience would perfectly align with that of the orientation speaker.  I would live abroad.  Walk miles upon miles a day and have zero need to join a gym or watch what I was eating.  I was terribly mistaken.

My best friend and I coped with living in another country by eating.  And eat we did.  We dined multiple times a week at the local Pizza Hut or McDonalds.  We frequently indulged in Samir’s, which was basically mayonnaise on a pita and topped with chicken.  Before bed we would drink a Vanilla Coke and eat a Sainsbury All Butter Madeira Cake.  Sounds completely healthy, right?  We blamed not being able to join the school’s gym on tight budgets and bad exchange rates.  We honestly believed we could eat like pigs and the weight would never catch up to us because we were walking around England so quickly.

I’ll never forget the look on my mom’s face as I was half-way down the escalator at the Charlotte airport.  It was a mixture of complete elation and confusion.  It had been six long months since we had seen each other and I was noticeably a more plump version of the girl that had left.  Even though she was quick to point out that I must have been eating well during my stay, I continued to live in denial.  It wasn’t until a few weeks later when my favorite pair of jeans ripped straight up the middle while I was trying to stuff my butt into them that I realized I needed to change.

It took a period of drastic lifestyle adjustments and a change from the inside out to bring back that confidence I lost when I had gained extra pounds.  I’m still far from a fruits and veggies eater but I do try.  I check the scale more than once a year not to make sure I’m skinny but to make sure I’m healthy.  I maintain my weight because I want to be completely naked and feel ridiculously sexy.

The correlation between my story and this recipe is that one of the major ways I whipped myself back into a healthy shape was through portion control.  I love that this recipe makes it so easy to gage exactly how much you should eat.  I can kill some Italian food so this method guarantees I don’t end up in a lasagna coma.  It’s easy to assemble – so easy that there really isn’t a right or wrong way.  There are zero measurements.  Make it the way you like it.  It’s quick to cook as long as you aren’t taking pictures of each step and it tastes delightful.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

Pound of Ground Beef
Salt & Pepper
Italian Seasoning
Wonton Wrappers
Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
Shredded Parmesan Cheese
Ricotta Cheese
Pasta Sauce

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray muffin tin with cooking spray.

2.  Brown beef and season with salt, pepper and Italian seasoning.  Drain.

3.  Return pan to the stovetop and add pasta sauce.  Heat throughout.

4. Line each muffin cup with a wonton wrapper.  Fill each wrapper with meat sauce, ricotta cheese and shredded cheese.  Repeat.  Top with remaining cheeses.

5. Bake for 18-20 minutes or until edges are brown. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Use a butter knife to loosen the edges and then pop each lasagna cup out and serve!

I realize this is the second dessert I’ve featured that involves lemons.  No, I don’t have some weird fascination with lemons.  This just so happens to be Chase’s favorite dessert and since he turned the big 2-9 last week, I decided to whip it up in honor of his birthday.

Also in honor of Chase’s birthday, we went bowling with his dad and stepmom.  I guess in reality Chase and his family went bowling.  I went and tossed a six pound ball into a gutter repetitively.  I seriously have to be one of the worst bowlers you know.  I start at the line with the best of intentions.  In fact, I generally have a mental pep talk with myself where I repeat in my mind, “Keep your arm straight.  Aim for the arrow.  You got this.”

But then, it never fails.  I do this really weird thing with my wrist where it practically looks like I’m in a shot put competition.  I kept hoping the pins would fall down voluntarily because they felt embarrassed for me.  Every once and while one pin would have a heart and topple over but for the most part, all ten stood at attention and watched my ball roll right by on the gutter waterslide. I blame my bad bowling on my inverted elbows.  Although I did find I slightly improved after a glass of wine.  Only slightly though.

Regardless of how well you bowl or not, I’m confident you can make this pie.  It’s so easy to put together and has a refreshing tart taste.  Instead of making one large pie, I decided to make mini-pies.  Miniature is all the rage right now.  All the cool kids are doing it.

My key piece of advice – give the pie plenty of time in the freezer.  You want the filling to have time to really set up.  And now for the cheesy closing remark – when life hands you lemons, make a lemon icebox pie and tell Priscilla how wonderful she is for generously sharing the delicious recipe.

Ingredients:

1 Package of Pillsbury Pie Crusts
1 Can of Sweetened Condensed Milk
2 -3 Lemons
1 Egg Yolk

Directions:

1. Bake pie crusts according to package directions.  Allow crusts to cool completely.

2. Mix together the juice from 2 – 3 large lemons, the condensed milk and the egg yolk.

3. Pour the mixture into the pie crust(s) and place in freezer for at least 4 hours.  I typically leave mine in the freezer overnight before serving.

4. Serve your pie and watch people rub their bellies in excitement.

I’m not exaggerating.  If you use the below recipe for your next burger night, it will be the most delicious cheeseburger to ever meet your face.  I cook a lot and Chase enjoys pretty much anything and everything I make.  However, I’ve never had him rave over something as much as he did over this burger.  If I recall correctly, he titled this burger “gourmet” and even stated while eating leftovers the next day that it was the “best dang burger ever.”  I think I could have convinced him to let me open a burger stand on the side of the road to sell these bad boys and he would have happily agreed.

You have to make this recipe.  And you have to do in on a stove top.  Trust me.  The burgers are so moist and melt-in-your-mouth that they’ll crumble on the grill.  I decided to whip up a thousand island-like special yum yum sauce to accompany the burger and because I’m so generous, I’ve posted that recipe below too.  And remember, a burger of this caliber deserves more than the standard bun.  I prefer a buttered and toasted sesame seed bun.  Who doesn’t like toasted buns?

