Another weekend, another wedding.

Long time no blog…we’re back from our 3rd out of state wedding in 4 weeks, so at least I have a good excuse.  I love a good wedding though, so I’m not complaining…plus we’ve had the chance to eat a lot of yummy food during our weekend wedding adventures. 

To kick off our wedding season 2009, we headed to Nawlins and boy, did we get our grub on!  I even was able to document some of our Cajun delicacies.  We tried Chargrilled Oysters for the first time and were a little scared at first…after the first bite, we were wishing we had ordered a dozen!  We were literally licking those oyster shells when the waitress wasn’t looking…it could have had something to do with them dripping in butter, but I can’t be certain.  We also got our fill of seafood…I stuck with a Big Easy classic and enjoyed a Seafood Po’ Boy topped with Tabasco Aioli…and plenty of hush puppies since I can’t really find a good hush puppy in the state of Illinois.   Gus pretty much ate his weight in Fried Shrimp platters and couldn’t have been happier.  We ended the weekend with my birthday brunch at the famous Brennan’s, (courtesy of the new Mrs. Adam Whately! Thanks again dahling!) and decided it was pretty much customary to top our brunch off with table-side Bananas Foster.  We pretty much decided we love New Orleans and their delicious vittles after just 3 days. 

 

Next up was the beautiful, quaint town of Warrenton, Virginia.  We had the pleasure of staying at the most lovely B&B, the Black Horse Inn, where the wedding was also held.  We had some delicious gourmet breakfasts while enjoying our time as guests there, and the rest of the time, we definitely did partake in the local cuisine…CHICKFILA!  We had it twice.  In two days.  And it was amazing.  I miss many things about living in the South, but Chickfila dining is definitely at the top of that list.  Thanks to the newest Mr. and Mrs. David Gorski to a fabulous wedding weekend in Virginia and allowing us to indulge our favorite poultry filled craving! 

 

Lastly, was our trip just east of Chicago to the bustling city of Grand Rapids, Michigan for the wedding of my weenies-in-a-blanket loving brother-in-law, Christopher, to his beautiful bride, Stacie.  And how cute is this…they’re both lactose intolerant and enjoyed a special lactose free meal and wedding cake at their reception!  I never thought giving up cheese and popping lactaid pills could be so darn romantic.  I’d love to give you a run down on the delicious foods I enjoyed while in Grand Rapids, but sadly, I got the stomach flu just after the ceremony and I can only attest that the Amway Hotel has lightening fast room service when an emergency ginger ale and saltines are needed.  Stomach flu aside, the wedding went on without a hitch and at the end of the day, I gained a lovely new sister…and since I don’t have any wedding related food items to share, I’ll just take this opportunity to brag about how my new lovely sister can make a mean first communion cake.  Church steeple and all.  Sorry fellas, she’s officially taken! 

 

So now that 3 weddings are down (and 4 more to go for 2009!), I can get back to my regularly scheduled recipe blogging.  Next up, put on your elastic waistband pants and get excited for some comfort food!

When life hands you lemons…

…you get too stressed out to make lemonade or really anything in the kitchen, if you’re anything like me.  Our household has been busy dealing with some pretty big and crappy job related lemons lately…hence the lack of blog updates.  I’m the type of person that loses my appetite when life gets super stressful, so nothing other than cereal and bags of soy crisps for dinner have been appearing in my kitchen lately.  I finally went grocery shopping this weekend and got a little bit of my chutzpah back to get me back in the kitchen, as I just love cooking too much and realized that Gus certainly needs more than just Cheerios for dinner.  So I am back in action on the blog and not only with some new and delicious recipes that will be coming your way soon, but now I’ll have plenty of budget friendly recipes to share.  Did you know you can make a delicious roast chicken dinner with all the fixins’ for less than $2.50 a serving!?  And it will feed your hungry husband lunch AND dinner for 2 days?!  So even if I was too stressed out to make lemonade in the past couple weeks, at least now I’m back to make budget friendly lemonade out of those darn stinkin’ lemons.

Before I share an actual recipe, I have to share a funny and budget friendly tip…Amazon.com sells groceries!  And they carry those hard to find items!  And they arrive in less than 3 days! And best of all, they’re cheaper than your local market!  You already know about my addiction to Robert’s Creamy Ranch Soy Crisps, so when my local market stopped carrying my favorite flavor (BBQ is not an acceptable replacement…yuck), I started looking online to see where I could track down my favorite salty snack.  Lo and behold, I found a case of them on Amazon and even with shipping, they still cost $1.50 less per bag than at my local store!   And now I don’t have to be embarrassed to go through the check out line with a cart full of 37 bags of soy crisps.  Although, Gus sure got a good laugh at me when we came home to find a box that could hold a small toddler sitting on our door step…full of soy crisps…but I got a darn good deal, so no shame here…only lots and lots of delicious and budget friendly Creamy Ranch Soy Crisps. 

