A Not-So-Average Tuesday Evening

Greeting Mom & Jaime (nobody else reads this, let's be honest),

Tonight I begin my official Thanksgiving prep.  Including:

1. Cubing french bread for the sausage, apple & leek stuffing I am making.

2. Chopping leeks, celery, carrots & onions, which combined make a glorious smelling bowl of veggies.  Also, they will be used in the stuffing and some will be cooked with the turkey.  The word you're looking for is "Savory" or maybe "Delicious" or now maybe "Shut up Melissa".

3. Crushing graham crackers for therapy and cheesecake crust, because I'm making this: Bourbon Pumpkin Cheesecake.  Except I'm leaving the pecans out of the mix, just in case there are any anti-nuts in the crowd.  I made the same dessert last year and it was awesome.

I have 13 people confirmed for my place on Thursday, a couple of maybes and at least one person who will just show up because they saw it on Facebook.  Game on folks. Game. On.

Peace & Poultry,
Mel

The Good, The Bad & The Ugly

I've been so excited about Thanksgiving and all the massive amounts of food I will cook and consume, I forgot about the other parts of hosting Thanksgiving.

The Good: Food, food, friends, food.

The Bad: Grocery stores.  Bitches be crazy.

The Ugly: My apartment.  So much cleaning, so few closets in which to hide all my crap.

I still hate bird carcasses and will not be touching an uncooked one.  I got a guy for that.  However, this is the bird we'll be enjoying, Lemon Herb Turkey.

Thanksgiving grocery shopping is complete.  Bread will be cubed tomorrow night.  Cheesecake prepared on Wednesday night.  Goodness created on Thursday.  Woo to the Hoo.

Thanksgiving is so close, I can smell the stuffing.

How to Carve a Turkey

Watch what this guy does and try to do the same...you'll feel like a champion of poultry.

Less than one week from ultimate face stuffing!

Peace, love & birds,

Melissa

So It Begins.....

The one week of planning, shopping, chopping, crying, drinking and cooking that will eventually become Thanksgiving is upon us.

My menu is complete.  Groceries will be purchased in two phases: Phase I: Non-perishable; Phase II: Perishable.  (Note to self: work on more creative titles for "phases")

Chopping and prepping will begin on Tuesday night.

I haven't time for food wit today, so I'll simply unveil my menu (knowing full well that nobody except perhaps my mom will care).

Thanksgiving 2011:

Lemon Herb Turkey (exact seasoning pending)
Sausage, Apple & Leek Stuffing (plus a small vegetarian friendly batch)
Scalloped Potatoes
Spinach Salad w/Pomegranate & Roasted Pumpkin Seeds
Bread Which I Will Make My Friends Purchase
Pumpkin Bourbon Cheesecake

What are your Thanksgiving Day menus?  Tell me and perhaps I will copy you.  Please, also share your tips & ideas for prepping, cooking, and celebrating.

Until next time....

Mel

It's Almost Thanksgiving!

Thanksgiving!  A holiday devoted to gathering people you love, feeding them until they fall asleep and leaving them with small pox...no...wait....that was just the Pilgrims.  Scratch that last one.

Seriously though, I love Thanksgiving.  A day of loved ones, laughter and food without guilt (did you hear me?  NO DIETS!).  For one Thursday, once a year, we are free to be gluttonous slobs and we give thanks for it.  Amen!

I am hosting Thanksgiving dinner for some LA friends this year and I'm making scalloped potatoes as a side dish.  The wonderful Saveur Magazine website has once again proven to be the golden cooking god at which I bow my mortal head.  Too much?  Sorry, I'm an actor, I'm dramatic sometimes.  Anyway...this video has helped me with the recipe and the most efficient way to prepare said recipe.  Maybe it will help you too.

Look forward to posts about bird carcasses, how gross I find bird carcasses, fall veggies and crying over the next week while I prepare for the annual day of turkeys.

