Me, Myself, and Cuisine

We wanted to try something a little different the other night, but still something that would please everyone in the house. These Bake Shells did the trick. The best thing, is that everything we needed was already in the pantry. No extra trips to the store!


The Recipe:

One Recipe Tomato Sauce1 Cup Ricotta1 Box ShellsMozzarella Cheese
Make your sauce ahead of time. It will keep in the fridge for at least a week. Combine the sauce and ricotta in a bowl and stir in the shells. Spread the shells evenly in a baking dish and cover with the mozzarella. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. 
Don't be afraid to use too much sauce. I wish I had used a little more!
Happy Eating!

Over the weekend, my wife surprised me a  backyard barbecue class with Brisket U. These classes are all taught by certified KCBS judges and pitmasters, who are often members of competitive barbecue teams! At the end of the 3 hour class, you will have all of the knowledge you need to smoke the perfect brisket in your backyard. As much as I'd like to give you some pointers here, I don't think the folks at Brisket U would appreciate it! You'll just have to find a class near you!

Time for another weekly batch of favorite food and restaurant articles. This week, I'm mixing it up with some of my fellow bloggers, as well as some larger publications!


Grilled Chili Honey Lime Chicken and Sweet Potatoes with Avocado Salsa - via Half Baked Harvest

Right off the bat, this recipe struck me as something that would be perfect to make as spring continues to give way to summer. These flavors are perfect when you're trying to cool off on a hot summer evening.


Spring Cheese Board - via Damn Delicious

Damn Delicious is rapidly becoming one of my favorite blogs. I've never seen anything over there that didn't grab my attention. Here, she covers pairing fruits and veggies and crackers to make the perfect cheese board!


10 Best New Backpacking Meals - Via Outside Magazine

I used to do my fair share of backpacking and hiking. Getting a good meal out on the trail can get a little squirrelly. I wish this list had been around back then. Maybe this is the motivation I nee…

A few weeks ago, we took a trip to San Antonio. We had a small family gathering to meet the newest member of our growing family. Just making our way there was a journey and once we got to San Antonio, it was an adventure all to itself!



Dinosaur Park - Cedar Creek, TX

One of the first stops we made on the way was to help break up the trip for the kids and let them run it out a little bit! We found the Dinosaur Park! The kids were able to run around on the trails and dig for fossils at the very end! The boys got to see lots of different dinosaurs and hunt for treasures along the way! Be sure to check out the Jurassic Park jeeps at the end!




Benny's Texas Barbecue - Cedar Creek, TX

Across Highway 71 from the Dinosaur Park, is Benny's Texas Barbecue. The barbecue here was amazing! So amazing in fact, that I ate it all and didn't take a picture! I got a picture of the banana pudding though! I got my usual barbecue plate of brisket and sausage, while my wife got the Frito Pie. The …

Time for another batch of my favorite food and restaurant articles! Again this week, all my favorite articles are from my fellow bloggers!


The Best Instant Pot Chili - via Damn Delicious

I love chili, but sometimes it takes a long time to make. And as much as I enjoy the process, sometimes I just want to eat! I've been mulling over getting a pressure cooker. For this, I just might have to make the investment.



Kung Pao Chicken - via Once Upon a Chef

For some reason, finding good Chinese food in the suburbs is a difficult feat. When we lived in the city, our options were seemingly endless. This Kung Pao Chicken recipe just may help curb my cravings!



Creamy Cilantro Lime Dressing - via Mel's Kitchen Cafe

Ever since I first discovered it, I've always had a thing for creamy cilantro dressings. It goes so well on chips, salads, tacos, I could go on. I am definitely going to have to make this the next time I get a craving!

The other day we realized we'd had our fill of the variety of kid shows that seem to loop around our house. Desperate, we went looking for a "mommy, daddy show," that might satisfy everyone involved. We came across an all things Italian episode of Dinners, Drive-Ins, and Dives. This could be interesting.

Guy stopped by a small family run restaurant in Collodi, Italy, where they made a dish called Spaghetti Mangiafuco. Of course, I had to set out to recreate this dish, and maybe even put my own spin on it!

The Recipe: 1 Package of Cherry Tomatoes - Halved 5 Cloves Garlic - Minced 2 Tbsp Olive Oil 1 Tbsp Butter Oregano Parsley Salt and Pepper 1 Bushel Spinach - Rough Chopped Crushed Red Pepper Flakes Pasta

Start off by getting all of the ingredients prepped while the water boils. This is all going to happen fast, so wait until the pasta hits the water before putting anything in your pan. Fresh pasta would go really well here.

In a large frying pan, heat the olive oil over …