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April 27, 2020July 20, 2020

Things I Love {April 2020}

Welcome to my April #2020 edition of Things I Love – these are a few of my current objects of #obsession…#food, #wine, #cocktails, #recipes, #cooking gadgets, #restaurants, fav products and ingredients, #props, food styling and #photography inspiration, fun and engaging #videos, movies + TV shows, podcasts, lighting and #camera equipment and tips, #beauty products, #celebs and #influencers to follow, great #books to read, etc…All just simply people, places and things I love that I think are notable and worth a big shout out for their wonderful-ness! And stay tuned for next month on my journey to find new and fun things to share with you all. Enjoy!

My fav beauty products

These are a few of my favorite things for a quick 10-minute beauty routine. Cause who’s got time to spend on all of this, especially when all the salons are closed and you need a quick pick-me-up and beauty fix.

Beekham 1802 Apricot + Honey Tea hand lotion
Bumble and Bumble Surf Foam Spray
Batiste Brilliant Blonde Dry Shampoo
Laura Geller Bronze + Brighten and Balance and Glow Illuminating Foundation
Doll 10 Hydralux lip liner and Hydrabalm Solid Serum lipstick
Aurora Liquid Eye Liner – Espresso
Laura Geller Gel Brow Pencil
Mally Lift + Curl Mascara
Tetris Block Party Eyeshadow

Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon

I recently was awarded 2nd place in the JSL Foods Blogger Recipe Challenge..and won a $500 cash prize for my Black Pepper Caramel Chicken Udon recipe – yay! This recipe features their Chicken Udon Noodles which are organic, pre-cooked and delicious, and sweet and spicy glazed Vietnamese Chicken I made topped with everything bagel seasoning, jalapeños and fresh cilantro. Check out my award-winning recipe here

Spring Veggie Garden Bread

I saw these adorable Spring Veggie Garden breads on Facebook a couple weeks ago – I’m not sure who even made them but they are so bright and colorful and pretty! The bread dough has pressed veggies and herbs shaped into flower shapes and then it’s brushed with olive oil before baking to make these gorgeous designs!I found a recipe like this online from Taste of Home if you want to give your artistic baking skills a whirl – https://www.tasteofhome.com/article/bread-art/

Easy Queso Dip

This is a super easy queso dip from Bon Appetit – creamy cheesy goodness made with onions, garlic, jalapeños and lots of American ad Monterey Jack cheese – and ready to go in about 15-20 minutes on the stove! Perfect for tacos, nachos, quesadillas, enchiladas, and of course to dip tortilla chips in with salsa and margaritas for Cinco de Mayo! get the recipe here

My Brilliant Friend

This is a gorgeous mini-series on HBO that I just started watching and fell in love with instantly. Set in Naples Italy post-World War II, is a story about two best friends (Lila Ferrulo and Elena Greco) along with their struggles and friendship as they go through life together (and apart) trying to survive and get out of a poor neighborhood in the projects of Naples. It has a complex cast of characters that make up all of the Italian families that surround them and are intertwined in their lives. The story is endearing and heartwarming, yet sad and troubling all at the same time. It’s absolutely beautifully written – lovely, haunting and addicting. The books are part of a 4-part series called Neapolitan Novels written by Elena Ferrante which the HBO TV series is based upon. Must see and read!

Watch the series
Buy the books

Click here for more hidden gems to watch on Netflix

Whipped Coffee White Russian

Everyone seems to be making that trendy frothy whipped Dalgona Coffee lately..but have you seen this one by Half Baked Harvest? It’s a fun twist on the original White Russian cocktail topped with whipped coffee, a touch of sugar and hint of vanilla. Delish!

Get the recipe here

Salted Butter and Chocolate Chunk Shortbread Cookies

A favorite recipe by Alison Roman of Bon Appetit – these cookies are a cross between shortbread, chocolate chip and brown sugar cookies. Perfect for a sweet tooth attack in the middle of a pandemic! Described in her words:

“Less chocolate chip cookie, more brown sugar shortbread with chocolate chunks—they just might be the cookie you’ve been looking for.”

