Nana's Creamed Potatoes (Update)

That's right! Updated with better photos and easier to follow instructions!

When I first posted this recipe I was quite new to blogging. My photography skills have since improved and to be totally honest I've kind of perfected this recipe. I still think this is one of those dishes where you're better off going by feel and taste than following a recipe, but I've tried my best to get some more accurate measurements for you.

Menu for 1/30/15-2/5/15

I want to start off by saying I've been reading up a storm lately. I always say I devour books and the past few weeks I've been really proving it. I finished Jim Butcher's The Furies of Calderon and then talked to my brother's girlfriend about some of the books she enjoys. She recommended the Legend series by Marie Lu and I went through two books (Legend and Prodigy) in just 5 days. There's another book left in the trilogy but I'm saving it. It's like when I read Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows and flew through it in two days. I was devastated because it was over and I wished I had more to read. I saved Mockingjay for months because I didn't want it to end yet and I knew if I started it I wouldn't be able to put it down.

Oven Roasted Chicken

I have roasted exactly three birds in my entire life. The first was when Annie of Annie's Eats first posted her roasted chicken tutorial. I shredded the meat and used it to make two casseroles and a bowl of chicken salad. It was good, but a bit bland and not my best work.

Menu for 1/23/15-1/29/15

I was going over the sales ad for last week when I noticed that it's been almost a month since chicken was on sale. Italian sausage, ground beef, pork loin, even ground turkey have all been on sale but not chicken. I was disappointed because we eat more chicken than any other meat. I've been trying to plan the menu around the lack of chicken but it was becoming difficult until I remembered that I have a ton of meat stored in the freezer.

Fluffy Rosemary Garlic Knots

Finally another bread recipe! I had gotten out of the habit of making bread for awhile. It used to be relaxing but then it became a bit of a chore and would wear me out. It's time consuming, takes up the entire counter, and if I don't get started early enough we wind up waiting for the bread to bake while dinner gets cold.

Menu for 1/16/15-1/22/15

This week hasn't been busy but it's sure felt like it. I've been at home three days in a row, never leaving the house but still feel like I haven't rested. One night of good sleep leads into three nights of insomnia and then I'm exhausted all day long. Eventually I'll learn how to sleep right.

Lazy Alfredo Sauce

I have several Alfredo sauce recipes and most of them could be classified as lazy, but this one is really the easiest one I've ever tried. I have a one recipe where you cream together softened butter and Parmesan cheese with a mixer and add cream that I thought was as simple as it could get. Then I came across this recipe which is basically the same except there's no need to waste your time with the bowl and the mixer.

Menu for 1/9/15-1/15/15

It's so weird not to start with Monday on my menu. I keep forgetting it starts on Friday now.

We have an exciting week planned. We're actually getting a babysitter (well, Admiral and CJ will be watching Bailey) so we can go on a double date with my brother and his girlfriend. Senator gave Aaron a game for Christmas that we haven't had a chance to play yet. I have no idea what kind of game it is so I'm interested to try it out!

Wishlist Wednesday January 2015

Brrrr! It's freezing and of course that makes me crave hot soup and warm blankets so this wishlist will have a huge list of soups I want to try and some knitting patterns to keep me warm (and to keep away the cabin fever if I happen to get snowed in). There's a little surprise at the end too! Let's get started!

A Wish for a Warm, Full Belly:

Southwest Seafood Chowder from Food and Wine

Halibut and shrimp make up the seafood portion of this amazing sounding chowder. I might leave out the clams but every other ingredient has my mouth watering, from the ancho chiles to the fennel seeds but especially those shrimp! Chowder is my favorite kind of soup. Chowder is so hearty and filling that (contrary to Aaron's belief) it can be a meal by itself. One of these days I'm definitely going to try this recipe!

Grilled Pineapple and Pepper Jack Turkey Burgers

What a way to start off the year! My first new recipe was a huge hit. Well, it was a huge hit with Bailey and myself. I don't think Aaron really likes turkey burgers.

These were the juiciest turkey burgers I've ever made at home. It seems like turkey, the low-fat meat that it is, just gets incredibly dry on me again and again, but these burgers are special. Seasoned with soy sauce and thyme and topped with melted pepper jack cheese and a slice of fresh grilled pineapple there's no lack of flavor and a little drizzle or spray of olive oil before they go on the grill keeps them from drying out as they cook. I didn't have much in the way of toppings tonight but I don't think they need them. I might add some romaine lettuce leaves and a bit of mayo (or miracle whip in my case) but really the flavors are already there, the rest is just icing on the cake.

Menu for 1/5/15-1/8/15

I thought now would be a good time to change the meal planning schedule since it's the beginning of the year. Sometime last year Kroger changed their sales ads, running them Wednesday-Tuesday rather than Sunday-Saturday. And sometime around October I went from planning an entire month of meals in one day to going week by week based more on what was on sale. I still put together a list of meals that I want to include for the month, but now I wait until the ad comes out to decide what we'll be eating that week.

