What I've Been Baking

Here he is, William David, my little love-muffin, my cuddly baby burrito, my sweet tiny honey-bun:

He is the most laid-back baby in the world, so I may actually be back in the kitchen meal-planning and cooking sooner than I thought. Stay tuned!

A Brief Hiatus

Last year I began the year with a goal for my blog -- to cook one recipe out of each of my cookbooks by the end of the year. Obviously, I suck, and that didn't happen. This year, I'm beginning the year with a temporary goodbye, since on Friday we'll be welcoming the precious baby boy I've been baking for the past nine months. For the most part things will probably be pretty quiet around here (on the blog, not in my house -- I'm sure it will be quite loud and hectic there!), as we'll be eating all of the meals I've been freezing for the last couple of months.

Speaking of frozen meals, check out my freezer:

I wanted to freeze a lot more food that I actually did, but sprained ankles and kidney stones and LIFE got in the way, and anyway I don't think I could fit anything else in my freezer if I tried. Here's a complete list of everything I've frozen in preparation for our new bundle of joy (not the Pizza Rolls, obviously -- I just love them and always have a bag on hand):

Southwestern chicken corn chowder (a recipe it appears I never shared with you, but it's from this cookbook; I'll post the recipe later)

Creamed chicken for biscuits

Baked ziti
Lasagna soup
Spinach artichoke pasta
Cream cheese potato soup
Sausage ricotta meatballs
Macaroni and cheese
Chicken spaghetti
Meatloaf
Parmesan knots
Chocolate chip apple bread
Chocolate chip cream cheese vanilla bean muffins

I'll update when my frozen supply runs out and I actually start cooking again. At that point, I'll be trying to lose the baby weight, so you can expect lots of healthy and vegetarian recipes. And of course you'll get a photo of the new baby, but other than that, there probably won't be much content over the next couple of months. (If you're interested, I'll probably be updating a little bit more frequently on my other site.) I hope you stick with me during this absence, and I'll see you when I get my cooking groove back!

Weekly Meal Planning, Sort Of

First of all, it was so sweet of you guys to be concerned when I didn't post for a while last week. I wish I could tell you that the baby was here, but he's not. Early Tuesday morning I was felled by kidney stones, and I spent a couple of days in the hospital recovering. Nearly a week later, I'm still feeling pretty tender, and I'm spending every chance I get in the recliner. If you've ever had a kidney stone, you know how much they hurt; now add being pregnant to the equation, and just imagine the amount of pain. It was terrible.

Needless to say, I didn't make a single thing on my meal plan last week. Joe has been in charge of meals all week, which means we've had the following: frozen pizza, McDonald's, frozen taquitos, pizza rolls, and sandwiches. Tonight I believe delivery pizza is on the menu.

As you can probably guess, I'm ready for some home-cooked, non-processed food, so I'm carrying over last week's meal plan to this week. This will probably be the last meal planning I do for a while, though, since next week is Christmas, then the following week is New Year's, and the week after that we'll have a new baby. We're going to be so busy that I'm pretty sure cooking is going to be the last thing on my mind.

I'd planned a full day of Christmas baking today, but then this morning I sprained my ankle coming down the stairs (I'm really having a banner week!), so that's off. I had a lot of delicious things planned to share with you, but I don't think I'll realistically be able to get to all of them now. I guess I'll just have to make next December an entire month of Christmas here on the blog to make up for this year's lack of holiday cheer.

Burger and Fries Friday: Waffle House Burgers

There's something I haven't told you guys. It's not that I've been intentionally holding this little factoid back, it's just that it hasn't come up in our conversations. Okay, here goes: When I was younger, from the ages of 16 to 22, I was a waitress. Probably not earth-shattering news in and of itself, but the place I waitressed? It was the Waffle House. And let me tell you, I really loved that job.

