~TT~

((I am having trouble getting the code to work here and am waiting on an answer from the smart computer literate people on how to fix it...I just cook and raise children I'm not Wonder Woman nor would I ever try to pull off the look...now that I am older. Here is the link to the wonderful list of other participants and the brains behind this fun list! http://thursday-13.com/ )) Happy Eating!


1.Bruschetta...this is universal!
2. Chicken Wings with a variety of dip. The good thing about Sharon is she is a sports fan. The woman not only loves hockey but she plays and so game day apps are always on the menu!
3. Hot Crab & Artichoke Dip...another universal. I like to add water chestnuts for added texture.
4. Stuffed Mushrooms...I am loving Crimini mushrooms right now. They are also called Baby Portobellos.
5. Brie & Apricot Crostini
6. Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapenos...really did you read past "bacon wrapped" cause I was in love at that point.
7. Sticky Ribs
8. Cream cheese Jalapeno Jelly Dip...if I hadn't tried it before I knew what it was I would never have ever thought this could work but it is so damn good.
9. Salmon Wontons with a Balsamic Cream dipping sauce...savory and silent moment worthy treat.
10. Antojitos
11. Guacamole...both Sharon and I have this as a go to quick app. It is refreshing during a summer BBQ or something in the dead of winter to give you hope that warmer weather is headed your way.
12. Cheese Plate...another go to app that requires little prep and gos perfectly with our next app...
13. WINE! Don't you dare say it isn't a starter! Have a couple of different wines. I like to have my favorites on hand and then pick up a couple of local made wines to try out.

~Sharon & Charity

Fish Spatulalalalala....

I wasn't going to spend another post about the elusive fish spatula, however I feel compelled to post a picture of one. No it isn't what mine looks like because I still don't have one...yes go ahead and laugh cause a kitchen gadget mocks me...

Isn't it beautiful? I will answer for you...yes, yes it is Charity! It is a beautiful spatula and you are so very right, you should have one of those for no other reason than you want it! Self? I agree with you I should have one knowing as soon as I find one they will be everywhere. Such is life and now its time to talk knives...

Sharon, would it break your heart if you knew how much I hate my knives? On the outside they are so pretty and they pretend to be well honed machines of chopping and slicing. However, I was duped when I bought them. If I had known you loved them? I would have tried to figure out how to get them with you on the plane without getting us both arrested.

I went to a home show with my mom this weekend and there were these knives there...oh these knives made me giddy. I KNOW that given these knives I could be the next chef on food network and all I would have to do is unfold the knives from a specially made leather case and the producers would go "oooh she is the real deal lets get her on air!" Well maybe the knives wouldn't get me that far but they were pretty spectacular. Had I bought the knives? My husband most likely would have left me....even after making me return them to the very charismatic salesman. The man used the kitchen scissors and cut a swan out of a penny (the sales guy not my husband)! How hard is it to say no to kitchen shears that can debone a chicken and make a bird out of a penny? It was a sad day for Charity let me tell ya!

It wasn't about me though, it was my mom that had an internal struggle waging war over these knives, because before we had gone to look at them she had told me the cost...my love affair with the beauties was over. For her though, thankfully I was with her and as we walked away dragging our feet looking over our shoulders at the shiny white handled set that would look amazing on her new granite counter. I had to go logical on her. Out of the thousands of dollars in knives he was trying to sell her, how many of them would she really NEED? The answer was, maybe four not counting the matching steak knives.

As wonderful as the knives were I am a firm believer in having only as many knives as you need and will use. For me that means two knives that I can chop with, a nice long bread knife, and a small paring knife. I also have a couple of cleavers but they are more for intimidating people when they come into the kitchen for the first time. Sharon nearly ran out the door ready to get back on a plane when that sucker came out the knife drawer! So the knives this time were a no...though she is going to buy the set in the pieces that she really wants over time satisfying herself without buying what she won't use.

