Blog of the Week January 28, 2007

Okay I really need to change the name of this series of salutes to my favorite bloggers as I've clearly fell way behind in posting weekly. Sheesh. But, the good news is I should be updating this series a lil more often in the upcoming future as I've found some great new blogs and have made some great new friends that I think ya'll will love to meet too. =) Firstly, I can't quite control myself when gushing over this blog (but I'm going to).. it's not your average foodie blog where you'll find excellent recipes, but more of a food product review blog. I stumbled upon this blog about a month ago and I check every single day hoping he'll have updated. The man I speak of is Marvo (short for Marvin) and his food product review blog is The Impulsive Buy. You MUST go read. You will be giggling from the beginning and belly laughing by the end. Marvo has taken upon himself the, not so easy at times, task of taste testing many food products out on the market. The best way to get an idea of what his blog is all about is to go here and read the "About" and FAQ - even that will crack you up. I don't even want to say too much more about Marvo and his blog because I want you to go experience for yourself. Really. Go now. And all I'm going to say to end this is: I heart Marvo. =)

Blog of the Week December 10, 2006

My new salute to a favorite blogger of mine is not so much to turn you on to her blog, as she's already got quite a following and you've probably already added her to your blogroll. But this salute is more my way of saying thanks for making me laugh and giggle so much! Thank you, Brilynn, of Jumbo Empanadas, for bringing so much to the table. Yes, her recipes are divine. And yes, she's a very talented cook and baker - you'll be copying her recipes after one quick glance at her blog, for sure. But it's the way that she writes that keeps me coming back for more. I literally need to keep a hand clamped tightly over my mouth while reading her posts while I'm at work because huge belly laughs or shrill giggles will emit from my throat without my knowledge. There are some posts that have kept me giggling for hours after reading them, as well. Brilynn is the kind of gal that makes you want to spend time with her, even during mundane events - because you know you'll have fun. If laughter isn't what you look for in a blog (how could you not?) then allow me to highlight some of my favorite recipes that she's shared with us. First there is Key Lime Pie Cookies. These cookies look light and airy and she promises a good punch of Key Lime tang. Yum! Not in the mood for a cookie? How about Molten Lava Chocolate Cake? Hello! I could eat these for breakfast (followed by a nap, but nevertheless!). On the prowl for something savory? Might I suggest Bri’s Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto with special guests Zucchini and Sage? Creamy, luscious and so tasty! These are just a few terrific recipes, I didn't even highlight my favorites from August, November and December! And there are many.. but you check them out for yourselves. =) No kiddin' kids, this lil blog has it all. Delicious recipes, inspiring photos, belly busting laughs, and if that's still not enough for you - she's also a genius with Photoshop! Enjoy =) xoxo

Blog of the Week November 19, 2006

This week's review is a blog that's dear to my heart. I don't know the author very well, as I have just discovered her through my most favorite Cream Puff in alla world, back during the Festa. But her site is of the most comforting types of reads for me as she is a lovely Italian gal who can cook up a storm! I don't care what it is that she's featuring on her blog, it's always mouth wateringly wonderful and her stories behind her dishes bring me so many memories of my Dad and his side of the family. Her name is Orchidea and her blog is Viaggi & Sapori. Orchidea is originally from Italy but now lives in Sweden. Her cooking is definitely Italian and most times quite original in the way she uses her ingredients. I love not knowing, each time I click on her blog on my favorites list, if I'll be reading about a tried and true dish that has been brought to the states and is popular with us Yanks or if she'll create something that I'd never think of making myself. Only because I'd never heard of the dish. I am equally proud of my Mother's Irish/German/English/Hillbilly heritage, but when it comes to the food and traditions and way of life, it's my Father's Italian side I find so enthralling. Quite possibly, as our family restaurant was Italian and my Father taught my Mother so many traditional recipes that he had learned from his Mother and so that is mostly what my Mom cooked for us outside of the restaurant as well. So when I find these authentic blogs such as Viaggi & Sapori, as well as Lucullian Delights AND my sweet Cream Puff, I get so very happy! Reading about these gals' cultural experiences, their family traditions and drooling seriously over their food brings such pleasure to me. But hey.. you do not have to be of Italian descent to enjoy these blogs. Heck no. You will take away so much from Orchidea's teachings and stories that you, too, will be quite happy after reading what she's got to say. I urge you to check out Viaggi & Sapori if you haven't yet.. Methinks you'll enjoy it very much =) xoxo

