To cook or to blog...

Clearly I have chosen cooking over blogging, but I thought I would catch myself up a little.

Let's start with holiday baking...it went a little something like this:

gingerbread/white chocolate nests 

oreo truffles 

fluffy snickerdoodles

peanut butter cup cookies 

And to remember for holiday breakfasts...I made this for a Disney Princess Sleepover breakfast this morning.  And it was fit for a princess.  Yum.

creme brulee french toast

For New Year's Dinner, I tried preparing black-eyed peas for luck in the new year.  It was down home southern cookin' with a modern twist- Hoppin' John Risotto (see recipe at the end).  I served it up with some Trader Joe's corn bread.  Delish and rave reviews from the king.  

Since the New Year and pretty much all of football season, I have become addicted to:

crockpot buffalo chicken - from that I work a little magic and transform it into this ---->

buffalo chicken enchiladas

Similarly, crockpot chicken cheese beer tacos are delicious and addicting

I don't have any pictures, but I have been enjoying a lot of soup for lunch lately too:

Baked Potato Soup

Creamy Tomato Tortellini Soup

Mac and cheese soup

Slow Cooked Beef Minestrone

And today, my inspiration for FINALLY adding a post, was achieving a goal.  I made homemade ravioli tonight that were tasty and left me wanting more:

Chicken and Spinach ravioli in a mushroom sauce

Hoppin' John Risotto (adapted from Bobby Flay's Hoppin' John Risotto posted at NY Magazine)

• 1 can goya black-eyed peas
• 5 slices of bacon
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
• 1 cup dry white wine
• 1/2 cup extra sharp (Canadian?) cheddar cheese

1.  Drain black eyed peas and set aside. 

2.  Cook the  bacon in the microwave until crispy and set aside. 

3.  Bring the stock to a simmer over low heat in a large saucepan. 

4.  Heat the oil and butter in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the onions and cook until soft, 3 to 4 minutes. 

5.  Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. 

6.  Stir in the rice and cook for 2 minutes, until lightly toasted and opaque. 

7.   Add the wine and cook until completely reduced. 

8.  Add 2 cups of the hot stock and stir until evaporated. Repeat with the remaining stock, adding 1 cup at a time until the rice is al dente, 20 to 25 minutes. 

9. Stir in the black-eyed peas.

10. Transfer the risotto to a shallow bowls and top with the crispy bacon and cheddar.