Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 410

Grilled Chicken, Burst Tomato and Artichoke Skewers with Goat Cheese Dip.

Time to eat!

I’m bringing these chicken skewers to your house for dinner with copious amounts of goat cheese dip and tons of ice cold pinot grigio. Maybe some garlic butter bread that’s super golden and toasty because when you eat chicken and vegetables on a stick, there is, like, a ton of room for carbs.

All that protein and veg asks for a big carby hug. Also, it’s wonderful, because we can use that toast to soak up any extra delicious grilled marinade.

Ummmm yes please.

I’m a huge fan of skewered chicken and veggies – it’s just a fun way to switch up the everyday chicken dish. Right?

I mean, it can be flavored exactly the same way as the chicken we had the night before, but the fact that it’s cut into chunks and skewered on a stick with some vegetables and fruit, it’s COMPLETELY DIFFERENT.

This is how my brain works. Welcome to my life.

So first, marinated chicken. Super flavorful and tender, kind of caramely once grilled. The char! It’s necessary.

Second, these grilled artichokes. I can’t stop buying them and we can’t stop eating them and there is absolutely no limit to what I will use them for. Beware.

Third, bursting, popping cherry tomatoes! The season is coming. Just don’t burn your tongue off.

Finally, charred, steamy lemon to give everything more flavor.

HOWEVER.

The chicken skewers are great, yes, but let’s talk about why we are all here.

The goat cheese dip.

And I don’t know which I love more: the chicken covered in the goat cheese dip or the grilled artichokes dragged through the goat cheese dip. Both together is a major flavor punch to the face.

The whole combination is savory and refreshing and light but hearty enough for a filling meal.

Now, it’s up to you for dessert. (p.s. I like chocolate.)

Grilled Chicken, Burst Tomato and Artichoke Skewers with Goat Cheese Dip

Yield: serves about 4, makes 6 skewers

Prep Time: 30 minutes (for marinade)

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs, cut into cubes
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/3 tablespoons olive oil
4 tablespoons red wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoons honey
2 teaspoons dijon mustard
2 tablespoons fresh chopped dill
2 garlic cloves, finely minced or pressed
1 (12-ounce) jar artichoke hearts (I love these grilled ones)
1 pint cherry or grape tomatoes
3 lemons, sliced in half
fresh chopped dill, oregano and cilantro for sprinkling

goat cheese dip

8 ounces goat cheese (chevre)
3 tablespoons plain greek yogurt
1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil



Directions:

Season the chicken with the salt and paper and place it in a resealable bag or baking dish. Whisk together the olive oil, vinegar, honey, mustard, dill and garlic and pour it over the chicken. Marinate from anywhere to 30 minutes to 2 hours or even overnight.

Preheat your grill to high.

When ready to grill, skewer the chicken (I made 6 skewers) with a lemon half on the bottom and tomatoes and artichoke hearts in between. You can skewer them however you'd like! Place the skewers on the grill and grill for about 2 to 3 minutes per side, until the chicken juices run clear and the chicken and veggies are charred.

Cover the chicken with a few sprinkles of fresh chopped dill and cilantro. Serve immediately with the goat cheese dip.

goat cheese dip

Place the goat cheese, yogurt, herbs, salt and garlic powder in a food processor. Blend until combined, then with the processor still running, drizzle in the olive oil. You may need to scrape down the sides a few times to make sure everything is thoroughly mixed. Taste and season additionally if needed. This will stay fresh sealed in an air-tight container in the fridge for a few days.

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!

Knock knock.

Currently Crushing On.

{via}

WOOHOO for the weekend! I’m so happy you’re here.

What are your plans? I’m thinking about peach mint juleps for this afternoon and maybe a little derby spread. And partay time tomorrow! I’m also plotting my planting plans (what the what?) for this year and gearing up to start soon.

To celebrate Mother’s Day, Max and I made a cookie baking video over on Crate and Barrel. Check it out! Baking cookies + videos with a toddler… FUN. Actually, it was super fun. I want to eat him up.