Blog of the Week October 29, 2006

I have no idea how I found Michelle, but I couldn't be happier that I did. Her Je Mange la Ville blog is an outstanding read and an amazing place to find mouth watering photos and recipes. Michelle and her boyfriend, jwa, live in Portland, Oregon and she started her blog to document their visits to a long list of restuarants in their area. She also wanted to share her adventures in the kitchen and although I dig the restaurant reviews, it's for those adventures in her kitchen that keeps me coming back for more. Dear God does this woman know how to cook. Every single recipe she shares is a recipe that I can not wait to try myself. For example, tonight I am going to attempt her Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Apple Cider Jus. *swoon* Just recently she posted her entry for this month's SHF with mini grapefruit cakes. Grapefruit cakes! I have never heard of such a cake and I am so ticked off that she's practically on the other side of the planet from me, preventing me from tasting RIGHT NOW! Delving into her archives I've drooled heavily over her Buckwheat Galettes with Ham and Gruyere, Chicken, Apple and Gorgonzola Strudel not to mention her, Double Chocolate Orange Tart with Amaretto Whipped Cream! The two things I love most about this blog (aside from her style of writing that I seem to relate to so well), is that Michelle seems to always cook dishes that are comforting and cozy. Everything I look at gives me that warm and fuzzy feeling inside that goes with foods that are neither to fancy nor too "blah". Foods that make you want to sink in and enjoy your surroundings as much as what's been placed before you. Feel good foods, that's what I'm trying to get at! The other thing I love is that she photographs each step of the cooking process. God how I love seeing how each step should look so that I can get an idea if I'm preparing her recipe properly. All in all, this is a site for everyone. Great stories, gorgeous pictures, fantabulous recipes, informative restaurant critiques, a guest post by her boyfriend (hysterical) and eleventy zillion ways to be inspired in your own kitchen. Kids, add Je Mange la Ville to your blogroll immediately, if not sooner. =) xoxo

Blog of the Week October 15, 2006

When I was paired with Helene of Tartelette for the last BBM event, I was more than a little nervous. I didn't really know her. And then I took a look at her blog and was firstly blown away by her beautiful pastries and baking skills and then secondly even more nervous than before knowing anything about her. She's a pastry chef and a personal trainer. I panicked.. I mean, seriously, what could I make in my little kitchen that a FRENCH PASTRY CHEF would like?? And do I go with something sweet because, obviously, she must like sweets - she's a pastry chef for crying out loud - or do I go with something "healthy" because she's a personal trainer and might not eat what she bakes?? God. After much thought and the realization that there is probably nothing too different to send her from Ohio that she can't already get in South Carolina, I decided to send her locally made items and as for that something personal that came from my kitchen? Well.. I went with the hopes that if she didn't partake in all of her baking, then her husband must surely reap those rewards so I went with simple little candies called "Buckeyes" because they represent Ohio so well. THANKFULLY she liked what she received! I was SOOOOOO relieved! ha! Since being introduced to Helene by the BBM, I have visited her site regularly - daily as a matter of fact. I've gotten to know a little more about her and I now look back and wonder why I was so nervous. Although we really can't get to know each other too well from just reading our blogs, as most of us concentrate on what we bake/cook rather than lots of personal information, from what I have learned I can confidently say that I would be proud to be Helene's friend. She's such a warm soul who is very giving and makes you feel comfortable when entering her "virtual" kitchen. Her skills are amazing but grounded, in my humble opinion. She's very creative and innovative in her baking but she doesn't share recipes and techniques that a less skilled home baker would feel nervous about trying. Her instructions are easy to follow and her recipes range from the very naughty, rich and decadent desserts to more lighter and figure friendly delights. Her pictures will make your mouth water and her background stories are always a pleasure to read. Whether you are a novice baker, a more experienced baker or just someone who prefers to bake once in a blue moon you can not go wrong in adding Tartelette to your blogroll. There is something for everyone to enjoy with the added bonus of getting to know an accomplished pastry chef and very sweet woman. xoxo