One of the things I loved about it -- aside from the (mostly) positive interaction with people -- was the food. I probably gained more weight during those six years than at any other point in my life, and I think I can include my first pregnancy in that estimate! As employees, we could eat almost everything on the menu for free, and the burger I'm sharing with you today was one of my favorite things to eat during my shifts.

True to the Waffle House's reputation, this burger is not in the least bit healthy. It's buttery and greasy and represents pretty much everything in the world that's bad for you. But it's so delicious that I find it hard to care.

Aside from when I'm grilling, this is the only burger I make using pre-shaped burger patties. I get beautiful ground chuck patties from our local butcher, and they're perfect for this burger. The bottom line is, this one is so good that it doesn't actually need anything in it to make it taste better. Every bite is a little taste of nostalgia for me, taking me back to my first job, when things were simpler and all I had to worry about was the next tip I'd be stuffing in my apron.

Waffle House Burgers

Source: Cassie

4 pre-shaped ground chuck patties

Salt and pepper

Vegetable oil and butter

1 large onion, thinly sliced

4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce

4 slices tomato

Thousand Island salad dressing

4 hamburger buns, split, buttered, and grilled

1. In a small saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add onion and salt and pepper to taste and cook until onions begin to caramelize.

2. Meanwhile, melt vegetable oil and 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet. Season burger patties with salt and pepper on both sides. Cook to desired doneness. Top each patty with 1 tablespoon of Worcestershire sauce, then top with cheese to melt.

3. Assemble burgers by placing a slice of salted tomato, the caramelized onions, and the Thousand Island dressing on top of each patty.

Burger and Fries Friday: Salsa Verde Turkey Burgers

First of all, before we get to this week's burger, I have to seriously apologize for the lack of posting around here lately. You see, I'M PREGNANT, and the first trimester is bringing with it lots and lots of food aversions. For the past few weeks I've been basically shoving my face full of anything my stomach will accept, which has mostly been limited to cinnamon toast and salt and vinegar potato chips. That's also why I didn't get around to making and posting a burger recipe last week; I've had absolutely no energy to cook or really do much of anything. I only have a couple more weeks to go in the first trimester, though, so I'm hoping my nausea and lack of energy will fade quickly once it's over!

Once I actually get back to cooking regularly, I plan to keep this blog all about the food, so if you're curious about the pregnancy or anything else that's going on in my life, you can visit me at my personal blog.

Anyway! Let's get to the burger, shall we? This week's burger is one I've been looking forward to trying for a while now. I thought the combination of flavors sounded fantastic, and this burger has lots of my favorite things: salsa verde, pepper Jack cheese, cilantro and avocado. Apparently, though, avocado is my latest food aversion, which made it hard for me to enjoy these burgers. Joe loved them, though, so don't let that deter you from trying them!

I made a few changes to the recipe: I finely chopped the cilantro and mixed it in with the avocado aioli, and I also added some finely diced red onion to the mayo mixture to give it even more of a guacamole feel. My changes are reflected below, but just click the link to get to the original.

Salsa Verde Turkey Burgers
Source: Every Day with Rachael Ray

1 avocado, halved and pitted
1/2 cup mayonnaise
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1/2 of a red onion, finely diced
1 cup fresh cilantro leaves, finely chopped
Salt
1 pound ground turkey
1/2 cup salsa verde
4 slices pepper Jack cheese
4 kaiser rolls, split

1. Scoop the avocado flesh into a small bowl. Add the mayonnaise, garlic, cilantro and onion and mash with a fork until well combined but chunky. Season with salt and set aside.

2. In a medium bowl, combine the ground turkey and salsa. Divide the mixture to form 4 patties.
In a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, cook the patties for 4 minutes on one side. Flip and top each with a slice of cheese; cover and cook for 4 minutes more.

3. Serve the burgers with the avocado aioli.

Award Time!

The lovely Katie of Katie's Korner has gifted me with a Passionate Blogger Award, and I'm so honored! I love Katie's blog; the recipes she shares are so homey and down-to-earth, not to mention they all sound delicious! So thank you, Katie, my fellow Buckeye, for liking me back!

