Tag Archives: tuna

(Pepper)Mint To Be

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Highlights from a tasty week…

Peppermint coffee – candy cane cold brew from Blank Street.

This week’s home coffee combo wasn’t my best. I did not care for the Browny cold brew, too sour. The Ronnybrook egg nog was crazy thick, almost too thick, so it was good but not my favorite.

Peppermint breakfast – a chocolate mint Perfect Bar and a peppermint mocha La Colombe can.

Peppermint doughnut – Doughnut Project‘s peppermint bark.

Peppermint watermelon is my favorite Aura Bora seltzer flavor.

Peppermint booze – Smirnoff peppermint vodka with lime and club soda (and food coloring!).

Six Point Bone Chill pear and spruce double IPA (8.5/10).

Peppermint mini meringues – from Trader Joes. 

Peppermint ice cream – with candy cane bits, fudge, and cookies.

I had the day off on Thursday and spent the afternoon admiring decorations in the city and got lunch at Chelsea Market. Very Fresh Noodles‘ very spicy vegan dan dan mian. These were super spicy and numbing and wonderful and topped with crunchy soybeans and cucumber salad that were the perfect foils.

It was Adam’s birthday on Monday and his dinner choice was Subway. I got a tuna salad sub with mustard, pickles, banana peppers, and cheese. Plus leftovers from Sunday in Brooklyn – brussel sprouts and the amazing roast chicken.

And I made him his favorite cinnamon brownies – just the Bakers Chocolate one-bowl recipe with 1 cup of chocolate chips instead of nuts and 2 tsp of cinnamon extract instead of vanilla.

Salad #1 – romaine / homemade ranch dressing – sour cream, dijon mustard, ranch seasoning / red bell pepper / pickled banana peppers / homemade croutons / baked chicken – marinated in Greek yogurt and banana pepper juice.

Salad #2 – romaine / homemade ranch dressing – sour cream, Cholula, lime, ranch seasoning / sauteed ground turkey with Rotel / avocado / hot honey cashews.

Salad #3 – mixed greens / homemade miso dressing – with brown sugar, lime, rice vinegar, and soy sauce / homemade baked wonton crisps with togarashi / cucumber / water chestnuts / baked extra-firm tofu coated in a mix of honey mustard pretzel and roasted seaweed.

Macaronis And Marshmallows

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Things from the weekend…

We made scones! Chocolate chip and dried cherry. They were yummy and so easy.

Brunch at Agi’s Counter in Brooklyn. Dirty Ovaltine was a hit.

We were head over heels for these palacsinta – Hungarian crepes layered with honey butter and wine poached figs.

We also shared the hashbrown with trout roe and scallion sour cream.

And the confit tuna melt sandwich. It came with great house-made pickles.

Sugar Hill Creamery. We tried a split scoop of the Unicorn (vanilla with birthday cake and sprinkles) and the Don Cartagnea (cream cheese ice cream with guava and croissant).

But really we were there for the hot chocolate! Topped with torched marshmallow fluff!! This couldn’t compare with drinking chocolate but it was definitely the best hot chocolate I’ve ever tasted. It was dark and bitter in a way that really complemented the fluff.

See also – I ended my weekend with a scoop of this dark chocolate and mint Ben & Jerry’s topped with fluff at home.

Chopped turkey sandwiches in nacho form – one of my best dinner ideas yet. A mix of smoked turkey, honey maple turkey, sharp cheddar, garlic sauteed baby broccoli, pepperoncinis, smoked paprika, salt and pepper, mayo, and yellow mustard; chopped and baked on top of Kettle pepperoncini chips.

Leftover rice casserole and broccoli salad plus Whole Foods’ pimento mac and cheese balls. This plate got doused with Cholula and honey.

Take-out from Datz Deli for some 10/10 Caribbean food. Wonderfully spicy jerk chicken and the best baked mac and cheese I’ve gotten in NY (mind you, not as good as my favorite from Pueblo back home). Plus we shared one of the sandwiches they are famous for – stewed oxtail and mac and cheese stuffed into a chicken patty stuffed into a coconut bread. Every component was perfect and together it was a dream! Plus roasted romanesco on the side.

Apple Crumb Pie Sour

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Highlights from the week…

I get so much joy from my milk frother; cold foam on a homemade coffee is such a treat.

I couldn’t capture it in the rainy light but this apple I got at J-Mart was delightfully pink.

Trader Joe’s chile and garlic cashews are a satisfying snack.

As are the Perfect Layers bars, though I’ve decided I prefer the originals.

We visited Fern and Aurora – a newish Filipino bakery – and got an assortment of fun treats. Including a solid halo halo and a calamansi meringue that was one of the best desserts of this year.

Fat Witch mint brownie. This is our favorite of their flavors.

10/10 beer line up. Abomination Brewing Ice Cream Sandwiches in Space milkshake-style double IPA (P.S. I also tried their pumpkin milkshake IPA at a bar this week – we went out to do poorly at trivia – and was a fan) / Blue Point Apple Pie Crumb Sour.

Homemade callaloo with spinach, crab, and turkey bacon. Plus leftover teff biscuits and blue cornbread from Hav & Mar (the bread basket was the highlight of that meal!).

Tuna pasta. Whole-wheat spaghetti with roasted zuccini and romanesco, pine nuts, canned yellowfin tuna packed in olive oil, lemon juice and zest, gochugaru, and urfa chile pepper.

