#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: Grilled Roasted Garlic & Smashed Tomato Bread Pizza

September 1, 2018 · Narrative

Pizza on the grill is one of my go-to meals when I’m looking for something easy in the summertime, and this recipe for Grilled Roasted Garlic & Smashed Tomato Bread Pizza is perfect. Whether you want a light meal at the end of a long hot day, or something simple while having some friends over, you’ll want this one in your life.

Grilled Roasted Garlic and Smashed Tomato Pizza

So, a few months ago, my grill caught fire.

Like, legit, had to scramble for the fire extinguisher and put out the flame kind of fire.

Not one of the best nights, and it did NOTHING to quell my well-cultivated and healthy fear of fire.

No joke.

But then just a few days later, I received an email from the folks at Fuego, asking if I was interested in working with them.

HECK YEAH.

I felt like it was the universe’s way of telling me that I didn’t need to fear fire, and everything will be ok.

Although I respect the message the universe was sending me, I still am very afraid of fire.

But not grilling.

And so just a week later, an 82-pound grill arrived at my doorstep. When I was looking for replacement grills, Fuego’s line was actually coming up on my short list. I loved that with such a good size grilling surface, the grill’s actual footprint was quite small, which makes it perfect for our backyard. I don’t sacrifice any grilling features that I’m looking for, and, equally important, I don’t sacrifice too much of our deck to have the grill.

Win/Win.

Because I hate putting things together, I asked a friend to come over one afternoon and help me, but it actually was way easier to put together than I thought, thank goodness. We were done in under thirty minutes!

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Recipe: Mexican Street Corn Salad

June 27, 2016 · Narrative

Got corn? Since it’s grilling season, throw a few extra ears on your grill the next time it’s heated up, and make a batch of this delicious Mexican Corn Salad.

Untitled

I have a healthy fear of fire.

Which means that I haven’t had a grill since I got divorced in 2010.

Nor have I ever operated a grill.

Not in my entire life.

But I LOVE grilled food.

And I don’t know what came over me, but when I saw a friend was selling a $500 used Weber grill for $50, I took the plunge on the promise that her firefighter husband would show me how to use it so I didn’t burn the house down.

And in the first week that I had it?

I grilled three times.

Yeah, I don’t know who I am anymore either.

I spied a recipe for Mexican Corn Salad on a friend’s facebook feed recently and made a mental note to try it because it was so easy to make, and I actually had all the ingredients on hand.

And since I’m busy gobbling up the leftovers, I wanted to be sure to share it with you.

I mean, it is high grilling season and all.

The original recipe comes from Serious Eats, but I made a few tweaks.

Since I teamed up with Bush’s Beans on a separate project, I was inspired to add a can of black beans to this.

And, I also used hummus instead of the mayo the original recipe called for.

And the original recipe called for charring the corn kernels on a stove top, but why do that when you can grill?

And I would totally keep those changes the next time.

So good. Kind of creamy, healthy, colorful, and perfect for a BBQ or a side dish for a light summer meal.

Or as leftovers for lunch, which is what I just did.

Enjoy.

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Recipe: Dominican Chimi Burgers

July 30, 2014 · Narrative

Twenty minutes until you can sink your teeth into a delicious, full on flavorful burger … the perfect thing to hit your grill this summer.

Dominican Chimi Burger

Burgers are an easy crowd pleaser in our home. Everybody likes them, they’re quick for me to make, and, well, they scream summertime grilling fun. We need no more convincing than that.

I am closerthanthis to breaking down and getting an official grill (happy birthday to me!), but in the meantime, this grill pan I have gets quite a work-out on the regular. And when we have a weeknight where we’re heading off to cheer practice for Madeline, a quick dinner made on the grill is exactly what we need.

Mix a handful of ingredients with ground beef. Common ingredients that I bet you have in your kitchen already. Form the patties. Grill. Mix a handful of ingredients to make the coleslaw topping. Top your burger.

And you’re done.

I don’t think I’ve ever had warm shredded cabbage and carrots before, but in this recipe, it totally worked, giving the burger that little something special on top of it. As for the burger itself? It smelled amazing while it was grilling, even good enough to bring the kids into the kitchen to see what dinner was going to be, and the taste only rivaled the scent wafting through the house. Packed with flavor, one juicy bite after the next.

You can go directly to Marnely’s web site for the recipe. The only thing I did differently was that instead of grating the cabbage and carrots, I used a bag of coleslaw mix that I had on hand for another recipe.

Make this one. You won’t be disappointed.

Hungry for more burger recipes?
Greek Turkey Burgers are perfect for when you’re looking for an alternative to beef.
These Mushroom Crusted Chicken Burgers got my kids eating mushrooms. I’ll take it!
Thai Turkey Burgers are another quick and tasty fix without the guilt.
And lastly, these Napa Valley Burgers from Bobby Flay are one of my all-time favorites.

Recipe: All-American Cheeseburger {Land O’Lakes Cheese}

July 16, 2012 · Ad-Free

All-American Cheeseburger
When the folks at Land O’Lakes were looking for participants to celebrate their new 4 Cheese Italian Blend cheese, and their 30 Days of Outdoor Dining event, I was all in. I mean, cheese? For real? If you’re a long-time reader of Sweetnicks, you know how much we, ok I, love cheese. When I was pregnant with Madeline, I couldn’t get enough (see Exhibit A). But luckily I also craved fish and fresh fruit. With wild abandon.

For this Land O’Lakes event, we were asked to create a recipe experimenting with their new cheese, and I knew exactly what I would make. My parents are fans of my hamburgers. I never make them the same way twice, throwing in a little bit of this and a little bit of that, but the end result is always full-on flavor and juiciness. This challenge would give me a chance to turn at least one of my burger inspirations into an actual recipe!

When it comes to toppings for your burgers, cheese is a given. The more the better. Sometimes I shred it up and stuff it inside. Sometimes I put a few slices on top. And then I pile on the other toppings. Avocado. Caramelized onions. Sautéed mushrooms. Oh yes, please. All the better if the toppings are dripping through your fingers as you go in for your next bite.

Now the Land O’Lakes cheese in question? This 4 Cheese Italian Blend is a mix of Asiago, Parmesan, Romano, and American, giving it a nice melty creaminess, with a teensy little punch of salt. The perfect foil for a good all-American burger. Just a few ingredients from the grocery store, and you’ll be well on your way to celebrating summertime. Outdoor dining. BBQs. Cheeseburgers. Perfection.

P.S. A few quick tips on making hamburgers:

  • Do not over-handle your meat. Mix the below only until combined, and when shaping into patties, handle the meat as little as possible.
  • When shaping into patties, divide the mixture into 8 even sections, that way you know your hamburgers will all be the same size and cook at the same rate.
  • When forming your burgers, don’t make them too, too thick or else they will be high and well done, while still raw on the inside. I aim for about 1/4-1/2″ thick.
  • Place a small thumb indentation in the center of each patty before cooking, that way the finished product will have a nice and even top.

Be sure to check Kitchen PLAY every day for the next fabulous recipe featuring new LAND O LAKES® 4 Cheese Italian Blend or LAND O LAKES® Deli American Cheese. Then, get in on the fun by leaving a comment with your own “30 Days of Outdoor Dining” tip for dining al fresco this summer. If you do, you’ll be entered to win a lovely grilling prize pack, including one grilling spatula, one marinade brush, one set of tongs and one grill scraper. Kitchen PLAY will be giving away four prizes total, one each week! Please visit Kitchen PLAY for sweepstakes guidelines.

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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. 💛

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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. 💛
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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