Could I be the Next Food Network Star? Yeah, Not So Much...

Ok, let me set this up for you:

Monday, July 23rd...6:15pm. Chuck walks into the kitchen, and sits down at the table. Dinner is almost ready. Christian is sitting in his bouncy, and is getting a bit fussy. I pour two glasses of Chardonnay.

Tina: Chuck, dinner is ready

Chuck: Ok, Pee Wee

Tina: (Placing the pre-plated meals down on the table)

"Ok, what I have for you tonight is a nice Atlantic Salmon Filet, coated with an herbed mustard cream sauce. You'll notice a hint of honey in there as well. I topped the filets with a buttery cracker topping to give it some texture and crunch. We have Smothered Yellow Squash, with lots of wonderful garlic and fresh black pepper, to bring out the sweetness of the veggie. Lastly, some lemon-rice, which I really didn't think was necessary, but I know you like starches with your meals".

Chuck: (Smirking and starting to laugh) Pee-Wee, you've been watching way too much of Top Chef and The Next Food Network Star...you just presented your dish to me like it was at the judges table.

Tina: (Taking a sip of wine, realizing that Chuck is right) Yeah, Whatever. Just Eat.

One of my passions in life is cooking and entertaining. Back when Ali and I lived in our tiny little apartment in Cleveland Park, I used to host dinners for all the girlfriends. We'd sip cocktails and watch Sex and the City. We had this horrendous Red Table (thank you Todd) that we jazzed up with zebra print placemats. I'd make a beautiful Chicken Veronique with just 1.5 sq. feet of counter space, a galley kitchen, and my Mom's old school yellow pots. I'd put together hand made menus, tied with organza ribbon. Sometimes Ali would cook, and make her famous Mannicotti. It was a blast, but I always couldn't wait for the day when I could actually cook on a nice stove, have prep space on a counterop, and have a DISHWASHER!

The first project we tackled in our new home was the kitchen. It was gutted, redesigned, and is now my favorite place to hang out(although the scrapbooking nook in the office is followed by a close second). With my amazing stainless semi-pro grade appliances and almost 45 sq. feet of granite countertop, I finally have the tools and space to really let loose. I've been trying all these new tricks and recipes that I've learned on the Food Network. Top Chef (on Bravo) is my only must-see TV show these days, and I think Anthony Bourdain is by far cooler than any other rock-star or celeb.

Chuck is so patient with my cooking hits (and misses). God knows I need some work on my knife skills (lets just say that we consistently run out of band-aids in my house), and sometimes I lack the patience needed to be a good cook (he doesn't call me Hurricane Tina when I cook because I'm fast...it's because I destroy the kitchen with my messes). But, it is true what they say: The way to a man's heart is through his stomach. And, of course, I always put a pinch of my secret ingredient in everything I make....love.