Food Diary

Hi friends. Where are we this week? In such a dark dark place. I read this headline today and could only say “My God” aloud.  It’s hard. It’s always hard sometimes we feel it more deeply.  We have a lot of places to go in today’s Sunday post but let me start here:  I read every single one of your comments on my birthday post last week. Continue reading Let It Be Sunday, 273! at Joy the Baker.

Ranch water is a Texas-style tequila highball drink made with lime, tequila and Topo Chico! This bubbly cocktail is all about cooling off on hot days. Move over, Aperol spritz . There’s a new bubbly cocktail that’s ready to take over the summer. Meet Ranch Water ! Yes, Ranch Water is the unofficial drink of West Texas, essentially a tequila highball made with lime juice and Topo Chico. One of our dearest friends, a Texan, suggested we try this drink…and after one sip it blew us away! It’s like a bubbly, lighter version of the classic margarita , with all the tangy lime but less sweetness and booze. Could there be anything more refreshing? (We think not.) What’s Ranch Water? Why is it called that? Ranch Water is a tequila highball cocktail that hails from West Texas. No one knows exactly how it came to be, or even how it got the name. Some people say a Texas rancher invented it in the 1960’s. Whatever the case, Ranch Water was a word-of-mouth drink until around 2010, when bartenders

Hi friends – yes, it’s me – the girl that brings Deviled Eggs to the party just so she can eat them all. (Wait… remember parties?) As we’re slowly, very slowly, starting to merge together once again, maybe you’ll see fit to make approximately too many Deviled Eggs to eat most of and share with a few fine folks.  They should be special. Everything we do in close proximity to one another should be special these days.  Deviled Eggs are at the top of my list of perfect foods.  Oreos are also on this list, alongside Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies and my grandmother’s Tuna Salad.  You can trust me, you can trust the list.  Truly – any way you devil your eggs is the right way to do it.  Just let there be mayonnaise and salt and a sprinkle of something red. Continue reading Falafel Deviled Eggs at Joy the Baker.

Snickerdoodles are a classic cookie, one of my all time favorites thanks to their crisp cinnamon-sugar coating. These Brown Butter Snickerdoodles are a classic with a twist. They’re made with browned butter, which adds a rich nutty flavor to the cookie dough and make them even more addictive than the originals. To start the recipe, you’ll need to brown some butter . Place some butter in a skillet and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, or until the butter is golden brown and smells a little like toasted nuts. Remove the butter from the heat and allow it to cool to room temperature before using. It is best to transfer it to another container to cool, so that the butter doesn’t keep cooking as it cools. The melted, browned butter is then mixed into the dough, along with a generous dose of vanilla extract to give the cookies a wonderfully rounded flavor. Browned butter and vanilla are always a good combination in my book. The cookie dough also uses a combination of cream o

You won’t be able to stop eating these roasted mushrooms! Meaty, tender and juicy, they’ll make a mushroom lover out of anyone. Here’s our favorite new way to cook mushrooms: baked in the oven! Yes, these roasted mushrooms can convert even mushroom haters into die-hard fans. Tender and meaty, topped with fresh herbs, you might not be able to stop eating them. Alex and I whipped these up the other day, and we couldn’t stop eating them. In fact, we inhaled them in just a few minutes. These mind-blowing sauteed mushrooms were at the top of our list…but the roasted version is just as irresistible. How to make roasted mushrooms: tips! Roasted mushrooms are easy to make: the longest part of cooking them is simply waiting for the oven to preheat! They come out just as good as sauteed mushrooms, but they’re totally hands off. Pop them in the oven and you’re free to finish the rest of the meal. Here are a few things to know about how to roast mushrooms: Use baby bella mushrooms for best

Here’s how to make perfectly grilled eggplant! These tricks make it come out tender every time. Top with sauce as a summer side dish or appetizer. Eggplant can be under appreciated, but this Mediterranean-style vegetable is one of the tastiest around. You’ve got to try this grilled eggplant : it comes out smoky and tender, lightly charred and full of flavor. Top it with a sauce and you’ve got a killer summer side dish or appetizer! We went for two different sauces: a fresh tomato salsa fresca , and a creamy, lightly spicy white BBQ sauce. The combination of the two is spot on . You’ll need to know a few tricks for grilled eggplant to get it just right: here’s what to know! Ingredients for grilled eggplant You don’t even need to top this eggplant with sauces: especially if you’re serving as part of a sandwich or part of a grilled veggie platter. But they’re extra festive, so feel free to add them if you like. Otherwise, the ingredients for grilled eggplant are very basic: Globe