queenofeats

about me

Welcome! I am a casual cook looking to expand my experience and creativity when it comes to feeding my husband and myself! I am a (yet unpublished) fantasy writer that is lucky enough to have a husband who understands and accepts why I don't have a "real" job of my own. We have two kids (the purring kind) that are more than enough for the time being!

I spend most of my non-kitchen time reading, playing video games of all kinds (yes, we girl gamers ARE out there, and we don't have to limit ourselves to casual games if we don't want to) and writing. My husband and I are working on an independent game design for a kid-friendly RPG that might go somewhere (well, we're hopeful anyway.)

I tend to add things "to taste" and do not often measure ingredients for myself unless I am baking. Please take the listed amounts for my recipes as suggestions, not unbreakable rules. You should know what you like and there's no shame in following that. I don't expect everyone in the world to like the same level of salt, pepper and other seasonings that I do. Just go with your instincts. When in doubt, add to taste and stop when you're satisfied. You can always add more but you can't take it back out!

I have been a type 1 diabetic since 1996 and I have been working hard to get myself back on track during the last few years, after spending several years in poor control. This also includes getting my weight down (ugh.) I am eager to try low-carb and low-fat options that still retain plenty of taste! Sugar itself is not the enemy but it does still add up to carbs, so I have to be cautious.

My favorite cookbook would have to be Recipezaar! I don't often use formal cookbooks since I prefer to use my laptop to store everything safely. When I do, my favorite book would have to be my Taste of Home cookbook from 2003. It was my first cookbook and has some amazing recipes in it that I would love to make more often.

Favorite Foods:

I enjoy eating just about anything! I was born and raised in Tucson, Arizona; AUTHENTIC Mexican food is what I turn to for comfort food. (My mother learned from some Hispanic ladies how to create real Mexican food, and I have been learning to replicate this over time.) I grew up with a very veggie-friendly family that spent two years as vegetarians. My husband and I are mushroom gluttons and always have them at least once a week. I have adapted to eating shrimp, salmon, tuna and whitefish after moving to Washington.

We love to experiment with different styles and flavors. Italian and Asian dishes are very common here, and we often experiment with Greek and Thai flavors after some good experiences eating out. We've started to move into Indian food most recently. As with Mexican food we find it important to stay as authentic as possible when dealing with foreign cuisine.

There are few foods that I hate, but they're unique (or so I'm told.) I can't stand hot tuna fish - cold is great, and I like seared tuna steaks, but tuna melts or creamed tuna just make me gag. I also hate crusty cheese. Yes, that's the stuff that people try so hard to create on the tops of lasagnas and macaroni and cheese, and I would be just as happy if it never happened! I also hate stuff on the crust of my bread. I don't like white bread, I'm much more partial to wheat or something more flavorful, but I do not need decorative hay to remind me that I'm eating healthy!

I am famous for my Shelton's Sausage Gravy, and for several recipes that I've found on Zaar - Scottish Shortbread (Scottish Shortbread) and Vegetarian Chili (Vegetarian Chili.) I can only hope that someday I can create something just as wonderful on my own!

My favorite restaurants... well, there are a few. In Redmond, there's Frankie's Pizza. In Raleigh, North Carolina, there's a place called Wildflour Pizza. And in Tucson, Arizona, there's a place called Molina's. If you're in the area for any of these, give them a try - you won't be disappointed.

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