Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 339

Currently Crushing On.

Hello weekend! We have a busy and fun one. Max has been learning to ice skate and we have Emilia’s baptism. I also want to make a bunch of heart sugar cookies for Valentine’s Day. And we are finishing up some reeeeally exciting things for The Pretty Dish!

What are you guys up to? I hope you have a fabulous day. xo

P.S. last week on the blog, I shared my January favorites as well as what we are loving now that Max is 3!

FAVES

how to cook the perfect filet. i want that.

red velvet heart surprise cupcakes. SO cute.

it’s a cheeseburger tater tot casserole. yes i said it.

dying over this potato soup with crunchy kale.

old fashioned conversational truffles. OMG!

7 minute frosting! the best.

omg. this week: cheesy baked gnocchi bolognese. holy.

the cutest lofthouse style sugar cookies!

lobster linguine. i won’t say no.

delicious lemon blueberry quinoa pancakes. brunch forever.

 

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A Big Amaretto Brownie Heart.

I will be your valentine forever if boozy brownies are involved.

Amaretto brownies to be exact. Or one very large heart full of amaretto brownies because that sounds like the best gift ever. And I do things on the internet where life is lived in excess. So many hearts!

First. I am OBSESSED with the Le Creuset heart dutch ovens! Much like my obsession with the Staub Pumpkins in the fall, these are just too cute to pass up. I basically use them as décor in the kitchen once Christmas decorations come down. If I could decorate my entire house in hearts? I would.

They are also tiny. This one is just over one quart so it’s easy to store but also nice when making something for one or two people! When I bought it, they had this rose color and another mauve color or something of the sort. I sort of wish I had gone with the mauve-y more purpleish one. The red is cute too!

It’s not the first time I have shaped my food like heart. In fact, I think a heart shaped pizza followed by a heart shaped brownie sounds like a balanced meal.

Because seriously? These brownies take my love for amaretto and almond flavored things OVER THE TOP.

I mean, I like almonds. But cake that tastes like almonds? Amaretto sours? I’m all over that! Any dessert that has a touch of almond is the dessert for me.

I based my recipe on this one from king Arthur flour because I wasn’t too sure about developing something specifically for one small one quart heart shaped dish that only a handful of people have.

You know? STRESS.

This full recipe can fit in a 9×13-inch pan, so I made it work in the heart dish and then made a second in an 8×8-inch square pan. It was perfect!

I love these because they are CHEWY brownies. Chewy and fudgy and all around rich which is exactly what I want out of a brownie. Seriously, why would anyone ever want a brownie that is cake-like? Wouldn’t you just eat… cake? Makes noooo sense to me at all.

When made in the little heart dish, it’s the perfect treat for two or four. Or uhh…. one?

Serve it warm, top it with ice cream, some honey roasted sliced almonds (Trader Joe’s has the BEST!) and festive sprinkles because… well… sprinkles. Sprinkles forever!

Really. If I was left to my own devices I would basically live in a gingerbread house.

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Amaretto Brownies

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter, cut into pieces
6 ounces semi-sweet chocolate, chopped
2 cups sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons amaretto liqueur
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon instant espresso powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
vanilla ice cream, for serving
toasted almonds, for serving



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Lightly spray your pan with baking spray or nonstick spray.

In a large bowl, melt the butter and the chopped chocolate. I did this in the microwave in 30 second increments, stirring after each time until melted.

Once melted, whisk the sugar into the brownies. Let the mixture cool for 5 minutes. Whisk in the eggs one at a time. Whisk in the amaretto and vanilla and almond extract. Stir in the flour, espresso powder and salt. Mix until the batter comes together. Pour the batter in a 9×13-inch pan. I used the 1 quart heart dish, as well as an 8×8 inch square dish.

Bake the brownies for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the center is just set. Remove the brownies and let cool slightly. If you make them in a skillet or want to serve them right in the dish, serve within 10 to 15 minutes and top with ice cream, sprinkles, toasted almonds and melted chocolate,

slightly adapted from king arthur flour

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Too cahyute!

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Cabernet Latte. Yes, a Wine Latte!

Wait a minute!