Happy holiday prepping!

Mel

Black Bean Bonanza

Hey y'all,

Busy times equals less time to cook and if I'm not cooking, I guarantee you I have nothing to offer you of any value.  But this week, I made soup...lots of soup...black bean soup.  It was an experiment and there were some scary moments, but in the end 5 out of 5 soup eaters agreed it was yummy....or at least edible.

I'll give you the recipe and you can tell me if you love it, if it sucks or if you're neutral.  Though, frankly, I'd be shocked by a neutral soup eater.

Anywoooooo.....

Black Bean Soup
6 cans Reduced Sodium Black Beans
48 oz Reduced Sodium Chicken Broth
1 head Garlic (diced)
1 White Onion (diced)
2 Roma Tomatoes (diced)
2 Jalapenos (de-seeded and diced)
Juice of one lime
2 TSP Cilantro (finely chopped)
2 TSP Cumin
1 TSP Paprika
1/4 TSP Cinnamon
Sea Salt & Black Pepper (to taste)
Additional Limes (wedged for garnish)
Cotija Cheese (crumbled for garnish)

I split this recipe into two phases and I call Day 1:

Bean Broth Day (aka the f**k up that almost was)

I'm proud that I attempted a recipe armed with only my experience and spice cabinet, so I'm comfortable sharing that I almost ruined black bean soup forever.  Here's how...

I decided to do some blending, but I added WAY TOO MUCH broth and hit the wrong button on my blender.  The result....was bean broth.  It looked gross.  I was very scared for a while, but I powered through and I think we're all going to be okay.  Let me start from the beginning.

Take two of the cans of black beans, drain & rinse.  Combine in blender or food processor (my recipe was created in a blender) with one additional can of black beans (drained only) and chicken broth.  Slowly & lowly blend beans and broth together.  This makes bean broth.  While that sits, saute your diced onion & garlic in a stock pot until onion is clear (careful not to brown either).  When the onion & garlic are happily sauteed, please add the bean broth, your remaining three cans of black beans and spices.  Cook on low heat until boiling then lower heat and let simmer for approximately 2 hours.

This completes phase I of Black Bean Soup.  I covered phase one and let it chill overnight.  This was a great idea (accidentally).  The soup thickened into a much nicer consistency and the spice flavors really set in.

Finishing Touches (aka the Soup Also Rises)

Remove your safely covered soup from the fridge and let it sit while you prep the remaining ingredients.  While it sits, dice two tomatoes, chop up your fresh cilantro, slice a lime and de-seed and dice two jalapenos.  Add the juice of one lime, plus the brand new diced stuff to the pot and heat on low heat for 45 minutes to an hour.  Add more salt, pepper, cumin, etc as you see fit.  My advice, however, is use the salt sparingly.  I've had really bad black bean soup in the past and the culprit was too much salt.

Spoon this dark, steamy goodness into bowls.  Give a squeeze to a fresh lime wedge and add a little cheese to it.  I used Cotija cheese, which is similar in texture & taste to feta (white, crumbly, slightly salty), you may want to use something more melty for your soup and I won't judge you.  I believe in a human's right to choose their cheese.

The finished bowl looked like this:

I liked this recipe but I think it could be better.  I should have used much less chicken broth - probably two 14 oz cans. It would have been thicker and less work and the spices would have popped more.  This, I will try during round 2.

I would love to hear from any soup experts out there as I'm fairly new to the arena.  I will say, this recipe was healthy and filling and I bought ALL ingredients for less than $20 and was able to freeze a batch for later stuffing.  All in all, I'd give it a 6.5 out of 10.

So, try it, make it better and tell me how you did it.

Peace and beans,

Mel

Fake Pasta Bake

Buon Giorno!

