I'm just a regular girl

You have no idea how much I love food! Actually, as I write, I am watching Food Network and drooling over the beautiful roasted red peppers in high definition. Other documents open on my computer include my cookbook, recipes I've been storing to put into the book, and photos of food that I've taken recently. Yep, I LOVE food! I love that it heightens all of my senses. But even after a full day, I'm just a regular girl. I'm not a chef. I'm a girl who loves to cook.

I may be just a regular girl, but I love making life delicious! Which is why I am excited to share a personal recipe collection with you in book form. So, if you see less blogs over the summer, it's not that I'm not cooking or not wanting to share with you. It's because I'm working so hard to ensure that my book is absolutely wonderful.

I love our neighborhood. I know I've told you that before, but I love all of the choices of wonderful restaurants we have all within reasonable walking distance from home. Every kind of cuisine you could imagine, Mexican, Italian, Pizza, Caribbean, Mediterranean, deli's and sandwich shops, Chinese, Thai, Japanese, Greek, Indian, you name it. We have it. I'm also a girl who loves to eat.

Since we are without kids for the summer, it's given Scott and I time to reconnect and spend lots of time together. We get to date again!

There are so many fun things to do in our city! Big Bands on the Bay is on the list for the weekend, if you like Big Band music, you'd love this...it's a great way to unwind with a sunset on the beach and wonderful live music and a simple picnic supper. The Bayou Boogaloo Festival is this weekend with some cajun eats sure to please. Plus I've been itchin' to watch Super 8 at the Cinema. We may even return for a sail on the American Rover Tallship. But one thing is for sure, we are going to eat!!

My crock will be cookin' since we're headed for some hot fun in the summertime!

Simple Chili Flank Steak
1 flank steak (about 1-1/2 lbs.), cut in half if you have a small Crock pot
1 Tbsp. oil
1 large onion, sliced
1/3 cup water
1 can (4 oz.) chopped green chilies
2 Tbsp. vinegar
1 tsp. chili powder
1 tsp. garlic powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown steak in oil. Transfer to crockpot. In the same skillet, sauté onion for a minute or two. Gradually add the water. Add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil. Pour over the flank steak. Cover and cook on low for about 8 hours or until the meat is tender. Slice meat and serve with the onion and pan juices. Enjoy!