Embarrassingly easy dessert/snack

We're not normally dessert eaters unless one of two things happens, the first being we are at the Cheesecake Factory, the second being I totally belly flop on dinner.

Tonight was one of the latter - the turkey burgers were not delicious. At all.

So scrambling for a dessert idea (since I guess wine doesn't count -- what?), I went to this crazy easy/simple/sweet treat. I'm not sure where I learned this recipe. It might have been highschool Spanish class, orrrrrrrr I came up with it in my brain. Maybe...maybe?

















- You need cinnamon, sugar, tortillas and some water...and an oven
- Preheat oven to 350
- Mix however much sugar and cinnamon you want
- Spread a little water over the top of the tortilla
- Quarter the tortilla (I use a pizza cutter)
- Dip the watered side in the cinnamon sugar mix
- Place on a baking sheet and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until crispy to your liking
- Serve with vanilla ice cream or frozen yogurt and save extra "chips" for a snack

Dinner saved.

Cinco de Yummo

Let's get something straight.

I am in no way a cooking expert. If that's obvious, good.

Today was a fun day for us. We went to the West Bottoms and checked out some awesome antique/flea markets, where I got the little gem you see below.

The perfect solution for the awkward, above-the-stove space.

Then we went and saw 'The Avengers' at a theater the architecture firm I work for just got done renovating. Super cool theater + Avengers? Holy awesome. I loved that movie. By marriage, I'm a DC Comics gal (c'mon, who beats Batman?). But seriously...The Avengers.

After that, we did some big-girl camera shopping...that's all I'm disclosing for now.

And then, it was Cinco de Mayo celebration - marriage style time! We're pretty low-key people, so our Cinco de Mayo consisted of an awesome feast that we co-prepared (complete with margaritas).

Here you have it, folks. Fajitas, margaritas, chips from a tortilla, and...guacamole?

...We both knew that rhyming couldn't last forever.

Describe our meal in one word? Delicious. Two words? Super delicious. I can't even explain.

Afterwards, we laid on the floor to let our stomachs expand, and then I side-kicked it up as Eric watched a couple episodes of 'Dr. Who'.

The things I do for my husband.

Loadin' up

When I was an actual athlete, coaches always preached the age-old rule to load up on carbs the night before big games or track meets. Translation:  I ate a lot of spaghetti in high school.

That said, I don't accept just any pasta. If I ever deny your spaghetti, it's not your fault. I'm extremely picky. I'm usually starving with absolutely no cravings if I order pasta in restaurants.

So as fate would have it, I'm married to a pasta lover. Chicken fettuccine is my hubby's favorite foods. I've refused to make it yet; my mom's recipe that E loves has two sticks of butter in it. I tell him the delicious smell of noodles, chicken, and creamy sauce is just his brain denying that he's eating a plate full of heart attack.

All that said, some things have changed. I still haven't caved and made chicken fettuccine, but I did discover this recipe a few weeks into our marriage, and since first taste, it's become a favorite of E and I. It's opened my eyes to the pasta world, end it really could not get easier.

Here's what you need:
- 10 oz. penne pasta
- 14.5 oz. diced tomatoes
- fresh basil
- 3 oz. feta cheese
- water (for boiling)
- medium sauce pan
- medium skillet

First, bring your pasta to a boil. While doing that, start heating your tomatoes on low-medium heat. You want them to be bubbling, but not splattering juice all over.

Add as much basil as you like. Instead of shredding, I just tear the leaves up into fourths. 

Drain your pasta and add the tomato-basil mixture, and top it all off with the feta cheese. (Sorry I forgot to take a picture of the cheese. I was too distracted by my appetite.)

And there you have it. We usually eat this pasta as a side dish, but most recently made it a main by adding some chicken to it. It's one of the most delicious meals I've made in 20 minutes.

You should also eat it with fresh bread, because bread is good.

Man of the grill

Let the records show that my husband is (so far) extremely helpful in the kitchen (when asked to be).

But gosh, that man can grill.

Lately, I've been subtly proposing to Eric that he take the cooking reins for a week. The whole "you should walk a mile in my shoes" bit.

Although he swears that having a week's responsibilities is way too much pressure and much too big of a step, he did offer to take the mother of all non-holiday related meals...Sunday dinner. 


E-dizzle brought his triple-A game today. We're talking sooooo delicious I wanted to take a bath in it. (King of the apartment castle said no.)

Feast your eyes upon our...feast. Grilled pork chops (real pork chops, meaning they're not store-purchased), Eric's amazing fried potatoes, and some delicious sweet corn.

Take it from me ladies. If your guy can cook an amazing meal, snatch him up because the food baby is totally worth it.

For the girls

There are a lot of things to consider when finding a husband. We've all made some sort of "list," which is probably one of the dumbest things we do. My husband is nothing like the guy I once imagined myself marrying. Thank goodness it worked out that way. I really can't brag about him enough, but I'll stop. I know you're on the verge of puking right now. 

Really, what it comes down to are two things:  does he make you happy, and can the guy cook? (Obviously those aren't the only two things. But work with me; I'm trying to keep this sweet and to the point.)

Let my guy be an example for you. Tonight, I came home to this awesome surprise dinner. 

Seriously? 

Yes, please. 

E, I am keeping you forever. You should also take this post as my statement that I want more dinners like this. Like, once a week is great for me. Thanks. 

"I've never had broccoli that I want to keep eating."

Is exactly what my husband said when I whipped out this delicious way to prepare one of my favorite vegetables. E only likes broccoli, so I needed to amp up his appreciation.

Here's what you do:

1) Buy fresh broccoli, and bring it home.

2) Take the heads off the stalk, wash them, and throw them in a bowl. Actually, change 'throw' to 'lightly toss.'

3) Drizzle roughly 3 tablespoons of EVOO (or, extra virgin olive oil if your mom was never addicted to Rachael Ray) over the broccoli.

4) Add salt and pepper to your own preference. S&P from grinders give it a fresher taste.

5) Chop up 3-4 cloves of garlic into eighths, and throw (again, toss) 'em in.

While you were doing all that, I should have told you to preheat your oven to 400 degrees. My bad.

Once the oven is hot, stick your broccoli in a tin foil-covered pan (makes clean up a lot easier) and let the mini trees roast for a solid 15-20 minutes, depending on how soft or crunchy you like them. The key secret to knowing you're doing this right is if the broccoli start to brown on top. And then, you enjoy.

...After you've taken the broccoli out of the oven, in course. I don't endorse eating in ovens. Too cramped.

*I forgot to take a picture. Don't sue me - I'll post one later.