So I decided to do my blog post today about food. I love food. I love to look at it. I love to read about it. I love to cook it and I love to eat it. Too much. But that’s another post for another day:(
My brothers were 8, 10 and 12 when I was born. By the time I was 9 they were all gone to college, work and marriage and my mother was sick of cooking. I grew up thinking cooking was opening a box of Kraft Macaroni & Cheese or a can of Chef Boyardee Spaghetti. Mostly I grew up on Captain D’s Seafood. My mom LOVED their popcorn shrimp.
Then I got married. Eddie, on the other hand, could cook like Emeril. His parents divorced when he was 11 and his mom went back to work. She was an excellent cook – still is! – you should taste her ham!!! And she would call Eddie after school and tell him how to make fried chicken or pot roast for dinner. Eddie taught me how to cook.
And cook I did, especially after the boys were born and quickly grew into twin eating machines!! Playing every sport known to man made their appetites quite healthy:) Their favorites of mine include buffalo chicken tenders and not so sloppy joes. (they are both excellent chefs in their own right:)
Now that it’s just the 2nd & last husband and me, I cook for enjoyment purposes, not to feed an army. I love to flip through Bon Appetit, watch Food Network and peruse foodie blogs. My new go to app is Big Oven. And I have all my recipes stored now on my own personal page at Food Network. It’s super easy to upload, pin and grab from other websites!
I rediscovered brussel sprouts and I made some amazing Balsamic Roast Beef Hoagies in the crockpot thanks to Big Oven. The Barefoot Contessa helped me make some Caramelized Butternut Squash Fries and Southern Living is always a go to for recipes – Caramelized Onion Gravy ??? Die!!
And then there’s Pinterest – good lord – I’ve become a junkie. Sour Cream & Chive Biscuits? Reuben Slow Cooker Dip? Deconstructed Spaghetti Squash Carbonara is now on the horizon.
One more foodie obsession I’ve discovered is Garnish & Gather. They’ll make a chef out of anyone. They deliver all the ingredients + the recipe to you and you will become your own personal Giada DeLaurentis. I made Chicken Breasts with Arugula Pesto over Goat Cheese Orzo thanks to G&G – Yumalicious! I felt positively Julia Child-ish!!! You’re still cooking – you’re just not shopping. Me, I’d rather shop for stilettos than broccoli.
And of course, when you cook you have to drink so I’ve become my own personal Vixologist as well. It’s been fun (and easy) to pair Vixen Vodka with everything from Turkey Sandwiches (see previous Almost Heaven recipe) to The Perfect Prime Rib.
Feel free to comment here if you have a recipe (or a cocktail) you’d like me to try and go get your Pinterest fix like me! Now go eat something!!!
–LeeAnn, part time Chef, part time Foodie, all time Eater