New Recipe

January 22, 2018

I tried out a new recipe this weekend that I really loved.  Actually, I usually cook by looking at several recipes and then creating an amalgamation of them, which is what I did here.  It's simple, really, and delicious.  I'm not going to post a picture, though, because the picture simply doesn't do it justice (and truth be told, might turn someone away from trying it).  It's not especially pretty, but it's good nonetheless.  All you do is take a wheel of Brie cheese, spread fig jam over the top, and then top that with some cooked bacon and toasted pine nuts.  Bake it until melty, and then serve with crostini bread.  Super easy, super tasty appetizer!

Yum

January 13, 2018

Yes, I'm walking 10,000 steps every day, and yes I'm exercising every day.  I'm trying to drink a little less Diet Pepsi (not eliminating it altogether--let's not get crazy!), and trying to drink a little more water.  But dear friends, I'm not going to live my life wistfully staring at all the foods I "can't" have.  It's only going to make me sad.  Or it's going to just be plain ineffective, so I'll be mad at myself.  No, I'm not going into a battle with food like that.  So every once in awhile, when the mood strikes for something more decadent and cheesy, I'm going to make it, I'm going to enjoy eating it, and I'm going to move on with my life.

Comfort Food

January 10, 2014

I don't like the cold in general, but one of the things I really like about winter season is that Doug makes homemade soup.  Tonight's dinner:  chicken noodle soup.  Delicious!

Local Girls Make a Splash

February 8, 2013

One of the cool things about being a teacher in the digital age is that I often get to see and celebrate successes of my students long after they've left our high school hallways.  I've been able to see them, often through Facebook and other social media, grow into young adults with interesting careers and loving families.  Within the last two weeks, I've had two former students actually making a splash in the news for their current endeavors.  Stephanie Reilly has a fashion line, Bella Linea, which just debuted in New York, and Lauren Scott is making her mark as a 'chef-testant' on the new reality cooking show, The Taste.  Both girls are sweet, energetic, and ambitious to make their dreams come true.  I'm so excited for the success they are both experiencing right now!

Stephanie:

Lauren:

It's a Baking Time of Year

December 9, 2012

Here's another fun and simple idea I got from Pinterest.  I changed it up just a little bit by sprinkling the crescent dough with cinnamon sugar before adding the marshmallows and chocolate chips.  I put them in the oven at 350 for about 10 minutes.  Delicious!

Summer Lunch

June 21, 2012

It's too hot to cook, but the kids just keep on getting hungry right around lunchtime anyway.   Here's my happy alternative to cooking for today:  Veggie and cheese kabobs:  mozzarella cheese, cherry tomatoes, basil leaves, artichokes, and black olives, all drizzled with balsamic vinegarette.  Yum!  Danielle thought it was delicious.  Nicholas liked it quite a bit, too, but would like to see me add some kind of a protein next time--salami or ham, perhaps.  A fair request.  I think we'll have this one again a few times this summer.

A Pinterest Kind of Summer

June 19, 2012

Every summer when I'm on break from school, I vow to shake things up a bit by trying new craft projects and new recipes.  Often, though, good intentions fall by the wayside, victim of inertia and routine.  This summer, however, I have Pinterest to spark my motivation.  It's not that there's necessarily ground-breaking stuff on there; as a matter of fact, probably a lot of what's on there is common fare for most people.  I go to the boards and think, "Hey-I could make that! It doesn't look hard at all!"  And so, I have resolved once again to change things up in the kitchen and in the home--try out some new things which, perhaps, can move into the regular rotation once the school year kicks into gear again.

Here's today's lunch, courtesy of Pinterest.  It was delicious, by the way!

Grilled Caprese Sandwich

Escapism

I spent my evening last night in the company of some fine people--talented, funny, and interesting. Oh yeah--and fictional, some of them. I'm pretty excited about the return of GLEE. Hubby and daughter and I all watched the premiere several months ago, and have been anxiously awaiting the beginning of the actual season. The show was lots of fun--a good combination of quirky and funny and touching. (Not to mention the powerhouse voices!) I was also thrilled that we wouldn't have to wait nearly as long as usual for the newest season of So You Think You Can Dance, which premiered its new season last night as well. (We are huge fans--we've even gone to see the tours each year, and won backstage passes one year as well. It was quite cool!) Finally, although last night wasn't the 1st episode of the season, it was Top Chef night. I'll tune in to see Tom and Padma any day. (Plus, watching the show makes hubby want to try all kinds of new culinary adventures, so that's a bonus!)