ADVENTURES IN COOKING.

Now that is a fabulous mindset to have, isn't it? Hope ya'll had a fabulous weekend & Monday yesterday to kick off Thanksgiving week. This weekend, I made the most AH-MAZING Grilled Cheese Sandwich and if you're anything like me (and consider yourself a cheese-ologist) then this recipe will be sure to light your tastebuds (or your oven quite literally) on fire.  I'm not what you would call a seasoned chef, heck, I'll be honest, I'm not even a decent cook unless you are referring to picking up the phone and ordering delivery (sorry, mom, it is true).  Now baking, I can do, but a real meal, not gonna happen without something going terribly wrong. 

Craving a delicious grilled cheese, I thoughts surely this recipe would be no problemo to whip up for a quick meal.  AND to spice things up (or in the words of Emeril, kick it up a notch) I decided to go rogue and add bacon (the oven-baked, crispy, delicious kind).  After pre-heating the oven, I put the bacon in, set the timer, and began to work on the red onions.  About 10 minutes later, Boo Radley began frantically sniffing and pacing in the oven/kitchen  area-to be honest, I'd go ahead and call it the living room/bedroom/hallway area as well.  I really didn't think anything of it until the smoke alarm started blaring over & over getting loud with each repetition.  Well, I opened the oven to check things out, & found in the bottom, underneath the sizzling bacon, what used to be one of Boo Radley's squeaky tennis balls, now engulfed in flames.  If you're wondering how one of her toys ended up in the oven, your guess is probably better than mine because I have no clue.  In an attempt to shut the smoke alarm off, I decided to wave a towel in front of it and in doing so, knocked off the hallway sconce which shattered into a million pieces throughout the front hallway and bathroom.  DISASTER.  Moral of the story, always check your oven before turning it on, you never know what you might have hidden inside.  Would love to know what you think of the grilled cheese... guarantee it will not disappoint...and highly recommend adding bacon.

(via)

CINCO DE MAYO

Hope ya'll had a fabulous weekend.  As I mentioned on Friday, Cinco de Mayo is this Saturday! You can guarantee this Texas girl LOVES to celebrate Cinco de Mayo, and couldn't be more excited about getting to spend this year's day in Austin, CAN'T. WAIT.  I hope ya'll have fun plans for the weekend, and it is not too late to throw together a fiesta for friends with the essentials and recipes mentioned below.  

Paper Flowers//Corona Pops //Mini Tequila//Ruffled Streamers//Topo Chico//Chiclets//Plants in Cans

(Photo)

 via

Margarita Cupcakes
(via Vegan Cupcakes Take Over the World)

1/4 cup lime juice

1 1/2 tsp lime zest (1 lime)
1 cup soy milk (plain or vanilla)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 tsp tequila
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
1 1/3 cup all purpose flour
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Fill a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
In a large bowl, mix together lime juice, lime zest, soy milk, oil , tequila, vanilla and sugar.
In a small bowl, mix together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add to lime mixture and stir until just combined. Divide evenly into muffin tins.
Bake for 20-24 minutes, until a tester comes out clean and the cakes spring back when lightly pressed. Turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.