~Charity

The noobie of the pair

You'd think with "cooks" in the title of this blog that I might actually have some skill, some 'cred' as it were that I had some useful tidbit of culinary excellence to pass on to you all. Truth is, I'm the accident part of this blog. The other half. The ying to Charity's yang, the clamity to her Jane. Plus I'm Canadian, so right there you gotta know that I come from a culture where poutine is gourmet and beer goes with everything.

So as we forge ahead with this, I can hear you questioning what on earth I will be able to bring to the table. Its a constant puzzlement to my family actually, especially to my children who think hotdogs are their own food group and that vegetables are just plain 'silly'. You know, I think I bring a certain pathetic realism to cooking. Hopefully as I trudge through this, trying to keep up with Charity, you'll have the security of knowing that no matter how badly your dinners turn out, they will still outshine my attempts and you can always say, "well... at least I'm not Sharon... "

For example... did you read Charity's first post? A fish spatula? Like, wtf is that? I have 3 spatulas because they came in the package that way...pink yellow and white from Ikea. Other than looking cute I really didn't put much thought into why I have them or what uses I'd find for them. But to purposely look for one for fish? C'mon! I never saw that happening. Did I mention that Charity has special spices she makes on her own and a damn awesome set of kitchen knives I almost stole from her? She rocks, she's amazing and if you want to improve your culinary skills? Listen to her. You want to feel better about yourself? I'm your girl. I'll cook and tell you about it, or at least attempt to make edible food and tell you where I likely went wrong.. and who knows? Maybe after a few surprise successes, tears and multiple, multiple bottles of wine, I may perhaps migrate from 'accidental' to actual 'cook'. Don't hold your breath though, but keep your mind open to the possibility.

So with that gauntlet thrown down, let the cooking begin! (tomorrow that is, I ordered pizza tonight).

Sharon

Random moment introduction with a side of towels....

Whenever anyone starts a blog of course one of the first things to go through their mind is all about what they want to write about, what the blog will look like, what they want to write about, how many people will see the brilliance in their writing offer them a three book deal, and what to write about. Sharon and I are no different. Though I need to admit that all we have been thinking about is what are we going to write. We would never turn down a three book deal...just sayin'.

The introduction is a make it or break post. So much pressure to be witty but not to the point of becoming unapproachable. Funny, without making people think we are nothing more than wannabe stand up comics....sorry I just do not have the ability to speak and not fall off a stage, it happens. Most important even more important than people returning to read what we have to say is that we are having a good time and getting something out of this spark of inspiration.

Sharon made me post first, really she bullied me but I am trying to not hold it against her and really you shouldn't either....but as I have to go first I thought most the night on what should I talk about and nothing came to mind. That is until today when I couldn't find a fish spatula. I have looked at Khol's, WalMart, Bed Bath and Beyond, the professional chef restaurant shop downtown and I am going to simply have to order one online I think. I know that a fish spatula might not keep any of you awake at night and it doesn't me either, though I would like to have one. Late at night when food network is on TV keeping me awake viewers are told over and over again that it is really the only tool for the job. I can nearly hear Chef Anne Burrell tsking her tongue on "Worst Cooks in America" when they try to flip over their fish with a spoon. I want one, pretty plain and simple I would say....but I cannot find one. (Spatula not a spoon)

I am a firm believer in buying local, so before I break down and let my fingers order online I have two more stores to visit tomorrow, one named "Cookie Cutters" and which a name like that, I should have looked there first...and the other I don't remember the name of. Don't hate me because my mind was on the towels I had bought at Khol's! They are the best ever I swear to you, and nearly always on sale.

This blog isn't about fish spatulas or new towels, but about the journey of two women taking a risk and putting into a blog their blunders as well as home runs in the kitchen.
~Charity

You can say this for ready-mixes - the next generation isn't going to have any trouble making pies exactly like mother used to make.  ~Earl Wilson