I used to cook all the time for me and my ex. it was one of those things that i did that made me really happy because not only am i big fan of food, but i also felt like i was helping her out so much. she was always busy between working full time and school full time, and with me cooking all the time and cleaning around the house i knew it took the added pressure/stress off of her shoulders. when she left me earlier this year i no longer had the passion or drive to cook (amongst other things). and this has been something i wanted to regain for some time now. i finally feel like my passion for cooking has returned, and i have to say that im so happy it did. its been almost 6 months since i took my time in the kitchen to cook up a fabulous meal. These dishes are usually inspired by my imagination, what ingredients are available to me, and getting tips while watching too much of the food network (this is one reason i miss having cable). so without further babbling, these are some of the dishes i have come up with in the past 10 days...



this was kind of a repeat recipe i have done in the past, a mix of fresh ingredients that blend nicely together. it was a garlic and herb roasted marinade on the chicken, bacon, kielbasa, black eyed peas, and brown rice. this combination of ingredients made such an awesome taste profile that i was overly delighted.





this was my favorite dish ive made so far: bacon wrapped thinly sliced boneless pork chops, sauteed on the gas stove. accompanied by sauteed veggies consisting of squash, zucchini, asparagus, green beans, yellow onion, green peppers, and grape tomatoes. honestly you throw in some cooked tomatoes and bacon and im in love...





this was the first part of the next dish i made for me and mel (who doesnt usually eat meat). i made chicken fajitas, with a completely vegetarian option for mel (who ended up eating the chicken anyways hehe). i grilled some chicken strips in a seperate pan, not cross contamination any meat with the veggies. the veggies consisted of squash, zucchini, asparagus, green beans, red onions, yellow onions, green peppers, red peppers, and garlic. i made them cadillac style with black beans and brown rice. ate them with whole wheat tortillas, this was probably one of the most healthiest dishes i have ever prepared...





this is what i made tonight. the first major salad that i tried to tackle. it has fresh romaine hearts cut from the stalk. ripe tomatoes, crunchy croutons, red onions, feta cheese, bacon, grilled chicken, dried cranberries, and a raspberry vinaigrette. this was uber delicious let me tell you what.


so anyways, i hope to keep track of some other meals i make during my first year in denver. i know it may sound funny to some of you, but it really has helped me regain some of my confidence that i lost over the past few months. i figure, one step at a time. but in the mean time, if anyone wants to stop over and have a deliciously prepared meal... id be more than happy to accomodate :)