• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 teaspoons Sriracha sauce*
• 1 teaspoon lime juice (1 lime)
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 Tablespoon fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated lime zest (1 lime)

Rosemary and Sea Salt Roasted Chickpeas

• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons fresh rosemary, chopped

Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse and drain chickpeas. With a paper towel, pat dry the chickpeas. Not to worry if some of the skins come off. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, sea salt, and rosemary.

Honey Roasted Chickpeas

• 1 can (15 ounces) chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
• 1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons honey
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon sea salt

Preheat oven to 400°F. Rinse and drain chickpeas. With a paper towel, pat dry the chickpeas. Not to worry if some of the skins come off. In a large bowl, whisk together olive oil, honey, brown sugar, and sea salt. Add chickpeas to the bowl and toss to coat.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and pour the chickpeas evenly on the pan.

Place in the oven and roast for 35 to 40 minutes, stirring halfway through, until crunchy. Allow to cool and serve. Best eaten warm.

1. Les Cuileres by Eva Juliet {it hangs in my kitchen} 2. Gary Clark Jr. {on my iPod} 3. Infinity Scarf from Marine Layer · san francisco {it’s on my neck}
4.Veal Demi Glace from Williams Sonoma {it’s in my soup} 5. in season blood oranges {in everything I cook}

If your child is anything like mine, she loves corn dogs. And if you are anything like me you cringe at the thought of her consuming all of that fat, oil, and who knows what is really in a hot dog.

Disclaimer: I’m not going to be a hypocrite. I love a corn dog from the Texas State Fair. Oh. My. Word. Awesomeness on a stick. I mean you have to have one deep fired corn dog a year, right?

That’s why I’ve been trying to find a healthier substitute or version of a corn dog that Mia would like. After months of trying to put together a cornbread recipe that was healthier for us than the traditional oil laden recipes and finding a natural, uncured, no preservatives, antibiotic and hormone free hot dog, we were in business. The secret ingredients to these corn dog muffins are healthy low-fat buttermilk and Greek yogurt in replace of oil. Low-fat buttermilk and Greek yogurt are super healthy with probiotics, riboflavin, protein, vitamin B12, and zinc.

A savory beef hot dog wrapped in a blanket of slightly sweet cornbread make these homemade healthy mini corn dog muffins a perfect snack or lunch for everyone – not just the kiddos.

Healthy Mini Corn Dog Muffins makes 24

• Butter, room temperature, for pan
• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 2 1/2 Tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup low-fat buttermilk
• 3 Tablespoons Greek yogurt
• 1 cup frozen corn kernels
• 4 beef hot dogs, preferably natural/antibiotic and hormone free

Preheat oven to 425° F. Generously butter a 24 count mini muffin pan.

In a large bowl, combine the dry ingredients; flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

In a medium bowl, combine the wet ingredients; egg, buttermilk, and Greek yogurt. Mix well.

Once the wet ingredients are combined, add the corn kernels and stir.

Add the buttermilk mixture to the flour mixture and stir till just incorporated being careful to not overmix.

Spoon the batter into the muffin cups, filling the cups 3/4 full.

Next, slice the hot dogs into 1 inch segments.

Place a hot dog piece in the center of each muffin cup and place the muffin pan into the oven. Bake for 10 to 15 minutes until the the tops turn golden and toothpick inserted into the muffin comes out clean.

Carefully remove the corn dog muffins from the muffin cups and place on a cooling rack to cool.

Serve with ketchup and mustard or your favorite corn dog topping. Refrigerate (for up to 3 days) or freeze any leftovers. Reheat in the microwave or oven (preferable oven or toaster oven).

You can’t ever beat a Fletcher’s corn dog from the fair but you can come pretty close without the worry of what you are putting on your child’s lunch plate. Enjoy.

Upon my return to blogging this year after a short, what I like to call, slipper sabbatical, I received an e-mail from two of my favorite Etsy shops and long time readers of ISMS. Not only was it an inspiring e-mail of support but if was an offer for a giveaway celebrating the return of In Sock Monkey Slippers. With great gratitude, I present to all of you, old and new readers, two wonderful giveaways (with two separate winners) and a coupon for everyone to Una Bella Vita and Laughing Dog Studio!

The giveaway is now closed. The winner of the Una Bella Vita Apron is Summer and the winner of the set of earings from Laughing Dog Studio is Kay! Winners have been notified by e-mail. Thanks everyone for participating and remember to hurry and use the coupon (enter sockmonkeyslippers at checkout)to both of these stores before time runs out!

