Thai Chicken Pizza

IMG 3331 e1362034675661 Thai Chicken Pizza

Growing up, my mother made it a point to cook dinner for our family every night. Eating out was rare, eating dinner together was a nightly ritual. My first memory of having a frozen pizza? High school. And I’m fairly certain it was at my boyfriend’s house. I was in college before I figured out that this was not necessarily the norm for many of my friends – they thought that I was the weird one to have a mom who actually cooked, instead of relying on take-out or prepared foods.

So when my cooking adventures inspired one of these friends to cook dinner for me this past summer, I was like a proud momma. And the meal was so good, I insisted she email me the recipe! I had forgotten about that recipe until recently, when I suddenly found myself craving some of that Thai Chicken Pizza. I dug up that recipe the next day, did some tweaking, and feasted on Thai Chicken Pizza for the next three days.

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Fruit and Berry Cobbler

IMG 3364 e1362033736382 Fruit and Berry Cobbler

Guys, it’s March. I don’t know what the climate is like where you live, but around here (Chicago), things are still pretty gray. And cold. And snowy.

Why do I still live in the Midwest?

I find myself in need of summer fruit.

But until the weather warms up and the first strawberry plants start to green up, frozen fruit will have to do. And frozen fruit is exactly what makes this fruit and berry cobbler – “baked” in your slow cooker, no less – a perfect dessert this time of year. I can start getting my fruit fix in even while there is still the potential for another blizzard at any moment. I wish I was kidding.

Head on over to Food Fanatic for the recipe! And while you’re there, be sure to follow them on Facebook or Twitter – that way you’ll never miss any posts from all of the other amazing regular contributors!

Foodie Pen Pals: February Reveal

FPP post Foodie Pen Pals: February Reveal

 

I feel like I say this every month, but…where the heck did this month go? I know that technically February is a short month, but you wouldn’t think that two days would make such a drastic difference in how quickly a month seems to fly by.

 

And since it is the last day of the month, you know what that means: It’s Foodie Pen Pals reveal day! When you sign up to participate in FPP, you are assigned one pen pal to send foodie-related treats to, and another from whom you will receive treats. Send a box of goodies to your pen pal, wait in eager anticipation for your surprises, and post about what you received on the last day of the month!

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Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

IMG 3316 e1361757569836 Cinnamon Raisin Sourdough Bread

I am writing this post instead of watching the Oscars.

I can’t handle missing an episode of The Bachelor (I mean, could you?), but I haven’t seen enough of the nominated movies to make watching the Oscars really worth my while.

I am choosing not to contemplate too much on what this might mean about my priorities.

Before February comes to a close, I wanted to share another delicious way for you to utilize some of your sourdough starter. While our last recipe utilized some cultivated yeast in conjunction with our starter, this recipe uses only the sourdough to leaven the bread. This method produces a much more pronounced sourdough “tang” (which will, of course, get stronger as your starter ages), though it also significantly increases the time that your bread will need to properly rise.

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Smile for the Camera: A Shoot with Jared and Julie Photography

A few weeks ago, I had the privilege to have some new head shots taken by my friend Julie from Jared and Julie Photography. I have known Julie since we were in junior high, and have loved watching her talent and eye for photography develop into a growing business with her husband Jared. I had a great time modeling for Julie that afternoon, and want to share some of the final photos (which you will be seeing around the blog).

Be sure to visit Jared and Julie Photography’s website to view more of their beautiful work (I particularly love their engagement and wedding galleries) and to inquire about hiring them for your own special event! You can also “like” them on Facebook to be kept up-to-date with their latest work.

SS15 e1361689937434 Smile for the Camera: A Shoot with Jared and Julie Photography

SS14 e1361689998431 Smile for the Camera: A Shoot with Jared and Julie Photography

SS23 e1361690265335 Smile for the Camera: A Shoot with Jared and Julie Photography

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