I’m a fan of trying new things. I like adventure and the thrill of finding something new that I enjoy. New movies, new television shows, new games… But most of all, new foods and recipes. I love to cook, which is no surprise, but when I discover a new recipe to make that passes not only my taste-testing, but Matt’s as well, I love it even more.

The past two nights have been a huge hit. Tonight and two nights ago (yes, leftover ingredients so we had it twice this week!) we had penne pasta with marinara sauce, Mediterranean salad, a grilled chicken thigh with the marinara on top and some cheese and baked crusty bread with homemade (Matt-made!) garlic butter. What a fantastic meal it was! Filling (especially with all the salad), not too unhealthy (yes, it could be better, but it’s better than a pizza or a burger!) and delicious. Last night was what I keep referring to as Lazy Fajitas. I sautéed some peppers and onions in a bit of extra virgin olive oil and some Tex-Mex seasoning, grilled a couple chicken thighs with cumin and chili powder on top and we put them on top of warmed tortillas with a bit of sour cream, some cheese and some mild salsa. One fajita kept me full for hours!

For me, individual food finds are just as good as a whole meal. I went to Matt’s sister Jane’s house a few weeks ago to watch UFC (yes, you can stop laughing now) and just hang out, and she decided to put a little tray of snacks out - fresh crusty bread, honey garlic pepperoni, pickles, and two things that I hadn’t ever tried before: Havarti and Pâté. I didn’t mind the pâté at all, but I knew Matt wouldn’t go for it. However, I decided to try the Havarti thing here and it stuck! I’ve stuffed chicken with it, or when I feel like snacking I toss it on a plate with some pickles, pepperoni, Kalamata olives and fresh bread and snack away.

Not all of my food adventures turn out well. I tried replacing the pasta in my mock pierogi (recipe to come sometime later, probably) with wheat pasta and it was the most foul tasting cardboard I’d ever had! I tried sundried tomatoes about a week ago for the first time, and I have to admit I wasn’t a fan of those, either. But I guess if you never try something, you’ll never find new things to love, right?

What are your favourite foods? Especially the strange ones that not everyone would have in their home or usual routine!