Celebrating National Cheesecake Day

I hope that everyone got a chance to celebrate National Cheesecake Day yesterday. I headed on over to The Cheesecake Factory and picked up a slice of the Peanut Butter Cheesecake Chocolate Cake. This was a stacked cake with layers of cake, peanut butter, and cheesecake with chocolate chunks and peanuts. It was topped with a light chocolate ganache type icing and swirl of peanut butter icing. It was delicious! The chocolate cake was moist and held it's shape pretty well. The saltiness from the peanut butter helped to balance out the sweetness from the cheesecake. The crunch of the peanuts and chocolate chunk provided a nice texture. If you like chocolate and peanut butter, this is the perfect cheesecake for you! But really you can't go wrong with anything you pick from The Cheesecake Factory. Enjoy!

Brownie Bliss

There is just something about the combination of chocolate and peanut butter. I don't know what it is, but I can't seem to get enough. Today was my lucky day because I got to indulge in my mom's homemade dark chocolate peanut butter brownies. I warmed them up and when I took a bite was greeted by an explosion of melted chocolate in my mouth. The cakey texture of the brownie, the melted chocolate, and the pockets of peanut butter created a symphony of flavor. This was definitely not a dry and crumbly brownie, but was moist and tasted like a melted peanut butter cup. I am working on having her give me her "secret" recipe, so that I can pass it on to you. Stayed tuned for a post so that you too can make this delicious brownie at home.

Always Alto

I have already shared with you about this great little pizza place in West Ave, but here I am talking about it again. I was flattered when a friend and I were going to go out to eat and she said she had read my blog and wanted to try Alto. So of course, that's where we went. It was delicious before, so I was more than happy to go back to try something new. However, I did have to indulge in something old, so I had a glass of the super fruity, white wine sangria. We started off with an order of calamari served with traditional marinara and a parsley dip. The parsley sauce was a great combination with the seasoned crunch of the calamari coating. The breading didn't fall apart and there wasn't too much of it. A squeeze of lemon adds a touch of citrusy freshness to it, making the flavors light and bright.

Next, we decided to try the daily special pizza. It had roasted garlic, red onion, chicken, cheddar cheese, and rosemary. The rosemary add a deep, earthy flavor to the pizza and the roasted garlic sort of melted into the sauce, making it almost taste like a barbecue sauce. There were big chunks of chicken that were well seasoned and very moist. The cheddar cheese was a nice change from the normal mozzarella and helped add to the barbecue feel of the pizza. The thin and crispy crust doesn't fill you up with unnecessary bread, so you get to enjoy the toppings... the real reason you eat a pizza.

I have to admit that the few times I have been to Alto, I have never had dessert. Then I heard a whisper that there was some sort of dessert with Nutella. Who passes up something with that chocolate hazelnutty goodness? So we splurged and got an order of sourdough doughnuts with nutella! The dough of the doughnuts wasn't sweet at all, but was rolled in sugar. The Nutella was melted which made it even better and easier to dip into. It was heaven and I couldn't get enough of them! Each bite had tartness from the dough, crunch from the sugar crystals, and a smooth chocolate finish. They were some of the most delicious doughnuts I have ever had. If you haven't had them, you need to go get an order as soon as possible. This is something that I may have to work on figuring out how to make at home. I am so glad that I went back to Alto and had another delicious dinner!

Anchors Aweigh

You come to a point where life starts taking people on their own paths. The only thing you can do is find those anchors that will always keep you grounded. No matter where you are, they will provide you the support and strength you need. So what does that have to do with some crayons and a blank canvas? As a going away present for one of my anchors, I decided to make a piece of artwork for her new apartment. This ways she will always have a reminder of home and how much she will be missed. 

This was an inspired piece from Pinterest that was made with melted crayons. I never would have thought that it would turn out as fun as it did. You can do this on any size canvas, with any color crayons, and in any shape. I have seen some in color shades and landscapes. The best part is that you literally can't mess up. All you have to do is super glue unwrapped crayons to the canvas and melt the crayons with a hairdryer. Once the wax begins to melt it spreads and creates the splashes of color that makes it so unique. So give it a try and see what colors move you.

