After a quick trip to the Florida Keys, I’m very happy to report this key lime pie recipe has stood the test of time–and six friends' taste buds for good measure.

For those unfamiliar with our unofficial state dessert, key lime pie is a centuries-old recipe historically linked to the Florida Keys. Key limes were plentiful, fresh milk not so much; condensed milk was frequently used instead. Add some egg yolks, and you’ve got a party.

Unlike the Persian limes you typically see in the store, key limes are smaller, yellow, and mildly tart rather than sour. I initially wrote this recipe last spring after finding fresh key limes at our local farmer’s market, but let me tell you those little buggers are a pain in the ass to juice. Proceed at your discretion, but if you prefer a less labor-intensive route, a bottle of Nellie and Joe’s will serve you just as well.

This recipe is key lime pie in its purest form–aside from the Biscoff crust. Graham crackers are the traditional choice, but I love how the warm spices of the Biscoff cookies mingle with the sweetness of the condensed milk and acid from the key limes.

I sincerely hope you carry it with you year-round.

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I’ve never understood the hype of Euro Summer. It’s hot, crowded, and surge pricing is very much a thing. As someone who is very fortunate to be eligible for EU citizenship and has spent much time traversing the continent, I’ve always felt fall and spring are far superior, which is why, more summers than not, you’ll find me having an old Florida summer. This summer has been my best and arguably most devoted thus far.

There’s a lot to be said about growing up and continuing to live in a vacation destination; it ensures you’re always a traveler, never a tourist, and in my case, bestows the very special gift of being able to distinguish between a store-bought mango and one lovingly grown in someone’s backyard.

There’s also much to be said about Florida itself: the politics, the influx of new residents who don’t necessarily know, or care to learn, the unique culture and nuances that make Florida so special. The fact that, compared to places like New Jersey (where my employer is headquartered), Florida is still very much wild. While that is certainly not everyone’s cup of tea, it will always be mine.

Old Florida summer means keeping a swimsuit in your car and spending as much time on or by the water as possible; equal parts salt and fresh. It means supporting local businesses, but especially your local fish shack that’s likely been slinging conch fritters and fish dip since before your parents were born and probably hasn’t been touched since. It means eating a perfectly ripe mango over the sink and letting the juice drip down your arm to remind you how we are, in fact, made for summer.

That’s where the magic lives, if you know where to find it.

I hope summer has been just as delicious for you all, wherever you are. Here’s to one more month!

x AH

The farmer’s market is slowly returning from summer break, and last Saturday I was fortunate to pick up some local muscadine grapes. I immediately knew I’d roast them with chicken, and I’m always shocked to hear when people say they’ve never had the pleasure of enjoying a roasted grape. Let me tell you, they’re something to behold.

Disclaimer: Muscadine grapes have seeds, and I personally can’t be bothered to de-seed every individual one. I opt to let the grapes burst in the oven to sort the seeds out themselves, imbuing the meat and potatoes with their flavor without having to do much extra.

Second disclaimer: I wasn’t originally going to publish this as a recipe, so I didn’t measure much. Feel free to trust your taste buds and instincts.

If you’d like to support my work without the commitment of a monthly subscription, you can now buy me a cup of coffee instead below <3

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Ingredients:

• 4 bone-in chicken thighs

  • Paprika

  • Garlic powder

  • Onion powder

  • Salt

  • Pepper

  • Dijon mustard (I prefer Grey Poupon)

  • Balsamic vinegar

  • Lemon juice

  • Olive oil

• 1 pint of muscadine grapes (or purple ones)

• 5-6 large gold potatoes or 1 bag of mini gold potatoes, sliced into halves or quarters, depending on the size of the potatoes.

• Herbs of choice: I used rosemary and thyme from the garden. Tarragon would also work beautifully!

• 1/2 cup of chicken or vegetable stock

Process:

• In a large bowl, combine the spices, mustard, vinegar, and olive oil for your marinade. Taste it and adjust everything accordingly.

• Toss the chicken thighs in the marinade, making sure to rub under the skin. Add the chicken to a covered container or bowl and marinate it in the fridge for 2-3 hours.

