Weekly Favorites 06/10/2018 to 06/16/2018

Time for another batch of favorite food and restaurant articles. This weeks batch explores a cooking staple, the perfect breakfast sandwich, a chocolate hazelnut dessert, and a DIY french fry seasoning!


The Perfect Breakfast Sandwich - via Outside Magazine

The Perfect Breakfast Sandwich
Photo Credit Outside Magazine

Sometimes it can be difficult to find a breakfast that's portable that isn't a breakfast bar, which are often times packed with more sugar than anyone actually needs. This sandwich has the protein and nutrients that everyone needs to start off the day!



Our Favorite Bacon Recipes - via Garden & Gun

Applewood Bacon-Wrapped Venison Loin
Photo Credit Garden & Gun

I'm going to follow my mini rant about sugary breakfast bars, with a post about bacon. But, who doesn't love bacon? You know, bacon, that miracle ingredient that goes in almost everything! My favorite from this list is the Applewood Bacon-Wrapped Venison Loin!















Following last week's trend, the next two articles came from a Twitter search!


Chocolate Hazelnut Affagato - via Compelled to Cook

I love desserts like this. I get my coffee fix and sweet tooth taken care of in one dish! The hazelnut and chocolate flavors, blend perfectly with the espresso poured over it!

Chocolate Hazelnut Affogato needs to be your next dessert! It's on the blog https://t.co/kKzAhxVLSz #compelledtocook #dessert #icecream #espresso #coffee #affogato #Hazelnut #food #foodbloger #foodphoto #foodpic #goodeats #delicious #yummy #RecipeOfTheDay #Frangelico #chocolate pic.twitter.com/Fk4AktrTAV

— Compelled To Cook (@compelledtocook) March 11, 2018

DIY French Fry Seasoning - via Simply Tasheena

French fries are a great go to appetizer or side, especially if you can get creative with toppings and seasonings. Something a little bolder than salt and pepper can take French fries to a whole new level! This French fry seasoning takes it up a notch with paprika and cumin!

Sharing a super easy French Fry Seasoning Recipe #ontheblog >> https://t.co/x8hzfHkcLi #recipe #RecipeOfTheDay #recipes #foodbloger #Foodies pic.twitter.com/wQtcldKo7A

— Tasheena (@SimplyTasheena) September 28, 2017

Weekly Favorites 06/03/2018 to 06/09/2018

This week for inspiration for my favorite food and restaurant articles, I took to Twitter for inspiration. What I found, is really special. There are some great bloggers out there, far too many to mention here.

DIY Sushi
Photo Credit Low Carb Nikki

DIY Sushi - via Low Carb Nikki

I've dabbled in Asian cooking, but I typically keep things safer and steer towards Italian or barbecue. I've made Spring Rolls and Pad Thai, and even Moo Shu Pork. I've liked the idea of making my own sushi, but was never confident enough to try it out. Here, Nikki lays it out and makes it seem less of a daunting task. 


7 Essential Stops in Levinksy Market, Tel Aviv - via Becky van Dijk

What drew me to this post was a tweet.

Turns out I should have been a food blogger instead of a travel blogger! Check out these essential foodies stops in Levinsky Market, Tel Aviv | @VibeIsrael #foodblogger #TelAviv https://t.co/VBMoqu1v5B pic.twitter.com/QiINzJoU9x

— Becky van Dijk (@Beckyvandijk) June 6, 2018

Believe it or not, I've toyed with travel blogging! I stick with food for the most part, but throw some travel in where I can. Becky gives a great tour of the Levinsky Market in Tel Aviv, making any reader pining to go!

Raspberry Bread
Photo Credit - The Indian Claypot

Raspberry Bread - The Indian Clay Pot

The flavor profile of this bread is what drew me in!. The raspberry and lemon flavor combination is perfect, and that lemon glaze to put on top was the cherry on top. Needless to say, I can't wait to try this one out!


Tagliatelle Pasta with Fresh Peas and Pancetta - via The Pasta Project

Tagliatelle Pasta with Fresh Peas and Pancetta
Photo Credit - The Pasta Project

Did you think I could go a whole post without talking about pasta? Me neither. This recipe has all of the ingredients I'm looking for! The pasta, pancetta, and the creaminess from the butter, what's not to love? This is another one I'll be trying out soon!

Weekly Favorites 05/27/18 to 06/02/18

This week's batch of favorite food and restaurant articles! I'm playing catch up this week after taking a long weekend away!


Carolina Chicken Bog - via Garden & Gun

Carolina Chicken Bog
Photo Credit Johnny Autry/Garden & Gun

The combination of chicken, rice, and peas, remind me of a casserole my mom would make when I was little.  I am going to have to make this some night.