One of the things I like most about cooking is making fake junk food.  Food that sounds and looks bad for you (and therefore wonderful) but is actually full of good stuff you need to live long and healthy.  Of these recipes, a nutritious pasta dinner cleverly disguised as comfort food is one of the easiest and yummiest.  It's technically not "fake" - the pasta is real and so is the baking - but I like rhyming so the blog title stays!

The reason I call it fake pasta bake is simple - I use whole grain pasta, veggies and fat free cheese.  Not exactly what most of us picture when we think of comfort food for a cold fall night (not that LA is every really "cold").  But this healthy baked pasta tastes nearly identical to the indulgent real thing.  I promise....and I have pictures to prove it.

The only concern I have about this recipe is my need for canned tomato sauce.  Most times, if I'm cooking pasta, I'm cooking sauce from tomatoes I mushed in my own kitchen, but baked pasta requires a lot of extra sauce to stay moist and I haven't mastered the quantity side of sauce yet, so I add in canned stuff.  Canned stuff is high in sodium, so if salt is something you need to watch, make sure you look for low (or no) salt options and still check the label.  I compared labels and some organic brands contain more sodium than their non-organic counterparts, so beware.

Now, with no further rambling, I present to you the recipe for:

Baked Whole Grain Pasta

You'll need the following ingredients:

1/4 cup Olive Oil
1/2 White Onion (diced)
4-5 Cloves of Garlic (finely chopped)
1 8 oz package Baby Portabella Mushrooms (sliced)
3 Roma Tomatoes (diced)
1 12 oz package Whole Grain Thin Spaghetti or Angel Hair
3 8 oz cans NO SALT ADDED Tomato Sauce
1 8 oz package Fat Free Shredded Mozzarella
Sea Salt & Black Pepper

I like to start any prep/cook session by getting all the chopping out of the way first.  Once the chopping is complete, saute the onion and garlic with 1/8 cup of olive oil on a low heat for approximately 5 minutes (until onion softens) then add in the tomatoes, mushrooms and remaining oil and let everything saute for another 5 minutes.  Then, add the sauce and S&P to taste and bring to a boil.

While the sauce is doing that (and by that, I mean boiling), turn the oven on to 350 so it begins preheating and boil your pasta.  The thin spaghetti or angel hair should boil to al dente in 5-6 minutes, but keep a close eye on it.  Over-cooked pasta equals mushy mess.  Drain & cool pasta, then mix with the sauce.

Mixed and ready to be covered in cheese

Next, pour the now sauce coated pasta into a 9 x 11 inch baking dish, try to evenly distribute the sauce and mushrooms and cover the top with a nice layer of cheese.

Before

Bake at 350 for 25 minutes (or until cheese is beginning to brown), let the dish cool for 5-10 minutes and stuff your face.

After

Simple, healthy and great leftovers.  I love this recipe.  Let me know if you try it and like it.

Happy Stuffing!
Mel

**Footnote: When I have fresh basil in the fridge, I put a layer of basil leaves under the cheese to bake.  It adds AMAZING fresh flavor to the dish.

Save a Cow, Save the World

Hey foodies,

Meatless Mondays are gaining more and more momentum recently and I want to do my part to spread the word.  Going without meat one day a week is great for many reasons.  First, it's better for your health. Meat can be a nutritious part of a balanced diet, if consumed correctly, but meat is also high is cholesterol and too much of anything ceases to be beneficial.  Plus, it would stand to reason, if meat isn't the main star of the day, you'll have to substitute in something else - like maybe extra veggies or grains.  You spend one day consuming less fat and cholesterol and upping your dose of nutrients & vitamins.  Doesn't that sound nice?

The second advantage to a meatless day (Monday is optional btw) is it's really good for the planet!  These movements are rather new and there is already evidence that the support of part-time vegetarianism is helping to reduce harmful greenhouse gases.

There are numerous advantages to supporting a meatless campaign one day (or a couple) per week.  You can learn more about the movement at the Meatless Monday & MFM websites.