Grotto is a Go

I had no idea the difference between Italian food from Italy and American Italian food. Italy uses super fresh ingredients, light sauces, and handmade pastas, which is not exactly the way they do it here. I found that it took me a while to want to go out for Italian because I didn't want to be disappointed, but then I found Grotto. Located by the Galleria, this gem is one of a few places that I have found that serve real Italian style food. They are less about drenching the pasta in sauce and more about highlighting each flavor to create a party in your mouth. To start they have this herbed olive oil with basil and crushed red pepper in it and it's served with plain sourdough bread and these cheese and herb "tortilla" strips. I am not exactly sure what it is, but it is something between a tortilla and a pita. All I know is that it's delicious and was gone in seconds. Since the temperature is rising, I chose a pasta with tomatoes, chicken, and mozzarella. There were roma, sundried, and regular tomatoes and for not loving tomatoes, I do have to say I am quit a fan of sundried tomatoes. The chicken was moist and tender and the fresh note of the basil was a great flavor boost. There wasn't too much sauce; it had just a touch of marina sauce so the pasta wasn't dry. I decided to pair my pasta dish with a Kenwood Yulupa Chardonnay. It was buttery and had a hint of oakiness to it, that lingered for a minute on your tongue. It was a perfect beverage for a delicious pasta dinner! If you haven't been to Grotto, I suggested you make it a point to try it because you won't be disappointed.

Granola Bar Goodness

I am always on the lookout for chewy granola bars because I really don't like the hard ones. I always feel like I am going to break my teeth. I used to eat the Fiber One chewy bars a lot, but I found them too sweet sometimes (I know right, weird) and I just got bored with them. They also had a fair amount of calories as well. I was at the store and found these new ones from Fiber One that were only 100 calories and not too sweet!  These were chocolate flavored and definitely had a lot of chocolate on them. They also had a strawberry and peanut butter one that looked pretty delicious as well. I will try those next time I am at the store, but next time you go make sure you pick up a box. They will fill you up with wholesome goodness and give you the energy boost you need. Try them and let me know what you think!

Sweet, Natural Energy

Ok, so energy drinks have come to stay, but until now I was definitely not a fan. The smell of them is not pleasant, so I usually stuck to coffee. One day when I was in Starbucks, I saw an ad for some new drink called a Refresher. I had not idea what it was, but they were giving samples away. I came to find out that a Refresher is a natural energy drink made with green coffee beans and fruit. There were two flavors- Cool Lime and Wild Berry Hibiscus. The lime was so refreshing and there was subtle mint taste that complimented the lime perfectly. The wild berry had a touch of ginger and fresh blackberries. This one had natural sweetness and a floral taste from the hibiscus. Both of them are fantastic alternatives to the traditional energy drink and they are low calorie as well, which is even better! If I had my choice, I would go for the Cool Lime because it is such a unique blend of flavors and absolutely refreshing. Stop by a Starbucks today to try one out and let me know which one you like.

Getting Glittery with It

So I decided to mix up the blog today and write about these fantastic new fall shoes I got from Target! Yes, I know it's only part way through July, but the fall clothes are already starting to make their way into the stores. It will be here before you know it and I definitely don't want to be unprepared. It probably helps that fall is one of my favorite seasons, so I am always on the lookout for what's new. Men's wear is definitely in this season, so stayed tuned for lots of men's styles with feminine touches. This shoes takes its cue from the smoking slipper, making it a modern twist on a classic men's shoe. Glitter is a hot new trend for fall as well, but it sometimes gets a bad rap and can be not so chic. This is a great way to wear the trend in a classy way. You can wear it day or night, dressed up or down. It is a go to for kicking an outfit up a notch. These can be worn with skinny jeans, a skirt, or leggings. How would you wear them and what are you must haves for fall?!

