tastebuds.

I'm no Betty Crocker but must say, with the help of Pinterest, I may just have a shot at becoming her. Or at least find the motivation to whip up some delicious food. And whip of some delicious food is exactly what I've been doing the last few days, so I feel compelled to share with you in the form of pictures and words. 


Like a wise childhood friend once said, "Not everybody has the same tastebuds." (in response to mean little girls asking her how she could possibly like yogurt) You can take it or leave it, but I'm fairly certain that if you know good food at all, you'll like these recipes just as much as I do.


First up, Pesto+Gruyere Grilled Cheese on Sourdough. I saw a recipe similar that inspired me to get creative and this is what I got:

Ooooey gooooey goodness sitting on that plate. Trust me. You can make your own pesto (something I have never done) or just buy it pre-made. Little bit of that and some gruyere cheese between two pieces of sourdough, grilled to perfection. Make it as soon as you possible can. You won't be disappointed.


Next up, Quinoa Salad with Toasted Almonds.

The thyme and red pepper flakes were just the right spices to compliment the zucchini+quinoa+yellow pepper+toasted almond concoction. 


Now, if you're like me or 90% of the population, it's probably not unusual for you to have 3-5 overly ripe, gross looking bananas sitting on your counter. It drives me... bananas? In order to actually use (and not throw away) a couple of these bad boys, I made what could possibly be the most amazing thing you could make with a gross banana...


Banana Bars with Whipped Cream Cheese Frosting


True, the whipped cream cheese frosting might be what makes it possible to eat half the pan in one sitting, but at least you got rid of some of those bananas while you were at it. Sorry I don't have a photo to show you. I was too busy cleaning out the bowl and licking the spatula in attempt to not waste any of the mouth-watering frosting.


Keeping things sweet, the next recipe is for Almond-Coconut Macaroons.


You can thank the great Martha Stewart for this one. I did modify the recipe to make it even better by dipping each macaroon in melted dark chocolate. How did Martha not think of doing that?

photo source: marthastewart.com

Last up, Baked Chicken Stuffed with Pesto and Cheese.


I don't think I flattened my chicken breasts enough so it was hard to actually roll them and the husband and I both felt it needed more of the pesto mixture inside. Other than that, my tastebuds were satisfied and I plan to make it again.


Here's a glimpse of what sometimes takes place while I'm busy cooking... She likes to observe and doesn't want to miss a beat. Can you blame the girl?