Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 397
September 12, 2016
Late Summer Risotto with Roasted Tomatoes, Corn and Figs.
Hey heeeeeeeey!
Are you feeling it?! The little bit of September air that’s creeping into ridiculously humid days? Do you want to throw something at your TV if you see the pumpkin spice latte commercial one more time and flip out that there are already cinnamon pine cones in the grocery store?
(Sidebar: why do those smell incredible in the store and then once you bring them home, they smell like… nothing?)
I haven’t been partaking in the OMG-it’s-pumpkin-season craze, but mainly because we are still enjoying the summer days of swimming and eating dinner outside. I actually enjoy the latter more in the fall season and I don’t discriminate the pumpkin lovers, especially this year because it’s the first time I’ve been very excited for autumn in a while. But I mean, the main question on my mind is… what fall nail polish colors should I purchase? That’s about as far as it goes for me.
Because I still want corn on the cob! And tomatoes with basil and balsamic! And maaaaaybe ice cream cones?
Yes. Ice cream cones.
But really, I’m into late summer recipes at the moment. It shouldn’t come as a shock since I’m as basic and cliché-ly predictable as they come. I’ll even wear Uggs in the privacy of my own home, so you know, there’s that.
The thing is, in this area, our corn is still super delicious and our tomatoes are even better. Perhaps the best they’ve been all summer. Yesterday while doing some shopping and prep for the week, I finally started to notice the dwindling piles of peaches and plums and corn, but that doesn’t mean you can’t throw this recipe together tonight for dinner.
Dooooo it. You may only have a week left!
Into this pot, stirred into the creamiest risotto, we have slow-roasted, herb-sprinkled tomatoes, fresh sweet corn and sliced figs. I’m having a huge fig moment right now because I adore them. You might remember back when I started this blog, I told the story of how I was first introduced to them and I’ve been hooked ever since. I went the first twenty years of my life without a fig touching my lips, and let’s just say I feel seriously deprived.
My obsession started with dried figs (which I freak over – they are SO much better than dates, people!) and eventually when I found fresh, I nearly lost my marbles.
Thankfully, when I walked into my favorite local market last week they had a big diaply of figs.
And I?
Well.
I bought TEN containers. Yes ten. I am excessively embarrassing.
In my own defense though, I had multiple recipes for multiple projects that were in desperate need of figs, and not only were these figs right at my fingertips, they were STUNNING. They were not bruised or moldy at all.
Naturally, I made a bunch of other recipes with figs, like this summer risotto because I can’t help but trash up every recipe idea that passes through my brain. I’m completely loving these seasonal transition meals – the dishes that bridge the gap between the summer and fall season, the ones that I can take with me into October as we switch from cold, fresh salads to more comforting soups and warm, creamy dishes.
And ones that, of course, include CHEESE.
Late Summer Risotto with Roasted Tomatoes, Corn and Figs
Yield: serves 4
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
2 pints cherry tomatoes (I used an heirloom variety), sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 1/2 cups arborio rice
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 cup dry white wine
4 to 5 cups low-sodium chicken stock, warmed
1/3 cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
2 ears sweet corn, kernels cut from the cob
1 pint figs, sliced or quartered
a handful of fresh basil, chopped
3 tablespoons freshly snipped chives
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Like a baking sheet with foil. Add the tomatoes and toss with 1 tablespoon of olive oil, salt, pepper and thyme. Roast for 45 to 60 minutes, until the tomatoes are deep in color and caramely and crumpled. Remove from the oven once finished.
While the tomatoes are roasting, heat a large pot or saucepan over medium heat and add the remaining olive oil with the butter. Add the rice and stirring often, toast the rice until it's somewhat translucent, about 5 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the white wine, constantly stirring or at least stirring every minute or so, until the rice absorbs the wine. Once the wine is absorbed, add in 1 1/2 cups of the stock, stirring until the rice absorbs the liquid like it did with the wine. Repeat this 2 to 3 more times, until all stock has been added and the rice is al dente. You want it to appear "hydrated" - and want there to be some liquid left when serving. This process should take about 15 to 20 minutes.