Blog of the Week October 1, 2006

Ever come across those blogs that are so well written that you find yourself hours later still sitting in front of them mesmerized by the pictures painted in words? I'm talking so well written that it doesn't bother you a bit that the blog isn't loaded with pictures of recipes created or actually even loaded with recipes? I've found such a blog. Callipygia of FOODchair owns that blog. I love her writing - the way she takes me to the time and place of her stories. How she makes me feel as if I'm sitting in her kitchen while she is making a meal and telling me the tale of why she loves the food she is preparing at that moment. Her words are like a symphony to me.. I feel highs, lows and plateaus while reading what she's written. I lose myself and time because I'm hanging on every vision that forms before my eyes. Seriously, I'm quite taken with this blog and I'm thankful that I came across it. My only problem with FOODchair is that it isn't updated as frequently as I'd like it to be. But I guess if Callipygia were to do that she'd have no time for anything else because I wouldn't be happy until I saw a new post every hour on the hour. ;) Don't get me wrong when I say that I don't mind the blog isn't loaded with recipes, because it is.. each entry is regarding a treasured recipe or food and some do have step by step instructions, but the entries I love most are the ones where she offers ways to prepare that food. She does it in a way that allows you to be creative on your own.. there usually isn't an ingredient list and step by step instructions. Instead what she does is gives you a guideline to follow so that you can use your own imagination and tweak her foundation to fit your lifestyle and tastes. The reason for this? Because I don't think she has a recipe to follow when she creates her meals. She thinks in flavors and textures and then mixes and sautes and kneads and well.. you get the idea. She is inspiring - to say the very least. There is so much more that I want to say about this blog, but sitting here I can't seem to find the words to accurately do so. I've deleted whole sentences over and over again because what I write doesn't come close to articulating how I feel. I'm not good at that.. but Callipygia is. Instead what I'm going to do is give you a couple links that I love so you can see for yourself what I'm trying to badly describe here. Please keep in mind.. these two links are not the cream of the crop.. or the tip of the iceberg, to throw out a couple cliches. There is so much more to this blog - but I'll allow you to discover for yourself. My finest suggestion would be.. don't click on the links to the entries I'm going to share or on the main link of her blog until you've got yourself a little time and maybe a hot cup of tea or coffee to sip on while you read. This blog is not one to check out in a hurry because once you start reading, anything else planned for the next hour or so will fall to the wayside.. Cheers to Callipygia.. thank you for sharing with us.

