After spending 2 days in Bologna, I had to try and replicate a real tortellini en brodo. Even without some authenticity (capon, mortadella) it turned out remarkably well! http://www.dailyunadventuresincooking.com/recipe/tortellini-en-brodo/

I don't cook many sweets at home.. but I made a few pink meals that work quite well, which you can at least say are festive? The crab risotto is probably the best, it's pink and labour intensive which helps to show you care.

Of course, there is also the recipe I posted today, a risotto with radicchio, walnuts and gorgonzola ... its the right colour but I am suddenly thinking it might be too bitter for Vday? Of course, my husband loved it :)

Ha! Does my own garden count as a market? I made this fabulous kale and chevre pizza. The kale was from my garden, and the cheese was from a little local farm store on Mayne Island in BC.

http://www.dailyunadventuresincooking.com/recipe/crispy-kale-and-chevre-pizza/

I just did a post on poached eggs, you can do an endless amount of things with poached eggs but I made an easy dinner with fresh bread, sliced and salted radishes and blanched broccolini. So quick, so delicious!

http://www.dailyunadventuresincooking.com/recipe/poached-eggs-imagine-the-possibilities/

I can attest to just how delicious this sandwich is! Oh, and while you are there try the bacon ice cream sandwich.

I like eating "real" food, but that mostly comes when I cook at home. When I am trying to eat healthier I generally lean less on butter and refined grains and more on quinoa and other whole grains. I made a great and healthy halibut en papillote last weekend that I think is pretty fun. Great served on a bed of quinoa or brown rice.

One more thing to add. The best reason to write a post or recipe is so someone can come back and say that they loved it. I guess that is writing for other people not for yourself. But it is very rewarding, which is good, cause the money ain't.

That is so creative! On that theme, check out this recipe I made which is a Cadbury Creme Egg cupcake.

One of my resolutions is to eat more whole grains! So I did a Winter Quinoa Salad Recipe with Squash, Pears and Almonds. I love healthy but tasty food.

I just love grilled shrimp and they are so easy to make! I tried a new marinade with my excessive quantity of cilantro from my garden:
Grilled Shrimp with Lime, Cilantro and Ginger

@Fred Rickson - while I agree with you, I think there IS a place for fuzzy food when you can emphasize part of a dish it really pops. I actually think my example is one of those: http://www.dailyunadventuresincooking.com/2010/04/rhubarb-ginger-muffins.html

@dbcurrie - I actually pre-crop a lot of my photos when I export them if there is a shot that will look good square. It makes a big difference in quality if there is no auto sizing.

@flavacrisp - the light does look good!

Natural light really makes it way easier to get a nice photo. It is so nice this time of year when I can get natural light until almost 7:30. It means I can cook on a weeknight AND get a nice picture.

I am working on my photography as well, I have had the blog for 3 years and I think it the last 6 months since I started trying the pics have improved immensely. That said, sometimes you just want to eat!

This weekend I made some delicious muffins and played with aperture sizes. I find larger apertures can be really pretty with food. It is amazing as I think the colours in the photos look almost fake, but that was the colour the muffins turned out! (I swear)

Also Canadian but I did sometimes by from the "Caf" in high school. My favorites were mac and cheese, piroshkis and mexican rice. And the occasional hot dog obviously.

Gotta say I love me some mac and cheese so I made a fancifed Macaroni and Cheese with Smoked Cheddar, Chorizo and Green Onion. So good!