So here are the rules: Post the logo, write five things I'm passionate about, and pass the award on to five deserving ladies. Since I have a separate personal blog where I share in great detail all the things I'm passionate about on an almost daily basis, I thought I'd share five food-related things I'm passionate about.

1. Cream cheese. I think cream cheese is my favorite ingredient in the entire world. It's not just for cheesecake and bagels in our house. I use it for sauces, as a stuffing for chicken, and as an ingredient in many dips, among other things. And my love for cream cheese frosting? It runs very deep.

2. Bread and butter. I don't think it gets any simpler than that, does it? Ever since I was a little girl eating my grandma's homemade bread, this has been one of my favorite things to eat. Which is probably why my waistline looks the way it does.

3. The peanut butter-chocolate combo. That's a match made in heaven right there. I don't know who first thought of it, but I want to give them a big ol' kiss.

4. Green olives, specifically these. Since the only store that carries them in my area is about 40 miles away, I buy them online by the case. They're the best.

5. Oscar Meyer beef bologna. A bologna sandwich on wheat bread, slathered with yellow mustard, has been my favorite quick meal pretty much ever since I was a kid. I'm an Oscar Meyer weiner, indeed.

I'm passing this award on to:

1. Lisa of Recipe Hunter Lisa. Lisa's such a cool girl, and she shares my food philosophy. Plus, we both have the same goal this year: to cook at least one recipe out of each of our cookbooks. Lisa, we're almost halfway through the year -- how's your project going? I don't know if I'm going to make it!

2. Sara of Sara's Kitchen. Her photography is amazing, she's so sweet, and I love the recipes she chooses.

3. Donna of My Tasty Treasures. She is an amazing cook and an amazing lady. If you don't read her blog, you should really check it out; I guarantee you'll be entertained! And you'll never look at Tyler Florence or a kielbasa the same way again...

4. Debbie of mocha me. Debbie has such an awesome collection of recipes on her blog, and her dogs are adorable!

5. Katy of Food for a Hungry Soul. You need to click over to her blog right now and look at the peach raspberry pie recipe she posted. All of her recipes sound so amazing. She loves home cooking, and I love that she shares her cooking with us!

Thanks again, Katie!

The Year of the Cookbook

Happy New Year! I was going to do a sort of "food year in review" post today, but I just now feel like I'm getting this little food blog off the ground, so maybe I'll save that for next year. And if I can stick to my cooking-related resolutions, 2009 promises to be a great year for cooking and baking in my kitchen!

Taking my inspiration from Deborah, the author of one of my favorite food blogs, I've decided to make 2009 the Year of the Cookbook. I have waaaay more cookbooks than one person should probably own -- and some of them still have crack-free spines. So here's my goal: Cook at least one recipe from each and every cookbook on my shelf this year. And until I reach that goal, I'm not allowing myself to buy another cookbook. I want to get started as soon as possible, so look for the first Year of the Cookbook recipe soon. I clearly have my work cut out for me:

Wish me luck! And may your lives (and your stomachs!) be blessed in 2009!

Spinach Artichoke Dip

I've been meaning to post the recipes from the bachelorette party I hosted for about a week now, but who knew a seven-week-old would need so much attention? Sheesh! Andrew has been wearing me out lately, but he's fast asleep now so I finally found myself with a few minutes to spare. Both of my blogs have been sorely neglected lately, but hopefully that'll change soon.


Anyway, the party went really well. I think the bride-to-be had a really great time, and I know she appreciated all the hard work I put in to make sure that happened! Turns out, I made way too much food, but that's okay -- she didn't mind the leftovers! Here's the spread:


One of my co-workers made a fantastic spinach artichoke dip for the baby shower they had for me at work, so I asked her to share the recipe with me so I could make it for the party. I have no idea if this is her recipe or if she got it from somewhere, but wherever it came from, one thing is for sure: It's wonderful. I love spinach artichoke dip, anyway, but this one is especially good. My changes to her recipe are in purple.

