I'm in a rut!

Guess what? I'm in a rut!

Putting together a successful food blog post requires pulling a few things together. First, you need some great food. This is normally the easy part for me: I think about food all the time and usually can't wait to get into the kitchen and make something delicious. Next, you need a great photograph. I've struggled with this step a bit, but I can nearly always get something good enough, something that makes the food look as tasty as it is. Finally, you need a story to explain why this food is special. Sometimes I spend a long time on these, agonizing over just the right words, especially if it's a story with a strong emotional content. Other times, I can toss off a story as easily as I can drink a glass of ice water on a hot day.

Lately, though, I've been stuck before I ever get to the first step. May I blame the weather? Nah, the weather has been fine, even if summer has gone on a bit too long as usual. May I blame the current chaos of my life? Nope, there's minimal chaos here, just a few extra dust bunnies in the hallway. Dust is not chaos. May I blame it on the fact that Jim has been traveling way too much this summer? Okay, maybe that's part of it. I've missed my experiment tester and kitchen cheerleader. I've done some crazy experimentation while he's gone and learned some things, but nothing that's been bloggable.

We're about to head out on a long-anticipated vacation so it's going to be a little bit longer. In the meantime, here's a list of some things I hope to pull together in the next few months:

An orzo, artichoke and almond feta salad.

Tandoori seitan from the grill.

A lentil and walnut pâté. 

Spanokopita made in a springform pan (the same pan you'd use for a cheesecake).

Sweet potatoes and black beans enhanced with chipotle pepper and served over polenta.

With good luck to me, you'll see all of these.

Also, here are some dishes I've been drooling over on other blogs:

From Veggie Belly, Sala's Masala Stuffed Okra is making me drool.

I haven't made moussaka in ages, but Anna at Carrot and Potato Time is inspiring me with her Oopa Moussaka.

From Holy Cow, Vaishali writes about a Chick'n Lentil Curry that looks like the ultimate in spicy comfort food.

The next time I make broccoli, it will be the Sweet Baked Broccoli from Jacqueline at sweet beet and green bean.

From Notes from the Vegan Kitchen, Bryanna's 5-minute Chocolate Mug Cake looks like a devine way to wrap up a meal.