This is not a Food Blog

...but if you know me, you know I really love food. And I write about what I love.

This week has been an adventure in the land of culinary delight, starting with a potluck with my Bible study Monday. The last dish I shared with this group was my amazing Perfect Hershey's Chocolate cake - you know the one - I usually make it two days in a row because the first one dissappears overnight. It's my secret chocolate glaze recipe that tops it off. (It's really only a secret because I don't measure or make it the same every time, it's just really incredible. Then again, it is chocolate. What more do you need to know?) Anyway. I really didn't know how to top Hershey's Perfect Chocolate Cake, so I went on an entirely different route.

I started with all of this

And I chopped and diced and mixed and tasted and chopped some more.

Mixed in a little hot sauce, olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon juice. It was delicious but could have used pinto beans, I decided. Oh for the love of salsa.

The next night of culinary adventures brought us to HuHot Mongolian grill, where you fill up a bowl of raw meats, vegetables, tofu, noodles and sauces and the grill chefs cook it infront of you. My sister and brother in law met me in Rochester after work and took me out to a wonderful dinner of catching up and laughing. It was so great to see them.

Tonight I decided to tackle the artichoke that's been residing in my drawer in the refrigerator for the past seven days. Have you ever seen (or tried to cook) a whole artichoke? It's a little daunting, but turned out to be much simpler than expected. My superviser claims drinking the water that the artichoke is boiled in gives you wonderful skin. She's always got great Eastern remedies and food tips to offer. I'll keep you posted on the artichoke-water facial. (So far all I've concluded is that it tastes like sweet corn. And it's bright green.)