... And we're back!

Hi there! Today we started taping season 9 of Cooking for Real and I think I slept maybe 4 hours last night. I'm just too wired, excited, anxious, everything! Here's a shot from the end of today ... I call that picture "Lights Out!". A split second before we took it, the stage lights were dimmed because it was the end of the day for us. That's Jeff and Des, they've worked on so many Food Network shows, to list them would be silly. That's 2 shows down and 11 more to go! Can't wait for you to see them!!

As usual, I can't share all the details, but I can give up some goods. Remember how I mentioned the kitchen set got an addition? Well, I saw it today and I really like it. I'll take some pictures and post them up. I only thought to get that picture from above at the very end of the day. I was so focused on work I completely forgot most everything else. Has that ever happened to you? Maybe a full day and you notice at the end you forgot you even own a cell phone because you never thought to use it? Focus is something crazy, it just takes over everything doesn't it? Love, love, love the human body and how it works. Well, I am just so happy to be back and I love the recipes this season, plenty of comfort and ease. Easy for me to say, right? Can't wait for you to see them and give some things a try! I can tell you the names of the shows from today the first was "Smother and Hover" and the second was "Diner Breakfast". Tomorrow it's "Don't Scrimp on the Shrimp" and "Much Ado About Stuffing" :-).

I really have fun titling the shows and recipes, it's kind of an added bonus. I get to flex my corny side and it feels good teeheehee. Ok, I don't have much more except here's a picture I took while we were planning my shows. A sign of things to come ...That's Santos holding out my Caprese Steak, quite like my Caprese Burger, but you need a knife for this one. I let him do the honors of slicing it up so we could all take a bite! Can't wait for you to give it a try if you like a good steak with a twist! Then, this next one allows me to end on a sweet note ..
It's my Easy Blueberry Apple Pie, and although I love a shortcut of the ready-made pie crust, this is homemade, just as it will be on the show. I was planning these episodes around the holidays and I didn't really want to "phone it in" for holiday meals, so now I get to share with you a quick and easy method to perfect, flaky and buttery pie crust. It's easy, trust me! I'm not a pastry chef!! But guess who is?!? Another way to end sweet ...It's Anne Thornton, host of Food Network's Dessert First. If you haven't already, you have to check out her show! She is so much fun and she was planning her next season of the show when I happened upon her heavenly creation. She's holding it, but it's so far away, lemme give you a close-up ...Click on the picture, I beg you. It's totally worth a 30 second day dream! I stopped in my tracks when I saw it. You can't even really see what's beneath the whipped top, it's deep and decadent. I don't know what she calls it, but I can't wait to see it on her show!! Alright, time to get ready for day two! Stick around for some behind the scenes stuff!