Oh and P.S. f you’re still reeling from a mexican food coma, here’s a video of my caramelized pineapple bacon goat cheese guac to get you through the day.

And don’t forget that I love you THISMUCH! What caught your eye this week?

loving on this week:

so much yes for this spicy thai mint julep.

peanut butter coconut protein bites. i like you!

four words: cardamom pistachio banana bread. so many favorites, together.

these orange raspberry margaritas are so super gorgeous.

these plant power sushi bowls. i want all sushi in a bowl!

a passionfruit cordial? it’s the prettiest.

absolutely loving the idea of these easy flavored homemade finishing salts.

honey cupcakes with chamomile buttercream. cuties.

craving like crazy: shrimp po’boy fries!

cannot even handle these foodie hats for the kentucky derby.

this would be stunning on mother’s day: raspberry elderflower granita.

always wanting a good breakfast sandwich.

5 Ingredient Strawberry Rose Tart.

This is almost too pretty to eat!

Almost. Key word being almost.

With one taste, you’ll forget about how pretty it is and let your fork destroy the creamy filling and cookie crust.

I think it will forgive you. I might not? 

FIVE ingredients. Can you even believe this?! Is this real life?

I had no intention of creating a five ingredient dessert. In fact, when I set out to do things like that, I immediately feel incredibly limited and deprived and end up making a 67 ingredient dessert. You’ve witnessed this. I’m sure of it.

It wasn’t until I really looked at the photos and noticed that there are only five ingredients you absolutely need to make this gorgeous dessert:

Cookies + butter for the crust

Mascarpone + sugar for the filling

and strawberries cut into roses. Eeeep!

Now don’t get me wrong, you also need a the patience of a 97-year old mother of ten to cut these strawberries into roses, but it isn’t THAT difficult. Plus, with only five ingredients, it’s worth it!

If you want to add a leeeeettle something else, you can spritz your mascarpone filling with lemon and vanilla, drizzle your strawberries with honey and cover the entire thing in mint, but none of those things are necessary for this to taste fabulous.

Okay, the cutting of the strawberries. Here is my big secret: google it. That’s all I did. We watched a few videos on how to do it and didn’t even need to practice on that many berries. This one and this one helped the most. For this particular tart, after the rose was carved out, we sliced or pulled off the strawberry tops and set them right on the tart.

HEAVEN.

Simple heaven. The best kind of heaven.

Now another big secret… wait for it… you don’t HAVE to cut the strawberries all fancy. They don’t need to be strawberry roses or strawberry tulips or strawberry whatever, they can just be STRAWBERRIES. If this flavor combo tugs on your heartstrings but the thought of carving a berry into a plant makes you want to crawl into a hole and die, the tart will still taste as wonderful with sliced strawberries.

Or whole strawberries.

Or chopped strawberries!

And maybe even frozen strawberries, thawed.

Yep I went there.

As for the crust?

WELL. You know that I’m a slave to graham cracker crusts and that I eat some pie and cheesecake just for the crust alone. And sometimes I eat only the crust, because I’m a freak.

But! In this case? I used Biscoff cookies. I just felt like it. Thought it would add some lovely flavor and it did.

Graham crumbs will work just as well – so would oreos! I need to make that happen ASAP.

You can even change up the fruit. So basically, this is a base tart recipe for whatever flavors your little heart desires.

HOW COOL IS THAT.

!!!!!!!

Even better news: this recipe does double duty this weekend, much like the sangria from yesterday.

It can totally be you’re dessert at your Kentucky Derby party (helllllo run for the roses!) and is easy enough to whip up sunday morning first thing for Mother’s Day. I’m hopeful that Eddie can throw it together so I can eat it again. YES. 