• When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

• In a large baking dish, pour enough olive oil to cover the bottom completely.

• Arrange the sliced potatoes and marinated chicken thighs and toss them in the olive oil.

• Pour the stock over the chicken and potatoes, then drizzle with balsamic vinegar and cover with your herbs of choice. Sprinkle with one last round of salt and pepper.

• Roast the chicken and potatoes, uncovered, for 75 minutes until the chicken is deeply golden brown and crispy.

• Remove the chicken from the oven and return the potatoes to the oven for another 15 minutes.

Enjoy immediately, preferably with a simple green salad. Guten appetit!

Panna cotta is an Italian dessert of “cooked cream” thickened with gelatin. It’s my go-to summer dessert, especially if I’m hosting. It’s creamy, refreshing, endlessly customizable, and requires ample chilling time, making it perfect to prep ahead.

If you, like me, are looking for ways to use up your bulk fresh corn while you still can. I hope you give this a try!

Serves two. Feel free to double or triple as you need.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups of half and half, divided

• 2 ears of corn, kernels and cob separated

• 4 tablespoons of sugar

• 1 packet of gelatin powder

• Small splash of vanilla

• Small pinch of salt

Process:

• Cut corn kernels off the cob and set aside. Add the remaining corn cob to a sauce pot with 1 cup of the half-and-half, sugar, vanilla, and salt.

• If you prefer cooked corn to raw, sauté the reserved corn kernels until bright yellow and tender. Set aside to cool.

• Bring the mixture to a light boil, reduce the heat to low, and let it simmer for 30-45 minutes. Remove from heat.

• In a large measuring cup, add the remaining 1/2 cup of cream and powdered gelatin. Let it sit for 1 minute, until the gelatin wrinkles.

• Slowly stream the hot corn cream into the gelatin mixture, whisking constantly until the gelatin dissolves.

• Strain the mixture and divide it between two bowls or ramekins.

• Chill the panna cotta for at least 6 hours, but ideally at least 8. I recommend prepping it before you go to work for the day, and it’ll be completely ready by the time you get home.

Serve with whipped cream, reserved corn kernels, and fresh basil for garnish.

I love pork belly, but I am very partial to how it’s cooked. Texture is everything, and this oven barbecue method hits the mark every time.

I’ve always aimed to keep my Substack as free as possible; this economy is shite, but moving forward, if you’d like to support my work without the commitment of a monthly subscription, you can now buy me a cup of coffee instead <3

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Ingredients:

• 1.5 lb pork belly/10 slices

• 1 cup dark brown sugar

• 1 tsp garlic powder

• 1 tsp onion powder

• 1/2 tsp paprika

• 1/2 tsp chipotle

• 1/2 tsp fennel

• 2 tsp salt

• Fresh cracked pepper

• Optional: ground mustard, chili, sumac, coffee

Process:

• Pat both sides of the pork belly dry with a paper towel.

• Line a large baking sheet with foil and place a drip or cooling rack on top.

• Combine the sugar and spices in a medium-sized bowl and generously rub the mixture onto the pork belly slices.

• Place the pork belly slices onto the rack and cover them with plastic wrap. Put the pan in the fridge for at least two hours and up to overnight. Overnight is ideal!

• When you’re ready to cook, preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.

• While the oven preheats, remove the pork belly from the fridge and unwrap the plastic wrap.

• Bake the pork belly for 1.5 hours, flipping the slices halfway through.

• Set the broiler to high and broil the baked pork belly for 2-3 minutes per side, or until your desired char is reached.

Enjoy on BLTs, lettuce wraps, or however you see fit. Guten appetit!

I started Substack in early 2025, and a lot has changed since then. Me, mostly.

When I began this sweet corner of the internet last January, “just bring yourself” was more a motto than an ethos. The name was always going to be temporary, but I wanted to take my time to be thoughtful and intentional; after all, I am a marketer, I do this for a living, and I wanted something more holistic. I do and am much more than someone who cooks for others, even as much as I love it. It’s not everything.

