Tag Archives: seafood

Apple Of My Eye

by

Things from the past week – So much Apple Month fun. Adam was out of town at a confernce and amazingly I served myself an adult meal almost every night. Highlights…

Apple pie sundae. Vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce and apple pie granolas.

Caramel apple cider doughnut cookie. I am actually not a Chip fanatic but this one is perfection! It’s a brown sugar cookie made with apple butter, with a carmel apple filling, topped with butter and cinnamon sugar.

Caramel apple boozy milkshake. Michigan apple whiskey with vanilla ice cream, ice, cinnamon, and caramel sauce.

Still loving the caramel apple Sugar Babies.

These fruit bites were good not great; something about the mango flavor was a bit gaggy to me.

A bowl of blackberries and Sumo mandarin delicious enough to document.

Homemade take on okonomiyaki. I filled mine with crumbled super-firm tofu, cabbage, cauliflower rice, and green onions (plus ginger, eggs, flour, and ginger lime seltzer – I always use seltzer here instead of water). Topped with Sriracha, Kewpie, and furikake.

Korean steamed eggs on a bed of roasted cabbage and cauliflower rice with chili crisp. Topped with sesame seeds and way too much gochugaru because my shaker broke.

Red curry salmon cakes (there was green onion, panko, egg, and cauliflower rice in there too) and rainbow cauliflower with water chestnuts, stir-fry sauce, and Trader Joe’s chile and garlic cashews.

Pizza night (this was a successful too good to go order so I don’t know exactly what they were, fried eggplant and ??). Plus more cauliflower rice; it was a big bag for one person!

Tonight we have a fun couple date – dinner reservations at Hav & Mar!

Apple Month, Starting Strong

by

Some highlights from the past week…

This was the best bowl of fruit I’ve ever eaten together. Aprium, mango, and blueberries.

And this was the best yogurt bowl I’ve ever eaten! Plain Greek yogurt with honeycrisp apple pie granola and a Sonia apple that I microwaved with brown sugar and cinnamon.

Paired with an iced phin brew with brown sugar cinnamon cold foam.

Apple ginger crisp bar; I forget every year how excellent these 88 Acres seed and oat bars are, very balanced and satisfying.

Trader Joe’s dried apple chips (Adam loved these, I prefer the honeycrisp ones) and a BelliWelli chocolate chip cookie bar.

Caramel apple cocktail! Michigan Apple Whiskey, Goldschläger, ginger seltzer, and caramel sauce.

The Trader Joe’s cookie butter ale was okay but not as good as I was expecting; it was overly spiced in a way I found sort of nauseating.

Same review for these Utz hot honey chips.

Brunch at For Five while I powered through some work projects. I got a poached shrimp cobb salad (it came with turkey bacon so it was perfect for me).

Noodles with a gojuchang tahini sauce, topped with soft-boiled eggs, Sriracha, and furikake.

The “hack” where you shake macaroni and cheese and chicken nuggets with blue cheese and buffalo sauce is a go-to in this house. I used Whole Foods macaroni, Applegate Farms nuggets, and added roasted cauliflower.

Nacho night. Tortilla chips and extra-sharp cheddar with smoked turkey, roasted zucchini, Blind Betty’s hot sauce, and a salsa with heirloom baby tomato, tomatillo, lemon, pepper, and Sichuan chili salt.

Basil tofu (so good!) on brown rice with sauteed baby bok choy and red bell pepper.

Another winner recipe – spicy salmon sushi bake. For my salmon layer I used a mix of hot smoked salmon, canned smoked salmon, and canned wild Alaskan pink salmon (all from Trader Joe’s). Plus a side of seaweed and a cucumber salad.

Back To School Themed

by

Highlights from a perfect weekend with my favorite boys! September 1st kicked off Apple Month. Here is my 2023 hual (I restrained myself) –

I started my Friday 9/1 with a Starbucks’ cold brew with cinnamon cold foam, apple syrup, and apple drizzle and it was pretty great. And Saturday Adam and I got a caramel apple iced latte from New York Beanery.

I made a yogurt bowl with vanilla skyr, aprium, and caramel apple granola.

Apple snacks. Caramel apple Sugar Babies – 8.5/10 / Apple harvest Sour Patch Kids – 12/10, the best gummy candy I’ve ever tasted / giant Rave apple – 8/10, juicy and crisp but a bit sour for our tastes.

We went glamping this weekend in a refurbished school bus!

With Webster!

It was great, mostly because it put us within walking distance of so many amazing restaurants. Saturday night we went to Elder Greene. “A quick one before the dinner,” Mezcal, orange, lime, and simple syrup with a Tajin rimmed glass.

Amazing crispy brussel sprouts with goat cheese and a walnut maple aioli.

The best, crispiest tater tots I’ve ever eaten. Plus we took burgers back to the bus for dinner! Elder Greene makes our favorite burgers in the city. Their classic is Pat LaFrieda short rib blend, cheddar, American, pickles, onion, and special sauce (#1) and they also make a Waygu burger with white cheddar, arugula, and lemon herb aioli on a brioche bun (#2). P.S. Nomwon is my #3.

Sunday morning we got goodies from Radio Bakery. Triple chocolate croissant and an earl grey morning bun.