Yes, I am doing this. Chocolate, coffee and wine. It’s like the dream trio. A red wine latte.

A WINE LATTE!

And it’s in a warm and comforting mug of love.

I don’t know about you but this is EXACTLY how I want my Valentine’s Day to look.

And.

This is really a cabernet CHOCOLATE latte. We’re doing it.

Originally I was going to make plain red wine lattes but the combo of a wine taste plus coffee only seemed very off-putting. You know? Like maybe it would taste like one giant hangover.

With the thought of chocolate though? Chocolate and wine? Chocolate and coffee?

It brought everything together perfectly. The flavor is incredible here and I can’t get enough.

First up.

This starts with red wine syrup! Grab a red wine you reeeeeally like and use a bit of it to make this syrup. It doesn’t have to be a Cab. It can be a Pinot Noir, which is my red of choice. But this is the internet in 2018 and cabernet latte sounds a lot better than pinot noir latte and since I write a blog on said internet and it seems like my livelihood depends on it… cabernet latte it is.

Other things that this syrup can be used for? Ummm… ice cream. Lots of it. Cocktails! Champagne cocktails too.

Eating by the spoon? I think it’s appropriate.

Next comes chocolate syrup. And then the hot espresso. I just use my Nespresso machine! That’s how I get steamed milk too.

Chopped chocolate tops it all off.

And if you’re wondering… cute little heart sprinkles are a must. Let’s drink nothing else.

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Cabernet Chocolate Lattes

Yield: makes 1 drink, is easily multiplied

Ingredients:

cabernet syrup

3/4 cup cabernet sauvignon (or your favorite red wine!)
1 1/2 cups sugar

cabernet chocolate latte

1 to 2 tablespoons cabernet syrup
1 to 2 teaspoons chocolate syrup
2 shots espresso
1/4 cup steamed milk
chopped chocolate for topping



Directions:

cabernet syrup

Combine the wine and sugar in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and bring the mixture to a simmer. Turn off the heat and let it cool completely. This keeps great in the fridge!

cabernet chocolate latte

Add 1 to 2 tablespoons of the cabernet syrup in the bottom of a mug. Add the chocolate syrup. Pour two shots of hot espresso over top and stir. (I just use my nepresso machine!) Add the steamed milk on top. Sprinkle with chopped chocolate.

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Definitely living the best life.

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Easy Lemon Chicken Soup.

[This post is sponsored by Kitchen Basics stock! In 2018, I’m teaming up with them to share some delicious recipes that I can’t wait to tell you about!]

Lemon chicken soup, coming right up!

This is the best way to come out of the winter funk. You know, the January and February winter funk when the holidays are over, but it’s still super chilly outside and just… generally gray and gloomy? We’re breaking out of that with a fabulous, warming lemon chicken soup that will take you minutes to make.

YES. Minutes!

This lemon chicken soup is one of the EASIEST soups I have ever made. Ever ever! And it’s super packed with flavor thanks to the Kitchen Basics Turmeric and Ginger Chicken Bone Broth that I added to the stock. This stuff is like liquid gold.

Oh my gosh – guys, we are LOV.ING. it. It is so super flavorful. I know that bone broth is really trendy right now and that people even sip on a warm cup of it morning, noon and night (Eddie just about died when I suggested that) and while I don’t have much desire to drink it on its own, I love using it in recipes. It adds an extra boost of oomph.

Especially this one! First, the flavor. Holy flavor bomb. This little carton of chicken bone broth has turmeric, ginger and lemongrass. I ADORE all of those flavors and even used some of this in my chicken and dumplings recipe the other night. It’s so, so good. Next up – I’m putting it in some homemade ramen. For sure.

Second, the protein. This carton has TEN grams of protein, so obviously that was how I sold Eddie on sipping it. Of course. The minute he saw that, he was in. And when I saw it, I was super impressed and shocked.

SO!

Let’s just talk about how quick and delicious this soup is. I made the soup with leftover shredded chicken that I had from roasting a whole one last Sunday night. But in a pinch, I would just use shredded rotisserie chicken. You can grab one on the way home from work and have this made in about 30 minutes. Or you can use any sort of leftover chicken you might have from other recipes during the week! Make is simple.