Cut to June, and the very sweet and talented very graciously included me in her Younger Selves series. The series includes a collection of thought-provoking questions that invite us to explore and essentially explain why we are the way we are. In it, I mentioned that I am an art major’s daughter, which informs much, if not all, of my general outlook on life–from the gallery walls in my house and the books on my coffee table to the way I set my table for dinner and travel. And so, the new name was settled.

So, what will things look like moving forward? Much of the same! Expect more travel and non-culinary endeavors peppered in, but it’ll always be something I enjoy and hope you will, too.

Thanks for being here, as always.

x AH

If I could only eat one country’s cuisine for the rest of my life, Mexico would easily be one of my top three contenders. It’s one of the most diverse gastronomic cultures to exist, and if you, like me, adored the Stanley Tucci: Searching for Italy, might I humbly raise you, Eva Longoria: Searching for Mexico. I haven’t believed in “dream jobs” in years, but that would come close.

Rajas con crema is a traditional Mexican dish consisting of roasted poblano peppers in a cream sauce. Great as a dip, perfect on a tortilla, vegetarian, and perfect for the summer peppers you’re likely passing by at the farmer’s market.

Corn is a common/welcome addition, but I prefer to let the flavors of the peppers shine through. Proceed as you see fit!

Serves 2

Ingredients:

• Corn tortillas

• Neutral oil for frying

• 4 poblano peppers

• 2 jalapeños (optional)

• 1/2 white onion, thinly sliced

• 5 garlic cloves, finely grated

• Oaxaca or quesadilla cheese (cheddar also works in a pinch)

• 4 tablespoons sour cream (or Mexican crema if you can get your hands on some)

• Juice of one lime

• For topping: cilantro and fresh avocado

Process:

• Preheat an oven to 425 degrees and roast the peppers for 25-30 minutes or until nicely charred. If you have a gas oven or grill, feel free to use that instead.

• Immediately cover the charred peppers with foil and set them aside to cool.

• Heat a large pan on medium heat and toast your tortillas. Wrap them in a linen towel and set them aside.

• Remove the tops and seeds from the peppers and peel off the charred skin. Slice into strips (rajas!) and set aside.

• Sauté the onions in oil until translucent and tender, then add the garlic. Make sure it doesn’t burn!

• Add the pepper strips to the onions and garlic and sauté for 1-2 more minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Pour half of the lime juice and all of the sour cream into the vegetable mixture until the sour cream loosens and a sauce forms.

• Sprinkle and crumble as much cheese as desired and stir to combine until melted.

Serve with warm tortillas and top with cilantro and avocado. Guten appetit!

If you’ve been here for a while, you know that I’m originally from South Florida, and as such, I have a deep, persevering love of mangoes in all their forms. They rule South Florida summer, and my preferred methods for eating them are as follows:

• On the beach, in a bikini, post-ocean swim, preferably with Tajín

• Over the sink in between calls

• This salsa!

The salsa itself, I cannot take credit for; it’s my mom’s thing. Growing up, she spooned it over everything from fish and grilled chicken alongside chips and guac. I hope it serves you and your household just as well.

Ingredients:

• 1 can of black beans, rinsed and drained

• 3-4 ripe honey mangoes, diced

• 1/4 of red onion, diced

• Juice of 5 limes

• 1 tablespoon honey

• Salt and pepper

• Optional: 1 chipotle in adobo

Process:

• Rinse the black beans in a colander under cold water and set them aside to drain.

• In a large Mason jar or deli cup, add the lime juice, honey, salt, and pepper and mix to combine. If you’re opting for the chipotle, blend it with a blender or food processor.

• Add the diced mangoes, red onion, and rinsed black beans to the jar.

• Shake the jar until everything is coated in the lime juice mixture.

The salsa will get better over time. Store in an airtight container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Guten appetit!

Should you ever be lucky enough to find yourself in our nation’s oldest city, there’s a beautiful restaurant called The Floridian that has held a special place in my heart for the last 10+ years. Among the standout dishes: a heirloom tomato and cornbread panzanella salad served with a buttermilk dressing. All fuss, no muss, featuring the very best of summer produce.

