my obsession with cooking and baking

So I'm a little obsessed with The Food Network. I swear that if Dave and I gave up cable, that would be so difficult for me only because I really need my Food Network fix. I even record series. I watch TFN like Dave watches ESPN.

I just love to cook and bake so much. Growing up I always asked my mom if she would teach me to cook and bake because she was amazing at it, as was my grandma and I figured I could be good at it too. She never did teach me, so it wasn't until I developed IBS a few years ago that I had to learn on my own. No one wanted to eat the food I made for myself and I couldn't eat the food anyone else made, so I had to figure it out on my own.

And I'm telling you it was the best thing ever. I'm so glad that I had IBS for those couple of years because it forced me to learn to cook.

When my IBS went away, I started watching a lot of cooking shows. I love them so much now, I even watch The Cooking Channel, which is also a great network.

There's just something about cooking and baking that puts me in this place of confidence and comfort. It makes me happy to make something for someone, even if I'm not going to eat it. I love to create something and try new recipes for others to enjoy. Sometimes I'll even bake something for Dave to take to the guys at work just because I had the itching to bake. I've even toyed with the idea of going to culinary school if this whole Acting or Directing MFA doesn't work out for me. I seriously love it that much.

I may not always cook the fanciest things or have all of the gadgets I want, but at least the things I cook and bake are delicious. There have only been two recipes I've made that Dave has not loved... and those were WW recipes that I had a feeling wouldn't be all that great. I better stop because now I'm sounding all braggy braggy, and that's not what I want.

But I just love it so much!

Here are a few clips from my favorite cooking shows

Giada at Home by Giada De Laurentiis


The Barefoot Contessa by Ina Garten


Nigella Lawson


Paula's Best Dishes by Paula Deen


I actually watch Paula because she makes me laugh. I've only made one of her recipes (Red Velvet Cupcakes) and they were amazing, but I'm afraid of all that butter she uses in everything else, haha.

Now let's talk about the recipe blog for a bit. I am all ready to go with this thing, but I still can't commit to a name!! If any of you would like to send me some suggestions, I'd be ever so grateful!

recipe blog?

Okay I need some opinions people.

I've received quite a lot of emails and comments from my readers asking me if and when I am going to start a recipe blog. I've been thinking more and more about it and I'd really love to start one, but I've already got my weekly WW posts as well as my weekly Film Fridays post, so I don't think I would make it a weekly post.

If I created a separate blog that would be linked up here on He Calls Me Wifey, how many of you would actually be interested in this and actually read it? I definitely want to make sure that if I do this, you all will benefit from it in some way.

Here are a few food related posts I have published in the past:

Probably the most popular one would be Bon Appetit 

Then there's the one where I made Dave and apple pie that he really did not want to share

This was a post I did after going back on WW and making  WW friendly meals every day for a week.

Red Velvet Cupcakes!!

So what do you all think? Would you be interested in a recipe blog?

an update of sorts

This week has been CAH-RAY-ZEE.

Seriously, it flew. 

The opening weekend of the show ended. 

I baked that delicious apple pie. 

Dave got ready to leave on his business trip to Paris. 

I packed up some stuff to stay at my mom's while he's away and got ready for the second weekend of shows by baking cupcakes for the cast. 

Then yesterday morning I woke up early to bake cookies for the awesome cast party we had at Sue's house after the Sunday matinee. 

One of the actor's had to go to the ER literally an hour before the Sunday matinee performance so we had several actors take over for his scenes. It was scary and fun and adventurous, but mostly we just hope Dwayne is okay. 

I came to my house this morning to spend some time with Bogart (he really missed me) and clean the house to get ready for  girl's night which I hosted this week. 

Chanell was the only one who made it, but it was awesome. We locked ourselves out of the house because we were walking to her car so she could get a book for me to borrow. We both left our cell phones in the house, so we had to knock on my awesome neighbor's door to use their phone. I called my mom who is also in Paris because I don't have my husband's cell phone number memorized (I know, I'm a doofus) and I needed my mother-in-law's number so she could bring over the spare key. I kept getting cut off from my mom so we called a locksmith instead. He couldn't pick the lock, so instead he jumped through the window and I paid $135 for that, which REALLY blows, but it was hilarious and now Chanell and I have a funny story to tell and I'm just thankful we got back in the house.

So about those cupcakes I made... they were incredible. I made four dozen. Yes, FOUR DOZEN. By Saturday there were only 4 or 5 left.

I got the recipe from Erin at Sunshine and Carousels. Her cupcakes and baked goods always look so amazing and I've been meaning to bake something from her blog, so I used this opportunity (and that huge jar of Nutella in my cupboard) to do so!

I made the Banana and Peanut Butter Cupcakes with Nutella frosting and I'm telling you they were EXTRAORDINARY.

One of the crew members had at least 3 or 4 of them. Everyone loved them. I'm so happy they turned out so amazing. You should definitely check out the recipe here.

I wrote little notes of thanks and attached them to each cupcake so that the cast and crew knew how much I appreciated all of their hard work. They all seemed to love it.

While cleaning the house today I gathered together the remains of the bouquet of flowers Erin and Jon gave me when they came to see my play and they added so much color and life to the living room!

Bogart really is the king of the castle around here.

I guess he's really into Seinfeld now.

The flowers from Erin & Jon, as well as the ceramic tea set and platter they gave us as our wedding gift.

She & Him 

Volume One

I'll be continuing to stay at my mom's house for the rest of the week and she doesn't have a working computer so I won't be blogging as regularly and I definitely won't be able to keep updated on everyone else's blog, unfortunately. 

I'm sorry in advance to all my favorite blogs out there! I hope you know who you are :)

~Andrea~