Just before the risotto is almost finished, stir in the parmesan cheese. Stir in the tomatoes, fresh corn and figs. Stir in most of the chives and basil. Taste and if desired, add a bit of salt and pepper (this will depend on the saltiness of your cheese and the taste of your tomatoes). Serve immediately with the remaining chives and basil. Top with freshly grated parmesan.
Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag your recipes with #howsweeteats! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page. I appreciate you so much!
That bite though!
September 10, 2016
Currently Crushing On.
{via}
I know that last week was still “technically” September, but this weekend feels much more September-like to me. Nothing weather-related, of course, as we continue to sweat our faces off, but it’s slightly cooler in the mornings and I can just TASTE the apples. After a wildly crazy past two weeks I am sort of looking forward to doing absolutely nothing. What are you guys up to?!
If you want the most perfect SEPTEMBER SANGRIA, taking you from summer to fall, find it here! And did you see: last week, I shared a little travel video from our Michigan vacation along with our favorite spots.
P.S. peanut butter and jelly crumb muffin video!
Little loves this week:
zucchini parmesan sliders! craving these like no other.
adoring this simple evening dinner oh so much.
this yellow watermelon salad is absolutely stunning.
if you’ve ever considered a capsule wardrobe but want some color. yes yes yes!
this.is.incredible: sichuan peppercorn blueberry oatmeal pie. holy creative.
cocoa peanut butter and jelly sandwiches. whoa whoa whoa.
how adorable is this smart cookie bark?
a perfect grilled pluot cocktail.
beer brat chili! it’s that time of year.
i don’t know anyone who doesn’t want to make a homemade birthday oreo.
lovely little old fashioned donuts with salted caramel!
the most gorgeous tomato soup i ever did see.
white chocolate pumpkin cheesecake. i went there.
September 9, 2016
Honey Sriracha Chicken Flatbread.
Do you know how boringly stereotypical I am?
I know. You probably do, but wait I’m going to give you one more reason to believe it.
My last meal – or, at least PART of my last meal – would most definitely be pizza. It would include some sort of pizza, tons of cheese, no pepperoni and even more cheese on top. The finely grated kind. A little sprinkle.
Err, more like a rain shower. But whatever. You get it.
I can tell you that this is flatbread until I’m blue in the face (I mean, technically it IS, it doesn’t rise) but the truth is that if most people would do a quick peek of these photos, they’d scream PIZZA.
Like my mom. And Max. And even Eddie. It definitely looks like pizza and sure, let’s say it’s a version of pizza.
Therefore, you may be wondering.
Um, Jessica? Isn’t this, like, extremely similar to your chipotle chicken pizza?!
It’s not. I swear it’s not. In fact it’s very, very different of course. There are peanuts! And honey. And quick flatbread with no yeast. And zero goat cheese. (sad?)
So we had a flatbread just like this a few months ago at a local-ish restaurant and I have been DYING to recreate it ever since. The sweet and spicy combo was so fantastic, especially with the crunch of the peanuts. The cilantro gave it a refreshing bite too. And we ate it all after a spa day we had in preparation for one of my best friend’s weddings, when we hadn’t eaten all day but HAD drank a incredulous amount of lemon water. Annnnnd we might have picked out a bunch of chocolate chips from the trail mix that was in the lobby. But that’s neither here nor there.
The moral of that story is that we were very hungry and that flatbread hit.the.spot. It was insanely delicious.
ALSO.
It’s crunchy, but chewy, but soft, but melty and is incredibly flavorful. You can use leftover chicken if you have it and simply caramelize your shallots by tossing them in brown sugar. And the roasted tomatoes are the best way to honor the end of an excellent summer! If you don’t want to roast ‘em, no biggie.
Do it up quick!
Honey Sriracha Chicken Flatbread
Yield: serves 2 to 4
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
1 pint cherry tomatoes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons honey
2 tablespoons sriracha
2 shallots, thinly sliced
6 ounces gruyere cheese, freshly grated
3 tablespoons chopped peanuts, for topping
fresh cilantro for topping
flatbread
1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup olive oil plus more for brushing
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil and place the cherry tomatoes on the sheet. Drizzle with 1/2 tablespoon olive oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast for 20 minutes, or until the tomatoes are bursting.