In this at-home iteration, we stay true to the original recipe with a classic red wine vinaigrette and fresh-torn basil from the garden, but up the ante with leftover cornbread-turned croutons. If you don’t have any leftover cornbread lying around, a box of Jiffy corn muffins works great in a pinch.

Serves 1 as a main or 2 as a side

Ingredients:

• 2-3 slices of leftover cornbread, torn into chunks (or 4-5 baked muffins)

• 1/4 of a red onion, thinly sliced

• 1 large heirloom tomato (preferably from your local farmer’s market), sliced

• Half a small cucumber, thinly sliced

• Handful of fresh basil leaves, torn

• Red wine vinegar

• Good-quality olive oil

• Fresh mozzarella, torn

Process:

• Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

• In the bowl you plan to serve the salad, add the red onions, half the torn basil leaves, a glug of olive oil, and a splash of red vinegar. Coat the onions in the oil and vinegar and set the bowl aside.

• Strain the tomatoes and cucumbers in a colander or large mesh strainer and place it over the bowl with the onions. Season the tomatoes and cucumbers well with salt and pepper. The tomato and cucumber juice will drip below and make your future dressing!

• While the tomatoes are sweating, toss your cornbread or muffins with olive oil, salt, and pepper, and bake until toasty–this will vary pretty significantly depending on your cornbread. For me, this took about half an hour! Just keep an eye on it.

• Set the croutons aside to cool while you toss the tomatoes and cucumbers with the onions and season the salad to taste. If your tomatoes released too much liquid, feel free to reserve some of the excess dressing for future use!

• Add as much fresh mozzarella as desired, plus your cornbread croutons.

• Give the salad one final stir and garnish with the remaining basil leaves.

Enjoy immediately. Guten appetit!

Greetings from the other side of what I’m calling the Great Burnout of 2026! Turns out running on fumes for 2+ years will, in fact, catch up with you, and boy has my body kept the score.

After some much-needed R&R last week, I rediscovered my zest for cooking and dreamed up these frozen PB&J bites that will now be a permanent fixture in my handy-dandy freezer sweets rotation. Bonus points: they’re high-protein and actually pretty good for you!

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So, in honor of the impending first official day of summer, here’s a roundup of my favorite smoothies to keep you cool, nourished, and satiated when the weather is just too damn hot.

Strawberry shortcake

• 1 cup protein shake or preferred milk + protein powder

• 1/2 tbsp chia seeds

• 1/2 avocado

• 1 cup strawberries (I freeze mine with raspberries)

• 1/2 banana

• salt

Mango sunrise

• 1 cup frozen mango

• 1/4 cup frozen raspberries

• 1/2 banana

• 1/2 cup orange

• 1/2 cup coconut water

• Salt

• 1 tbsp chia

Swamp juice

• 1 cup coconut water

• 1 cup frozen mango

• 1 cup Swiss chard, tightly packed

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• 1 frozen banana

• 1/2 cup frozen passion fruit (optional)

• Salt

Blueberry pie

• 1 cup protein shake

• 1/2 tbsp chia seed

• 2 tbsp oats

• 1/2 avocado

• 1/2 banana

• 1/4 tsp cinnamon

• Salt

Stay cool out there! Guten appetit!

We’re going (back) to Chicago, baby! Let the fridge-cleaning fun commence.

On Sunday, I made a batch of my marinated peppers for a Vampire Lestat watch party and served them alongside crackers + pretzels, fresh apricots, roasted almonds, and some Freestyle Snacks green olives (not sponsored, but always in my pantry) with the intention of eating leftovers for lunch today. Then, I found some random prosciutto in my cheese drawer, eyed the pine nuts and farfalle hanging out in my pantry, and antipasto pasta salad 2026 was born.