Sushi, Sushi

When I was little I was huge fan of popcorn shrimp, but then one day it just didn't taste like popcorn anymore. Since then I have shied away from all seafood. Then for some reason I decided that I wanted to try sushi, even though a lot of it is raw fish. What I came to find out was that there are plenty of choices for those of use who aren't huge fans of the raw stuff. When I eat sushi, I tend to stay with cooked things like shrimp, crab, occasionally lobster, and anything with veggies. Yes, people still tease me for not eating the "real thing", but hey at least I started eating fish again.

This sushi outing took me to a place called Miyako. It's interesting because it offers regular seating, as well as traditional seating. This is where you have to take off your shoes and sit at sunken tables, which is a great way to mix up the idea of going out to eat. I decided that I would have one healthy and one unhealthier sushi. I started off with a vegetable roll that had shitake mushrooms, avocado, red onion, a little bit of rice and was then wrapped in a thin slice of cucumber. There were also a few pieces that had lettuce tucked. The other roll I had was the crunchy maki roll. This was shrimp and avocado that was topped with little bits of friend tempura batter and drizzled with a spicy mayo. It was crunchy and spicy and the avocado created a "glue" that held it all together. You can still eat sushi, even if you don't want raw fish. These were both fully cooked and very filling. If you hadn't been here or tried either of these rolls, I suggest that you do so as soon as possible. Comment with your favorite cooked rolls and I will be sure you give it a try the next time I stop by Miyako.

Skinny Cow to the Rescue!

A reader wrote in asking if I could find some healthy dessert options for her. She really liked frozen grapes because it was an icy treat that was perfect for the summer, but wanted something different. Unfortunately, the way my grocery store is set up my yogurt is directly across from the ice cream, which is usually super tempting. This time I saw that Skinny Cow had ice cream products and I decided I could at least stop and take a look. They have a wide variety of ice cream sandwiches, popsicles, and individual servings of ice cream. The best part is that they have about 100 to 150 calories each and they are much more filling then other 100 calorie pack desserts. I opted for the Mocha Truffle ice cream bar and was surprised at how good it was. It had a great coffee flavor and the crunch from the chocolate drizzle was a great textural element. I will definitely be eating these more often! They are the perfect way to indulge in your dessert craving. Try these out and let me know what I should get next.

KitchenAid Gets Some Help

I just got a new KitchenAid mixer from Williams Sonoma and they were doing a special promotion where you would could send away for a free attachment. You could choose between a meat grinder and another bowl with a lid. The attachments that KitchenAid has for their mixers are fantastic and are really useful. When I asked the sales associate which one she suggested, she said that the food grinder apparently made the best hamburgers she has ever had. I had never thought to make my own hamburgers, since I am usually only making chicken. She did mention that the bowl with the lid was very helpful, especially if you were a baker because then you weren't having to transfer things from one bowl to another and then wash it so you could immediately use it again. Both sounded useful, but since I tend to bake more than I cook, I decided to go with the extra bowl. I am so excited because it finally came in the mail and I can't wait to use it! If you have any cool attachments for your mixure, please leave a comment so that I can check it out.

Grocery Store Gelato

Let's just be real for a moment. Ever since I visited Italy, I have become a gelato lover. I love how rich and creamy it is without the guilty feeling that usually comes along with eating ice cream. I usually stay away from grocery store gelato because sometimes it tastes more like ice cream than the real thing and other times it's just too expensive for the amount that you get. However, today was my lucky day. As I was strolling down one of the frozen food aisles and I saw this Siviero Maria tiramisu gelato. Since that's one of my favorite desserts, I figured that I probably couldn't go wrong with it in a frozen form. I was not disappointed! It had a fantastic flavor that was exactly like eating the real thing. Plus it came in a single serving, so I didn't have to have extra sitting around, meaning less temptation. If you are looking for an alternative to ice cream, be sure to try this gelato because I think that no matter what flavor you choose, you can't go wrong. Pick one up the next time you are at the store and let me know which one I need to try next.

