Day Two.

Well not really day two, but the second day that I cooked something new.
So on Thursday I brought out the crock pot which probably hasn’t been used since my boyfriend first bought it. I’ve been ‘pinning’ recipes for cooking in the crock pot but obviously haven’t done anything with them.

So this recipe is Brown Sugar and Balsamic Glazed Pork Loin.  It was really easy to make because basically you just have it sit there for six hour while it makes the house smell unbelievable.

 

The recipe says to cook on low for 6-8 hours but by 6 and a half hours the smell fills the house and all you want is to eat it then and there. So I took the pork loin out of the crock pot and tried to cut it into slices and obviously that didn’t work and it fell apart. That was the moment that I knew it was cooked perfectly.

As a side dish I was feeling a little adventurous and I made another recipe I found that I’ve changed the name to smashed potatoes.  The blog “For the Love of Cooking” calls them Crash Hot Potatoes, but Smashed Potatoes is just so much better.

Now word to the wise, if you are going to try these, make sure you have a potato smasher, because a fork just does NOT work. Two of the ten potatoes ended up flying all over the kitchen and a whole lot of cussing on my end, with my boyfriend in the next room thinking I’m slicing my fingers off from all the yelling from the kitchen. Obviously he doesn’t understand when what you are cooking doesn’t turn out the way you want. Or when shit goes flying all over the place.

They were delicious just not as pretty as the original picture. But the very next day I went to the kitchen store and bought a massive potato smasher so I am prepared for the next time!!

The Start of Something New

 

I love to cook. Regardless of what I make, I just love it. I’ve always had this idea that I wanted to go to culinary school, but I say I want to do a lot of things, that one is just on my bucket list.

I always just cook the same things over and over again, just a different week. I like my comfort zone but I’ve always had this desire to step outside of that zone. Now I’m going to. I want to be able to cook something different (or something the same with a new twist) every time I cook.

I’ve been exploring Pinterest (a whole lot might I add) and I love looking at the different pictures and recipes.  So I’ve decided that I’m going to get out of my rut and start cooking something new every chance I get. But I’m not going to be unrealistic and say everyday because I love some of my so-called “rut” dishes and lets be real who doesn’t love a good meal out here and there.

I can already say that it wont be anything extravagant or anything but it will be something different for me, a new challenge. That is exactly what I need.

Dish One.

So of course it being fall and apple pie season, I made apple pie cookies .

I found the recipe from pinterest, which took me to The Food Pusher’s blog for these Dutch Apple Pie-lettes. Now I tried to go exactly by the recipe but I’m sure I strayed a bit at times. Like adding a little bit more cinnamon and powdered sugar on top.

Prep time probably took about half hour, maybe a little more because I made a HUGE mess. Whoops. My dog got to enjoy the scraps all over the floor, making for a very happy puppy.

Also, I’m not really working with the best cooking space. So everything literally was everywhere.

Another thing, when you are making cookies regardless if it is from scratch or break and bake, you have to try the dough. (I always justify this by telling people that you are making sure it isn’t poison).

This uncooked dough wasn’t that great plain and the topping tasted a little funny too, so I was a little nervous. But 13 minutes later the house smelled unbelievable and I had accomplished my first recipe!

 

These cookies were so delicious, now the next task is to make sure they last more than a day…

A little blurry but here they are!