Tag Archives: sauce

Stars And Smoothies

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Yummy things from the week…

Smoothie #1 – iced matcha, cottage cheese, brown sugar, and frozen mango and peaches.

Smoothie #2 – chocolate protein powder, water, black sesame paste, and frozen blueberries and cherries.

Cheese plate! Craize guava corn crackers, extra-sharp cheddar, and starfruit.

McConnell’s double peanut butter chip is our all-time favorite ice cream so we were pretty jazzed to pair it with their (quite tasty) pre-cooked chocolate chunk cookies.

Peanut chicken pizza. Two-ingredient pizza dough with an egg wash sesame seed crust / sauce – peanut butter, sugar, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, Sriracha, and water / baked chicken cubes / quick pickled carrots and scallion / pizza blend cheese. Plus green beans sauteed with honey, mustard, and gojuchang.

Cottage cheese dinner bowls. Topped with marinated eggs, sunflower seeds, and quick-pickled cucumber.

Chicken and cabbage bowls. Roasted cabbage topped with Nước Chấm and tons of toasted peanuts / ground chicken sauteed with ginger, scallions, and soy sauce.

Oh Chicken Salad

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Thoughts for the weekend… It is going to be unpleasantly cold all next week so I am hoping to take a long walk around the neighborhood today while it’s still enjoyable to be outside // I recently rediscovered/got ear-wormed by “No Games” by Serani and I play it twice daily at minimum // We bought Webster a blueberry muffin toy and it is delightfully cute.

Best bites from the week…

Peanut butter and jelly yogurt bowl. Plain skyr with blueberries, jam grapes, and the best peanut butter.

A spaghetti and meatballs-ish take on the lasagna soup trend. Sauteed garlic, tomato sauce, and Trader Joe’s tomato and roasted red pepper soup / roasted zucchini / whole-wheat elbow pasta / turkey meatballs (stuffed with panade, garlic, and parmesan) / topped with parmesan.

Chicken salad. Chopped chicken breast with grapes, slivered almonds, scallions, skyr, mayo, dijon, smoked paprika, and salt and pepper. Plus leftover PopUp bagels toasted with butter and roasted purple cauliflower.

Broccoli salad. Roasted broccoli and leftover cauliflower / roasted poblano pepper / baked super-firm tofu / scallions / sesame seeds / dried cranberries / extra-sharp cheddar / sauce – dijon, evoo, lemon juice, honey, and vinegar.

Oodles

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Two down! Some highlights from a tasty week…

This week’s coffee was Madrinas’ cheesecake instant cold brew. The flavor was nice (not artificial tasting) and it mixed easily but this was a bit sweet for me; I liked it best mixed with half water and half black coffee.

Peanut butter cup protein cookie yogurt bowl. Plain Greek with chocolate protein powder, chunky peanut butter, brown sugar, and chocolate chips.

One of my best yogurt bowls in recent memory – plain Greek with granola, blueberries, and a perfect persimmon.

Lobster sandwich sushi from Iavarone Brothers. I was underwhelmed by their pizza but the sushi counter was a nice find.

Trader Joe’s spinach and artichoke dip / a take on baba ganoush (roasted eggplant with Greek yogurt, evoo, black sesame paste, lemon, garlic, salt, and sumac) / Simple Mills garlic and herb seed flour crackers.

Chinese take-out in bulk. Beef and broccoli / General Tso’s chicken / veggie lo mein / crab rangoon / and veggie dumplings.

Zoodle/noodle bowls. Ramen noodles, spiralized zucchini, roasted sprouted tofu, scallions, and garlic sauteed with this sauce.

Kale Caesar salad for the win. Kale massaged with evoo, lemon, and salt / roasted cruciferous crunch veggie mix / parmesan cheese / Trader Joe’s frozen chicken nuggets / homemade pretzel bread croutons / homemade dressing (in the food processor – Greek yogurt, mayo, dijon, evoo, lemon juice, garlic, capers, black pepper, anchovies, and parmesan).

