I’m a self-taught home-cook sharing my passion for eating, cooking, and all things food.
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All tagged 2018
Also known as Mexican wedding cookies, Russian tea cakes, and snowball cookies — I tried these for the first time several years ago, and fell in love. These powdered sugar cookies are decadent! They call for one bowl and lots of butter, and are a great holiday dessert.
Inspired by my grandmother’s use of the leftover Christmas ham, I decided to create my version of her soup. Using the ham bone from our breakfast, I created an easy, one-pot, leftover ham bone soup, perfect for lunch or dinner. Check it out!
Day 2 | Part 3 of my adventures in Florence brings me to a popular part of the city. An amazing dinner reminds me of some family favorite recipes, while a lucky dessert shop finishes out the day with a view!
On my second full day in Florence I spent the afternoon hiking up to the Piazzale Michelangelo in San Niccolò. I explored a historic church and captured some amazing photos of the city. But the best part? An amazing off-the-path panini shop I found by chance. Check out my lunch review of Panini & Vini.
My first full day in Florence is broken up into 3 parts: Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. For the breakfast segment, you can read about my trip to La Milkeria — and my adventures across the Bridge of Gold. Coming soon in Part 2 is my adventures on the other side of Florence, and where I went for lunch!
Part 2 of my first day in Florence, Italy! I had my first meal in Florence at Le Cappelle Medicee, in the Piazza di San Lorenzo. Check out my thoughts about my appetizer, entree, and surprise treats, and my recommendations around Le Cappelle.
Day 3 of my adventures in Europe brings me to Florence, Italy — the part of my trip that I was dying to experience. Day 1 in Florence, Italy was so long that I’ve broken it into two parts. This is Part 1 | The Foodie’s Journey to Florence, Italy, which shares my adventures navigating from Amsterdam to Florence, my first impressions of Florence, and details about how I found my first meal.
Amsterdam Day 2 | Part 2 — See how I ended up at a small restaurant in Hoofdweg’s neighborhood for dinner. This is my first sit-down restaurant review and it includes pumpkin pizza! Day 2 is my last night in Amsterdam before I fly to Italy.
The largest museum in Amsterdam, a rainy afternoon canal ride, and my first Dutch cappuccino are some of the highlights in Part 1 of my second day in Amsterdam. See how I ended up in Amsterdam’s restaurant district and my thoughts on Dutch donuts! Stay tuned for Part 2 of this post, where I dive into more of my restaurant reviews.
Day 1 of my adventures in Europe — beginning with Amsterdam. Read about my first foodie experience in the Netherlands, including a popular Dutch dessert and street food for dinner. I also share some of my thoughts about Amsterdam’s landscape and my experience traveling around the major monuments!
This week, I decided to use the leftover pumpkin puree from my pumpkin whoopie pie recipe and make an easy pumpkin soup. Perfect for an impressive first course or as the main entree, this one-pot soup is an easy weeknight meal.
Inspired by on-the-go Halloween treats, I decided to take a classic East Coast dessert and put a fall twist: Pumpkin whoopie pies! Learn how to make these delicious treats, rich with fall flavors like cinnamon, pumpkin, nutmeg and cream cheese frosting!
Starting with a large container of whole wheat biscuits, I was reminded of a delicious breakfast I had with my best friend during our trip to Massachusetts. This week, I decided to re-create the Biscuits and Sausage Gravy, by following The Pioneer Woman’s recipe. Quick, one-skillet cooking for a hearty dish, you’ll want to try this one!
A humid Tuesday evening inspired me to get a head-start on this week’s restaurant review. I adventured to downtown Denville to try a Thai restaurant called Thai Chef. Now I’m sharing what a weeknight in the dining room looks like, what the restaurant has to offer, and my three-course meal. Read more to find out!
The temperature in New Jersey this week finally dropped into fall. Heavy rain and overcast skies took over a few days this week, causing the bearable 60-degree weather to feel cold and raw. Inspired by Julia Child (after watching Julie & Julia last week), I decided that I was going to make soup: French onion!
Sign your wine cork and see it immortalized on the wall. Try a delicious personal pizza or craft your own pasta dish. Boniello’s in Riverdale, New Jersey is a popular Italian restaurant that is both homey and charming.
Inspired by the fresh fruit in my fridge and a trip to the farmer’s market, I decided to make my own fruit tarts for a Saturday night dinner. This was my first time making a fruit tart! Improvising with my materials, my final product are these buttery, vanilla creme anglaise tarts.
Step off the train from New York and into the old train station converted into a modern restaurant. De Novo European Pub in Montclair has an elegant and bright dining room, busy bar, and delicious food. Check out my review of my Wednesday night dinner!
Warm, banana-bread inspired fillings with a golden outside. A drizzle of rich caramel sauce and homemade whipped cream. Treat yourself to this delicious, yet simple dessert. These banana fritters are perfect for the upcoming fall weather as we wrap up summer.
A pre-Labor Day weekend trip brought me back to Lake George. With gorgeous sunny weather, we were able to visit a popular seasonal restaurant right on the water called The Shoreline Restaurant.
Eating lakeside with a view of the water from the deck makes this a perfect Lake George restaurant for lunch or dinner!
