This whole blog post is going to be me attempting to convey my enthusiasm for this macaroni and cheese. I have wanted to make lobster macaroni and cheese for what feels like forever. But I’ve always hesitated. I’ve always doubted myself!
Does cheese and lobster actually go together?
Will it be good?
Is the price-point going to scare me and all of you away?
The first answer is YES. I don’t typically cook any sort of seafood with cheese but in this context it absolutely works. Will it be good? Umm…yes, it’s glorious. Will the price-point be scary? Not this time!
For this post, I teamed up with ALDI, where I went to get these VERY affordable and delicious wild-caught Maine lobster tails. FYI lobster tails are available in stores starting tomorrow (12/12)!! They also have lots of other holiday goodies at super affordable prices. Like this delicious 4 Year Aged Cheddar that gave this macaroni and cheese a nice, sharp flavor. I also picked up a wine advent calendar and it’s the cutest thing I’ve ever seen. I love it.
I have recently (re)discovered the pleasure of wearing a robe around the house. I have this one, in case you’re curious, and it feels like luxury! I have no idea what I’ve been doing wearing PJs when I could’ve been wearing an incredibly soft robe.
I’m currently parking on the couch (in my robe), editing a huge bundle of photos, trying to get all of my work done for the rest of the year. I’m THISCLOSE and am so excited. I can’t wait. When I’m done I’m going to do fun-to-me things like go on epic hikes with Amelia before I leave for the holidays. This is going to be the first time I’ll be away from her and I’m already SAD!
I think a lot about Christmas breakfast and how epic I always want it to be. I always love a braided situation. I usually use store-bought puff pastry but I love this bread-y version because oh so delicious.
This has hands-down been the most-made recipe out of the entire book. These snickerdoodles are delicious. They’re chewy, perfectly spiced with a combination of black pepper, cardamom, ginger and cinnamon. I love giving these away because they have a bit of staying power. They taste delicious even if they’re not straight from the oven.
The chewiness is heavenly. I attribute the cream cheese to their good texture. It’s truly magical in these.
I’m going to be honest and tell you that I don’t drink a ton of dairy milk but man, with these cookies, a glass of milk is SO GOOD.
Before I get all sad about 2018 coming to a close, I want to celebrate beautiful December. Yesterday I got my tree and decorated it with my mama and as I was doing so, I was like DANG I LOVE CHRISTMAS. It really is the best time of year. Hectic, yes, but oh so beautiful.
Corgi Masala-Chai Cookies – Let’s be honest: sugar cookies with royal icing aren’t the most tasty cookies. They’re kinda for just looks. These cookies ACTUALLY taste good. There’s a nice dose of honey. The spices are delightful and it’s shaped like Amelia.
Bourbon Pecan Dark Chocolate Cookies – Is there anything better than chocolate chip cookies spiked with bourbon and laced with chopped up pecans? No. Absolutely not.
Instant Pot Tortilla Soup – This soup can also be made in a regular pot. It is so easy and so warming and kinda light, to be honest. I made it on IG stories last week and I’ve already had people making a vegetarian version. People’s go-tos were black beans and some corn–it looks super good!
Chocolate + Orange Morning Rolls – Warm soft cinnamon rolls are what my heart wants every single morning, especially on Christmas morning.
Creamy Vegan Macaroni and Cheese – Macaroni and cheese but vegan. It’s actually creamy and tastes A LOT like real cheese. I put kale in it so it’s healthy lol.
Earl Grey Tiramisu – I love any iteration of tiramisu. This particular one is made with earl grey tea and SO GOOD.
Pie de Limón Bars – These cookie bars are inspired by the Peruvian dessert, Pie de Limón. But they’re in bar version which makes them a thousand times more snack-able.
Horchata Cake – I love horchata. This cake tastes exactly like horchata. Skip the prep of making horchata and buy it at the store or at your local Mexican restaurant. That’s what I did and it was worth it!
Hot Buttered Baba Au Rhum – These are a mini version of an already delicious thing. If you’ve never had baba au rhum, then you’re in for a reeeeaaalll treat.
Chocolate Caraway Buns – Chocolate and caraway sounds a little weird together but it’s not AT ALL. The two works gloriously together in these buns.
