Tags
comfort food, culinary cravings, from scratch cooking, give in to my cravings and no one gets hurt, housewife, mother of boys, random musings
It should come as no secret that I am a girl that tends to give into my culinary cravings. Hard. While I feel like I’m always working on a some stage of recipe development all the dang time, sometimes it is really nice to phone-it-in and make someone else’s creation. There is something very freeing about just following a recipe and not thinking about what should be added, omitted, what needs to happen next, etc. Thankfully I have found so many wonderful blogs with good eats at my fingertips. And man! The Blogoshpere is giving me some serious cravings to contend with this week.
Here’s what I am craving right now:
Photo by Tracy@ Sugarcrafter.net
Asian Lettuce Chicken Wraps from Tracy @ Sugarcrafter. I order lettuce wraps every chance that I get when we go out to dinner. I just love the hot/cold crunchy freshness of a good lettuce wrap. I can’t wait to try these at home.
Photo by ACozyKitchen.com
Butternut Squash Mac & Cheese from Adrianna @ A Cozy Kitchen. I’ll be honest, I’ve made this recipe half a dozen times over the past year, and I never tire of it. Now that butternut squash is in season, I’m ready to tackle it again. As an added bonus, all of my boys love it. I may or may not have neglected to tell them that there was squash in their mac & cheese, but what they don’t know…they don’t know. Shhh! No harm, no foul.
Photo by Ree @ thepioneerwoman.com
Frito Chili Pie from Ree a.k.a ThePioneerWoman. She had me at Fritos. Where I come from, we call it “walking tacos” when you spoon chili into individual bags of Fritos, and top it with your favorite fixin’s. Whatever you want to call it, just call it the perfect meal to eat outdoors after a game of flag football or a fall hike.
Photo by Beth @ OfMusesAndMeringues
Black Bean and Smoked Cheese Quesadillas from Beth @ OfMusesandMeringues. I love quesadillas because of their simplicity. I especially love it when I can make a healthy dinner with staples from the ‘fridge and pantry. Just look at all the good stuff that goes into these quesadillas! Besides, you can put just about anything between tortillas with melted cheese and call it delicious. Beth’s combination is a winner.
Photo by Megan @ WannaBeACountryCleaver
Oven Fried Salmon Wontons from my friend Megan @ WannaBeACountryCleaver. She may have gotten my attention with the words oven fried, but it was the salmon that sealed the deal. Since I am the only one that eats cooked salmon in my house, making these won tons = more for me! You know, for the times when it is all about me.
Photo by Laura @ TheCookingPhotographer
Spicy Vegetarian Tortilla Soup from Laura @ TheCookingPhotographer. Now that the temps are beginning their seasonal descent downward, I’m really drawn to warm and spicy food. This is another great recipe that can be whipped together in a flash from household staples.
Photo by Jenna @ Eat, Live, Run
Chicken Street Tacos from Jenna @ EatLiveRun. Wooo-weee! The only thing I like more than warm spicy food in the fall, is warm, spicy street food. Jenna nails it with her incarnation of the chicken taco. Jenna lists many things that she has learned since moving to California. Making a killer street taco is just one of them. Jenna is a real chef, so you can pretty much expect everything she posts on her blog to be amazing.
Photo by Jeanne @ InsideNanaBreadsHead
All of this Tex-Mex inspired food wouldn’t be complete without one of NanaBread’s Mexican Martinis. Now, I admit that I usually go for the “girly” martinis or margaritas with my Tex-Mex food, but something about this version works. A little sweet, a little sour, slightly salty with a touch of heat–I highly recommend it. If you haven’t stopped by to see NanaBread lately, you really should. I don’t know what’s been in Jeanne’s water lately, but she’s been posting all sorts of delicious chow that makes me weak in the knees just reading about.
Photo by Mary @ MaryQuiteContraryBakes
And speaking of weak in the knees, no cravings of mine would be complete without a little something sweet. How about these 3 Ingredient Homemade Butterfingers by MaryQuiteContraryBakes? Fer real. This recipe is so easy that it should be illegal in at least 37 states. I will definitely be making these little indulgences with sunbutter for Son #2. He’s never known the crunchy, sticky joy of a Butterfinger. As his momma, it is my duty to remedy that situation with a safe alternative. He’ll be so excited! That is, assuming that I don’t eat them all before he knows of their existence. It’s been known to happen.