Tasting plate dinner – smoked salmon spread / bitchin dip / baby sweet bell peppers / everything corn crackers / Trader Joe’s black bean and cheese taquitos.

Good(le) Eats

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Highlights from a yummy week…

Plain skyr with blueberries and Blue Stripes Cacao peanut butter banana granola.

Such good snacks this week! Apriums.

Strawberry bites cereal. I loved this and Adam hated it.

Whole Foods’ pimento mac and cheese bites. I think they are best with honey and hot sauce.

Caramel core ice cream.

Soursop chocolate bar. I carried this home from Denver and it was worth it.

Rum and coke slushie.

BLT pasta salad. Whole wheat cavatappi / heirloom baby tomatoes / turkey bacon / romaine lettuce / and a sauce with mayo, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.

I bought these Goodles noodles 90% because the box was so pink and 10% because they were whole-wheat, and they ended up being delicious.

Loaded salad. Romaine, tomato, turkey bacon, mozarella, cashews, and Trader Joe’s cilantro dressing.

Beans and rice (kidney beans and brown rice cooked with onion, hot pepper, ginger, and coconut milk) / tuna cakes with Jamaican curry powder and red curry paste / roasted zucchini / hot pepper jelly.

Birthday Cake

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Highlights from an extra-yummy week…

Monday was my birthday! Obviously I had a stash of on-theme treats. Milk Bar ice cream (10/10; it has a frosting ribbon!) / BelliWelli bar (8/10) / Made Good granola bar (9.5/10) / Premier Protein protein shake (4/10).

See also – my birthday gift to myself was ordering some of these delicious cocktail cherries I had in Traverse City, MI.

Other fun treats included huckleberry gummy bears from CO.

Mango-passionfruit fruit leather.

Homemade (mini) blueberry cobbler! I used a New York Times Recipe. Topped with ice cream.

You know my birthday dinner choice was Roast take-out (enjoyed in front of “I Think You Should Leave,” of course!). I got a bbq chicken crunch wrap (sharp cheddar, pepper jack, avocado, crispy tortillas, chicken, and chipotle ranch) and fries with house sauce. Plus homemade spicy sesame green beans (steamed/blistered and sauteed with gojuchang, tahini, and sesame seeds).

This week’s dinners were all wins. Korean steamed eggs with brown rice, sauteed bok choy, roasted zucchini, and chili crisp.

A summer veggie plate. Leftover zucchini / sauteed garlic baby broccoli / Trader Joe’s Sriracha baked tofu / cheesy corn salad – sauteed fresh corn, green onion, poblano pepper, mozarella, gochugaru, Kewpie, and lime juice.

Jumeokbap. I used brown rice and added Sriracha. And made mine giant! With leftover green beans (so good cold!) and cucumber tossed with gojuchang, sugar, and rice vinegar.

Taco Bout It

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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.

Sandwich Week (Take Ten Thousand)

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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.

Potatoes, Eggs, And Coffees

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It was a wonderful weekend! Adam and I had a ton of time together, the weather was gorgeous, and we took some great walks around the Lower East Side and Williamsburg and admired the spring flowers. Also we went on a million and one dates; our fridge is stuffed to the brim with leftovers – a very good problem to have!

Some highlights include…

Iced coffee with ube cold foam.

Dalgona iced latte with strawberry milk and and a dreamy packet of peaflower and edible glitter!

Iced matcha with ginger sparkling water and fresh-squeezed orange juice.

Pazazz apple – a good spring choice, sweet and crispy.

Butterdose. Cream puffs – yuzu, ube coconut, and an Easter special with Cadbury eggs, Oreo, whipped cream frosting, and cream cheese filling.

Levain. This dark chocolate chocolate chip cookie tastes exactly like brownie batter and was the #1 best thing I ate all weekend.

Lindens. This meal was pretty unforgettable; the space was gorgeous and it was hands-down the best service I have ever experienced at a restaurant. We will be going back!

Lavender Daisy – pisco, gin, lavender, concord grape jam, lemon, club soda, and egg white.

Rosemary spiced margarita with mezcal, habanero, grapefruit, and agave.

Parker house rolls with grilled ramp butter. Tempura artichoke, maitake, and broccolini with chili oil and a cilantro yogurt sauce.

Herbed shoestring fries with a truffle aioli. 3rd best thing I ate this weekend and easily the best fries I’ve eaten the past 5 years.

Cheeseburger with grilled onion and cherry pepper relish.

Ocean Code. We had a highball with kyoho grape syrup.

Oden – beef, black fungus, daikon, tofu, and an inari-wrapped mochi ball in a super flavorful broth.

I had the spicy tuna rice bowl.

Okka. Very good cortado and Turkish coffee, plus baklava.

OTB. My favorite bar food in Brooklyn. The fantastic cup on the left was a frozen mojito.

Nuggets and chili cheese fries.

Rule of Thirds. Chiba Surf Club – yuzu sake, lillet, strawberry, sparkling wine, and fresh chives.

Douglas Fir-Banks – sesame shochu, gin, peach, vetiver, lime, umeboshi, and douglas fir. Plus a hojicha iced latte that was the 2nd best thing I ate this weekend.

Souffle pancake.

Japanese omelette sandwich on milk bread with miso mayo and yuzu cucumbers.

Smashed potatoes with mushrooms, hatcho miso, and a poached egg.