Food tricks

For some reason, cooking steak scares me.  Well.... I'm not sure "scares" is the right word... but chicken is my go-to, and beef just seems a little too grown up for me. I have no idea why.  It doesn't make sense.  I've helped my mom make steaks for the family a million times, and I love beef, but for some reason I just usually gravitate towards poultry recipes. BUT, last night I stepped outside the box.  Well... I actually used a chicken stir fry recipe from  My Fridge Food , but I adjusted it to use the tri-tip my mom had defrosted by switching the cup of chicken broth for beef broth. Side note: that Fridge Food website is actually a really cool resource.  You check off the things you have in your pantry and it finds recipes that incorporate the things you already have.  Really good for those times you don't want to take a trip to the grocery store, or you want to find new ways to use the ingredients you already have. As far as reviews, the roommates...

For some reason I really felt like baking this weekend.  I was looking up recipes all week, and I was excited to try some of them out, but then I ended up making a last minute decision to take a little road trip to the Bay Area to help a friend house sit.  I make enough of a mess in my own kitchen, I did not want to dirty a complete stranger's house with my attempt at a culinary masterpiece. But when I got home on sunday night, I decided to make something to bring into work to help brighten up the monotony of a monday morning.  I went with this coffee cake because it sounded fantastic, and I'd wanted to make it last week when I found out I had no flour.  Definitely a good choice.  It got rave reviews at work, and my parents loved it (they helped themselves to big servings as soon as it came out of the oven). Crumble-Topped Coffee Cake with Brown Sugar Glaze Recipe from:  Damn Delicious Serves 12 ( generously ) Prep Time: 25 minutes Cook Time: 35 minutes Ing...

Sweet potatoes are awesome. I love them. I was never much of a vegetable eating person, but I'm starting to find veggie recipes that are totally changing my opinion.  Like saut�ed zucchini .  Not only are sweet potatoes one of the healthiest foods (according to the The George Mateljan Foundation ), with tons of protein and vitamins, but they also can taste like candy :) I posted my mom's recipe for sweet potato souffl� a few weeks ago, which is absolutely delicious........ But it's also packed with a lot of sugars and butter and other less than healthy ingredients... This recipe is a healthier option, its just as tasty, and it is even quicker and easier to prepare. Honey Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes Adapted from: Buns in my Oven Serves Four Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: like 30 minutes Ingredients: 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch cubes 3 Tbsp honey 3 Tbsp olive oil 1 tsp cinnamon 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp pepper Directions: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F....

I had my tonsils removed the day after Christmas, so food hasn't been too appealing to me the past two weeks....... Well..... Not that it hasn't been appealing, I just couldn't eat anything so I didn't want to be around it. Thankfully, I'm finally almost over the pain, so the urge to bake is finally returning. I am loving being home, and being able to use my parents' giant kitchen, even though I'm missing the company of my constant companion, Alexa. Last night, while watching the (awesome/exciting/intense) BCS championship game last night (by myself because I have no friends), I decided to indulge myself with a delectable treat. So I scoured my Pinterest boards.... And I'm going to apologize in advance.... This recipe is pretty darn fantastic. If you've ever been to a place like BJ's, you know the Pizookie is the king of all desserts. Last night I realized, the only thing better than a melty, chocolate-y, warm, fresh from the oven cookie toppe...