I posted this a million years ago, but they are SO good that I wanted to post them again. Lalo cookies from Gwyneth Paltrow. Everything about them I love — a bowl mix recipe, wholesome ingredients, delicious for breakfast / dessert / snack. They are so good that you cannot just eat one.
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This past weekend, we were in the city with no plans on Saturday night. Although I love nothing more than a night in, we decided to go on a field trip to Long Island City, where I had not been in years. And HOLY COW — it is SOOOOOOOOOOO different and a city in itself (hence the name). It was super easy to get to in the car (just over the 59th street bridge) and fun to explore a new part of our backyard. I can’t wait to go back there and eat at different restaurants, see the sights, and experience a different part of our eclectic city.
Trip over the bridge with the iconic sign “Silver Cup”
(Oops I did it again — a week off from writing. It has been so nonstop busy with more airplane rides than one can count, so I just stopped writing. But here I am, BACK AGAIN!)…..One of my favorite things to do in summers in Oregon is to pick local fruit and to bake. This past week, the fruit of the week was PEACH! So we headed to pick peaches — it is currently the start of the season, but nonetheless, we had two different varieties to pick from, and they were both oh so delicious.
We ate so many peaches while picking them — how could you not? First, it was to try to figure out the ripeness based on how they felt, and then, they were too good not to eat them.
I made this recipe, Caesar Bean Dish, from Smitten Kitchen (my favorite cookbook ever) recently and it is TO DIE FOR. I highly highly recommend it — even if you don’t love beans, you will love this dish. It is so good, that even though I just finished eating it, I want to make it again because it is that good.
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Ingredients
Over the weekend, we wanted to eat a delicious sandwich (any kind of sandwich, just delicious), so I did some research (thank you google) and came across the BEST FRIED CHICKEN SANDWICH in New York City. It was absolutely incredible and warranted this title. So if you are in NYC, crave a fried chicken sandwich, then I *HIGHLY* recommend traveling to the Upper West Side and going to Chick Chick.
Chick Chick opened a year ago by chef Jun Park, who wanted to create a restaurant with his two most favorite foods: fried chicken and ramen.
Due to the many holidays last week (Passover and Good Friday), we had two days off from school. That meant, a lot of exploring in the city to occupy us. One adventure that the kids ALWAYS like is finding a new ramen restaurant. So after some research, we headed down to the East Village, to Ivan Ramen. There are many locations in Tokyo, but this one is the only one in NYC (and has been here since 2013). It was delicious, fast, easy, inexpensive, and fun to try. We will definitely go back again.
We sat outside in our own little courtyard which was perfect because it was Spring-ish, and nice to be in the fresh air.
The cookbook I use the most so far in 2023 has been “Smitten Kitchen” and the two recipes I cook on a weekly basis are the broccoli rabe with burrata and the charred salt and vinegar cabbage. I COULD EAT BUCKETS OF CABBAGE because this recipe is to die for. This is absolutely amazing and I highly suggest making it (even if it sounds weird) — I promise you will love it.
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I posted this breakfast hack several years ago, but it is so good that I think it is important I tell you AGAIN just in case you missed it the first time. TWO ingredient pancakes. They are beyond easy and so delicious that everyone in the family will like. The two ingredients: banana and egg. Et voila, 2 ingredient pancakes.
You take 1 banana and 2 eggs (or 1/2 banana and 1 egg) and smash it together. yes, if you use a blender, it is smoother and nicer (but that also means more of a mess to clean up). So I am A OK with clumps, and just smash it and mix together in one bowl.
A new bakery in NYC has arrived and it is absolutely DELICIOUS. Thanks to a dear friend of Ken’s from boarding school, Newmie, she always sends me lists of everything new and cool that she loves in the city. And last week, she wrote to me that this new bakery, Michaeli Bakery, had opened up. Sure enough, after research, she was right — it was straight up my alley. It is an Israeli bakery, started by the first baker that was brought to NYC to open Breads Bakery. It specailizes in Jewish baked goods — ie burekas, rugalach, babka, challah, and more. It also has TWO locations — one on the UES (401 East 90th Street) and one on the LES (115A Division Street).