While the tomatoes are roasting, heat a large skillet over medium heat. Season the chicken with the salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder. Add 1 tablespoon of olive oil to the skillet. Once hot, add the chicken and cook until golden on all sides, about 5 to 6 minutes, tossing once or twice during cook time. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon honey and 1 tablespoon of the sriracha and cook for 1 minute. Transfer the chicken to a plate. Reduce the heat to low.
Add the remaining olive oil to the skillet. Place the shallots with a sprinkle of salt into the skillet and drizzle with 1 tablespoon honey. Cook, stirring often, until the shallots are caramely and golden. Transfer them to a bowl.
In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, salt, basil, oregano and garlic powder, stirring to combine. Add the water and olive oil and mix with a spoon until the dough comes together. Use your hands to finish bringing it together into a ball, then knead it a few times on a floured surface. Roll and press the dough into the size of your skillet. I use a 12-inch skillet - if you use one significantly small, this recipe can make 2 flatbreads.
Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium-high heat. Brush the skillet with olive oil then gently and carefully place the dough into the skillet. Cook until bubbles begin to form, about 2 to 3 minutes. Brush the top of the dough with olive oil then flip it over with kitchen tongs. Reduce the heat to medium. Sprinkle half of the cheese over the dough. Place the roasted tomatoes, chicken and shallots all over the top. Add the other half of the cheese. Drizzle with the honey and the sriracha.
Place the skillet in the oven and cook for 15 minutes, just until the cheese is bubbly and golden. Top with the fresh cilantro, peanuts and extra sriracha if you wish! You can slice the flatbread in the skillet or slide it out onto a cutting board.
[adapted from this cheesy artichoke flatbread]
Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag your recipes with #howsweeteats! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page. I appreciate you so much!
Bite for youuuu.
September 8, 2016
Honeycrisp Old Fashioned.
There is no season I get more excited about than apple season.
Specially, honeycrisp apple season. More specifically, apple cider season. Why must honeycrisp season be so short? I swear in two weeks, they will be GONE.
Must use them in as many ways as possible right this instant. Honeycrisp overload, here we come.
Earlier this week I introduced Max to honeycrisp apples. He had them last year, but I often roasted them or pan-roasted them in some cider with cinnamon for dessert. He LOVED those. But now he is older and decided that whoa! – apples are like balls and he’s just going to throw them (um, no), I had to share my honeycrisp love. So he’d eat them instead of throw them.
It’s kind of working. Kind of.
He absolutely loves them. BUT. He loves tossing them around. Like whyyyy? He now knows how to go into the fridge and find the apple gold in my crisper drawer so I need a new plan. Obviously.
But let’s move on to the more grown up side of things because I just might have made a honeycrisp syrup.
A homemade honeycrisp syrup. !!!!!!
This warrants an asinine amount of exclamation points.
I was hesitant about using a syrup in a old fashioned, but to my surprise, tons of recipes that I looked at used simple syrup. Many used the classic bitters + sugar muddle in the bottom too, which is what I am used to. This made me feel better because, you know, when you’re uneasy about anything in your life, you turn to google to see what the rest of the world says. And boom – you’re cured/dying/normal/a freak.
This may be my signature fall cocktail for 2016. I always lean towards apple cider margaritas or sangria, but this is just so simple, so warming, so delightful. And that honeycrisp syrup is fabulous on ALL THE THINGS.
Seriously. Just make that. Promise?
Honeycrisp Old Fashioned
Yield: serves 1, is easily multiplied
Total Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
honeycrisp syrup
2 honeycrisp apples, peeled and diced
1/4 cup water
sugar
honeycrisp old fashioned
1 ounce honeycrisp syrup
2 to 3 drops bitters
2 ounces bourbon
thinly sliced apple for garnish
cinnamon sugar, if desired
Directions:
honeycrisp syrup
Place the apples and water in a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Cook until the mixture is simmering and the apple is tender and begins to break down. Transfer the mixture to a blender or food processor and puree until smooth and blended. Strain over a fine mesh sieve into a measuring cup.
