foodiecrush

Cheesy Scalloped Potatoes

by heidi on April 7, 2014

It’s hard to face reality after a week of vacation.

To remember what it’s like to plot and plan the coming week’s menu of cooking. Instead of perusing a restaurant menu for your vacation’s 3 square meals after hiking about or lounging at the pool.

And let’s not even talk about how 5 o’clock somewhere comes along a lot slower or sometimes not at all.

Sigh, let’s not even get started. Vacation, where did you go?

Easter is still a few weeks away so for us, spring break came early this year. Usually it bookends Easter so the school district can stretch it all out and let the sugar high of Mr. Easter Bunny’s deliveries wear off.

But for some reason, this year Smudge’s school district thought 10 days off was a great idea. 10 days! Not the usual 4 days, oh no. In theory, I think 10 days is great. As long as with a chunk of time like that, we have somewhere to go and new memories to make.

We thought about a trip to Tennessee. Then pondered a jaunt to So Cal. But when a few of Smudge’s friend’s families let us know they were planning on heading down south to Southern Utah and glorious Zion National Park, the National Park that millions of people a year set as a must-see destination, we said, “Let’s do this.” Heck, Jennifer Connely was even touting the dare devilness of Angel’s Landing last week on Seth Myers.

But see, I’m a native Utahn. And yet my first time to Zion was a drive-thru the park when we came back from Scottsdale 2 years ago. For shame.

Blackened Seafood Pasta

by heidi on April 3, 2014

This is one of those dishes that originated in one of our favorite restaurants—actually the restaurant where my husband and I met—and made it’s way to our at-home dinner table.

It’s one that is so good, you figure out what that special thing is that makes it so craveable and it becomes part of your family foodie vernacular.

Blackened Seafood Pasta. It’s what’s for dinner.

Crushing on Scarletta Bakes and Breakfast Tostadas Plus a Giveaway

by heidi on April 1, 2014

If you can’t stand the heat, get out of the kitchen. We have a feeling that might the motto of this auburn-curled and witty dame behind the blog Scarletta Bakes. And the creator of these simple but amazingly tasty Breakfast Tostadas with Cumin-Roasted Fingerling Potatoes. Because she has flavor like that.

Her name is actually not Scarletta. The spunky, self-taught cook, blogger, photographer, and cookbook author‘s real name is Meagan Micozzi. Her husband affectionately penned the nickname “Scarletta,” for her tendency for her cheeks to turn a bit scarlet when she’s all fired up. Sounds like a girl after our own hearts.

Getting in the kitchen and baking seemed to be best way for this spitfire to simmer down, thus, Scarletta Bakes was born in 2011. Naturally, the Arizona resident’s favorite ingredient is chiles, and she’s often armed with the usual suspects…ancho, habanero, chipotle, and jalapeño. This girl is not afraid to pack a punch!

Kennebunkport Lobster Grilled Cheese and Grilled Cheese Academy Contest

by heidi on March 31, 2014

It’s no secret around here that I’m a big fan of cheese. Whether it’s in gooey sandwiches like this one or mixed into salads like this one or in cheesy chorizo dips too.

I love cheese.

And thus, my lust of cheese makes it even more exciting that once again this year I’ll be a judge for the 2014 Wisconsin Cheese Grilled Cheese Academy’s Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown.

Last year I traveled to Madison, WI where I judged the Grilled Cheese Recipe Showdown and ate an amazing assortment of cheese in between buttered bread.

Eating 15 grilled cheese sandwiches in one sitting? Sure, sign me up.