It's Going to Happen Eventually. I Promise.

I know you have missed me just terribly.  And I have missed you too.  It's mutual, baby.  Trust me.

I have been cooking, you know.  And scouring cookbooks, of course.  And hunting online for lots and lots of tasty things to try and share.

One of the things I cooked this weekend and did NOT take pictures of it because I was so busy eating it is this heavenly little recipe for macaroni and cheese from Ms. Paula Deen.  You make it in a crockpot.  It's creamy and delicious.  The only thing I would recommend is checking in after one hour, stirring it, and trying again in 30 min.  Then taste it.  If it feels and tastes done, then take it off the heat!  I cooked mine for the recommended 3 hours, and it got a little curdle-y.  Is that a word?  Was I really an English major?  What are we doing here on earth?

Anyway, just check in on it every once in a while and trust your gut.  That's what I'm sayin' here.

This weekend, when I wasn't busy celebrating our nation's independence and stuffing my face with chicken, macaroni, barbeque, potato salad, cake or rice krispie treats, I was reading cookbooks or talking to my grandmother about family recipes.  I got a lot of them out of her.  They are awesome and timeless and remind me of holidays at her house.  And I also managed to smuggle out my other grandmother's favorite cookbook and get it safely into my new cookbook cabinet.  It's chock full of retro recipes and menu suggestions.  Some of them are funny.  Some of them aren't funny, but simply dated, and others are obviously classic and timeless.  I'll share here soon, I promise.

Also, did you read that part about a new cookbook cabinet?  Yes!  You read right!  My cookbook collection outgrew its home above our microwave, and has now relocated to a lovely new desk in our kitchen.  I am very, very happy about this. 

Speaking of things to be happy about, how about these apples?

Just kidding, those aren't apples!  That, my dears, is a fresh sampling of what my co-worker brought to work today and shared with me.  Bell pepper, green tomatoes, and three spicy, hot chilis that I will certainly put to use in something Thai and delicious.  Ta ta for now, lovelies!