Una Bella Vita

Una Bella Vita - One Beautiful Life – certainly lives up to its name.  Splitting her time between Pisa, Italy and Arizona, Susanna the creator of Una Bella Vita, pulls inspiration from her surroundings into each handmade apron she creates. She is truly an artist and creates a beautiful marriage between function and design in her quality aprons. A favorite in the foodie world, Una Bella Vita, aprons are coveted by many due to their thick designer fabric, durability, and style. I speak form experience, this is my favorite apron I own and favorite gift to give!

GIVEAWAY Visit Una Bella Vita and pick out your your favorite apron from one of the many amazing choices. To enter: leave a comment at the end of this post with the title of your favorite design. Giveaway ends this Friday, February 24 2012, at noon central. One winner will be chosen by random.org and notified by e-mail. U.S. residents only, please.

Laughing Dog Studio

Laughing Dog Studio is a gorgeous collection of gemstone, vintage, artisan lampwork and exotic beaded handmade jewelry. A favorite of many Etsy shoppers, Korinne the owner of Laughing Dog Studio, creates alluring pieces inspired by seasons, elements, and worldly cultures. Each one of her pieces is made of quality material and individually unique. I’m in love with her beautiful jade pieces!

GIVEAWAY Laughing Dog Studio is graciously giving a reader of ISMS this set of Yellow Citrine Earrings called Autum Morning. To enter leave a comment at the end of this post stating that you must have these! Giveaway ends this Friday, February 24 2012, at noon central. One winner will be chosen by random.org and notified by e-mail. U.S. residents only, please.

If you haven’t tried roasting a whole chicken before, you are missing out. It’s a very simple recipe that can practically feed a family for at least two to three meals; that is, unless you are a family of 20. If that’s the case, better throw eight chickens or so in the oven.

Last year we talked about roasting chickens with this Herbs de Provence version. But to tell you the truth, there are some things I have learned having a toddler. One is ,when you are making a dinner for the entire family, the quicker the better. This rosemary garlic chicken is very simple with just a few steps; dice, stir, rub, and roast.

What type of chicken is the best for roasting?

Here’s another lesson I have learned when dealing with this yummy bird: a free range/no antibiotic/organic/natural fryer chicken yields the best flavor and tenderness. These are super expensive, so the next choice (and the one we usually opt for) is the free range/no antibiotic/natural fryer chickens. These are, in my opinion, the best types of chickens to eat and they will run you around $10 to $15 at the store (slightly more at a farmers market). Trust me–I’ve been roasting chickens for a long time, and once you taste a free range chicken you will never go back. After finding tumors in two regular fryer chickens last year that I bought at the store I immediately switched, and now can tell the difference between a tough produced chicken and a tender free range “natural” chicken. Plus, research is showing that less human intervention with our meats is better for our health (feeding processed foods laced with hormones, hormone injections, anit-biotics, and such). We will go into detail about that another day.

All of these labels, what do they mean?

Good lord, the labeling issue. With all of this terminology, who do you believe these days? Let’s break it down according to poultry. source: USDA.

Free Range - Producers must demonstrate to the Agency that the poultry has been allowed access to the outside. {It does not say how long the chickens have to be outside to be called free range. Vague, I know but at least you are hoping they are able to eat worms, insects and such as they would naturally. This is where it helps to know and trust your source, like from a farm you can visit or from the farmers market.

No Antibiotics – the terms “no antibiotics added” may be used on labels for meat or poultry products if sufficient documentation is provided by the producer to the Agency demonstrating that the animals were raised without antibiotics. 

Organic – That term is a folly in itself these days. Honestly, I can’t find an exact definition when it comes to poultry. Here is the USDA definition to the Organic Label: Products labeled as “100 percent organic” must contain (excluding water and salt) only organically produced ingredients and processing aids. After speaking to a poultry farmer HIS definition is he only feeds his chickens organic additive free feed, organic corn, and the land that the chickens feed off of is not treated with pesticides.

Natural - A product containing no artificial ingredient or added color and is only minimally processed. Minimal processing means that the product was processed in a manner that does not fundamentally alter the product. The label must include a statement explaining the meaning of the term natural (such as “no artificial ingredients; minimally processed”).

