A Fund for Jennie

If you're in any way part of the food blogging community, whether as a blogger yourself or as a casual reader, you've probably already come across Jennifer Perillo's story.  Jennie, a popular food blogger who pens In Jennie's Kitchen, recently suffered a horrific loss: her beloved husband, Mikey, died suddenly of a heart attack, leaving Jennie and her two young daughters devastated & heartbroken. 

Almost immediately, support started pouring in from all over the food blogosphere.  From making Creamy Peanut Butter Pie in Mikey's memory, to the auctions being held for #AFundforJennie on Bloggers Without Borders, the food bloggers have together in droves to help Jennie & her family. 

Though it took some time for me to think of what I could possibly donate within my very limited means, I knew I just had to do something to help.  Her entire situation just struck a nerve with me - several nerves, actually.  I lost my best friend in a car accident five years ago, and while I know it's not the same as losing one's husband & father of one's children, her untimely death was one of the most devastating things I've ever had to deal with.  I also know what it's like not to know how those bills are going to get paid, or where the next meal might be coming from.  In short, I get it.  And I want to help.

So here's what I'm auctioning for #AFundforJennie: A full PGEW Shopping Cart/Kitchen Makeover to help one lucky family get on the path to eating well on a small budget.  This will include:

• 3 guided shopping trips with yours truly
• An in-home consultation to help you make the most of what you already have in your kitchen, and figure how to cut costs without sacrificing taste & nutrition
• 6 personalized recipes developed for your family by yours truly
• 1 month of personalized support for shopping questions, recipe help, etc.

I usually offer these services separately, but for this special cause I'm bundling them together and starting the bidding nice & low at $100.  It may sound like a lot to some, but please keep in mind that this is one-on-one personalized support that will help you make eating well on a budget a lifestyle change, not just a quick fix.  And because it's all tailored to your individual tastes & needs, you can rest easy knowing your entire family will enjoy what you'll be making! 

But (at the risk of sounding like an infomercial) wait, there's more!

Because I have such amazing foodie friends, I have TWO prizes up for auction!  The second one is being generously donated by my friend Andrew, owner of Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen.  He is offering a full dinner for four from his amazing truck of twisted comfort food goodness, which includes: sandwiches, sides, desserts & drinks!

From sandwiches like the beefy, spicy Mustang and sides like their Fried Mac & Cheese Balls with White Truffle Oil, to sinful desserts like the S'moreski (nuff sed), Drewski's is some seriously delicious comfort food.  Bidding for this awesome prize starts at just $25, so for those of you who are big Drewski's fans, you know this is a killer deal!  I'd bid on this myself if I could, only I'd probably clean him out of S'moreski fixin's so it's probably for the best.  ;)

To bid for either auction (or both), leave a comment on this post with:

• The prize your bidding for
• Your bid amount
• Correct email address so I can contact you if you win

A couple more things: Please refrain from placing bids on the Facebook page, as not everyone is on Facebook and I want to keep this fair for everyone. Winning bidder will need to pay directly through Bloggers Without Borders #AFundForJennie page.  Bidding closes on Friday, September 2nd, at 11:59pm PST.

Not in the Sacramento area but still want to help Jennie & her little girls?  Simply click on the following link to be taken directly to the Bloggers Without Borders PayPal donation page, where you can donate as little or as much as you can afford.

Thank you so much for taking the time to read this!

Lv,
K

Recipe: Spiced Peaches & Cream Oatmeal Parfaits

As I mentioned on Photo Friday, last week I celebrated my birthday with a special happy hour at Midtown's fabulous LoungeON20.  Since I knew I'd be enjoying tasty cocktails and plenty of great food that night, I decided it was best to forego my usual evil birthday breakfast and have something a little higher on the nutrition scale to start off my first day being 35-ulous.

