August is such an abrupt jolt after leisurely the summer pace of June and July. All of the sudden, school is starting, vacations are over, and, in the academic world, work gets busier and more urgent. The beginning of July and 4th of July celebrations seem like a long time ago. July was full of…
homemade hummus
2018 has been the summer of cheeseboard dinners in our house and I love it. As someone who loves grazing, small snacks, and variety, a good appetizer spread is one of my favorite ways to have a meal. Each time the selection is slightly different, and it has been fun to experiment with different combinations,…
mini vanilla cake with blueberry frosting
Have you been to a farmers’ market recently? So many tasty summer fruits and vegetables have shown up on the stands in the past few weeks! So many tomatoes, blueberries, watermelon, and summer squash adorn the colorful market stands and entice me each week with their fresh flavors and inspire me to cook with local,…
napa valley: food
Welcome to the second installment of our Napa trip: the food! In case you missed it, I shared our Napa winery experiences here. To give you a little background before we jump into the restaurants, we started each day with a great brunch and ended most of them with a DIY charcuterie board dinner complete…
10 things I’m loving lately
Recently, I have been trying to write down three things I’m grateful for at the end of each day. I haven’t quite mastered the habit yet, but whenever I do it, I am reminded of some of the things that I have discovered lately or things that I keep coming back to because they make…
salted oreo no-churn ice cream
You may be thinking, “salted Oreo? Is that really what she meant?” Yes. Yes it is. Spurred by inspiration from a Denver scoop and the realization that I couldn’t find anything like it when I got home, salted Oreo no-churn ice cream has become my latest no-churn ice cream obsession. Last month I traveled to…
napa valley: wineries
At the beginning of June, my family took a long weekend trip to Napa Valley in celebration of both of my siblings graduating from college (and because everyone was available, which can sometimes be the biggest barrier for our family trips). Except for my mom, none of us had been to Napa before. Our goal…
s’mores cookies
It is the week of 4th of July, which means it is high time for our annual s’mores inspired recipe! S’mores cookies are my new favorite way to enjoy the flavors of the summertime treat without having to start up a fire to roast marshmallows or going to bed with bonfire hair (you feel me?)….
july goals
Happy July! July weather is here in full force with enough humidity to feel like you are swimming as you walk down the street. I love the slow pace of the summer that comes during 4th of July week. Emails slow down, the pool fills up, and everyone is in the mood for a good…
caramelized onion blue cheese biscuits with roasted tomatoes
It has been a bit quiet around here as I navigate lots of travel, visitors, and weddings, but I’m back with recipes! These caramelized onion blue cheese biscuits with roasted tomatoes are a bit different from the sweets we’re used to having around here, but they are oh so good and make great use of…