Scarves...Nothing food related

Don't you just love a good scarf? I know this is totally random, but I have really come to love scarves of all forms. I love my older really long knitted scarves that have tassles at the end. I love my new spring scarves that are a simple pattern or a bright fun solid, but that are extremly light weight and that I can throw around my neck in several different ways. I love my pashmina shawl that's thick, warm and a lovely, cozy gray. I love my standard black scarf that goes with almost everything in my closet and that it can be dressed up or down. I love my skinny silk scarves that match some very unique pieces in my closet and the fact that I only paid a dime each for them at a garage sale in Greenville, Texas. (Such a steal! I know...I felt like I was robbing them.) I love the 2 scarves knitted by one of our family friends, Sharon, and the wonderful corkscrew shape one of them has. My dear friend Haley has this fabulous corkscrew scarf in a wonderful mustard-y yellow that her mom knitted. Little did I know that when I obsessed over her scarf that one was in my very near future. You see, the 2nd scarf I got from Sharon was not originally intended for me, but for my mom. My mom, however, could not see herself in it, so naturally I claimed it to make sure the world sees me in this fabulous scarf.

What got me to thinking about scarves? Well, I thought it was going to be warm and sunny today, but instead it is quite cloudy, windy, and chilly. I wish I was wearing one of my fabulous scarves...that's it.

Cheesecake Cookies (Recipe by Paula Deen)

Welcome to the wonderful land of cheesecake...Well, I have actually never tried to make cheesecake before. I am afraid I have feared failure for the past several years. My really good friend Dana made cheesecakes all the time in college and they always cracked on the top...she has now mastered cheesecake though, and they are truly delicious. I however decided to cheat a little this time and made the cheesecake in a 9 x 13 baking pan so they were a lot thinner than actual cheesecake. Don't call me a slacker...I needed to start out easy just for my own sane of mind. I was attempting the dessert for Brian's family who was in town for the weekend and I really didn't want something ugly or inedible, so I took a no-fuss, simple recipe from Mrs. Paula Deen to help me out. I was serving a simple house salad with homemade garlic croutons, warm toasted garlic bread with butter and oregano, my traditional homemade lasagna layered with my delicious red sauce made from scratch of course and these cheesecake cookies for dessert sprinkled with a touch of powered sugar, mint, and a sliced strawberry. (The picture doesn't include any strawberries because I pretty much gobbled those down because they were so delicious and forgot to save some for photo purposes.) Anyway, if you are looking for a simple, creamy, and decadent dessert...this one's for you!

Ingredients

Crust:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 cup chopped pecans
• 1 stick butter, melted

Filling:

• 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla or almond extract
• Fresh berries and mint leaves, for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Start by sifting your flour into a large mixing bowl.

Combine flour and brown sugar.

Add in pecans and butter into your bowl and stir to combine.

Press dough into an ungreased 13 by 9 by 2-inch pan.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes or until lightly browned.

I started the filling while my crust was baking.

For the filling, place your softened cream cheese and sugar in a bowl

Beat cream cheese and granulated sugar together in a bowl until smooth.

Using a handheld electric mixer; add eggs and extract; beat well.

Pour the filling over a slightly cooled crust. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool completely.

Cut into squares before serving. Decorate tops with berries and mint leaves.

Breakfast in Bed

So I decided this week to give myself a spring break. I was on the road a lot during the first quarter of the year, so why not right? I love all meals of the day, but I truly love breakfast. I usually only get to enjoy a nice hearty breakfast on the weekends, but I love days when I can make myself a nice fulfilling breakfast during the week. I adore eggs and woke up today craving a nice piece of egg toast. I brewed some coffee and whipped up a fabulous egg over medium, toasted some fresh sourdough bread and topped it with some mozzarella. I took it all upstairs to enjoy breakfast in bed while watching the Today show...I could get used to this.

Egg Toast for one

1 large egg

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 large slice of fresh sourdough bread

1/8 cup shredded mozzarella

1 tbls butter

Start by heating a nonstick skillet on low and spray with some Pam. Crack the egg into the pan, careful not to break the yolk and let it start to cook low and slow. Sprinkle with some salt and freshly ground pepper. After yolk has slightly set, flip egg over and cook for a couple of minutes. You will know it is medium when you touch the yolk and it gives back slightly. I usually cover the pan with the plate while it cooks to help steam the egg.

Spread the butter on the piece of sourdough and toast until it reaches your desired "toasty-ness". Top with mozzarella and place under broiler until cheese is melted.

Top your cheesy toast with your perfectly cooked egg and get ready to enjoy.

Make sure your coffee is ready to go. This is going to be a great breakfast which will be a great start to your day...Look at that slightly runny yolk...mmmm. Delicious.

Meet Dutch

Wow...Dallas has had such beautiful weather lately. It is hard to believe that it was only a month ago that we experienced such a large snowfall. I thought now might be a good time to formally introduce Dutch...the famous chocolate lab that inspired the name of my blog. (With the help of my love for cooking) Dutch definitely enjoyed the white wonderland by running through a field by our house. I thought you should get to enjoy seeing him romp in the snow. These pictures continue to make me laugh and smile...he is a goofey, goofey dog, but oh so full of love.

