Meatball subs. I made baked turkey meatballs packed with garlic, parmesan, and urfa pepper. Plus Trader Joe’s crispy crunchy mushrooms which were 10/10.
Did I plan breakfast for dinner so that this iced macchiato milk stout would be on theme? Yes, 100%.
With cinnamon, pecan, banana pancakes. Plus turkey bacon, blueberries, sumo mandarin, and tons of maple syrup.
Three highlights from a weekend that went by too quickly…
This vegan coffee and boba ice cream from Trader Joe’s is actually great. As I’ve mentioned, I’m very into any/all boba-laden frozen treats at the moment.
We are completely, shamefully obsessed with Melt Shop. I ate this leftover hot honey and pimento cheese mac and cheese (topped with tons of hot sauce) <10 minutes before going to the gym and it gave my workout major Michael at the Fun Run Race for the Cure vibes. (<– still worth it)
I made turkey reuben cheese fries! Fries with swiss cheese, smoked turkey breast, sourkraut, and homemade thousand island dressing.
I made patty melts. Turkey burgers, swiss cheese, and Emmy sauce on toasted rye. Plus roasted broccoli and cauliflower tossed in scallion peanut sauce.
Super savory umami bowls of sautéed cabbage, ground turkey cooked in shallot oil with gojuchang, toasted peanuts, and chili crisp.
Turkey reuben sandwiches for St. Patrick’s day. Rye, swiss, smoked turkey, tons of sourkraut, and homemade thousand island sauce.
Weekend dinners — Chipotle makes quesadillas now. I got a chicken one because I am incapable of passing up anything that is promoted as a new and/or limited release.
We made wonderful chicken and veggie bowls. Roasted cauliflower rice / baked chicken thighs (marinated in lime, brown sugar, Sriracha, rice vinegar, and soy sauce) / scallion peanut sauce (loosely based on this recipe).
I was not able to get my hands on any pie but I celebrated Pi Day with key lime pie beer and buffalo chicken pizza pie!
This was an exceptionally tasty week! My snacks were on point, we tried a fantastic new restaurant, and the dinners we cooked were total successes. Highlights include…
Brunch at Xilonen, a new vegetarian Mexican spot in Greenpoint. We were blown away by the scrambled egg tostada with salsa mache, queso, and a crispy blue corn tortilla.
Heirloom corn tamal, stuffed with sweet potato al pastor, and topped with smoked crema and poblano rajas.
Boba-studded popsicles are currently my favorite snack category.
10/10 leftovers from The Meat Hook. The french onion dip was the best I’ve ever had.
Farro / glazed, baked tofu / sautéed bok choy and green onion / chili crisp / fried shallots (which we made in the microwave!!).
Soba noodles / peanut sauce (loosely based on this one) / cabbage / zucchini / ground turkey / chili crisp and smashed peanuts.
Oven-baked crispy chicken tenders (loosely inspired by this recipe) with brown sugar chili crisp sauce + roasted broccoli with fried shallots. I went back for thirds of that chicken!
We had a great time this weekend visiting some of our favorite spots and discovering some new favorites! Highlights include…
High Low Beverage Company. Vietnamese-influenced with a gorgeous backyard. Cherry and lime leaf jelly doughnut.
Tiki New Fashioned – banana-infused Four Roses bourbon, Plantation pineapple dark rum, pandan syrup, tiki bitters / HiLo Hello – Thai chili-infused mezcal with lime, passionfruit, and cane syrup.
Papaya salad with sambal beef jerky, cabbage, herbs, peanuts, fried shallots, fresno chili, and plum vinaigrette.
Double Chicken, Please. Draft cocktails, massive sandwiches, and clever desserts! #2 – Teeling small batch whiskey, brown butter, black raisin, honey, verjus (warm) / #9 Barcardi Cuatro rum, St. Germain, verjus, amontilado sherry, banana, walnut.
Five spice and plum salt sweet potato chips.
Hen of the woods mushroom sandwich with seaweed and bamboo / fried chicken sandwich with shrimp, brioche, and salted duck yolk sauce.
Shot – mezcal with plum and shiso / ice ice weenie – chocolate ice cream on a potato bun with salted duck egg sauce, hot honey, and whiskey cream.
We found fresh soursop juice at the Dominican place in Essex Market.
All the beers (truly, almost all of the beers) at Evil Twin. My three favorites were the ET Stay Home 6 Royal Treatment – sour ale with peaches, papaya, pineapple, passion fruit, coconut, marshmallow, vanilla, and cacao / This Deli Needs a Bigger Double Kiwi Lime Coconut Muffin Lassi Gose / Luxurious Luxury – imperial Berliner gose with grapefruit, tart raspberry candy, coconut, and marshmallow.
We also finally checked out (and loved!) Bridge and Tunnel Brewery just down the street. Everything we tried was great but the standout was the F**k the Virus coconut New England IPA.
Super Moon Bakehouse. Epic baked goods. I loved this cookie butter, dulce de leche crunch cookie with my whole heart.
I also brought home a square of sourdough focaccia and made an insane turkey and cheddar sandwich.
I couldn’t contain myself but this terrible picture is to serve as a placeholder to remind Adam and I that we want takeout from The Meat Hook again immediately. We had several sandwiches and the best french onion dip I’ve ever tasted.
{1} A Cherr-Bear smoothie! Yes, I think I’m very clever. A remake of the smoothie I adored for Valentine’s – frozen dark sweet cherries, plain Greek yogurt, and chocolate milk.
{2} A fruit and nut yogurt bowl. Vanilla bean skyr topped with (frozen, reheated) blueberries, halvah, yellow raisins, and nut and seed trail mix.
{3} Whole Foods buffalo sauce soy nuggets and baby carrots, served with an array of dipping sauces.
{4} We made an epically good warm potato salad. Roasted potatoes and celery, hard-boiled eggs, cornichons, dill, mayonnaise, and whole-grain mustard. Plus honey maple smoked salmon.
Eating Chalk 