Now, since this blog is, in part, a source for finding recipes to stuff in your face, I will provide you with one of my favorite meatless recipes.

Quinoa Salad


Quinoa is a little grain that is very high in a lot of the good stuff your body needs.  You can learn more about it on the interwebs, including here.

For my particular salad, you will need:

1 12 oz package of Quinoa
1 8 oz can of black beans (rinsed)
1 8 oz can of kernel corn (rinsed)
1 large & ripe avocado (diced)
1 large vine tomato (diced)
1 small onion (diced - dealer's choice on color)

The prep for this dish is probably fairly predictable, but I'll walk you through it anyway.  It is highly recommended that you rinse the quinoa seeds before boiling to rinse away all residue.  For a 12 oz package, boil in 3 cups of water.  It should take approximately 15 minutes to cook thoroughly. Drain the now cooked grains and let cool.  Once cooled, combine in a large bowl with the black beans, corn and diced veggies and add sea salt and black pepper.  It's ridiculously simple and so full of nutrients, your mother will weep with pride.

I hope you'll try this and other meat free options once (or more than once) a week.  Be good to your body and the planet and be excellent to each other (thanks Bill & Ted).

Love your 85% vegetarian blogger,

Melissa

Ode To A Dressing....

Trader Joe's is not paying me to endorse the following product (unless you want to?):

The Tuscan Italian salad dressing from TJ's is the bomb.  I like to make my own dressing, but if I'm going store bought, that's the one.  It's my favorite.  Another thing I love is salads.  If you remember not to fall into a boring salad routine (same ingredients every time), salads can be a quick, delicious & healthy lunch and/or dinner.

It was for me.  Here is what I used:

1 package of mixed greens
1 diced avocado
1 thinly sliced orange bell pepper
1 thinly sliced red bell pepper
1 giant handful of feta cheese (plus a little extra)
Trader Joe's Tuscan Italian dressing.

It was an amazing dinner and an amazing lunch the next day.  You want to see pictures don't you?  That's the only thing that makes reading worth it....pictures of food.

Okay, here we go:

That's my salad!

That's my salad with glorious dressing!

That's my salad with glorious dressing and a delicious beverage!

....and then it all disappeared and life was happy.

Eat veggies!

Mel

Heirlooms in Heaven

Hey y'all,

Tell me you don't love pasta and I'll tell you to suck it.  No, no, that would be wrong...I would never say that, but I would be shocked and look at you like this:

Uh....What?!

Okay, sorry, monkey tangent.  But now, getting to my point: Heirloom Marinara Sauce!!  It's delicious and makes my house smell awesome.

Here's the deal, heirloom tomatoes are rare little seasonal treasures and you should use them in as many dishes as possible while they grace you with their magnificent presence.  My love of heirlooms and my love of eating brought me to making red sauce at home.  Here's the breakdown for this particular batch of heirloom marinara:

1 lb roma tomatoes

1 lb heirloom tomatoes (I like the mini heirlooms, but any will work)

1 small yellow onion (diced)

1 head garlic (finely chopped)

6 oz tomato paste

1 cup chopped basil

1 cup olive oil

1/4 cup red wine

1/4 TSP sugar

S&P 

**Disclaimer:  Sauce is never exact, so add salt, pepper, wine, love, etc until the sauce is enjoyable for you.  Just remember to never add too much of something when tweaking.  Nothing worse than too much salt...or love. 

First, we boil the tomatoes.  I like to cut them in half to boil as it makes peeling the skin easier.  Boiling times vary, but I let this batch go approximately 15 minutes AFTER water was boiling.  Next, pour the tomatoes into a large strainer to cool.  While the tomatoes are cooling, simmer (in same sauce pot) 1/4 cup olive oil with the onion & garlic.