The amount of honeycrisp juice you have is how much sugar you need. If you have 1/2 cup, use 1/2 cup sugar. Equal parts. Place both the honeycrisp juice and the sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture is simmering. Remove from the heat and let cool completely. Store in a sealed container in the fridge.
honeycrisp old fashioned
Place an ice cube(s) in a chilled tumble and add the honeycrisp syrup. Add a few drops of bitters, then add the bourbon. Stir, add the apple slices and serve. If desired, you can rim the glass in cinnamon sugar or sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top of the apples.
Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag your recipes with #howsweeteats! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page. I appreciate you so much!
Such a crush on this.
September 7, 2016
The Last Five Books I’ve Read.
Hiiiii. I know a book post is SO overdue and while I’ve mentioned a few books here and there over the last year in my Tuesday Things and monthly Favorites, I haven’t done any sort of dedicated post in aaaaages.
Reading is my absolute favorite thing (next to writing) but it has taken such a huge backseat since I’ve had Max. I still can find time to read at various points of the day, but not as consistently as I’d like. Also, with the still somewhat unpredictable schedule of a toddler, I often get two pages in before passing out at night. Hence the hiatus. This summer though, I’ve made it more of a priority. These are the last five books I’ve read, plus a repeat mention and what I’m currently reading. I’d love to hear what you’re reading below!
Truly Madly Guilty by Liane Moriarty. I have loved mostly all of Liane Moriarty’s books. I never thought I was interested in reading “mysteries” but I find her stories to be the perfect combination of what I love with some mystery and suspense – and enough of the “light” read that I enjoy. I like this story a lot and flew through it, but it wasn’t my all-time favorite of hers. I found some of the characters just so unlikeable!
Modern Lovers by Emma Staub. Loved loved loved this story! It took me a few pages to get into it but I love the writing and found the story fascinating. I loved the little food bits too. Slightly predictable, but hey I love a good predictable story and sometimes that it just what I’m looking for.
Present over Perfect by Shauna Niequist. I liked this book. I really did. I love Shauna’s writing and her previous books. I think I was just super hopeful at the beginning that this book would give me exact details on how to make some changes in my life and maybe… someone would jump out of the book and do it for me? Ha. Kidding. Sort of. Still loved it, but was left wanting just a leeeeettle bit more. If that makes sense.
Tell Me Three Things by Julie Buxbaum. I read this book after Kristen mentioned it and oooooh I adored this story. I loved it so much! The characters are REAL. I tend to never search out YA novels on my own, but always find the best recommendations from friends and end up loving them. This was a quick read that tugged at my heart.
Falling by Jane Green. AH. I wanted to love this book and I did enjoy it for the most part, up until the end. Not just the ending but right before the end – it really changed how I thought about the book! Didn’t see it coming at all and was completely bummed out. Not sure what else I can say without spoiling it. Wish I was prepared for that.
Must mention: It Ends With Us by Colleen Hoover. This is the THIRD time I am mentioning this book on the blog in two weeks, but I just can’t even convey how much I loved it. Yes, it was an intriguing storyline, but what I think is most incredible was how the author makes your feel SO much for every character. Love, hate, doubt, pity, anger, frustration – every emotion I can think of. I felt it all for these characters.
Currently reading: Sweet Bitter by Stephanie Danler. I’m actually listening to this on audible at the moment (which can make me cringe, for some reason, the narrators of a few of these books convey the emotion in sentences in such a… funny? way!) and am only a few chapters in, but I like it. I probably should be reading this book as opposed to listening to it because the beginning jumps around a bit and unless I’m paying extremely close attention, I get lost and need to rewind. Anyone read this yet?
[the links to the above books are amazon affiliate links. thank you for supporting my site!]
Late Summer Corn Tortilla Soup.
Um hi, let’s talk about my new favorite thing.
First though, let’s take a bet on how many times I’ve started out a blog post that way. Maybe 15? Maybe 31? Who knows. I’m full of favorite things until I find my next super, everlasting favorite thing. For the time being.
Second, let’s take a trip into flavor city.
