Adventures

It’s September! Almost. A few days shy but I figured I’d put up a post of some things to make this weekend, for Labor Day. I’m headed to Hawaii but if I was here, there are some things in this list that I would be making for

1. Espresso Chocolate Chip Cookies – I am ALWAYS on the look out for iterations of chocolate chip cookies. This version is a banger. I love it. Coffee and chocolate are a match made in heaven.

2. Melty Baked Brie with Walnuts, Honey and Figs – Baked brie is so underrated. I think it’s because people are used to seeing it wrapped in puff pastry and drizzled with like honey. They’re used to a trashy version (and for the record, I LOVE that version). This is a classier version of that. It’s melty and gooey. The crunchy walnuts, sweet honey and ripe, juicy figs are glorious.

3. Earl Grey Scones – Having a blog can be weird. I have no idea why this recipe has taken off in the last couple of weeks but it’s brought in SO much traffic. It’s an oldie of a recipe but it’s good. I love these scones. So here ya go.

4. Peach Walnut Cocoa Nibs Snacking Cake – This cake is SO good. It’s a such a sleeper of a recipe. I posted this and no one cared. Lol. That happens sometimes. But I can assure you that it is so delicious. The streusel topping is amazing. And peach and cocoa nibs work surprisingly well together.

5. Miso White Chocolate Chip Cookies – An iteration of chocolate chip cookies with a hint of savory added via Miso. The white chocolate chips are a nice change from the regular dark chocolate chunks I use.

6. Roasted Carrot Potstickers – We can’t just eat sweet things in the month of September. I need veggies. These potstickers are an amazing vehicle for delicious pureed carrots spiked with ginger and sesame oil.

7. Spicy Sambal Oyster Noodles – This isn’t exactly “late-summery” or anything like that. These are what the internet likes to call “evergreen.” Meaning, you can eat them any time you dang well please. They’re spicy and savory and so so good.

8. Payday Lobster Cherry Tomato Pasta – For when that direct deposit hits! This is for that time of the month when you’re feeling sorta spendy and you got some money to spend. I actually love buying a lobster tail and putting it in dishes—it feels so luxurious.

9. Ginger Shrimp Stir-Fry with Garlicky Bok Choy – I can eat a whole bowl of sautéed green onions. This dish has A LOT of green onions added to bok choy the shrimp. It’s a delicious, easy to make dinner.

10. Pumpkin Tahini Loaf – I didn’t want to pull out the fall stuff all early but here it is: the first glimpse of the upcoming season. I’m excited for it!

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My bedroom makeover is done! YAY! It’s taken a lot of time to get it to a place of total comfort. TBH when we first moved in, our bedroom resembled more of a dorm than a cozy, tranquil place. I was procrastinating on pulling the trigger on new furniture and decor—they’re hard choices to make haha.

Before we get into the cozy details, let’s look at some beautiful before photos! Lol. The bedroom furniture was way too dark and the curtains hardly let in light.

The bedroom needed a new fresh coat of paint and some new light fixtures. We also had a desk in there and it was just a place where we would keep folded clothes.

We have a pretty small closet so we definitely needed a big dresser that could hold a lot of our clothes.

I knew that I needed a whole lot of things and that’s where Lulu & Georgia came into the picture. I teamed up with Lulu & Georgia for this makeover and they supplied a good amount of the furniture and fixtures in the house.

I had my eye on this Aliyah Velvet bed (in color Pine) for a long time. I actually first saw it from this post and fell in love with it. I love that the velvet looked lush and soft. I also knew that I wanted the bedroom to feel like a hotel room: nice lighting, comfy linen sheets and just everything being nice and clean.

The first thing we had to do was get rid of the furniture in the room. We gave some away, stored some and gave the room a nice paint job. We painted the ceiling, too, which really brightened up the room. I picked Benjamin Moore “Paris Rain” for the walls and “Ivory Tusk” for the trim.

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YOWZA it’s August. July felt long, if I’m being super honest. It was slow and treacherous. August already feels fast. We have so much work to do this month and then we’re off to a little vacation (hopefully) at the very beginning of September.

But, I’m also still in a strong summer mood.

Hatch Chile Summer Squash Queso Fundido – August is the month of the hatch chile! I love this queso fundido version because it uses up a ton of zucchini and summer squash. I love to cook it down and then layer it with cheese. SO good.

VERY Good Blueberry Muffins – Look, it’s still summer which means blueberries are still thriving. Let’s take full advantage and make some blueberry muffins.

Strawberries and Cream Cake – This is my favorite cake that I’ve made recently. Because it’s just SO simple and delicious. It’s fresh tasting and bright. I love it.

Alfajores, Peruvian Style – I’m currently workshopping a new type of alfajore recipe but it’s of course based off of this classic. The cookies taste like a whisper, so amazing. And the center of course is filled with manjar blanco.

Late-Summer Veggie “Bolognese” with Cauliflower Gnocchi – I love bolognese made from pure vegetables. It’s so delicious and hearty but light all at the same time. This is spooned over a bed of cauliflower gnocchi. Have you seen this meme? It’s true. Lol.

