The Joy of Cooking

The weekend past was, as most these days, filled with cooking and baking. I’ve really gotten into trying new recipes and, in turn, having a tasty selection of lunches and dinners for the week.

With Kasey and Harleigh at Chateau Gahan on Friday and Saturday (for Grayson’s one-year-old birthday), I had made my Nana’s sloppy joes which I served on fluffy sesame seed buns with a slice of provolone. I also had fresh salmon (which I’d baked in Publix’s ginger teriyaki finishing sauce), steamed broccoli and brown rice. Had a poppy seed cake front and center on the kitchen counter in a glass domed cake server. And what a joy it was to pull out my electric griddle on Saturday morning to make corned beef hash, scrambled eggs and bacon for two hungry college kids!

I was on Monday’s rotation for a meal for Molly and Jamie (new parents to Hammond), and made twice-baked organic sweet potatoes, broccoli slaw salad and tried a recipe I’ve been wanting to make for awhile . . . white chocoloate fruitcake fudge. It turned out more like nougat/divinity and boy is it sweet, but really good. Brought the leftover fudge to the office and got some rave reviews.

Pinterest recipes have been a constant source of inspiration, and a chicken ditty really caught my eye. After reading the 100-some comments — people either raved about it or didn’t care for it at all — I gave it a shot. I like it a lot, but I put way too much fresh rosemary on top; go for the fresh rosemary (it does add to the flavor), but keep it to a minimum. I used thighs, not breasts, because I love the moistness of dark meat, but I think the white breast meat might create a different flavor medley, one just as good!