Last year was the first Thanksgiving that I spent with Chris. Coincidentally it was also my introduction to an amazingly sinful and delicious dessert known as “Toll House Pie.” Essentially Toll House Pie is a gigantic, gooey chocolate chip cookie nestled in pie crust. Chris’s father is the king of Toll House Pie. I looked forward to devouring a gigantic piece of his luscious dessert again all week. Needless to say I was not disappointed. Unfortunately, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about how awesome that piece of pie tasted. After much internal debate (and a solemn vow to use the elliptical machine every night this week) I finally looked up a recipe online and made a Toll House Pie of my very own. Oh man…it was so worth having to spend all of that time running in place. Note: I added 1 teaspoon of vanilla to the recipe linked above. I’d also recommend reducing the cooking time slightly to 45-50 minutes. Now go get the chocolate chips and lace up those sneakers!

Why Running Shoes Are Needed	Beat Until Fluffy
Mix in the Sugars & Flour	Whip in the Melted Butter
So Many Chocolate Chips!	Take the Easy Way Out (Fake Pie Crust)
Bake Just Long Enough for a Quick Workout	Pour a Tall Glass of Milk

Obviously not everything that comes out of my kitchen is homemade. Sometimes it’s not even semi-homemade. Case in point are the following items which I have been very liberally utilizing over the last month.

I find baking bread to be tedious. There I said it. I love bread. I love it slathered in real butter in all it’s fresh from the oven gloriousness, but I really just can’t be bothered to make it. Therefore 9 times out of 10 if I’m serving bread with a meal it’s “the cheating” kind. Lately I’ve been using these new Pillsbury individually frozen dinner rolls, loaves, and biscuits and they are seriously killer. The garlic dinner rolls are especially tasty with soups. Of course you can definitely tell that these items weren’t just baked from your grandmother’s oven, but they’re a quick and satisfying alternative for nights after work when the thought of stopping at the grocery store or bakery makes you want to drive the heel of your shoe straight through your head (or maybe that’s just how I feel at this time of the year).

Two weeks ago while shopping for holiday decorations at Target I came across Cranberry Bagels on an end aisle display. You could smell the fruit through the wrapper. These bagels were seriously calling my name so of course I had to buy them. Well after having eaten one for breakfast (with sensible whipped cream cheese — because these are definitely not diet food) almost everyday this week, I went back to Target and bought two more packages so that I could freeze them and hopefully continue to eat them throughout the holidays. I advise you to do the same. Everyone needs all the help they can get on Monday morning and these just might do the trick. They also have Cranberry Toasting Bread and English Muffins if that’s your sort of thing.

I also wanted to share with you an ideal quick lunch item for the office that I tried recently. Admittedly, I picked up Amy’s Veggie Loaf frozen dinner with a considerable amount of trepidation but even I get sick of her Pesto Pasta Bowl on occasion. It may look unappealing when you pop the tray into the microwave but it smells wonderful as it thaws and I was hooked after the first bite. Sometimes it really pays off to try new things. Now I’m searching for a recipe that I can make at home that will yield similar flavors and textures. Any recommendations would be greatly appreciated.

We’re obviously all more than aware that I can cook, but I bet you didn’t know that CK can also hold his own in the kitchen. The below dish is actually a replication of the first meal that Chris ever made for me. We both had a bit of a crush on Giada de Laurentis and spent many lazy Sundays watching the Food Network together, so it was only appropriate that he made a recipe from her show. This dish of farfalle pasta topped with mushrooms, peas, and freshly grated cheese is very hearty. You can also vary the flavor of the meal by using different types of sausage. In the past we’ve used Sweet Italian Turkey Sausage, but in the below instance we bought Spicy Italian Sausage. I actually prefer the spicy version as it gives the dish an unexpected “eyebrow raising” tang.

Grocery Shop	Remove From Casings
Brown	Ask Erin to Assist
Boil	Bake the “Fake Bread” in the Oven
Set Sausage Aside	Add More Olive Oil
Saute Mushrooms	Pour in Peas
Combine	Re-add the Sausage
Stir in the Pasta	More Olive Oil
Top With Parmesan	Seriously Impress Your Girlfriend

Macaroni and Cheese is my all-time favorite meal. When I was a kid I practically lived on the Blue Box Kraft version — seriously, who didn’t? I was a huge pain in the ass though and I would go through phases where I would only eat certain types, for instance, I vividly remember a 3 year stint where I only liked the spiral shaped version. I also had this annoying habit of carrying around the little pouch of cheese powder while my mother was boiling the macaroni. I think those incidents are great examples we can use to confirm that I was a total control freak from birth.

Obviously, homemade Macaroni and Cheese is about 3000 times better than anything that comes out of a box. The recipe I use is based on one from the Better Homes and Garden’s cookbook. Essentially you sauté a diced onion in butter until softened (not browned). Then melt 3 tablespoons of butter in the same pan, whisk in 3 tablespoons of flour (and salt & pepper to taste). Cook the flour and onion paste for a minute or two and then add 3 cups of skim milk. Bring the milk and flour mixture to a boil (stirring frequently). Next add 3 cups of cheese. I like to use extra sharp cheddar and gruyere. Stir the cheese mixture until everything is melted together and thickened. Meanwhile, cook 3 cups of dry elbow or rotini macaroni (lately I’ve been buying the Healthy Harvest Whole Wheat Rotini). Pour the cooked and drained macaroni into a casserole dish, add the cheese mixture, and top with Italian bread crumbs. Finally, bake in a 375 degree oven for 25 minutes.

Your mom will be so proud of you!

It’s the Cheesiest	Chop for Flavor
Melt	Soften
Add 3 Tablespoons	Whisk in 3 Tablespoons of Flour
Stir in the Milk, Boil	Place Cooked Pasta in Dish
Melt the Cheeses	Heat and Stir Until Thickened
Layer with Sauce & Bread Crumbs	Way Better Than “The Blue Box”

Curry and I are becoming quite the “BFF’s.”  I suppose it was inevitable, what with my new found love for all things spicy.   This Chicken Curry Pot Pie came out of the oven warm, hearty, and creamy.  The veggies stayed crisp and the puff pastry melts in your mouth.  Oh boy do I love pastry dough!  I did have a little problem trying to figure out how to layer the pastry on top of the chicken filling.  Finally, I decided to keep it simple and just folded the entire sheet and placed it on top.   Next time, especially if I have company over,  I’ll probably try to be a little more artful in my presentation.

Unthaw	Toss & Roast
Sweat	Heat Broth & Milk
Add Flour & Curry	Cook for 1-2 Minutes
Wisk; Cook Until Bubbly	Mix Chicken & Veggies
Pour Into Baking Dish	Top

Bake	Grab Your Fork!

Let’s face it, cinnamon rolls do not need any explanation. They really should be considered a right and not a privilege. Therefore enjoy!

For the filling I used:
1 stick softened butter
1 cup brown sugar
1 tablespoon cinnamon

For the Icing I used:
1 1/2 cups of powdered sugar
1 tablespoon of vegetable shortening
1 teaspoon of vanilla
Then I added tablespoons of milk until the icing was the correct consistency.

PS: There is no shame in using pre-made bread dough. I’m terrible at baking bread so frozen loaves have become my saving grace.

Cinnamon & Brown Sugar	Mmm Butter!
No One Needs to Know (Shhh)	Roll Out
Spread	Cover
Roll Up	Slice
Arrange	Cover & Let Rise
Double in Size	Mix Mix Mix
Bake @ 400 for 15 Minutes	Drizzle

That Smells DELICIOUS!