#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨
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Sweetnicks

Food and Life

Recipe: Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas with Cabot

September 26, 2019 · Narrative

Busy weeknight but you still need to get good food on the table fast? These Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas are perfect!

Sheet Pan Fajitas with Cabot

Between college tours and high school activities for my oldest, and a challenging competition cheer schedule for my youngest, and, well, just general life thrown in for good measure, our weeknights are CRAZY, and we usually don’t all sit down for a meal together until the weekend … and then I have to compete with their busy social calendar.

But that doesn’t mean I’m not cooking. I’ve been trying to prep a few meals and grab-and-go type things on the weekends, so when we’re all flying by each other during the week, the fridge is stocked with good food that we can quickly warm up and devour, and this recipe for Sheet Pan Chicken Fajitas is one of them.

When Nick first tasted this recipe, his response was, “If you made chicken like this all the time, there would be no issues.”

TEENAGERS. Gotta love them.

He happens to LOVE Mexican and Spanish food, so I knew this one would score big with him. I love this recipe because of how simple it is and how forgiving it is. Mix the chicken with olive oil and spices, add sliced vegetables, and bake. Serve with a variety of toppings and add-ins, and you’ve got dinner. I usually serve it with tortillas to eat fajita-style, but you could also put the meal in between two tortillas and pan fry it as a quesadilla. Or after the chicken and vegetables have been cooked, wrap them up burrito style, put in a baking dish and add enchilada sauce and cheese and bake for 10-15 minutes. If you’re avoiding carbs, put the meat and vegetables on top of a bowl of lettuce. You are seriously only limited by your imagination and you just can’t screw this one up.

Just like a taco bar, the fun is in all the extra toppings. Add some extra ones and you’ve got the perfect party food – something super simple and a sure crowd pleaser.

Now, for the toppings … I like sour cream, salsa, guacamole, and cheese. ALL THE CHEESE PLEASE. Sometimes I’ll mix the sour cream in with salsa, to change it up, or sour cream with guacamole for an avocado crema.

And the cheese … of course, I used Cabot. But which one? I literally use them all, depends on my mood or who is coming. I like mixing sharp and mild together. But the Monterey Jack is perfect when you want something a bit milder and creamier. But the most important part? Hand grate your cheese! Don’t buy pre-shredded cheese. It takes only a few minutes to grate up what you need and it tastes SO MUCH BETTER.

It’s honestly such a challenge finding meals that all three of us like, that can be made easily when time is short, and that are still healthy and delicious – which means I’ll be making this one every other day until my kids get sick of it. Haha!

Enjoy!

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Recipe: Loaded Baked Potato Rounds

October 5, 2016 · Narrative

Slices of potato topped with melted Cabot cheese, crispy bacon, and scallions… what’s not to love?

Untitled

Neither of my kids really like potatoes. They will have the odd serving of french fries, and sometimes some hash browns, but for the most part, they’re not looking for potato dishes at meal time. ESPECIALLY mashed potatoes or baked potatoes.

Which is something I totally don’t get, because I’m like … give me all your potatoes. In fact, when a boyfriend and I broke up a few years ago, I seriously had mashed potatoes and gravy for a straight week for dinner. Just that. For dinner. Sometimes even the boxed version. I know. It was an awfully delicious seven days.

But potatoes? Comfort food to the max.

So when I created this recipe for my summer campers, it was with my class in mind, not my kids. But last week, when I was looking for a side dish, I made this one at home anyway. Despite my non-potato loving fam.

Because, I mean, COME ON. Tender potatoes. Melted cheese. Crispy bacon. How could you not love it?

The verdict?

They ate it, but didn’t request seconds. I’ll take that as a minor victory. And, really, tbh, they’re both good vegetable eaters overall, so I can’t complain.

Now if YOU like potatoes, you should totally make this dish. It takes just a few minutes to pull together, and I pop it in the oven to bake while I’m making the rest of our meal (which happened to be steak that night). For the cheese portion, you really can’t go wrong with any melted cheese, amiright? Bleu cheese would taste divine on this, as would Monterey Jack, but I do a lot of work with the team at Cabot, so I’m slightly partial to them. Especially a new-to-me cheese that they sent last month, their Orne Meadows sharp Cheddar. It’s kind of amazing and definitely worth seeking out at your local grocery store. It doesn’t have the sharp tang of your usual go-to sharp Cheddar, it’s more subtle and robust. What can I say? I’ve never met a cheese I didn’t like. #cheeseismyhappyplace

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Celebrating National Grilled Cheese Month

April 29, 2015 · Narrative

Even though National Grilled Cheese Month is nearly over, you still have one more day to celebrate it … and I’m gonna help with a few delicious recipes. Because #cheeseismyhappyplace.

If you need an excuse to make corned beef, this recipe for Corned Beef Grilled Cheese with Guinness Caramelized Onions would surely be it. It’s making my mouth water just thinking of it all over again.

This Grilled Cheese with Gouda, Roasted Mushrooms, and Onions from She Wears Many Hats is seriously divine. Gouda is one of my favorite cheeses to use when I’m looking for a slightly different sort of grilled cheese sandwich.

The year was 1999, and I was still married when I discovered, and subsequently fell in love with, this recipe for Grilled Pitas with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese. Not a traditional grilled cheese sandwich in any sense except for the fact that it features melted cheese, but don’t let that stop you from making this one.

This White Pizza Grilled Cheese from How Sweet Eats is pretty much the sandwich that dreams are made of.

Kevin from Closet Cooking highlighted thirty (30!) grilled cheese recipes in this post, each one more drool-inducing than the next.

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Recipe: Beef and Mushroom Sloppy Joes {Cooking Light}

October 4, 2012 · Narrative

Beef and Mushroom Sloppy Joes“My Mom thinks Honey Boo Boo is a train wreck,” Nick said in a phone call to one of his friends.