Get the recipe here

Turmeric + Ginger

CBD Hemp Oil

Stash Apple Maple Cider Tea

Organic Greens

Hydro Boost Mask

FBOMB Macadamia Nut Butters

A few More Goodies

These are just a few more things I take and use on a daily basis for good health and wellbeing. It’s all about taking care of yourself especially during a stressful time like this. The CBD Hemp Oil, Organic Greens Superfood Drink, Turmeric with Ginger and Black Pepper I take every day..! I got all of those on Amazon except for the Neutrogena HydroBoost mask (which I LOVE!!) – you can get at any drug store like Walgreens or CVS. Here’s a link to the Stash Tea website – I love this new flavor with apple cider and maple..soooo good and comforting! These FBOMB Nut Butters are amazing too – for a quick dose of tasty and healthy fat these macadamia nut butters come in different flavors like salted chocolate, coconut, sea salt, hazelnut and more. Also, they have a great Buy 2, Get 1 Free deal going on with free shipping – just use code FREEJAR during checkout.

Chopped Thai Chicken Salad with Peanut Dressing

Recipe by Pinch of Yum

A few Cinco de Mayo recipes and ideas

And lastly, here are 44 Spring Recipes from Bon Appetit – yay! Spring is finally here.

February 20, 2016March 6, 2020

Almond Shortbread Cookies w/ Blood Orange Glaze

So February is here and so is National Almond Day! I absolutely love almonds – not only are they packed with tons of vitamins, minerals and fiber, but they also taste amazing! I love toasting almonds for salad toppings, making almond crust for chicken or fish, and best of all baking them into lovely, nutty, scrumptious desserts…especially cookies..mmmmm.

I recently got a new KitchenAid® 12″ Convection Digital Countertop Oven, and I am absolutely in love with it! Not only is it a toaster oven, but it’s also a fully functioning convection oven with nine different pre-programmed functions, including Pizza, Bagel, Cookie, Asado Roast and Keep Warm. It has a large capacity with enough room to roast a chicken or make a 12″ pizza, and of course enough space to bake a large batch of cookies. I LOVE THIS THING!

Since we are in the dead of winter and in the spirit of National Almond Day, I thought a big batch of cookies was in order. I made some delicious Almond Shortbread Cookies with Blood Orange Glaze. They’re super buttery and crisp with a sweet, tart and refreshing hint of blood orange – perfect for a chilly day with a cup of tea. And they’re really easy to make too..check out the link below for my recipe on the Kitchenthusiast food blog and enjoy!!!

CLICK HERE TO GET THE RECIPE AND STEP-BY-STEP PHOTOS ON THE KITCHENAID BLOG

February 2, 2016March 6, 2020

Favorite Game Day Recipes for the Super Bowl!

So the big day is right around the corner – the Super Bowl, yay! I’m not really partial to either team and am not even a huge football fan, but i LOVE LOVE LOVE the Super Bowl simply because of the fun parties, the commercials, and the food and drinks, of course.

So in spirit of the football party season, I’ve rounded up some of my favorite game day recipes that are perfect for a crowd. Finger foods, appetizers, dips and spreads and small bites to party in style!

Check out this link for some amazing Football Snack Stadiums like the one above

Here’s to #FOOTBALL #FOOD and may the best team win! 🙂

Cheeseburger Egg Rolls with Special Sauce

Devishly Good Sriracha Jalapeño Honey Sloppy Joes

Buffalo Chicken Dip

Amazing Macaroni and Cheese

Sriracha Mango Lime Chicken Wings

Parmesan Garlic Artichoke Dip

Seriously Delish Taco Pizza

Fried Chicken Biscuits with Hot Honey

Spicy Cajun Chili

Beef Enchilada Tortilla Casserole

Meatball Madness!

Chicken Pot Pie Handpies

Cheesy Skillet Beef Goulash

Homemade Rustic Pizza

Chili Rub Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

Sweet and Savory Mini Tarts

Chocolate Thumbprint Cookies

Glazed Chocolate Orange Tart

Click here to find some more great celebrity chef #recipes to celebrate the Super Bowl on NFL.com

And some more game day recipe ideas on Food Network!

