Time to catch up!

I've been shamefully remiss with updating this blog! There have been a few time consuming things preventing me from this lately -- first, going on a 10-day vacation to the U.K. (where I picked up several yummy recipe ideas, soon-to-be tried), then most recently caring for my 11-month-old as she had surgery on her kidney.

I have, however, managed to cook up a storm even in the midst of busy times! My plan is to gradually update the blog with recipe/pictorial posts on the things I've made. My latest successes have been Zuppa Toscana (sausage, potato and kale soup), potato/onion/pepper quiche, killer cinnamon rolls, and coconut vanilla tea bread. Shrimp gumbo is next on the list (dinner tonight!), and I'm currently brainstorming to come up with a cinnamon butterscotch twist on muddy buddy chex mix.

Other ideas that I picked up in the U.K.:

- Salami and Bries panini on baguette (Wow. I mean WOW.)

- Shrimp, mango, cucumber and hot salsa salad

- Beef, potato, onion and bean pot pie

Will update again soon!

Kitchen Gadgets: The Sugar Shaker

I've had this gadget for a while and finally acted on the idea to fill it with confectioners sugar. Turns out it was a very good idea, if I say so myself. I just recently used it to garnish some cake brownies. After all, isn't more sugar the answer to everything?

Kitchen Gadgets: The Tea Strainer

I absolutely love this gadget. Tea with milk and honey makes me so happy. Oh, and I got it at Ikea for less than $2.00. That makes me happy, too.

Kitchen Gadgets: The (glass) Citrus Juicer

I think I actually favor this juicer over the metal one, purely because it's prettier. Well, I also think it does just as good of a job. I guess it depends on my cooking mood.

Kitchen Gadgets: The Citrus Juicer

I love cooking. I love my kitchen. I love gadgets. I love . . . kitchen gadgets. I don't think I need say any more.

*(my dear hubby's initials -- this was one of his "school tools" from his culinary days)

*

Corn Salsa (a la "Chipotle")

My absolute favorite salsa is the roasted chili corn salsa from Chipotle (along with the black charred tomato salsa -- or whatever it's called -- from Baja Fresh). I just can't get enough of the stuff, so I decided to try it at home. I never found what looked like a good copycat recipe online, but found out which peppers are used (jalapeno and poblano), and decided to take it from there. Here's my "recipe":

2 cans of corn niblets, drained and rinsed

Juice of 1 small lime

Cilantro (chopped finely -- add to taste)

1/4 of a red onion (diced finely)

1 jalapeno pepper (diced finely)

1/2 to 2/3 of a poblano pepper (diced finely)

Combine all ingredients and chill.

I think the formula I used was a little more citrus-y than Chipotle's, but that's the way I like it. I thought it turned out awesomely, but I implore you to WEAR GLOVES while chopping the peppers, and DO NOT keep any leftover onion in the refrigerator overnight. Unless, of course, you like everything else in the fridge to smell like red onion the next day. Yeah, I didn't think so...

Treasure boxes

Here are two treasure boxes I made recently. I think I'm too in love with them to list them on Etsy, at least for the time being!