Blog of the Week September 24, 2006

This week I am saluting, Meeta of What's for Lunch Honey? Although I did not discover Meeta's blog during the Festa, it wasn't very long before that I did have the utmost pleasure in meeting her when she held the very popular Blogger Postcards From the World event. From corresponding with her through e-mail a few times, I quickly discovered that I had found a new friend. Her warmness towards me, a complete stranger, made me feel special. In getting to know her and what she does, how she lives and the simple pleasures she takes in life made me feel as if I had known her for many years, and not just a few days. She's a very special gal.. full of energy and love for life. She's a devoted wife and mother who also works from home and is always on the go. Her son, Soeren is absolutely adorable and you can tell from her stories, that he loves what his mom prepares for him.. he has quite a mature sense of taste at his young age, that's for sure! For example, just one of her many fabulous posts was regarding two salsas she made. A tomato based salsa and a pineapple/avocado salsa. When I read about them, I knew I just had to try the avocado one but I'm an adult who doesn't turn her nose up at different and new flavor combinations, whereas many 4 year olds would. But not Soeren - he loved it and dubbed it "pureed frog sauce". har! Meeta's posts are chock full of information, including nutritional facts, preparation tips, opinions from her family and of course, delightful stories regarding why she cooked which dish. She even lets you know what music she was listening too during her meal! I love that =) Another great thing about Meeta's blog is that she's recently started an online "cooking school" where she shows you step by step how to make delicious meals. I look forward to these posts very much as she has a lot of great tips and information that you may not know. Even if you were familiar with making the dish she's chosen, it's most certain you'll pick up a little gem or two while reading. Put What's for Lunch Honey? on your blogroll, kids. Because I've just scratched the surface on what you'll find there. It's a fantastic read, an inspiration for all cooks and I suspect you'll end up falling in pure lurve with Meeta as I have. :D xoxo

Blog of the Week September 17, 2006

It's been a slow week in the kitchen.. Hubbs' mother fell out of bed early last week and broke her hip, 3 ribs and her humorous bone. =( So we've been at the hospital every night checking in on her. By the time we get home, I really don't have time to make dinner - so it's just been steaks on the grill or past dinners I've made and frozen, heated up. Which does not make for good blogging. I'm happy to be posting this morning though.. and bringing back the Blog of the Week! La Festa al Fresco has brought to my attention so many gorgeous and wonderfully written blogs to add to my blogroll! I've noticed in comments that most of you have discovered these great blogs as well, but just in case you haven't, I'm going to highlight some in the next few weeks. Starting off this week is Peabody of Culinary Concoctions by Peabody. If you haven't added her to your blogroll yet, I seriously recommend it. Her creations are mouthwatering - her stories are hysterical. One of my favorites is a recent story about how she discovered the Monte Cristo sandwich.. how funny!! She shares wonderful recipes and tidbits about her life and her family, which I find so charming. And if you're in to the food porn scene - you won't be disppointed. Her photos will leave you with a sadness that only comes from not being able to taste what she's presenting right then and there.

Blog of the Week July 17, 2006

I can't believe I haven't posted about Cathy's My Little Kitchen before now! I've been reading her blog for a few months and am slowly getting through her archives. Cathy is from a Maryland suburb of Washington DC and she's a fabulous baker and cook. What drew me to My Little Kitchen was Mondays with Maida. This is her ongoing adventure with making every cookie recipe in Maida Heatter's Book of Great Cookies. She fell in love with the book many, many years ago and after making some tried and true recipes from it, along with a couple new ones - she came up with the idea of how great it would be to blog about a new cookie recipe every week. There are approximately 150 recipes in the book and she started this adventure back in 2004! She's still going strong and as I can attest, these cookies look marvelous. I actually get a little excited each Monday morning because I know there will be a fabulous new cookie creation waiting for me to drool over. Cathy has a panel of 4 judges who taste the cookies each week and give their honest opinions of what they liked (or disliked) about the cookie. I love that because it's so great to know what others think.. as every cook and baker knows - it's not always good to just use your own opinion about a recipe you've made.. sometimes you don't think it's that great, but others who try it think it's fabulous and vice versa. Currently, Cathy is on the icebox cookie chapter. I've never made icebox cookies before and now I want to make some very badly! I like the idea of making up a dough, chilling it and slicing them up to bake whenever I want to. She's already baked through the drop cookie and bar cookie chapters, with marvelous results. Although she doesn't share the recipe each week, she gives you page numbers to reference to for both the original Maida Heatter's Book of Great Cookies and the newer edition of Maida Heatter's Cookies. Cathy says the only real difference in the books are the illustrations. Both are very reasonably priced and I think one of them will be a new addition to my ever-growing cookbook shelves. =) Mondays with Maida isn't the only fantastic reading you'll do on Cathy's blog. She blogs about other recipes that are mouth watering and inspirational, to say the least. Cookie lovers.. rush to My Little Kitchen as soon as you can to check out a terrific blog and some magical recipes!