He was outside, and I was in the kitchen making dinner.

He’s right, of course. It is a train wreck. But one that we haven’t looked away from. And honestly, for all their quirks and, um, interesting character traits, you can’t deny their love for each other.

Moving on.

Nick loves Sloppy Joes to the nth degree. (The ground beef kind, not the sandwich kind that’s more well-known in New Jersey)

Growing up, Sloppy Joes sometimes hit our table for dinner. Stick-to-your-ribs goodness. One of the Sloppy Joe recipes that my mom made came from a family friend. Ketchup. Mustard. Brown sugar. And I don’t remember what else.

Years later, I got the recipe from my mom and started making it for my own family. Then, during one of our various moves, I lost the recipe card and just started improvising. Same basic ingredients, going just by taste for the finished product.

The Ex loved them. Served on a toasted bread bun, smothered with Sloppy Joe goodness. Melted cheese on mine. Not his. Weird man doesn’t like cheese as much as I do. Says someone who has a Pinterest board just dedicated to cheesy goodness. Oh yes.

And Nick is following in his Dad’s footsteps.

At least in that respect: Sloppy Joes? Love.

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Recipe: Pepperoni Pizza Spread

July 30, 2009 · Narrative

Pepperoni Pizza Spread

I’m a total cheese girl from way back.  One of my mom’s pregnancy cravings when she was pregnant with me was Limburger cheese, so I used to liken my fancy for strong and stinky cheeses to that.  When I was pregnant with Nick, I went a solid month eating sweet potatoes every day.  He can’t stand them.  There went that theory.

Whether it’s just chunks of cheese on a platter with crackers, or some hot melty cheese in a fondue … you name it, and I like it.  I definitely like some cheeses more than others, but suffice it to say I haven’t met a cheese I didn’t like.  We had company for dinner tonight, and I had already planned on Penne with Vodka Sauce for the main course and Pretty in Pink Strawberry Cupcakes for dessert.  Next I looked for an appetizer that would be adult-friendly but that would go over well with the five kids at the table.  Once I saw the recipe for Pepperoni Pizza Spread in a special Appetizers issue of Taste of Home magazine, my search was done.  After all, with four cups of cheese in the dish, it spoke to my inner cheese girl.  It was adult enough that when served alongside a basket of crusty baguette slices, it made the perfect starter, but kid-approved enough that they were diving in to.  I mean, hello?  A pizza dip?  Say no more!

The recipe is super simple to make.  Mix nine ingredients together and bake for 25 minutes.  Serve with crackers or bread.  We can handle this, right?  Totally!  There are some little pockets of vegetables hidden inside the dip, and I bet we could get away with hiding even more, but I didn’t want to push it.  I’m a total saltaholic, and with the green olives and bits of pepperoni throughout, it was a total party in my mouth.  Just a fun little dip that warms you from the inside out.

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#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛

Pinterest

#flowertherapy might be right up there with #water #flowertherapy might be right up there with #watertherapy.  Love passing the time in secret wildflower patches. As you do. 🌸
I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon I remarked how pretty that tiny sliver of the moon was on the way home tonight, and my friend pulled over right away so I could grab a photo. That’s when someone really knows you! It was just too beautiful to resist. 🌙
Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ C Weekend photos in review, old school style. ✨ 
Context: 1/ picture perfect weekend, 2/ threw together a quick meal w udon noodles, steak and broccoli, so good, 3/ the sun reflections on this painting struck me today, looked like a cross 4/ it takes all afternoon but nothing like Sunday Gravy, 5/ six months old, 6/ when he wants some serious zzzz’s, he covers his eye with his ears, the cutest, 7/ breakfast pastries at @coniglios
I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New I have plenty of reusable shopping bags since New Jersey banned the plastic ones last year. But when I spied this beauty for a buck, how could I resist? It just is so darn happy, which makes me happy. The little things aren’t so little. 💛
Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged Cheers to the weekend! This may look like a staged photo, but Lola just has ZERO boundaries and Clifford is exceptionally patient. 😂
I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s I’ve been on a smoked salmon kick lately (it’s so good for you), so when I saw that a local patisserie has a smoked salmon croissant available (weekends only), I added it to my list of things to seek out. I popped into @chocolatinenj early on Mother’s Day and was rewarded with this deliciousness. Layers of soft flaky croissant dough, tender smoked salmon, light whipped cream, thinly sliced red and green onion slivers and dotted with capers… it was every bit as amazing as you’d imagine it would be. If you’re local, don’t sleep on this one. 😋
Weekend photos in review, the belated edition. 1/ Weekend photos in review, the belated edition.

1/ hit up a few yard sales and snagged this beautiful pasta dish from Italy with my favorite color for a buck, 2/ and one of these printer trays came home with me too, 3/ pre Mother’s Day celebrations with 30 local moms, 4/ finished the weekend supervising furniture assembly
Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd bir Today would have been my friend Cathy’s 53rd birthday. Unfortunately she’s not here to celebrate because she died suddenly at age 49. I think of her often … every Mother’s Day because we spent most of them together since her husband worked weekends … when I discover a new food adventure (we once did a day long donut crawl) … when I’m sharing a special time with my kids knowing that her then-11 year old is growing up without her. Before she passed, I always appreciated every day, but since then, even more so. You never know what the next day can bring, so relish in the sunshine, surprise rainstorms, making wishes over railroad tracks and all the wonderful randomness life can throw your way. Don’t waste a single second, say yes, live on the outskirts of your comfort zone, laugh often, tell people you love them, give eight second hugs, and squeeze every ounce of joy you can out of life. Do it for the people who can’t. ✨

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