My Favorite Recipes!

I have a new-found love for cooking and baking. I'm not sure if it's my desire to excel as a housewife or if it's due to my love of eating good food ;), but I am definitely getting into, and enjoying, making good meals. I have been inspired by two friends recently to blog about recipes and eating well! One friend posted a wonderful post on meal planning and shared some of her yummy recipes (one of which I have in the oven as I write). Another friend posted her plea for help on making a yummy meal for her hubby returning from deployment. Combine the two and I had a light bulb moment! Why not share a few of my favorite recipes and urge my fellow blogging sisters to do the same!! This way, we get to shine the spotlight on our favorite recipes and we all get some great new recipes to try. :)

This is Blaine's favorite entree (note: I increase the cooking time in the oven until the meat thermometer reaches 170 degrees, about 22 minutes)...

Honey-buttered Pork Tenderloin

http://www.marthastewart.com/recipe/pork-tenderloin-with-honey-butter

One of my favorite sides to make is my own creation…

Mashed Baked Potatoes

2 potatoes per person (I usually use half of a 5 lb bag if I'm cooking for 4-6 people)
1/2 stick butter
1 yellow onion (chopped)
1/2 cup sour cream
1 cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese
Bacon crumbles (optional)
Salt and pepper to taste

Peel and quarter potatoes, boil until tender (when you can easily insert a fork through them). Meanwhile, saute onion in butter until tender. Whip potatoes with all ingredients with electric mixer until well blended and to your desired consistency.

Again, this is my own creation, so none of these ingredient amounts are exact...I just eyeball it and add everything until the potatoes taste like I want them to! ;)

This is my all-time FAVORITE dessert! I leave the wine out if I don’t have an open bottle (which is rare) and they’re great either way. I promise it will not disappoint:

Molten Spiced Chocolate Cabernet Cakes

http://www.mccormickgourmet.com/Recipes/Desserts/Molten-Spiced-Chocolate-Cabernet-Cakes.aspx

What are your favorite go-to recipes?? I challenge you, my fellow bloggers, to post some of your favorites so that we can all build up our recipe collections!!

I Love You!

We all have moments like these...moments that touch us so deeply that we sit back and think about our spouses, loved ones, and all the blessings to be thankful for in our lives. I had a moment yesterday...

We were at brunch at the Officer's Club with friends, enjoying the good food, yummy mimosas, and fun time! At the table next to us sat an older man, maybe in his 50's, enjoying the same. He was very friendly, making conversation and commiserating with us over the subpar service. ;) He had two glasses of water at his table, but I never actually saw anyone sit with him for brunch. As he got up to leave, he wished me and Jill a happy Valentine's day, and we joked that it will be if our husbands are on their A-game. He then told us that he loved being married so much, but that his wife left him. She had gone to heaven at age 48. He reminded us all to embrace every day with our loved ones because you never know what tomorrow will bring. He was misty-eyed as he told us this, and it completely broke my heart!

I share this story with you all for two reasons...to tell you, my loved ones, that I love all of you, and to remind you all to enjoy every second of today, tomorrow, and so on with your spouses and loved ones!

Happy Valentine's Day!!