I Am... Slow-Cooked Baby Back Ribs Dinner Party!
One of my dear friend's birthdays is coming up and since, on his actual birthday, he'll be up in the air, unable to make it to a celebratory dinner party, I decided to throw him one early. I take birthdays very seriously. I think it's because I like to make a big deal out of mine. I'll plan out the perfect day (I always try to take the day off work, if I can), focusing on the food of course, I'll even take a look at making sure that my dining table set is perfect for when it comes to serving a meal for him. Birthdays are the one day a year that you should throw all your inhibitions away and eat yourself into a happy (birthday) food coma.
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I Am... Friday Finds 6.12.15
Woah, how in the world did it end up being June: not just the beginning blush of June, but the full on heady dog days of June? It feels like summer even though summer is still a week and a half away. It's been plenty warm and sunny and I'm not complaining – I've been in maxi dresses and shorts (not at the same time), eating a lot of fruit, and drinking all the summertime drinks.
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I Am... Spicy Shrimp and Zucchini Noodles
Mike and I have been on a huge vegetable kick lately. We must be growing up or something because all of a sudden, we can't get enough vegetables. When I was a kid I don't remember eating vegetables at all; I think the only vegetables I ate were carrots and potatoes, which don't really count as leafy greens. I'm pretty sure a piece of lettuce never passed my lips until I was 10. It's funny because now I love snacking on vegetables – give me a bunch of greens and I'm a bunny.
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I Am... Four Cheese Pizza: Mozzarella, Parmesan, Brie and Ricotta
You know, I never really got the appeal of cheese pizza. Growing up, my pizza of choice was always ham and pineapple. I'm pretty sure that was due to the fact that when I was a kid, I didn't know what other kinds of pizzas were out there. Ham and pineapple happened to be my parents' favorite, so it was kind of mine too, by default. Fast forward many, many years and I've pretty much tried as many types of pizzas as possible. Even so, amidst my extensive pizza eating of porchetta pizzas, grilled cheese pizzas, and caramelized shrimp pizzas, I've been slow to answer the siren song of the classic, cheese-topped pizza.
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I Am... Banh Tieu Recipe: The Vietnamese Donuts You Never Knew You Loved
It's National Donut Day! Last year I waffled up some donuts for a delicious hybrid wonut (waffle-donut) and this year I decide to go with a donut that you've probably never seen before: banh tieu, a deliciously deep-fried Vietnamese donut. Banh tieu, for the uninitiated, are slightly sweet, puffy, hollow donuts that are sprinkled with a generous amount of nutty sesame seeds. Fresh out of the fryer, they just can't be beat.
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I Am... Tokyo Food Guide: Where and What to Eat in Tokyo
So, you're planning on going to Tokyo? First off, congrats! I'm so jealous. Tokyo is one of my all time favorite cities. There is so much to do, so much to see, and most importantly, so much to eat. Tokyo has it all, from hole in the wall gyoza places to high-end Michelin sushi bars.Warning: this is a LONG post!
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I Am... How to make: Buttermilk Fried Chicken Wings
Nothing makes me happier than a GIANT plate of fried chicken. Especially if there are fries on the side. I indulge in fried chicken probably way more than I should, but I cannot get over how delicious it is. I mean, there's a reason why every single culture out there has it's own version. I definitely wouldn't turn my nose up at Southern-style, Japanese (chicken katsu, toriten, karaage), Korean (triple-fried and either sweet or super spicy), Taiwanese (salt and pepper crispy popcorn bites)...I could go on, but I should probably stop before I get too hungry. But, now that I think about it, why are almost all the fried chickens I mentioned Asian? Do Asians just really really love fried chicken or is it just that I think of Asian chicken when I think of fried chicken?
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I Am... Vietnamese Braised Beef Tacos
Are you guys fans of throwing dinner parties? I absolutely LOVE having people over for dinner. Mike, on the other hand, isn't such a fan. He thinks I get a little too crazy with the prep and planning. So I've started to scale it back and throw more casual get togethers. I get to cook, friends and family get to eat, and everyone's happy.
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I Am... How to Make Basic, Great Chocolate Chip Cookies
I recently got a sunny yellow background for photos and I've been playing around with it – something about yellow makes me absurdly happy. Which is funny because Mike has a yellow car, but I've been after him to paint it white. People are always waving us down while we're in it; they think we're a taxi even though our car looks nothing like a taxi. But that's not the real reason I want him to paint it. It's because bugs are absurdly attracted to what appears to them to be a giant yellow flower. I have fear of insects. I always say I'll get over it and be a real grown up, but so far, no dice.
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I Am... Friday Finds 5.22.14
May is passing by in a flash! So far it's been full of birthday cake, barbecues, watermelon and general lounging out in the sun. Mike came up with the brilliant idea of putting astroturf on our balcony and I've been hanging out on our "lawn" every day. It's awesome because if I feel like having a little picnic, the "grass" is right there. I used to think astroturf was super tacky, but the stuff that we found is lush and really looks like grass, albeit really uniform green grass. You can take a peek of it on my Instagram if you're interested.
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I Am... Peking Duck Poutine
Do you love duck? How about french fries? How about duck and french fries and cheese curds and gravy!? If you said a resounding yes, we can be friends! If you're thinking, meh, doesn't sound that great, have a bite of this peking duck poutine and you'll change your tune.
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I Am... Superfood Chocolate Coconut Pancakes
Picture the perfect brunch scene: fluffy pancakes patiently waiting for syrup to rain down. The coffee's hot, the pancakes are golden, the whipping cream is cool, and the syrup is warmed. Your knife slides effortlessly into the tender little rounds and you just know you're in for a treat. To me, there's nothing more decadent than a plate of pancakes, piled high, topped with softly whipped cream. I don't even need syrup, especially if there's fruit and chocolate involved.
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