To find more information about USDA labeling, please visit the USDA website 

Hope that helps and by all means PLEASE COOK WITH THE CHICKEN YOU FEEL COMFORTABLE WITH! I’m not here to tell you what to cook, just how to cook it. wink wink

Now, on to the chicken! This rosemary garlic roasted chicken is one of our family’s go to meals. It’s tender, juicy, insanely delectable, yields more than one meal, and most importantly, everyone loves it.

Rosemary Garlic Roasted Chicken serves 4 to 6

• 4  pound fryer chicken, preferably free range/natural/antibiotic-free
• 3 garlic cloves, peeled
• 2 sprigs fresh rosemary, 5 to 6 inches long
• 1 sprig fresh oregano, 5 to 6 inches long
• 1 1/2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Finely chop the garlic, rosemary and oregano. Place in a small bowl.

To the garlic and herbs, add olive oil, salt, and pepper. Stir to combine and set aside.

Prep the chicken by trussing it. This will help with even cooking but seriously, you can roast a chicken without trussing it. Note: I am a bit dyslexic. I truss a chicken backwards. I have issues, I know. The harder I try to do it correctly I am sent into a wave of confusion and feel like I’m in second grade math class getting my eights and threes confused. Here’s my wrong (but works) way for all of you other dyslexic people: 1. Cut 3 feet of cooking twine. Lay the chicken breast side up with the drumstick feet facing you. Slide the twine evenly behind the wings underneath the chicken. If you have any leftover herbs place them in the cavity. 2. Bring the twine up and forward over the drumsticks. 3. Next, wrap the twine under the feet. 4. Then, wrap the twine back up and over the feet meeting in the middle of the cavity. Tie the twine tight, bringing the drumsticks together.

Of course there is the proper way that I highly recommend : How to Truss a Chicken from Chow.com

With your fingers, stuff a tablespoon of the garlic and herb mixture in between the skin and the breast.

Rub the remaining garlic mixture over the entire chicken. Place the chicken on a rack in a roasting pan. A large cast iron skillet without a rack or a large casserole dish will work as well. Place in the oven and roast for 1 hour and 20 minutes or until the internal temperature reaches 165°F.

Once roasted remove from the oven and allow to stand for 5 to 10 minutes before carving.

OPTIONAL: Make this dish a one-pot meal by combining root vegetables or winter vegetables with a teaspoon of extra virgin olive oil, salt, and pepper in a bowl. Stir to combine and place the vegetables in the roasting pan around the chicken after the chicken has been cooking for 25 minutes. Allow to cook the remaining time with the chicken. In early spring to summer try a combo of potatoes, carrots, and onions. In the fall through winter, try large diced winter squashes such as butternut and acorn, cauliflower, and brussels sprouts.

The most succulent fall-off-the-bone chicken with the crispiest skin. Seriously good.

My favorite thjigs to do with leftover roasted chicken are: Baked Chicken and Artichoke Egg Rolls and Chicken, Leek, and Kale Soup with Black Rice Noodles.

Shhh. Be still my beating heart.

What?

I said shhh.

The photo explains it all. Soft velvety potatoes with just a little bite. Cooked slowly to absorb the cheesy creamy goodness of it all. Who doesn’t like scalloped potatoes?

These little individual portions are intensly delicious with creamy parmesan and fresh thyme. Elegant enough to serve at a dinner party or just for everyday at the family meal. Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes Stacks are our family’s newest obsession.

Parmesan Scalloped Potato Stacks makes 12
50 minutes cooking time 

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 shallot
• 2 cups half and half *
• 1 cup + 1/2 cup Parmesan, freshly grated
• 1/2 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs fresh thyme leaves
• 3 to 4 small to medium baking potatoes

Preheat oven to 400°F. Butter a 12 cup muffin tin. Peel and finely dice the garlic and shallot.

Place the diced garlic and shallot in a large bowl along with the half and half, 1 cup of grated Parmesan cheese, salt, pepper and thyme. Stir to combine and set aside.

Peel the potatoes and slice into 1/8″ thick rounds with a knife or mandolin. Stack about 7 to 8 potato slices into each muffin tin. The number of slices will vary depending on the thickness of the cut. Stack them tightly but not any higher than the muffin tin itself.

Next, spoon the half and half mixture into each muffin tin over the potato slices, being careful not to overflow. Loosely cover the muffin pan with foil and place in the oven. Bake for 35 minutes. Remove the foil and carefully top each muffin tin with the remaining 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese. Place back in the oven without foil and bake for an additional 10 to 15 minutes until the cheese is golden brown, the potatoes are tender, and the liquid has absorbed.