Pollo a La Brasa Chicken Thighs – I have been a grilling woman this summer! These pollo a la brasa chicken thighs are my absolute favorite. They are SO delicious and tasty.

Zucchini Chocolate Cake – I know we’re all looking for recipes to use up all the zucchini that everyone has at this time of year. This chocolate cake gets so much of its moisture and texture from zucchini. It’s delightful and incredibly easy!

Blueberry Lime Poppy Seed Cake with Créme Fraîche Glaze – I love a good pound cake. I love the simplicity behind them and I love the texture: sort of dense cake that is perfectly sweet. This one has a good amount of lime zest and poppy seeds and blueberries. And the glaze on top is nice and tart, too.

Grilled Veggie Sandwiches with Chipolte Hummus – I love a good grilled veggie sandwich. So light and summery. But with bread…my favorite. This one has a nice kick to it too, thanks to the chipotle hummus.

Late-Summer Peach Galette with Baklava-Like Filing – I love baklava like the next person. This galette has a bit of that type of filling at the base of it and then it’s topped with slices of ripe yellow peaches. YUM.

Admittedly I missed the whole 10 cozy things to make in June because my life was insane around the end of the month last month and I completely forgot. BUT I’m bizzack with a lil’ round-up of dishes and desserts you should def make in the month of July.

Are you doing anything for the 4th? I’m always confused as to how to celebrate this holiday when it lands smack dab in the middle of the week. And like most freelancers, I’m just working, trying to get everything in order for my life/work.

I am going to a bbq on Friday and still figuring out what to bring. One of these is bound to end up on my to-make list!

Lemon Berry Meringue Trifle – I made every component in this trifle from scrigedy scratch. Do I recommend this? Absolutely not. Just buy the dang pound cake from the store and cube it up and layer it with the curd and whipped cream. And add those fresh berries from the farmer’s market. It’s a dreamy dessert.

Blistered Tomato Shrimp Scampi – Sungold and cherry tomatoes blistered and then tossed into a classic shrimp scampi, inspired by the greatest place on earth: Olive Garden. I made garlic bread, too, that maybe I left in the oven for a bit too long and it got kinda toasty. But it tasted VERY good.

Sabiches – These sandwiches are my jam. I actually like to make it deconstructed for a super healthy option. I like to eat all of the components on a plate—it is literally one of my favorite summer lunches.

Tomato Confit with Burrata and Basil – If you’ve ever wanted to face bunt a bowl of burrata, then this appetizer is for you! Tomatoes slowly roast in olive oil. And then it’s spooned over pesto and burrata. It’s like a beautiful pillow of comfort and acidity and freshness. Summer at its best.

Aperol Spritzes, Every Which Way – There was this New York Times article that came out about how Aperol Spritzes suck and it really shook me to my core because there where else are we supposed to get happiness from?! The world is trash and this brings people happiness—let us live! They’re delightful. I also love straying away from the traditional spritz and shaking it up a bit. Hello!

Grilled Summer Squash Gyros with Herbed Tzatziki – I love my grill (you probably know this by now) and these are ideal for grilled squash. Throw it in the center of a soft pita with lots of herbed tzatziki. It’s glorious and vegetarian.

Aguas Frescas – Hello, if it’s hot this is something you have to make. It’s an absolute must. It couldn’t be more simple and more delicious. I’ve already made exactly five batches of watermelon aqua fresca and this years watermelon is so easy that it requires ZERO sugar. ZERO. So sweet and tasty.

Peach Maple Yogurt Cake – This cake is so pretty. But it’s also V delicious. It’s inspired by summer in Vermont. The cake is yogurt based, giving it this lovely tang. And the sweetness is from maple syrup. Those two go very well with each other. And then peaches!

The Ultimate B.L.T. – Simple things need to be done correctly. This applies to the very simple B.L.T. Every component needs to be bangin’. This means delicious, juicy tomatoes, crisp lettuce and thick-cut bacon. And perfect white bread. It’s simple.

Breakfast Tacos – Is there anything better than a breakfast burrito? Absolutely not. These breakfast tacos take a swift move from the breakfast burrito and apply it to tacos. They have a hash at the base that is SO delicious.

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I was going to write a whole blog post about how I spring clean in the kitchen but the truth of the matter is that I destroy this kitchen nearly every single day. So really, I clean daily. Constantly. It really doesn’t stop.

What’s unfortunate for me is that I also hate messes. HATE. I blame this on growing up with a very organized and clean mother. Our house was always immaculately clean because of her. And I took after her (though I’m not nearly as good at it). In order for me to think and be creative, I have to begin with a clean slate every single day.

This means that I clean the kitchen up and down at the end of the day. It gives me peace! For this post, I teamed up with Home Made Simple, which is a plant-based naturally-inspired line of cleaning products.

These cleaning products have zero phosphates, parabens, gluten and dyes, meaning that these products are not only effective but super safe for all of us, including Amelia. I always worry about what I’m cleaning the floor with since she’s always lying in a corner somewhere taking a nap.

I also need cleaning products to work! These absolutely get everything super clean.

Here’s how I clean at the end of the day.

Actually before we dive into “clean kitchen shots,” here are some shots of my kitchen mid-destruction.

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