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!

Sour Cream Cornbread

I am more than ready for the autumn. There is no time of the year quite like it. Football, crunchy leaves, carnivals, not to mention my favorite holidays...Halloween and Thanksgiving!!

There are so many recipes that just taste better with the flavor of harvest time veggies and gourds...I love pumpkin and butternut squash. I love beans flavored with ham, and chili and soup. One of my favorite sides is homemade cornbread. I especially love cornbread dressing. This recipe for sour cream cornbread is a great compliment to any of those hearty dishes on a cool crisp autumn day. These cornbread muffins can be frozen, too. They're great served warm with fresh butter.

1 1/2 cups cornmeal
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
8 ounces sour cream, regular or light
1 can cream-style corn
3 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
4 tablespoons melted butter

Heat oven to 375°. Grease your muffin tin (or spray paper liners)

In a bowl, combine the cornmeal, flour, baking powder and soda, salt, and sugar.

In another bowl, whisk together the sour cream, corn, eggs, milk, and melted butter. Combine the two mixtures and stir until just blended.

Fill muffin cups about 3/4-full and bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until the muffins are firm and lightly browned.

Makes 18 to 24 muffins.