A New Twist on an Old Tradition

Last night I snuggled up to watch the Oscar's with a nice big bowl of Coq Au Vin and a side of toasted garlic bread. I spent 2 hours yesterday preparing the wonderful dish, so tonight...leftovers. But I wanted to do something different with it. Hmmm...my mind immediately went to a sandwich, since I do think that is my favorite food of all time. I took some leftover Coq Au Vin and heated it through and cut a nice healthy piece of French bread. I placed the chicken, sauce and veggies along the bottom piece and placed Muenster cheese along the top. I put the 2 pieces together and wrapped the whole thing in foil. I placed it in a preheated 450 degree oven for about 10 minutes or until the cheese was ooey gooey and the bread was warm and soft. Delicious.

Easy and Delicious Weeknight Dinner

Grocery shopping was the last thing I wanted to do today. Brian and I had a kinda busy weekend and I never got around to going to the store. I hate to start the week without a full stock of fresh ingredients and a menu in mind of what to cook. The cold, rainy weather really put a damper on things today. (No pun intended) All I wanted was a nice warm stew to come home to with some freshly baked bread for dipping. Well, needless to say, I had definitely not prepared for that, so I headed off to Whole Foods after work. I absolutely adore the fish counter at Whole Foods. I actually enjoy when I have to wait because then I can gawk at all the fish without being frowned upon for holding up the line. Today, I just wanted something healthy, easy, quick, and delicious...salmon...check.

Whole Foods makes it all too easy for you. They have 7oz center-cut salmon filets ready to go. This is great if you are in a hurry or new to the fish counter. I'll take 2, thanks!

Simply season your filets with some kosher salt, freshly ground pepper, and one of the best herb blends ever created, Herbs de Provence. This is the easiest prep but it delivers such a wonderful flavor. Heat a non-stick skillet with some olive oil. Once the oil is hot, add your salmon filets skin side down.

Sear the salmon on each side for just a couple minutes until it is done all the way through.

I served the salmon with some roasted vegetables. I chopped one fennel bulb into wedges and cut some small potatoes in half tossed them with salt, pepper, and olive oil until coated and roasted them at 425 degrees for about 20 minutes. Once the potatoes were fork tender, I tossed in some sliced asparagus and dill. I roasted them for about 10 minutes more, then served alongside the salmon and a simple salad.

Valentine's Dinner for Two

How do you celebrate the most romantic holiday of the year? I feel like there is so much hype for this holiday and talk of how much it is a "ladies" holiday. I kinda disagree...I feel like it is a day to actually take the time to tell and show the one you love just how much you care for them. No need for gifts or heart shaped desserts or chocolate. (Even though I do agree that is just fun sometimes.) To celebrate Valentine's Day in the past, Brian and I have gone to very nice dinners, had a casual night of just pizza and cooked at home, but my favorite so far is this year. We just stayed at home and had a blast cooking together. We made filet mignon with bearnaise sauce, mac and cheese, chopped wedge salads and drank a great Cade wine that we bought in Napa. We finished the meal with a yellow cake with buttercream icing. Why eat out...

Dessert first. I have been looking for a simple cake recipe that I can adapt with different flavors and that stays super moist. Although I feel that I am still looking for that, this is still a great cake, just be sure to make every effort to keep it moist as it has the tendency to dry out quickly if left on the counter. I got the recipe from one of my favorite blogs, bakerella, she knows her stuff! So if you are interested in my beautiful cake below, please go here for the recipe...Moist Yellow Cake with Buttercream Frosting.

Ok, back to the first course. The chopped wedge is something that is so super simple and so super delicious. Please serve it the next time you have company or just the next time you make dinner for your family.

Chopped Wedge (recipe by me)

1 head iceberg lettuce, washed and chopped fine

4 slices thick cut bacon, cooked and crumbled

Handful grape tomatoes, cut in half

Blue Cheese crumbles (I prefer Stella)

Ranch Dressing (I prefer fresh from bulk section of Central Market)

Start by making sure your lettuce is washed and chopped earlier in the day to give it time to stay nice and cold in the refrigerator. (I like to put my salad plates in the fridge too in order to keep them cold.) To assemble, I just put a handful of lettuce on a small salad plate and top with a few tomatoes. I then like to drizzle the ranch dressing over the salad, then add the bacon and blue cheese crumbles.

Filet Mignon (recipe by me)

Start by buying the best filets you can. We bought ours from Central Market this weekend, and bonus, they were on sale for $16.00 per lb.

Let the filets come to room temperature. Rub the filets with vegetable oil until just coated and season heavily with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

I like to use a cast iron skillet for searing, but use your favorite pan for this. (Preferably one that can go from the stove top to the oven.) Get your pan smoking hot on the stove top before adding any oil or the filets. Once hot, add a little bit of vegetable oil (any light oil that can reach a high smoking point) and wait for it to come to temperature. When the pan is super hot, add your filets and sear on each side for a few minutes each. You know it is time to turn them when they no longer stick.

Once you have seared the filets on all sides, transfer the pan to the oven to finish cooking. Remove filets at your desired doneness. I like to take mine out between 130 degrees and 135 degrees for medium rare. (The meat will continue to cook about 10 degrees once removed from the oven.)

MMM...The perfect meal...