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I love having a few go-to desserts, you know the ones that your friends always ask you to make, the ones that you know like the back of your hand and can whip up to have people over or bring to a bbq. This cornmeal and honey cake with blueberry compote has that kind of potential.
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Get ready to WOW your guests! This churro ice cream was such a HIT this past weekend. It starts with a traditional custard infused with cinnamon and ends with store bought churros served warm right on top. It is chef’s kiss!
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This past weekend, we hosted a small cinco de mayo-inspired dinner party. The meal came together so beautifully and I really loved the details in the tablescape! It was simple, but felt elevated and not cheesy.
One of my favorite details were the tomatillos on each setting! I found these Hearth & Hand plates (dinner size, salad size) from Target and paired with some napkins from the H&H collection last year. I loved the way the blue combined with the terracotta hue dishes. Here is a similar option from this season’s collection and another, as well as sets from Williams Sonoma and Anthropologie I love.
And for the menu!
Appetizer: Blue chips with pineapple salsa, restaurant-style salsa, and a dressed up store bought guacamole
Mains:
Marinated seared flank steak and lime cilantro shrimp tacos with various toppings
Black bean salad and a salad with sliced tomatoes, avocado, pickled onions, salt and olive oil
Arroz con verde
Dessert: homemade churro ice cream topped with freshly baked churros
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Whenever we’re hosting friends or family, I am always super focused on the side dishes. I think it’s what makes the meal really interesting, both visually and flavor-wise, and to be honest, surround me with 5 different salads and I’m a happy camper.
So I’m sharing this with you, but it’s definitely a non-recipe recipe. Measure with your heart, flavor it to your liking! It’s a really lovely salad and makes the table so colorful!
I grilled the corn inside over medium heat and then just sliced the charred kernels off. Added two cans of black beans, a bunch of quartered grape tomatoes, red onion, pickled red onion, cojita, cilantro, lime juice, elote seasoning and scallions, with a dash of red wine vinegar and olive oil and lots of salt. Avocado would be another great addition!
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Store bought is always fine! But sometimes, we can make it a little better. Guacamole is definitely one of those, especially when you can’t get your hands on enough ripe avocados to make it all from scratch yourself.
Jump to Recipe
First, you’ll start with your store bought base; then you’ll mash up some just ripe avocados (also fully ripe, totally fine). To that, you add salt, chopped tomatoes, red onion, cilantro (if you like it, if you don’t just skip it), and lime juice. Stir it all together and then add that to your store bought guac. Mix it all together!
And then we dress it up! I added some chopped onion, pickled onion, cilantro, charred corn and cojita to the top. It was SUCH a hit!
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Jump to RecipeOf all the things I put together for our little cinco de mayo dinner party this weekend, the pan con tomate was one of the favorites! For good reason – the bread is perfectly crunchy without hurting your mouth, the tomatoes are bringing in tomato season, and salty, savory, the olive oil is velvety. Highly recommend. We may or may not have had these two days in a row!
It’s pretty simple to make. I recommend making the tomato mixture ahead and letting it hang out in the fridge for a few hours. Bring it to room temp before serving. You can also make it and enjoy right away, but those flavors really do develop after a bit of time.
I always laugh when Ina says “use the good olive oil!” – like, why are we contemplating anything other than good olive oil? But truly in a simple dish like this, a good quality olive oil is important. I’m a big fan of Graza Drizzle finishing oil – the price is solid and the quality is really wonderful – very flavorful. I get mine at Whole Foods!
We love kicking off the weekend on Friday mornings with a little treat. I’ve been making these chocolate espresso muffins on repeat. Let me know how you like them!
Jump to Recipe
A little salty, a little sweet, a lot of flavor.
There’s something about this dish that just feels right for a cozy dinner. It’s casual enough for a weeknight but flavorful and elegant enough to serve when you’re hosting. The pan sauce is rich and silky with miso, orange juice, and just the right amount of ginger to make it feel warm and alive.
Welcome to the first in this year’s Mother’s Day Gift Guide series! As Mother’s Day approaches, finding the perfect gift for the moms in your life can be a daunting task. But fear not! If your mom loves to bake and whip up delicious treats in the kitchen, I’ve got you covered with this curated gift guide featuring some of my favorite baking essentials sure to make any baking enthusiast mom’s day extra special.
As a fellow baking enthusiast and mom, I understand the joy and fulfillment that comes from creating delicious treats for loved ones. Baking is not just about making food; it’s about creating memories, fostering connections, and spreading joy. That’s why I’ve put together this gift guide, filled with items that I personally love and would be thrilled to receive as a gift.
This Mother’s Day, show your appreciation for the baking enthusiast mom in your life with one of these thoughtful gifts. Whether she’s whipping up cookies, cakes, or pastries, these essentials are sure to elevate her baking game and bring joy to her kitchen. Here’s to celebrating the love, memories, and delicious treats that make Mother’s Day extra sweet!
Do you ever find yourself struggling to navigate the snack selection in your pantry? Do your kids constantly ask for snacks? Same, friend, same. This is why I decided to create an after-school snack cart for my two toddler girls! I scooped up a cart, some bins, and let me tell you, it’s been a game-changer for our family.
The idea for the snack cart came from wanting to give my girls a sense of independence when it comes to choosing their snacks. I wanted them to have easy access to a variety of options while also freeing up cabinet space in our kitchen. With the snack cart, everything is neatly organized and visible, making it easier for the girls to make their selections without any of us having to dig through cabinets.
When selecting snacks for the cart, I focused on items with lower sugar content, aiming for 6 grams or less per serving. This meant prioritizing fruit, such as apple sauce pouches, clementines, and peach fruit cups, as well as healthier alternatives like Teddy Grahams, snack bags of peanut butter-filled pretzels, and Annie’s Homegrown chewy granola bars. I also keep additional fruit, low-fat string cheese, and yogurts in the fridge for added variety.
This week, we stocked up with apple sauce pouches, strawberry apple sauce pouches, clementines, Sun-Maid yogurt covered raisins, mini yogurt raisins (we love them for church and the car) peach cups, Heavenly Hunks, peanut butter filled pretzels, granola bites, Teddy Grahams and Annie’s Homegrown chewy granola bars.
This will last us 2-3 weeks!
To encourage healthy choices, we established some guidelines for the snack cart. Fruit is mostly unlimited, while the other snacks are more controlled, with the girls allowed to choose one per day. This helps them learn about moderation while still enjoying a variety of treats.
One of the best parts of the snack cart is involving the girls in the selection process. We go shopping together, and I allow them to pick from a selection of pre-approved options. They love trying new things and are always excited to see what’s in the cart each week. It’s also a great opportunity for them to practice decision-making and explore different flavors and textures.
The snack cart has had numerous benefits for our family. Not only does it give the girls a sense of independence and responsibility, but it also helps my husband and me focus on other tasks, knowing that the girls can easily grab a snack when they’re hungry. It’s especially helpful for us as we work from home, allowing us to stay productive without constant interruptions.
Overall, creating an after-school snack cart has been a game-changer for our family. Not only does it promote independence and healthy choices, but it also streamlines our snack routine and reduces stress for everyone involved. If you’re looking for a simple yet effective way to improve your snack game, I highly recommend giving it a try!