5 Ingredient Strawberry Rose Tart

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 1/2 cups cookie crumbs (such as graham crackers, biscoff cookies, oreo cookies)
5 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
12 ounces mascarpone cheese, at room temperature
1/4 cup powdered sugar
2 pints of strawberries, cut into roses if you're feeling fancy

extras if you wish, but only if you have these things on hand:

1/2 lemon, juiced
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
honey for drizzling
fresh mint for garnish



Directions:

To make the crust, stir together the cookie crumbs and melted butter until combined and all the crumbs are moistened. Press the crust into a 4 x 14 inch tart pan, pressing it up along the sides until packed. This will also work in an 8-inch round tart pan.

Stir together the mascarpone and sugar until creamy and combined. If you have lemon juice or vanilla extract on hand, add a splash. Spread the mascarpone on the graham crust evenly. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour.

While the tart is in the fridge, cut the strawberries. I used this tutorial to cut them into roses. Right before serving, place the strawberries on the mascarpone tart. If desired, you can drizzle the strawberries with honey or add a few fresh mint leaves for garnish. You can serve immediately, or keep in the fridge until ready to 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!

I want all the bites.

Rosé Sangria.

I’m feeling it guys.

SPRING.

It’s finally here. Yesterday it even poured for the entire ride home from Max’s swim lesson and it felt like that springy-summer rain, where it rains so hard and so fast and the humidity is thick and it smells like rainy flowers outside?! Yeah, that.

It happened and I loved it and wanted to dance in it like a child. 

To celebrate, I made us a cocktail!

Errr, not really. But let’s pretend.

The truth is that I wanted to share something with you today that could possibly go with your tacos tonight (!!!) AND make a great cocktail for mother’s day festivities this weekend. Something that fit the bill for the next four days, fit the season and made us all incredibly giddy.

At least, something to make me incredibly giddy. This is it!!

I’m super psyched for rosé season. I don’t care how basic it is, and good thing that doesn’t even matter because everything I love is basic. The closest liquor store has barely carried ANY rosé over the last two years. I mean, I asked them for a bottle last summer and they pointed me towards the white zinfandel. Um, hi, but no.

Later on in the year, they started carrying some version but it was probably only $8, not that it really means anything but, you know. It was still a bit sweet. And I only went there on the fly, when I was out of time, entertaining, or in desperate need of a bottle for a party.

Sooooo – imagine my surprise when they had a sliiiightly nicer rosé on the shelf last week. High fives all around. I grabbed a few bottles and we loved it so much.

Then I found myself with a leftover half-a-bottle (how? why? who? why? again why?) and knew exactly what was going to go down.

Fruit + wine is my love language. Multiplied by chocolate. Divided by pizza. Peanut butter covered spoons dipped in chocolate chips are the square root of my heart. 

See!! I can totally do math. Go tell Eddie.

Obviously, you can make this your own and I’d love you to do so. It’s why I enjoy sharing recipes so much. Add whatever fruit you have on hand, switch up the seltzer flavor, add some fresh mint. I wrote it below exactly as I made it, but a few tweaks on your favorites will only make you love it more. Like peaches?! Cannot even wait for them to arrive.

Make it yours… and then drink it down.

Rosé Sangria

Yield: serves 4 appropriately, serves 2 obnoxiously, is easily multiplied

Ingredients:

1 (750mL) bottle dry rosé
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup grand marnier
2 cups club soda, whatever flavor you'd like
2 cara cara oranges, sliced
2 limes, sliced
1 cup of melon balls, cantaloupe and watermelon
1 pint of strawberries, sliced
2 tablespoons orange sugar, for rimming the glass



Directions:

Add all of your fruit to the bottom of a pitcher. Pour your wine, brandy, grand marnier and club soda over top and stir. This tastes great when it sits in the fridge and "marinates" for a bit. To serve, rim a glass with some orange sugar, add ice and some of the boozy fruit and pour the sangria over top. YES.

Note: to make the orange sugar, I took 2 tablespoons sugar and toss it with the zest from 1/2 a cara cara orange.

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!

God I love this season.

Chipotle Marinated Kale and Smoky Mushroom Tacos.

Are you ready?!

