izza Party

Confession time: I didn't cook this week as much as I had intended. It was just one of those weeks. I did finally get around to one Pinterest recipe. It's for Caprese Pizza, which I've been wanting to try for a while. I've never done a homemade pizza and after attempting this one, I've realized I should've been doing this for a long time. It was super easy and super quick...I'd barely classify it as cooking. More like putting together really.


Confession #2: I may or may not have cheated a little on this one. I couldn't find the refrigerated pizza dough, so I used a pre-made crust that basically just had to be heated up. I did still add the Parmesan cheese and garlic to the crust to give it flavor. It came out great, so maybe it's worth the cheat.


This was such a delicious pizza. It's so light and fresh tasting. With so few ingredients, you really get to enjoy the flavors of the ones that are there. It makes for good leftovers too :) One tip I can offer: you definitely need to let the tomatoes sit with the salt on them to help draw out the liquid. I probably didn't let them sit quite long enough. I had to dab a good bit of liquid off when I took the pizza out of the oven. This was definitely one of the best smelling recipes I've made too. Olive oil, garlic, and basil...YUM! This will become a staple, especially for a quick weeknight meal.

Rating: 4 

Music Selection: Sam Cooke's Greatest Hits

eekend Comforts

This weekend, I decided to make a couple of my favorites: chicken salad and corn on the cob. In the spirit of trying new things, I found recipes that put a twist on these classics. 


In keeping with the avocado theme, I tried this recipe for Avocado Chicken Salad. It peaked my interest since I couldn't remember ever having chicken salad that included avocado. And that's a darn shame because this was yumm-o! This one will definitely get a home in the recipe box. We have ourselves a keeper.

Since it was the weekend and I had a little more time, I cooked the chicken in the crockpot while I was out running errands. By the time I was ready to cook, the chicken literally fell apart and was perfect for shredding. Since the recipe didn't have measurements, I just started adding the ingredients until it tasted right. I loved it because it still tasted like the chicken salad I've always enjoyed, but it had these new flavors in the background that made it different. Next time, I'll definitely add some almond slivers...I think they would be an excellent addition. I ended up eating it on its own, but it would be great on a sandwich, with crackers or even pita bread. I'm sure I'll be partaking in leftovers this week.


As a side item, I attempted this interesting recipe for Mexican Street Corn. Part of me thought this would be delicious and part of me thought it was a sin to mess with good ol' corn on the cob. I figured it was worth a shot. So, I have to say the different flavors went well together in some weird way. The main problem was that I screwed up cooking the corn. I only had frozen on hand, so I boiled it on the stove and may or may not have lost track of how long it had been cooking. It turned out mushy and in case you have any doubt, mushy corn on the cob is not appetizing. I'm going to have to try this one again and I'll probably buy fresh corn and roast in the oven like the recipe suggests...and also use that timer thingy on the stove :)

Chicken Salad Rating: 4.5

Corn Rating: 3 (lower rating is my own fault)

Music Selection: Maroon 5's Hands All Over

ooray Avocado!

I have recently started a love affair with avocado. I don't know that I had ever eaten it before a couple years ago, and now I can't get enough of it. I haven't cooked with it that much at home because Michael doesn't really like it, so I usually get my fix when we're out to eat. However, since he was out of town this week, I had the chance to pick a couple recipes that included this yummy fruit (I thought it was a veggie, but I was wrong-o). It can be tricky because it goes bad pretty quickly once you cut into it, but it's worth it. 

So, my first avocado adventure was really a double-goodie for me because it also included shrimp, which Michael also doesn't eat. I had never before attempted to cook shrimp, but I happily discovered it's not too difficult. I followed this recipe for Shrimp and Avocado Tostadas. I have to admit that I was pretty proud of myself for taking the time to make these. I had come home from a long day at work and really just wanted to crash on the couch, but forced myself into the kitchen to get cookin'. It was worth the effort. Other than cooking the shrimp, these weren't very time-consuming as there's only a few ingredients. They were very light and would be a great meal during the warm summer months. Plus they were pretty :)

I used flour tortillas instead of corn, mainly because corn tortillas only seem to be sold a million to a pack. Other than that, I stuck to the recipe. I enjoyed these quite a bit. I don't know that they are something I'd make frequently, but yes, I'd try them again. There was something about the flavor I didn't think blended perfectly...maybe because the few ingredients are all fairly potent in their own right. They were tasty though and good for an evening when you're not starving. 

Rating: 3.5 

Side note: 99% of the time, I listen to music when I cook. It helps me get in the zone. Since I love music, I'll share what's on my iPod too in case anyone's looking for new music.

Music Selection: Ray LaMontagne's God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise

o Far...

So, for any and all who are interested, here is the link to my Pinterest board where I save all of my potential recipes: Yummy In My Tummy. So far, I've attempted around 10 of them, most of which have been quite delish and not too complicated to make. You may notice that I tend to gravitate towards recipes that are fairly simple and don't require a bajillion ingredients. Baby steps people, baby steps.

After conferring with my guinea pig boyfriend Michael, who is luckily (I hope) the recipient of many of these experiments, we agreed on 3 recipes that stood out as our favorites.

• Best Pot Roast Ever
• White Chicken Enchiladas
• Crockpot Buffalo Chicken

We also agreed that there was one recipe we wouldn't make again. I was unimpressed this one. 

• Chicken Cordon Bleu Pasta

As you can see on my Pinterest board, there are many more to go. Perhaps I should quit pinning for a while so I can actually work on the ones I've already found. Looks like I've got some cooking to do!

PS--I still haven't found a cure for my hatred of grocery shopping. Anyone else suffer from this ailment?? 

nd So It Begins

I find it rather ironic that I, of all people, am starting a blog about cooking. I've never been one to spend much time in the kitchen and when I do, I don't always emerge with the most exciting results. I tend to stick to the same ol' tried-and-true recipes that have been passed down from family and friends. When I'm occasionally feeling crazy, I may even tear a recipe out of a magazine...but often times it finds its home in my recipe box, never to see the light of day. On the average day, I usually fall back to my boring staples: sandwiches, Lean Cuisines, and other assorted mish-mash items I find in the pantry.

Then along came Pinterest. This one little website has subsequently changed the way I look at cooking. I'm finally excited about finding new recipes and spending the time it takes to create them. Now don't be misled...sandwiches and Lean Cuisines are still close friends of mine. But it sure does feel nice to enjoy being in the kitchen and actually have a sense that I might, just might, be kinda good at this. At least I'd like to think so.

I figured starting a blog would encourage me to keep up with this new hobby by giving me an outlet to share my adventures and maybe even help my other culinary-challenged friends out there. Since Pinterest is my new source of inspiration, I'll be posting each time I attempt a new recipe from the site. I really hope you enjoy my trial-and-error cooking tales and can even use them in your homes too. 

Happy Cooking!