To keep things semi-traditional, I used a sweet onion, carrot and celery. YES. We all know that I think celery is the worst, but I can handle it in soups and stews. That is it. Otherwise, peace out celery.

Also, some ginger and garlic for ZING.

But! I added in some fresh lemon zest with the veggies while they were softening in the butter too. The chicken, stock and bone broth went in next with an entire sliced lemon for even more lemony flavor. Then! Comes the pasta. This isn’t a necessary step, but one I took to bulk it up for us a bit. And because the soup without pasta would leave Eddie ravenous after, like, 13 minutes.

Ditalini was my pasta of choice, mostly because it’s adorable, but also because it’s simple. It cooks quickly since it’s a small cut of pasta AND Max loves it and can easily grab it with a spoon since it’s tiny. I love a hearty spoonful of soup.

On top, I love tons (like, TONS!) of fresh herbs and shaved parmesan cheese. Then lots of crackers or bread for dipping. Can’t go without that.

Words can’t even express how much I adore this. It’s warming and comforting and soothing and weirdly enough, a bit refreshing! It’s like a hot hug in a bowl with a slight hint of Spring. Which we soooo need right now. Am I right?

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Lemon Chicken Soup

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons olive olive
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 sweet onion, diced
1/2 cup chopped carrots
1/2 cup chopped celery
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest
2 cups shredded chicken
1 lemon, thinly sliced
4 cups low-sodium Kitchen Basics Organic Free Range Chicken Stock
2 (8-ounce) containers Kitchen Basics Turmeric and Ginger Chicken Bone Broth
2 cups water
3/4 cup ditalini pasta
1/3 cup chopped fresh herbs, like parsley, basil or cilantro
3 tablespoons chopped chives
shaved parmesan for topping
lemon wedges for serving



Directions:

Heat a large pot over medium-low heat and add the olive oil and butter. Once melted, add in the onion, carrots, celery, garlic, ginger, salt and pepper. Stir and cook until the vegetables are slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and chicken. Add in the lemon slices, chicken stock, bone brother and water. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Once boiling, add the pasta and reduce to a simmer. Cook until the pasta is al dente, about 8 to 10 minutes. Stir in the herbs and the chives. Serve immediately with shaved parmesan and a lemon wedge!

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Ooooh and that melty cheese on top.

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Tuesday Things.

1. I got a notification last week that I’ve been on Facebook for 13 years. This seems unreal considering I still think that I’m 17 in my brain.

2. How cool is this blue moon milk?! So gorgeous!

3. Have you been listening to the new Justin Timberlake album? Thoughts? I *think* I’m liking it. To be honest, I hold everything to the standard of Taylor Swift’s 1989 that made me fall in love instantly and that I played nonstop for months.

4. Speaking of! I still say “CD’s” even though I haven’t bought a CD in ages. I actually have to think about saying the word “album” and I almost always type out CD. Embarrassing.

5. Speaking of again! What did you think of the JT halftime performance? I liked it. I didn’t OMG LOVE it, but I always think back to Bruno Mars and how he was sooo good. My favorite!

6. Even when it’s 10 degrees outside, I still want iced coffee. And smoothie bowls.

7. So we obviously have to discuss This Is Us. Ugh. It just made me so sick to my stomach! Why am I so invested in a fake life?! Also! The one scene with Randall towards the end… eeep! Are they going to start doing that now?

8. Every few months I write about the scary movie trailers that are TERRIFYING me so here it is: have you seen the previews for A Quiet Place? OMG. We saw an extended trailer before I,Tonya and I covered my face the entire time. Horrific.

9. Yesterday I slipped on ice and am 98% sure I gave myself whiplash. This makes me officially feel old and like I’m at the point where I’m starting to hobble when I stand up!

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Parmesan Pistachio Kale Salad.

Embarrassingly easy recipe, coming right up!

Okay, are you ready? This parmesan pistachio kale salad has only four ingredients before you add the dressing. Just four! Kale. Parmesan. Pistachios. Olive oil. ( < for a quick kale spa day/massage. Which isn’t even totally necessary.)