The most wonderful food day is here! With Cinco de Mayo being tomorrow, I need a full blown report down there in comments on EXACTLY what tacos you will be eating (maybe enchiladas? or tostadas?) or which margaritas you will be sipping (rocks? frozen?) or how many bowls of guac you plan on taking down.

Details please. I’m your stereotypical freak who wants every itty bitty detail down to the charred limes in your guacamole. It’s true.

So, tacos!

I’ve shared tons of tacos here. TONS. Lots of pork and chicken, short rib is probably my favorite, I’ve done some shrimp and a handful of veg but I was really just craving a mushroom taco this week. Two reasons:

First, whenever we eat Mexican food, I find myself ALWAYS having to try the mushroom taco. It’s like I missed out on so many years of not caring about mushrooms (after my dad tried to convince me that they were only a fungus, not a food) that I must must must make up for it now. So I’m doing that.

And next, ground turkey or beef or pulled chicken tacos make our menu nearly every single week. It’s an easy standby and sometimes I’ll even make a big batch of ground beef/turkey mixture to stick in the fridge. Love it on nachos and tortillas and even in pasta, depends on the day. So really?

I just wanted some vegetable tacos.

I know. This is getting weird.

Pro tip: cover up the bitterness of kale with LOTS of spice. I like to marinate this kale in a mixture of adobo sauce from the chipotle peppers and some chipotle chili powder. A touch of olive oil, a spicy little massage (whoa there) and once it sits for 10 minutes? You’re golden.

Or green.

The mushrooms are sautéed in butter and covered in salt, pepper, smoky cumin, garlic and fresh herbs. It’s difficult to not just eat them straight from the pan. Crumble a little queso fresco into that skillet and UGH – you’re done. So done. You’ll eat more mushrooms than you know what to do with.

These two ingredients, the chipotle kale and smoky mushrooms, are super flavorful together on that little charred tortilla. But since I can’t leave well enough alone, there has to be avocado slices (super thin, please), grape tomatoes, finely diced onion and some guac if you have it.

I DON’T EVEN KNOW WHAT TO DO WITH MYSELF.

These tacos are wildly delicious. I want fifty for lunch today and then maybe seven for dinner tomorrow. Also, I don’t even hate myself after eating a million of these because they are good for you! Full of health. Lots of health.

Justify it, please.

And because I realize that kale and mushrooms are both quite polarizing ingredients and because I heart you majorly and don’t want you to leave me ever: make these (freaking!) puffy tacos or easy fish tacos instead if you’re flipped out.

Or just make a huuuuuge strawberry margarita. See!

We can still kick it.

Chipotle Marinated Kale and Herb Mushroom Tacos

Yield: serves 4 appropriately, 2 obnoxiously

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

1 head (about 4 to 5 cups) curly green kale, leaves torn off
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons adobo sauce from a can of chipotle peppers
1/4 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
12 ounces mixed sliced mushrooms
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons fresh chopped cilantro
1 avocado, sliced super thin
1/2 cup cherry tomatoes, halved or quartered
1/3 cup fresh cilantro
1/4 cup diced sweet onion
1/3 cup crumbled queso fresco cheese
8 (4-inch) corn or flour tortillas (your preference)



Directions:

Place the kale leaves on a cutting board and chop them into strips, then place them in a bowl. Add 1 tablespoon of oil, the adobo sauce and chipotle chili powder, tossing well. Use your hands to massage the ingredients into the kale. Set it aside. (and wash your hands! so you don't burn the heck out of your eyeballs.)

Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil and butter. Stir in the mushrooms, tossing to coat in the butter, then cook until the mushrooms are soft and juicy, about 6 to 8 minutes. Stir in the garlic, cumin, salt and pepper. Stir in the chopped cilantro. Turn off the heat. I also like to crumble a bit of the queso fresco in here now too, but that's your call.

Assemble the tacos by placing a handful of the marinated kale on a tortilla. Place the avocado slices on top, then some of the mushrooms, the tomatoes, sweet onion, more cilantro and queso fresco. Devour!

