Paired with a cookie dough latte! Starbucks blonde espresso with cold foam with brown sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla bean paste.
Jeni’s Gooey Butter Cake is my new favorite ice cream (second only to the Ben & Jerry’s s’mores bites); cream cheese ice cream with vanilla cake and butterscotch sauce.
Whole Foods’ pimento mac and cheese bites. <– swoon
Microwave Korean rose tteokbokki .
An assortment of dippable things for dinner (I had three dipping sauces so clearly this meal was a winner) – Popeye’s chicken nuggets and mac and cheese, roasted broccoli, leftover cauliflower wings.
Deconstructed hash. Roasted Russet potato and purple Japanese sweet potato / Trader Joe’s breaded cheese curds / chicken breakfast sausages / sauted red onion, green bell pepper, and poblano pepper / plus chipotle aioli.
Lunch at I am Nacho Mama. I had a wonderful iced latte with almond milk and honey.
Mexi-cola cauliflower wings.
Chicken tacos with griddled cheese and special sauce.
Best snack of the week – guava corn crackers with Trader Joe’s Everything and the Elote dip. <– we were big fans; it was best with baby carrots
Themed snacks for the 4th – watermelon seltzer, Italian ice beer, and s’mores ice creams.
Definitely my most obscure week of themed dinners yet – handheld seafood! Tuna melts. A mix of tuna and smoked trout with tons of relish and mayo, on sourdough, with banana peppers and sharp cheddar. Plus roasted brussel sprouts and carrots tossed in a honey mustard sauce.
(Salmon) hot dogs for July 4th. On a whole-wheat bun with Sriracha and tarter sauce. Plus roasted yellow squash.
Crab handrolls. Shredded imitation crab with Kewpie and Sriracha / satuted cauliflower rice with salt, white pepper, and rice vinegar / avocado / poorly wrapped in nori.
Shrimp tacos. Corn tortillas with Whole Foods grilled shrimp and chipotle aioli and homemade mango salsa (with green bell pepper, poblano pepper, lime, salt, and gochugaru). Plus roasted broccoli and Trader Joe’s breaded cheese curds. Best meal of the week.
Maman‘s banana split iced latte(!) – strawberry milk, banana puree, Parlor espresso, topped with whipped cream, fudge, sprinkles, and a cherry.
Dinner at Three Maples. I had a 50/50 – Tito’s with tamarind hibiscus lemonade and black tea.
And a burger – short rib blend, house sauce, American cheese, lettuce, tomato, onion. With fries.
We also got the elote dip.
And the charred baby broccoli with confit garlic and red pepper flakes. <– swoon
Wild Maine blueberry crisp with vanilla ice cream for dessert. <– double swoon
Dinner at Little Rascal. We shared some amazing drinks. Cosmic Debris – basil bourbon, fresh lemon, egg white, frooty pebbles infused sugar cane extract, and pistachio cream.
The Dough of Existance – avocado spiced rum, soursop nectar, avocado pit orgeat, and wormwood. And an unphotographed Kurosawa’s Dream – Japanese whiskey, aloe, shiso honey, fresh lemon, and mint — the best drink of the night/weekend/summer.
Caviar(!!) with creme fraiche and blinis.
Halloumi croquettes with eggplant jam and parsley oil.
Roasted cauliflower with hawaji sauce and tahini dressing.
Chicken skewers with meyer lemon yogurt and mini pepper pickles.
And lamb tacos with pickled onion, feta, and paprika yogurt.
This was our best Sandwich Week yet! We also had some good snacks and fantastic veggie sides. Highlights included…
We tried and loved the new Ralph’s Coffee location. I made an affogato with espresso and their coffee/vanilla soft serve.
Weird Tea – good not great but a nice level of sweetness.
Tropical skyrs. The guava Siggi’s was surprisingly disappointing but the mango passionfruit Icelandic Provisions was top-notch.
With blueberries, blackberries, and cookie dough granola.
We had leftover Cheez-Its from our tofu (<– that sentence is funny. P.S. The extra-toasted variety is great) and I made this unhinged plate of microwave nachos.
Cabot seriously sharp cheddar popcorn. I usually don’t care for cheesy popcorn outside of Chicago mix but this was so sharp.
Whole Food’s lemon and yuzu jam cookie.
Another week of me really enjoying both of these chewy snacks.
Turkey and cheese, french-toasted. Trader Joe’s sourdough sandwich bread, jam, smoked sliced turkey, and sharp cheddar, french-toasted. With roasted brussel sprouts that I sauteed with red onion, baby bell pepper, butter, honey, and harissa.
Turkey and cheese, chopped. How have I never had a chopped sandwich like this before? It was amazing. We chopped together smoked turkey, maple roasted turkey, sharp cheddar, leftover garlic baby broccoli, banana peppers, yellow mustard, mayo, and paprika. On sub rolls.