Once tomatoes are cool, peel the skin as much as you can (optional, but I think it's easier/tastier to work with just the tomato pulp).  Combine in pot: onion, garlic, tomatoes, tomato paste, another 1/4 cup olive oil, a splash of red wine and salt & pepper.  While that's cooking, chop approximately 1 cup of basil to add to the sauce.  Next, let the sauce simmer on low for approximately 2 hours to give the flavors plenty of time to blend.  At this point, add the 1/4 TSP sugar to the sauce to cut the acidity.  Once we've done all that work, I like to add a little more S&P, olive oil and the rest of the red wine and let it cook about another hour.

It's important to not rush when cooking sauce.  The tomatoes need plenty of time to cook down and blend with the other ingredients and the longer you give it, the more flavorful it will be.

You start with this:

Ah, delicious & fresh!

And end with this: 

Ah, sauce I want to mate with!

For this dinner, I served the sauce over orechiette with crumbled Italian sausage.  This particular pasta works well with a thicker sauce and the spiciness of the sausage was a nice contrast to the sweetness of the tomatoes.

Here's the finished dish:

Eat it, you'll like it.

So, that's my sauce.  It's a labor of love but totally worth it.  Cooking from scratch in your own kitchen is a wonderful, wonderful thing.  Let me know if you try it, if you like it and what you do with your own sauce.  Favorite recipe?  Ingredient, tip?  Lemme know!

As always, thanks for reading and happy stuffing!

Mel

I'm in Love...

I love garlic.  It's wonderful and good for you and scares away vampires.  It's one of the best things about eating. 

Know what sucks though?  Peeling that sh**!! 

But now, oh, but now....this champ has shown me a better way and it would be horribly unfair to keep this knowledge secret.

If you already knew this secret, please don't brag.  Nobody likes that.

Enjoy!!

Veggies!

Veggies are awesome & I’ll give you four good reasons why: Corn, Peppers, Cucumbers & Strawberries (which are technically fruit).  Don’t believe me?  Check it:

Seriously, check it!

I took these delicious vegetables (and fruit) and made a dinner that was - if I may quote the cool kids - the bomb!

First, the salad.  Along with the peppers, cucumbers & strawberries, I tossed spinach leaves & feta into a big bowl, mixed it up and sprinkled it with a simple dressing of olive oil, lemon juice & S&P.  It broke down to approximately 1/4 cup of olive oil and the juice from one whole lemon (medium sized).

The finished product looked like this:

 

Admit it, you find this sexy.

 I took that corn up there in picture number 1 and very simply boiled it.  I learned a long time ago to be very careful when boiling corn on the cob and to keep an eye on it.  This batch of 3 cobs cooked for a total of 25 minutes, including the time it took bringing the water to a boil.  I checked it periodically with a fork to ensure it didn't over cook.

The fresh veggies were the star of this show, but they had a damn fine co-star:

Tenderizing in olive oil, pepper & sea salt

Soooooo, that was supposed to be a picture of the finished product, but, um, I accidentally ate the finished product before I took said picture.  No, no no, I did not eat both steaks.  I had help.  Geez guys.

Although I deprived you of a picture of the finished steaks, I can tell you how I prepared them.  I let them tenderize in olive oil and S&P for about 45 minutes, then broiled them at 450 for 4 minutes on each side.  This brought them to medium rare - which I like, but cook accordingly if you like more well done steaks.  Big tip: Never cut into the steak unless it's with intentions of stuffing it in your mouth.  Jab it with a fork and let the juice color (ewww...that sounds gross, right?) guide you to cook it more or commence stuffing.

So, that's it!  With the exception of the time spent chopping vegetables (and listening to The Avett Brothers), this dinner required a minimum time investment and was fantastic.  If you're not big on the "make it yourself" dressings, I recommend the Tuscan Italian from Trader Joe's.  It was delicious on the left over salad anyway.

What's your favorite salad combo?  Tell me!  Also try the one mentioned here.  I think you'll like it...unless you're allergic to one of the ingredients, in which case, don't be lame.

Peace, Love & Greens.