At first I was set on making one of my various quinoa breakfast bowls, but when I was poking around in my cupboards for the dried quinoa, I noticed I still had a bunch of rolled oats I hadn't worked with yet.  I think my original plan for them was to make granola, and that's still high on my To Make list.  But all of a sudden I was overcome with the need to have a giant bowl of piping hot oatmeal (even if it was about 85° at 7am), so away went the quinoa and out came the oats.

There's nothing to this, really; after all, breakfast parfaits have been done millions of times.  But I love this because it's one of those ridiculously easy ingredient assemblies that turns into a fantastic, filling, nutritious breakfast that will start your day off on the right track.  It's packed with plenty of fiber & protein to keep you fueled for quite awhile, and goes to show that in order to be healthy, there's no need sacrifice flavor.  With just a bit of brown sugar & cinnamon to enhance the juicy sweetness of the peaches, this breakfast is as delicious as it is healthy.

Just a couple more things to note: I like my oatmeal a little creamier, so I use a combo of water and milk to prepare it.  If you have issues with dairy, feel free to just swap out water for the milk and you're good to go.  Because the peaches end up making their own syrup with the sugar & cinnamon, I don't feel it's necessary to add more flavoring to the oatmeal itself while it's cooking, but if you feel you need a little pinch of salt or something, feel free to add it.  Don't have time to make oatmeal from scratch?  Just substitute a couple packets of instant oatmeal, prepare according to the package instructions, and go from there.  Enough babbling for now... let's check out the recipe!

Spiced Peaches & Cream Oatmeal Parfaits (makes 2 servings; total cost per serving: $1)

Ingredients:
1 c oats
1 c water
3/4 c nonfat milk
1-2 large peaches, chopped
1/2 T brown sugar
1 t ground cinnamon
1 c nonfat plain or vanilla yogurt

Other:
2 4-6 oz. juice glasses

Directions:
1.  Combine the peaches, brown sugar and cinnamon in a bowl and toss together.  Cover and set aside.

2.  Bring the water & milk to a low boil in a medium saucepan.  Reduce heat to medium, add the oats, and cook for about 5 minutes, stirring constantly to avoid lumpy oatmeal.  Remove from heat and set aside.

3.  To assemble your parfaits, spoon a generous amount of oatmeal at the bottom of each glass, followed by a layer of peaches, then a layer of yogurt.  Continue layering until you reach the top of the glass, top with extra peaches & a dash of cinnamon, and enjoy!

Photo Friday: A 35-ulous Birthday, Indeed!

Yesterday was my 35th birthday (eek!).  I usually have a special birthday recipe post up on the day of the blessed event (lol), but between TV spots, pet sitting for a friend, tons of new projects at work and managing my pain issues, this week has been just a wee bit hectic!  So I'm definitely looking forward to a weekend of R&R: recipes and (w)riting.

I did make sure to set some time aside to celebrate my 35-ulousness, though.  This year I decided to celebrate at the stylish & delicious LoungeON20 in Midtown. With a new menu and more Poor Girl-friendly prices, this lovely midtown spot was the perfect setting for my birthday happy hour.  And with Executive Chef Pajo Bruich and pastry chef extrordinaire, Elaine Baker running the show, how could we go wrong?

Surrounded by some of my closest friends & fellow foodies, turning thirty-five was fabulous!  For today's Photo Friday I thought I'd share a few shots from last night's festivities.  I apologize in advance for not having taken more food photos myself, but I was too busy being the birthday princess, lol!  So, I'd like to thank my dear friends, Jodi, Donna and Monika, for kindly letting me borrow some of their photos for this post. :)

Coolest little lounge in Midtown...

The perfect birthday meal for a hot summer night: Heirloom Tomato Salad (with cucumber, basil seeds & microgreens)

Beet & Berry Salad



PRESENTS!!!  Do my friends know me or what? :)



With my dear friend Jodi. I'm pretty sure this is the first time she's wearing a hat & I'm NOT!  Sacre bleu!

It was too late & too dark outside for any of us to get a better photo, but it needed to be shared anyway! 
Poor Girl's special birthday dessert, Chocolate Textures, featured flexible ganache, dehydrated mousse, chocolate sorbet and black & red berry pearls.  Thank you so much, Elaine & Pajo!