Wolfgang Puck Bistro

While driving around Tulsa, I was very surprised to see a Wolfgang Puck Bistro. One doesn't usually associate Tulsa as a culinary destination, however, they do have quite the restaurant array. The inside it super modern and chic, done in dark wood, black, and chrome lighting. It gives off the vibe that it is the place to be and the place to be seen. The restaurant focuses on organic and local ingredients and had a fresh farmer's market tart that sounded delicious. Their soup of the day was a french onion soup, and boy was it delicious! The cheese was perfectly golden brown and the broth was rich, but not too salty with a few bread cubes in the bottom. The caramelized onions were the shining star in the soup and there were enough to make the soup very filling. I also ordered half a sandwich, so next came my pesto chicken salad sandwich.

It was served on homemade ciabatta bread that was so light and airy. Though from the picture it looks like there was a lot of bread, there really wasn't because it was so airy. The sandwich was served with housemade potato chips, which I have to admit are so much better than store bought ones. They had just a touch of salt, so they were the perfect compliment to the sandwich. The chicken salad was chunks of real chicken breast and lettuce that was lightly dressed with a pesto. The sauce was barely there, allowing the ingredients to come together on their own. This was a very filling lunch and even though it didn't sound like a lot of food, I promise you it's enough. I did not leave hungry.


The best part about going out to eat with someone else is that you can share and try more of the menu. Luckily for me, my lunch buddy was willing to share with me. He got a roasted turkey club sandwich with sweet potato fries. His was also served on a ciabatta roll and it had turkey, melted cheese, caramelized onions, and arugula with a horseradish cream sauce on the side. This was perfectly toasted and everything blended together that it was almost like eating a barbeque turkey sandwich. The sweet potato fries had a tender inside and an outside with the right amount of crunch. They had a bit of sea salt on them, keeping the integrity of the ingredients. I have never eaten at a Wolfgang Puck restaurant, but I will definitely try another one or maybe just go back to this one! Stop by if you are in the Tulsa area.

Pizza Perfected

One of the great things about going to a new place is that you get to experience their food culture and Tulsa seems to be a place that isn't overrun with national food chains. They have a ton of smaller, local restaurants which is great for getting a taste of how it is to live in the city. I was lucky enough to get taken out to an absolutely fabulous pizza place called Andolini's Pizzeria, located in one of the little hot spots of Tulsa. It has a great vibe and was full of energy. You can watch them making the pizza and hand tossing the dough. They have a great selection of wines and beers. They even have beer flights served in a pizza paddle. We decided to go all out and so we started off the meal with some fried mozzarella. The cheese is made in house and you can definitely taste the difference. It was creamy and silky with the perfect, crispy coating. The marina had tons of flavor and was the perfect finishing touch to the cheese. Adding oregano to it was a great way to add a tiny bit of earthy goodness. However, it was just as good plain as it was with the marinara and it was quite possibly the best fried mozzarella I have ever had.

Next, we opted to split a pizza that was half "Frederico" and half "Andolini's Combination". The Frederico was a white pizza with alfredo sauce, baby spinach, mushrooms, and speck. What is speck you may ask? It is smoked proscuitto and pretty delicious, even though I am not a huge fan of proscuitto in general. This pizza was delightful and everything blended together so well. The other half was an upscale supreme pizza with lots of veggies and meats. The best part was that there was the perfect amount of sauce. It wasn't overwhelming and balanced well with all the yummy toppings. They know how to do pizza because there was plenty of toppings, so that it didn't feel like you were just eating crust and sauce. Honestly, it was too hard to say which half was better, but they were both winners!