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!

If I can do it, you can. I swear.

Tuesday Things.

1. These passionfruit margarita pie parfaits… yes yes yes. What are you making for cinco de mayo?!

2. The whole “when it rains, it pours” thing? I’ve never seriously experienced it but in the last two weeks we had to replace our hot water tank, my computer, our TV and we still need a new fridge. What is this insanity?

3. I CANNOT get over the whole promposal thing. I read an article last week where a boy asked his date to the prom by buying her a plane ticket to Hawaii. What?! It wasn’t like that when I was in school – what started it? Was it Laguna Beach? I remember them doing it on the show. Crazy.

4. In an attempt to take this instagram photo, I wasn’t paying attention and Max shoved his hand down inside the smoothie. I had no wipes, no napkins, nothing with me. And an hour later while walking through the grocery store, I found a piece of granola on my cheek. This is horrifying.

5. Slightly odd things all book lovers do might describe me perfectly. I stay up embarrassingly late reading.

6. Umm… I’m not watching any TV right now, except for the stupid Grey’s that I can’t stay away from (I hate the Callie/Arizona storyline, stop it, just be together). OH! I am watching the Catch and still love it so much. Also, I DID watch Game of Thrones to “support” Eddie and all I gotta say is that I was not surprised. But I also live on the internet and saw so many possible spoilers.

7. On suffering from professional envy: I love this line: “envy is the death of learning.” So good! So true.

8. Speaking of that! Super excited to tell you that I’m part of the food entrepreneur summit that Nicole is holding. Oh my gosh. There is SO much info packed into this and my session is about how to avoid the comparison trap and continue to create content when you’re in a rut. More coming soon.

9. Best dressed at the Met Ball?? Go! I liked Emma Watson and Cindy Crawford. And Blake Lively!

Pimento Cheese Chicken Salad on Honey Butter Biscuits.

You know the whole dramatic what-would-your-last-meal-be question?

I’ve found a new answer. A huuuuuuge new answer.

And you’re looking at it.

Yeah, I mean, in true Jessica fashion it’s probably only my favorite thing until my next favorite thing appears but really, this is so fantastically delicious that I can hardly stand to look at it anymore.

There was a moment in 1993 when I really loved my hair crimper. Yes, my mom said it (and a subsequent perm) made me look like Roseanne Barr, but it didn’t stop me from AGAIN buying a hair crimper when I was like 21 or something. “They” say that hair crimping is cyclical, and that’s kind of how I also feel about pimento cheese.

At least in my life. For the past year, I’ve wanted to pimento cheese all the things things (and thankfully, none of the hair crimpers).

Pimento cheese is now a verb, so feel free to hate me.

Oh these biscuits. They have a story to tell.

I had planned on sharing something deliciously fried and biscuity for months now, a little bite that you could serve at your 30 second kentucky derby party. Honey butter biscuits and lightly fried chicken and tons of arugula for the perfect taste.

And then.

I had the most terrible fails in the kitchen ever. I don’t even know what my fried chicken looked like, but it wasn’t good. I soaked some in buttermilk and did the flakey flour crumb thing. I’ve done it before so I know it works.

I tried crusting it in tortilla chips (which I’ve also done before) but that was also a major fail. Eddie thought that the chicken pieces I made actually looked like biscuits (and not in a good way) so it just wasn’t happening.

And it didn’t sound as great anymore either, after seeing the atrocious mess. So I did something else.

Enter: PIMENTO CHEESE CHICKEN SALAD.

Not sure if I will ever make any other chicken salad as long as I live. It’s chicken salad tossed with tons of white cheddar, pimentos, bacon, some greek yogurt and mayo, lots of flavor and piled on top of arugula. Then covered with bread and butter pickles. ALL on top of that honey butter biscuit I wanted oh-so badly.

This might be my favorite thing that I’ve made in 2016. The freaking flavor is unreal. There is every texture imaginable with a touch of sweet, savory, crunchy and flakey.

