rosemary on the tv

Since the invention of Pinterest, I feel a compulsive need to cook something new every night. Don’t get me wrong, I’ve found a few recipes so delicious/easy/fast/cheap that they’ve become staples around our house. But since I’m constantly trying new recipes I find on Pinterest, I thought I’d share some of the more successful ones with you yet again:

The Green Monster Smoothie. Looks scary. Filled with spinach. All you taste is peanut butter. I would like to thank this recipe for exposing me to Almond Breeze, the tastiest of all milk alternatives.

Me: “What do you want for dinner?”

Aaron: “Mayonnaise chicken.“

The grossest sounding Pinterest recipe that is not only really tasty, but easy to make. And one of Aaron’s favorites. Coat chicken breasts with a mayo/parmesan combo, sprinkle with breadcrumbs, bake. Trust me. It’s good. Though next time, I’m swapping the mayo for Greek yogurt because….

Of THIS recipe. Jillian Michaels Pasta. Roasted vegetables and pasta in a lemon/parmesan/Greek yogurt sauce. I was skeptical at first but now, I substitute non-fat Greek yogurt for any cream-based sauces, casseroles or even in place of sour cream (just use it in place of butter, oil and cream). I swapped a stick of butter and a cup of whipping cream for a cup of nonfat Greek yogurt in one of Aaron’s favorite meals, and he declared it BETTER than the original. It’s almost too good to be true.

I finally got around to making these lemon crinkle cookies that have been floating around Pinterest since its inception. Mine were tasty, but looked nothing like the photo. They were more like little round balls, covered in powdered sugar and a bit dry. Maybe I’ll give it another go sometime.

Momofuku’s Crack Pie. Apparently, this is a famously addictive pie recipe from Momofuku Milk Bar in New York. The oat cookie crust was, in fact, sweet-and-salty crack cocaine. The filling was a custard that I can only describe as being like Ooey Gooey cake – which most Southerners (and all Hendrix alum) have eaten. It wasn’t a quick pie to whip up, and I’ll admit I was a little let down that it was essentially a butter custard filling. But it completely disappeared in just a few minutes.

You’ve probably seen this pin a few times in recent months. I had an apple and a craving for something sweet one night, so I whipped a couple of these up for us. It was quick and the ingredients are all things I keep in the pantry (or fruit bowl). For the level of ease and convenience I’d rate this pretty high, but it definitely needed a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top.

This pasta tastes just like it looks: simple and beautiful. It’s quick to make, but beware of the mozzarella melting into a blob in the middle of the pan. Toss it in just until warm, but don’t let it melt!

Baked mozzarella sticks! So excellent! I actually used Weight Watchers string cheese for these to save a few calories. They were a great less-greasy alternative to the real thing and they still have that totally satisfying stringy cheesy pull thing happening.

And I’ve saved the best for last. This, friends, is a homemade Crunchwrap Supreme a.k.a. the way to Aaron’s heart. I used lean beef, shredded cheese (the “nacho & taco” variety) and added jalapenos to mine. Also, if you can’t find tostadas for the crunchy middle layer, put a corn tortilla directly on the rack of your oven for a few minutes until crispy. Way more delicious than Taco Bell’s original. Aaron wanted to figure out a way to freeze them for a future Fourth Meal.

Ok, your turn! Please direct me to the Pinterest recipes you’ve tried and liked so I can feed my cooking compulsion.