Spinach Artichoke Dip

Source: Kristy

1/2 teaspoon garlic

3/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup cream cheese

1/2 mozzarella cheese

1 14-ounce can artichoke harts, drained and finely sliced

1 10-ounce package frozen chopped spinach, thawed, drained

3/4 cup grated parmesan cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Mix all ingredients until well mixed.

2. Spoon into a 9-inch pie plate or quiche dish. Top with additional mozzarella and parmesan cheese.

3. Bake 20 minutes or until heated through.

A couple of announcements

I know I haven't posted here for a while, but that's because I've just finished cooking something I've had in the oven for the past nine months:

That's Andrew, and he's been taking up most of my time lately, so I haven't had too much of a chance to be in the kitchen.

I'd also like to mention that I'm honored to have joined The Foodie Blogroll, hosted by Jenn (a.k.a. The Leftover Queen). As soon as things settle down around here, I'm excited to start exploring this wonderful forum, and to resume my adventures in the kitchen!

LiveSTRONG: Glazed Pineapple Cookies

When I think of the words "live" and "strong," the first person that comes to mind is my mom, because strongly is exactly how she lived her life. That's why, when I recently learned about the A Taste of Yellow blogging event (hosted by Barbara at winosandfoodies) I knew I had to take part: to remember my mom and others who lost their battle with cancer, to celebrate those who won, and to raise awareness for this horrible disease.

My mom's battle with cancer began when I was nine years old. She was diagnosed with brain cancer on Halloween of 1992. After two surgeries, two rounds of radiation and some intensive chemotherapy, she was declared cancer-free, which she remained until 2005. In February of 2005, though, her routine yearly MRI revealed that the cancer had returned to her brain, and this time it was determined to take her. She had two more surgeries and countless rounds of chemotherapy, but she finally succumbed to the disease on January 22, 2007.

My mom was the strongest woman I have ever known and will ever know -- independent, with an engaging personality and a smile that was a more brilliant yellow than any food I could possibly make. People gravitated towards her for a reason; she exuded confidence, strength and faith every single moment she lived. Even as she died, her faith and her strength remained. I can't even begin to describe what it felt like to lose her -- what it still feels like as I wake up every day without her in my life. I hope that I can be half the mother -- half the woman -- she was.


It's shocking how many lives and how many families are affected by cancer. That's why the work that Lance Armstrong's foundation and other organizations around the country do is so important. I have to believe that, with enough awareness and research, our world can be free of this terrible disease.

Okay, enough seriousness! On to the food. As soon as I learned about this event, I knew I wanted to use pineapple as my "something yellow." Spring is upon us now, and nothing says spring to me like a deliciously tangy and juicy pineapple. I found a scrumptious-sounding recipe for pineapple cookies in one of my cookbooks, so I decided to go for it. They don't really look very yellow after baking, but they're wonderful cookies. Their texture is both moist and cake-like, and I love the little explosion of pineapple flavor in every bite. I think the addition of some toasted coconut mixed in with the glaze would add a nice tropical flavor, so I may try that next time. Hmmm...And now that I think about it, some white chocolate chips and macadamia nuts would be a nice addition to this cookie, too! Really, though, they're delicious just as they are. (Also, I know I glazed my cookies when they were still too warm, because the glaze ran everywhere...but I just couldn't resist! I had to try one of the cookies immediately, and it was worth it!)


Glazed Pineapple Cookies
Source: The Ultimate Cookie Collection (page 52)

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple
1/2 cup shortening (I used butter-flavored)
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar

1. Drain the pineapple, reserving 3 tablespoons juice. Set pineapple aside; set juice aside for glaze. In a mixing bowl, cream shortening and sugar. Add egg; mix well. Add pineapple and vanilla; mix well. Combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt; stir into the creamed mixture.