These are my weekend dream, summertime picnic dream, spring garden party dream. I’m in it.

You can make all of the pieces to the sandwich ahead of time, but you probably know that biscuits taste best when they are fresh. Even if you skip the whole biscuit part, you need to try some pimento cheese chicken salad on toast.

Preferably topped with potato chips, because sandwiches shouldn’t be eaten any other way.

BUT. Good news.

The biscuits can be made in a half hour – probably less if you’re familiar with biscuits. I don’t love baking and am not a baker at heart, but biscuits always win because they are super simple. So buttery and flakey and the desired vehicle for all of the chicken salad plus pimento cheese.

So really. How is lunch today even going to compare?!

Pimento Cheese Chicken Salad on Honey Butter Biscuits

Yield: makes 12 to 15 biscuits

Total Time: 1 1/2 hours

Ingredients:

honey butter biscuits

3 cups all-purpose flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter, cut into tiny pieces
1 1/2 cups buttermilk
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 tablespoon honey

pimento cheese chicken salad

2 cups cooked shredded chicken breast
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
6 slices bacon, cooked and crumbled
3 green onions, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
1 (4-ounce) jar pimentos, drained
2/3 cup finely grated white cheddar cheese
2/3  cup plain greek yogurt (I recommend whole or 2%, but do what ya want!)
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
4 cups arugula, for serving
bread and butter pickles, for serving



Directions:

honey butter biscuits

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt. Using a fork, pastry blender or your hands, add the cold butter pieces to the flour and mix until coarse little crumbles remain. I use my hands and mix for almost 5 minutes. Make a well in the center and pour in the buttermilk, stirring with a large spoon until just combined, not overmixing. Use your hands if needed to bring the dough together – I did.

Pat dough into a circle that is about 1 1/2 inches thick. This will make TALL biscuits! Using a biscuit/cookie cutter, cut the dough into rounds and place on a nonstick baking sheet. You may need to bring the dough together and flatten it more to get the last few biscuits. Additionally, you could also just drop large spoonfuls of batter on the baking sheet and form them that way.

Bake the biscuits for 10 to 12 minutes or until they are golden and high. Whisk together the melted butter and honey. Remove from the oven and brush the honey butter all over the biscuits, then let them cool slightly.

pimento cheese chicken salad

In a large bowl, toss the shredded chicken with the salt, pepper and paprika. Toss in the bacon, onions, garlic, pimentos and cheese, stirring until evenly distributed. Whisk together the yogurt and mayo, then fold it into the chicken mixture, until every bit combined. I like a slightly "drier" chicken salad, but if you want it to be creamier, add in more mayo or yogurt by the tablespoon and mix until your desired consistency is reached.

To serve, brush the biscuits with more honey butter, cover with arugula and place a few spoonfuls of chicken salad on top. Add your pickles and you're good to go!

 

[biscuits from these sage butter biscuits]

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!

spoiler alert: it isn’t.

April Favorites: Lifestyle.

Welcome to my loves from the past month… and March. I skipped my favorites in March because I was kind of lacking on things I loved, but have a full list for you right here that I’m fully obsessed with. That’s right. I’m bring back “obsessed.” Sorry.

Let me know what you’re loving on below in the comments!

EMBRACE THE NEON. The Nike Free Transform Flyknit have me wanting a pair in every single shade. I love them so so much and they are comfortable and super cute. But I don’t want to work out in them and actually destroy them. WAH.

Granola! And more specifically, the bear naked cacao cashew butter granola and the blissful eats no nutty chocolate chip granola. I keep eating both like they’re going out of style and putting them on everything. But most frequently: by the handful. So good.

This lariet necklace from luluka. Okay, so I have wanted the high end version of this necklace FOREVER (like over a year) – I even sent a picture of it to Eddie for a gift once before I knew the brand, but he couldn’t find it. Anyhoo, after discovering how much it cost, I just couldn’t bring myself to spent that on such a dainty necklace that I won’t wear everyday because Max will grab it and/or possibly rip it off my neck. So I found this version of etsy and it’s super cute, much more affordable, I get tons of compliments on it and I think it’s great quality. Obsessed.

