Oh Pioneer

Well, I have posted as of late about my new cookbook that I am in love with. I have yet to pinpoint why I love it...all the photos, the yummy recipes...or possibly that I feel like an accomplished wife when I make something that Cullen likes to eat, and I have enjoyed cooking. If you try the great peach crisp recipe..let me know I can't wait to hear about it.

I have tried a few things and I will credit the Pioneer Woman for pulling me from my comfort zone.

One of the recipes I tried first was Marlboro Man's Favorite Sandwhich. Oh my! Until making this sandwhich I will admit that I never before had bought and cut up an onion. Usually I would leave them out or I'd buy and onion and take it to my mom to cut for me, and she would and place in a nice ziploc. Cullen put his after church hunger on hold long enough for me to try my hand at this sandwhich. As I sat and watched him take his first bite...the man was happy...Cullen has dubbed this Felicia's Philly Steak...but we love it...

Next from her cookbook I should tell you I made her her brisket...it was good...it could have been better but I'll try it at least one more time and if it is WONDERFUL I will never attempt brisket again...it takes too long.

To accompany the brisket I also tried The Pioneer Woman's Mashed Potatoes...and from that I realized that too many more recipes from this woman and I'd need stock in the butter company, the flour company, the sugar company and more time in my day for my gym membership...she loves the heavy cream and half and half shelf at the grocery.

It was about Thursday that I attempted her 'perfect pie crust', well I can tell you first hand it ain't perfect...I made it exactly by the recipe and then put it to fast use in her Flat Apple Pie and it was the most horrible thing that I have ever made...it fell apart, the crust, the apples, the whole thing. I though to myself...well presentation isn't everything...and tried my hardest to scoop it onto the plate and salvage my first ever pie crust...nope no hope it was a loss. Even Cullen asked, 'So what is this supposed to be?' What a let down...

Today in an effort to bring myself out of my pie crust depression I decieded to try out P.W.'s Pizza Crust...This too was out of my comfort zone...I mean who under the age of 40 knows how to use dry yeast to make a pastry...I didn't but ooo... guess what? I do now! My curse of cooking was short lived...and apparently only affective on my pie crust...BECAUSE my Tomato Basil Pizza was AWESOME.

Feeling extra good after my Pizza Success... I decided to cook some dessert that I had searched out online. I gave the recipe to Ms. Connie Ramsey at www.mealplanningwithconnie.blogspot.com so she would cook it and report on it, but she hasn't yet...so I did. Since it was supposed to be low cal I thought that was a plus, too. It was good, but after so many buttery recipes and absolutely nad for you recipes...this one tasted a little too low cal. I'll sugar it up next time. Check over at www.lime-a-beans.blogspot.com to see whatelse I have been doing today.