Ending the meal on a sweet note is a nice treat for me, since I don't usually order dessert. I love tiramisu, so when I saw they had a gluten free tiramisu and cheesecake dessert, I got really excited. Named the "Tiramocha", this seemed like a great twist on two classic desserts, so we decided to give it a try. Honestly, I had no idea what to expect, but fell a little flat. It had a very interesting flavor and texture. It was served with some shortbread like ladyfinger cookies dusted in powdered sugar that were really good with the tiramocha. It added tons of flavor, but overall I was not really pleased with it. I guess it was one of my not so awesome dessert choices, but luckily the bf was a sport and muddled through with me. This isn't something that I would order again, nor would it be something I recommend, but at least now I can say I tried it. Overall, the meal was delicious and if I lived there is would definitely make my list of favorite places in Tulsa. If you are in the area, you need to stop by and grab a piece of this perfect pizza pie!

Catch the Peach Wave!

So frozen yogurt is the hot new dessert trend, but let's be honest. Most of the places are super similar and only have variations in the decor and some of the flavors. Even though they are so similar, I try to give each one their fair shot. Of course, trying out a frozen yogurt place was on the to do list while in Tulsa, so I decided to catch the Peach Wave. Usually, I try to be healthy and eat the yogurt with fruit and granola, but I decided that I would have a little bit of both. I chose a cupcake flavored yogurt, which amazingly tasted exactly like a frosted cupcake. It was super delicious, I have to admit. I topped it with some raspberries, blueberries, strawberries, sprinkles, and chocolate covered raisins. I know it probably sounds like a weird combination, but I promise you it was delish! The bf opted for white chocolate and cookies and cream yogurt with chocolate syrup, gummy bears, brownie bites, and m&ms. This place ranked pretty high up on the frozen yogurt list, but maybe it's just because I adored the cupcake yogurt. Can you tell which yogurt is mine? Comment below to see if you are right and be sure to stop by the next time you visit Tulsa.

Fat Guy's Burger Bar

 When you go someone where new, it's hard to imagine what it will be like and for me, the 'what kind of food do they have?' thought always pops into my head. This weekend I was lucky enough to visit the great city of Tulsa, Oklahoma. I know, I know.  Not really the normal tourist destination, but honestly it was a fairly nice city. They have tons of outdoor trails and bike paths along the river and they have their fair share of cute little hot spots. They also have a pretty downtown with their baseball park of right in the center of it. Bordering the edge of the baseball park is this burger joint called Fat Guy's Burger Bar. Okay, so let me just say that it was not a super healthy place, but it sure was delicious! The interesting thing about this place was all the sauces they had for their french fries. Some of the choices were chipotle ketchup, strawberry ketchup, and parmesan peppercorn. They had a ton of toppings to choose from and a great selection of local craft beer.

I opted for a cheeseburger with lettuce, pickles, caramelized onions, and grilled mushrooms. I was pleasantly surprised to find that instead of one giant patty, there were two very thin patties with the toppings in between the patties. It made a better burger because there was a more even burger to topping to bun ration. The best part was how melted the cheese was so everything melded together very nicely. The fries had a bit of seasoning on them and there were other flavors beside just salt. For my fry sauce, I chose a roasted garlic aioli. It had a great garlic flavor, but the garlic wasn't so overwhelming that you could taste it for hours afterwards. This was definitely was great burger place and it's probably better that it's not close to me as I would probably be there too often. However, if you are in the area, you should definitely check it out!

Celebrate the Fry!

Today not only is Friday, but it National French Fry Day! It's a must that you find some type french fry to have in celebration of this very special day. I have to admit that I can't really turn down any kind of fry, but usually I try to limit myself. However, I decided that I would be bad and celebrate. I recently got a coupon in the mail from Jerry Built to try their chicken sandwich, so I figured this would be the perfect accompaniment to the fries. If you haven''t stopped by Jerry Built yet, you definitely need to. It is a custom burger place that uses fresh, local ingredients and you can really taste the difference. Plus, they have integrated some really fun technology into their restaurant and always have seasonal specials. Currently, they have grilled sweet corn and summer shakes.