All aboard the healthy train!

Chooo chooo!  After the holidays, we decided it was time for a nice, long ride on the healthy train.  I’m all about moderation and making good choices, so don’t worry…this doesn’t mean the desserts are gone and I’ll be only be blogging about celery and carrot stick appetizers.  I’ve shared several of my “Daniella-ified” healthy dinner recipes with you, but you can’t sustain on Mexican Lasagna alone, so I thought I’d share some of my favorite healthy snacks/treats/vittles, that might help keep you on the healthy train too.  And the best part of making healthy choices now is that those chocolate truffles on Valentine’s Day will taste SO much better…or in my case, that romantic dinner at Cracker Barrel.  Nothing says “I love you” like your 7th annual Valentine’s Day date over biscuits and gravy.

 

Whole Grain Cream of Wheat

 

This stuff takes me right back to my childhood.  I was a hot cereal luvah from the very beginning.  Oatmeal, Grits, Malt-O-Meal, you name it…if it’s a cereal that’s served hot, then I love it.   Now, we all know that Oatmeal is a great, healthy way to start your day and while I certainly enjoy it, it can definitely get boring to eat every.single.day.  So I almost shrieked in aisle 12 when I saw that Cream of Wheat now comes in a delicious and nutritious Whole Grain variety!   Before it was pretty much just a bowl of nutrient empty bad carbs, but now I can enjoy a warm bowl of Cream of Wheat and know that I’m actually getting some fiber and protein in there!  And it really tastes just like the original, so there really isn’t any reason not to eat this, if you happen to be a HCL (hot cereal luvah) like me. 

 

 

Deep Chocolate VitaBrownie

 

Even when you’re on the healthy train, you still need dessert if you expect to stay on.  I don’t know how they do it, but this company manages to pack fiber and protein into a low-fat, low-cal, delish brownie.  It’s gotta be magic.  The price isn’t magical though, so definitely look for them to go on sale.  Or if you’re really in love with them, you can buy them in bulk here.  You can just call me the magic brownie pusher.  These come frozen, so after a quick nuke in the microwave, you have a warm, melty, chocolate brownie that’s actually good for you.  Sometimes I’ll even add a dollop of fat-free Cool Whip on top…it’s so heaven in my mouth and not on my thighs. 

 

 

Robert’s Soy Crisps in Creamy Ranch

 

Goodbye movie popcorn, helllooooo Soy Crisps!   This is my go-to movie snack and yes, I am the lady hauling her giant tote bag filled with Soy Crisps and a thermos of Iced Tea.  No shame here for healthy and cheap movie snacks!   These are so much better than cardboard tasting rice cakes because 1). They could so pass for healthy Cool Ranch Doritos and 2.) They are made with soy!  Soy = protein!  Protein is great!  And even if you are really having a salty, crunchy craving kinda day (been there…done that), you can polish off the whole bag for less than 400 calories AND you’ll get almost 25 grams of protein in the process.   You certainly can’t say that about a tub of movie popcorn! 

 

 

Trader Joe’s Apple-Cranberry Bran Muffins

 

If we were handing out fiber awards, this snack would take the fiber-filled cake.  I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me when I saw the nutritional values on these muffins…just one little muffin packs a whopping 13 grams of fiber!  Plus they are low in sugar, but still have a hearty, sweet taste because they are loaded with chunks of apples and a few tart cranberries on top.  While they are delicious, I wouldn’t recommend eating more than one a day…because…well…I really don’t want to go there, being that this is a food blog and all.  Just remember, fiber is great but don’t overdose on it…if you know what I’m saying. 

 

 

Fat-Free Black Bean Hummus

 

I’m not Lebanese, but you might think I was if you saw me eating hummus right out of the container with just a spoon.   I love the stuff and while I certainly miss enjoying the good stuff from Metro Detroit (fun fact: Detroit has the largest Middle-Eastern population outside of the Middle East.  They better never leave or I will follow them and their hummus.  and fattoush.  and toum.), I have managed to find an acceptable substitute while living in Chicago.  And it definitely doesn’t hurt that the substitute is fat-free and has only 11 calories a serving.  Yes, eleven.  Now you know why I don’t feel bad eating it with a spoon.  If you want more than a spoon to dip, I highly suggest some sliced English cucumbers and grape tomatoes.  Delish, healthy, and gets me through my Lebanese cravings…until my next trip back to Detroit.

