A Cook's Quest

During the warm summer months I am always trying to find new ways to make corn.  A few years ago I discovered this delicious fresh corn salad and a new way to make creamed corn .  Both dishes have been crowd favorites at family gatherings and potlucks. After seeing a post on Pinterest that instructed how to roast frozen corn in the oven, I decided to start experimenting. The final product was beyond tasty!  It was sweet, caramelized, and just a tiny bit spicy.  My family loved it, and I think it will be my new summer corn dish.  I can't say enough how much I loved it.  Honestly, I probably would have eaten most of it by myself if my family hadn't been around. Next time you need to make a side dish make this one.  ENJOY! Pan Roasted Corn Recipe Source: Jenn  1 tbl. olive oil 1 tbl. butter 3-4 ears of fresh corn, kernels removed from the ears 1/2 cup chopped red onion 1/4 tsp. salt a sprinkle of cayenne pepper (this is ...

I am a notoriously picky eater.  So picky that when we call in food orders at work I am usually forced to do the calling because no one wants to assume responsibility if my order is wrong.  As a young child my grandfather would tell me the same story every time we visited, usually while we at Sunday dinner, about the summer that he "learned to like tomatoes."  Yes, that is how it goes.  He didn't like tomatoes and then learned to like them.  His aunt, her name was Pete and the stories about her fascinate me but that is for another blog entry, came to visit and care for him while his parents were away.  One evening grandpa and I'm assuming, his siblings too, were presented with a plate full of tomatoes for dinner.  Nothing else.  No bread, no meat of any kinds, just sliced tomatoes.  He had two choices he would tell me, either eat the tomatoes or be hungry.  Of course he chose to eat the tomato...

I truly don't know of a better meal on a cold day other than soup and bread.  Warm, filling, easy to prepare and budget friendly, soups and stews are a mainstay in my kitchen.  We eat them at least once a week, sometimes twice a week in cold weather.  I love pairing them with bread bowls , a simple dinner roll , or a slice of oatmeal bread.  This broccoli cheese soup came from Mel at My Kitchen Cafe , and like always happens with her recipes, I was thrilled with the outcome.  The true beauty of this soup is it can be made to your specific tastes.  I used all cheddar cheese because it was what I had on hand, added more onion because I like a lot of onion, and loaded it down with a ton of broccoli because my kids LOVE broccoli, ( I know it sounds strange but they truly love green veggies). For other great savings ideas go check out the Real Food Deals over at Premeditated Leftovers!

Every once in a while I have people ask me "why" I cook the way I do.  The short answer has just always been because I like to.  I have always felt more grounded and in touch with who I really am as I cook.  It is my stress reliever when times are hard and my enjoyment when life is good.  I cook when I am sad, when I am happy, when I am lonely, when I am surrounded by love, and when I just am simply bored.  I have never examined what drives me to try making something from scratch that I can easily by prepared or in a mix.  But now that I have more time to focus on food through this blog I wonder if my reasoning runs deeper than just liking to cook.  There is a certain feeling that comes when I serve food to the people I care about in my life.  I don't know what that feeling is, I don't even know how to describe it. I do know that when people gather to eat a meal that I helped create I enjoy every moment of the ...

After a busy weekend of mini family reunions, birthday parties and a formal dance, the last thing I wanted to do was make snacks for the super bowl.  So I didn't.  Instead the boys all watched the game, and I sorted my pantry items making sure that the oldest items were in the front, and everything else was neat and tidy.  Because I was in anti-cooking mode, my children were left to their own creativity when it came to snacks.  The oldest, (B1), prepared a snack consisting of chocolate ice cream, bananas, Ritz crackers and a chocolate kiss on top.  It must have been good, because he ate it all but I'm not too upset that none was offered to me. The second child, (B2) prepared a snack not only for herself, but also one for her daddy.  There is nothing better than the creative snacks that children prepare for their parents.  I know my husband enjoyed his Graham cracker, covered in peanut butter and then topped with cheerios, (I know you are drool...