That’s it!

Of course, I make it a leeeeeettle more complicated by making a quick creamy parmesan dressing, and while it is SO good (and made with greek yogurt! #goodforus) and delicious on the salad, you could probably use another dressing you enjoy that is already made. Or you could totally just use the olive oil, add a touch more salt and pepper, and be done!

SO FAST.

This is the ultimate kale side salad. The easiest one. I’m saying it!

And so perfect in flavor because while it’s delicious on its own, it also isn’t super overpowering with any one flavor. Which makes it an excellent side to dish to, well… anything!

Annnnd. If you’re not into pistachios, another fabulous crunchy substitution would be pine nuts. Toasted pine nuts! I actually alternate them both in this salad frequently. Freaking love both.

Speaking of this exact salad, the flavor comes from my all-time favorite kale chips that I made for Seriously Delish. Another Seriously Delish inspired recipe! They are parmesan pistachio kale chips and you blend everything together, coat the kale and bake it. HOLY FLAVOR BOMB!

Those are so super delicious and I realize that kale chips are very 2009, but I still love them so. We all love them. We can take down a single pan of kale chips in this house within ten minutes or so. Adore adore adore.

Let’s never allow them to go out of style, okay?

So YEP this salad is making my life complete at the moment. It’s really good for lunch. It’s perfect with chicken or steak or even a pasta dish! You can use curly green kale or lacinato (which I used here) and don’t forget the most important rule!

LOTS of parm, always. Because cheese is life.

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Parmesan Pistachio Kale Salad

Yield: serves 2 to 4 (or more if you wish!)

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

2 stalks lacinato kale, leaves removed from stems and chopped
1/2 tablespoon olive oil
1/4 cup roasted pistachios, chopped
1/4 cup shaved parmesan cheese

creamy parmesan dressing 

1/2 cup finely grated parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons greek yogurt
1 garlic clove
1 tablespoon freshly snipped chives
1/2 tablespoon dijon mustard
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 cup olive oil



Directions:

Place the kale leaves in a large bowl. Drizzle with the olive oil and massage the oil into the leaves.

Let the kale sit while you make the dressing. In a food processor, combine the cheese, yogurt, garlic, mustard, vinegar, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Blend until pureed. With the processor still on, stream in the olive oil until a creamy dressing forms. [This will make more dressing than needed, but you can store it sealed in the fridge for about 3-4 days and stir well before using.]

Drizzle a few tablespoons of the dressing over the kale and toss it well. I like to toss this for a food 1 to 2 minutes so the dressing is evenly dispersed. Cover with the chopped pistachios and shaved parmesan. Serve!

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Crunch crunch crunch.

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January Favorites: Lifestyle.

I’m here with a (rather late!) favorites post about a few things that I was loving in January!

Dining In. This is the cookbook that the internet-breaking cookies are in. And the cookies are GOOD. But better yet, this cookbook itself is AMAZING. I keep a very small stack of cookbooks in my kitchen – just ones I’m currently using – and this is at the top. I find myself reaching for it constantly. It’s awesome.

I can’t stop watching or listening to Bruno Mars Finesse… so that’s obviously a favorite.

Trader Joe’s Sweet Potato Gnocchi with Sage and Butter. This is a frozen find from Trader Joe’s and if by chance, you caught my TJs haul on instagram stories the other day, you know that we love it! It takes seconds to prepare – you throw it in a skillet with a tablespoon or so of water and it comes together like a dream. It’s super flavorful (tastes like homemade!) and makes a great side dish for something like chicken or steak or even a salad. It’s been a great time-saver since I gave birth!

Sorel Lea Wedge Boot. This is repeat but honestly – pretty much the ONLY shoe I’ve been wearing all month (aside from my adidas ultraboosts!) since it’s been super snowy and cold. I just adore that these give me height and I can walk in them comfortably while having two kids. I’m hoping next year I can get my hands on an all-black pair before they sell out!

The Marvelous Mrs Maisel. This by far is my favorite TV pick of the month! Well, it might be tied with This Is Us. It’s embarrassing how fast I blew through it though. The outfits! OMG!

