Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 409

Fresh Mint Limeade.

Okay so.

Not to be totally cliche, but can you even believe it’s almost Memorial Day?!

I mean, I realize that I’m almost all the time, 100% a cliche. But still.

I CAN’T BELIEVE IT.

Important things:

Did you find a swim suit (or do you call it bathing suit?) yet for the summer? One that you love?

Are your vacation plans made and where are you taking me?

What is the grilling situation in your house? i.e. are you scared to death of it like I am, but obsessed with grilled food?

Have you decided on what your signature summer cocktail will be?

This is NOT a cocktail, but I guess it’s a mocktail.

Nah, it’s not really that either. It’s just good old limeade, which I love a whole heck of a lot more than lemonade. TRUTH.

Tastes like summer, but in a way that doesn’t make your teeth squeak. That is the absolute worst.

This is SUPER refreshing. Part of me wants to tell you that if you’re making it for a large group, you don’t need to juice all these limes. But the fresh limeade is to die for and I can’t quit it. I have a recipe for blueberry limeade in Seriously Delish and it’s been made EVERY summer since I first tested it.

I’m kicking myself for not adding more fresh mint to it.

Back to the limes… it’s your call. I know. It’s a lot of limes. Like a lot.

And if all else fails… add tequila.

Homemade Mint Limeade

Yield: serves 4 to 6, is easily multiplied

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

2/3 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
1 big bunch of fresh mint leaves (around 3/4 cup)


2 1/2 cups freshly squeezed lime juice
2 1/2 cups water
1/3 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice
3 limes, sliced
a few fresh mint leaves for garnish
watermelon wedges for serving
ice for serving



Directions:

To make the mint simple syrup, add the water, sugar and mint leaves to a saucepan and heat over medium heat. Whisk constantly until the sugar dissolves and the mixture comes to a boil. Let it bubble for a minute or so, then reduce the heat and let it cool completely. Remove the mint leaves before use.

Stir together the mint simple syrup, water, lime juice and lemon juice. Add the sliced limes and extra fresh mint leaves. Refrigerate for at least an hour. Stir before serving and pour over ice. Garnish with extra limes, mint and watermelon wedges.

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!

It’s green too! So, health. All the health.

Honey Chipotle Chicken Pizza with Goat Cheese.

I’m happy to report that I can still put ANYTHING on a pizza.

And love it. That’s an important part to add.

Although… I was talking about this peach and ricotta pizza I’m making the other day while we were in the car and Eddie told me it was a horrific idea. I might fire my taste tester.

Want to hear something embarrassing? It’s not embarrassing for me, it’s embarrassing for Eddie. I mean, it’s embarrassing to the point when I have second hand embarrassment (for my self, of course) too.

One of the first texts Eddie ever sent me (by “first.” I mean, like, probably the 200th because we texted for nearly 24 hours straight the day we met, so let’s say in first few days) was… “do you want to order some ‘za?”

‘ZA? WHAT THE HECK WAS ‘ZA.

Actually, I laugh so hard when I think about this (probably had to be there…) and I’ve never even told him, so he’s reading it here for the first time ever.

I’m 87% sure that it was a joke, more so a Michael Scott joke reference because The Office was popular at the time and later on, we’d even spend a few hours watching The Office marathons in a sleeping bag on his living room floor. It’s true.

But in my head now, every time we order, take out, eat in or make pizza, ‘za quickly has to pop up in my brain before I dismiss it.

And I’m like NO NO NO NO NO, Destiny’s Child style.

He just sounded so serrrrious when he asked. Over text, you know. Because it’s very easy to read peoples’ tone over text.

Wait. How many eye-rolling emojis do you think I can fit in this line right here?

Now here’s the thing. This pizza is SPICY.

Spicy with a capital s. You can determine the spice of course. I made it way too spicy for Max to even have a bite, meaning I’m probably a terrible mom because pizza is his favorite food. Whomp whomp. 

All the delicious things on our pizza include:

tomato sauce with some chipotle ripples

quickly broiled honey chipotle chicken (duh)

diced green chiles

scallions

sweet corn

goat cheese kisses!! 

fontina cheese (because I never stop)

lotssss of cilantro.

