A different take on an old school comfort food

One of my favorite things to make in my CrockPot is pot roast. I love to experiment and it gets boring to use the same recipe. When I found this recipe for Italian Pot Roast in Southern Living magazine, I couldn't wait to try it. I served this delicious roast with a tortellini primavera. Here is the result. I think this is my best piece of F00d P0rn.

Italian pot roast with a side of tortellini primavera

MasterCard: F00d P0rn Style

One of the most rewarding, if not THE most rewarding aspect of being a wonderful cook is being able to share your talent with others. I was able to do this last week. One of my friends had a very bad cold and asked me if I could cook a few things for her family. Of course I obliged and spent a day preparing a feast. The menu consisted of peanut butter raisin banana bread, baked macaroni and cheese, green bean casserole, a chicken-broccoli-cheddar casserole and baked chicken breasts. I brought my creations over the next day, enjoyed visiting with my friends and watching them enjoy the banana bread. Groceries to prepare this: $71.05. Seeing what joy my talent brings to others: Priceless. Welcome to MasterCard, F00d P0rn Style!

Peanut Butter Raisin Banana Bread

Chicken-broccoli-cheddar casserole from a recipe I just threw together. My friend told me it was YUMMY and her son loved it!

It happens to the best of us

Alas, there are no pictures of the disaster I had last night. In retrospect, I should have taken some. However, I can share a funny story with you.

Last night, I decided to try a recipe for sour cream cornbread. The recipe called for it to be made in a cast-iron skillet (which I don't own) so I decided to improvise and do it in a cake pan. I am not sure what went wrong but shortly after putting it into the oven, smoke started coming out and I set off the smoke alarm.

I cleared the smoke out, put the cornbread back into the oven. Would you believe I set off the smoke alarm NINE MORE TIMES?

So, I decided to give up and the cornbread that was supposed to be a mouthwatering side with my chili wound up in the trash. I wound up eating my chili with salad, but it wasn't the same.

I plan to try this recipe again next week because today I went out and bought, you guessed it followers---a cast iron skillet.

Fun with leftovers

As I cook only for myself, eating the same thing for a few days can get boring, which is why I love things that are versatile. I made a chicken in my CrockPot and took all the pieces that fell off the bone (there was quite a lot) and made a curried chicken salad. This is so easy to make: I just added mayonaise, curry powder, walnuts and green grapes. This was delicious and was yummy on whole wheat toast. I was able to make about four sandwiches out of this, in addition to the meals from what didn't fall off the chicken. Roasted chicken is truly versatile.

Chicken, celery, grapes and walnut in preparation for chicken curry.

After I added the mayonaise.

Close up of curried chicken salad.

Comfort food on a cold winter night

Tonight's creations: meatloaf made in my CrockPot and a broccoli cheddar casserole. The meatloaf came out wonderfully. I will never make meatloaf in the oven again.

Broccoli cheddar casserole fresh out of the oven.

Comfort food at its best on a cold winter night in MD. CrockPot meatloaf and broccoli cheddar casserole presented on a Mikasa Red Berries plate.

Red chicken curry on a cold windy night

Red curry simmering on the stove.

Red curry over basmati rice presented in a white bowl.

Something about this rainy, cold and windy weather makes me crave spicy food. Armed with a recipe for red chicken curry, I decided to take on the local Thai places. The score: F00d P0rn: 1. Local Thai place: 0.

Treats for a BBQ

Baked macaroni and cheese ready to go into the oven.

All done! Fresh out of the oven.

Red Velvets ready for the oven.

One dozen frosted red velvets.

Red Velvet on a plate.

Me holding half a Red Velvet (I am pretty sure I was eating the other half while taking the picture)

This past July, I was invited to a BBQ and my friend asked me to bring a side. Not only did I oblige with a wonderful baked macaroni and cheese, I just HAD to try my new recipe for Red Velvet cupcakes with cream cheese icing. Here are the results from start to finish. They were both amazing!