Blog of the Week July 2, 2006

What I am finding in my blogging travels is that there are soooo many great "real food" home chefs out there. I'm talking about people who create the kind of food that looks and tastes delicious but isn't overly fancy. They don't present their food with an emphasis on fancy decoration or techniques hard to understand by the average home cook. These are the blogs I enjoy the most. Oh sure, I love the blogs from those that have the knack of making their food look almost too good to eat, more like a magazine layout than a pictorial showing of what they had for dinner last night. They are great.. but those are the recipes I'm least likely to try as they are intimidating to me. It's silly of me, I know.. but give me a gal or guy who can concoct delicious meals or deserts that make me want to make them the instant I see them, knowing I won't have a hard time finding the ingredients or recreating something that looks close to what they've created, any day! Which brings me to today's salute to Rachel of Coconut & Lime. She is a wonderful cook who isn't afraid of creating recipes from whatever ingredients she has in her kitchen. She'll look at a lone apple sitting in her fruit bowl and realize she's got some limes that are close to passing their time and BOOM! She's got a yummy looking Key Lime & Apple bread that's moist, delicious and the perfect fare for a breakfast on the go. This would be me looking at my fruit bowl this morning and seeing 3 donut peaches and 3 fresh mission figs and creating something spectacular out of them. Yeah right. Maybe separately, but not together.. I'm just not that creative. Rachel is, though! Much to my delight :) I have to admit, the name of this blog is what caught my eye in the first place. My most favorite Bath & Body Works scent is their Coconut Lime Verbena. They make an overly priced air freshener that you load up with your favorite scent and plug into your outlets that last about a month. I am addicted to them and if you were to walk into my house at any given day this is the aroma that will hit your senses the instant you walk in the front door. (Unless, of course, I'm cooking, then you'll most likely smell garlic. teee!) So when I saw Rachel's blog, I figured it just had to be good! I was right.. her recipes are her own and each and every one of them is truly worthy of trying to recreate in your own kitchen. Please, go check out Coconut & Lime and see what I mean! :D

Blog of the Week June 25, 2006

Another rather new to me blog entitled, Curiosity Killed the Cook is becoming a fast favorite of mine.. another delicious blog added to my morning routine of reading and salivating. This blog is written by a gal from Boston who is a vegetarian. I'm not big on vegetarian/vegan blogs, as well.. I'm a carnivore. I loves me my meat, yanno? With that said, I loves me my veggies as well and let me tell you, if I ever did decide to convert - this gal's blog would be my bible. Her vegetarian dishes have made my mouth water. She is definitely not your ordinary amateur chef. Her dishes are creative with flavor combinations that I'd never think of trying - that is until I've discovered them on her blog. Okay so we've got a wonderful outlet for some extremely tasty and gorgeous looking vegetarian dishes, is that it? Oh hell no.. she's a baker too. Her cookies, cakes, scones, brownies, sweet breads and other assorted goodies are almost too much to take. She's also just starting to learn how to decorate cakes, which amazed me, as her first cake was absolutely gorgeous and reminded me so much of my first (bazillion) attempts - and by attempts, I mean failures - at decorating cakes. And by decorating I mean simply frosting. heee! By now, my faithful handful of readers, you should know that along with terrific recipes, pretty pictures and "real" food, my other requirement to being a truly wonderful blog is that the writer has a good sense of humor.. I need to giggle, to feel the writer's pain and joy in their failures and victories. I like those blogs that not only make me want to read them to discover great recipes to try myself, but to also wonder how they are going to crack me up with each new discovery of their own. S.C. fits the bill perfectly. Her writing is wonderful and she hides no emotions when telling the tale of why she tried a recipe, what she went through to make the recipe and her feelings on the outcome of said recipe. There is one post (one of very many that I have enjoyed so very much, but one that I could truly relate to, so far in my reading) that I have to highlight here to show you just how funny this gal is. Had enough to pique your interest yet? I'm not finished! So far we have delicious vegetarian dishes to discover, awesome baked goodies to drool over and a fantastic sense of humor to bring out those unsuspecting belly laughs, but there is also her quest to cook at least one recipe from all 243 (!) countries around the world. Hello? How cool is that? Especially for this gal who doesn't see herself travelling too far from the Armpit of the Midwest, now I can live vicariously through S.C.'s adventures! That just tickles me pink. =) Okay kids.. if you haven't checked her out yet.. make Curiosity Killed the Cook the next stop on your culinary blog reading travels :D Hurry!

