Veggie Pasta Salad

I know, it's only January so why am I whipping out the summer recipes? Well, because it was 75 degrees in Dallas this weekend!! I was craving something fresh I could have in the fridge all week.  I absolutely love my veggies so this is my type of dish.  If you don't like red onions, throw in green onions.  Have celery in the fridge? Skip the cucumber.  Basically make this pasta salad your own with your favorite veggies.

Pantry Quesadilla's

My cure for a quick yummy lunch is usually quesadillas. Why? Because I ALWAYS have sprinkle cheese and tortillas in my fridge (I don't know why anyone wouldn't!?). And like the pizza recipe in my previous post, it basically works with whatever you have in the fridge or pantry....this is what I had in mine...

Artichoke Pizza

So I asked for a pizza stone for Christmas from my dad. And I got one...and 2 boxes of dough mix, about four jars of gourmet pizza sauce from Williams Sonoma, a pizza peel, and 2 pizza cook books with pictures on every page (the best kind).

For my first attempt I wasn't quite daring enough to mix up my own dough. That requires measuring most likely (even with a mix) and lord knows I'm not good at that. I bought the Pillsbury thin crust in a can. It will now be a fridge staple for me.

Keys to Pizza at home:

* Heat the Stone at 500 degrees for 15-20 before if you want crunchy crust

* You must use parchment paper or it will stick to your peel or stone

* Cornmeal is one of your best friends

*Keep the can of dough in the fridge until the last moment. Warm = sticky = messy

Beginning of Reckless Abandon

I'm sure all cooking blogs start this way...I love cooking, it's my passion, I want to document all of it, etc. I feel the exact same way so I guess I'm not much different. It started with me taking lots of pictures and e-mailing and texting them to family and friends. Most of them go to my long-distance boyfriend, Blake, to make him jealous of what he's missing each night.. :)

The one way I guess I may be different is the way I approach cooking: with reckless abandon. I can't remember the last time I followed a recipe from start to finish, my measuring cups are used as dog food scooper, and a clove of garlic means a bulb to me. Anything goes and if I screw it up, oh well...I'll remember it next time (and I will).

Since I don't use measuring cups don't expect a single baking recipe. I just can't do it! Most recipes will be easy, fun and something you can do at home. Make each recipe your own with what's in your fridge. This is what is in mine.....

Definition of Reckless Abandon: To do or say something without regards for the consequences. Freedom of constraint. Without inhibitions. Bull in a china shop.