Ingredients:

• Pasta of choice, I used farfalle

• Olive oil

• 1/4 cup of pine nuts, toasted

• 2 garlic cloves, finely grated

• Marinated peppers, roughly chopped

• Green olives, sliced

• 4-5 slices of prosciutto, sliced

• Fresh basil, torn

• Mozzarella, torn

• Parmesan, grated

• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Honorable mentions: marinated artichokes, provolone, tinned fish, etc.

Process:

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the pasta 2-3 minutes past al dente.

• In a small pan, toast the pine nuts until golden brown. Make sure to keep an eye on them!

• In the same pan, fry the prosciutto lightly until crispy and the fat has rendered. Set it aside.

• To a bowl, add the grated garlic and as much grated Parmesan as your heart desires.

• Drain the cooked pasta once finished and add it straight into the bowl with the garlic and Parmesan. Drizzle with olive oil, and stir everything together.

• Add the remaining ingredients to the bowl and season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Drizzle with balsamic vinegar, some extra Parm, and an extra swirl of olive oil.

For maximum flavor, let the pasta salad sit for at least an hour. Enjoy warm, at room temperature, or straight from the fridge!

Deep in the heart of Savannah lies Big Bon Bodega, one of my favorite spots whenever I’m in the city. The owner, Kay Heritage, is Korean-American, and you’ll find Korean ingredients peppered throughout the menu. Most notably, the Korean Mama bagel: bulgogi, kimchi, Korean pimento cream cheese, pickled onions, cheddar, sesame bagel (picture below). Swoon.

My trip to Savannah last month coincided with the start of my new weekly dip/spread ritual, and with Korean pimento cream cheese firmly on the mind…this was this week’s.

Ingredients:

• 1 grilled chicken breast (ideally leftover from a previous grilling sesh)

• 1 bar of Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature

• 1/4 cup pimentos or roasted red peppers, drained

• 1/4 cup drained kimchi, chopped, plus 1 tbsp of brine

• 2 cloves of garlic, grated

• 1 tablespoon Greek yogurt

• 1/4 onion, finely diced

• 1/4 tsp garlic powder

• 1/4 tsp onion powder

• 1 pinch of gochugaru (Korean chili flakes), or red chili flakes

• 3-4 scallions, light and dark green parts separated

• Small handful of chives, finely diced

• 1/2 cup (or more) grated sharp cheddar

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Optional: diced celery, pepper jack cheese, etc.

• Ritz or other crackers for serving

Process:

• In a large bowl or food processor, shred or chop the grilled chicken according to your preferred texture.

• Add all of the remaining ingredients to the chicken and stir/blend until smooth. Continue to season everything until it’s perfect for you!

• Let the mixture rest in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. It makes all the difference!

Enjoy with Ritz crackers, preferably. Guten appetit!

Growing up, our Friday night go-to was a local hole-in-the-wall called Chez Porky’s. Unfortunately, it closed years ago, but its infamy lives on; their raspberry chicken wings most especially.

The wings were great, but the raspberry sauce was the star of the show. I personally favored the raspberry grilled shrimp, which came on skewers, wrapped in bacon, with rice as an appetizer–it was as insane as it sounds.

I skipped bacon here, but with raspberries in season, I urge you to drizzle this sauce on anything and everything you can get your hands on this summer. I’ll be eating it on salmon next!

Ingredients:

Serves 2 as an entree, 4 as an appetizer

• 1 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • Large pinch of salt

  • Fresh-cracked pepper

  • 1/2 tsp garlic powder

  • 1/2 tsp onion powder

  • 1/2 tsp paprika

  • 1/4 tsp chipotle powder

  • 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1 cup raspberry preserves (recipe follows)

  • 1 pint of raspberries

  • 1 tablespoon of sugar

  • Squeeze of lemon juice

• 1 tbsp cornstarch

• 2 tbsp sugar

• 1/4 vinegar + 1 tbsp

• Salt and pepper to taste

Process:

• In a small pot, cook the raspberries, sugar, and lemon juice on medium-low until it starts to thicken.

• Mix the cornstarch and remaining sugar in a small bowl. Pour in the vinegar and mix until there are no clumps.

