Fork and The Cork

I'll be the first to admit it:  I'm obsessed with all things Martha .  How can you not be-- she's THE female version of MacGuyver. Instead of saving people from dangerous car explosions at just the opportune time using creative genius, she is saving us from ourselves in our kitchens.  Pie crust flat? Chicken too dry? Missing a key ingredient? Martha to the RESCUE.  I've mentioned it before, but I'm a bit of a Sirius satellite radio addict.  And there is just the ONE station I listen to:  yep. Martha Stewart Living Radio.  I recently participated in another of Mario's weekend cooking challenges (he's the host of Living Today on MSLR radio station).  This time the challenge:  The Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookie! Now, I consider myself more of a cook than a baker .  Basically because I cook more than I bake.  Why is this?  A) I'm a messy, messy cook, and a baking mess is exponentially worse...

I just celebrated a birthday, it was the 6th anniversary of my 29th birthday!  How about that?!  Well, I'm not feeling too bad about being smack in the middle of my mid-thirties, especially since the oh-so-sweet 19 year old worker girl at "Game Stop" informed my husband and I yesterday that we are going to be "hot" old people.  YEEEESSSS!  Life is full of little victories......  Another victory is that I have an amazing husband that totally gets me, and my obsession/fascination/appreciation for really really good food.  He surprised me with dinner at the..... drum roll please.... Salish Lodge!  For those of you unfamiliar with the Salish, it is a beautiful northwest lodge that sits just above Snoqualmie Falls, in Snoqualmie, WA and it is very fancy (in the style of "northwest fancy", not like NY fancy).  He reserved a window table, and arranged for rose petals, and a rose to be placed at the table upon our arrival.  So sweet....