This is absolutely my favorite thing right now. Late summer soup! It’s insanely delicious and the only thing I’d like to eat for the next 15 days.
Guess what? This soup is thickened by corn tortillas! Like pieces of corn tortilla, thrown right up in that pot up there. Right there! They had mostly disintegrated into the fantastic broth by the time I snapped that photo, but I am in love with this way of thickening soups minus cream or flour and butter.
Also, I think this is gluten free! Maybe I’m just making that up, but the ingredient list sure looks like it is to me. Winning.
Okay okay, so not only is this wildly easy to make, it tastes
so
freaking
good.
Like so, so good.
It reminded me a bit of green pozole, which I love. And I ended up throwing some pulled pork in there, but pulled chicken would work just as well. You could even use a rotisserie chicken to make it quick and dirty! Whatever you have leftover, whatever you can quickly find or slowly cook. Doooo it.
PLUS. It’s just pretty, right?!
While the soup is excellent on it’s own, it’s the toppings that make it too. Of course! Avocado, chips, cilantro and paper-thin radish slices. Maybe some cheese too, but do you know how incredible I thought this was? I LEFT OFF THE CHEESE.
That’s a huge unit of measure in my life. No cheese needed? Hello, I’ve arrived.
Corn Tortilla Soup
Yield: serves 6
Total Time: 1 hour
Ingredients:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 sweet onion, diced
2 poblano peppers, seeded and diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
4 (4-inch) corn tortillas, cut into pieces
1/3 cup fresh cilantro, plus extra for topping
1 pound shredded pork shoulder or chicken breast
3 ears fresh corn, kernels cut from the cob
tortilla chips for serving
sliced radish for serving
sliced avocado for serving
Directions:
Note: I find this soup is best to use with leftover pork or chicken. To make it, I used pork that had been in my slow-cooker the day before. It adds a ton of flavor!
Heat a large pot over medium-low heat and add the olive oil. Stir in the onion, peppers, garlic, cumin, paprika, salt and pepper. Cook until the onions soften, about 5 to 6 minutes. Pour in the chicken stock and add the tortilla pieces. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it to a simmer and cover. Simmer for 5 minutes. Stir in the 1/3 cup of fresh cilantro.
Carefully transfer the mixture to a blender and puree until smooth. You could also use an immersion blender, but I find that they spray everywhere. Pour the soup back into the pot and heat it over low heat. Stir in the pork (or chicken) and the fresh corn. Cook on low until the soup is heated through. Taste and season additionally if needed. You might need a little more salt or pepper depending on the saltiness of your meat!
Serve in bowls and top with avocado, radish, tortilla chips and the leftover cilantro.
[slightly adapted from food and wine]
Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag your recipes with #howsweeteats! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page. I appreciate you so much!
You’re invited too!
September 6, 2016
Tuesday Things.
1. Completely dying over this article where a guy documents his first week of work at Target. Ha!
2. Isn’t this watermelon poke just the cutest?!
3. Something I can’t get down with: the avocado bun. Like, using the avocado as the bun for your sandwich. I get the portobello bun. There is some texture and stuff. But won’t I just squish the entire thing if I use an avocado? It’s pretty but can’t happen, right?
4. I hate socks. I mean, I don’t HATE them. I wear them, but the only thing grosser than not wearing socks with shoes that necessitate socks is… nothing. Curling up in a robe and fluffy socks? No. Not into to. Not relaxing. Not even in winter.
5. So glad I’m not the only adult woman whos talks to their mother three times a day.
6. You know what I love better than pumpkin season? APPLE CIDER SEASON.
7. There is officially nothing I want to watch on TV and even over the weekend, Eddie and I couldn’t find anything we watched to binge on. So I rewatched The Affair AND Masters of Sex in anticipation for new seasons. And read like a fiend.
8. I knew that I wasn’t a to-do list freak for nothing!
9. Any Nikon users that have switched to Canon and love it? I’m considering switching (perhaps only out of boredom?) but want the deets! I’ve shot with Nikon since I started my blog – forever ago.
