To Thine Own Self, Be Food

Harry Potter is 32 years old today.  Huzzah! With seven books, eight movies, numerous video and computer games, and the juggernaut that is known as licensed merchandise, the odds of someone having no clue who Harry Potter is are roughly the same as the ones that I will ever meet Matt Damon. My guess is that anyone in the world who says they've never heard of Harry Potter is lying...because for some reason, it's cool to admit it.  What a delusional world they live in... A few weeks' ago, when I was obligated to read a couple of crummy (nicest word I can muster) books called The Marriage Plot and Fifty Shades of Grey ...I turned to the Harry Potter series to help clear out the literary ickies.  And just like a Lay's potato chip, I couldn't have just one.  I reread the whole series in less than a month...and while I was at it, I watched all the movies for good measure too. With that kind of obsession under my belt, it's no shocker that I know today is Harr...

Two overripe, frozen bananas + food processor/blender  =  awesomeness! I know, I know.  Those of you with more savvy than I are castigating me from afar...I am WAY behind the Yonanas craze...because I'm JUST NOW discovering the amazingly custardy and waaay healthfully simple dessert that is the result of the above equation. Here's what happened.  After doing inventory yesterday, I discovered a half-dozen bananas that were very, very brown and in need of feeling useful.  Naturally, in cases like these, my first thoughts go to banana-flavored baked goods.  So, I put together a loaf of banana bread.  But, two lonely fruits still remained after that was done.  A search on the internet turned up this recipe for One-Ingredient Ice Cream. Oh, color me intrigued. Step #1: Place two overripe bananas (which I just happened to have!) in freezer for one to two hours. Step #2: Remove partially frozen bananas, place in processor, and hit On ...

No excuses.  I've been back from vacation for a couple of days...and I'm just now getting my kitchen bearings back on. Our family vacation food plan consisted of meals in restaurants, gas station snacks, and processed cooler-ready foods (okay, there was a bag of apples in the trunk somewhere).  Naturally, upon arriving home, I feel the desperate need to one, eat more healthy, and two, prepare my own food. And so, that's what yesterday was all about.  And...don't forget: it's summer.  I do believe my kitchen ministrations put together a light, but formidable, summer meal. Here's what you're looking at: BLTs and Quinoa Garden Salad. The traditional BLTs have undergone a slight modification, partly because of what's in my fridge and partly because our family is on an avocado binge at present. Instead of bread, whole-wheat, low-carb tortillas act as the sandwich material. A light layer of mayo holds together the pre-cooked turkey bacon, leaf lett...

Just so you all know, I am registered Independent.  But, I've just finished reading Walter Scheib's White House Chef ...and the one recipe in that whole memoir/cookbook that I feel I could confidently make (and find the ingredients for) was for something called "Tex-Mex Chex".  According to Mr. Scheib, President GW Bush requested this snack frequently...even traveled with bags of it.  Personally, I like the addition of the pumpkin seeds and pistachios, not to mention the added Texas heat. And so...in honor of our nation's birthday tomorrow and the impending presidential election...I give you the newly-renamed... Republican Chex Mix Preheat oven to 250 degrees. 1 1/2 cups of each: Wheat, Rice, and Corn Chex cereal 3/4 cups pumpkin seeds and pistachios (note: original recipe calls for unsalted nuts, but I couldn't find any - so I left out the pinch of salt) 1 cup pretzel sticks Combine these in large bowl.  Set aside. 3 Tbsp. butter, melted an...