I’ve got something cookin’…

…and that something is healthy, delicious, romantic (sounds strange, but more on that next time), spicy, filling, AND it’s even pretty!  How is it pretty, you ask?!  Why because it’s cooking away in my brand new Le Creuset pot, courtesy of my Dad and Step-mom!  When I opened this on Christmas morning, my Dad couldn’t believe that I was that excited about a pot, but if you cook, then you know that Le Creuset is basically the equivalent of a Mercedes-Benz in the kitchen.  It’s simply the best dutch oven you can use in the kitchen, and it just happens to come in fabulous, vibrant colors.  Gus got a good laugh too over my excited pot reaction, but that’s just typical of him…when my Mama gave me the infamous Kitchen-Aid Mixer for my 23rd birthday, Gus couldn’t believe that I was that excited about “a blender”.  GASP!  How dare you compare the glorious Kitchen-Aid Mixer to a mere blender!?  He’s slowly learning not to insult my cooking equipment.  So now I present to you, the official debut of my fabulous red Le Creuset pot…but since the pot definitely deserves it’s own post, you don’t get to find out what’s in it till next time, so stay tuned…

 

 

 

T-24 hours till our Poultry Party…

…and I’m already feeling the aches and pains of this cooking marathon.  I am definitely going to need some Starbucks tomorrow if I’m going to cross that finish line.  Runners fuel up on pasta…I fuel up on Skinny Vanilla Lattes.  I’ve been in my kitchen since 10am and according to my 11 page word document of party plans, I am just 2 dishes behind schedule.  Gotta make up that time, so no more blogging and it’s time to buckle down for a little late night potato peeling/Grey’s Anatomy session…much more to come in terms of actual recipes and tantalizing food photos (and no more delirious ramblings from yours truly) in just a couple days, so stay tuned.  And if that doesn’t entice you enough to come back than I have five words for you: Best. Mac. And. Cheese. Ever.   Yep, that one is coming your way and it’s not to be missed.  It might not be a typical Thanksgiving dish, but my Turkey Day motto is go big or go home.  And nothing is bigger than pasta, butter, cream, and about 2 pounds of cheese.  Just don’t look for this one in the “Healthy” category.

No new recipe…but the dress still fits! It’s time to celebrate!

I will be out of the kitchen and neglecting the blog for a few days, but for a darn good reason…it’s time for our newlywed status to come to a close, as we are off to celebrate our first anniversary!  We made it!  What can I say…we are just pretty good at this whole marriage thing.    The past year has been such a blessing though and I look forward to many many many more.  So then in 50 years, we can have a big ole party and I can wear my wedding dress again.  Speaking of, I am living proof that you can spend lots of time in your kitchen and still fit into your wedding dress a whole year later…sure, it’s a bit snug, but the point is that it still zips, darnit!  It’s just been hanging in the back of our closet for the past year and as our anniversary approached, I got all nostaglic and decided that I needed to remember what it felt like to prance around in that beautiful gown again.  I’m happy to report that it feels darn good.  And to all those wondering…yes, once I got it on, I pranced around our home for a couple hours, vacuumed, did a load of laundry, and even checked the mail in my whole ensemble.  It was a fabulous day.  And yes, Gus thinks I am a little bit crazy, but he loves me anyways.  I promise that next week I’ll get back to actually posting recipes and I’ll keep the wedding dress pics to a minimum…unless of course, I happen to be cooking a new recipe in my wedding dress…now there’s an idea!    Have a great weekend!

What is more exciting than a new recipe blog post? A foodie celebrity sighting!

I had the pleasure of meeting one of my fellow Italian’s yesterday…Giada de Laurentiis!  Her new cookbook, Giada’s Kitchen, just came out and she was at my local Crate and Barrel for a book signing.  I had to stand in line for 2 hours with 450 other Giada fans, but it was well worth it once I walked up to her table and shook hands with my “Everyday Italian” idol.   She was very sweet and even prettier in person.  I told her how much Gus and I love her Balsamic Chicken and Arancini di Riso (mmmm…think fried risotto with melted mozzarella in the middle…it’s a fancy, Italian version of a Fried Cheese Stick.).  She was sure to warn me though that her friends request those Risotto Balls every time they are at her house now, so that I should be aware what I’m getting into when I make them for large groups!  I’ve already bookmarked some recipes in her new cookbook, so stay tuned for some Giada blog posts in the near future.  Now, I’ve just gotta track down my girl, Paula Dean, and then my Food Network celebrity sightings will be complete!

 

p.s. – Apparently there are lots of rules at book signings and I wasn’t allowed to get a picture with her, so here are some pictures of her as she signed a book for the guy behind me in line…I could tell that she liked me better though. 

 

 

What the heck is this?

Tis a blog.  Well, I like to cook and bake and eat and share recipes and take photos, so this is a fun little place where I can do just that.  So enjoy and mangia, mangia!  (eat, eat!  The only Italian I know is either food related or curse words.  I’ll try to refrain from using the later on this site…unless I really mess up a recipe.)