10. P.S. More on this later, but I’m looking to hire someone to do a bit of video freelance work, so if you’re into it and love to eat, send me an email! (howsweeteats at gmail, heeeey)
September 5, 2016
Boyne City Travel Diary, Part 3. (video!)
I’m back with the final post from our annual trip to Boyne City! Below, I’ve included a TON of things that we love to do in the area, along with a video of some of our favorite places. You can also find more here:
[This was our first time recording any type of video like this so it’s a miracle that we didn’t kill each other (spoiler: we sort of did). But we are hoping to record more fun videos now that the autumn season is here and Eddie is learning to film!]
WHAT TO DO & WHERE TO GO!
Boyne City
We’ve stayed in Boyne my entire life and we always stay right on the water. There are lots of condos and houses to rent. Some of our favorite places include:
Cafe Sante. Easily our favorite restaurant and the food is just so, so good. The year I was pregnant with Max, Eddie and I went there EVERY SINGLE DAY.
Red Mesa Grill. Tacos and chips and guac and margaritas.
Kilwins. Ice cream, hello.
Local Flavor Bookstore. I can’t even tell you what a special place this bookstore has in my heart. I’ve always had such a huge love of reading and have picked a book or two out in this store from the time I was a young kid. It’s just the most classic, adorable indie bookstore that doesn’t even have hipster vibes. I love it. And they do coffee too.
Wine Emporium & Market. This has the best selection of wine also incredible cheeses and snacks.
Grain Train co-op. It’s a grocery store, BUT – all organic – healthy and fun food!
Fustinis Oil and Vinegar. This location is recent but you guys know that I’ve adored Fustinis oils and vinegars for YEARS!
Sommerset Point – Porter Creek Fish House. This is a fairly recent addition but we like to go here to have a snack or a drink on the patio. And walk the marina.
Boyne City Farmer’s Market. Been coming to this my entire life and it’s where I get some of my favorite treats! There is incredible local produce but it’s also where you can find Friske Orchards, Pond Hill Farm and Happy’s Taco Truck.
Avalanche Preserve is great for a workout and gives you a stunning view of Lake Charlevoix. We also like to go to Young State Park (by boat) or Glenwood Beach.
Lavender Hill Farm. All the lavender you can dream of, plus ice cream!
There are lots of cute little shops right in town – clothing, “beachy” knick knack things, art – and I’ve watched so many places come and go over the years. Our most favorite thing to do is Stroll the Streets on Friday nights in the summer. We try to get two in while we’re there.
Bay Harbor
We love going to Bay Harbor to walk the marina, the strip of shops and have a cocktail on the patio at the Bay Harbor Inn. Right in between Bay Harbor and Petosky, there is a fabulous playground that overlooks the water, called East Park.
Petosky
Petosky is the most “city-like” town we always make a stop in (if you can even call it that) – and there are again, lots of restaurants, shops, coffee, ice cream and toy stores. Some favorites:
American Spoon Cafe. We’ve found that their food was better in years past, but their gelato is to die for.
Cutler’s. Every kitchen item you can dream of.
Perry Davis Hotel – Rose Garden Veranda. Beautiful setting over the bay.
Harbor Springs
Harbor Springs is my favorite little town near Boyne and is always the one I look forward to the most. It’s just SO incredibly charming. Again, there is a wonderful little strip of shops, lots of places to eat, get ice cream, a marina to walk around, lots of golfing, wine tasting and all that jazz.
Pond Hill Farm is also near the town.
American Spoon has a location there.
Tom’s Mom’s cookies for the BEST cookies ever.
We’ve also drove the tunnel of trees multiple times and it’s super gorgeous, especially in the fall.
Charlevoix
We do a lot of the same in Charlevoix – shop and eat! But our most favorite thing to do is head down to the lighthouse and beach to watch the sunset. Great playground, great fishing off the pier and it’s all so beautiful. There is a spacious marina to walk around and generally, it’s a great place to WALK if you have a toddler that never stops moving.
We did eat at Smoke on the Water for the first time this year and it was delicious. For years my family would go to the Villager Pub for whitefish and that is good too, albeit more like bar food.