I had a wonderful time, especially when one of my oldest & dearest friends whom I hadn't seen in about 10 years paid me a surprise visit!  Between that, the great food & drinks, and the great company & conversation, turning thirty-five was nothing short of fabulous!

Stay tuned this weekend for a couple new recipes I created for my birthday!  One's almost angelic, it's so good for you, while the other is sinfully delicious.  The best of both worlds! 

Happy Friday, everyone!

Recipe: Five Spice Pork & Veggies with Udon Noodles

A few months ago, my friend Catherine hosted a dinner party for her gourmet dining group and asked me to lend her a hand.  After all, dinner for twelve is no easy feat to pull off, even with helpers in the kitchen.  Her assignment for that night: to serve a gourmet, Southeast Asian-themed dinner.  She had a great menu prepared for her ten guests, with each course as tasty as the next.  But I have to say that aside from the dessert, one of the recipes really stood out for me: the five spice pork belly.

It wasn't like it was rocket science, or some exquisite, gourmet creation involving the most expensive items out there.  The ingredients were quite simple: pork belly, spices, onions, cilantro & tomatoes.  That's it.  What left me so incredibly smitten was the combination of flavors, the way such a simple lineup of ingredients could form such an intensely flavorful, aromatic dish.

I can't recall exactly which cookbook she said she got the recipe from; nor can I recall exactly what went into the dish, since I was busy playing sous chef & server while she handled the big stuff.  All I remember are the enticing aromas & flavors that left me addicted to their memory for days afterward.

Since then, I'm occasionally struck with a random craving for that type of experience again: a warm, inviting plate of savory, spicy goodness that's equal parts exotic and comforting. This weekend I decided it was finally time to put the craving to rest and doctor up my own version of this meal.  And with the help of this amazing deal I scored on some pork loin, I got to work.

Pork belly enthusiasts are probably gasping in horror right now at the fact that I would forsake the sacred belly for tender, meaty loin.  It's not that I don't like pork belly; how can anyone resist such flavorful, porky, fatty goodness?

But that's the thing: pork belly is very fatty, a lot more fatty than I care for under normal circumstances and, therefore, something I won't normally buy (that & the fact that it takes a bit of hunting to find in my neck of the woods).  Lean pork loin makes this a much lighter meal without sacrificing a bit of flavor.  The tomatoes, onion, cilantro & spices take care of the rest.  I added a bit more texture by adding some crisp red bell peppers, then cooked up a nice put of udon noodles over which I could spoon my tasty little concoction.  The result was a delicious, deceptively easy to make dinner that I'd gladly eat a couple days in a row.

If you're not a fan of pork, don't fret!  The simple ingredient combo makes it easy to modify this recipe with chicken or beef.  If you're a vegetarian, give this a try with some seitan for a meaty, yet meatless alternative.  No matter which way you try it, this will be a fantastic dish.  Just goes to show that sometimes the most basic ingredients can result in the most spectacular meals.

Five Spice Pork & Veggies with Udon Noodles (makes 4-6 servings; total cost per serving: $1.85)

Ingredients:
1-2 lbs lean pork loin, cut into 1" cubes
2 large cloves of garlic, minced
1 small yellow onion, finely chopped
1 small bunch of cilantro, finely chopped
2-3 Roma tomatoes, chopped
1 small red bell pepper, chopped
1 T Chinese five spice powder
1/2 T salt
1 T brown sugar
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1 t crushed red chilies
1-2 T cooking oil
2 T water

1 8 oz package udon noodles
4 quarts water

Directions:
1.  In a small bowl, combine the Chinese 5-spice powder, salt, cayenne and brown sugar, and mix until completely combined.  Place the cubed pork loin in a large bowl, pour the dry rub over the meat, and toss together until the seasoning mixture evenly coats the meat. Cover & set aside for about 30 minutes.