Plus an everything focaccia sandwich with smoked salmon and cream cheese.

With a Voodoo Child Vietnamese iced coffee from Sweet Leaf.

Minnows And Salmon

by

Highlights from the past week…

Blue Bottle‘s Nola Shakerato is a work of art.

Smoothie with cottage cheese, peaches, mixed berries, and water.

Sandwich on garlic naan with sliced turkey, cheddar, and soft-scrambled eggs.

We ordered a whole spread of treats at Patisserie Tomoko, our new favorite dessert spot in Williamsburg. Yuzu cheesecake / black sesame red bean mochi / pumpkin pie. All 10/10!

Plus their special, the yuzuchoco float – yuzu sorbet, yuzu ice cream, and yuzu seltzer with a salted chocolate popsicle.

We ended up with these Trader Joe’s chocolate-covered peanut butter pretzels by mistake (sorry, Dad, they didn’t fit in your birthday box!) but Adam and I both love them.

Dinner at Minnows. We got fun drinks including an old-school frozen grasshopper.

Adam and I adored everything we got here. We shared a smashburger with pimento cheese.

Hushpuppies with salted honey butter.

A “big salad” with corn, pepitas, fennel, cojita, and citrus thyme vinaigrette.

Collard greens.

Adam surprised me with a sourdough croissant from Winner (YUM) so I made breakfast tasting plates for dinner. With roasted asparagus, a medium-boiled egg, Trader Joe’s hot-smoked salmon, and a horseradish dipping sauce.

Creamy mushroom pasta. Whole-wheat spaghetti with crispy sauteed oyster mushrooms and maitake mushrooms and a sauce made with cream cheese, gojuchang, and lemon juice. I topped mine with kelp flakes.

Baked buffalo chicken meatballs (with blue cheese and cream cheese!) and roasted broccoli with a horseradish ranch dipping sauce.

Coffees And Pastas

by

Adam and I had the whole weekend together, which was just lovely! Despite the heat we managed to take the dog to a farmer’s market and take a humans-only walk across the Brooklyn Bridge. And we ate so many good things! Highlights included…

A dalgona iced latte (always a winner!) with chocolate milk.

Blue Bottle‘s shaken New Orleans cold brew is a 10/10 summer special.

Lemon chess pie at the farmer’s market.

Brigaderio cake at Cafe Patoro. I also had a brigaderio iced latte that was hands-down the best thing I’ve consumed so far in 2023.

Dessert flavored booze! Decadent Ale guava cream pop IPA / Ellicottville strawberry crunch bar cream ale / Skatterbrain vanilla cake whiskey (I mixed this one with amaretto, diet coke, and fancy cherries and it was fantastic).

Brunch at Nuaa Table. Thai iced tea.

We shared the veggie dumplings and roasted duck buns.

Banana blossom salad with coconut poached chicken and quail eggs. The acidity here was perfection.

Spicy shrimp basil noodles.

Son-in-Law duck egg – fried boiled duck egg, homemade black pepper brioche, and tamarind-fish sauce caramel. This was my favorite dish.

Lobster roll from Luke’s.

Dinner at Patti Ann’s. This was really good but not mind-blowing like I was expecting.

We shared charred asparagus with hummus, walnuts, golden raisins, and za’atar.

The smashed patty burger – on milk bread with sharp cheddar, special sauce, tomato, and crispy shallots.

And duck lasagna.

Chili garlic noodles from Omsom. I added leftover veggies, chili crisp, and a six-minute egg.

Coke, Callaloo, Cashew

by

Highlights from a yummy week…

A fantastic smoothie; frozen cherries and strawberries with cottage cheese and water.

7/11 Day. I ruined my Coke slurpee with unfrozen lemon but it’s still my favorite holiday.

Rum and Coke slush! Coke ice cubes blended with golden rum and key lime juice.

These Tid Bits fruit bites are delicious and surprisingly high in fiber and protein.

Cashews aren’t usually my go-to but I loved these for snacking this week.

Hands-down our household’s favorite snack right now are the Trader Joe’s lentil curls. They are so satisfying!

Dinner sucesses this week were 100% thanks to this beef bacon.

Sandwiches with bacon, Kewpie, and local heirloom tomatoes. Plus roasted zucchini and extra tomato on the side.

Callaloo is traditionally made with amaranth leaves and salt pork but this version with spinach and beef bacon was a delight. Plus crab, yellow onion, hot pepper, ginger, garlic, urfa, and coconut milk. I topped my bowl with hot pepper jelly.

No bacon but still a winner – turkey meatloaf. A riff on this recipe with gojuchang, ketchup, sisig seasoning, green onion, and sharp cheddar. Plus roasted cabbage with tahini and chili crisp.

This post is a day early because I am taking a long weekend and heading to Colorado tonight! My youngest cousin is getting married! And I am spending a few extra days exploring Denver with my mom.

Taco Bout It

by

Highlights from the 1st week of July…

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.

Sippable Split

by

I worked this weekend but Adam and I had some really nice date nights! We tried two new top-five-favorite spots in Brooklyn! Highlights included…

My ongoing love affair with summer berries. This bowl was blueberries and blackberries with a few Luxardo cherries.

Ciao Gloria‘s coffee and oat milk granita.

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.