QUARANTINE COOK BOOK CLUB: HALF BAKED HARVEST

It wasn’t supposed to be like this; we aren’t supposed to still be locked up; but here we are. I remember our first cook book club where we got together IRL over an Aperol Spritz and carbs, but now our second book turned into our third. BUT, at least it is a fantastic one at that! Half Baked Harvest Cookbook by Tieghan Gerard has your new favorite recipe; I guarantee it. I’ll share a few we’ve been working on bellow.

Spinach & Artichoke Mac & Cheese Bake

Difficulty: Easy

Taste: Delicious

We made this for a family night (before the quarantine) and the in-laws. I loved that it was essentially one pot and we had all the ingredients. Sneaking in veggies maybe tricky for your picky eaters out there, but this was fool proof! I would also recommending adding chicken and or broccoli.

Chewy Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies

Difficulty: Medium

Taste: Game Changer

I am always testing out chocolate chip cookie recipes. It is not like there are bad ones, I am just in search for the best. Although this isn’t HOLY enough, its pretty darn close to heaven. Two words: Brown Butter. I just discovered it, but it is a simple act of almost heating your butter tp brown perfect before you use it in a recipe. This simple change amplifies the taste of the creamy sugar and egg combo that is not too sweet. Plus add a little fresh sea seal on top, yum! Mine didn’t look the same, but sure did taste good.

Broccoli Cheddar Soup & Seasoned Pretzels

Difficulty: Hard

Taste: Okay

I am a soup fanatic. I make my own copy cat Panera Bread Broccoli Cheddar soup. But after seeing Ms. Gerard has one in the book, I had to try. I prefer my soup a little more chunky vs pureed. Also it was missing that extra something. Even with the pretzels, which were delicious, just a lot of work for little flavor. I want to play around with the seasoned pretzel recipe a bit more, but still sticking with my soup.

Black Pepper Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

Difficulty: Hard

Taste: Okay

I was most excited for this one andI think that is why. graded it so hard. I try all the time to find “healthy” “vegetarian” options for my favorite snacks. This one looked good on paper, but the execution was sub par. The spicy bread crumb mix did not stick to the cauliflower and ended up just falling off in the baking process. The cauliflower steamed in stead of roasted and sogged its way into the dip. The dip was great and inspired me to make various creations including a taziki that I hope to share on the blog one day. Overall, would not recommend or remake these.

Potato & Burrata Pizza

Difficulty: Easy

Taste: Perfecto

Pizza dough from scratch- don’t be afraid- it is made with beer! That is right a can of beer and a packet of yeast gets you the perfect pizza dough. We followed her recipe for the Potato & Burrata Pizza, minus the Burrata because where can you find it at a time like this? We also made out own sausage pizza with the remaining dough and it was delicious. We will be using this pizza dough recipe for future Make Your Own Pizza Night at home #PostCorona.

Gingered Thai Steak & Peppered Salad

Difficulty: Medium

Taste: Beefy

This dish was a perfect dinner steak. Hearty with the beef and balanced with the light greens and dressing. There is so much delicious spicy ginger flavor in this dish without even trying you feel like an iron chef. One thing you do have to love is rare steak. I had a harder time searing the meat because personally I like a medium to well done steak and there is no way you can do this (and it tastes good) with this meal. Overall wouldn’t make again, but would recommend.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Blondie Brownie Bars

Difficulty: Hard

Taste: Phenomenal

I have always wanted to make blondies! I was a bit surprised to find the recipe called for a box of brownie mix, but I went along with it. First, let me re-state baking is difficult.It is a science and you always have to account for other elements. Second, with that being said I think this is why I had some difficulty with this dish: Consistency. My batter wasn’t drizzling in the pan, my peanut butter after much attention didn’t melt and the pan size called for was not in my kitchen. But did they taste great? Yes. Would I make them again? Absolutely! Chocolate and peanut butter- you can’t go wrong.