I decided to try four different cookies — and HOLY SMOKES they are amazing. Better than Levain, better than crumbl, they are truly the perfect size, density, sweetness and flavor.
My absolute favorite restaurant in the United States is now in NYC! Gjelina is an LA based restaurant and by far the best dining experience I have ever encountered — scrumptious food, great service, easy and laid back vibe — all perfection. When I read that it opened up in NYC for breakfast and lunch two weeks ago, I knew that I needed to go. And sure enough, I went not once but twice this past weekend. It is SOOOOOO good. Everything. The date cake is my absolute favorite, and not yet on the NY menu, but I still love it regardless.
Photo taken by the NYTimes. It is a two story restaurant, with a waiting room in the front, as no reservations are accepted.
I came across the cookbook Smitten Kitchen Keepers over the holidays, and since then, I have made dozens of recipes. It is HANDS DOWN my favorite cookbook. Everything I have made has been absolutely delicious (and there have been many repeats) and literally everything in the cookbook, I want to try and eat. So if you want to be inspired in the kitchen, get this cookbook! I AM IN LOVE.
I love absolutely everything about this cookbook — the recipes (most importantly), the photos, the writing, all great.
In the past month, we have been going to Brooklyn for brunch. There is something and fun and different to get in our car, drive to a different borough, and eat where we are not going to know a single person. Recently, we ended up at Sunday in Brooklyn, on a SUNDAY in BROOKLYN (very meta). It was after I researched where “the best pancakes are served in NYC,” and this was at the top of every list I came across.
It takes reservations, but on the Sunday we went, there were not any available spots, so we walked in, and put our name on the waitlist and walked around Domino Park — which had beautiful views of Manhattan. Windy and cold, but still beautiful and picturesque.
Currently, Crumbl cookies are all the rage as the store just opened up in Manhattan on the Upper East Side. It is another jumbo-sized cookie (each one is four servings) with 500 franchised stores around the country. There is a ton of hype around the cookies, but I have to admit, they are so delicious. And worth it.
Box of deliciousness.
I love the food website, The Infatuation, that writes about all the new restaurants,bars, cafes, bakeries, in any and every city. Most of all, I love their random guides such as “Best pizza in NYC’ or “Best donuts in NYC“. And of course, not only do I love reading the articles slash lists, but I love trying all their random recommendations. For best donut in NYC, I decided to try something new and different, Mochinut Donuts. Mochinut is a chain with locations all over South Korean, Thailand, and most states in the United States (literally everywhere!). What makes these donuts unique is that they are made with rice flour.
Two locations in Manhattan — I went to the one on 38th and 6th. Super friendly, clean, and easy.
Zucchini bread and pumpkin bread symbolize FALL like no other. Since I posted about my favorite pumpkin bread a couple years ago, I thought I should investigate zucchini breads. I fell upon this NYTimes Vegan recipe, and since my husband is not currently eating dairy, I thought it was a great one to try. And I love the outcome — so definitely recommend!
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Through a friend, I was introduced to Good Eats, a program that feeds elementary school children, every weekend. Sadly, all over our country, there are children that eat all their meals at school through government subsidized programs. As a result, over the weekend when they are not in school, they do not eat. Good Eats comes in to schools where there is a need and gives students a package of food to put in their backpacks for the weekend. Often times these kids do not have can openers or fridges that work — so the food has to be nonperishable and have a shelf life. Yes, the goal is to change the world through KALE (don’t get me wrong, I LOVE KALE), but the reality, is that the food needs to be accessible and easy for the kids to eat. Basic hunger.
A distributor that is partnered with Good Eats, delivers the food to the school once a month. We were supposed to meet him at 830. He did not show up until past noon…..but grateful even more so.
