Spring Foodventures

Hello Friends. It's been a while (grad school happens). It's finals week, so what better way to procrastinate papers, projects, and studying than to share pictures of my spring food adventures, or foodventures as I like to call them.

We begin with Valentine's Day, where we rang in this holiday of commercial love with an Anti-Valentine's Day party and booze. Here we have some watermelon and raspberry heart-shaped jello shooters and bittersweet cookies (inspired by BitterSweets candies, the anti-SweeTart sugar fix).

We move on to Presidents' Day Weekend. In honor of George Washington, I made cherry sugar cookies. I cannot tell a lie...

Continuing with holidays, Easter happened. Easter is a season of renewal and redemption, but I did something unforgivable. I deca-peep-tated a beloved, American treat. Peeps are quite possibly the grossest candy, despite their adorable nature. They were sacrificed to a higher cause: s'mores bars.

I whipped up some deviled easter eggs for an Easter supper hosted by my gracious friends Rob and Kristen. We had quite the dinner spread: Honey Baked Ham, Hawaiian Rolls, Bacon Sweet Potatoes, Mashed Potatoes, Cilantro Jicama Pineapple Spinach Salad, Green Beans with Walnuts and Cranberries, and Quinoa and Sun-dried Tomato Stuffed Mini Peppers. Oh and cake.

The following week Rob and Kristen got married! Cecilia hosted a hot-pot-style dinner for Kristen and the ladies before Kristen flew off to Florida. While the boys were off enjoying less clandestine entertainment, the ladies oogled Gene Kelly's bum in An American in Paris with no shortage of wine.

          

Then came the wedding! and my first stay in sunny Florida - dancing, macarons, cake, beaches, sunsets, drum circles, and seafood galore! A more fantastic trip could not have been had.

          

Once we got back to Tucson, it was time for the 1st Annual Taco Festival and Annual Tucson Pie Party (ALL IN ONE DAY!). That was the best smelling day of my life.

My favorite taco was the Chicken Prickly Pear Taco. MMMmmmMmm. I have dreams about this guy.

          

          

My favorite pie ended up being a savory Apple and Kale Pie with onions. Who knew?

It's been a challenging spring, but food has been kind to me (and my hips).
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Leave of Absence, Deviled Eggs, and a Baby

Dear Readers (if there are any of you left...),

I'm not well versed in the art of deception, but I can see how it would appear that way. I started this new blog on New Year's. I started cranking out recipes on a regular basis. I started to make you believe that I would keep on posting suchlike recipes. And then nothing. Nothing. Nothing for a month...

You might have blown me off. You might have cursed me. You might have thought "Oh, she can't handle keeping up a little blog." Well, now you're going to feel bad about that for two reasons: 1) I had a sinus infection, pink eye, bronchitis, laryngitis, and a urinary infection that spread into a pelvic infection landing me in the hospital for 8 days (you can't hate on the sick...) and 2) I have new recipes all ready for posting (you can't hate on those giving you tasty ideas...).

I'm back! and I hope you will take me back. Also, we're not allowed to get sick for all of 2011. I took one for the team, so we're all going to stay healthy now.

In happier news, my friends Chiara and Emanuele are the parents of a new baby girl, Caterina! We luckily threw a shower for Chiara a mere 36 hours before Caterina decided to show up. There was fun, games, food, and loads of presents and laughs.

Before I got sick, I had so been looking forward to making adorable baby shower desserts, namely a pink, girl version of Bake at 350's cute as a button cookies and i am baker's animal baby shower cookies. So. Cute. Sadly, I wasn't up to the task (Maybe for their next shower... Emanuele still wants a boy :o] )

I was able, however, to whip up some delicious deviled eggs, which were well received, so I thought I'd share the recipe with you, even though no baking was involved. My roommate Erin has this nifty crystal deviled egg serving platter. I never knew these existed. It's now on my list of "Things I don't need, but have to have" (don't judge! you know you have one, too...).

I'm sorry for deserting you, but I'll never be sorry for dessert-ing you, so stay tuned for Valentine's Day treats and other sugary goodness!

Love,
Meghan

Deviled Eggs
yields 12 servings (if you can stop eating at 2 halves... good luck!)

Ingredients:
1 dozen eggs, at room temperature
1 tablespoon white vinegar
1/2 cup mayonnaise
3 tablespoons dijon mustards
1/4 cup chopped chives or green onions
salt and pepper to taste
paprika to garnish

Place eggs in a large pot. Fill pot with water such that the water level is about one inch above the eggs and add vinegar. Bring to a boil, and then remove from heat and cover for 30 minutes. Remove eggs and put in an ice water bath. Once eggs are no longer hot, roll eggs on surface to gently crack. Remove the shell and skin. Cut eggs lengthwise down the middle. Remove the yolks and place the yolks in a bowl.

Mash the yolks with a fork and combine with mayonnaise, mustard, chives/green onions, salt, and pepper. Spoon mixture into the egg whites. Sprinkle the tops with paprika. Enjoy.

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