a new nothing with a speckled handle

let's just get this straight.  cafe rio is not my all-time favorite restaurant.  in fact, when i visit utah, i never go to cafe rio.  ok, now that i've got that off my chest, i can continue... a long while back, when we moved to new orleans, layton (my handsome husband) and i were craving a cafe rio salad.  i think we all can agree that an occasional cafe rio salad tastes great.  so being the clever little self that i am, i started searching for a recipe to make my own salad dressing in the comfort of our cozy little apartment in downtown new orleans.  i found it!  i'd love to give credit to the source where i found it, but that was 7 years ago.  it is a true winner, though!  i made it for a few years and then stopped.  do you ever do that with a recipe?  i realized just last week that i hadn't made it in years!  i ate this salad every day last week until the dressing was gone.  so for all you cafe-rio lov...

this is our family's tried and true version of grilled salmon.  my mom has been making it for years.  it's easy to make, easy to serve and easy to clean up.  i probably should mention that it's easy to eat, too, because it's so good!  it's also great reheated the next day for lunch.  so, hopefully it's now beginning to be more like grilling season in your parts so that you can enjoy some great fish!   and stay tuned for a great grilling present for those special dads out there! 1 whole side of salmon  1 tsp kosher salt 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper 1/4 cup honey 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar 3 tbsp butter mesquite wood chips, optional in a small bowl, mix together all ingredients (except butter) and set aside.  if your honey is crystallized, heat in microwave until it is clear and smooth again.  unwrap salmon from packaging and gently rinse under cold water.  be sure to pat dry well.  lay out a piece of heavy-dut...

i am really into this bento craze.  i think it's a fantastic way to incorporate all the different food groups into bite-sized pieces for children (and portion-controlled sizes for adults!) to eat.  a couple months ago while shopping at target, i came across these fun little trays.  my kids and i have loved eating off of them.  while it's not the traditional bento-type display, it's a great way to portion out all the components to a healthy meal in an uncomplicated, clean and organized way.  so go check out target's seasonal section for some fun trays!  they come in yellow, blue, red and green for only $1.99 for 2!  *i get no perks for giving a shout out to target!  i'm just a stay-at-home mom in the middle of kansas (ok, maybe not in the middle, but in the middle of the country!) trying to share good finds with my friends.*

i can't even begin to tell you how much i wish that this were not a post about soup.  i wish i could have a talking with mother nature and convince her that spring is necessary.  not only for the budding tulips and daffodils, but for my mental status.  i dislike winter.  there.  i said it.  this year i even tried my best to not let winter get to me.  i invested in insulated running tights and lots of warm gear to get me through all the snow storms.  and i ran through lots of cold dreary days.  and it helped.  oh boy, did it help!  but dog-gone-it, it's may now.  i tried to have patience through the blustery march weather.  i was optimistic when april's sunshine peeked through the clouds.  but, honestly, that was maybe once.  and now i'm telling you what...my patience has worn thin and i'm anxious to get my cold weather gear put away.  i want to hop on my bike and pedal my way into mental heaven.  but ...

12 years ago i went on study abroad to london.  i admit it.  i am an anglophile at heart.  you may think i'm off my trolley, but i even got up at 3:45am to watch the royal wedding in real time.  i had to.  i got up that early for princess diana's funeral 14 years ago, so i just had to get up to watch something as exciting as william and kate tie the knot.  as i sat and watched the "pre-show," i was able to reminisce about my fantastic 4-month adventure on palace court so many years ago.  i couldn't help but think of that wee cafe around the corner--cafe diana.  i have been dreaming of their chicken tikka pita sandwich now for 12 years. so, i finally made it.  and i have to say, this recipe did NOT disappoint.  life would not be complete without sharing it with you.  you know when you come across a good thing and you just want to share it with others?  that's how i am when it comes to food.  i can't keep ...

i was craving fish this weekend.  and being the good wife that i am, i filled in for my hubby, who was on call all saturday night/sunday morning, and planned my own mother's day dinner.  no biggie.  i love cooking so much and i was so happy to have my husband home during daylight hours that i was excited.  not only that, but it was a good excuse to make fish.  i really wanted to buy halibut, but it was $16.99/lb.  WHAAAAAT?!?!  what has happened to the price of groceries lately?  well, that's another topic for another post.  but, really, it's hard not to notice.  right?  anyway, so i bypassed the halibut (so that my family would be able to eat for the rest of the week) and went to my tried and true...salmon.  since hubby was going to be home, i put him in charge of grilling.  i would prepare...he would grill.  seems only fair, since he is a guy and it was mother's day and he loves to grill.  ok......

this is one of those recipes that i'm kind of ashamed of...and i'll tell you why.  growing up we were not school lunch eaters.  we packed home lunches most days.  in fact, i thought school lunch was so gross.  even the smell bothered me.  (definitely due to the fact that we grew up with a fantastic cook!  we were spoiled with good food!)  but there were certain days that i would trade my treat for the peanut butter bars made at my elementary school.  i loved them.  they were the perfect combination of peanutty-crunch and smooth chocolate frosting.  mmmm.  my cute old neighbor, suzanne, (ex neighbor? old neighbor? friend from my old neighborhood?) made some once and i was brought right back to being a kid sitting at the light turquoise benches in our old school lunchroom.  i have a great memory, so i can remember all sorts of things about those days.  some good and some bad.  but these puppies, they're all good. ...