Welcome to my Playground...

I used to be the person who absolutely despised the Food Network and never understood why you would watch someone cook... But then I opened my eyes, watched a few shows, and I was instantly hooked.  Now I can not get enough of Rachel, Giada, Bobby, and the rest of the crew.  Not long after my addiction for the Food Network began, I started to follow Weight Watchers, which even further deepened my love of  and passion for food.  I began to research healthy recipes and cook them for my family.  I accumulated hundreds of recipes and dozens of cookbooks.  Eventually, I got adventurous and started coming up with my own recipes and meal ideas.

The one thing I noticed that was consistent whether I followed someone else's direction or created my own... I always took pictures of my food.  So now, in the offchance that someone else out there cares about my creations, I offer you my work...

 My most recent delicacy - Hungry Girl's Lord of the Onion Rings... it made quite a mess, but I would definitely do it again... Soooo delicious

It was my 21st birthday, and I decided to indulge! It's not gourmet or anything, but it's exactly what I was craving... Applebee's Chocolate Chip Cookie Sundae =)

Dave and Buster's Banana Split = créme de banana, white crème de cacao, a scoop of ice cream, strawberry bacardi, whipped cream, chocolate syrup, and of course I ate the cherry before I could take a picture

Dave and Buster's Cocobanana Colada =  malibu passion fruit rum, banana liqueur, piña colada bacardi, red sugar-rimmed glass

 

AMAZING moscato wine my boyfriend bought me for my birthday... we drank the whole bottle in one night. Goes down SO smoothly; tastes like heaven on earth!

 Even though I didn't make this, I thought it was worth sharing... Edible Arrangements = a healthy substitute to a birthday cake for me... Fruit dipped in peanut butter - there's almost nothing better ( and YES that pineapple on top is shaped in the numbers 2 and 1!!)

 My interpretation of selva negra cake (black forest cake) for my boyfriend's birthday - I used Devil's Food Cake, and made it with Diet Cherry Coke (diet coke cake).  For the filling I used cherry pie filling, which was a huge mistake because it slid all over the place once I put the second cake on top!

 

Cool Whip Free as icing

 The final (MESSY) product!! - Maraschino cherries and red baker's icing for the border.  As you can see, the cherries and icing started sliding down the sides.  By the time we went to eat it, the cake was more of a mush, but it tasted AMAZING!

Eggplant Parmesan - WW Recipe

Mexican Casserole - WW Recipe - My whole family loved this one!

Grilled Tropical Fruit (Pineapple, Mango, Banana) - Mmmm mmm!

Homemade Shrimp and Pineapple Fried Rice - WW Recipe

 Whole Wheat Macaroni Salad - WW Recipe - Absolutely delish!

 Grilled veggie pizza - WW Recipe - Clearly my brother could not WAIT to cut into it!

Baked Cinnamon Apples - I have somewhat of an obsession with cinnamon and Splenda, and the combination of the two is simply irresistible.

Asian-style shrimp and broccoli with white rice - WW Recipe

Broccoli and cheese soup - I believe this was a WW recipe- I didn't particularly like it, but my boyfriend enjoyed it - I'm looking forward to trying Hungry Girl's Broc-Star Soup!!

Potato and cheese dumplings - WW Recipe

Salad with apple, grapes, lettuce, and light caesar dressing - My own creation to satisfy my constant craving for apples and grapes

Apple, cinnamon, and Splenda quesadilla - It wasn't what I wanted it to be, and it fell apart when I picked it up.  I'm not sure I would ever try this again, but I just had to try it once to see what would happen.

Gorton's Lemon Butter Salmon, Betty Crocker Au Gratin Potatoes, Bird's Eye Steamfresh Lightly Sauced Broccoli With Cheese Sauce - one of my favorite meal ideas! (2 pts for the fish, 1 pt for the broccoli, and 3 pts for the potatoes - make them with fat free milk and margarine instead of the suggested whole mike and butter)