As quarantine continues, and while we still have flour, we will be continues to cook up delicious treats and crafting our own. Let me know what you have been cooking up and if you have any recommendations for our next cookbook when we get out of this!

XoXo
Britt.

COOK BOOK CLUB

Cook Book Club meet up number one is in the books and I am here to dish up the deets behind it. You’ve have heard about book clubs, wine clubs, but how about a cook book club? How did the idea come about? How can you start your own? Let’s dig in!

The idea started from a conversation with Chelsea of Simple Jane. We both had been involved in book clubs before but this idea seemed intriguing. The premise is similar- one book per month, but this time instead of reading cover to cover you try out recipes that you may have never tested before, try a new method of cooking that will get you our of your comfort zone, or add spices to meals you never had in your pantry. After the month is over gather everyone and prepare potluck style from the book. It is that simple.

Our first book was: Nothing Fancy by Alison Roman. It was great pick to start because the recipes were crowd favorites and it features a variety of flavors. I opted to check out the book from the local library and save $30. I figured if I was obsessed with it by the EOM I would make the splurge. When I got home I immediately sticky noted recipes that stood out to me and found that I bookmarked mostly desserts.

We have a Facebook Group for the club where we can post photos and share stories throughout the month of dishes we tried and our thoughts on them. I made the Almost Angel Food Cake and it was so good! Honestly, that was it, I wish I would have made more, but the first time going about it I learned I didn’t have it with meal at the grocery store to shop and also didn’t consider what meals would be good for prepping lunches for the week. Needless to say, I knew it wasn’t one I was going to be purchasing.

The week of the Cook Book Club I panicked! What do I make? Some clubs suggest delegating dishes or sharing what your bringing, but we decided that just surprise us and see how it goes! Of course, I made the Chickpea Salad and so did someone else. But, what was great was trying and comparing not only the taste but how it was made. I loved the idea in the end of two of the same dishes.

Our dinner party featured mostly bites and salads and of course a delicious Aperol Spritz. The conversation was guided by the book, but the tangents allowed for a great night of getting to know some new, incredible women in the valley. We mixed together dips and salads and found that everything really completed each other perfectly. We even had left overs to take back to the husbands.

What’s in store for next month? We will be selecting our next book and trying out recipes until our scheduled meet up again, the first Thursday of the month. I will be trying out more recipes before hand and the night of I want to bring a main course that really highlights the table.

How can you start your own?

1. Find a group of friends who like food- be careful about any special diets because although cookbooks have variety you don’t want anyone to feel left out.

2. Pick a book and start digging into it. Encourage your family to get in the kitchen with you and try out a new skill.

3. Plan an evening you can get together and bring a dish to share. You can always delegate a desert or drink or main course person or just wing it because when there is food involved it is always a good time.

If you are local and interested in joining ours, shoot me a message and we would love to have you!

Cheers!

XoXo

Britt.

FINALLY! FOOD TASTING!

I recently rediscovered a show on TLC called “Four Weddings” where 4 brides attend each other’s weddings and rate the food, dress, and overall experience. Rewatching it really made me think about the food served at a wedding as a bigger deal than I was picturing. Surprising, I know coming from such a foodie! But after planning this for almost a year we just recently locked in the BEST menu you will ever taste at a wedding.

Our food style was easy to pick! We wanted pasta! We both love Italian food; spaghetti can be easy on the budget and everyone loves carbs! At first our catering suggestions were the basics and after tasting a few I was not impressed. The sauce was too watery, the prices were too outrageous for the product and the menu was not what we envisioned. After almost resorting to an Italian chain restaurant for catering, I asked my Maid of Honor for another duty, help me find a caterer! It took her 2 seconds to suggest a person. Chris is a family member of a close friend. (He is practically family because he has spent some time with us at OTL, lol.) He works in the valley alongside some award winning chefs at top restaurants. We have run into him at music festivals and he has suggested some amazing places to brunch. But when I reached out for catering suggestions from him, what I was not expecting was offering his own services.