Are New Year's Resolutions Cliche?

Did you make any resolutions for the new year? I've made a couple. For one, I'm giving up soda... again. I do this every few years and usually it lasts about six months or so. I'm not addicted to soda or anything, it's just so much more convenient sometimes. I mean, water would be convenient (and I love water) but I really prefer it filtered and extremely cold. I'm the crazy woman who always orders extra ice with my water at restaurants.

A Few of My Favorites: 2014

Welcome to 2015 everyone! I'm excited for this year but the end of 2014 has been so busy I've barely had a chance to enjoy it. So I wanted to take a look back at a few favorite meals from the past year. I figure since I did 6 reader favorites, I'll do 6 of my favorites. I'm only including 2014 for this post but you can see my favorites from 2013 here.

Let's get to it!

1) Island Pork Tenderloin

Pork tenderloin is quickly making its way to the top of my favorite proteins list. It's so easy to make, so tender, so juicy, so flavorful... I could go on and on. This tenderloin in particular has tons of flavor. There's a spice rub (that includes cinnamon, I mean, come on, how often do you get to use cinnamon on meat?) and then a brown sugar/hot sauce/garlic glaze that is just out of this world, and the whole thing only takes about 30-45 minutes to get on the table. It goes with everything. I love it with seasoned rice and fresh steamed veggies but it also pairs well with heavier sides like mashed potatoes and macaroni and cheese. And bonus! The leftovers are incredible, especially when topping a salad.

Reader Favorites from 2014

One of the reasons I love writing this blog is seeing what the readers go for. Sometimes I'm surprised to see a recipe fall flat when I was so excited about trying it, but more often I'm blown away by the response to a recipe that I tried on a whim or one that I've been making for years and it never occurred to me that everyone else has not. Last year a couple of my favorites wound up on the reader favorites list which pleased me because I felt like I was on track.

I think last year I listed the top 6 posts. This year I'm going to do things a little differently. With almost two years of blogging under my belt I wanted to include the top 6 recipes from this year along with the top 6 over the past two years. So, what say we start with this year's reader favorites?

1) Baked Ziti

This is by far the number one viewed post overall. I'm positive that's because it's from the Pioneer Woman and, like myself, people simply trust anything she does. This mixture of meaty sauce, creamy, melty cheese, and perfectly cooked pasta is the ideal dish for feeding a large family. It makes a ton of food (I've fed 8 with leftovers with this recipe) and is absolutely delicious to boot! It's just as good as leftovers as it is fresh out of the oven and I could eat the sauce as a soup, it's so good.

Menu for 12/29/14-1/4/15

My holiday season has not quite died down yet. I've been asked to make another batch of tea cakes for a family member and I'll be dropping them off on Wednesday. In addition, my big gift from Yaya, a new dryer that we desperately needed, will be delivered on Wednesday as well.

Bailey's 4th Christmas

Do you feel neglected? Because I feel like I've been neglecting you. It wasn't intentional, I promise. I've just been so incredibly swamped with Christmas stuff.

I've been crafting and baking and visiting friends and family. Down time has been completely nonexistent.

Yaya's Chicken and Veggie Spaghetti Pie

Of all the things my mom cooks this is by far one of my favorite recipes. I have asked for this as my birthday dinner more than once. Even though it's the same recipe mine never tastes quite like Yaya's but isn't that typical? I mean, I use her spaghetti sauce recipe and mine never tastes like hers and I use Nana's lasagna recipe and it tastes totally different.

Menu for 12/15/14-12/21/14

Man, it's been a crazy busy weekend of baking! I got to try a new frosting technique Monday night. I made us some chocolate cupcakes with peppermint frosting and made them look kind of like starlight mints.

Sausage and Cheese Tortellini Soup

It's cold, y'all! At 11:30 at night it's 26 degrees outside. And I live in Tennessee! I don't mind the cold, I actually prefer it to the heat, especially the muggy, humid heat we get here. Bailey doesn't seem to mind the cold either but we have two cars with the heat somewhat on the fritz. Aaron's truck has no heat at all and mine only has defrost or it blows at your feet. I guess that's better than last year when the defrost didn't work but it makes it hard to take Bailey anywhere when she can't wear a coat in the car and it takes forever (and a ton of gas) for the car to warm up.

Menu for 12/8/14-12/14/14

Bailey and me with Senator on Christmas morning 2011.

Well I was going to share a couple of cute pictures I took during our day out with Nana on Friday but Bailey has taken off with my phone and won't let me have it back even long enough to transfer them to my computer. So instead I'm going to do a little flashback post.