*ay, there's the grub.

In the absence of any actual news—well, that's not exactly right. In the absence of time to report said actual news (I'm going to try to get to that soon, I promise!), I bring you Things That Have Lately Been Responsible for Threatening My Seams, by K.



Taco bar at la casa del padre. Yes, that would be queso over that there flame.



Mexican Vegetarian Casserole. I made this for LSis and BiL, which meant I wanted to put my own special stamp of love on it. So I added beef.



Possibly the strangest craving I've ever had, in that it was for something I'd never tried. Pan bagnat, French for "soaked bread," which at the very least should have immediately signified it as something I'd abhor. But it was delicious, and lunch for about four days. Although if you think anchovies are "optional," you're insane. Not judgin', just sayin'.



Shrimp taco, also at La Bonita. Never grill, sauté, or otherwise mess with shrimp again. Sheet pan, drizzle of oil, sprinkle of salt and pepper, roast at 400 for 5 minutes. Do not question Ina.



Home fries, that is, fries I made at home. Because I thought I'd flirt with kitchen fire #3 for the year. I prefer unadulterated French fried potatoes; the cheese and bacon you see there were just for photographic purposes. (I picked them off later because I was home alone and strange behavior was therefore permitted. And par for the course.)



Pomegranate margarita. Less a danger to my seams, more a danger to my brain cells. Meh, who needs 'em?



Spanish Chicken and Chorizo Paella, which morphed into Spanish Drumsticks and Hot Smoked Sausage Paella because my trendy Alabama 'hood doesn't carry furrin ingredients.



Guacamole. Creamy, spicy, and crammed as full of fresh tomatoes and red onion as possible.



I didn't eat the kitty cake. But JBSH did carefully dissect it, to the delight of the kiddos.



Every available flavor: peanut butter, peanut, dark chocolate, and almond



LSis managed to bogart $200 worth of Alaskan crab legs from work. They were the length of forearms and contained meat that prompted a rather indecent amount of groaning from around the table. I didn't eat those, either. I can't do crustaceans, no matter how fancy.



I had this, instead.



TFin makes a mean gratin. That's right, he's not just a pretty face.



RIDICULOUS. Best chili I have ever eaten in my life, and that's not hubris, that's just the truth. Courtesy of The Lee Bros., and Whole Foods, for not being afraid to stock exotic and heavenly chilies of all varieties. I salute you.