For 2: Chicken & Spinach Stuffed Peppers

This was an insanely easy and delicious week night meal, quick to come together and not bad for you.  The stuffing was enough for 4 peppers so I was able to freeze half of it and will be able to use it for dinner again in a few weeks, much like these Chorizo Stuffed Peppers I made a while back!  What a winning recipe.  And sorry about the lack of a picture; remember my last post about my food pictures not being so good... 
Sincerely Enjoying Food and Sorry I haven't blogged in so long,
Lainey

Stolen Recipe Success: Pioneer Woman Short Ribs

I have finally accepted the fact that I am just not good at taking photos of food.  I love cooking and writing this blog, but taking pictures of the finished product is my least favorite part of the whole process.  I try to set up the scene and snap an appetizing photo, but usually it is dark and the colors aren't quite right and the food doesn't look appetizing.  Not to mention, I am hungry and wanting to eat, which doesn't help.  I don't want to go out and buy a new fancy camera; I don't have time to take a photography class, and the chances of me getting home and getting dinner on the table while there is still "natural light" to help my photos is about as likely as a new Nikon magically sitting on my front porch today when I get home.  So, I hope you all believe me when I say, "I'm sorry that my pictures suck, but I swear to you the food tastes good!"  Which is the most important part, right? 

I said all that to say, SHORT RIBS WITH WINE AND CREAM ARE AMAZING!!!  Did you catch that?  This recipe from The Pioneer Woman totally "made my skirt fly up."  These little ribs are like individual pot roasts on a stick, aka bone.  The meat is tender and juicy and savory and comforting and everything you can ever imagine in the best pot roast you can think of, but it is individually portioned.  I just love them.  Click on over, check out her step by step instructions and MAKE  THESE SHORT RIBS!  They were our Sunday dinner and all afternoon long the house smelled so good from them cooking low and slow and then when we sat down at the table we didn't say a word to each other because we were shoveling food in our mouths enjoying them so much. 

Oh, and the point of all of this, the photo of the ribs...mine is not so good (but my towel is cute):

and Pioneer Woman's is awesome

So there you go, my photos might stink, but I can cook...
Sincerely Loving Food,
Lainey

Christmas Scenes

I am so excited about Christmas!  I mean its the most wonderful time of the year!  I thought I would share with you a few scenes that put some jingle in my jangle every day, and pick your brain for some ideas. 

We hung up lights on Sunday here is the semi-finished result:

First of all that little bit of lights on the left hand side is a pretty bird house that came with lights on it.  We have already moved that to the porch so you can see it better.  Besides that, sports guy and I both agree we need something else, but we aren't sure what that something else is.  Maybe some light up reindeer in the yard playing reindeer games?  I tried convincing him to get on the roof and line it in lights, but that ain't happening.  I mean I love the icicle lights on the porch, but I feel like we need something else.  Any ideas?

I am totally happy with the mantle in our bedroom

 I have had the PEACE stocking holders for years (Target) and I got the stockings from Pottery Barn this year and I LOVE them! (I was going to link over, but they are sold out and I can't find them anymore, sorry)  Paired with some greenery and lights it is so festive!

I made this center piece from 2 old wine bottles, an old beer bottle, spray paint, spray adhesive, epsom salt and some "pretty crap" from Hobby Lobby.  Please disregard the current beer bottle in the foreground and brown paper bag in the background...

I am so happy with how this turned out.  It was super easy to do; I found the step by step instructions on Cleverlyinspired via Pinterest.  Complete cost was under $13 (I already had the silver balls, white table runner, and beads).  I will tell you one thing not included on the step by step: take the labels off the bottles!  I tried a few with labels left on and you can totally see them through the paint, but let's be honest not a big deal - I just grabbed a few more empty bottles out of the recycling bin (its like a never ending supply there) and started over!

Finally in case you are wondering about Ralph, he is growing, and he is a fast learner he is playing fetch and going potty outside!  The pictures below were taken exactly a week apart in front of our couch. 
8 weeks old:

9 weeks old:

Oh Ralph you are growing like a weed!  Tonight we have to take the 10 weeks old pic...updates to come soon!

