Spring is Here!

I love eating...That's probably pretty clear by now. And I love eating food that is colorful. Spring seems to be coming, and with it, yummy fresh produce. I think the color of mangoes may just be my favorite color; it's so happy! This salad is made up of basically everything you see here:

Spinach

Chicken

Mango

Avacado

Pecans

Raspberry Vinaigarette

Mix and match to your heart's content...it's different every time I make it:-) 

Happy Spring!!

I will not be defeated!!!

I am pretty sure every great chef has a few hiccups in the kitchen. Though the odds are good that whatever they make is delicious, every now and then I am convinced that what they make is purely a culmination of "woopsies" and "Maybe this will work".  I definitely hit a few speed bumps in the kitchen today. I have recently learned that I am not a good multi-tasker, and I proved it yet again tonight when I attempted to make Orange glazed chicken and Lemon risotto at the same time. I felt like I was in one of those cooking races where everything is happening all at once. Although, in those races, their ingredients are always fresh; tonight I had to quickly substitute two rotten onions and one rotten lemon, all while trying not to burn the risotto! Though my dish has a slightly funny brown color to it, and the chicken is a bit chewy because I overcooked it trying to thicken the sauce, it still tasted delicious. Bring on the speed Bumps!

Simple Soup...

I have never had collard greens before, so tonight was a first for me. This soup was a cinch to throw together and required only 5 ingredients from the grocery store...I already had the remaining few items at home. Like most good soups, a recipe is not entirely necessary. I treat them more like some people treat the blinkers on their cars...optional. This one was just Chicken broth, onion, celery, andouille sausage, thyme, salt and pepper, a little red wine vinegar, and collard greens. You cook everything except the greens and vinegar in a crock pot, and then about 20 minutes before dinner, add them in too. Such a cinch!  Nice hot soup for a somewhat crummy day outside. Happy Feasting!

Stuffed Peppers...

This is one of my favorite throw-together meals because it uses basically whatever is approaching expiration in my fridge, and it's so delicious! Each time I make it is different too, so it's always a bit of an adventure. Unfortunately, since I just make this dish up as I go, I don't have a recipe to share. Just throw some yummy things into some bright bell peppers, slap some cheese on top and bake! Enjoy!