Aisle Twelve

It's almost that crazy Hallmark time of year, Valentine's Day.  Despite your relationship status, isn't it time to treat someone you love (be it your sweetie or yourself) to a decadent dinner?  I decided to make a nice steak dinner for my sweetie this week, since it marked five years that we met in the shampoo aisle.  Steak is delicious by itself but everyone knows when going to a steakhouse, the real treat of a steak dinner is the sides.  But what could I make besides a boring baked potato or side of rice?  I instantly had a craving for a creamy, cheesy potato dish.  I scoured the Internet and found a simple and decadent recipe for scalloped potatoes gratin.  Thank you Tyler Florence for such a simple, easy and beyond delicious side to compliment this steak dinner.   It's not exactly a dieter's dish, but when you're having a steak dinner, it's time to splurge.  Save up the calories because thi...

Let me introduce you to your new favorite dessert.  Not only will this be your favorite because it tastes so delicious, but its so easy to make and you probably already have all, if not most, of the ingredients in your pantry.  Am I the only one who does this?  Before I recycle a magazine, I go through it and tear out the pages I think I'll want to keep.  This helps in getting tons of magazines out of the house, but then I end up with a binder of pages that I will go through and eventually throw away.  However, I found this gem of a recipe in that pile.  It is from an issue of Kraft Food and Family years ago.  The magazine uses this recipe as a perfect compliment to coffee, and oh please don't torture me, I'm sure it is absolutely divine with coffee.  I have been accompanying these bars with a good old glass of milk and it is a delight.  I'm sure a glass of red wine wouldn't be a bad partner either... These are best when they are warme...

Winter is a good time for soups.  At least they say it is winter; today is a balmy 50 degrees.  Not that I'm complaining, I just have a nagging feeling that the late arrival of winter means snow until May.  Let's hope that is not the case.  This soup was literally, and I mean literally literally, on every menu in Scotland.  This recipe for potato leek soup tastes different than the soups we had there, but it is every bit as good, and perfect for a winter's day.  I've become somewhat of a vegetarian since I've had a bun in the oven, mainly because the smell of meat cooking really does me in.  (Don't worry, dare I say I feel that I'm starting to turn a corner.  Please God, please God, please God let me turn this nausea corner.)  Nausea aside, this is a great vegetarian recipe since it really sticks to your ribs, you won't miss the meat at all! This is based on a recipe from Ina Garten's Back to Basics cookbook.  I think what makes it di...

It's a new year again!  2012 promises to bring some of the biggest and most exciting changes for me and I can't wait to share them with you!  You may have noticed that I haven't posted a new recipe on here in quite some time.  I apologize.  There is a big reason and it is mainly that I haven't been cooking very many new things to share with you.  A lot of the things I am making are old stand bys that I quickly whip together because (a) I have no energy to stand by a stove for more than 5 minutes (b) the things I am eating are probably of no particular interest to you, unless eating an entire jar of banana peppers chased with a tall glass of Fresca interests you or (c) because the thought of a certain food sends me running for the nearest toilet.  Sorry to mention toilet in a food blog.  Yes, I do have a mild case of morning sickness.  For the most part though, I am still cooking, but what I'm cooking happens to be a very specific something that...

 Hi Pumpkin.  This is Mom and Dad.  We call you Pumpkin because we first found out about you on Halloween morning.  Here's a little story of how you came to be.  Mom and Dad were very excited to become a mom and dad.  We wanted to start having a family soon after we got married.  But we soon discovered that it was much harder to make a family than we had thought.  It took us 21 LOOOONG months of trying hard and praying hard for you to come into our lives.  There were many times in those 21 months when we were afraid we might never be able to meet you.  It made us very sad.  But then on Halloween morning in 2011, we woke up and took a test that tells us if you were in my belly or not.  Before that morning, we had taken many, many tests and they all said no.  But on that wonderful Halloween morning, the test said YES!   We were so excited, we just had to tell people that you were there!  We ...

Tis the time of year for holiday parties and festivities.  The most wonderful time of the year in my book.  What could be better than eating good food and drinking a few festive drinks with family and friends?  What goes better with a festive cocktail then a little spicy crunch?  These Spanish spiced almonds are the perfect accompaniment.  They also make great hostess gifts, and who doesn't need at least a couple hostess gifts over the holidays?  You might want to make an extra batch of these...they are extremely addictive!  Spanish Spiced Almonds (adapted from Eating Well) 1/4 cup light brown sugar 2 teaspoons ground cumin 1 teaspoon hot paprika 1 teaspoon rosemary, chopped 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper 1 large egg white 1 tablespoon water 1 pound (about 3 cups) Marcona or raw whole almonds Preheat oven to 275°F. Lightly coat a large rimmed baking sheet with olive oil.  Whisk brown sugar, cumin, paprika, rosemary, salt a...

Wednesday, September 21 After a long flight, we make it to Edinburgh mid-afternoon.  True to it's reputation, it is rainy and grey.  As we walk our way to the hotel, it starts down pouring.  My shoes and luggage are soaked and after a little coaxing, I convince Joe to get us a cab.  We change out of our soaked clothes, freshen up and brace ourselves for the rain by putting on our rain gear.  As we step out of our hotel, we are welcomed with bright sunshine.  That would last for most of our trip.  As we were told time and time again by the locals, we were lucky because it is not typical for it to be sunny and 20 degrees Celsius in Scotland in September!  First on our agenda was, of course, a beer bar.  We went to Brewdog for a pint and then made our way to Edinburgh Castle.  It was about 4:30 and as we learned, most shops and attractions close by 5.  Only pubs and restaurants stay open later than that!  We didn't want to ...