Cabbage should be eaten raw, in fact that's Cole's Law.

Hey Ya'll! 

Food puns are the best, and you know it.  (If you didn't get it, read it again - I got it the third time!) Admit it, you at least rolled your eyes!!! 

I had to take a mega break from Pinterest after my Guacamole "incident". I may never slice an avocado again, I'm pretty traumatized. But I'm very ok with it.  Store-bought guac for the win!But I digress. 

Unfortunately, to succeed in life, I had to bite the bullet at attempt to cook again. Cooking also keeps me busy.  So if I have something on my mind, that's driving me bananas, I truly enjoy cooking.  Keeps my brain and hands occupied. It's therapeutic, even. 

I wanted something simple and light, in my (halfhearted) attempt to eat healthy and lose a few lbs. So, back to the Pinterest drawing board.

Roasted Cabbage it is! I've had some kick butt success with roasting zucchini, yellow squash, and green beans.  Plus, it's insanely and ridiculously easy.  So naturally, I was excited to give it a go! 

1. Slice up a head of cabbage, about 1" thick. (But be cautious of that knife!)

2. Lay the slices on a baking sheet with a light layer of olive oil underneath.  

3.  Put a small amount of olive oil on each cabbage slice.  Salt, pepper, as you'd like, for a bit of flavor (We all know cabbage isn't naturally zesty). 

4. Stick 'er in the oven for 40 minutes, and voila! Delicious. 

Who knew? It's eighty-five different kinds of healthy for you (I'm rounding that number), and super easy and light - perfect for a summer addition to your bbq! 

Also, I had to show off my new purchase. I'm pretty pumped. Glass cutting board and matching trivet? Such a domestic nerd.

Have a wonderful rest of your week! At least Monday's over, right?

Nothing But Perfect Advice

I always strive to be the ultimate hostess.  I LOVE having people over, having some appetizers, drinks, and entertaining. It's absolutely top 3 favorite thing to do in my life.  However, since my income is less than adequate (I'm talking lottery amounts here, folks!) I don't have a chance to always keep things on hand,  just in case someone drops by, or plans change.  

I was reading on Thoughtfully Simple the other day, the solution to my problems!! I also added some of my own opinions and additions!

1. Always keep 2 bottles of red wine and 2 bottles of white wine on hand. 

You'll always have something to serve your guests. Plain and simple, entertain is keeping the belly full and tongue from being parched! Now, if you're going to be a guest in my abode, I will probably not offer the white wine - I have very little love for white wine.  It's too sweet! Most white wine drinkers I know will also drink red wine if need be.  I'd also suggest keeping a 6-pack on hand as well (something domestic).  Some people just prefer beer to wine.  This way, if a couple or couple of friends stop by, there really is something for everyone.  This being said - keep a couple of water bottles handy at all times.  People always want to quench their thirst, and you can always throw it in a nice tumbler with ice cubes to make it ice cold!

2. Keep ingredients on hand for simple appetizers.

I wish I was able to follow this one better.  My cooking skills are limited.  However, I am slowly inching my way up the foodie ladder (thanks Pinterest!).  Martini Kabobs are easy enough, and keep well (olives, prosciutto, cocktail onions).  I also would suggest keeping sour cream, mayonnaise, and a dip packet to mix in, and that's easy enough - since more likely than not, you have chips and crunchy veggies to dip on hand as well.  Not necessarily the most fancy of appetizers, but certainly works in a pinch! Who doesn't like chips and dip? 

3. Keep Supplies like cocktail napkins on hand and invest in a simple set of cocktail plates. 

Yup. Paper Towels don't exactly scream, "I was totally ready for you, and I'm not grasping at straws to accommodate for you". Something like cocktail napkins/plates say, "These might seem relatively formal, but I'm classy like that. No you didn't put me out at all!".

In my world, I follow this every day.  However, in real life, I don't keep wine on hand - because I'll find a reason to drink it.  I don't keep too many ingredients on hand - because it generally goes bad before I use/eat it.  I don't have cocktail napkins on hand because I hate to spend money that I shouldn't spend on non-absorbent, functional things. It's not a perfect world, but I sure do dream in one!!

Happy Week before Turkey Day! :)

Fall!

Tis the season to change! I'm definitely welcoming a change in seasons, although it's definitely an adjustment to be in Dallas where the leaves really haven't changed yet, and the weather has only cooled down about 5 degrees.  But nonetheless, it's officially Fall in two days!

That being said, it's beginning to be holiday season - and first festive holiday to go nuts with the theme? Halloween!! I found some cute ideas to bake/cook to help get you in the halloween mood!

The pigs-in-a-blanket mummies are my favorite! They are adorable and totally edible! It's just something to play around with.  And if you can't make food fun? You can't make life fun! Life's too short to be boring!

Credit to The Idea Room for these wonderful ideas!

YUM!

Cupcakes!

I love to bake yummy things.  In most cases I'd choose to bake rather than cook.  (Perhaps it's a sugar addiction?!) Either way, baking is usually caused by a celebration or an event taking place.  Which might be a good indicator of why I love it so much!

A great way to provide favors for your birthday party, wedding, or party guests, is to give them something tasty to take home! Let's face it, once the meal portion is done, many of us just squirm when we hear those fateful words, "Are you ready for some dessert?" I know I generally overindulge during the appetizer or entree portion, so dessert never even really crossed my mind!

But most people tend to love something sweet after a meal, or before bed, so Brandy at Gluesticks  came up with a great idea! You've seen those pre-made mixes for cookies, brownies, pies etc. all sweetly packaged in a lovely jar.  Perhaps if you're willing to take the time to take it one step further and actually bake the celebratory cupcakes!

Life, on a stick.

One of my absolute favorite foods has to be salad.  I love that you can make salads however you want them to, and they can be different each time - as long as they have the lettuce.

Being from Wisconsin, I'm also a huge, giant fan of fried food.  I like everything fried - however, my waistline does not.  State fairs have given us the opportunities to have your favorite things fried, and put on a stick! I think their reasoning is that if you're able to walk and eat this greasy, obesity-inducing piece of heaven, then you're at least doing something good for your life, and working off those calories whilst you "exercise"

I've always wondered how to combine the two.  Not necessarily to deep fry lettuce (that thought makes me gag!) but to make your healthy food choice, more mobile.

This weekend got me excited when I found out that, THERE IS A WAY! It's a great idea for a party - you can use them as a healthy alternative for hors d'oeuvres! This allows your guests to still mingle while munching, but with less buttons popping on their slacks!

From Be Different...Act Normal  and Sweet Paul you can see the perfect way to make this salad-on-a-stick!