Melissa

A Day in the Life

I woke today feeling a little more emotional than normal (and I'm an emotional broad).  Then someone reminded me of the date.

I'm not sure if that was affecting my mood subconsciously, but it's definitely at the forefront of my mind now.  My memory is, as my best friend has several times said, a steel trap.  I can tell you details from events that nobody should remember.  Not least of all, every detail from September 11th, 2001.

I was in college at the time (remember my rule about age calculation please), in biology class waiting for my teacher.  Honestly, I don't remember his name, but I remember I liked him a great deal.  Late 40s, always happy, always stoked about biology.  He always came into class smiling, but not that day.  He broke the news to us that two planes had struck the towers and nobody was sure what was happening.  My next class was Sociology and this is my first truly scary memory of the day.  The instant hate toward people different than us, from the people who were supposed to represent our country's future.  For me, that was scarier than what was happening in NYC.  Could we be so easily ready to write off anyone with a different skin color or religious belief?  So easy to lump together extremists with anyone of Middle Eastern descent or Muslim background?  So ready for a witch hunt?  Apparently, we could be...and still are, 10 years later.

I remember leaving class, driving home, listening to the live coverage on the radio, and pulling over on the highway and crying.  Crying hard and for the first time that day.  I think that's the moment that the weight of 9/11 really connected for me.  I went home, turned on the news and watched footage of a man jumping to his death.  I suppose for him, that was a better way to go than waiting for the building to collapse upon him.  I remember watching President Bush address the country.  I didn't vote for him, either time, but on that day, I was proud of him.  If on no other day in his presidency, on that day he was a leader.

I was teaching dance at the time and the studio owner decided to hold classes.  She wasn't sure anyone would show up but wanted to give them the option.  Students were there, but their hearts weren't in it.  Even my youngest students felt the sadness of the day. 

I worry now that nothing has changed.  I worry that our country has become more divided in a time when we should be most united.  I worry that people are preaching hate and claiming to do so in God's name.  I worry that we've learned nothing from this tragedy.

Today, I am thinking of the firefighters and police officers who responded that day, the volunteers who helped, the people we lost and those still living with memories of loved ones lost.

I remain hopeful we will come together and honor their memory.  I remain hopeful that we can become an even greater country.  One that doesn't judge based on religion, ethnicity, or any difference.  I remain hopeful that we can become better.  I hope that we will and I believe that we can.

Love to my friends, family and NYC.

Melissa

Thank You Laborers

It's Labor Day.  A day most of us are fortunate enough to have free of responsibility.  We can focus of food, beers and a day of friends, laughter & sun.  Before I jump into a quick list of my favorite stuff to grill and the drinks I like to match with said stuff, I'd like to say the following:

Thank you unions for fighting for better wages and working conditions for all of us that labor.  Enjoy your well earned and highly deserved day.

Now, on to the stuff.

My favorite stuff to grill:

Steaks (duh)
Burgers (double duh)
Corn (still in shucks)
Broccoli (marinated in Balsamic dressing)
Pineapple (caramelized, bitches)
Chicken (but only if my dad grills it; love you Dad!)

My favorite beverages to match those things:

Beer (triple duh): my favorites are Corona, Rolling Rock or Blue Moon
Margaritas:  Alcohol plus salt plus lime.  If there was a Mr. Margarita, I'd marry him.
Vodka: No not straight vodka (don't judge me).  For a party, especially on a warm Monday free from Labor, I love mixing up vodka & pineapple juice, with a splash of club soda for fizzy factor and frozen red grapes.  Frozen grapes are delicious, especially after soaked in vodka.  Give it a whirl.

What are your favorite grilled goodies?  How about drinks?  Am I the only one who think grilled stuff and alcohol are a more perfect match than football and body paint?

Share with me.  Lots of Love and Happy Labor Day!

Time for the First Face Stuffing Recipe!