One thing that was really fun when I was younger was to take the Ironton Ferry over to Charlevoix. All about the experience! Eddie almost throws up.
That’s all I’ve got for now, but as time goes on I’ll continue to update this post! We’ve gone to many other surrounding areas over the last 30+ years and done many things, but the above are what we find ourselves doing year after year. And most often, we actually stay in and cook dinner, make a fire and have s’mores on the beach!
Thanks for indulging in my northern Michigan love.
Football Party Food! 190 Recipes You Need For Football Season.
It’s the MOST wonderful time of the year!
Eeeep. I adore this season so, so much. The crunchy leaves, the apple cider everything, the football on every weekend. Each year I go through MY ENTIRE BLOG and throw together a list of my most favorite recipes for tailgating, parties and general weekend football watching.
For the last few years humongous football party food posts:
And make sure to leave your must-makes in the comments below!
p.s. for deets on how to make a huuuge cheese plate like the one above, see this post.
DIP
roasted green chile queso cheese dip
hot bacon cherry pepper hummus
butternut squash goat cheese dip
roasted butternut squash hummus
spinach + kale greek yogurt dip
caramelized pineapple, bacon goat cheese guacamole
roasted butternut squash spinach dip
SNACKS
buffalo beer cheese fondue fries
marinated flank steak hummus plate
chimichurri fries with gorgonzola
brown butter herb garlic knots
herb salted garlic parm french fries
spinach, bacon + artichoke stuffed portobellos
how to make a killer cheese plate
the best sweet and spicy snack mix
fontina roasted garlic arancini
fried brussels with smoky aioli
cheesy pumpkin parmesan french bread
30 minutes buffalo chicken french breads
brown sugar sriracha sesame popcorn
lobster corn fritters with truffle herb mayo
pomegranate jeweled white cheddar cheeseball
roasted sweet potato casserole bites
sweet + sticky pomegranate chicken wings
chipotle beer shrimp quesadillas with spicy guac
SALADS
rosemary chicken, bacon and avocado salad
shredded kale salad with fried chicken
warm brussels caesar salad with bacon ciabatta croutons
BLT chopped salads with corn, feta + avocado
grilled buffalo chicken caesar salads
SLOW COOKER MEALS
short rib tacos with salted lime cabbage
crockpot pulled pork tacos with sweet chili slaw
brown sugar and roasted garlic pot roast sandwiches
BURGERS + SANDWICHES
smoky sloppy joes with greek yogurt slaw
saucy chicken sandwiches with pomegranate BBQ sauce
BBQ havarti burgers with curly sweet potato fries
tortilla crusted chipotle salmon sliders
smoky sweet cherry pepper cheeseburgers
spicy mini meatball grilled cheese
goat cheese stuffed guac burgers
black bean butternut sliders with chipotle ketchup
buffalo chicken grilled cheese with beer cheese fondue
blue cheese stuffed portobello burgers
cheeseburgers with sautéed mushrooms, arugula + dijon aioli
salt + vinegar chip crusted fish sandwiches
cheesy stuffed meatball sliders
balsamic brussels grilled cheese
roasted jalapeño cheddar turkey burgers with smoky bbq aioli
jalapeno pretzel dogs with cheddar beer sauce
crispy buffalo quinoa sliders with sweet corn + scallions
double bean burger patty melts
SOUP + CHILI
cider cheese soup shooters in mini pretzel bread bowls
white bean soup with crumbled bacon
creamy tomato soup shooters with grilled cheese sticks
tortellini soup with havarti toasts
smoked gruyere butternut soup with crispy chickpeas
beer cheese soup in homemade bread bowls
smoky white bean chicken chili
spicy chicken chili with pumpkin beer biscuits
spicy sauce, kale and orrecchiette soup
cheesy corn chowder with bacon and gorgonzola
GOOD EATS
grilled flank steak toppings bar
pimento cheese chicken salad biscuits
buffalo wing shrimp with blue cheese grits
spicy roasted squash with feta + herbs
chili garlic chicken skewers with yogurt dipping sauce
creamy chicken and buttermilk dumplings
our favorite lightened up beef enchiladas with homemade sauce
sweet and spicy short rib tacos
roasted broccolini bacon quiche
zoodles with chicken feta meatballs
roasted cauliflower stuffed potatoes with butternut sauce
thai coconut curry shrimp bowls
grilled baby back ribs with root beer BBQ sauce
cider braised chicken with spiced butternut
