Smashed Potatoes

Ok guys, no new recipe or anything - I'm in a bit of a cooking rut - but I just want to urge all of you to make some smashed potatoes. We had them for supper yesterday and they were so super-duper amazing, I'm making them again today.

Three Cheese Pasta Bake

Hello, hello. Good news and more excuses: I did get one of the shift bids, so I'm now working full time from midnight to 8:30 am. Yay health insurance and savings for a house! Due to the schedule change, I spent last week preparing for the switch (being awake when I usually sleep and sleeping when the sun's still out!) and this week actually adjusting to it. As hubby has been getting home this week about an hour before my bedtime, I haven't cooked much. BUT, I did make a delicious pasta dish: three cheese baked pasta. I don't have a picture because, hey it's white pasta with white cheese. It isn't all that pretty, but it is tasty! (Also, i was too tired to take a picture.)

Pizza

I'm a believer in cosmic balance. For every good thing, there is a bad thing and vice versa. Today was fabulous; it was the first day in a long time that I had all to myself without any obligations. No work. No market. No appointments. I slept until I was ready to arise. I had a great lunch with Amanda at Croissant du Jour. I went to the store and had a nice time looking at things. I decided to make pizza for dinner; fun right?

Right before starting to make the hearthbread that I planned to use as crust, I realized I forgot to buy 2 things and had to go back to the store. Prepared the dough, using my new/old stand mixer (!!!!!). An hour after rising, it hadn't really risen. I figured it was user error; I used my mixer to knead the bread. I tried to call hubby on his way home, but he didn't answer, so once he got home he had to go back out and get store made (meh) pizza crust. And I used too much cheese.

Since I had started making the hearthbread, I had already baked the 4 cloves of garlic, so I decided to go ahead and make the garlic/olive oil/parsley sauce. But some of my garlic burned, so I added tomatoes to increase the volume. It was an off shade of orange.

After spreading the sauce, I laid down a layer of spinach leaves and some roma tomato slices. Heaped on the mozzarella (too much heaping action), then laid down baby bella mushrooms, artichoke hearts, and crumbled bacon.

Even though there was too much cheese, it was tasty.



Oh, and my hearthbread has finally risen enough!

Croissant du Jour

There's an amazing little place here in town called Croissant du Jour. It's owned by a wonderful French lady. They serve lunch and pastries. So tasty. Amanda and I went there today (nicoise sandwiches and lobster bisque!!), and I decided to bring home some treats. I bought a Napoleon (above), croissant, and chocolate brioche. All tasty.

I don't usually update food I didn't make (and I don't plan to start), but I thought it was tres cool and want Cedar Rapidians to check this place out. It's on Mount Vernon. GO!

Figs!

So my hometown has experienced quite a development boom. This includes a "high end" market that my sister and I checked out. And then I dragged hubby there because I loved it! For the past year, I've been seeing all these recipes using fresh figs that looked amazing, but I can never find it. Finally, at The Fresh Market, I found some! I decided I was going to make a sauce to drizzle on top of them, using a sweet red wine, caramelized sugar, and perhaps honey, then serve them with unsweetened whipped cream.

Sadly, figs don't stay fresh very long, and by the time I had the time to prepare the sauce, only 2 of the figs were still good. Oh well. I still got my first taste of fresh figs - so yummy! I just decided to halve them and drizzle them with honey. Yum. I wish I had some now.

Banana Pudding

We're going to get back into the swing of things slowly. While staying at my dad's house, I saw he had alot of bananas, and knowing that my dad likes banana pudding, I decided I'd make him some. It's an easy, simple thing to make, but can be oh so good.

Banana Pudding:

• 1 box banana pudding mix, prepared
• 1 box Nilla Wafers
• A couple bananas

..Prepare your pudding mix.


Lay down a layer of Nilla wafers on the bottom of your nice dish... or tupperware container.. whatever you want to use. I prefer things with lids, and this lovely dish has one!


Slice the bananas and layer them on top of the wafers.



Pour your pudding on top.


Layer the rest of the bananas and Nilla wafers on top. Be decorative; be greedy. Be whatever you want. I figured I'd try to make it look decent.

Place in the fridge and let set for an hour or two. Dad likes it all. Hubby likes just the pudding. I personally LOVE the slightly soggy Nilla wafers. I'm weird, what can I say. All I know is that I am 100% willing to dig through the pudding to find them.

um... Hi

Bad, bad me. It has been quite awhile since I last posted. Between working 40 hours a week, then baking for hours for the farmers' market, I just didn't have time to try out any new recipes. Then, I spent a marvelous week in Louisiana visiting my family and eating tasty tasty good. And now, I'm just a week and a half from classes beginning. AND hubby got a "promotion" (new position, more money) that will have him working 2:00-10:30 AM! Yowza!! So that I can actually see and speak to said darling hubby, I've put myself up for a shift bid - going full time, working 12:00-8:30 AM. So, upheaval? Check. But have no fear (well maybe a scoosh); I will maintain this blog! I will do it!! A girl's gotta eat, right? Yes.

Rant of excuses over. I thought I'd let you know some of the glorious foods I ate while in Louisiana:
bbq: brisket, chicken, Richards sausage (BEST EVER)
cheeseball (I'll make this one day, I promise)
squash casserole (Thanksgiving, hopefully)
Mom's amazing guacamole (not brave enough to attempt by myself)
fried shrimp poboy & string onion rings (Julien's Poboys)
delicious turkey breast - slow cooked
boudin
chicken and sausage gumbo
shrimp etouffee
eggplant casserole
muffelata
tamales
chicken ranch pizza
stuffed crab
corn and crab bisque
pan-broiled shrimp
chocolate covered sunflower seeds (YUM)

Mmmmmm tasty foods.