Also? I, TONYA. This should come as no surprise as I can’t stop talking about it, but the movie was so.freaking.good. I want to see it again. I have to see it again!

Smeg Citrus Juicer. I talked about this over in this post, but we have used this nearly every single day since getting it. This was something that I got from Crate and Barrel because I do freelance recipe work for them, featuring certain/new products, so it isn’t something I purchased and honestly, wouldn’t have every purchased. BUT! It’s so nice because Max can help juice the citrus and he thinks it’s SO fun. It gets out every last bit of juice! We’re really enjoying this and I am so glad that we ended up with it because we LOVE it. And I never would have known!

BBG! And with that, I almost typed BBQ. The BBG workout, to be exact. This is the workout that I started when Emilia was about 8 weeks old. I swore I’d never do it, I said I’d hate it, but I have ended up really enjoying it. I use the SWEAT app and it’s so easy to use. What I love: it’s all exercises and moves that I’d do in workouts myself if I was putting something together! Think tons of lunges, dips, step ups, etc – things that are HARD but that I can do at home. The app has a timer and it shows you the exercises and I just find it overall… motivating? I’d be lying if I said I was getting 6 days a week in (the resistance + cardio) but I’ve been reeeeeally good at getting three solid days right now which is pretty much a miracle.

These Bauble Bar earrings. I am absolutely OBSESSED. Cannot get enough. Wear them constantly and probably look ridiculous. They are really light too! I’ll be sad when in a few weeks, Emilia starts grabbing them and I won’t be able to wear them! So getting as much out of them as I can.

I pretty much only wear the Lululemon Align pant (because they are like BUTTER!) for leggings and have stopped wearing the long wunder unders because they are super thick and hot – especially after wearing the Align ones. However, I had a gift card and got this pair of wunder unders and LOVE them. They are so cute! Def won’t work out in them, but they’ve been great to wear otherwise.

[none of this is sponsored, just like to talk about things that I discover and love over the month. i purchased everything myself aside from the smeg juicer which was part of a freelance project with crate and barrel. tell me your faves! there may be a few affiliate links above. xoxoxo.]

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Currently Crushing On.

Happy February!! So glad we are blowing through these cold and gray winter months. How are you doing?! What is new?!

We have a jam-packed February and I’m super excited to get it started this weekend. Probably not watching the super bowl… but definitely eating some of the snacks.

Also, earlier this week I shared Emilia’s 12 week update, the baby products we’re loving this time around, my January beauty favorites and an inside to look to how I shot the cover of my next cookbook! Soooo many things.

Hope you have a great weekend! xo

Favorites this week:

OMG. this ramen with steak and broccoli. ahhh.

whoa. matcha, white chocolate and pistachio tiramisu.

obsessed with the idea of this sweet and savory porridge!

slow cooker buffalo chicken tacos. hello!

these everything bagel dinner rolls are… everything.

prettiest ever blood orange pound cake.

extra crispy baked chicken wings. amazing!

love the idea of market veggie broth.

valentines day cookies! these are too cute.

new smoothie idea! toasted pecan and oat. yum.

creamy vegan queso! oh my.

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Guacamole Buffalo Chicken Pizza.

Guac twice in one week?! Oh yes we can.

But this time we’re putting it on buffalo chicken pizza. I’m sorry? You’re welcome? I don’t know what to say? I know exactly what to say. And it’s OMG!

Every year around the Super Bowl I post some buffalo wing inspired recipe (hello buffalo chicken beer cheese fondue fries), as if it can only be eaten while watching football or something. Must stem from the old school buffalo chicken dip that was made on Saturdays and Sundays when I was growing up.

These days, we eat buffalo wing things whenever we want. On an embarrassing note, I have made buffalo chicken meatballs, buffalo chicken burgers, buffalo chicken salads, buffalo chicken enchiladas, buffalo chicken chili, buffalo chicken tacos and buffalo chicken pasta. That’s what happens when you blog for nine years. I have never ordered a buffalo chicken pizza out that I end up loving more than my own. Probably because most of them have celery which is 100% the absolute worst.

It will never be okay!

Unless it’s softened in soup or something. Even then, I’ll still pick it out.