I LOVE SHAVED ICE — not the snow cone with sugar syrup, but the Asian Shaved Ice with condensed milk and so much flavor and taste. It is my favorite thing in the world — so much that when I was in Undergrad, I would drive with all my friends to a place in LA and get Taiwanese Shaved Ice in the middle of the night — I have so many fond memories of that place (wish I could remember the name!) and all the times I had shaved ice with tapioca balls, red beans, mango and shaved ice with condensed milk. So, fast forward to this summer, when I was in Seattle with my family, we went to an incredible Shaved Ice place, Snowy Village (go if you are in Seattle!) and I fell head over in heels. I tasted my college experience!
Seattle shaved ice — Snowy Village. SO good and tasty, loved every single bite.
I am constantly hungry and simultaneously, always on the lookout for the best snacks — yes, I can always grab fresh veggies and fruit, but sometimes I want something sweet — just a nibble. So when I came across Date Better Snacks, I knew it was the perfect snack for me. And sure enough — they are SO good, SO delicious, and just the amount of sweet.
Date Better Snacks are actually what they sound like — dates! Medjools dates are full of fiber, potassium, B-family vitamins, magnesium and calcium! And are the perfect texture.
If you happen to be in NYC and want an adventure, I highly recommend going to Mister Dips, an all-American restaurant that serves (supposedly great hamburgers) and ridiculous soft serve ice cream downtown on South Street Seaport.
We decided to make it an adventure — so we took the East River Ferry that loads at 34th Street (and the East River) and then got off at Wall Street. It was an extremely hot and humid day in the city, so the 15 minutes on the boat felt marvelous. Highly recommend doing just the boat trip!
I am a granola snob and nothing makes me happier than eating delicious and great granola. I have yet to find a homemade granola recipe I love — until now. And now I am obsessed. This granola is not overly sweet, delicious and has the perfect mixture of nutty, sweet, and grains. The beauty of it is that you can add whatever you want to customize it to how you love granola!
Ingredients:
Ingredients
The friend who told me about Dave’s Hot Chicken, also told me about Killer Burger. A very different type of cuisine than I normally eat, but a huge hit for everyone in the family (including myself). Currently, Killer Burger is a Pacific Northwest Chain, but hopefully in the near future, it will become more mainstream and located nationally. If you happen to be in the PNW, you must try Killer Burger — home of the PEANUT BUTTER PICKLE BACON BURGER. Yes, PEANUT BUTTER PICKLE BACON. And I have to tell you — it is SO good. So good.
Killer Burger with the family.
Apparently I am on a dessert kick because all my recent posts have been about dessert — apologies — but this one NEEDS to be shared (again). I posted this recipe seven years ago (yes, I have been doing this blog for a looooong time) and it is so good that I need to remind you about it. Ice Cream Cake made with Ice Cream Sandwiches! I learned this genius recipe hack from my sister-from-another-mister.
Finished product! Look how gorgeous — and they are even more delicious.
I love most desserts (yes, I know, sugar isn’t good for you, but I love it), but especially baklava. It is one of my absolute favorites (along with red velvet cake, key lime pie, blueberry crisps….so many), and yet I have never made it myself. So during a heat wave in Oregon, I decided IF NOT NOW, THEN WHEN, and made my first homemade baklava, and let me tell you, it is delicious and I plan to make it again! It is that good!
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One of my favorite activities in the Pacific Northwest is to go fruit picking in the summer. Raspberries, strawberries, cherries, blueberries and peaches. Yesterday, I went blueberry picking (the season is almost over) and within an hour we had over 7 pounds of fresh, delicious, beautiful, organic and inexpensive berries ($19 for 7 pounds).
I love this one blueberry picking spot — right near one of my favorite hikes — but there are so many different places you can go and get the berries.
Who knew that there was such thing as Almond Butter Almonds or Cashew Butter Cashews, but they exist. And they are amazing — and you need to know about them. They are the perfect blend of sweet and filling, and count as a protein snack or a dessert. I love them both so much that before my European vacation, I had to go to Trader Joe’s to load up on them. They are perfect to have in a bag when you just need something to hate (which is always for me).
Sweet, salty, crunchy, and the best coated smooth cashew butter ever.