All that good stuff, right on a slice for you. HOW CAN YOU SAY NO?!

Honey Chipotle Chicken Pizza with Goat Cheese

Yield: makes 1 large pizza, serves about 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

3 boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
2 teaspoons adobo sauce from can of chipotle peppers
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup marinara sauce
12 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
1 (4 ounce) can diced green chiles
3 scallions, sliced
2/3 cup sweet corn
6 ounces goat cheese, crumbled
1/3 cup fresh chopped cilantro



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.

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 peel. Place the towel back over the dough and let sit in the warm place for 10 minutes.

While the pizza is rising, heat the broiler in your oven to high. Season the chicken thighs with the chipotle powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Place them on a baking sheet and stick it under the broiler. Broil for 7 minutes, then flip, broiling for 7 minutes more. In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, vinegar and 1 teaspoon of the adobo sauce. Brush it on the chicken thighs and broil for another minute. Flip the chicken and brush the remaining mixture on the other side, broiling for 1 more minute.

Remove the chicken and shred it once cooled.

Heat the oven to 425 degrees. (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.)

Brush the pizza dough edges with olive oil. Spread the marinara sauce on the dough and swirl in the remaining teaspoon of adobo sauce. Add half of the fontina on the sauce. Cover the fontina with the shredded chicken, green chiles, scallions, corn and crumbled goat cheese. Add the remaining fontina on top.

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 and top with the fresh cilantro. Slice and serve!

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!

So anyhoo. Want some ‘za?

Tuesday Things.

1. To me, peonies look the prettiest before they open up. Truth.

2. Sweet, spicy AND salty coconut margaritas? Sign me up.

3. Thoughts on the new instagram logo? I know most people hate it, but of course my pink-adoring, neon-loving, 90s Lisa Frank inside freak LOVES it. I think it’s super cool. And I like the update too – the minimalist look makes all the photos stand out so much. Probably not a popular opinion?

4. You know what makes my skin crawl though? The whole Dr. Pimple Popper thing. No. No. NO. I just can’t. But I know some people get weird gratification out of it. Are you one of them? I want to throw up. But it’s okay, that’s probably how you feel about neon, so we’re even.

5. Soooo how much would your favorite TV apartment cost today?! I’m still on the Carrie Bradshaw train. I mean, TWO doors into her bathroom!

6. Speaking of TV! Yes, I am sad that Nashville was cancelled but I seriously thought it would be cancelled the last two years. I loathe loathe loathe the storyline right now. What did you think of the Scandal finale? I’m excited about The Catch finale too! And like I usually do in the spring, I’m ready to binge on The Affair again.

7. I’ve hit this point in my life where if I have one extra glass of wine at night? I toss and turn the entire night. It’s like I’m now 87 years old.

8. Ryan Reynolds on parenting. It’s real! Also, can we talk about how incredible Blake Lively looked in the blue dress last week?!

9. Okay! So I have a new plan for my herbs this year. Last year they did great in pots, but it was sort of an eyesore (to me) and I want lots of different herbs. I had nine different herbs but they were very crowded. I cook a TON with fresh herbs so want even more variation this year. And I want one of these stand up planter things that isn’t a million dollars. Nope, building one isn’t an option (we are not the “handy” type AT ALL) – seriously, doesn’t matter how easy it is. Do I just bite the bullet and get it? Have you had one?

10. I love you majorly. Thank you SO much for being here. I appreciate it like nobody’s business.

30 Minute Farfalle with Marinated Feta, Arugula and Toasted Pine Nuts.

You are absolutely one of my favorite people.

So I made you this!

Talk about an easy, super flavorful dish that you needed in your life five minutes ago.

Run out and get the ingredients!

I’ll wait.

This is my faux recreation of an amazzzzing pasta dish at a restaurant here in Pittsburgh, Sausalido. It’s actually called their “famous farfalle” and while I’m dying to know exactly what goes into it, I can’t really be all “oh hi can you please give me your famous recipe so I can exploit it on the internet to all of my invisible friends?”

Um no. I cannot.

Or can I?

