When I cook, My husband loves me more.

So it's been a good thing I've been on a major cooking spree the past few days. I love cooking, when I have ingredients and don't have to clean up the mess. But sometimes I just get in these kicks to try new recipes. Last night I was up pretty darn late and just couldn't fall asleep to save my life. I got up and made these muffins I found on thepioneerwoman.com...aka my new favorite website. They're called "Muffins that Taste Like Doughnuts" and they are dee-vine. Seriously delish. There's only 1 left, and it's Logan's, and I want more, but I'm not sure if I'd like to bake another batch and heat my house up more, since it's already about 250 degrees in here. However, another hundred degrees and I could just set the muffins on the counter and let them bake themselves. That could be interesting to watch. But really, you must try these muffins. Super easy, SO AMAZINGLY DELICIOUS. And pretty too. Here's the recipe...

Muffins that Taste Like Doughnuts

1 3/4 C. Flour

1 1/2 t. Baking Powder

1/2 t. Salt

1/2 t. Nutmeg

1/2 t. Cinnamon

1/3 c. Oil

3/4 c. Sugar

1 Egg

3/4 c. Milk

Topping:

1/4 c. Butter

1/3 c. Sugar

1 T. Cinnamon

Preparation Instructions

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, and cinnamon.

Combine oil, sugar, egg, and milk. Add dry ingredients and stir only to combine.

Bake at 350 for 15-20 minutes. Meanwhile, melt butter in a bowl. Combine sugar and cinnamon in another bowl.

Shake out muffins while they're still hot. Dip muffins in butter, then sugar mixture. Let cool.

Then try not to eat 5 in one sitting. Deary me. They are delicious.

Also, because I am a champion wife (ha), I decided to make this next recipe for dinner tonight: Linguine with Spinach Pesto. Seriously so good. This tasted like something I would get in a fancy-schmancy italian restaurant and pay 12 dollars for. But I didn't pay 12 dollars for it...not even half. I think I spent maybe 5 on a ginormous pot of pasta, and that includes the grilled chicken I sliced up into it. Our ginormous pot serves about 4-6 depending on how big you're serving it. And if you live with my bean pole husband who eats twice (sometimes three times) as much as I do and still stays all cute and thin. You must make this recipe. Really, you must. It is so stinking good. I got this recipe from a recipe book a fabulous cook gave me for my wedding. I dated her son off and on all through high school and a little in college before Logan came home from Brazil. She didn't like me. I think that's why she gave me a fantastic wedding present...it was a thank you for getting married before her son came home from his mission. Or maybe she gives this to everyone. Either way, it is seriously one of my favorite wedding presents. Haven't had a recipe in here I haven't liked. Anyway, enough blabber, onto this recipe of celestial glory....

Linguine with Spinach Pesto

1 oz. Parmesan cheese

1 lb. Linguine or spaghetti

1-10 oz. pkg. frozen chopped spinach, thawed and well drained

3 T. olive oil

2 large sprigs fresh parsley (can use parsley flakes...I did and it was still wonderful)

1/2 t. dried basil (okay, I used like 1 t. because my husband would have an affair with basil if it were a human. He loves basil. Almost as much as he loves me.)

2 cloves garlic (uh, except I used like 4. Because I love garlic almost as much as I love Logan)

1/2 t. salt

1 T. butter

1/3 c. water (I fished this out of my hot pasta water)

4 oz. Feta cheese (I didn't have this, so I just added more parm, but I think it would be yummy to have)

Cook pasta, keep warm. In blender, blend spinach, oil, parmesan cheese, parsley, basil, garlic, and salt. Blend until finely minced, scraping sides if necessary (I added a little pasta water here to get it going because I think I drained my spinach a little TOO well). In saucepan combine butter and water over medium heat and bring to a boil. With blender running, gradually add hot butter mixture to spinach mixture and blend thoroughly. return spinach mixture to saucepan and cook, stirring, over low heat, until heated through. Add pasta, toss to coat, and transfer to serving dish (or not, since we don't really have one of those). Sprinkle with feta and parmesan cheese.

I added broccoli florets to the last few minutes of cooking time for my pasta, and right after I tossed the pasta with the pesto, I mixed in some sliced grilled chicken I had marinated in italian dressing before grilling and it was splendid.

This dish is definitely on my top 10 list of things I've ever cooked. It was so easy, so delicious, and pretty darn healthy. And cheap. And delicious. And Logan loved it and thought I was a champion for making it for him. This boy likes pesto, I'm telling you. He really, really likes it. And he really likes it when I cook with it. I like it when my husband likes me, it makes for a good marriage, or so I'm told.