A Pinterest Chef

The biggest surprise since Casey and I started living together has been in my ability -- and enjoyment -- in cooking.  I owe it all to Pinterest.

Before we met, I had my staples: pasta, tacos, and mac & cheese.  The traditional single girl diet sprinkled with a few nights of dining out and heavy dashes of leftovers.  I had no desire, let alone a need, to make and plan meals.  

Now, it's fun.  The planning.  The experimenting.  The sharing.  It's one thing we have always enjoyed as a couple: the dining experience.

Pinterest gives me cooking confidence.  

My map to a tantalizing tastes

A catalyst to wonderful conversation 

Good-bye Betty Crocker, 

this is my recipe book.

This week, we have revisited a few first time favorites from Pinterest and started to make them our own.  

 Penne with Roasted Asparagus and Balsamic Butter
This recipe made me feel fancy when I first created it.  As an Italian, I knew how to cook pasta in utero.  However, pasta has a very clear definition in an Italian household.  Seeing pasta as anything else is inconceivable.  The simplicity of this dish attracted me to it.  It's the perfect base to start.  This week, we added some shrimp protein.  

Cajun Chicken Stuffed with Pepper Jack Cheese & Spinach

The first time we created this one, it was a mess.  The chicken breasts we had were too thick.  We didn't have a meat mallet which requires some creativity with household tools.  (Casey may not be able to do much with a hammer, but he can definitely thin out some meat!)  I made too much of the stuffing and tried to cram it all in.  We faked breadcrumbs by crunching up croutons.  Overall, it was a disastrous kitchen experience - the best kind.  It worked.  

At least the second go around was picture worthy!  A little bit more of spice and some extra Habanero  Pepper Salt from Allspice made this mouthwatering meal.  

I've become quite the good little housewife.  Something I never would have thought I'd say.  My vision of me as a wife did not include standing in a kitchen and slaving away over a hot stove to make dinner. However, that's not what cooking is.  It's Casey and me, conversing, sharing, and engaging. It's so much more than just the food we put on the table.

There is only one rule: No cook Thursdays.