Iron Chef: Battle Homemade

(Iron Chef Marcum and Chef Marcum)

I got my first chef's hat, apron (pictured above) and cookbook for Christmas in 1995. I immediately put them on and started my own at-home restaurant, JULIE'S PLACE. Serving up my family all of the cuisines a 10 year old can think of--adding secret ingredients to every dish. One of the first times Chris and I hung out (about 4 1/2 years ago) he cooked for me. I have been taking the back burner ever since. Not because I don't like to cook anymore...but because I have tasted his food--and. it. is. divine.

Iron Chef Marcum (aka Chris) has been cooking up some real treats lately. Some of my personal favorites have been....

HOMEMADE STICKY FINGER SALAD! We have been cutting way back on eating out after an embarassing discovery on how much we actually spend eating out. But when a girl wants a sticky finger salad, Iron chef Marcum knows how to deliver the goods, without the cost. It was so good!



The other highlight? These enchiladas. No need for Cafe Rio, Bye-Bye Bajio, See ya Garcias. Iron chef Marcum whipped up a mushroom, onion, blackbean, and chicken filled corn tortilla that no judge could dock.

Chris lets me wear my chef's hat and apron and play sous chef. But there are no cookbooks and I don't even feel the need to open "Julie's Place" anymore. I MARRIED an IRON CHEF, America.

Food for Thought

Often times I get asked what I have craved so far. I have never understood "cravings." I'm in my 27th week of pregnancy and so far I haven't been one of those women that HAVE to have something very specific to eat right now. I mean RIGHT now. Cutie pie, Chris, has made no trips to the grocery store or the fridge in the middle of night. That being said, there are a few foods that have been on my mind and do make life a little happier when I do get to eat them. I guess you could call them my "cravings":

Over-medium eggs and toast.
Vlasic bread and butter pickles
Oranges, or even better Cuties
Sharp cheddar cheese
Chicken nuggets with sweet and sour sauce
Pizza Pizza Pizza... always
A cold, crisp apple
Cold water with lots of ice
Peanut butter
Cereal
Kraft Mac n' Cheese--The Cheesiest
Vanilla Bean ice cream
A hamburger
Ramirez Burrito California
My mom's spaghetti
Chili's queso dip and chips

Those have been my go-to foods. No chalk or dirt. Just give me the good stuff...maybe I have had SOME cravings. :)

Pleasantville

All in one month (October) Chris applied for a job, interviewed for it and got it. Whoa. I know. Official start date being November 4th left us all of ONE DAY to find a place to live. It took 10 hours and lots of disappointments (now funny stories) to find our new place, but it was worth it. We are current residents of Pleasant Grove, UT, living in a basement apartment that we can see ourselves calling home for quite some time. I'll give you the tour:

This is our living room. We have a sectional that we just couldn't make work, so we had to separate it. Thanks to a few minds and good ideas we made this space work. COZY!

Our bathroom. I really love the deep sink. And the water pressure in the shower. Also, the place has SOFT water. Heavenly.

This is the second bedroom/office for now. Eventually, we'll transform it into a room for our little baby girl, but for now it serves its purpose as Chris's' dressing room/office/art room.

Our bedroom. *sigh*

The kitchen. The BEST kitchen. It is so easy to keep this kitchen clean just because there is a space for everything. It's so open and really fun to cook in.

Our dining area.

Now welcoming visitors. :)