My Samsung nx300. OMG, I realize that you are probably so sick of hearing about this. But I just took a bunch of video with it today and love it even more for that. I’ve been using it for all of my instagram photos (begrudgingly, but hey, that’s 2016 now) and for all my pictures of Max, because my DSLR is just too heavy to lug around. I also ended up getting another lens for it to make the camera more compact (this 30mm) and while I love it, I do miss the zoom that the kit lens has. I have heard amazing things about the Sony a5100 too. Does anyone have it?!

Grapefruit Shady. It’s that time of year and this is all I want to drink. It’s so refreshing and super juice-like.

This Rebecca Minkoff mini mac in… wait for it… hologram. This purse has made me myself again. I’ve been a huge fan of the MAC clutch bags for years, in fact I think I talked about one in my first favorites ever. I was hesitant on buying this because I feel that I’m sort of “over” them (I carried one for two years straight and also have a neon one), however crossbody bags are all I’m comfortable using when I have Max with me – so I ordered it and FELL IN LOVE. The moment I saw this bag in person I just about died. It’s stunning. It’s so wacky and wild and everything I love rolled into one. The shine, the hologram, the pink, the purple – I don’t care if I’m 33. I love this.

Jess Lively’s podcast, The Lively Show, but especially the episode with Jasmine Star. Oh my gosh. This episode was so freaking inspiring, motivating and just all around awesome. Loved it. Listened to it twice already.

Trader Joe’s Pickle Popcorn. Does there need to be any explanation for this? Um hello lover. I can’t get enough.

On another snacky note, I’ve been loving these I Heart Keenwah quinoa puffs that I found at my grocery store! Bought them on a whim and these are super good. Sea salt truffle for the win.

Target cashew butter. It’s really flipping good, even though I can make my own. Seriously. Try it.

The Dolce Vita wedges at Target. They are cheap and pretty comfortable for how high they are. You know that every spring I’m in the market for nude wedges and while the tan shade is a bit darker, I’m loving these for casual occasions.

Justin’s white chocolate peanut butter cups. FAVES. I don’t even care for white chocolate and these are phenomenal. I wish they came with a warning label.

[none of this is sponsored, just like to talk about things that I discover and love over the month. tell me your faves! there may be a few amazon affiliate links above. love love.]

Currently Crushing On.

{via}

Happy weekend! I sort of want to OD on ice cream right about now so that might be plan. It’s coming from my freakish love of cheese, I think. Know why?

Thursday night I did a cooking demo all about CHEESE. Guys, even I might be cheesed out. We made a loaded cheese plate, grilled cheese, mac and cheese, cheesecake – all the cheeses. It was ridiculous. Even more cheese than that.

What are you up to this weekend?! I have one of my closest friend’s bridal showers and cannot wait. Other than that, I’m thinking of starting the mint juleps EARLY.

P.S. if you missed it, I shared my april beauty favorites earlier this week. Lifestyle faves will be up this weekend!

things on the internet I’m nutty over:

avocado oil mayo. my new most favorite thing ever.

this 5 ingredient no-bake strawberry crumble, hello, come visit my life.

reeeallly want to add these better-than-chipotle bowls to the menu next week.

just look at this toasted coconut chia pudding. the toppings!!

no idea what to do with myself over these tiramisu brownies. OH MY GOSH.

um, strawberries and burrata, it’s all i want to eat forever and ever.

also loving the idea of this creamy baked sausage risotto for our weekly menu.

everyone needs a grapefruit jalapeno margarita. oh heck yes.

short rib cheeseburgers. with bourbon aioli. WHAAAAT.

this flower power brunch is absolutely insane in the best way ever. so many flowers.

i’m completely craving this tuna and fiddlehead salad. isn’t that an odd craving?! no i’m not pregnant and yes i’ve really wanted tuna lately.

