Oatmeal Raisinet Cookies

I have a confession.  I am a cookie discriminator.  When someone brings cookies to an event, or you get a plate for Christmas, or any other situation arises where a variety of cookies is available, I would altogether pass on a cookie than eat an oatmeal raisin cookie.  There is something about raisins in a cookie that just makes me kind of sad.  (Or it may just be the raisins that make me sad... Benny & Joon, anyone?)  Anyhow, the point is, when you cover said humiliated grapes in dark chocolate, the whole cookie is transformed.  And now incredibly delicious.  I made these cookies quite a while ago, and realized I didn't blog them.  So when I saw Raisinets on sale at the grocery I decided I needed to make them again, just to blog them... not at all because they are incredibly tasty or anything....

Bacon Jam

I know, I know, I'm way late on this outrageous foodie trend.  I've been meaning to try it since I saw a food truck that used it on their burgers featured on Food Network practically a year ago, I'm just an incredibly skilled procrastinator.  I'm telling you, if procrastination was a more marketable skill, maybe I wouldn't be so unemployed.  Since it's not, I should probably start making this stuff in huge batches and bringing it with me on job interviews, because that way even if they won't hire me, maybe they'll call me back for another jar of this smokey, sweet, salty goodness.

Chewy Ginger Cookies with Cardamom

Everyone has their weird food tastes.  Mine is ginger.  I adore the stuff.  I have ginger cravings, which can only be satisfied by obscene quantities of candied ginger.  Yeah, it totally makes my mouth burn, and it's wonderful.  Most people crave ice cream, brownies, or chocolate chip cookies, nope not me.  I crave ginger snaps.  These ginger snaps are perfect- a strong gingery bite, a chewy moist center, and crunchy raw sugar coating, all punctuated by a lovely undertone of cardamom.

What's your strangest food craving?

Apricot Goat Cheese Thin Crust Pizza

Sometimes I think I'm un-American.  I don't like grilled cheese, pizza, or chicken pot pie.  I don't drink beer, and I think Coke tastes like battery acid.  Then, an eclectic little pizza like this comes along to prove me wrong: thin crispy crust, rich aromatic roasted garlic, tangy apricot preserves, and salty pungent goat cheese all harmonize wonderfully.  So maybe I can call myself at least partially American, after all I really dig this pizza.

Turkey Lettuce Wraps

 I'll write something attempting wittiness later, right now I'm just going to post the recipe, because it's tasty and easy and you should make it and I like run on sentences; almost as much as ginger or Asian food.  Okay, I'm done now.
 

The Perfect French Fries

In retail, it seems like everybody smokes.  I suppose you have to cope with the stress of each paycheck being based on commission, crazy customers, and standing for 9 hours a day somehow.  Smoking, however, wouldn't be my first (or last) choice.  I'm pretty sure I deal by cooking and therefore, eating.  So, when a brutally slow day ends, I spend my stoplights reading recipes, and trying desperately to ignore all the delicious food I drive by on my way home.  I'm not sure if this is more or less embarrassing than my last food admission, but I secretly like Chicken McNuggets from McDonalds.  Sometimes, if my day went poorly enough, I'll drive through and get myself a Happy Meal-but I ask for a boy's toy so that maybe, possibly the cashier doesn't think its for me-like that even matters.  That gesture makes me feel better about the whole situation though; plus the little boys' gadgets are usually way cooler, let's be honest.  Tonight, after an unproductive day at work I managed to resist stopping for America's (and my) favorite fries, and instead resolved to make my own.  After reading a variety of articles, and recognizing that I shouldn't try deep frying anything today (I managed to burn my finger on a PANCAKE this morning... seriously.  I probably should've snagged some Micky D's just for my own safety) I pieced together the following French Fry Procedure, and they pretty much rock.  There are a few tricks to these babies: using cornstarch in the fry coating, precooking the potato in the microwave, and heating the oil and pan to ensure a crispy outer. 

S'mores Squares

This recipe is the first time I used the label 'marshmallow'.  I am flabbergasted.  I suppose I can't put a recipe up for my favorite guilty pleasure...

Ingredients: Marshmallow fluff

Instructions: Purchase jar of fluff, the off-brand is just as good as the name brand.  Take home.  Ensure you are alone.  Unscrew cap, set aside.  Pick the largest spoon from your silverware drawer.  Insert spoon in sugary, fluffy goodness.  Remove.  Slowly savor the magic of marshmallow fluff.  Repeat if necessary.  Close lid.  Place back in the exact location in the pantry so nobody knows your dirty secret.

Because clearly there's not much to it.  And while marshmallow fluff is incredibly satisfying and delicious, these S'mores Squares are better, and practically as simple.  So you should probably make them, and uh not tell anybody about my marshmallow fluff secret.

Thai Chicken Pizza

As I sit here writing, good ol' Ted Allen, host of Chopped, delightfully educated me that 93% of Americans eat pizza.  Tonight, I contributed to that statistic.  You know what else I contributed to?  The percentage of Americans that eat salad, which I can feel a little better about.  Seriously. This pizza is great, it's like the offspring of pizza + salad.  Once the pizza is out of the oven a tasty slaw finishes it off.  Subtle coconut, salty peanuts, tart lime, and savory garlic marry flawlessly resulting in a dynamic, fresh pizza, different than any pizza you've had before.  Or should I call it a salad?