My Ideal Food

I love food—love it, love it, love it. I think about food, plan around food, dream about food…oh! And I eat it, too.

I’ve chronicled on my food blog, thepioneerwomancooks.com, the drastic transition I’ve had to make from big city (L.A.) food snob to domesticated, gravy-making ranch wife. And though it’s been tough for me to live a good 2 to 3 hours away from sushi, I’ve found ways to cope. I’ve found that whether it’s Asian or Thai or Italian or Middle American, there are delicious foods to be had no matter what your location or station in life. Of course, I wouldn’t turn down a weeklong trip to all my favorite restaurants in Los Angeles; but in the meantime, here are some of my favorite dishes I create in my own kitchen. They would probably all be on the menu on the last day of my life.

Bacon-wrapped, cream-cheese stuffed jalapenos. Addictive and evil. And delicious.

Penne a la (my kid sister) Betsy. Tomato-cream sauce with wine. Garlic. Basil. Shrimp. Penne was made for sauces such as these.

Roasted Beef Tenderloin. Ended my years as a vegetarian. You don’t need a knife to cut it. Without it, your life is not complete.

Tiramisu. Because you’re worth it.

I also wouldn’t turn down creamed spinach, burgundy mushrooms, roasted garlic mashed potatoes, or crème brulee if anyone offered it to me. But only if it was the last day of my life. Until then, well, I have some jeans I need to fit into.