Julie & Meg

When I bought The Pioneer Woman Cooks, I thought for a minute how fun it would be to do a little Julie & Julia project.


Exactly the same thing that 300 million other bloggers thought.

Although her pico de gallo and guacamole have changed my life...
(I used to think that I made the best guac ever.  Nope.  She does.)
It contains quite a few red meat dishes in there.
Me, being a recovering vegetarian, who has major texture issues with red meat, I just didn't see myself making it through. 
So instead I am doing my own, very doable project.
Julie & Meg, if you will.

{my pot much prefers it's new home to it's old one.}


I am nearly through the recipes and one by one, they don't disappoint.
Easy, family friendly, quick and cozy meals, with simple, normal ingredients.

Even the dramatic children, who hate food, seem to oblige me with a few more bites than normal, before breaking into tears and faking stomach aches.

Mind you, I have tried a handful of these recipes first hand, cooked by Meg herself.
Feel free to be jealous.
I would totally be jealous of myself too, if that was possible.

My current fave is the cozy Cheesy Potato Soup.
It is dreamy.

But don't get me started on the Chicken Enchiladas...
Because I won't stop.
My dear, beautiful friend, cilantro.  How I love thee.

You can find the recipes here.
I only have two left.
I know they will be fabulous.

It is impossible to pick a favorite. 
They are all that good.
For reals.

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Why is it..

That some things taste so much better when somebody else makes it for you?
Jason woke me up this morning as his mom was on the way to our house and took me on a little date to get pancakes.   We went to Original Pancake House (don't go thinking it was IHOP... ewww) and I ordered my most favorite Buckwheat Pancakes.  Whole grain happiness.
I found a recipe here if you would like to make your own.  I might give it a try, but I fear they won't measure up to what I will likely dream about for weeks.
What are the foods that although you try and try to make yourself, are worth a trip out for?

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Muffin Tin Monday

I sometimes wonder how two girls raised in the same house with the same parents and same rules can be so vastly different.  Lucy will happily try pretty much any food, while Halley would gladly starve if given the opportunity.  I found a great idea from Sycamore Stirrings called Muffin Tin Mondays.  My goal was to get Halley to push her idea of "edible food" while it was served to her in her own fun tin in very small portions.

I decided to try it out a breakfast today and the new food was kiwi.  Shockingly, kiwi has the ability to put her over the edge.  Imagine if I tried something really adventurous.  She would be in counseling for weeks.  The other foods were:  gummy vitamins, dried cranberries, strawberry yogurt, honeydew, pretzel goldfish, pineapple, bowtie noodles, chicken chunks, a mini carrot cake muffin, cheese and strawberries.  
Lulu dug right in, actually trying the kiwi first and asking for more.  Halley went into a full blown panic that the kiwi was even on her tray.  "Mom!!!!!  I don't like pickles!!!!!!" was all I could hear.  In her opinion kiwis are the same as pickles.  No amount of convincing could change her mind.  I had her try a tiny piece and you would of thought I fed her poison.  Well... it's a start.
I am not giving up.  She ate what she ate, when the evil kiwis were removed peace was restored and they both asked for more meals in the "cupcake cookers".  If anyone has tips for the dramatic eaters please send them my way.  We were at a wedding this weekend and during the best man's toast she tried a sip of Martinellis.  Instantly she screamed bloody murder and spit it all over Jason and the people next to us.  Who doesn't like Martinellis?  Let's just say the videographer is going to have to do some creative editing on that part of the evening.

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