But... that's not what today is about. It is about the crunchy, tender goodness that are fries. I am a fan of sweet potato fries because they have a bit of sweetness and they do say that sweet potatoes are better for you. The Jerry Built fries are crinkle cut, which makes them taste even yummier and they are fun to play with. They are cut fresh daily and are only seasoned with salt. They are simple, yet delicious, and are a perfect way to celebrate french fry day. The chicken sandwich was seasoned well and situated in between a toasted bun, topped with lettuce, pickles, and onions. I would say that it was a successful french fry day meal. Let me know where you go to celebrate. Happy National French Fry Day everyone!

A Little Piece of Diary Heaven

There is nothing that beats something fresh from the farm and ice cream is no exception. In fact, I don't think there is a more delicious way to enjoy it. The best part about the landscape up North is that things are tucked away, so places can pop up when you least expect them. That was how my sister found this absolutely precious creamery, Woodside Farm Creamery, that she introduced me to. This farm has cows and sheep galore frolicking in the pasture, so you know that there isn't any way it could be fresher. The huge front lawn is shaded by big trees and has lots of picnic tables to sit at. It seems like it is pulled straight out of a magazine because of how much charm it has. Unlike here, most of the year has beautiful weather, so it's usually pretty packed outside. At the back of the lawn you will see this small wooden house. Don't be fooled by its simplicity because that's where all the magic happens.

Once you walk in you will notice the wall of flavors, which has everything from vanilla to black raspberry chip to peanut butter and jelly. You can get every flavor in banana splits, scoops, cones, half pints, or pints. I chose the black raspberry chip because those are two of my favorite things. The ice cream was silky smooth, well as smooth as it could be with chocolate chips in it, and packed full of flavor. It was definitely hard to not eat the whole thing! All I can say is that it's probably best that I don't live close to the creamery because I think I would be there way too often. After having that, it's hard to eat packaged ice cream. Besides, it must be pretty legit because Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds were spotted at the creamery recently, so you never know who you might run into. Make sure the next time you are in Delaware, you stop by this little piece of ice cream heaven. No matter what you choose, you can't go wrong.

My Take on Tortilla Chips

It been raining here, so naturally I thought that there was a reason for me to be in the kitchen. After concocting quite a few sweet treats, I wanted to make something salty or savory. Don't get me wrong. I love sweet things, but that's not always healthy to have lots of sweets sitting around...it makes it too tempting. So after thinking about what I had, I thought of tortillas. Bingo! I'll make tortilla chips. Seeing as they are baked and not fried, I won't have to feel bad after I eat them and I know they will be a perfect snack to munch on. But I was feeling spicy and decided to spice up my tortilla chips as well. Plain are always good, but today called for something more. After looking at my spice rack, three things immediately popped out...chili powder, ground cumin, and onion powder, along with salt and pepper.

Most people think that the only way to make tortilla chips is to fry them, which is usually how they are done, but if you bake them, they are just as good. I am pretty sure that this is quite possibly one of the easiest things that you can make. Trust me, you don't even need a recipe and it can be done with as many tortillas as you like. Preheat the oven to 350. Cut the tortillas into triangles and spray with cooking spray or brush with vegetable oil.

Here is the fun part where you get to be creative. Sprinkle on whatever spices you want and put them in the over for 5 to 6 minutes. Turn the pan and bake for another 3 to 4 minutes. Watch them because they get dark fairly quickly. I made mine savory, but you could always do cinnamon and sugar for a sweeter version. Pair that with a caramel dip and you have one crowd pleasing snack. You will always have a "go to" in your back pocket for every get together you might need it for. Have fun with these and let me know how you customize them!

Summer's Simple Pleasures

I love ice cream even though we all know it's not really that awesome for you. This was a special occasion, so I decided I to splurge. Being from up North, there are a few differences in food, where things like corned beef hash and shoo fly pie are normal. Though I can't bring myself to try corned beef hash, I try to be adventurous. This time it was a new kind of ice cream and there's no way I would ever turn that down! How can ice cream be different you ask? Well, first of all it is called a Cho Cho, which is malted ice milk that comes in a small paper cup with a popsicle stick. When I first looked at it, I was a bit confused about how I was supposed to eat it. Then my mom showed me the magic trick. All it took was a little warmth by rubbing it in between your hands and then all of a sudden there is a tiny pop and you can feel it come out of the cup. I wasn't exactly sure what to expect because it looked like it was coffee flavored due to its color. Let me tell you, it was not coffee. It was a delicious sweet caramel like flavor that was so good one lick just wasn't enough. It was absolutely delicious and perfect for a hot summer day. The only problem... I wish I could get them down here.