DIY bleach tie dye! i dig it.

some of the most stunning cioppino that i ever did see. you have to check that out.

make it today: lemon brioche pull apart bread. boom.

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake.

I have the chocolate cake to end all chocolate cakes.

Because it’s simple, sort of quick, and get this – drenched in CHOCOLATE MILK.

It’s not weird, I swear. And it should be on your menu next week after copious amounts of tacos and margaritas. 

We had only been married about seven months when I made my first tres leches cake. And we had only been in our first house for a month or so – I can even remember how CLEAN and new it felt, without the lived-in feel and clutter that would build up. I hadn’t started my blog yet, in fact I didn’t even know about blogs, so I don’t know where I found the recipe that I used that day.

I made the cake for a sunday dinner though and it was such a hit. Later that evening we went for a walk in the new spring air and both came back and had MORE cake because it was just incredibly delicious. I remember the dish I baked it in, where we stood and ate it, how it looked, how it tasted, how it was still light outside and how I had major sunday blues that the weekend was over.

Isn’t that nuts?

These days I can barely remember where I place my sunglasses when I take them off of my head and a few weeks ago I put my car keys in the pantry. WHAAAAAT. This is not me.

Also, sidenote, autocorrect keeps wanting it to be tres LEECHES cake. Um, no. I would not like leeches in my cake, thank you very much.

I’ve wanted to make a chocolate version for ages. I’ve said a million times now that cake is not my drug of choice – I’ll usually choose cheesecake first, then maybe a super rich peanut butter fudge brownie. But tres LECHES is just so light and spongey and dense and, yes, moist, at the same time.

No I can’t apologize for using the word. Would you rather have a soggy or damp cake? Those are your options.

I’m pretty sure that we’ve talked about Eddie’s cake preferences before on the blog. His cake, whether it’s cake slices or cupcakes, must be COLD. It must come straight from the fridge and that is the only way he will eat it.

Me on the other hand – I don’t need cold cake. I don’t mind a cold slice of cake, in fact I like it. But I don’t love cold cupcakes because I find it makes them too stale-like and too tough, if that can be a thing.

This cake though. It’s gotta be cold.

First off, it makes it much easier to slice and hold it’s shape.

Second, it’s almost fudge-like when it’s cold, super chocolatey and one of the best things you will taste.

Top it off with some light, freshly whipped cream, chocolate shavings and shaved chocolate. A touch of mint.

Grab a huge fork and go.to.town. 

Chocolate Tres Leches Cake

Yield: makes one 8x8 inch cake

Total Time: 2 hours

Ingredients:

1/2 cup hot coffee
6 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 large eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup sugar
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
4 ounces semi-sweet chocolate chopped
1/2 cup sweetened condensed milk
1/2 cup evaporated milk
1/2 cup chocolate milk (whole or 2%)

for topping:

2 cups cold heavy cream, beat with an electric mixer until peaks form
chocolate shavings
fresh mint



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease an 8x8 inch pan with butter and set aside. In a measuring cup, whisk the hot coffee and butter until the butter melts, then set it aside until ready to use.

In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, buttermilk and vanilla extract. Stir in the sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, soda and salt. Once it's about halfway mixed, pour in the coffee/butter mixture and stir until you have a smooth batter. Stir in the chopped chocolate. Pour the batter into the greased pan and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, or until the cake is just set in the middle. Let cool completely.

Once cool, poke the top of the cake with a fork - lots of holes for the delicious chocolate milk to stream into. Whisk together the condensed milk, evaporated milk and chocolate milk. Pour it over top (you can do it in batches) evenly and watch it sink into the cake. Refrigerate the cake for 30 to 60 minutes before serving. To serve, top with whipped cream (I like to use unsweetened whipped cream or coconut whipped cream since the cake is rich) and chocolate shavings. Keep the cake in the fridge!

[lightly adapted from my whiskey chocolate cake]

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THAT BITE.