Allow to cool in the pan for an additional 5 minutes, then carefully slide a knife around the edges to loosen, then remove and serve. Add additional thyme sprigs as garnish if desired.

love. love. love.

If I was on a deserted island living off of coconuts, seaweed, and fish that I caught with my bare hands because I’m awesome like that, I would constantly be dreaming about this meal. I would make little sand castles in shape of porterhouses, sirloins, and filets and sear them on an open flame while the hermit crabs laughed at my insanity.

I’m not ashamed to say it, I love love love love beef. I also love cows which makes this marriage of passions as wrong as a the Pope drinking straight Kentucky bourbon from a mason jar. Oh well, I’ve made peace with it.

Filet Mignon with Cabernet Cremini Sauce is an elegant and super simple dinner to impress for this Valentine’s Day or any special meal. This rich and flavorful piece of meat pairs well with the bright and earthy sauce with a secret ingredient, veal demi glace – an invaluable cooks’ trick for the most impressive sauces, soups, risottos, and braises. Demi Glace is a French base for sauces traditionally made by combining equal parts of veal stock and sauce espagnole with added vegetables and tomato paste and simmered/reduced for 24 hours. It is an intense natural flavor enhancer that elevates dishes to an entirely different level. I highly recommend having some in stock in your kitchen. A little on the pricey side ($24 – 40$), but it is worth every penny. Because it is concentrated, it will last for a long time and stores up to 6 months in the refrigerator and practically forever in the freezer. I have found Williams-Sonoma has a well balanced one for around $30 (US).

Serve it with: This meal is pretty much unforgettable in my mind and the sauce a good one to remember for practically any cut of steak. I like to pair it with mashed potatoes, wild rice, or in this instance Individual Parmesan and Thyme Scalloped Potatoes, and sauteed spinach, or green beans. A nice dry Cabernet pairs well. Filet Mignon with Cabernet Cremini Sauce  – also known as the steak of love.

Filet Mignon with Cabernet Cremini Sauce serves 2

• 2 8oz filet mignons,* about 2 inches thick
• Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper
• 1 Tbs + 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
• 8 cremini mushrooms
• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 shallot
• 1 cup Cabernet**
• 2 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 2 Tbs veal demi glace
• 1 Tbs butter

* If another cut of steak is used, adjust the cooking time according to the thickness of the cut

** A dry, not sweet, red wine can be substituted

Set the filets on the counter at room temperature for 10 to 15 minutes prior to cooking. Sprinkle both sides liberally with salt and pepper.

While the filets are shaking off the chill, so to speak, slice the cremini mushrooms 1/4″ thick and set aside to use in the sauce.

Peel and finely dice the garlic and shallot and set aside to use in the sauce.

In a pan over medium/medium-high heat, heat 1 Tablespoon of olive oil. It is important for a good crust and even cooking time for the pan to be hot before adding the filets. Add the filets and cook for 5 minutes a side and an additional minute each 2″ side. If your pan begins to smoke drastically turn the burner to medium. This will give you a medium-rare filet. Adjust time accordingly to your desired doneness. For well done, stick the filets in a 400° oven for 10 additional minutes. Although I do not suggest this, at all, I understand as my parents and mother-in-law are well done kind of people. The point is to enjoy it, any way you like it.

Once done, remove the filets to a plate and loosely cover (tent) with foil. Now for the sauce. In the same pan that the filets were cooked, add 1 teaspoon of olive oil, cremini mushrooms, garlic and shallots. Saute over medium heat for 2 minutes.

Next, add the wine and using a wooden spoon stir and scrape any browned bits of filet mignon off of the bottom of the pan. Add the thyme sprigs and bring to a simmer over medium-high heat. Simmer for 5 to 8 minutes until the wine has reduced a little.

Add the veal demi glace and butter and stir to incorporate. Simmer for an additional minute. At this point your sauce should be thickened with a nice gloss to it. Taste and add salt and pepper if needed. If you do not have veal demi glace in your posession the sauce will still turn out beautifuly.

To plate, place the filet mignons on plates and generously spoon the Cabernet cremini sauce over.

And if you were feeling a little extra naughty you could always have this for desert. Happy Cupid day.