We invited Chris over to talk details and run through the space with him. He has experience catering events himself, but this will be his first wedding. After discussing budget and menu we set up a tasting.

First:

Fregola Salad – Fresh Fregola pasta mixed with zucchini, tomatoes, basil, and roasted pine nuts topped with parm. My mouth is watering just talking about this dish again. From the warm pine nuts against the cold salad and the sweetness of the tomatoes contrasting the sharpness of the parmesan cheese- I could eat just this and be content.

Second:

Spaghetti and Pancetta Meatballs. Perfectly cooked al dente pasta with a fresh tomatoes sauce is the base, but what really makes this dish pop are the meatballs. Combo pork and beef the pancetta in the meatballs takes it to another level.

Third:

Butternut Squash Ravioli with Mushroom Butter Sauce and Fried Sage- Yes, fried sage! That touch was our favorite because it really does correlate with our theme. First the sweetness of the butternut squash hits your tastebuds and melted butter with fresh mushrooms is the meat of this dish, but wait- the crunch of the sage it a perfect touch. Oh my yum!

We decided on a buffet style dinner, no formal serving and seconds are encouraged! That is how our family does it so why would we change? We skipped the fine china and ordered plastic plates. Sorry not sorry for the tasteless touch but we want easy clean up, budget friendly and more importantly, no glass around the pool.

 This is the breakdown of the dinner provided by Chef Chris Andrade.

 Looking forward to the large charcuterie board, mustache pretzels and mezcal tastings!

Who’s excited?

XoXo Britt

MAKING MEMORIES AT THE ARIZONA STATE FAIR

SInce 1946 the Arizona State Fair has been held annually, but 2018 was the first time Brose visited! We wanted to give you an insider’s guide to the Arizona State Fair and how to experience it the FInding Arizona Way.

Discalimer: this is not a visitor’s guide of where to park, how to purchase tickets, or what to pack. You can visit the State Fair Webiste for all that info.

It rained all day Friday so by the time we both got off work, the skies were clear and it was a perfect time to experience the Arizona State Fair. We decided to go in the evening to maximize on the sunset views and grab some delicious fair food. Just a few hours is all you need.

We had 3 things on the list and first up was the Ferris Wheel. Well technically its not a Ferris wheel because this architect created one of the largest moveable sky viewers in history. The La Grande Wheel XL is fully enclosed but tested all my fears of heights. In between a mild panic attack we were able to catch some great views. Boy did we get high up there.

Next on the list was fair food! At the beginning of summer we visited the San Diego County Fair (see post) and ate all kinds of fried foods. This Arizona fair we wanted to savor and share a few flavors. We grubbed on philly cheese steaks with strawberry lemonade and shared a warm cinnamon roll dripping in cream cheese frosting as a dessert.

Last on the list of fair adventures is entertainment. We will start from least interesting to most. This year the fair was showcasing velvet paintings featuring famous historical figures like John Mccain and Elvis Presley, But more than half of the collection were various clowns. Very strange.

Next entertainment was a Bee Gees Cover band called The Bee Gees Gold. Their music was spot on to the original sound and had us laughing and grooving over dinner.

The most interesting form of entertainment was called The Turkey Stampede. Again, we are used to obscure fair attractions being fans of the Swift Swine Pig Races, but this was something unlike we have ever seen before. A remote controlled candy apple red truck filled with turkey feed in the bed raced around a track while 5 turkeys chased it for food and ultimately deciding a winner for the crowd. No animals were harmed in the making of this event. You have to see it to believe it! Honestly!

We were the oldest kids on the carousel and the youngest in the art in crafts tent, but we definitely made the fair the experience we wanted. This is something the Arizona State Fair has really captured: no matter what your age or your interest the fair has something for you.

Let me know if you have had a chance to visit the Arizona State Fair and also what your favorite attraction is! Thanks for joining us on another journey.