Sincerely Loving Food and Christmas,
Lainey

For 2: Ritz Salmon

Please don't go thinking this is some fancy dish that I knocked off from the Ritz Carlton...haha - no way Jose.  This is a fantastically easy, quick, healthy, tasty dish made with 3 easy ingredients!  Here's the deal: preheat the oven to 400, put 2 salmon filets (skin or no skin, your choice, if skin, skin side down) on an aluminum foil lined baking sheet, sprinkle each with salt and pepper, spread about a tablespoon of Dijon mustard on them, crunch up about 6 Ritz Crackers and sprinkle the crumbs over them, pressing the crumbs down into the mustard so they stick and bake for about 20 minutes.  TADA serve with some roasted broccoli and there's your dinner!  And since you foil lined both of your baking sheets you have minimal dishes for your husband to wash.  I think next time I might mix up some rosemary or dill with the mustard, or use a coarse ground mustard, or use Triscuits instead of Ritz, or ...the possibilities are endless!  I am so glad to have this simple recipe in our go-to dinner rotation! 

What is your favorite way to make Salmon?  Would you make any changes to this recipe or are you going to try it the simple way, or both?
Sincerely Loving Food,
Lainey

The let down...

I don't know about you, but I always feel this "let down" after a holiday.  Not that anything is wrong, but the excitement is gone and so is that jovial feeling that I had just a few days before.  Well not this year, I am not falling for that Thanksgiving let down.  How did I avoid it you ask....well I got a puppy and he is ADORABLE!  Please meet Ralph!

This week we will be training and cleaning up messes, hooray ;)  It may not be all fun and games, but it is for sure a way to beat the holiday let down.  I mean how can you frown looking at that little face?

Since we will be playing with this little guy so much I am keeping my menus simple this week.  Tonight I am trying a quick salmon recipe (if successful I hope to share with you), and then we will do some take out and this crock pot chicken and dumplings.   Which if you like chicken and dumplings (or even if you don't), you have to give this a whirl.  Last time when I made it I stirred in some peas and a handful of fresh spinach at the end: so delicious, so easy, so comforting.  Try it I dare you!

Sincerely Loving Food,
Lainey

Happy Thanksgiving! Green Bean Casserole - the way it should be

Hi there and Happy Thanksgiving!  I am happy to rejoin the world of blogging.  Honestly, I just needed a break for a little while and now I am feeling refreshed and ready to share ideas again! 

This idea isn't original and may not be well received, but I am going with it because I am passionate about it.  What the he## is up with all of these people "redoing" Green Bean Casserole?  Sorry, I don't get it.  I understand that canned soup isn't the best thing for you nutritionally, ok fine, but seriously people are talking about the "dreaded cream of mushroom soup" as if it is battery acid.  My Momma Sylvia makes Green Bean Casserole with cream of mushroom soup and soy sauce just the way the back of the Campbell's can tells us to.  It is my favorite thing on the Thanksgiving Table.  I love it and I start and finish my meal with a big helping of it.  Sorry I just don't get why a re-do is necessary, but I saw 4 different shows on food network this weekend with a "new take on green bean casserole"  If you want to re-do something, re-do something that needs it, like candied yams.  Seriously you don't want a can of mushroom soup on your Thanksgiving table, but you are ok with a side dish with the word "candied" in the title?  To me this makes no sense.  I understand that homemade is important, and I treasure homemade things like cornbread dressing and gravy and creamed corn and a ton of other things.  But the Green Bean Casserole, I think it is best just the way it is.  Please leave me and my canned cream of mushroom soup alone; we will be just fine, very happy actually...

How was that for a soap box?  What do you think of Green Bean Casserole?  What are you most looking forward to on Thursday? 

Happy to be back and Sincerely Loving Food,
Lainey

Monday...

Sometimes it rains.  Sometimes it pours.  Sometimes you loose your phone.  Sometimes you just want to eat McDonald's even though you know it is bad for you, but you want it anyway. 

Today in Atlanta it's raining.  I lost my phone over the weekend and I have a crazy craving for a double cheese burger with a side of McNuggets; I mean french fries.  Yes, french fries are a side McNuggets are a meal...anyway.  That is the direction my Monday is headed, hopefully yours is a little more sunny!

Sincerely Loving Food,
Lainey