This ain't Barilla, baby

No more boxed pasta for you, trooper. This is the real deal, the stuff Kraft workers dream of and only experience in fantasty (fantasy + tasty) worlds. So come on down for some

Homemade Pasta.

Not your average Butternut

Hello friends. Here in California, we like to think that we have seasons just like the rest of the country. It's not true, but we enjoy our dreams. With November in full swing and Thanksgiving a mere stone's throw away, it's time to start prepping our innards for the onslaught of starches and festive holiday foods. We may not have snow and colorful foliage, but we can cook with the best of them.

And what's better than a delicious twist on a classic? Not a whole lot.

Butternut Miso Soup with Fried Leeks. 

Pig in a Pretzel

My lovely coworker, Mike, recently struck up a fun deal with yours truly: I make some epic tailgating foods, he posts them on his awesomely epic sports blog, Cosby Sweaters. We started with something delightful:

Pig in a Pretzel. Go here for the full post!
Nommynom nom

Delightfully heart-stopping

All things you know and love: bread, butter, ranch flavor, bacon, and cheese. I know, I know-- what was I thinking? Don't I value my arteries? To all you negative Nancies, I say only this: you are just jealous. I saw this recipe on Pinterest and had to unearth it's origins and make it myself. Without any further ado...

"Cheddar Bacon Ranch Pulls". This is amazing and addictive. You will punch people in the face to get to it first. You might even sacrifice your first born for another hit. So be warned-- don't enter into this culinary adventure if you're emotionally distraught; you might find yourself suddenly covered in bacon bits, with butter smeared across your best face. Food-binge blackouts are the worst!

Shake and Bake...

..some cake! I've been having a lot of fun experimenting with baked goods lately. We (Lo-lo and I) had a delightful yellow cake from Alice Waters (1234 cake) that had a layer of snickerdoodles baked into the center.