• Add the vinegar mixture to the raspberries and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

• Reduce the heat to low and let the sauce simmer for at least 45 minutes to an hour.

• While the sauce finishes, pat your shrimp dry and add them to a medium-sized bowl.

• Combine the shrimp with the olive oil and spices and set them aside.

• Heat your grill or cast-iron skillet until smoking. Grill the shrimp for 2-3 minutes on each side or until they’re pink and opaque.

• In a large bowl, toss the grilled shrimp with half the raspberry sauce until they’re evenly coated. Drizzle with the remaining sauce as desired.

Serve immediately. Guten appetit!

For the last couple of weeks, I’ve been prepping a dip or spread at the start of the week for easy-access snacking. We’re already knee-deep in 90 degrees, the last thing I want to do is turn on my stove.

This schmear of sorts is inspired by muhammara, a traditionally Syrian dip enjoyed across the Levant consisting of red peppers, walnuts, and pomegranate molasses, amongst other things…I’d lick it off a shoe. It’s smoky, tangy, and tastes great with anything. After enjoying it recently at my friend Maya’s restaurant (Superette for locals), I got home, saw the two pounds of carrots and walnuts I originally purchased for an eventual carrot cake, and here we are.

A love letter to the flavors of muhammara, this carrot-walnut spread is thick, tangy, smoky, and nutrient-dense. Enjoy it with pita, steak, roast chicken, or even grilled vegetables!

Ingredients:

• Olive oil

• 5 large carrots

• 1/4 onion, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, smashed

• 1/4 cup olive oil, plus 2 tablespoons

• 1/2 cup walnuts (or almonds for a high-fiber swap)

• 1 tsp pomegranate molasses

• 1/2 tsp Cumin

• 1 tsp paprika, or to taste

• Juice of 1 lemon

• Toasted pistachios for garnish

Process:

• Preheat your oven to 450 degrees F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

• Toss the carrots, onion, and garlic cloves with 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, plus salt and pepper.

• Roast the vegetables for 20-25 minutes or until the carrots are tender and starting to caramelize.

• Set the carrots aside to cool. Then add the vegetables and remaining ingredients to a blender or food processor. Blend until smooth.

Garnish with a drizzle of olive oil and the toasted pistachios. I particularly enjoy this with pretzel chips. Guten appetit!

Over the weekend, while leisurely floating down a river, one of my best friends mentioned how she needed to go to Trader Joe’s because the passionfruit granola is back. “Passionfruit granola?!” Interest piqued.

This, like my other seasonal granolas (pecan gingerbread, orange cocoa), is a riff of my go-to olive oil granola recipe here. I admittedly would’ve preferred coconut oil here, but I didn’t have any and, as you all know, I’m a big proponent of using what you have.

It’s summer in a bowl.

Ingredients:

PASSIONFRUIT GRANOLA

• 2 cups rolled oats

• 1/4 cup olive oil (or coconut)

• 1/2 cup frozen passion fruit chunks (I used these)

• 4 tbsp brown sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• Large pinch of salt

• 1 cup chopped walnuts

• 1 cup coconut chips

Process:

• Preheat your oven to 350 and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

• Thaw the passion fruit chunks in a small bowl until they’re mostly liquid. It won’t take long!

• In a large bowl, combine the oats, olive oil, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt. Then mix in the passion fruit juice.

• Spread the oat mixture in an even layer and bake for 10-12 minutes, depending on how toasty you like your granola.

• Add your nuts to the pan and mix to combine. Bake for another 5 minutes.

• Sprinkle the coconut chips over the granola and bake it for another 5 minutes until the coconut is nicely toasted. Keep an eye on it just in case.

• Let the granola cool for 10 minutes before adding your toppings. This will help create clusters when you break it up.

Serve with yogurt, milk, or in smoothie bowls as desired.

One thing about me: I hate mayo. You could chase me down the street with the smell alone. I buy the extra miniature package of Duke’s for dire circumstances, and even that usually expires before I finish using it.

