Still around and still cooking!

Hello!

I just figured it was about time I posted again!!! Never fear...I am still cooking, still baking, and still doing well! I just haven't had so much time for blogging. Now that it's nice outside in the evenings, I've been trying not to spend so much time on the computer, since I'm on the computer all day at work! I've been enjoying myself by going outside, planting a garden, working in the yard, cooking, and so on!

Our garden is coming along nicely - I can't WAIT until we can start eating homegrown veggies! We have: tomatoes, jalapenos, thyme, oregano, peppermint, basil, cilantro, carrots, radishes, soybeans, and lettuce. It's going to be a fun summer!

I have been cooking a lot too, but I haven't been following recipes so much - I've been enjoying our local healthy food store, Henry's, and the occasional trip to Trader Joe's. I just love picking whatever random things I find, and making a meal out of it. Lots of grilling outdoors...chicken, fish, etc., as well as grilled veggies! I LOVE artichokes on the grill. Mmmm... I bought a "Big Daddy" artichoke last night - it was almost as big as my head! It took a while to cook, but it was GOOD.

I also made some cupcakes the other day. I almost entered them in the Master Baker competition, since the theme was vanilla, but I felt like they were SOOO boring, and not as good as I could do. I made Billy's Vanilla Vanilla cupcakes, but used a vanilla bean instead of extract, and my very own vanilla bean frosting, which I colored pink. They were good, but I wasn't impressed with the Billy's recipe, especially after I have read that people make them so often! :( I had Mike take most of them to work. I ate a couple, then tossed the rest. Sigh. I still need to use my Blake Makes Peanut Butter Dulce de Leche! I was going to use it to make cupcakes for my Bunco group this week, but I just won't have time to bake them. Plus, it is WAY too hot to be using the oven lately! Soon though...very soon. :)

Anyway, sorry I have no pictures....I'm on my work computer at the moment. But, I just wanted to fill you all in, since so many of you have so kindly been checking in on me! Much love to you all...I hope all is well with you all!

<3 Alanna