Blog of the Week June 11, 2006

Blog of the Week is slightly changing, folks. Because I truly enjoy the food blogs I've blogged about in the past, I find that reading each of them every day kind of prevents me from finding new blogs to enjoy. This is NOT a bad thing. In my humble opinion my blogroll is the cream of the crop and I wouldn't trade not one of them in for something new :D These guys and gals are truly inspiring to me and I consider a few of these people to be my friends, although I've never met them in person, I find myself from time to time wondering what they are up to, if they are having a good day, what they are planning for dinner *grin* and how will they dazzle me next? I wake up each morning looking forward to a good cup of coffee and the opportunity to learn something new about these fabulous people who I have come to care about very much. With that said and a big virtual group hug for my "friendternets" (thanks to Melissa for the term), this week's blog of the week is going to feature someone who I've discovered recently and who has blown me away with his creativity. Stephen of Stephen Cooks is an amateur chef, who cooks for enjoyment, his lovely wife and for the love of entertaining good friends. His recipes are all original (unless otherwise noted), and fantastically creative. His blog almost looks as if you are reading from a professional chef's diary - as his pictures are amazing and his flavor combinations are awe-inspiring. But the food is hearty, every day items that the rest of us can appreciate and enjoy ourselves. Go have a look for yourselves, I really think Stephen Cooks - What's for Dinner? will impress you as much as he impressed me.

Blog of the Week May 28, 2006

One of the very first e-mails from a fellow blogger that I received shortly after opening my lil blog was from a gal named Tania. It was the nicest e-mail, welcoming me into the food blogging world. I immediately checked out her blog and was hooked that very minute. Not because she was so nice to introduce herself to me, but because she takes such a great pleasure in her cooking.. it's so obvious. The Candied Quince is a fabulous story-telling blog. Her creations make my mouth water and her stories make me laugh, inspire me and teach me things I did not know. She talks to us as if she's known us forever.. and she isn't afraid to share personal tidbits from her life, which I love to read about. I find her stories of tormenting her sister, "Grammar Queen", hysterical and can relate as I have two younger sisters of my own who did their best to drive me insane while growing up. =) Of course I did my bit to drive them slightly batty as well.. what older sister wouldn't take great pride in a little terrorizing of her sisters? Her instructions and tips from what she's learned in the kitchen are things that every cook can benefit from and Tania cooks real food that anyone can re-create or be inspired from to put their own spin on. If her beautiful pictures and yummy recipes don't hook you from the start, her warmness and charm will. Check out The Candied Quince and you'll see what I mean. :D