Hello, 2025

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One week down, fifty-one to go! Here were some highlights from the start of 2025…

The best yogurt bowl of the year (haha) – plain skyr with blueberries and ube polvorons.

I also went classic with granola, peanut butter, and blueberries.

The passion fruit ice cream mochi from Bubbies are a 10/10.

We were home on the 1st for a fancy last night of Hannukah lunch – bagel latke plates. Trader Joe’s frozen potato latkes / cream cheese home-mixed with sauteed scallion and garlic / mashed avocado / cucumber / Acme smoked salmon candy.

Every year on the 1st we make sure to eat black eyed peas and collard greens for dinner. Fun fact – I also make sure to go for a run on every new year and birthday. Collard greens sauteed with garlic, duck sausage, and Crystal hot sauce. Black eyed peas sauteed with green onions, roasted poblano, shredded cheese, Greek yogurt, Kewpie, and chipotle Cholula.

Ground turkey sauteed with cream cheese, gochujang, lemon juice, mustard and honey mustard served on sauteed shredded brussel sprouts with leftover laktes.

Turkey meatloaf (a buffalo version with Frank’s and blue cheese) with roasted broccoli and homemade ranch sauce.

Afghan take-out from Kandahar Grill. Mantoo dumplings, chicken tikka skewers with rice, Bolani flatbread, Banjan (fantastic fried eggplant) with Afghan bread, plus chicken kofta and lamb tikka skewers.

Goodbye, 2024

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How is it 2025 TOMORROW??! This year was a great one for us but it flew by. We ended our 2024 with a visit from Adam’s family – it was our nieces’ 1st time in Manhattan to see the tree and the 5th Avenue displays. My big plans for tonight are to hopefully be asleep before the ball drops!

Some final highlights…

Peanut butter cup frozen coffee. Iced coffee blended with skim milk, peanut butter, and chocolate protein powder.

Tropical smoothie – frozen mango, pineapple, and cherries with vanilla protein powder, hibiscus powder, and water.

Snickerdoodle protein yogurt bowl – plain Greek with vanilla protein powder, brown sugar, cinnamon, and cinnamon extract. And blueberries.

We went to the M&M’s store with our family (never ever again) and snagged some of the new peanut butter and jelly ones. We liked them but would like them better if the jelly was a separate layer (this is a fruity-flavored peanut butter).

A lovely dinner with the family at Roberta’s. Highlights were the housemade bread with stracciatella, oxtail lasagna, and pizza with mushrooms and pickled onions.

An even better dinner at Il Gufo. I only took one photo but we will definitely be back to take more! The tiramisu was wonderful, we loved the wood-fired pizza, and this was gnocchi with creamy pesto.

We went fancy and decadent for our 2nd to last dinner – homemade crab rangoon twice baked potatoes! Baked Russet potatoes that I re-stuffed with fresh crab meat, cream cheese, Kewpie mayo, butter, Sriracha, sweet chili sauce, green onion, salt, white pepper, and shredded cheese. Baked with tons more cheese on top. Plus we had roasted cauliflower.

Dips and Sips

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This post is late because my laptop was in the shop. Things from the week/end, many dips and sips, 50% seasonal!…

Kings Coast Coffee Company‘s The Griswald – espresso with cinnamon and housemade oat nog.

Iced matcha latte with candy cane syrup.

Cheesecake-y smoothie – cottage cheese, vanilla protein powder, water, and frozen blueberries, cherries, and pineapple.

A take on our favorite seasonal smoothie – plain Greek yogurt, frozen strawberries, vanilla protein powder, chocolate milk, and candy cane syrup.

Hint chocolate peppermint flavored water. Good but not something I would seek out again.

Chobani eggnog Greek yogurt with blueberries and Heritage Flakes (and tiny star sprinkles!).