garlic brown sugar flank steak with chimichurri
PIZZA + PASTA
blackened broccoli pasta with charred lemon
no rise crispy thin crust pizza
caramelized onion, bacon + gruyere pizza
caramelized shallot, spinach and goat cheese pasta
cheesy bucatini pie with mini meatballs
pizza supreme on cauliflower crust
chipotle bacon & smoked blue cheese pizza
30 minute pasta with feta, arugula and pine nuts
creamy cajun chicken pasta pot
one pot mushroom swiss chard pasta
bacon cheeseburger skillet pizza
cast iron skillet brussels sprouts bacon pizza
honey chipotle chicken pizza with goat cheese
TREATS
peanut butter pretzel stuffed chocolate bark
chocolate stuffed oatmeal bars
peanut butter cheesecake with marshmallow cream
double dark chocolate peanut butter cup cookies
one bowl whiskey chocolate fudge cake
sweet orange cinnamon pull apart bread
brown sugar pumpkin cheesecake
burnt caramel bourbon ice cream with milk chocolate toffee
bourbon bacon marshmallow s’mores
peanut butter fudge brownie trifle
chocolate cream pie with vanilla whipped cream
vanilla bourbon caramel apples
salted chocolate pecan pie bars
brown butter oatmeal chunk cookies
DRINKS
crockpot coconut hot chocolate
palomas with salty chili sugar
crockpot coconut hot chocolate
That’s a wrap? Now what is your GO-TO autumn party food?!
September 4, 2016
Chocolate Chip Cookie S’mores Bars.
It’s clearly been a s’mores kind of weekend.
Just LOOK at those gooey, melty marshmallows! I can’t deal.
This recipe come’s from Jamielyn’s new I Heart Naptime Cookbook which I AM LOVING.
Oh my gosh. You guys. Not only are the recipes completely delicious and simple, they are relatable and easy and quick. I seriously want to eat every single thing in the book. I don’t know what to do with myself.
Plus, there are so many other adorable craft ideas in the book – like crafts that I CAN ACTUALLY DO!
Basically this book speaks to me since the last 20 months of my life have consisted of “just how many things can I get done during this naptime which is supposed to be 90 minutes but will probably be 32 minutes long.” Halp.
Now, these bars. THESE BARS. I had to tell you about them before Labor Day weekend was over because they are SO holiday worthy.
They remind me of the brownies my mom makse where you fold marshmallows into the batter. It doesn’t so much give it a “marshmallowy” taste, but almost a caramel, melted sugar, deliciously caramelized everything taste. And that is exactly what the marshmallows do here too.
Pretty sure these are the best of both worlds for me. There are crunchy, cookie edges and then gooey, chewy centers. The texture freak inside of me is los.ing.it.
I was afraid they’d be too rich but they aren’t. They are just completely perfect. I love them more than s’mores brownies and… well, you know that’s serious business.
Chocolate Chip Cookie S'mores Bars
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Ingredients:
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup chocolate chips
1 1/2 cups mini marshmallows
1 (6-ounce) chocolate bar, chopped
a few graham crackers, broken into pieces
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray a 9x13-inch baking dish with nonstick spray. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, graham crumbs,, baking powder and salt.
In the bowl of your electric mixer, beat the butter until creamy. Add the sugars and beat until fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Add in the egg and beat for another minute or so until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed. Beat in the vanilla extract.
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients until combined. Scrape the sides if needed. Once the dough has come together, stir the chocolate chips and 3/4 of the marshmallows into the dough with a spatula.
Press the mixture into the greased baking dish. Top if with the leftover marshmallows, the chopped chocolate and the graham pieces. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool and set completely before serving.
[from the iheartnaptime cookbook]
Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag your recipes with #howsweeteats! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page. I appreciate you so much!
I’m going to see these in my dreams.
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