With cherries at their peak, I decided to make a cherry galette. And despite not finding mascarpone at either our local Fresh Market or Publix markets, a dollop of Blue Bell vanilla ice cream tasted just as delicious.

Last week: Stuffed Flank Steak with Creole Hash. The above photo was taken before rolling/pinning the steak together and grilling it. There was also a pepperoni pizza variation for the steak’s “stuffing” which I’m sure we’ll try in the future. This dish was so delicious I forgot to take a photo of my prepared plate when it was finished. I can’t express how incredible the final product was.

Last night: Jerk Chicken. The spice rub was delicious, as was the homemade mojo sauce. Although the recipe didn’t require marinating, I will definitely do so next time to allow the flavor to penetrate into the meat. Even still, all the flavors from the spices and glaze worked beautifully together.

Since some time has passed since our last Sunday Supper, I decided to stick with a meal that would be a crowd pleaser, and that’s typically anything Tex-Mex related. With that in mind, I decided on Steak Mole (Bon Appetit) and Gina’s Cilantro Lime Rice (inspired by Chipotle’s rice).

Conclusion: It was fabulous! Even though the Steak Mole is not complicated or time consuming (approximately 25 minutes to make), it felt like a great dish to help me get back into the swing of things. And I must confess that I found the mole sauce to be incredibly delicious. It could go on just about anything!

My culinary adventures took a bit of a hiatus, but have come back (hallelujah!) – and are hopefully here to stay. Maybe it’s because I’ve developed a distaste for constantly eating out. Sometimes I just want a simple dish that takes little to no time. With this goal in mind, I decided to make a fast and healthy dish from the New York Times; Spaghetti With Edamame, Parsley, Garlic and Olive Oil. Overall, it was really good. The freshly grated Parmesan cheese on top added just the right amount of saltiness. However, I definitely suggest adding in some red pepper flakes to punch up the flavor (if you like some heat). This was a completely easy and effortless dish that I plan on making variations of since it’s perfect for weeknight dinners.

Tonight we’re cooking up Steak Mole with Cilantro and Lime Rice. Photos to follow soon!

The easiest and most pleasurable way to eat well is to cook.

A few weeks ago I stumbled upon the above phrase while reading the New York Times’ Recipes for Health section. At the time I was reading The Writing Diet: Write Yourself Right-Size, a book given to me as a gift by one of my best friends. She gave it to me since she knew about the journey I’ve been on to continue eating healthier but to also improve on my cooking skills ans techniques. So, needless to say the phrase struck a chord with me.

Since then I’ve become quite obsessed with reading cooking blogs and collecting cooking magazines. I’ve quickly replaced all fiction reading with stacks of magazines filled with delicious recipes and beautiful culinary imagery (aka food porn). By far one of my favorite publications has become Cuisine at Home. The entire magazine is filled with great instructions and multiple pictures on varying steps. Truly, an amateur cook’s dream come true.

Sure I’m new to this “creative” medium but I’ve already become proud of what I’ve accomplished in the kitchen so far. Don’t get me wrong, I’m still a fan of Yelping my next favorite restaurant. But cooking is almost like meditating, only with a delicious tasting pay off.

Throughout the years I’ve learned to appreciate things that are handmade or DIY and cooking is certainly something I feel that falls within those categories. Yet, the lack of home-cooked meals I make has been sort of an enigma. Of course it’s also a little more challenging when you’re also working towards losing weight (17.8 lbs lost so far and counting). And although I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions, I really wanted to make an effort to cook more in 2010. It’s not that I can’t cook. In fact as a teen, my mother would compliment my cooking whenever I would prepare dinner for our family (so my mom could have a break every now and then).

I’m not sure if the cooler temperatures have sparked my urge to want to cook, but tonight I actually couldn’t wait to get home and dive into the kitchen. Although, I confess I’m still not a huge fan of cleaning up afterward.

Who knows, maybe my resolution will be easier to keep than I initially thought.