Dognip

It's like catnip, only for dogs. It isn't a plant at all, but a pair of socks. Weird? Yes. Funny? Hilarious. I understand that not everyone out there is a dog lover or even a pet lover for that matter, but my Sally Wag is like my baby, and it is for that reason that I give you this:

Those are my socks. I had them lying on a towel to dry on the office/spare room floor and she found her way to them. Honestly, I am not quite sure what is going on...this is not normal behavior.

Creme Brulee

CREME BRULEE

This recipe is one of my favorite desserts and makes for one serious guilty pleasure. Not only is it delicious, it is easy!

You will need:

4 Egg Yolks
4 Tablespoons Sugar
1 Pint Heavy Cream
1 Teaspoon Vanilla
Dash of Salt
4-6 Ramekins or Custard cups
Roasting Pan ( I use a 9x9 or 9x13 pyrex)

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Mix sugar and heavy cream in a microwave safe bowl.

Put the sugar cream mixture in the microwave for 2 minutes to help dissolve the sugar.

Beat the egg yolks until they are smooth.

When the sugar cream mixture is done add the egg yolks, salt and vanilla and whisk everything together.

Pour the mixture evenly into your ramekins(I got mine from Ross for $9.00 and love them)
Set your ramekins into your oven safe dish and pour enough hot water into the bottom of the pan to come up halfway on the ramekins.

Bake in the oven for 40 minutes.

Cool on counter top until they are cool enough to handle and then put them in the fridge.
Let them sit in the refrigerator overnight. (if you were to make them in the morning you could have them ready for dessert that night) It is important that they spend a good amount of time in the fridge. They really do not taste the same unless you let them set up in the fridge for quite a while.

Sprinkle the creme brulee with brown sugar and get out the little kitchen torch. Melt the sugar on the top to create a hard shell. (I dont have a torch and skipped this step)

Devour.

*someday I will have a kitchen torch...someday*

I am going on an adventure...

John and I have been watching a t.v. show called "The 'F' Word." It is a cooking show starring Chef Gordon Ramsay. "The 'F' stands for food" he says at the beginning of every episode. It is kind of an odd show and I don't really know how to describe it, but it has awakened something in me and inspired us to try some different foods. So with a little bit of Christmas money I went to Ross and got some totally sweet and totally inexpensive cook books and some cooking implements that I have needed for quite some time - I still don't have a rolling pin! One of the cook books I bought is Martha Stewart's Cooking School, it retails for $45.00 and I bought it for $10.00. Thank you, Ross. It is probably one of the most handy things a person who wants to cook can have. Martha literally teaches you just about everything you need to know including, but not limited to de-boning a leg of lamb, filleting different fish, dividing a whole chicken, and how to make stocks of every kind (thank you, Martha). The other book cost me about $7.00 but is not really worth mentioning.

With some rules in line (like sticking to the monthly food budget), my adventure started about a week and a half ago. In our quest we are trying to eat better (in my opinion, just about anything homemade is better than eating out) eat fewer snack-y things, and we are also trying to eat fresh. The eating fresh part has been a challenge, but has also been fun (for example: instead of buying breads, I make them)

So far we have had the following things for dinner:

Seared Ahi Tuna Salad - have you ever heard of Sunflower Farmers Market? They have the most delicious cuts of meat and fish and you cant beat the price on the fish.

Chicken and Eggplant Parmesan - The eggplant didn't turn out so great, it was pretty mushy.

Greek Chicken with grilled zucchini served over Bulgur with Homemade pita bread - our most favorite yet...and probably the most healthy. I will have to make it again so I can take pictures and share the recipe. Side note: If you have not tried bulgur, TRY IT. It can be used as a substitute for rice and it is so yummy.

Tri Tip roast with garlic tossed asparagus and roasted baby potatoes - We all know how amazing tri tip is.

I will share some of the delicious recipes that I have as I make them so you can come along on my food adventure with me!