Blog of the Week May 21, 2006

Someone who deserves recognition this week is a fairly new blogger. His name is Kevin and his blog is Acme Instant Food. Kevin has a flair for describing his dishes so that you can almost taste the deliciousness. He's creative but unpretentious in the foods he concocts. I'm quite envious of his abilities in the kitchen and the fabulous get togethers he throws. So much so that I wish I lived in Los Angeles with the hopes of being invited to one of his parties. =) Kevin is also a great storyteller and he's someone who can joke about himself without coming off as self-conscious. I can tell he's comfortable in the kitchen and truly enjoys entertaining. A kindred spirit of sorts. When you read his blog you'll be pleasantly surprised that he sounds as if he's been blogging about his culinary creations for years and years and not someone who just started his blog a little over a month ago. He impressed me so much that his is the one and only blog that after reading for the very first time, I immediately added to my favorite blogs to read list (and this was just after his first post, I believe). I look forward to his posts very much and am always happy when he posts something new, which is quite often. Not only does he blog about his own cooking, but he tunes you in to some cool places to hang out in L.A. For me, coming from all the way across the country, I like hearing about these places, the people who frequent them and the foods they serve. Hey, you never know.. one day I might just visit L.A. and I'll definitely need to know where to go, yes?! Here's a deserving salute to Kevin and Acme Instant Food - may your blogging fun last for a very long time to come! :D

Blog of the Week May 14, 2006

I'm a day late as Adelphia must have been having problems yesterday because after maybe an hour of reading my blog list, my connection went *Poof* and was pretty much that way most of the day.. so without further ado.. this week's salute goes to one of my most favorite new friends I've met on this circuit of foodie love. Her name is Ellie and you can find her at Kitchen Wench, a lovely blog written by a gal who's enthusiasm for cooking is awe inspiring. She isn't afraid to take on her "kitchen demons" and most times, ends up kickin' their asses!! She has a wonderful sense of humor and warmth about her.. she just makes you feel extremely special :) I especially like that a lot of her recipes are "foreign" to me. Just last week she was talking about a certain sweet cake that a lot of Aussies enjoy with their tea and I had no idea what they were.. so I asked her what they hell they were! And instead of just an explanation? She went and baked them so I could actually see what she was talking about! Now how many people would take the time to educate a Yank like me by going to all that trouble? Ellie would :D So, not only, am I assured of a good giggling fit by the time I'm done reading one of her posts, but I also get to see what people from so far away are eating. I love, love, love that about certain blogs, I find it completely fascinating. Another thing you'll take away from Ellie's blog is the true feeling that she is a gal full of love for her family and friends and someone who honestly loves to make those people happy by feeding them her creations.. Oh yeah.. and if all of that isn't enough.. if you are a doggie lover, there's also Mr. Woofy.. he'll melt your heart the instant you see him :D

Blog of the Week May 7, 2006

As my list of favorite blogs to read continually grows a little longer with each passing month, I am finding it harder and harder to pick which one to salute each week - they are all so fabulous! This week's salute goes to Laura Rebecca and her kitchen :D I found Laura Rebbeca from my favorite cutie pie Ali's site. What a pleasant surprise to find another gal who loves to cook real food. Nothing too fancy with hard to find ingredients. Just good yummy every day food. Her trials and tribulations in the kitchen often include very funny stories along with a lil snarkiness added in for that belly laugh that escapes, surprising yourself. I feel a bit of kinship with Laura Rebecca as although her dishes turn out looking and sounding fabulous, she admits to being a completely disorganized cook and she will change a recipe to conform to what she's got in her pantry in lieu of running out to the store. I'm the same way. After I'm done cooking, my kitchen looks as if a cyclone hit it and I'm wayyyyyy to lazy to run to the store for an ingredient that I don't have on hand. Fakkk that. Well.. unless hubbs is around ;) Another reason I like Laura Rebecca's site is that she grades her recipes and if they suck, she's not afraid to grade accordingly. I like that a lot. I'm all for the admission of things gone awry. It adds to the impression that she's truly welcoming you into her kitchen regardless of what the outcome is. I'm not saying she makes a lot of bad things, as a matter of fact, I've hardly seen anything that didn't turn out totally drool worthy.. just saying she's not afraid to admit to the occasional bomb. =) 'kay my faithful few readers.. if you haven't checked out Laura Rebecca's Kitchen do so now.. and I caution you. Try not to drink anything while reading her posts. It's very possible you won't be able to control your laughter, therefore bathing your monitor in iced tea. Not that that happened to me. :P

