Fried Mozzarella

Chocolate Chip Lava Cookies I am so in love with these darn chocolate lava cookies! What is it about a warm, gooey chocolate chip cookie stuffed with decadent, rich, melted chocolate that makes it so irresistible?? Especially when topped with vanilla ice cream. These are one of Kev’s favorite homemade treats, and he usually asks me to make them at least once a week. They are so simple to whip up, and such a treat! 40 Ways to Feel More Alive “I don’t believe people are looking for the meaning of life as much as they are looking for the experience of being alive.” ~Joseph Campbell As I write this, I am two hours away from my first weekly acting class in Los Angeles. I’ve been here for almost two years now, and though I loved Community Theater as a kid, I never so much as researched acting classes until a couple weeks back. I frequently said I wanted to do it, along with painting classes, which I’m starting next week, but I always made excuses not to start either. I was too busy.

Pita Bread I love foods that puff when you cook them. Give me a great souffle, a perfectly risen cake, or one of these extremely yummy little pitas, and I am a happy girl. I haven’t done a bread recipe on here in a while, and pitas have been on my to-cook list for months. Pretty Yummy Foods Lets start these nachos by slicing some potatoes (not too thin!) drizzling them with olive oil, and season them with a bit of salt and pepper. If you like things a little spicy go ahead and throw a dash of cayenne pepper on them too. Pop them into a 420 degree oven for about 20 minutes or until the are nice and brown.

Two-Bite Strawberry Hand Pies This post comes to you from damply beautiful Seattle, Washington! Yes, kids, I am in Seattle for BlogHer Food 2012 and not just as an attendee, but I am speaking! I am nervous, but terribly excited, and ready to get the party started! The last month has been a CRAZY travel month for me. First, I went to Camp Blogaway, then I spent 6 days in Tokyo (expect a few Japanese themed recipes in the future – the place is life changing!), and now I am here in Seattle. An Essay by Einstein "How strange is the lot of us mortals! Each of us is here for a brief sojourn; for what purpose he knows not, though he sometimes thinks he senses it. But without deeper reflection one knows from daily life that one exists for other people -- first of all for those upon whose smiles and well-being our own happiness is wholly dependent, and then for the many, unknown to us, to whose destinies we are bound by the ties of sympathy.

Beer-Battered Fried Pickles I’m fairly certain there is nothing more satisfying to eat than a fried pickle. The sad part is that it took me 29 years to discover this. Last year I tasted my first fried pickle in an Irish pub in California and I was forever transformed. I crossed the threshold into a new phase of life—pre-fried pickle to post-fried pickle. Sausage Balls with Two Dipping Sauces from Never Enough Thyme You do know that it’s now less than two weeks until Christmas, right? Oh my. Just typing that out sends my anxiety level right through the roof.

The Londoner: Slutty Brownies Now I don’t want to over sell this, so I’m going to be conservative and simply say, that these are… The Best Brownies In The WORLD. I know, big statement. They’re called Slutty Brownies because they’re oh so easy, and more than a little bit filthy. They’re best served warm from the oven, with good quality vanilla ice cream (devastatingly I didn’t have any in the freezer this time, so I guess I’ll just have to make them again). They take about 45mins to make, including baking time. The ultimate comfort food, whipped up within the hour.