Gordon Ramsay's Transformative Way to Scramble Eggs - via Popsugar

Scrambled Eggs
Photo Credit Anna Monette Roberts/Popsugar

There's something about the perfect, velvety scrambled eggs. Gordon Ramsay makes it look almost too easy!


15 Best Places to get Burgers in Texas - via Wide Open Country

Christakis Burger
Photo Credit Christakis Burger/Facebook

There's no secret that I can't pass up a good burger. I just may have to plan out a summer road trip to get my burger fix on!


Traveling for Shrimp and Grits - via Garden & Gun

Shrimp and Grits
Photo Credit Fifth Group Restaurants/
Garden & Gun

Speaking of summer road trips, taking a tour of these Southern restaurants to get some shrimp and grits sounds amazing!

Cilantro Pesto

One night in college, we were having a Mexican fiesta at our house. I was always looking for new things to try out in the kitchen and I wanted to do something new with cilantro. Walking through the grocery store, I had this idea to make a cilantro pesto. I grabbed a few ingredients and was off to the kitchen.

Cilantro Pesto

The Recipe:

• 1 Bunch Cilantro - Stems Removed
• 3 Garlic Cloves - Roasted
• 1 Poblano Pepper - Roasted
• 1/2 Cup Jalapeno Jack Cheese - Grated
• 1/2 Cup Olive Oil
• Salt and Pepper

Roast the Poblano pepper under the broiler under lightly charred on each side. I like to put the pepper in a storage bag in the freezer to cool it faster. The freezer helps loosen the skin from the pepper faster. Roast the garlic at 350 until lightly browned. A ramekin works well for this. Remove the skin from the garlic after it cools. Combine all of the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Usually 2 or 3 minutes, depending on how smooth you want it. I made this to go with some chicken tacos tonight!

Lamb Ragu

This is an Italian classic that I've had the idea to make this dish quite some time. I've been putting it off because it honestly sounded more difficult than it was. In the end, it was so worth it. The lamb and tomatoes go together so well, with the added crunch from the celery and carrots. The Romano cheese tops it off the sauce to add a creamy flavor.


The Recipe:

Lamb Ragu

• 1/2 Pound Ground Lamb
• 1 Small Onion - Diced
• 3 Garlic Cloves - Minced
• 1 Stalk of Celery - Diced
• 2 Carrots - Peeled and Diced
• 15 oz Can Crushed Tomatoes
• 1/2 Cup Dry White Wine
• 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• Fresh Parsley - Chopped
• Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
• Salt and Pepper
• Romano Cheese
• Rigatoni

To start, brown the lamb over medium heat. Remove the lamb from the pan when it just medium rare, leaving behind as much of the juices as you can. Add the olive oil to the pan and raise the heat to medium-high. Add in the crushed red pepper flakes, onion, garlic, celery, and carrots. Saute until the vegetables are wilted and add in the crushed tomatoes, white wine, ground lamb. I like to swirl the wine around in the tomato can to make sure I get all of the tomato juice out of the can. Reduce the heat to a simmer and let the sauce reduce. Just before the pasta is done, add a few ladles of the pasta water to the sauce and let it reduce some more. Add in the parsley and let it reduce with the sauce. 

I mixed the pasta together with the sauce and then stirred in the Romano cheese. Pair the pasta with some garlic bread. 

For a few variations, sub the lamb with ground beef or pork. I'd like to try this again with some fresh pasta as well, maybe some pappardelle. 

Weekly Favorites 05/20/18 to 05/26/18

This week's batch of favorite food and restaurant articles features summer and summer flavors!


Whatever Happened to Sun-Dried Tomatoes? - via Taste Cooking

Sun Dried Tomatoes
Photo Credit Taste Cooking/Antonis Achilleos

Personally, I love sun-dried tomoatoes. I like them in sandwiches, pizza, salads, you name it. But I do know, that are quite a few folks out there who don't care for them. What's your take on them?

Game Changing Grill Hacks
Photo Credit Delish.com

10 Game-Changing Barbecue Hacks You Need in Your Life This Summer - via Delish.com

With Memorial Day just around the corner, summer is officially here. Barbecues will be a regular occurrence. I even saw that our neighborhood pool is opening next week! This barbecue hacks will you up your game on and around the grill!

Baked Shells

Baked Shells

We wanted to try something a little different the other night, but still something that would please everyone in the house. These Bake Shells did the trick. The best thing, is that everything we needed was already in the pantry. No extra trips to the store!


The Recipe:

• One Recipe Tomato Sauce
• 1 Cup Ricotta
• 1 Box Shells
• Mozzarella Cheese

Make your sauce ahead of time. It will keep in the fridge for at least a week. Combine the sauce and ricotta in a bowl and stir in the shells. Spread the shells evenly in a baking dish and cover with the mozzarella. Bake at 350 degrees until the cheese is melted and slightly browned. 

Don't be afraid to use too much sauce. I wish I had used a little more!

Happy Eating!