Don’t even get me started on all of the Pumpkin Madness going on right now. Pumpkin is crazy-everywhere! I’ll be sharing a bit of my pumpkin dabbles with you soon.
Do your food cravings change with the seasons? What are you craving right now?
I was reading Southern Living last night and “looking with interest” at some of their pecan recipes. Also, I’m craving pretty much all recipes that include cheese. This is not a seasonal craving, unfortunately.
So glad you reminded me of Megan’s Salmon Wontons. I made a mental note this last summer to make these once I got settled with the move. Well, “completely settled” is still eluding me, but it might be time to make the wontons anyway.
1. I need to source wonton wrappers because I’m ready to go big and action all manner of crazy with those things.
2. I like to think that Jenna is an extra kitchen soulmate of ours who just doesn’t know it yet. Truth: I made her White Chicken Chili on Sunday and her Channa Masala last night. It happens.
A) Remember those cravings we were talking about? Is it weird at 7am to be craving all of those things simultaneously?
2) Thanks for including me on such a prestigious cooking list!
iii) Let me know how those turn out when you make ‘em. Ben wouldn’t stop eating them. It was a battle to bat his hands out of the way of the photos…
Oh man, ALL Of that looks delicious….but those butterfingers….butterfingers are one of the 3 candy bars that I like (I count reces cups as a candy bar) and alternate between as “favorite” of the moment. I will definitely be heading over to take a look at that recipe.
They are so easy and absolutely addictive. Most definitely worth it. Thanks Valerie!
Oh, man. I really shouldn’t read food-related blog stories on an empty stomach. Now I’m drooling on myself and my stomach is growling. All of this looks so good. I had to laugh when I saw the butterfingers made the list. Never has a recipe captured the “squee” factor like this one. First one to attempt this one really needs to post it so we can hear how it turned out.
As for cravings, I can’t seem to get enough hot & spicy. I find myself adding hot peppers or pepper sauce to everything, and still craving more. If my lips aren’t numb, it’s not hot enough. Don’t know what’s gotten into me. Thanks for the shout-out on the margaritas!
One last thought: Pumpkin – it’s the new Nutella. And it’s everywhere!
Thanks so much for featuring me! I poked around your blog and everything looks so great! Definitely expect more visits from me! Hope to hear from you soon.
-Mary
You are very welcome, Mary! I enjoy your blog, as well.
I was originally planning to make salmon patties for dinner tonight (using 2 cans of salmon). But then I read your post and decided to make the Oven Fried Salmon Wontons. I’m so glad you changed my mind! Using fresh salmon would have been my first choice…but the canned was in the cupboard and it worked out fine. My husband and I loved them. Thanks for the inspiration Kirsten and Megan!
Hooray! You made my day Sara, and I’m sure Megan’s as well. Way to cook on the fly.
Sara,
I am so thrilled they were a hit with you and your hunny!!
You totally made my day!!
~Megan
Oh, that last one got me. I love Butterfingers!
As for pumpkin, with Irene and Lee washing out tons of fields out here, they are going to be rare and expensive. But I’ll get a couple. The 5 year old wants to carve one this year. So I’ll get seeds! But what I want right now is canned pumpkin so that I can bake, and my supermarket hasn’t had any for a few weeks and I haven’t been able to get down to Wegman’s or Whole Foods. So I’m craving pumpkin bread but can’t make any yet.
Oh, Lisa! I have SO been there! Come back tomorrow morning, and I’ll show you the solution to your pumpkin problems.
These all look amazing! I almost laughed at the frito pie in the bag. I’ve never done that, but why on earth not? I love frito pie and it’s a guaranteed camping food for us. We are so totally going to buy the little bags next year and make them this way.
Love the pumpkin tutorial as well. I adore pumpkin everything, but I always use the cans. You just made it look incredibly simple! Thanks. (And thanks to your mom, too!)
Mac and cheese that disguises butternut squash? That’s brilliant, just brilliant. And thanks for the shout-out! Nice surprise to see one of my recipes on your list!