If Taylor Swift ate this burger, she would claim she’s never had a better burger.  Like never ever, ever, never, ever.  I can’t wait to hear from you if you try this recipe.  I promise your tastebuds will throw a party in your mouth.

Ingredients:

2 lbs Ground Beef (85/15 – I didn’t say this was a healthy burger.)
1/4 Cup BBQ Sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray’s sauce.)
1/2 Cup of grated Monterrey Jack Cheese
Season Salt to Taste
Cracked Black Pepper
Onion Powder
1 Tsp. Worcestershire Sauce
1 Tsp. Brown Sugar

Directions:

1. Mix all of the above ingredients.  Shape your meat into patties about an inch thick. Push a 1/2 inch indent into the center of the patty to prevent it from becoming a dome shape.

2. Place each patty – indent side up – on a hot skillet. Cook for about 5 minutes, making sure it doesn’t burn. Flip each patty and cook until done.

3. Assemble your burger and watch your mouth drool.  (Be sure to spread on the Special Yum Yum Sauce!)

Special Yum Yum Sauce

Ingredients:

3/4 Cup of Mayo (What are you doing not using Duke’s?)
1/4 Cup Ketchup
1/4 Cup Relish
2 Tablespoons Worcestershire
Seasoned Salt

Directions:

1. Mix all of the ingredients.  Adjust to your liking.  Enjoy!

Special thanks to Little Miss Momma blog for exposing me to the basics of this recipe.

Each year my friend Liz and I get together to bake dozens of Christmas cookies for no real reason other than to spend an afternoon in the kitchen.  Don’t worry.  We don’t waste them.  We box them up and give them to neighbors and friends.  We are both Christmas freaks, although I believe she might actually be a bigger one than me, so listening to Frosty the Snowman while simultaneously using a cookie cutter of him to frame some dough really makes our mistletoe-filled hearts happy.

Fun fact: I haven’t eaten one cookie from our baking extravaganza on Sunday.  I’m weird like that.  A lot of times I’ll bake or cook a meal with no intent of actually eating it.  I just really enjoy the experience of cooking, experiementing with recipes and creating something for other people to eat and enjoy.  The majority of our leftovers are sent to Chase’s work where someone in his office devours it.

I’ll be completely honest with you in regards to the recipe I’m posting today.  I actually ate one of these cookies when I made them with my brother last week and loved it.  I am a fan of anything lemon flavored.  So much so, I would suggest adding lemon zest to the batter if you make them.  I think they could have used that extra twang.  If you’re looking for an easy, homemade, biscuit-like lemon cookie bite, definitely give these little gems a try.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 Cups All-Purpose Flour
1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
2 1/2 Teaspoons Baking Powder
1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
1/2 Cup Milk
Pinch of Salt
2 Teaspoons Lemon Extract
1 Egg

Lemon Glaze
1 1/2 Cups Sifted Confectioners’ Sugar
2 Tablespoons Milk
1 Teaspoon Lemon Extract
Rainbow Sprinkles and Decorating Sugar for Topping

Directions:

1.  Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Coat baking sheets with cooking spray.

2.  In a large bowl, combine flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, oil, milk, salt, lemon extract, and egg. Roll dough into 1/2-inch balls and place on prepared baking sheets.

3. Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until cookies are set but not brown. Let sit 5 minutes then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

4.  In a medium bowl, combine glaze ingredients and stir until smooth.

5.  Dip tops of cooled cookies in glaze and place on wire rack, then immediately decorate as desired.

Note #1: We added a drop of yellow food coloring to the glaze to give it an added boost.  Also, you’ll see my “bites” below are bigger than standard.  I made mine way too large and suggest opting for the smaller size dough bites.

Note #2: I first typed “balls”  instead of “bites”  in Note #1.  I decided during the proofing process that while funny, it was probably inappropriate.

Ok boys and girls.  I know, I know.  I fell off the wagon.  I’m picking myself up, dusting off and getting back onto the blogging trail.  And what better post to start with than a yummy recipe for a quick and delicious breakfast treat?

I learned very early in our relationship that Chase could live off of pancakes and cereal.  In fact, my alarm clock in the morning is frequently the sound of his spoon clanging against our porcelain bowls while the sounds of ESPN echo in the background.  I’m not a big fan of the first meal of the day.  I usually drink my breakfast in the form of Starbucks.

I discovered this recipe and just had to give it a try.  I baked these and served them for breakfast one morning during our annual Thanksgiving trip to Kentucky with the Erwin clan.  They were such a hit!  So much so, Chase was beyond elated when I fixed them alongside Eggnog Pancakes last week for dinner. (Don’t worry – that delicious recipe is coming up very soon!)  This is such a simple recipe that yields impressive results.  Even for this non-breakfast lover, I can admit that it is very tasty.  Enjoy!

Ingredients:

12 Slices Bacon
8 Eggs
1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese
Pinch of Salt
1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350.

2. Spray each muffin cup with cooking spray.

3. Whip the eggs, salt, pepper and cheese with a fork.

4. Wrap each piece of bacon inside the sides of each muffin cup.

5. Fill each bacon lined muffin cup 3/4 of the way with the egg mixture.

6. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the egg cups are golden brown and don’t jiggle. Use a knife to scoop them out of the tins. Serve immediately.

*Note: I placed my cups on a paper towel to remove the excess bacon grease before serving.