As you probably noticed, I didn’t blog as often in 2011, let alone about foods I was cooking. There is no excuse for neglecting you, except I was focusing all my energy on baking a very special bun in my oven. I was pregnant. That alone is no reason to not blog as often, I know. But I was craving some crazy combinations and thought I’d ruin my reputation by posting my crazy cravings. I had the sense not to share a recipe for pickles with milk (yes, I ate that) or ramen noodles in miso soup (don’t even try it, learn from my mistake). My favorite foods for much of the pregnancy were Buffalo wing sauce, watermelon (I ate a pound a day for three straight weeks), sushi (NOT sashimi), yellow mustard, pickles, milk, Bombay mix (Indian food in general), lemonade, scallops, and carrot juice. Half the foods that sounded brilliant to me received a polite but curious look from my husband. Definitely a case of my taste buds being a bit off. My stomach was repulsed by normal things like bread, butter, eggs, chocolate (yes, you read correctly), cheese, and beef (unless it was Cork spiced beef from Long Valley, Fenns Quay or English Market). I actually had heartburn with bread but not spicy foods. This made for a challenging time in the kitchen while I was expecting. For a week or two after giving birth, I’d still cringe at the sight of bread, cheese, and eggs.
I am going to share some of the stranger combinations I enjoyed last year then return to my usual enthusiastic habits of sharing what I’ve cooked lately and how you too can make it. For additional detailed or original recipes, check out my version of Greenes Chilled Beetroot Soup which is good with or without crazy pregnancy cravings.
Oh, you’ll also notice that my food photography skills slacked off a bit in those months too. I was just too tired to set things up like I usually do. But much better again.
Greenes Chilled Beetroot Soup (my version made at home)
Pretzel sticks with straight Frank’s Buffalo Wing Sauce
Berry vinaigrette salad dressing (it sounds good in theory but it was overly sweet)
Roasted red pepper with melted gouda on a cheese roll with fresh basil and mayo
Red bell pepper chicken salad
Orange Italian soda with a soft pretzel and cheap yellow mustard
Macaroni with chopped raw carrots, fresh herbs, and Newman’s Own Italian salad dressing
Soy bacon BLT with roasted red pepper mayo
