Now We're Cookin'

I've really become a homebody in the past year or so. I credit a lot of that to marriage, but a big chunk of it is because of these frigid nights we've had lately. I pass the time by baking and cooking, both of which I'm really growing to love. One of these days when I'm old and gray, I'm going to buy a cabin in the woods, stock up on baking and cooking supplies and go kitchen crazy in my old age.

Here are a few of the things I've been making lately. All are fattening, Southern and delicious.

Home made chocolate chip cookies (hint: buy Butter Flavor Crisco and use the recipe on the box. You CANNOT beat this recipe. Moist and delicious. The pan of orange stuff is pumpkin bars.

I took all of these treats to work and everything was gone by the afternoon. I love sharing goodies with people.

Best sweets ever, made with Reese's. If you want to fancy up the name, call 'em peanut butter tarts. Ingredients: peanut butter cookie dough and Reese's cups. Easy, delicious, super fast.

Buttery, chocolaty goodness

Zucchini bread. This recipe is from my grandmother's church's cookbook. Talk about good food, there's not a bad recipe in that cookbook. After all, the contributers are older Southern church women. You can't go wrong there.

A few more zucchini bread ingredients. I love my Sophie Conran by Portmeirion pouring bowl, by the way. Beautiful and timeless.

Zucchini bread final product. Moist and delicious! That's served my breakfast needs most days this week.

Onions + garlic + pesto spices = best smelling kitchen ever. This was a topper to our spaghetti and chicken dinner this week.

Apple cider with Aspen Mulling Spice. I've had the spice in my pantry for awhile but just got around to fixing it this week. I added a little bit of unsweet tea to it. Perfect for a cold, wintry day.

White chili! Chicken, chili beans, Rotel, chicken broth, sauteed onions and garlic, oregano, half and half, sour cream. Yums.

 And we got this great package in the mail yesterday from our monk friends at Subiaco.

Monk Sauce! Hot pepper sauce lovers rejoice!

This liquid fire is delicious but dangerous. One or two drops will do ya, so use caution. You can order this habanero sauce online. It's made by the Benedictine Monks at Subiaco Academy. 

In related news, we've acquired quite the supply of hot sauces. Man, these are so good. Here's a quick note on three of my favorites: (1) Louisiana Hot Sauce is my best friend on Cajun food and now on pizza. (2) We received the Shut Up Juice (second from left) as a Christmas gift from our friends who grew up in Cabot. The town has a restaurant called the Mean Pig, and it is notorious for inventing this mouth-burning sauce. Watch my friend J.R. try it during a segment for KNWA. Poor guy. (3) Melinda's hot sauce (far right) was made in Costa Rica, where my husband and I vacationed in 2010. It's a sweeter sauce but has the habanero kick we love.

That's it for this week's food post. If we get another snow day soon, feel free to stop by my house. You'll likely find me in the kitchen cooking up a storm, and believe me, there will be plenty of food to go around.

Weekend recap

My sweet grandparents spent four days with me last week, which was a total blast. We kept it pretty low key, but it was so nice, especially with our freezing temperatures last week.

The hubs was out of town on a business trip, so it was really nice to have Grandy and Papa around.

We ate at some of my favorite spots last week:
Loafin' Joe's


Monte Ne Inn Chicken (or simply Monte Ne Chicken)

Photo from the Arkansas Times via Google Images

and Osegueras

Photo from Osegueras' website

These oh-so-good restaurants were a great place to catch up and grab a delicious bite. We asked Richard and Brenda, our family members on Papa's side, to join us at Monte Ne for the family style dining. I thought I'd never eat again.

Grandy and I did a little Christmas shopping at Sam's and thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. We also made a delicious chocolate cheesecake (while in our jammies), my favorite dessert.

Unfortunately, though, I awoke at 4:45 a.m. Thursday morning and threw my guts up all day. Alas, it was the dreaded stomach virus. I missed two days of work, and it took me a third day to really recover. I took it easy this weekend and was back to my old self by Sunday afternoon.

Sunday night, we ate at our church friends' home, played games and simply enjoyed spending time together.

We've got a busy rest of the week. I'll try to remember to snap a few photos along the way. Can you believe Christmas is right around the corner? 12 days!