So I had to go by taste! And here’s the thing: it’s ridiculously simple. Deliciously simple. Like one of those dishes that is so easy and has so few ingredients but tastes SO wonderful.

It sort of reminded me of this spinach goat cheese pasta.

I think it’s the feta. Feta has a tendency to take everything right on over the edge of tastiness.

Also, I don’t even like the word tastiness. But i think we can all agree that I super overdo the word DELICIOUS.

Another thing I never liked (is that a super negative post? what what?) – FARFALLE! Like, never. If you’re a long time reader than you know that I grew up with a heavy dislike for pasta, but mostly pasta with red sauce. Farfalle was my least favorite version, which is insane since it’s quite possibly the most adorable cut.

Being from the extremely un-italian family that I am, I also never understood why people preferred certain pasta shapes or said certain pastas were their favorite – because don’t they all taste the same?! They did to me. Alas, I still felt that weird way about farfalle.

Until this.

I mean, we are talking as recently as last summer! That’s when I learned to love farfalle and when I started craving this dish. We also just had it again last weekend at my friend Natalie’s bridal shower and it was alllll I could think about.

Now. I know that this version has to be missing something, but it’s still darn good. It’s the perfect Monday night meal, the perfect weeknight meal. Toasty pine nuts, tangy feta that melts as much as feta can against the hot pasta, slightly wilted (but not mushy) arugula and garlicky olive oil. It can easily be made in 30 minutes or less. In fact, the longest amount of time comes from waiting for the pasta water to boil.

Just throw on a youtube video of uptown funk a few times and you’re good to go. It never gets old. 

Farfalle with Marinated Feta, Arugula and Toasted Pine Nuts

Yield: serves 2 (or 4, as a side dish)

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

6 ounces feta cheese, crumbled
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
1/8 teaspoon crushed red pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 pound whole wheat farfalle
8 ounces baby arugula
1/3 cup pine nuts



Directions:

In a bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons olive oil, vinegar, oregano and crushed red pepper. Stir in 1 minced garlic clove. Crumbled in about 4 ounces of the feta and place the bowl in the fridge. You can also do this ahead of time (like the night before, morning of, etc)! In a another bowl, whisk together the remaining 3 tablespoons olive oil and the other garlic clove.

Bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook the farfalle according to the directions on the box. Place the baby arugula in a large bowl.

While the pasta is cooking, place the pine nuts in a skillet and heat over low heat. Stir, toss and shake the pan constantly so the pine nuts don't burn, cooking until golden, toasty and fragrant, about 5 minutes.

Once the pasta is finished cooking, drain it and place it directly over the baby arugula. Drizzle the garlic olive oil over the pasta and cover the bowl with a piece of foil. Let sit for 5 minutes. This should wilt the arugula and you can always give it a good stir to help the process along.

Toss the pasta with the marinated feta (I add the entire contents to the pasta) and pine nuts. Add the remaining 2 ounces of feta on top. Toss well and serve!

Note: I find that this pasta has tons of flavor (the salty feta, the salted pasta water, the pine nuts) and doesn't need additional salt and pepper, but feel free to add it if needed!

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!

PLUS LOTS OF ROSÉ.

Currently Crushing On.

{via}

HI GUYS!

Happy weeeeekend. This is the first weekend in months that we haven’t had anything really happening so I can’t wait to enjoy the downtime. Eddie traveled all last week so I might just lock myself out on the patio for an hour (or four) with a book. What are you up to?!

things i’m loving on:

for sure happening today: spicy hummus avocado toast with feta.

look at this ultra soft stretchy bread! i don’t even love bread and want this bread.

cream cheese red velvet ice cream, because i don’t know what to do with myself.

adding to the menu: linguine with mint pest and corn.

desperate for this strawberry avocado spinach salad with chicken.

always want this mint mojito pour over coffee.

grilled pineapple ricotta cake. that sounds fantastic.

these match egg creams are oh-so pretty.

DIY tropical fruit manicure. adorable!

the prettiest ever brown butter madeleines.

loving on this super simple chocolate strawberry icebox cake.

this blueberry coconut baked oatmeal is calling my name like whoa.

Blueberry Glazed Doughnut Muffins.

Let’s just talk about how these donuts are covered in antioxidants.