The other novelty was a swirled chocolate and vanilla Oreo ice cream sandwich. The thing I have noticed about ice cream sandwiches is that the cookie part becomes sticky and gets stuck to your hand, making the ice cream melt quickly and then the whole thing just seems to fall apart. With this one, the cookie was didn't get stuck to your fingers and the ice cream looked like it barely melted. It wasn't overly sweet and definitely took me back to my childhood days were Oreos always seemed to be a part of my lunch. These delicious treats helped beat the heat and remind me that it's the little things in life that make it so enjoyable. There's nothing better than taking a moment to enjoy the simple pleasure of eating ice cream in any of its many forms! If you are up North anytime, be sure to stop in at Schell's for a Cho Cho.

Potatoes with a Twist

This may look like an ordinary potato, but I assure you that it is not. I had an extra baking potato hanging out in my frig and wanted to do something more than just microwave it. This is a version of the classic baked potato I found on Pinterest, that is not only fun to eat but full of flavor. This is called a Hasselback potato. Apparently, the name came from a restaurant in Sweden called the Hasselbacken Hotel Restaurant and is their version of the baked potato. Anyways, I found this on Pinterest (of course) on a blog called Seasaltwithfood. It was super simple to make and definitely more fun to eat than a plain, microwaved potato.

You can find the full recipe on my Pinterest board or on the Seasaltwithfood blog. Let me just break it down for you. Slice a potato almost all the way through and sprinkle with salt and pepper. The recipe calls for sliced garlic to be placed in the slots, but I only had minced garlic. I just took a knife and spread some on the top and then in between the slices. Top with a bit of butter and bake at 425 for 40 minutes or until the outside is crispy and the inside is tender. I decided to be a little unhealthy and add a bit of shredded cheddar cheese to mine. I wanted to play with my food, so I finished cutting the slices all the way through and ate potato like "chips", but you can also eat it with a knife and fork. This is a "neutral" food, where you can do pretty much whatever you like to it. You can sprinkle on fresh herbs or add different cheese to it. Whatever you decide to do, you will make this potato the shining star and definitely something people will talk about. So go ahead and slice, bake, and play with your potato!

Black Bottom Coconut Bars

Black Bottom Base

During one of my sessions on Pinterest, I found this amazing website called Super Cook. This is a recipe search engine that allows you to select ingredients that you have on hand and pulls recipe ideas. I wanted to make something and didn't feel like going to the store, so I decided to try it out. I started selecting my ingredients and viola! Up popped over 600 recipes that I could make without having to buy additional ingredients. I opted for a recipe from Martha Stewart that was for Black Bottom Coconut Bars. Usually I have found her recipes to be very time consuming and complex, but this one was straight forward and simple. The best part was that it made my house smell absolutely amazing! It was a superb mix of chocolate and coconut, perfect for the summer.

Coconut Filling

Ready to Bake

To start you made a "brownie" base, which was basically melting butter and whisking in sugar, an egg, flour, and cocoa. Then you put it in an aluminum foil lined pan and baked for about 10 minutes. While the base cools a bit, you put together the coconut filling. This was sugar, vanilla, flour, two eggs, and coconut. I used a cookie scoop to drop mounds of the filling over the base and then moistened my fingers and spread the filling out evenly. Before baking, I sprinkled on some extra coconut on top. Mine were in the oven for about 20 minutes, but I think that 18 would have been better. The coconut on top got a little bit darker than I would have liked it to. The most difficult part of the process was trying to be patient and wait for them to cool completely. Next, you remove the foil from the pan, cut into squares, and enjoy!

