Ladies Who Lunch. (And brunch.) (And eat donuts.)

It's official. Paula Deen is trying to kill us all. The Food Network star uses butter like it's going out of style, but I have (which I am reluctant to admit) been enticed by her shows including fried chicken, brownies, chicken pot pies and casseroles. After stumbling upon her Lady's Brunch Burger on the Food Network site, I was intrigued then repulsed.

The sandwich is basically a standard burger, except with a few modifications. Instead of hamburger buns, she recommends using glazed donuts. She also includes bacon and a fried egg. Whoever thought the Red Robin burger with the egg on it was decadent, this is a completely different level of unhealthiness.



Source: FoodNetwork.com

Weekend Domestication

Today I bought my first Le Creuset piece of cookware- a beautiful cast iron skillet in their Kiwi color. I don't normally spend $70 on anything for the kitchen but this was an exception. Plus, it's usually $99! After gazing longingly at several pieces over at Williams-Sonoma, this pan called to me from the clearance section at Macy's. Hardcore collectors may laugh at my purchase of a piece in what I can only assume is an outdated color, but I am excited for all the recipes I can try.

Never satisfied with a bargain, I started searching online for Le Creuset, just to make sure I had truly found the best deal. Of course I happened to fall in love with every Le Creuset piece I saw on Amazon.com, including trivets, ramekins and casserole dishes. Especially this one:

Coming soon: Recipes cooked with my new skillet! The BF and I are looking forward to arroz con pollo and roasted brussels sprouts, just to name a few.

Buon appetito!

Pizza Pizza!

Whether you like a basic cheese pizza or something a bit more fancy, I've discovered a great way to make a quick and easy pie at home. An added bonus is that this method is perfect for entertaining!

Pillsbury Pizza Crust is the key here, which I now choose over Boboli or other pre-made crusts. A simple margherita pizza should consist of minced garlic (layer this underneath all of the other toppings), roma tomatoes, lots of fresh mozzarella cheese and basil. What makes it even better is a sprinkling of balsamic vinegar and olive oil right after it comes out of the oven. Finish with sea salt.

My boyfriend and I have recently gotten more adventurous, and last night's pizza was created with pesto, mushrooms and red peppers. We've also tried Italian sausage, browned first on the stove with some onions and garlic.



It's a perfect weeknight dinner that doesn't take a whole lot of time. Just remember that the dough won't keep forever, so don't stockpile too much of it in your fridge.

Snowboarding, with a side of waffles

As a runner, I usually consider everything I put into my body to be fuel. During my training last year, I thought about the ratio of my carbs to protein and the empty calories I would often consume on the weekends (e.g. Jack & Diets and Bud Lights). Even though I'm not training for anything at the moment, any exercise makes me believe I can eat anything I want, with very few consequences.

Morgan Spurlock, the guy behind the documentary Super Size Me, mentioned something about Sausage Egg McMuffins being one of the most calorie-laden items on the McD's menu. Naturally, it seemed like the perfect item before hitting the slopes on Saturday.



I decided last month to give up fried food for Lent, so I unfortunately experienced hash brown deprivation. Tragic, I know.

Fast-forward to the post-snowboarding hunger pangs. The "authentic" Belgian waffle stand was calling our names, and we enjoyed one of those with some hot chocolate.




Luckily, the BF and I like cooking just as much (if not more!) than we like going to fancy schmancy restaurants. Steak seemed like the perfect way to end our day, along with a salad and oven fries.

Cue the Masterpiece Theater picture!



Unfortunately I don't have any pics of our Sunday morning brunch (corned beef hash, pancakes, eggs, etc.) but needless to say we cleaned our plates once again. While I can try to believe it's just the snowboarding that made us so hungry, I can't deny the fact that I am always this hungry. :)