Because that’s a surefire way to consume them for breakfast. I know that I rarely consider fruit to be a dessert, but this is where we make an exception in order to ward off all of those free radicals.

So. These are actually CINNAMON SUGAR donuts. Brushed with a little butter. Coated in some cinnamon sugar.

And covered in blueberry glaze.

A touch over the top? Yes. But the glaze tastes so wonderful over the cinnamon sugar that it has to be combined.

Plus, it’s, like, pinky-purple in color and you know my secret 80’s Lisa Frank brain is exploding at this very moment.

While I found these muffins to be incredibly delicious, they are absolutely Eddie’s DREAM muffin. Over the years I’ve rambled on about how we have very different donut preferences. Eddie loves cake donuts and cake donuts only, and I really prefer yeasted donuts and can easily pass over cake donuts.

Unless they are in muffin form, apparently.

These muffins are like one giant cake donut. Giant!

I cannot deal.

While we’re on the subject of donut preferences, chocolate frosted is my number one which is very closely followed by blueberry. Of course, both of those fly out the window when it comes to the cherry donuts (which are, ironically, cake donuts) that we get on vacation in the summer, but since they are a temporary things, chocolate and blueberry hold the spots.

I even made blueberry donuts as one of the first ever donut recipes here on the blog. I swear I made those yesterday. Not FOUR years ago. !!!!

Is this breakfast? Or dessert? Or breakfast dessert? I prefer the third option. Always.

Everything needs dessert.

Blueberry Glazed Doughnut Muffins









Ingredients:

3 cups all-purpose flour
2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 cup whole milk, at room temperature
2 tablespoons plain greek yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
10 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature

cinnamon sugar topping

4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1/3 cup sugar
1 teaspoon sugar

blueberry glaze

1/3 cup frozen blueberries
2 to 3 cups powdered sugar



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 375 degree F. Brush a muffin tin with melted butter or spray with nonstick spray and sprinkle with flour.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, nutmeg, salt and baking soda. In a small bowl or measuring cup, whisk together the milk, yogurt and vanilla extract.

In the bowl of your electric mixer (fitted with the paddle attachment), beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in each egg until combined, scraping down the sides and bottom if needed. With the mixer on low speed, add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then 1/2 of the milk. Add another 1/3 of the dry ingredients and the rest of the milk. Finish with the remaining dry ingredients. Scoop the mixture into the muffin tins, filling them 3/4 of the way full. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they are set on top and golden. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes, then remove from the tins and cool almost completely.

Brush the muffins with the melted butter (all over the sides too!) and sprinkle with the cinnamon sugar.

blueberry glaze

Microwave the frozen blueberries until warm and soft and juicy. Add them to a food processor and blend until completely pureed. transfer to a bowl. Whisk in the powdered sugar until no lumps remain and your have a glaze-like consistency. If the mixture is too thin, whisk is more sugar 1/2 cup at a time. If it's too thick, add a teaspoon of water and whisk. You might need more powdered sugar based on how much liquid your blueberries release!

[slightly adapted from chowhound]

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 should probably dip that in coffee. Just try it.

Chocolate Milk Iced Mochas.

We’ve come a looonnnnng way baby.

I’m now a coffee fiend (I MADE IT!) who desperately looks forward to that morning cup, even getting excited to go to bed just because of coffee in the morning.

It’s the verrrry little things.

Also, it’s miracle that I’m still married because Eddie 100% still loathes coffee, especially the smell of it. If I ever want him out of the house, I just make two cups. Works like a charm.

These adorable coffee ice cube balls?! I love them.

I found the molds at my local grocery store and they make every single morning better. Iced coffee weather for liiiiife.

Nearly five years ago I posted THIS about not loving coffee, but wanting to love coffee, but liking coffee ice cream… so making my coffee taste like coffee ice cream. It wouldn’t be until about two years later when I REALLY started drinking coffee and enjoying it sparingly, and then two more after that when I became slightly dependent on coffee (oh hi zero sleeping child) even when said coffee was black.

Which was practically blasphemy in my world.

It’s not a regular occurrence but it certainly happens in moments of desperation.