Brown Butter Orange Madeleines – Brown butter and orange is a wonderful flavor profile. I like it in savory contexts as well as sweet. It’s a nice brightness with the burnt nutty flavor from the butter. Highly recommend these fluffy ones.
Whenever it gets cold and blustering outside, the number one thing that I always crave is a big bowl of warm pasta. It’s like a hug in a bowl. This one is particularly special because it’s made in one-pot (seriously, no needing to boil water!), using my favorite All-Clad pot that I got from Macy’s.
For this post, I teamed up with Macy’s Wedding Registry to show you a few of my favorite products. This All-Clad pot is so dreamy; it fits everything from arroz con pollo to my favorite big batch pasta. It’s also pretty enough to go from stove to table, which is always a plus.
I love tortilla soup. I am embarrassed to admit that my intro to tortilla soup wasn’t the most authentic experience. It was quite the opposite. It was when I worked at Alexander’s/Houstons and would steal little bowls of it and eat it in the back while I sat on boxes of napkins. I wasn’t the best employee, if I’m being totally honest, but I was about to graduate high school and felt like my whole world was going to change so I had a super “whatever” attitude.
When I went to make this, I wasn’t going after a super traditional version, though I did want to know the history. I found this article in the LA Times that speaks a bit about the history of tortilla soup. It’s super interesting a worth a read.
’Tis the season! I feel like the day after Thanksgiving my neighborhood goes into Holiday high gear. Literally every single house in my neighborhood is already decked out with holiday decorations, trees, Santas on the roof. I’m over here trying to recover from Thanksgiving lol.
Today is as good as any day to get the party started! I’m starting easy, grooving into the holiday season with breakfast. For this post, I teamed up with JUST and their new product JUST Egg. I used it over the summer, remember? It’s a product that truly blows my mind because it’s made from mung beans and yet it tastes just like eggs (texture and flavor). It’s wild!
I’m not trying to brag but I have been invited to two holiday parties already and we haven’t even entered the month of December. This is going to be a very fun season for me! I’m excited.
My neighborhood is very into the holiday spirit; each and every single house on the block already has lights up. In order to fit in with the Jones’, we spent the weekend trying to get our lives together, i.e., getting rid of the squirrel-eaten pumpkins.
In preparation for this season, I wanted to put a mini guide together about Building a Winter Cheese Board!
For this post, I teamed up with Roth Cheese. Their cheeses are so amazing and made in Wisconsin using fresh, local milk from dairy farmers right down the road. The flavors are delicious and rich. While I think they’re wonderful on a cheese board, I also think they’re perfect for grilled cheeses, too; their meltability is on point! They’d also work in a gratin or melted over vegetables.
Here are some pointers on creating a winter cheese board:
Pick Your Cheeses – I went with Grand Cru Havarti, Grand Cru Gouda, and Grand Cru Alpine-Style. I cubed up the Havarti and Gouda for easy consumption. I decided to leave the Alpine-Style in its wedge mainly for aesthetic reasons lol. The Havarti is mild and buttery. The Gouda creamy with a hint of sweetness. The Alpine-Style is nutty. I like for all of the cheeses to complement each other, while all being different to offer some contrast.
Before I head up north to spend Thanksgiving with Josh’s family, I have some aggressive plans to relax:
1.I’m visiting my friend Nicole’s new bakery if you live in LA, GOO!!!)
2.I’m getting a facial, which I haven’t done in like a year or so.
3.I also have a laundry list of things to do like make cranberry sauce, edit photos, and pack up Amelia’s bones so she lets us eat Thanksgiving dinner in peace!
Do you ever do a menial task and then write it on your to-do list only so you can then immediately cross it off? It’s one of my favorite things to do, tbh. If you haven’t done it, try it, it makes you believe you’re more productive than you are! T
For the past few years, Josh and try and take one vacation a year. We spend a lot of time dreaming about where we’re gonna go to next. 2019 is Paris (hopefully!) neither of us have been, so we can’t wait!
Every year we try and make sure we have enough points so our flights or hotel are covered. This makes the expense of the vacation itself a whole lot more manageable.
That’s why I’m super excited to be teaming up with American Express and their new Gold Card to share with you how to earn points for doing the things you love!