2.  Bring the water to a rolling boil in a large pot and cook the noodles according to package instructions.  Drain, cover & set aside.

3.  Heat the oil in a large skillet or wok over medium high heat.  Add the garlic and stir fry quickly until it starts to brown & become fragrant.  Add the onions and cook for another minute or so, until they begin to turn translucent.

4.  Next, add the seasoned pork.  Stir fry for about 2-3 minutes, then add the red peppers, tomatoes & water.  Reduce heat to medium and cook for another 4-5 minutes, until the pork is cooked through.  Check for flavoring & adjust according to taste with a bit of salt if needed.  Finally, add the chopped cilantro and stir until combined.  Remove from heat; the warmth of the skillet will finish wilting the cilantro.

5.  Serve a generous amount of pork & veggies over a bed of noodles, garnish with extra cilantro, and enjoy!

Photo Friday: Food Truck Love

The Great Food Truck Race isn't just happening on the Food Network right now; it's happening right here in my own back yard.  In Sacramento alone there are three food trucks in the running: Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen, MiniBurger and Wicked 'Wich, with MiniBurger & Drewski's currently duking it out with others in & around the Top 10. 

So for this week's Photo Friday, I thought it would be fun to show off some of the Cap City's amazing mobile grub.  For a movement that's only been popular for a few months, I'd say Sacramento has hit the ground running.  Fast.

Drewski's Hot Rod Kitchen...


The Hemi



The Mustang



Drewski's fans come in all sizes (how much you wanna bet that kid's waiting for a S'moreski?)


Mini Burger...


This is a very small crowd for Mini Burger...



And I'm willing to bet the money I don't have that this little baby is the reason: The Ninja.


Wicked 'Wich...


Major props on the Wichmobiles 'Wich!



Spicy Capicola w/Fried Egg  



This sandwich is about 77" tall and takes 12 days to eat (give or take a few inches & days)...

VolksWaffle...


For the purists...



For everyone else who can't resist diving into something like this...



It's not a food truck - it's a food van. A cool one, at that!

 

This is just beyond awesome.


That's it for this week, folks!  New posts on the way this weekend, so stay tuned.  Happy Friday!  

Happy 3rd Birthday, PGEW.com!

Once again, the swift passage of time has caught me off guard and here I am, facing another blog birthday. Watching PGEW grow and reach more & more people is what I imagine it must be like for parents watching their kids grow up: one day you have this brand new little thing, then you blink and poof!  It's all grown up with close to 300 recipes and tips to help others change the way they think about eating on a budget.  (Okay, so they're not exactly the same, but you get the picture.)

As I've done in the past for other blog birthdays, I'll be taking a trip down memory lane and sharing some of the highlights and recipe favorites that have filled this little blog since last August. (I know it's something most folks do at the end of the calendar year, but I always like to take time & reflect on what I've accomplished in my own personal year, so I apply it to my blog as well.)  It was a rough ride at times, but there were some definite highlights!  From fun celeb sightings to conquering cooking fears, PGEW's second year was truly jam-packed.

So, without further ado (figured I'd save the sappy moments for the end of the post, lol), here's some of what really made this past year in PGEW-land so incredibly awesome...

August 2010

• PGEW heads to her first International Food Blogger Conference in Seattle.  It was such an amazing experience that I can't possibly resist going again this year (with a little extra fun thrown in this time... tell you about that in a different post! ;) ).  Still wondering if you should go?  Check out the fun we had last year...

September 2010

• PGEW enters the Project Food Blog contest in the hopes of winning $10,000 (obviously, I didn't win, lol)
• Anthony Bourdain comes to town and I share all the details.  If you ever get the chance to see him, be sure to go!  Definitely an evening worth remembering.
• PGEW is part of a panel of experts on health & fitness on Capitol Public Radio's Fall 2010 Health Forum: Childhood Obesity: Moving out children from fat to fit.
• PGEW becomes a featured contributor for TakePart.com's Hungry for Change blog.

