I love my food!

Every Christmas I buy myself a new cookbook and add it to my ever growing collection. This year I decided to buy one as a Valen*tine to myself instead.

I wanted to share with you one of my favorite blogs, in case by some mysterious chance you hadn't heard of it yet. It is written by a women named Ree who grew up as a daughter of a doctor, with wealth and privilege, living in a major city turned Cattle Ranchers wife and now resides in Oklahoma on a vast amount of land. She homeschools her 4 children, loves photography and spends her free time cooking. Her loves combusted and her cook book was born. Last year she traveled the country on her very first book tour.

I would never plug a blog for the sake of blog-plugging but I must get into your hands, this resource. http://www.thepioneerwoman.com/




Although some critics have slammed her writing as elementary, the fans adore her honest, fresh, down-to-earth posts. I personally love that each step in the recipe has a picture. Who among the rest of us city dwellers would have time for that??



She typically begins her recipe with a Cast of Characters. Shown here is beginnings of her self-proclaimed "BEST EVER Lasagna". I heartily agree! So does my husband. I love this style because I am a visual learner.





I made this dish for my man for his special Valentine meal. Her Chicken Parmesan. He said it was one of his favorites ever. This coming from someone who orders this meal every time we go out to eat.




I chose to pair it with Ree's "BEST EVER SALAD". I refer to it as: "The GROWN- UP SALAD". I love my veggies. The dressing is what kicks this side dish up a notch. YUM!




I rounded out our meal with these Rosemary Rolls. In my cast iron skillet. Cause that's the way I roll.




Here is last years Valentine's Meal for Mike. A photo of how the above mentioned cast of characters look when combined.






AND NOW FOR A FEW PHOTOS OF RECIPES I HAVE YET TO MAKE:




For Katie, and you know why. (Hu-Um: cruise)
Molten Lava Chocolate Cake!!




Ree's husband, whom she lovingly refers to as "Marlboro Man" 's favorite meal.
I can not wait to try this out for Mike. And me.Who am I kidding?




Maybe I'll top it off with this "BEST EVER SHEET CAKE" ?




A Photo of her cattle and ranch. Did I mention she has a
separate lodge where she does all her cooking and houses
her guests? Gorgeous.
You know! I wouldn't survive there. Go ahead laugh.




What are you eating for Valentine's Day dinner??