2. Drop by tablespoonfuls 2 inches apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 325° for 17-20 minutes or until golden. Immediately remove to wire racks to cool.

3. For glaze, in a small bowl, combine confectioners' sugar with enough of reserved pineapple juice to achieve a smooth consistency. Spoon glaze over cooled cookies.

Joining the food bloggers of the world...

So, I've decided to start my own cooking blog. I was inspired by the multitudes of other food bloggers out there -- it's a community I didn't even know existed until very recently, and I'm so glad I found it! You "fellow foodies" have made me realize, with much relief, that I'm not the only person obsessed with cookbooks; that I'm not the only one who devours anything and everything on the Food Network; that I'm not the only one who looks at food not just as necessary sustenance...but also as therapy, as an insatiable passion, as a voracious way to enrich my life (and my stomach). I am so excited to join this community!

I think it's only appropriate to start by telling you a little bit about myself. My name is Cassie, and I live with my husband Joe and our dog, Daisy, in Central Ohio. I graduated from The Ohio State University in June of 2005 with a B.A. in English. Now, I work for an investment bank in Columbus, where I actually get to use my degree. I love to read, and I'm pretty much always reading something. I'm also slightly (okay...totally) obsessed with Judge Judy, Target, candles and body lotion.

If I were a Food Network chef, I'd probably be a cross between Rachael Ray and Giada de Laurentiis, but without Rachael's annoying catch phrases and Giada's amazing rack. I would like to think I have Rachael's creativity, though, and Giada's philosophy on food. I wish I were more like Paula Deen, but I don't say "ya'll" nearly enough, or pronounce "olive oil" as "olive all," although I suppose I could start doing both of those things. I love Italian food and I love comfort food. I also like canned cream of mushroom soup and Velveeta cheese, and I use both of those ingredients in many of my recipes, so clearly I'm far from a chef. I'm just a Midwestern girl who loves to cook.

Joe and I bought our first home in March of 2007, and since then we've been working on some serious remodeling. It's been a long, stressful, money-guzzling process, but one good thing has come out of it: I now have a beautiful kitchen to cook in that my husband and I designed and built ourselves! There are some last minute touch-ups to do and, because I am a perfectionist, I won't post pictures until it's entirely done.

The kitchen was the last room we remodeled -- it took the longest and it was the most expensive. But we were so glad to finally have it finished! Until the kitchen was completed, we basically lived on restaurant food, which was bad for the body and the soul. This lack of a kitchen was especially torturous for me, as someone who pretty much would rather be cooking or baking than doing anything else. I spent months and months looking at my cookbooks with longing, bookmarking recipes to try when I was finally able to cook again. I suppose it was also pretty torturous for Joe, who has always enjoyed the finished products of my cooking escapades.

In the midst of this remodel, we got a little surprise -- two pink lines on a pregnancy test (okay...on FOUR pregnancy tests, so I guess that's technically eight pink lines, right?). We are expecting a little boy at the end of the May and we're very excited (and a little terrified, too, I won't lie) to become parents!

My culinary inspiration, hands down, was my mom, who I lost after a long battle with brain cancer in January of 2007. Losing her was a huge blow to me...but I find that she comes alive again in the recipes she left me as a legacy. You'll probably see a lot of her recipes on this blog, and it's so rewarding to be able to share them with all of you.

I hope this blog can serve a few purposes in my life. I hope it'll encourage me to break out of my normal ruts in the kitchen and embark on new and different culinary adventures. I hope it'll lead me to eat a more healthful diet, especially after months of fast food consumption in the absence of a working kitchen. I am also on a mission to change Joe's mind about four ingredients he can't stand, which happen to be four of my favorites: mustard, olives, cottage cheese and shredded coconut ("It's a texture thing," he says). I also hope to change my own mind about a couple of ingredients I've never liked: basically all types of fish (shrimp excluded) and bleu cheese.

So, that's me. If you want to know more about me, you can visit my regular blog here.

So here we go, then. I'm so excited to get cooking!