December 2010

• PGEW prepares a tasty Salvadorean treat for Sac & Co.'s "12 Days of Christmas" special!
• Poor Girl finally gets a JOB!  Then she makes special fajitas in celebration.  :)

January 2011

• Poor Girl goes to her first Fancy Food Show and meets Ina Garten!  *does happy dance*

March 2011

• PGEW becomes an official contributor for the Mushroom Channel!  (My first paid writing gig... I feel like a real girl! lol)

May 2011

• PGEW & Good Day Sacramento's Mark S. Allen check out some of yours truly's favorite places to eat in Sacramento.  I also discover just how comfortable I am in with a microphone in hand!  Check out this post for all the fun video clips...
• Poor Girl heads to Hotlanta for her very first BlogHer Food conference!  Another amazing weekend filled with great food and great company...
• Poor Girl discovers the joys of making ice cream at home without an ice cream machine.  The PGEW dessert section will never be the same...

June 2011

• Yours truly scores her first freelance writing gig for CBS Local!

July 2011

• Poor Girl makes her very first pie from scratch.  What I was so afraid of, I have no idea...
• PGEW joins The Kitchn as guests of Oregon Fruit Co. for the 1st Annual Oregon Berry Festival in Portland!

August 2011

• Sacramento Magazine's Dollarwise Gourmet features PGEW in a fun, engaging piece that breaks down what allows Poor Girl to Eat so Well.
• And the fun doesn't stop there!  Later this month I'll be speaking on a blogging panel hosted by News10, and I'll be doing a couple more TV spots & speaking engagements later in the fall.  It's heady, amazing and overwhelming, but most of all, it's fun!

And because it wouldn't be a proper recap without some noms, here are some of my favorite recipe posts from the past year in PGEW...

Kiwi Basil Granita

Bobotie (Classic South African Minced Meat Casserole)

Pu-pizza!

Turkey Shepherd's Pie

Southwestern Baked Potato Skins

Polenta Mini Pizzas with Mushrooms & Olives

Linguine with Creamy Scallion Pesto

Baked Eggs & Herbs in Portabella Mushroom Caps

Sangranita!

Poached Tilapia with Strawberry-Pineapple Salsa

Mini Peach Pies

Encurtido (Colombian Style Pickled Vegetables)

Whew!  What a year!

As always, I want to thank each & every one of you who takes time to read PGEW, try the recipes and comment here, on Facebook and on Twitter.  These past 3 years have not only been an incredible personal journey for me, but a fantastic adventure into a community of caring, supportive people that continues to grow every day.  Sure, I write the recipes for myself because this is what I actually eat every day; but I also do this for you guys.

I never dreamed I would actually help people lose 30+ pounds or shed $50-$100 off their monthly grocery bills; I never thought I would save an unemployed single mother a night of grief because one of my recipes was able to feed her family for a couple of days; I didn't know that college kids would learn how to cook because of the recipes I post, or that they'd shared my tips with their friends who were also struggling with how to eat well on a tiny budget.

In short, I had no idea Poor Girl Eats Well would turn into what it has - a resource for anyone who's trying to change the way they eat for the better, whether that's by cutting calories or cutting costs.  I started out doing it for me and will continue to do so (because Lord knows I've become a better cook through all of this!); but I am also doing it for you.  The more I can help people, the longer I'll continue to do this, whether it's in blog form, book form, world tour...  well, you know what I'm getting at.  :)

Thank you, from the bottom of my heart.  And Happy 3rd Birthday, PGEW!!!

Newsworthy: PGEW is profiled in this month's Sacramento Magazine!

Prepping my Strawberry Panzanella Salad.
(Photo courtesy Gabriel Teague)

I don't know how I missed posting this on the site earlier in the month, but in the spirit of celebration for this 3rd Blogiversary of mine, I thought I'd post this fun little piece for those of you who have yet to see it.

This month, Sacramento Magazine's Dollarwise Gourmet profiled yours truly for a sneak peek into how it is I do what I do.  It's one of my favorite PGEW write-ups thus far; I feel the writer really "got" me and the spirit of improvisation & resourcefulness that is a major component of this blog.  It's a quick, fun read, and I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.