I also had a really great bowl with fresh persimmons, blueberries, granola, and plain Greek.

I made extra chestnut cream cheese frosting so that I could scoop it with pretzel thins and that was a very good idea.

See also – Trader Joe’s blue cheese roasted pecan dip with garlic parmesan pretzels.

I tried two new-to-me Trader Joe’s prepared items – crunchy slaw salad and peanut udon salad – both 8/10’s; both had some nice spice and fresh vegetables.

This soup was so easy and so satisfying – baby bok choy sauteed with scallions and ginger, chicken broth, and Trader Joe’s mini chicken cilantro wontons.

Hedgehog roasted super-firm tofu – topped with a mix of thinly sliced scallions, gochugaru, sesame seeds, furikake, sesame oil, honey, sugar, soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice vinegar, and water – and roasted baby zucchini.

Merry Mint

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Things from the week…

Chestnut spread in iced coffees.

I also made cinnamon brownies with chestnut cream cheese icing! What a great combination.

We had a few peppermint losers. This is my reminder for next year that this Smirnoff peppermint vodka is not pleasant in plain seltzer. (yes, I also dyed it pink)

And I remember liking this Perfect Bar before but the peanut butter mint combination was too much for me.

Meanwhile, these Jelly Belly candy cane jelly beans were toothpaste-y in exactly the perfect way and I loved them.

Trader Joe’s eggnog Greek yogurt (always a winner!) with blueberries and Bob’s Red Mill maple sea salt granola.

This honey dragon fruit had much more flavor than the other types.

Sheet pan hash. Roasted brussel sprouts, scallions, and baby bell peppers with blue cheese and smoked turkey.

Buffalo chicken baked pasta. We loved this. Whole wheat macaroni, spinach, and baked chicken breast / sauce, heated up in a skillet – cream cheese, cottage cheese, Frank’s, and sharp cheddar / topped with more cheddar, blue cheese, and scallions. Plus roasted cauliflower.

We (over-)ordered from a local steakhouse and sushi place and were pleasantly surprised. I got a California roll topped with kani salad, spicy mayo, avocado, and crunchies / spicy tuna roll topped with spicy tuna, spicy mayo, eel sauce, and crunchies / crab and shrimp beignets.

Use Your Noggin

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Fun things from the weekend so far included a long walk around Manhattan – it was super cold but super beautiful. We admired the Rockefeller tree, the tree at Union Square Park, and decorations at Chelsea Market, Hudson Yards, and Grand Central Station. Food highlights…

787‘s coquito iced latte is a seasonal tradition.

This was our first time trying Bluestone Lane‘s eggnog iced latte but we will definitely be back next year.

See also – Buzz’d Coffee‘s cold brew with espresso and bourbon eggnog cold foam.

Seasonal things from Supermoon Bakehouse – brûléed eggnog danish and a peppermint marshmallow brownie.

Plus a scoop of ube condensed milk ice cream that was fantastic.

Librae Bakery‘s za’atar labneh morning bun is the best baked good we’ve eaten this year. Their halvah chocolate pasty was a very close second but no photo because of the wind/cold/crumbles situation.

I’m not that excited about peanut M&M’s but these holiday toasty peanut ones were delicious.

Candy cane syrup! We’ve enjoyed it in ice coffee (good) and Diet Coke (better).

The best cocktail I’ve ever made – eggnog with Blue Bottle’s instant nola coffee, amaretto, and dark rum.

Lunch at Dante West Village so we could get their tiramisu eggnog – Seven Tales XO Vin Santo, amaretto, mascarpone, espresso, and whole eggs.

Plus I had a wonderful Harvest Bowl – maple miso tofu, picked red cabbage, kale, buckwheat, mutsu apple, crispy chickpeas, avocado, roasted butternut squash, soft-boiled egg, and garlic tahini dressing.

Leftover chilaquiles casserole with all the sauces.

P.S. now we are headed to dinner at Rolo’s!