Blog of the Week April 30, 2006

Nicki's Bakingsheet is one of those blogs that I look forward to every morning. She posts often with fabulous photos and descriptions of what's she created that day. You can tell how much she enjoys being in the kitchen, which I find inspiring. Her deserts look so fabulous and you can practically smell the scent of warm, homemade bread when she shares a recipe. My list of "to try recipes" has steadily grown very long due to the additions of her offerings. I've actually dedicated a section in my recipe notebook to Nic! If there's a slim chance that you haven't visited her site yet (and I'm sure there can't be that many out there who haven't) please go visit as soon as you can.. you'll marvel and drool as much as I do, I can guarantee it =)

Blog of the Week April 23, 2006

For my 5th week of saluting my favorite blogs to read, I've chosen Ivonne and her Cream Puffs in Venice. I came across Ivonne the same way I came across Ilva's Lucullian delights, searching for that elusive sauce recipe. I enjoy Ivonne's stories and recipes quite a bit, but what I really love are those that pertain to her family traditions. So much like my own family, yet different as well. Her photos are always beautiful and elegant and she really allows the reader to understand where a particular craving or recipe comes from. Another nice thing about Cream Puffs in Venice is that Ivonne creates themes each month. April is lemons - and does she find some yummy looking recipes that contain that fruit! Her theme during the 2006 Winter Olympics was food from the region of Piedmont, Italy. I learned so much about Italy through those posts! And the food looked absolutely luscious =) Ivonne's sense of humor and making the reader feel welcome is truly worth checking out her blog - my guess is that you'll add her to your favorites, if you already haven't. =)

Blog of the Week April 16, 2006

Ilva is a Swedish woman, married to an Italian living in Tuscany with her two daughters and one son. I was searching italian food blogs one day in a quest to find a recipe for a sauce my father would make every Christmas Eve, that neither my mother nor I learned from him (stupid! stupid!). In my search I found Ilva's Lucullian Delights and I was totally blown away. The photography on this site is absolutely amazing. She has the supreme gift of capturing nature or architecture in a most sublime, almost ethereal way. Her photos are nothing less than breath taking. There are a lot of people who take great photos out there.. but none have made me feel as if I could smell the sweet scent of the flower or feel the misty morning dew on the leaves. And the Tuscan architecture.. something that I've always adored, but I've never felt my heart skip a beat when looking at other pictures before. It sounds corny, I know, but this is my first experience with really being taken by someone's photographs. Just... amazing. I've also learned so much about the way Italians eat in Italy. I don't know if her creations are the "norm" over there, but I suspect they are. They cook with ingredients that my family doesn't. Although I know my Italian heritage has been "americanized" through the years, I still found it shocking to realize just how much. Her sauces are light and flavored throughout with fresh herbs.. Her deserts are rarely rich and full of sugar. Her entrees combine flavors that I've never thought of combining. Simple and fresh are the two words that come to mind. Earthy is another word. Delicious is yet another =) I admit, I can't quite yet, get my mind to wrap around creating a dish with the ingredients she uses for myself and Hubbs.. but reading and seeing what she posts on her blog feeds my passion for understanding where I come from.

Blog of the Week April 9, 2006

I don't recall how I stumbled upon Marianne's The Unemployed Cook, I just know I'm so glad I did. Marianne has this way of describing her culinary adventures in such a way that it inspires me to cook more and to cook things I've never either heard of or thought I could handle (her latest post telling about her brioche success has totally made me want to try making bread - something I never ever wanted to attempt before). Her recipes were the highlight of my mom's birthday this past weekend and my gawd, she's even given me the desire to not only try curry for the first time, but to make it for hubbs when he gets home from this job! A meal with spice? Unheard of! Hubbs is going to lurrvveee me forever! =) Not only are her choices economical and tasty sounding (and looking!) but they are so creative.. regardless if it's a recipe from one of her friends or an inspiration from something she's seen, she makes an ordinary dish.. well.. extraordinary! You really need to check out her blog if you haven't already.. you truly won't be sorry. =)