Tuna, blended. We took our tuna salad to the next level by putting it in the food processer; with smoked trout, mayo, and capers. On sourdough with avocado and pickled red onion. Plus garlic sauteed baby broccoli; I topped mine with butter-toasted cheez-its and baby bell peppers sauteed with candied jalopenos.
Eggs, doubled. My dad and I had a conversation awhile back wondering why no one makes egg sandwiches with more than one kind of egg? They absolutely should! This was a soft-scrambled egg and a fried egg, with yellow mustard, mayo, and sharp cheddar, on sourdough. Plus roasted baby cauliflower.
See also – blueberry Greek yogurt, frozen blueberries and grapes, butterfly pea tea.
Still obsessed with these Belli-Welli bars. I finally shared one with Adam, who was not a fan, but I think they taste great.
It turns out my favorite dried fruit is kiwi; the texture and taste of these was so satisfying.
Rainer cherries (swoon) plus Haribo berries gummies.
See also – these Honest gummies are wonderfully juicy and chewy; not the best gummy I’ve ever eaten but hands-down the best fruit snacks.
Creamy lemonade – fresh lemon and lime with sweetened condensed milk and lemon seltzer.
These alcoholic Frescas are a 9.5/10 – perfectly balanced and just sweet enough.
Pinch of Yum‘s bbq salmon plus roasted Japanese sweet potato and roasted cabbage dressed in a mix of honey, rice vinegar, and Caribbean hot pepper sauce.
Korean rice cakes sauteed with tomato sauce and gojuchang, plus roasted zucchini, shredded chicken, and sharp cheddar.
Homemade baked wontons. Our filling was fresh crab and roasted cabbage and green onion with soy sauce, white pepper, and hot pepper jelly. Plus roasted cauliflower and dumpling sauce.
Salad success – baby kale, this dressing, leftover cabbage, baby bell peppers, chicken breast, cashews, homemade baked wonton crips, and furikake.
Homemade baked wonton chips (these are going to become a staple!) seasoned with szechuan pepper salt and togarashi plus baby bell peppers and pimento cheese. Full disclose, I went back for thirds!
I worked the weekend but Adam and I were able to have some fun date nights! Some highlights (all Brooklyn-based!) included…
Qahwah House. We got a Mofawar (Yemeni coffee with cinnamon, cardamom, and cream) and a Basboasaa (a semolina cake with pistachios and sweetened condensed milk).
Inday All Day. Hibiscus Mezcal Margarita – mezcal, homemade hibiscus syrup, pineapple, and masala honey / Spicy Mango Margarita – chili-infused tequila, mezcal, cointreau, cinnamon, lime juice, and mango juice.
Housemade cheddar naan with a yogurt dipping sauce. <– so good!
Tamarind salmon.
K’Far. Persian margartia with mezcal, tequilla, and black lime.
Savory baklava with haloumi, rhubarb, and pistachio.
There is a new coffee spot near us with Jamaican Blue Mountain.
The homemade Snickers are definitely one of the best things I’ve ever made. And so quick and easy too.
I mostly drink IPAs but I do really love this key lime pie sour.
Multiple theme snacks! We ate these orange slices with orange slices.
And drank a variety of Mountain Dew and then rewatched the Slurm episode of Futurama.
Egg salad dinner plate. Six minute eggs with Greek yogurt, mayo, mustard, pickle juice, dill, pickles, and red bell pepper. Plus pickled red onion, crackers, and roasted purple cauliflower.
Cheeseburger-inspired salads. Romaine / special sauce dressing – 1 Tbsp each mayo, yellow mustard, olive oil, and vinegar, plus 1/2 Tbsp ketchup and a pinch of salt and white pepper / pickles / tomato / quick pickled chopped white onion / mini turkey patties topped with sharp cheddar / dill / sesame seeds.
Loved both of these summer-y seltzers; the Polar was so pineapple-forward!
These marshmallows were so asthetically pleasing and so terrible (crumbly and very odd tasting).
But I used the vanilla ones to make homemade Snickers! This nougat recipe with salted peanuts and caramels folded in, topped with milk chocolate.
I was actively grocery shopping when I saw this week’s Roast specials and I changed my list to accomodate a night of take-out. Crunchwrap with honey Sriracha fried chicken, cheddar, coleslaw, french fries, and sweet chili aioli / buffalo chicken mac and cheese balls / roasted zucchini from home.
Filipino-ish dinner bowls. Ground turkey sauteed with tons of sisig seasoning, red and sweet onion, eggplant, and crispy baked shredded tofu. On a base of rice noodles tossed in chili crisp.
Bagel and lox inspired salad – romaine (with ranch, I was too lazy to figure out a cream cheese dressing), tons of fresh dill, quick-pickled red onion, hot smoked sockeye salmon, and everything seasoning roasted chickpeas.