I love playing in my kitchen.  Experimenting with new recipes is a great outlet for me and one of my favorite hobbies!  At times, these experiments have hurt me, deeply.  Other times, recipes work so well that I nod my head and have an internal moment of annoyingly extreme satisfaction with myself.

This dinner was one of those moments.  I took inspiration for this meal from two places: one, the inventory of available ingredients in my kitchen and two, the marinade from this delicious recipe: Peruvian Grilled Chicken.  I called this dinner, Shredded Peruvian Chicken with Black Beans (creative, I know).

The ingredients I had: One rotisserie chicken, two cans of black beans, avocado, lime, tomato, onion, green pepper, cheese and garlic.  In addition, I have a nicely stocked spice cabinet, which always helps.

This stuff makes other stuff better

The aforementioned rotisserie chicken was shredded and I applied the Peruvian marinade, doctoring it to the amount of shredded chicken I had in front of me.  It came out (roughly) as follows:

1 rotisserie chicken (shredded)

3 cloves of garlic (diced)

Juice of one lime

2 TBSP of soy sauce

1 TBSP olive oil

1 TBSP cumin

½ TBSP paprika

1 TSP red pepper

Sea salt & Black pepper (which, I never measure)

I mixed that up and let it sit in my fridge for 45 minutes.   Then I simmered the chicken with 1 diced roma tomato and 1/2 of a red onion.  I added a little water to the pan so it didn’t stick.  This aided the simmering and didn’t take away any of the marinade’s flavor.

Chicken, looking good

While the chicken was marinating, I drank a beer and also worked on the black beans.  The key ingredient here was cinnamon.  Maybe that’s something everyone knew and never told me, but holy crap, cinnamon with black beans is awesomeness.  I cooked the black beans as follows:

2 cans of black beans (rinsed)

1 diced green pepper

½ diced red onion

Juice of one lime

1 TSP cumin

1 TSP cinnamon

Sea salt & Black pepper (again, not measured.  Just don’t go crazy with the S&P shakers and you’ll be fine.  I promise).

When the beans were ready, I took the chicken out of the fridge so everything would cook/be ready at the same time.  The beans & chicken simmered away in their respective pot & pan for about 30 minutes.  Just long enough to warm up and for all the flavors to mix lovingly together.

I plated this goodness with sliced avocado and bread and added a sprinkling of queso fresco to the beans.  The last thing I did was squeeze a little more lime juice over the whole plate (minus the bread).  I love limes.  It is my opinion that they make everything better.  Veggies, meats, salads, vodka, Corona….all better because of lime.

The finished product, which disappeared alarmingly fast

And there we have it – a dinner made cheaply with minimal prep and delicious results.  In fact, the left overs the next day were even better.  I think marinating all night allowed both dishes to become super heroes to my taste buds.

Have some favorite quick, easy & delicious dinners of your own?  Tell me about them.  You can share here.  This is a safe place.   If you happen to try either of the above recipes, let me know what you think.  Thanks for reading!  

Stuff it!

Hi.  Welcome to my blog.  I love food and everything that comes along with it.  Cooking, eating, grocery shopping, nutrition.  Love it, love it, love it!  I've also spent the better part of the last decade or so, learning as much as I can about these things (please don't calculate how old you think I am.  That won't end well for either of us).  I created Face Stuffers to share ideas, recipes and fun tips I've learned over the years and to keep learning.  I want to hear from you - yes you!  All you amazing cooks and human books of food knowledge.  I know you're out there and maybe we can help each other.  Everyone stuffs their face with different stuff, so let's chat about it.  Yes?  Good, then.

Disclaimer:  I have no "official" training in cooking or nutrition or grocery shopping.  Everything I've learned has been from books or endlessly questioning actual experts or sometimes, trial & error.  Please don't hold it against me.

I look forward to exchanging ideas & funny stories with awesome people (yes, I mean you, again).

Cheers & happy kitchening!

Mel