Stay tuned for another new recipe and a special year-in-review post to celebrate PGEW's 3rd birthday!

Recipe: Curry Chicken Tacos with Thai Cucumber Relish

It's been awhile since I've done anything remotely interesting with chicken.  Lately if I have it on hand, all I've been doing is cooking it up to use as easy protein on my spinach salads.  I've even been neglecting old chicken standbys like my Goddess Chicken Salad or my Mexican Style Chicken Pasta Bake, and that's just not right.  Definitely time to jazz up old steadfast, stalwart chicken and turn it into something fun.

On my last "big" shopping trip, I picked up a flat of chicken thighs that happened to be on sale for a ridiculous $0.99/lb.  Since I was at the store early, I had a lot of giant packages to sift through to find one I could A) carry home and B) actually afford, but when all was said & done, I ended up with 16 rather plump little chicken thighs for under $5 - an excellent buy, indeed!

I usually freeze 2-4 thighs in individual Ziploc bags so I can pull them out and use them as I need them, a great practice to get into whether you buy meat for one person or a family of four.  Watching for good sales on things like pork, chicken and even seafood will help you save money at the register; taking the time to prep & store things once you get home helps you stretch out those awesome savings and save more time in the long run, since you don't have to defrost an entire flat of chicken at once.

So last week I'd pulled out a couple of these smaller bundles from my freezer and automatically prepped them for my usual easy-protein-for-salad routine.  I was just about throw it on the a giant bowl of spinach when I caught myself - this boring salad routine had to stop immediately!  After a quick scan of the rest of my fridge's contents and a bit of mental food math, I got to work.

I chose to go the "fusion" route and try something different with chicken tacos..  Standard chicken tacos, tasty as they may be, have been done a million times, so I was eager to make something new.  Gleaning inspiration from Seattle's Kaosamai Thai Restaurant's chicken larb taco that I tried from their truck at last year's IFBC, I decided to throw in some Thai inspired flavors to make my tacos more interesting: curry & coconut for the chicken, and a nice Thai cucumber relish (a side that is usually served with sa-tay and tod mun (fish cakes), this little pickled salad is incredibly addicting, it's so good!).  A little cabbage to keep with the street or beach side taco feel, and voila!  My new favorite chicken taco was born.

Now, obviously this isn't authentic Thai cooking; I'm missing about 75 ingredients and around 12 extra hours of cooking to make anything truly Thai (though it's one of my goals to try my hand at the real thing).  But one of the ways Poor Girl Eats so darned Well is by jazzing things up and trying some variety.  Allowing the flavors & styles of different cultures' cooking is a wonderful way to liven up your standard menu without having to become an actual pro at that style of cooking.  And with so much variety in most stores now, recreating some of those flavors is easier than ever.

Speaking of easy, did I mention how easy these are to make?  Aside from some chopping to make the cucumber relish, these only take around 15 minutes to prepare, making them perfect for busy weeknight meals.  This recipe is also great for making use of any leftovers you may have: roasted chicken from last night's dinner can turn into tonight's Thai-inspired meal.

Curious where to find things like curry powder & coconut milk on the cheap?  Hit up your local Asian food grocer.  They will more than likely have the best prices and killer variety.  If you don't have one near your area, you can try a number of conventional stores.  Trader Joe's has a fairly decent coconut milk for around $2, and many larger chain stores carry it in their Asian food aisles (but they're usually a lot more expensive, so use them as a last resort).  Even places like Target carry more "exotic" ingredients now; I've seen coconut milk, fish sauce and a few spices there that will help you get your international foods pantry started.

