Today's Thoughts: Cooking!

I LOVE food. I mean, I really love food. It's amazing to me that I don't weigh over 200 pounds by now. I guess that's why I also love to cook. Cooking means that I get to make all the foods I love, just the way I like it. Of course, I have days where I just don't feel like cooking and crave a night out or a bucket of special fried rice from San Fu. Now, don't get me wrong- I am by no means a gourmet cook. I don't always use the freshest ingredients available, I may take short-cuts and help from the store, but most of the time I am cooking up something in my small, apartment-sized kitchen. Tonight I used my crock pot for the first time, a Christmas present from my parents. I popped in all the ingredients for Beef Stew and headed out the door. The smell was heavenly when I came home this afternoon. And oh my goodness, it was spectacular (as described by my hubbs)!

My desire to learn how to cook came a year or two before I got married. I've always wanted to be a good cook. I have different tastes from my parents so I didn't really look to there cooking as an inspiration. I became obsessed with watching Everyday Italian with Giada- she's gorgeous, first of all, and everything she makes looks like a gourmet meal! I still watch her cooking shows today as well as a variety of others. At the moment I am a HUGE fan of Rachael Ray. I never really was until I became an unemployed housewife- I had NO idea she had a morning talk show! I am inspired by many of her recipes and I've tried out a few, adding my own touch to them as I go.

Sooo. The first few recipes I want to try are some of Rachael's. I will be trying them out VERY SOON!

1. Baked Shells Casserole

You just HAVE to click on the link. Spinach, pasta, cheese? What's not for a girl to love? It looks sooo good!

2. Coconut Chicken Cutlets

I'm pretty sure I'll be making this one next week. I've never cooked with coconut before and it looked awesome when I watched her make it.

3. Spinach and Artichoke Mac and Cheese

Another ingredient I have never experimented with in the kitchen- artichokes! Looks delicious!

4. Chocolate Overdose Cake

I found this AMAZING chocolate cake recipe on the Beantown Baker's blog today. It looks like it could be the best chocolate cake ever! Now I just need an excuse to make it!

5. Lemon Yogurt Cake

Yet another ingredient I fail to use; lemons. I looove anything flavored with lemon, especially Macaroni Grill's Lemon Passion cake! I've never made anything like this either and I'd really like to try it. :)

Be on the lookout- eventually, or soon, I hope, I'll be trying out all these recipes!!


What recipes are you looking to try out?