So! I have new favorite iced coffee recipe. I obviously still love all those homemade syrups (who wouldn’t?!) but for a quickie mocha at home, this is what I’m doing.

My new and improved semi-high maintenance mocha includes:

vanilla powder in my cold brew. ADDICTIVE. So wonderful and delicious

and… wait for it…

chocolate milk. Chocolate freaking milk! I can’t even tell you the last time I drank chocolate milk, but it was was probably like seven years ago when I bought it “to be healthy” because it’s a great post workout recovery drink. Ha. HAHAHAHAHA.

Right right.

Anyhoo.

I drizzled in some chocolate syrup (trader joe’s version) here – a little on the bottom (it looks like a TON but theses are super skinny tall glasses) and a bit around the rim. I even like it without the chocolate syrup and in day to day life, usually skip it because I’d rather eat bacon, cheese, peanut butter chocolate spoons, pizza and burgers if I want them. You know?

But on the weekend? Give me all the chocolate.

Plus it saves me like a billion and two dollars at Starbucks.

Add it to the list for this weekend: coffee plus chocolate milk. It’s a dream.

Chocolate Milk Iced Mochas.

Yield: makes about 3 cups of coffee (4 with ice and cream!)

Ingredients:

1 cup coarsely ground coffee
2 tablespoons vanilla powder
3 1/2 cups cold (preferably filtered) water
3 to 4 tablespoons chocolate syrup
1 cup cold chocolate milk
coffee ice cubes



Directions:

The night before, add the coffee grinds and vanilla powder to the bottom of your french press or to a large measuring cup. Cover with the cold water. Place the in fridge (covered! or with the fresh press top, not pressed) overnight, for at least 8 to 12 hours.

In the morning, press the coffee in the press or pour it over a coffee filter (or 2) into a larger bowl or pitcher. Fill a glass with a bit of chocolate syrup on the bottom and (coffee) ice cubes. Pour in your coffee and then fill the rest of the glass with chocolate milk. Drizzle extra chocolate on the rim. I've also topped this with coconut whipped cream!

Note: I do have a nespresso that i use religiously and if I'm pressed for time or really craving cold brew, I'll sometimes just brew that over ice. Slightly watered down but good enough for me!

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!

buuuut I want, like, seven cups.

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp Noodle Bowls.

We all need a food hug sometimes.

I know, I know. I’ve been eating my weight in watermelon and now I’m trying to serve you SOUP.

It’s not exactly soup, at least I don’t consider curry or noodle bowls to be soup. But I make no sense of anything at all ever, so perhaps you shouldn’t listen to me. In my confusing secret brain I consider curry and noodles to be warming comfort food, exactly what’s needed when the rain is pouring down outside and jackets are still necessary.

And when you need the hug.

The words that come to mind when I look at this curry?

Rich. Warm. Inviting. Spicy, but in a good way. Soulful. Hearty. But light!

And VEGETABLES. Because green things. See them?

Oh coconut curry, how I freaking love you.

It’s no secret that I would drink coconut milk straight from the can if asked (and maybe I do sometimes – or at least pour it into my coffee) and when it’s stirred into red curry paste, creating pretty red swirls until it turns all shades of pink and orange, studded with bright greens and juicy shrimp and slightly crisp peppers, I love it even more. I swear that canned coconut milk was made for me.

So this dish! Um, hi, it’s super easy.

Like SUUUUUPER easy. Like if you’re familiar with your kitchen, it will be done in 30 minutes. If your shrimp is peeled and deveined, possibly even quicker.

I stirred some of Trader Joe’s fresh rice noodles into my bowl and loved it. Then I googled the TJ’s rice noodles and found horrific reviews of them. I don’t know man, they were pretty delicious to me. The good news is that you can use whatever noodles you’d like! Spaghetti, dry rice noodles, soba noodles – whatever. If you don’t want to use noodles at all, you could serve this over rice or stir in some roasted sweet potato wedges.

And then watch the rain fall down outside and read a fabulous book. And then wine. And maybe affogato.

This is turning into the best night ever!