Curry Chicken Tacos with Thai Cucumber Relish (makes 4 servings; total cost per serving: $1.25)

Ingredients: 

For the tacos:
3 c cooked chicken, shredded or in strips
1/2 c coconut milk
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 t curry powder
1/4 t ground cumin
1/8 t ground ginger
1/4 t salt
Pinch of ground cayenne
Large pinch of sugar
8 corn tortillas
1 c shredded cabbage

For the relish:
1 medium cucumber, thinly sliced and quartered
1/2 c thinly sliced red onion
1/3 c white vinegar
1/4 c sugar
2 T chopped fresh cilantro
1 Thai chili, deveined & seeded and finely chopped OR 2 t crushed red chiles
1/4 t salt

Directions:
1.  Prepare the relish by whisking together the vinegar, sugar and salt in a medium bowl until the sugar & salt have completely dissolved.  Add the remaining ingredients and toss together until well combined.  Cover & set aside.

2.  Whisk together the coconut milk, curry, cumin, ginger & sugar in a small bowl.  Spray a large skillet with cooking spray and add the garlic.  Cook over medium high heat until fragrant & lightly browned, then add the chicken & salt.  Stir fry quickly for about a minute or so, then add the coconut curry mixture.  Reduce heat to medium low & allow to simmer for about 5 minutes.  Remove from heat.

3.  Heat the corn tortillas as you normally would.  Assemble your tacos by sprinkling some shredded cabbage on each tortilla, then add a generous spoonful of chicken.  Top with cucumber relish & a couple sprigs of cilantro, and enjoy!

Photo Fridays: In Poor Girl's Kitchen

Today marks the start of my 3rd Blogiversary Weekend (!!!!!!!!!) and it randomly occurred to me that aside from the occasional magazine or newspaper shoot, I've never really shown you my little kitchen.  I talk smack about it all the time: how tiny it is, how it makes no sense to me that my water heater is right next to my stove, how tiny it is...

But despite all that, I still love my nano-kitchen.  It's where I feel most creative; most inspired; where the real escape is for me after a long, hard day.  Sure I have to constantly move things around in order to get anything done, and I would kill for a dishwasher that involves buttons & lots of noise rather than my own hands.  But it's the heart of this little apartment & where I create what goes on this, my baby blog, which is growing up so fast.

So, without further ado, here's a little tour of Poor Girl's tiny little Midtown kitchen...

My favorite part about this upstairs kitchen: the random set of exposed shelves, which  house all the cookbooks I always mean to read but never do because I'm too busy making up my own stuff...

As well as a small number of my cooking magazines (Bon Appetit & vintage Gourmet are in boxes because they won't fit), and other food-related but non-cookbook books (here is where my OCD-like tendencies start to show: must. not. put. food books. with. other books!)

Rather than take up valuable cupboard space, I put my prettiest glasses on the other random shelf I love so much.  That's the key to making a small kitchen work for you - utilize every nook & cranny you can find!

My fridge kinda reminds me of the inside of my high school locker, only a lot more cynical.  Here you can see how much I love things like vintage-looking postcards, Frida Kahlo, and Paul Banks of Interpol.  And some slightly twisted humor, too...

Coolest. Kitchen clock. EVER!!!  (thanks, Mama!)

Uh, yeah... when I said my kitchen was tiny, I meant tiny.  That's literally all there is to work in.  Oh, and isn't my water heater stunning?  ;)

Tiny kitchen or not, when I moved upstairs to this apartment, I MADE them bring up my behemoth stove.  One thing's having zero counter space; it's quite another to be stuck with an EZ Bake Oven (at least, that's what the old stove looked like).  I'm a food blogger, dammit.  I have needs. 

My little dining area.  Though, I do have to admit it's hardly ever this clear of stuff because it's also where I take my food photos...

... and do my writing.  With expert assistance, of course.  ;)
(Thanks, Beni!)  

That is literally all there is to my kitchen, so that's where the tour ends, folks!  Hope you've enjoyed this edition of Photo Friday. Be sure to stay tuned to PGEW this weekend, as I will be celebrating PGEW's 3rd Blogiversary all weekend long with new recipes, new stories, and my favorite: my PGEW Year In Review.

Have a wonderful weekend, everyone!  :)