Chorizo and pea hash

After a weekend in Atlantic City, I’m ready for a major life-detox.

We checked in to Cesar’s Palace Thursday afternoon and spent two days hiding in the casino until we FINALLY decided to sneak onto the boardwalk.

The sun was so bright. The fresh air burned our lungs.

And we realized we’d essentially been hiding out in an old basement filled with flashing lights and Elton John slots that had saturated what was left of our brains (and wallets).

My stomach has been in a mess ever since. It’s the weirdest thing. First, I’m feeling good. So, I obviously eat something (that’s how I celebrate all good-feeling things in life). The next thing I know, I’m ready to lay on the floor grasping my stomach and begging for mercy.

What gives?

Was it the lingering cigarette smoke? The complimentary slot-machine ordered mimosas? The lack of Vitamin D or any other nutrient in sight?

Whatever it was, I’m happily sipping my Tazo Zen tea and hoping for calmer stomach adventures ahead. In the meantime, please enjoy this hash I whipped up before our trip.

The beautiful thing about has is that it’s open to interpretation. Mix in whatever you’ve got.

Recipe for chorizo and pea hash

• 2 tablespoons each of olive oil and butter
• 2 chorizo link
• 3 medium Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
• 1/2 sweet onion, diced
• 2 cloves of garlic, diced
• 1 cup of frozen peas
• 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
• 1 teaspoon oregano

Melt the olive oil and butter in a large dutch oven.

Remove the casings from the chorizo and crumble the meat into the dutch oven. Cook until browned.

Add the onion, potato and garlic and cover with a lid to let steam for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add the spices and let it continue to cook down.

Stir in the peas for the final few minutes of cooking. Serve immediately. An over easy egg is optional but encouraged.

Cajun shrimp and grits

It’s tough for me to think of non-traditional breakfast foods to make for The Mister. It is rare that he is in the mood for pancakes or omelets, although he does enjoy breakfast potatoes – a lot.

We decided to have an at-home brunch date after a busy week with little time to really sit down and talk. He made the coffee and stopped by the grocery store for grits the night before. I cooked them up – cheesy and gooey and delicious – and topped them with spicy, smoky shrimp and turkey bacon.

Coconut orange French toast to welcome 2015

I technically ate this to say goodbye to 2014, but you should totally make it to welcome the New Year. Forget about counting calories until January 2. Just so you can sneak in these delicious little babies.

Sweet and spicy candied bacon

I first discovered candied bacon while biting into a pretzel devonshire sandwich.

The pretzel bun was piled high with peppered, sliced turkey, honey mustard poppy seed dressing and fresh, raw broccoli. But perhaps the surprising star of the sandwich was the candied bacon. The sweet and spicy crust along with all the other amazing toppings on this sandwich, made it a dream.