Thai Coconut Curry Shrimp Noodle Bowls

Yield: serves 2 to 4

Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 pound raw peeled and deveined shrimp, patted dry
1/2 sweet onion, sliced
1/2 red bell pepper, sliced
1/2 orange bell pepper, sliced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon freshly grated ginger
2 tablespoons red curry paste
1/3 cup sugar snap peas
1 (14-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk
1 (14-ounce) can light coconut milk
6 ounces cooked rice noodles (or soba noodles... or spaghetti!)
3 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
2 green onions, sliced



Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil. Add in the shrimp  and cook until opaque and pink on both sides. Sprinkle with salt and pepper Remove the shrimp and place it in a bowl off to the side.

Add the remaining coconut oil to the pot. Stir in the onions, peppers, more salt and pepper and stir to toss. Cover and cook until the vegetables have slightly softened, about 5 minutes. Add in the garlic, ginger and curry paste and stir to coat. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, scraping the bottom. Add in the snap peas and coconut milk. Increase heat and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 5 minutes. Stir in the shrimp and cilantro and cook for 5 minutes more.

To serve, place a handful of rice noodles in a bowl and cover with the shrimp curry. Top with extra cilantro or green onions.

[adapted from my easy chickpea curry]

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!

Squeeeeze.

Tuesday Things.

1. If you follow me on instagram then you know that this was my trying-my-hardest-not-to-eat-my-moms-strawberry-pretzel-jello Monday afternoon snack attack. I’m obsessed. Dark chocolate + coconut oil, dipped kiwis and flaked coconut.

2. Going totally crazy over these overnight oats. That GIF is so enticing!

3. Inquiring minds need to know: do you prefer having Friday off? Or Monday off? I’m a very big Friday-off person. The new week always starts on Monday for me, no matter what.

4. I really wonder if someday I’ll be 62 and still loving neon and unicorns. I try to stop but then… I just love that bright, glittery junk. I AM WHO I AM.

5. TV things I’m currently watching: Grey’s (and OMG did you see the hinted preview for this coming week? The Mere-Alex storyline was NOT in my head, even if it’s just a stupid tease), The Catch and Nashville. Only one I’m really loving is The Catch even if it makes me want to binge on Parenthood again. I’m embarrassingly looking forward to Mistresses which I will DVR and watch in humiliation at midnight while editing photos and eating m&ms.

6. I have the new Justin Timberlake song on repeat and NO it’s not because it’s from the Trolls movie. I love him so much.

7. Bath and Body Works bringing back their throwback scents again- what scent was your childhood? I was all about Country Apple and Cucumber Melon. I can even still smell their alcoholy-scented sprays. After that though I REALLY grew up and moved on to Amber Romance and Lovespell from Victoria’s Secret, which is what I wore all through high school. Sometimes I still walk in there and smell the lotions to get my own mental throwback.

8. Underrated Trader Joe’s favorites… the only one I’ve tried is the greek froyo and Eddie and I used to cover it in fruit. Maybe I should buy it again for smoothies?

Exciting News! – The Food Entrepreneur Summit.

 

I wanted to pop in here reeeal quick to tell you that I’m taking part in Nicole Culver’s Food Entrepreneur Summit from May 31 to June 8 and I am soooo excited about it!

A few weeks ago we recorded a video interview about how I avoid the comparison trap in the world of instagram and facebook, how to plow through and create content when you feel like you’re in a rut and my biggest tip for success on becoming a food blogger. Now, I might have had to sit on the floor of my guest bedroom and lock the door to record so Max wouldn’t come jump on me to play, but we did it and it was wonderful and I am dyyyying to see the rest of the videos. Also -the summit includes a private Facebook group for lots of Q an A’s from the speakers too!

I completely ADORE Nicole and am blown away by the incredible business she has created, by her work ethic, by her work-life balance and the way she seems to get so much… LIFE… out of every moment. Seriously, every time we talk I’m all HOW ARE YOU DOING THIS HELP ME TELL ME YOUR SECRETS and the thing is, she does! She is so positive and hard working and I love how she is bringing to connection to the community.

Below you can find a rundown of the full seven days and 20+ videos.

So… You can sign up for the virtual summit HERE (and there is earlybird pricing until May 16!) and find a bunch of FAQs right here. And then, we can totally chat about it!