Parmesan Scalloped Potato Stacks pictured above

Martyred saints, chubby cherubs, hearts and lace… it’s Valentine’s Day and what better way to celebrate with a rich dark chocolate cake and a beautifully tangy blood orange sauce. This cake is a chocolate lovers dream as the absence of flour lends its way to a moist velvety texture with a crisp crust that pairs perfectly with a uniquely tart red blood orange sauce.

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Blood Orange Sauce serves 8 to 12

• 6 Tbs unsalted butter, plus more for pan
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (70% cocoa)
• 1/4 tsp instant espresso
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
• candied blood orange peel, optional

• 3 cups blood orange juice (about 5 blood oranges)
• 3 Tbs granulated sugar

Preheat oven to 275°F. Generously butter and flour a springform pan and set aside. **Granulated sugar can be substituted for flour in this step to make this truly gluten free.

Place butter and chocolate in a large bowl and heat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until completely melted.

Stir in espresso and salt into the chocolate mixture.

 Next, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites placing both yolks and whites in separate bowls.

Add the yolks to the melted chocolate mixture and whisk until incorperated and smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat egg whites (on high if using a mixer) until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar…

and continue beating until glossy stiff peaks form.

Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture one half at a time until combined.
Pour into the prepared pan and place into the oven for 45 to 50 minutes until the edges start to pull away from the pan. Set on a cooling rack while still in the pan to cool.

While the cake is in the oven baking, juice the blood oranges.

Pour the juice into a saucepan, add the sugar and bring to a boil. Stir to combine. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 t0 30 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by half and thickened. Set aside until ready to plate.

Once the cake has completely cooled, release it from the pan and plate on a serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar.

If using, place the candied orange peels on top of the cake. Note: To make the orange peels I used the peel off of the blood oranges before I juiced them, simmered them in 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup granulated sugar for 20-30 minutes until translucent, and cooled on parchment paper.

yes. yes. yes. and yes.

To plate, slice a piece of cake, drizzle a spoonful of blood orange sauce over, and top with an orange peel.

Sweet Kevin Bacon it’s so incredibly good!

and pairs very well with this Valentine’s day meal…. Filet Mignon with a Cremini Red Wine Sauce served with Individual Parmesan Scalloped Potatoes and Sauteed Green Beans.

    Print This!    

Flourless Chocolate Cake with Blood Orange Sauce serves 8 to 12

• 6 Tbs unsalted butter, plus more for pan
• 8 ounces bittersweet chocolate chips (70% cocoa)
• 1/4 tsp instant espresso
• 1 pinch sea salt
• 6 large eggs, room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• confectioners’ sugar, for dusting
• candied blood orange peel, optional

blood orange sauce

• 3 cups blood orange juice (about 5 blood oranges)
• 3 Tbs granulated sugar

1. Preheat oven to 275°F. Generously butter and flour a springform pan and set aside. **Granulated sugar can be substituted for flour in this step to make this truly gluten free.

2. Place butter and chocolate in a large bowl and heat in the microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until completely melted.

3. Stir in espresso and salt into the chocolate mixture.

4. Next, separate the egg yolks from the egg whites placing both yolks and whites in separate bowls.

5. Add the yolks to the melted chocolate mixture and whisk until incorperated and smooth. Set aside.

In a large bowl or stand mixer, beat egg whites (on high if using a mixer) until soft peaks form. Gradually add granulated sugar and continue beating until glossy stiff peaks form.

6. Gently fold the egg whites into the chocolate mixture one half at a time until combined. Pour into the prepared pan and place into the oven for 45 to 50 minutes until the edges start to pull away from the pan. Set on a cooling rack while still in the pan to cool.

7. While the cake is in the oven baking, juice the blood oranges. Pour the juice into a saucepan, add the sugar and bring to a boil. Stir to combine. Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 t0 30 minutes or until the sauce has reduced by half and thickened. Set aside until ready to plate.

8. Once the cake has completely cooled, release it from the pan and plate on a serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar. If using, place the candied orange peels on top of the cake. Note: To make the orange peels I used the peel off of the blood oranges before I juiced them, simmered them in 1 cup of water and 1/2 cup granulated sugar for 20-30 minutes until translucent, and cooled on parchment paper.

9. To plate, slice a piece of cake, drizzle a spoonful of blood orange sauce over, and top with an orange peel.

 

Hello. I’m alive. This is either a relief or a huge disappointment to some of you. As most of you pointed out to me through e-mail, twitter, and facebook I have been AWOL form the blog since December and for that I apologize.

