Scott is a semi-professional poker player -and I say “semi” because:

a) he’s got a computer business he tends to 10am-6pm and he plays poker in the evening after the boys go to bed

b) I think my mother would freak out if she thought my husband, the man of the house, provided for the family with proceeds from gambling because that “G” word is an evil word that forces people into uncontrollable addictions and bankruptcies. We’ll lose everything we have and OMG be forced to eat canned meats, buy single-ply toilet paper and give up Haagen Daz for the rest of our lives. Oh. The. Horror.

But in reality, we’ve lived off his poker earnings for the past 4 years. Scott is awesome at poker, and he treats his game just like a business, constantly tracking ROI, his play stats and making sure to never dip above 5% of his bankroll in any given day. He’s got a system down that I would never be able to understand. The man as self control like I’ve never seen before. Would it help to know that he went to West Point Military Academy for college and continued on in the Army as some leader dude of a bunch of big green tanks? He’s a TRAINED SOLDIER.

We could not be more opposite…let me give you an example:

Jaden on hour 1, day 1 of diet: Chocolate? I smell chocolate. Where? Where? Who’s got chocolate? Don’t make me reach down your throat and tie your esophagus in a knot. I NEEEEEEED CHOOOOOCCCOOOOLLAAAATTTTEE. GIMMMMMMEEEEEEE. NOOOOOWWWWW.

Scott on day 12 of a 5-day fast: FORCE FIELD. ACTIVATED.

Which is why WE ARE A PERFECT MATCH.

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If you are curious to see what happens behind the scenes when I’m cooking live on television - as part of the morning news broadcast - here it is. I brought along my super cool point-and-shoot camcorder, the

Flip Video Ultra and gave you a quick tour in the studio and the studio kitchenette. It’s a long video - about 10 minutes - but you’ll see the entire filming while sitting propped up on top of 2 boxes and a plate on the kitchen counter. Yeah - so part of my head is cut off!

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I just read an article about a man in India who created a tree that grows 300 varieties of mangoes.

Although the original tree is more than 80 years old, this man has grafted different mango saplings onto it. It’s kind of neat and strange at the same time.

But, it got me thinking: If I could have one tree in my backyard that could grow 300 varieties of something, what would I want? Three hundred is a big number, and I’d probably get tired of that one thing - even if it were chocolate: dark, milk, semisweet, truffle, bittersweet, cordial-filled, pistachio-topped, caramel-injected, syrup, frosting, nibs, bacon-flavored, powdered, and on and on.

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My friends, Bri of Figs With Bri blog needs our help.

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from Steamy Kitchen food column in Tampa Tribune

It never fails that at least twice a day, I’m asked, “so when are you gonna start your own restaurant?” My reply is always the same, “only when I have an extra million in the bank and I don’t have to worry about making money.”

I know a restaurant is just too much for to handle for my delicate psyche. How would I ever explain to the IRS why “weekly psychotherapy” is part of operating expenses? And the only way I’d be able to handle the long hours and hard work is with back to back shots of double espressos followed by a Red Bull chaser. But really, with that regimen, I’d scare off innocent, unsuspecting people with, “DUDE! YOU! NEED! TO! TRY! MY! SESAME! SHRIMP!” leaping out of the doorway and shoving a sample in any open mouth passing by. Yeah, maybe hyperactive, assertive marketing wouldn’t work well.

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