So Midwestern, So in the Kitchen: starting strong

I didn't realize it until I started pulling together all of the recipes I've tried since the beginning of the year, but it is pretty apparent: I'm a cooking maniac.

I officially don't understand why I've lost weight, not gained it. I mean, I've made so much food that I can't even fit it in one blog post. But my ass no longer fits in my jeans? Someone explain this to me.

While we're waiting for an explanation, here's a sampling of how I have been stuffing my face.

My January in the kitchen started out filling Lucy and Chet's refrigerator after the birth of Baby A.

You may recall that I went a little bit overboard. I made three recipes that I've made in the past: Spinach Manicotti, Brown Sugar Fruit Dip and Buttermilk Pecan Chip Brownies.

The Buttermilk Pecan Chip Brownies, I will admit, are a cheater recipe that starts with a boxed brownie mix but turn out so delightful that I don't even feel all that guilty. One day, I'll pretend to be a proper food blogger and post the recipe.

I also made them tortilla soup with black beans, which was good but maybe a little bit bland. I know this because I doubled the recipe and kept some at home for me and Liz.

At some point I made Gnutmeg Gnocchi and I wasn't crazy about it. The flavor was good, just maybe not for me.

Last week, Lucy and I made Penne alla Norma for dinner. Friday night dinners at her house are a bit of a tradition; we usually have Chet cook for us but last week we stepped up and made this recipe, hoping to recreate the Penne alla Norma that we had on my birthday. It wasn't the same. But it was decent. I think I'd put more eggplant in next time.

I had all of the ingredients for this Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds on hand so I made it one morning before work. Not
bad. I like making a quinoa based salad for lunch. It's easy. And I have all that protein to keep me kickin' ass and taking names.

A few weeks ago, I had the urge to bake something. And that something was these Mississippi Mud Brownies. When I saw this recipe I reacted something
like OMG I HAVE TO MAKE THOSE BROWNIES RIGHT NOW. Problem: everyone in my life is on a diet, with the exception of Meg, and Meg was in South Carolina visiting her Drew. So I made them for my hockey team and I was not disappointed. We renamed them the Fat Kid's Delight.

Here's where I confessed that I cheated. Instead of making the brownie on the bottom, I used the doctored up mix brownie from the Buttermilk Pecan Chip Brownies and, yeah, I really don't think that it mattered. Pile on pecans and marshmallows and peanut butter and COME ON. I'm all about a quality brownie but in this situation? Screw it. Save yourself 8 minutes and cheat a little bit.

And the next day I made Pear Crisp. I made it to bring to dinner at Lucy and Chet's house a few weeks after the baby was born. Chet's mom and sister were still in town and Chet's mom made this ridiculously huge traditional Israeli meal and we ate ourselves absolutely sick. We didn't touch the crisp. I left it at Lucy's house. I've been told that it was good. That's all I know.

That's enough for now, I think. Stay tuned. I also managed to consume massive amounts of hummus, smoothies, more quinoa and, oh, name it. I probably made it. I probably ate it. No shame.