You can find the full recipe on my Pinterest board or on the Martha Stewart website. Try these out and see for yourself why they are so yummy. They aren't overly sweet and have a bit of crunch from the toasted coconut on top. They aren't too rich so you won't feel too guilty about eating them either! Let me know what you think after you try them out for yourself.

One Kings Lane

So I know I have mentioned this website before, One Kings Lane, but I am excited because I made my first purchase and finally received it in the mail! Of course, I bought a fun kitchen tool and some precious votives. Candles tend to last longer than flowers, so it is a bit more budget friendly. I put some pretty mint green candles inside for a fun summer color. Who doesn't love the fun ambiance that candles give? Plus it has a really fun polka dot pattern that the light reflects. They are modern and playful, perfect for anytime and can spice up your table decor when you swap out the candles for other colors.

The fun new kitchen toy I bought was a cheese curler. First of all, I didn't even know that they made these or what exactly they did. It's really self explanatory, though. You put the cheese on a circular wooden board and turn a metal slicer. This in turn creates perfect cheese curls that I will now be using on every dish possible. It would also be great to use for a wine and cheese night because you can get a little taste of the cheese without having to eat a thick slice. Plus they are super cute and add the perfect finishing touch to any dish. If you haven't had a chance to visit the website (https://www.onekingslane.com/invite/jennahowe), make sure that you do so immediately. They have new sales every day and so there are always new things to look at. Let me know what treasures you find!

Adult Grilled Cheese

The small state of Delaware seems to pride itself on having small restaurants instead of chain restaurants. Though sometimes this can mean having a meal that isn't all that awesome, you can find some really great places to eat. This time the journey took us to Tyler Fitzgerald's Bar and Grille. I love grilled cheese and so it always peaks my interest when I see them on a menu somewhere. I thought why not try the "adult grilled cheese" because a) I like the name and b) I usually can't turn down a grilled cheese. I tried to be a little healthy and ordered mine with carrots and celery. The grilled cheese was served with a tomato soup that was fairly good, but it wasn't my favorite. I did like that there was some texture and that it didn't have an overwhelming tomato flavor. The grilled cheese itself had three or four different kinds of cheese it in with a nice crispy outside and a melted, gooey cheese center. The bread to cheese ratio was pretty good, so that it didn't feel like you were just eating bread. Overall, this was a decent version of my childhood favorite and I am glad that I gave it a try. If you are in the Wilmington area, be sure to stop by for some good food and if it's nice, sit outside on their large patio.

Breakfast Scones

It's always a treat when someone makes me baked goods because usually I am making them for others. One of my treats for going to visit my mom was that I got to have homemade blueberry chocolate chunk scones! They were so moist and filled with perfectly melted chocolate chunks. The chocolate had melted a bit on the outside, but still held its shape. The scone's texture wasn't so crumbly that when you bit into it, it all just fell apart which was fantastic. Eating scones that just crumble isn't very fun, but it's hard to find ones that hold their shape. It wasn't overly sweet and the burst of blueberry flavor was a perfect summer touch. The chocolate and blueberry complimented each other very well. The scone was served with a mixture of Bing and Rainer cherries, which are my absolute favorite! They not only have beautiful colors, but they are deliciously sweet. However, they are a bit on the expensive side, so I don't really buy them all that often. Though the price does seem to go down later in the summer. Bing cherries, however, are less expensive and are almost just as good. All I can say is that it was a somewhat healthy breakfast that filled me up and got me ready for the day. If only I could have homemade scones every day...

Happy 4th of July!

 

Happy 4th of July! During the course of munching on corn on the cob or biting into a sweet and juicy piece of watermelon, make sure you take a moment to reflect on the things that make America so special. The men and women that serve to protect this country have a thankless job and it is important that we celebrate and appreciate their hard work and dedication. America is a country where you can decide what you want to do and can determine how much success you have, thanks to the freedom that we were provided by the wise men who built this country. Make sure that you raise a glass to the friends and family around you today and enjoy all the delicious foods that you get to enjoy today!