Southern Living Ultimate Super Bowl Recipes

December 29, 2014March 21, 2015

Food Trends of 2014 + Flavor Forecast for 2015

As the year 2014 is coming to an end, it’s always interesting to see what was hot and what was not in the culinary world and what new food and flavor trends we will see in the New Year 2015. Popular trends seem to come and go each year affecting everything we see: restaurants, blogs, online stores, magazines, TV shows, and even fast food and packaged goods and advertising.

2014 had plenty of interesting ones that went big this year:

Culinary mashups: Cronuts (croissant donuts), Wonuts (waffle donuts), Quesarito (a quesadilla rolled into a burrito), bananas fosters pancakes, bagel burgers, ramen burgers, pretzel subs, Chicken waffle sandwiches, you name it – crazy Frankenfood dishes hit the scene this year.

Spicy burgers: burgers went nuclear this year with everything and anything spicy – Sriracha mayo, poblano peppers, jalapeño peppers, spicy onion rings, melted pepper jack cheese, harissa, ancho chipotle sauce, Mexican burgers with spicy ranch sauce…the list goes on.

Bahn Mi – a traditional Vietnamese sandwich made with roasted pork, marinated vegetables, and herbs on a baguette

Savory Jams – fig jam, pepper jellies, lingonberry jams topped creative sandwiches everywhere this year.

Paleo Diet – this meat-heavy, vegetable-laden, dairy and gluten free diet went crazy. Huge protein portions, cookbooks, blogs and new restaurants opened with a core focus on MEAT.

And here is the flavor forecast for 2015:

Middle Eastern mezze: hummus, pepper spreads, herb-marinated olives

Creative cookies: decadent makeovers on classic cookies

Umami veggies: savory flavors will infuse new recipes such as tomatoes, mushrooms, soy sauce, nori, sweet potatoes

Smoked spices: deeper richer flavors for foods through smoked spices

Sour notes: coarse salt with sour notes from sour cherry, pickled ginger, mango and lemon zest add zing and bling. Burgers topped with kimchi. Shrubs (preserved fruits with vinegar and sugar) will show up in cocktails.

Liquid revolution: juice blends from fruits and vegetables to make healthy flavorful sauces

Global blends: Japanese 7 spice (aka shichimi togarashi) combines chilies, sesame, orange zest and nori. Shawarma Middle Eastern blends made with cinnamon, cumin and black pepper are also going big.

Tacos: regional and modern taco joints and pop ups are going to be everywhere

Scrambled eggs: forget poached and deviled – scrambled eggs for dinner with savory sauces and ingredients are hot.

Spicy flavors: Sriracha will still be in style, as well as international spices like Thai bird chiles that give a serious kick.

Flavor without fat: Chefs are now infusing meats and vegetables with flavor by grilling, rotisseries and smoke.

Meat spreads: Nduja is an Italian meat spread made with ground pork and spices, great for spreading on toast or filling ravioli.

Artisanal candies: Bourbon and sea salt caramels, ice cream gummies and other creative confectionaries will be everywhere.

Soft serve ice cream: seasonal flavors and innovative sundae creations are another hot item in the dessert scene.

Spanish cuisine: Tapas and small plates from the Spanish region will be hot in the fast-casual restaurant world.

Savory pancakes: think potato pancakes on steroids – infused with different vegetable flavors and creative toppings and sauces.

Patty melts: this classic diner dish heats up the food scene with innovative twists on this half burger / half grilled cheese sammie.

Mini cocktails: smaller versions of cocktails served in half portions are popping up to give customers the opportunity to taste more varieties

Artisanal hard cider: move over craft beer, the new trend is using artisanal hard cider to create libations with unusual ingredients such as bourbon, house-made Dijon syrup and thyme.

Gin: new places opening up that solely serve the classic Gin and Tonic in different ways

High-end daiquiris and frozen drinks: new twists on the daiquiri and slushie drink infused with fun flavors and alcohol combinations

Meals to go: restaurants and food brands understand the consumers shrinking leisure time by creating high end meals to go making it easier to eat gourmet food without spending hours eating out or cooking at home.

Family-style dining: more restaurants will be serving meals family style with larger portions to share around the table.

Sources: McCormick and National Restaurant News