XoXo Britt

FIVE FAVORITE FOOD FINDS FAST

When it is too late to cook or we are too lazy to get in the kitchen Jose and I like to pull up the latest free delivery code from a reddit thread and order from our favorite fast finds in Phoenix.

Over the weekend, we build a fort with mountains of Jennifer Adams sheets and our new the Dotted Bow Pillows and ordered some late night grub to watch a movie and enjoy a quiet Friday night together. Whether you’re in Phoenix or not hopefully you can find some time to get horizontal with some carbs this weekend and load the Postmates app to get some food your way!

Our Top 5 on Postmates!

1. WTF Express. First, if you have the pleasure of going here it is like an adult cafeteria of your dreams. But not like school cafeteria, like Silicon Valley cafeteria. Any kind of food, seriously ANY! And it is delicious . If you order for delivery like us most of the time, then Jose recommends the Philly Cheese steaks and I always get the Gyro! Dont forget the hushpuppies!

2. Armadillo Grill. This hidden gem has been in business for over 20 years. Once I heard they were famous for their friend pickles, that is all I order. Jose recommends their burger. Great bar food but quality ingredients you can taste! But not a fan of their onion rings, just an FYI.

3. Halal Guys. You have probably noticed I like Greek food so at least 1 time a week I need a pita! The Halal Guys is a chain restaurant with a simple menu - beef or chicken. Of course Jose gets Chicken and I get Beef, but one thing we do agree on are their crinkle cut fries!

4. Panera Bread. Soup and Sammy was one of the first meals I learned to make at home so I am constantly craving this comfort food. I don’t believe in a soup season, even here in Arizona, so even when it is 100 degrees out, even at night, I crave a bread bowl and broccoli cheddar soup from Panera. Jose mixes it up with a Sammy, but always ordering something from their bakery. And It usually is a surprise because what we select is always sold out.

5. ‘Bertos Taco Shop. Anything ending in ‘Bertos. We crave Mexican Food a few times a week and if it has not been planned out we choose any taco shop local. The flavors of a hole in the wall shack remind me of home. No matter what we order its always extra green salsa and spicy carrots!

Comment bellow your fave Postmates orders! We are always open to trying new things!

INDEPENDENCE DAY

America's Birthday was celebrated at our new house this year! We think it might be a new tradition. It started off with swimming in the pool and finished with a perfect view of the fireworks from the rooftop.  By the end of the night we were full to our eye balls and feeling more confident about our next home projects. 

This post we want to share a few receipts: one for food / drinks and the other for love. 

1) American Burger with Watermelon Margarita!

- Costco pre made 1/3lb burgers are the best go to BBQ food! Will some extra sharp cheddar melted on top and all the fixins Jose's BBQ skills were on point grilling up some perfect burgers for the holiday!

-Costco (this is not a paid advertisement we just live there) pre made margarita mix is heaven sent as well. Add an extra shot of 1800 with some fresh squeezed lime and finally blend with ice and fresh watermelon and you will have the most refreshing summer beverage! Cheers! 

2) Love 

If you haven't heard already we bought a house and are planning a wedding. HAHA I know we are crazy! To add to it only some of our close friends and family know we are also breaking a lease on our apartment with some fiery hoops the property management wants us to jump through! Every day the stress wears on us. From trying to put on a brave face for the 9-5 or the podcast sometimes we just want to look at eachother and say "AHHHHH!"  

But yesterday on America's Day we received some great advice: "Put money into what's yours and what you love."

Couldn't be more simply said yet so hard to want to swallow! On America's Independence Day I realized how independent we are! We are about to turn 30 years old we have careers we have studied for we have a beautiful home we bought we have an amazing podcast community and all the love and support from friends and family. We have each-other and thats love! That is the recipe that matters the most!

Love is the best receipe! If you love what you are doing it doesnt feel like work. You dont regret to blood sweat or tears  once you see what your love created. And you appreciate the value of your dollar when it is something you love!  

So we are using our love to build a wall! A block wall! So tweet @realDonaldTrump and tell him #lovetrumpshate #letsbuildawall!