As a result, I’ve had a strong, lifelong aversion to any and all of the mayo-based salads. Pasta, chicken, potato….EGG?! Absolutely not. I’m not yucking anyone’s yum, it’s just certainly not my yum.

All of that to say, as a woman approaching her mid-thirties, my algorithm is very much centered around protein and fiber. Fiber and protein. Lather, rinse, repeat–and you know what does pack a lot of fiber and protein? Chicken salad, if you choose your fighter carefully.

This green goddess iteration leans on avocado (fiber superstar) for the creaminess traditionally provided by mayo, with just a hint of yogurt to bring it all together and add some extra protein. I know poached or rotisserie chickens are common choices for salad, but I prefer the texture and flavor of grilled chicken breasts, so that’s what I made! Combine all that with some herbs from the garden, and you’ve got the makings of a real nice chicken salad situation, friends.

Ingredients

• 1 whole chicken breast, or 2 cutlets

  • Chicken

  • Olive oil

  • 1 garlic cloves, smashed

  • Grainy mustard

  • Balsamic vinegar

  • Lemon juice

  • Salt and pepper to taste

• 1 whole avocado

• 2 tablespoons of Greek yogurt, or about half an individual cup

• Herbs of choice: I used a large handful of parsley, chives, and fennel fronds

• 1/4 of an onion, diced

• 2 scallions (dark green parts), chopped

• 1 clove of garlic, smashed

• Juice of half a lemon

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Pita chips or bread for serving

Process

• Combine all the chicken ingredients. Marinate for 30 minutes at room temperature, or for up to 2 hours in the fridge.

• Heat a grill or grill pan on high until smoking. Grill the chicken breasts until golden brown on both sides and the internal temperature reads 165 F. Set the chicken aside to cool.

• In a food processor, blend the remaining ingredients until smooth. Then, shred the cooled chicken and add it to the food processor, blending once more until smooth. Season with additional salt and pepper as needed.

Enjoy with pita chips or other vessels of choice. Guten appetit!

Blueberry season has arrived in the South!

I initially wrote this recipe up last year, and amidst our latest blueberry u-pick reopening, I made some adjustments. Three batches in one week later….this recipe is proof that small changes can yield huge results.

Recipe originally adapted from Smitten Kitchen

Ingredients:

For the blueberries:

• 2 cups fresh blueberries (Important note: how many blueberries this will yield will vary depending on size, feel free to add more if yours are bigger!)

• Half a lemon, juiced

• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar

For the muffins:

• 6 tablespoons butter, browned and cooled

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar

• 3/4 heaping cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)

• 1 large egg

• 2 teaspoons vanilla

• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

• 1 teaspoon salt (or 1/2 if you’re using Morton’s)

• 1 teaspoon cinnamon

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

For the streusel:

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1/4 cup brown sugar

• 2/3 cup all-purpose flour

• 4 tablespoons butter, browned and cooled

• Pinch of salt

• Cinnamon to your heart’s content

Process:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a muffin pan with large baking cups.

• In a small pan, melt the butter until it smells nutty and turns a light caramel color. Set it aside to cool

• Macerate your blueberries by mixing them with sugar and lemon juice. Let sit and set aside.

• Make the streusel by mixing the sugars, salt, cinnamon, browned butter, and flour together until a sandy mixture forms.

• For the muffins, mix dry ingredients (except the sugar) together in a small bowl and set aside.

• In a large bowl, whisk the browned butter, sugar, and vanilla together. Then whisk in the egg and sour cream.

• Fold the dry ingredients into the wet until a thicccccc batter forms. Then gently fold in the blueberries.

• Dollop the muffin batter into the cups, filling them up about 3/4 of the way. If you have a cookie scoop, it works great for this.

• Sprinkle streusel on top of each muffin.

• Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Serve warm. I highly recommend slicing in half and topping each with a pat of butter!

For the last couple of weeks, this salmon has been the top of my “what to cook when I don’t feel like cooking" rotation. It’s quick, delicious, incredibly nutritious, and you likely have all the ingredients in your pantry.