“What happened?”

“Where are you?”

“Are you ok?”

“Damn it lady I need more food.”

“Have you been abducted by Aliens?”

“No seriously, where are you?”

“It was aliens, wasn’t it?”

“I’m a dude I can’t follow recipes, I need more step by step photos. Where did you go.” <- one of my favorites

All words from you that touched me, made me laugh in a dark time, and changed my mind to quit blogging. Yes, I was on the bloggers ledge about to hit the cancel my host button. You see, I didn’t realize how much ISMS gave me a purpose. A drive to find out who I am, where I fit and most importantly the outlet to learn more about my passions (other than the sidekick and her father), cooking and photography. Sounds ridiculous doesn’t it. My old pre-kid career minded self is laughing at that those last two sentences right now as I eat yogurt from the jar with a baby spoon, in pajamas and slippers, while asking myself when the last time I washed my hair was.

No, Charlie from Wisconsin, I was not abducted by aliens but I fell into a little bit of a hole, depression if you want to call it, and with it came immense writers block, fatigue, lack of enthusiasm for it all, and an addiction to the TV show “Weeds” that I recently found on Netflix. Just to get out of bed and go on with the day to day had become a struggle. Before I knew it my camera had gathered and inch of dust, and the creativity I once lived of off escaped the kitchen. Not even my friends or relatives knew as they probably never read this blog anyway so they never knew I had stopped and something was slipping with me.

Now two months later I seem to be climbing out of it all. And although I do have to give some credit to The Husband and to one of my best friends who is currently traveling the world but allways stops for a phone call, a lot of it is because of comments and concerns from complete strangers. Eddie – for giving me one of the best compliments ever, Judith – for your concern, Charlie – seriously I don’t know what to say to that, and Mary F., Mark, Veronica S., Brooke, Shari from Tickled Red, Michelle from Confesions of A Recipe Junkie, and all of you on facebook or twitter who here and there sent messages asking about me, the blog, or life. I’ve never met you but would like to say thanks for the encouragement and concern even when you had no idea if anything was wrong or not. To those who have e-mailed, I promise I will return them in time, as I have a a lot to catch up on.

I’m not one to usually talk about the seriousness of life, too much of a downer sometimes. So letting you in on a weakness of mine is a hard hill to tackle. Just going to have to take this day by day and remember that depression has a tendency to be like an ex-boyfriend who ran off to Cabo with your paycheck and friend but tells you he’s at his sick mother’s for the weekend…it’s pretty much a bold face lier. Time to kick it to the curb. Hopefully, with time I will be back to posting recipes and such in my sock monkey slippers.

So, what have you missed in the last two months? A little bit of this and a little bit of that:

First of all, a few weeks before Christmas I lost my beloved and beautiful Grandmother. She was an amazing woman who taught us all the importance of family, unconditional love, fun, and to always dance. This is one of my favorite pictures of her. I miss her dearly.

With Christmas came Christmas cards and needless to say it was a tragically painful shoot.

Christmas was a hard one this year with my Grandmother’s passing and my brother deployed in Afghanistan but her smile kept me going.

I’ve cooked a little and have a wonderful review of Texmati Rice, a long grain American Basmati rice, and a lemon chicken, artichoke, and rice casserole recipe coming very soon.

Great news came at the beginning of January, and my brother, Michael, is back in the states stationed at Fort Knox.

We recently spent time at my family’s ranch where I picked up the camera again for the first time in a month.

I took so many shots in fact that Mia gave me this lovely look while saying, “Lady Mommy put the camera down!”

and I did but not before I took this shot of my favorite people and our furry kid, Jack.

While we were at the ranch, we went hunting and were blessed with a massive deer that will feed us all year. Thankfully, my husband is a better shot than I am. At some point I’ll post this recipe for Venison Wellington with a venison mushroom gravy.

Speaking of The Husband, the other weekend he completed his 10,000th marathon and not to mention a 50 mile trail ultra marathon a couple of days ago. Ok maybe not 10,000th but it was up there. I again broke out the camera which made me realize how much I missed it.

Because with a camera you have an excuse to take shots of anyone.;)

Which brings us to yesterday, and we are all still disillusioned that the Giants won the Super Bowl.

Cheers to you all and thanks for the encouragement. Here’s to a fantastic 2012.