My mom makes chicken salad with celery and I want to cry.

Anytime I order a green juice and it takes like celery, I want to toss it!

I petition to have this vegetable banned for life. Even though I bought a pack last week so I could add it into the photographs of this recipe. Millennial forever.

But really.

My favoritest ever (yes I said it) buffalo chicken pizza is in Seriously Delish. I’ve shared versions of it here with these buffalo chicken French breads and what not, but never posted the exact pizza! I have a SUPER old buffalo chicken pizza recipe on the blog that some of you still make, but it isn’t anywhere near this. We are talking… REVAMPED. So this is the exact pizza… plus more. Plus guacamole!

WHAT IS WRONG WITH ME.

Here’s the thing.

There is something SO delicious about this combination. The pizza toppings are sort of spicy and hot and the guacamole is creamy and refreshing and cool. It’s the best thing ever.

For years, I’ve thought about making buffalo chicken guacamole. But it’s never sat right in my brain. It’s like the time when I was pregnant with Max and asked Eddie if mac and cheese crostini sounded good. Sometimes you want to combine your favorite foods but it’s a real nightmare if you do. Something about the texture of buffalo wing guac just seems like it would be terrible? Like who wants to eat orange guac? And surely the wing sauce would overpower the avocados? And there wouldn’t be enough crunch?

I’ve solved the problem for us though! Oh yes I have.

When you put guacamole ON TOP OF buffalo wing pizza, all those concerns go out the window. There aren’t any weird texture things and the flavor is top notch!

HOWEVER.

Eddie scraped off his guac. It’s okay. You can be mad too.

Just more guac-buffalo-wing-chicken-omg-this-name-is-so-long pizza for us.

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Guacamole Buffalo Chicken Pizza

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

dough

1 1/8 cups warm water
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

pizza

1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup buffalo wing sauce + extra for drizzling
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup your favorite ranch dressing
12 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
6 ounces crumbled gorgonzola cheese
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1/2 cup of cilantro, chopped
3 tablespoons chopped chives

guac

2 avocados
3 tablespoons chopped cilantro
1 lime, juiced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper



Directions:

In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in 2 1/2 cups flour and salt, stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but is still sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work in the additional 1/2 cup flour, kneading it on a floured surface for a few minutes. Rub the same bowl with olive oil then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1-1 1/2 hours.

While the dough is rising, make the chicken. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Toss chicken with salt and pepper, then add to the skillet and cook until browned on all sides, about 10 minutes. Once cooked through, add the garlic and stir for 30 seconds, then add in buffalo wing sauce and butter. Stir to coat.

After the dough has risen, punch it down and place it back on the floured surface. Using a rolling pin or your hands, form it into your desired shape (sometimes I use baking sheets and do rectangles or free form pizzas – this specific dough will yield one pizza large enough to feed about 3-4 people) and place on a baking sheet or pizza pan. Place the towel back over the dough and let sit in the warm place for 10 minutes.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. (If I use my pizza stone, I heat my oven to 475 degrees and bake for 15 minutes. If you’re just using a baking sheet, follow the directions below for baking and set to 425 degrees.)

Spread the pizza dough with the ranch dressing. Cover with most of the fontina cheese. Add the chicken on top, half of the gorgonzola cheese and 2 of the sliced green onions. Add the remaining fontina on top. Drizzle with some wing sauce!

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (or around 15 to 20 minutes if using the pizza stone) until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and top with the rest of the gorgonzola, the green onions, cilantro and chives. Add the guacamole on top and slice and serve immediately!

guac

In a bowl, mash together the avocados, cilantro, lime juice, salt and pepper. I like to do this while the pizza is baking so it’s super fresh!

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Let’s make guac on pizza a thing forever.

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Spicy Blood Orange Beergaritas.

Since I have so much time to complicate things, I stuck a beer in our margarita!

Beergaritas, yes please. Blood orange beergaritas? DOUBLE YES.

Beergaritas aren’t a new thing around here. And I’ve already made regular blood orange margaritas. I’ve made key lime beergaritas (almost exactly one year ago to the DAY!) and also ginger beergaritas – but the latter is with ginger beer and not ACTUAL beer. As long as you get a beer you really like, these are SO good.