If you’re thinking to yourself, “Anna, I don’t have gochujang, get serious,” take this as your nudge from the universe that a small tub of Korean chili paste is one of the most powerful and versatile pantry ingredients you could own. It’s sweeter and smokier than spicy, just make sure you grab a mild one if you’re sensitive to spice. A little goes a long way!

Serves 2 to 4, depending on how hungry you are

Ingredients:

• 2 salmon center cuts

• 1 heaping tablespoon gochujang (adjust this 1/2 a tbsp according to your spice tolerance)

• 2 tablespoons of neutral oil for a chili crisp consistency. 1 tablespoon if you’d prefer a thick glaze.

• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil

• 1 teaspoon soy sauce

• Soy sauce 1 teaspoon

• 2 teaspoons of mirin

• 1 clove of garlic, grated

• 2 scallions, chopped, green and white parts separated.

• 1 small piece of ginger, grated

• 1 tablespoon brown sugar (I always use dark, but doesn’t matter which)

• Juice of half a lemon

• Salt and pepper to taste

• Optional: sesame seeds for garnish

Process:

• Preheat your oven to 400 F and line a pan with parchment paper.

• Pat the salmon dry with a paper towel.

• Combine all the other ingredients, aside from the dark green scallion bits, in a bowl. You’ll save the green scallions for garnish.

• Season the glaze with salt and pepper according to taste. Add more of anything you think would taste good!

• Once the oven is preheated, set the salmon skin-side down (aka flesh facing up/skin on paper) and pour the glaze over the salmon. It’s ok if it spreads out; we’ll come back to it.

• Bake the salmon for 13-15 minutes, depending on your preferred firmness. Halfway through, ladle any sauce from the sides back onto the fish.

Enjoy with rice, ssam, roasted vegetables, or as part of a bibimbap (pictured above and below). I personally can’t wait to slather it on some grilled shrimp!

As my name somewhat loudly suggests, my dad is from Germany, and if there’s one German thing about me, I like bread. Good bread, with “substance,” as my aunt would say.

There are more than 3,000 types of bread in Germany (no exaggeration), but pumpernickel is arguably the most famous. It’s also the one I crave the most, and unfortunately, finding fresh pumpernickel in the USofA isn’t easy. So, last year I set out to learn how to make my own, and the response was…wild. In the best way!

While I love my people and our bread culture, I do not have the patience to bake this for 12 hours as tradition would dictate, and I don’t want someone to have to own a $300 mixer or shaping baskets to make it. To clarify, I own both, but not having them should not bar anyone from making a delicious, nutritious loaf of bread–especially this one.

Bread is food of the people. Always has been, always will be.

Ingredients:

• 1 1/2 cups lukewarm water

• 1 packet active dry yeast (Not instant! I use Fleischmann’s)

• 2 tsp honey

• 3 cups all-purpose flour

• 1 cup rye flour (yes, you need it)

• 1 tbsp cocoa powder

• 2.5 teaspoons salt

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds (don’t skip!)

Process:

• Pour the yeast and honey into the water and put it in the microwave (don’t turn it on) for 10 minutes. The yeast should foam. If it doesn’t, wait until 10 minutes. If that doesn’t work, try again.

• Add the remaining ingredients to a large bowl and pour in the yeasty water.

• Generously dust your hands with flour and mix the dough by hand, kneading it for a 3-4 minutes until the dough is smooth, evenly brown, and no longer sticks to the bowl. If your dough is sticking to your hands too much, add 1 tablespoon of flour at a time until you’re able to knead it without it sticking.

• Cover the bowl with a damp towel and place it in the microwave (don’t turn it on!) for 2.5 hours at room temp.

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.

• Uncover the dough and imagine it in quadrants. Reach from the underside of the 1/4 of the dough to stretch it out to the side, then fold it over the top. Rotate the bowl and do this three more times.

• Line an oven-safe pot or Dutch oven with parchment paper and transfer the round loaf to it. Shape it as needed.

• Place the Dutch oven in the oven and bake the bread for 30 minutes.

• Allow the bread to rest for 15-20 minutes while the middle continues to cook.

Guten appetit!