I’ve tried the version with the frozen limeade and sours mix and I’m sooooo not a sours person. So I had to make my own version.

We made two different margaritas – one with Corona and one with this blood orange ale! I was SO super excited about the blood orange ale but didn’t end up loving the beer itself. It was good, don’t get me wrong, but I was probably expecting it to taste like blood orange soda because I am a predictable millennial. And I really, really love grapefruit beer.

Now in the margarita? It was really good! I still think I prefer the Corona though – because that’s the beer I prefer in general. It’s perfect with the blood orange and lime. It just goes together.

Also, I was freaking out because I was convinced the bottle would overflow the cocktail, but I promise it does not! Something about the air flow and all that jazz.

The best bottles to use for these are the tiny Corona ones – I think they are six ounces or something? When I asked about them in the store, the person told me “I stopped carrying those years ago! No one wants those!”

Welp. I do. Because I’m always waaaaay way behind the times. In everything. Food. Fashion. Reading. Language.

So I bought the large ones. It’s not that huge of a deal, except it kind of is because then you need to hold both the glass AND the bottle! Unless you want to use a tall glass and only fill it about halfway. Still awkward to drink though.

Because of this, and because of super bowl activities, I included a recipe below for a pitcher of these babies! Where you make it all in one pitcher for your friends (errr…. Or yourself?) and just combine the ingredients in there with no fancy beer bottle stuck inside.

And it’s not like I even have to explain my obsession with blood orange.

I know things have been very blood orange heavy here the last two weeks, but that’s the problem! Blood oranges are only here for a matter of WEEKS! It kills me. And this year, they aren’t even that great around here. The ones in my grocery store are already on their last leg.

NOT FAIR.

Anyhoo. The spiciness comes from a salted cayenne rim and you can also drop a pinch of cayenne into the shaker to give it a bit of heat. The cayenne, orange and beer combo reminds me of a michelada and it’s SO delicious. Especially with a ton of chips, guac and all the tacos you can get.

Let’s talk super bowl eats! I have an entire post dedicated to FOOTBALL FOOD (hello, 125 recipes!) so you can find all the most delicious stuff in there. But my go-to would be a ginormous snack board. Then a few dips. A big salad. Maybe some pulled pork in the slow cooker.

And all the beergaritas.

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Spicy Blood Orange Beergaritas










Ingredients:

for a single

coarse salt + cayenne pepper for the rim
3 ounces fresh blood orange juice
1 ½ ounces silver tequila
1 ounce fresh lime juice
1/2 ounce grand marnier liqueur (you can sub triple sec, I much prefer GM)
1 ounce simple syrup
1 (7-ounce) bottle of beer (or a 12 ounce bottle – you’ll just have to hold it!)
blood orange wedges for garnish
fresh limes for garnish

for a pitcher

1 cup freshly squeezed blood orange juice
1 cup beer, like corona or your favorite citrus beer
1/3 to ½ cup silver tequila
1/2 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 cup grand marnier liqueur (you can sub triple sec, but I much prefer GM)
¼ cup simple syrup
fresh blood oranges for garnish
fresh limes for garnish
coarse salt + cayenne pepper for the rims



Directions:

I suggest making a single serving first and taste it so you can add more/less tequila or syrup to your liking. Everyone is different and prefers their drinks a different way, so feel free to add more or less tequila, more simple syrup, more lime juice, etc. This is my absolute favorite combo listed above.

Before serving, rim the edge of the glass with a lime slice and then dip it in coarse salt + cayenne to coat. Fill the glass with just a few ice cubes or even with crushed ice – my ice preference of late.

In a shaker, combine the orange juice, tequila, lime juice, grand marnier and simple syrup. You can add a pinch of cayenne here if you want! Shake well for 30 seconds, then pour it over the crushed ice, leaving about an inch of room up top.. Take your beer bottle and quickly pop it into the drink. Garnish with the extra limes and blood orange.

for a pitcher

Combine the juices, beer, tequila, grand marnier and simple syrup in a pitcher and stir to combine. Serve as noted above!

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