Tag: food

Elevate Your Snack Game with Homemade Chips

Published on by blonde rosieLeave a comment

I’m that weird person who loves to spend time in the kitchen making food and trying new recipes. Life has been so busy the last few weeks that cooking dinner has turned into whatever I can cook quickly and get ready the fastest, instead of my usual hour-long recipes. Cooking dinner at night has turned into my quiet time, and it’s usually my favorite part of the day.

Over the weekend, I wanted to find time to cook something and have a little “me time”. I stumbled upon the episode of Meghan Markle’s show on Netflix which she makes potato chips from scratch. It’s been years since I made them myself, and I forgot how easy they are to make. Before I knew it, I was in my kitchen going through the cabinets, and I had everything I needed to make some. Making chips at home might feel over‑the‑top but it’s exactly the kind of thing that takes a regular evening and turns it into something just a little bit special. And if you’re anything like me? You want that snack moment to feel elevated, but still totally doable. After I made a batch for us to enjoy, I made some more to give away to some friends as a special little treat. This is a great idea for get-togethers when you aren’t the best cook but don’t want to show up empty handed.

Here is the recipe I used

  • russet potatoes (skin‑on)
  • salt
  • vinegar powder (I didn’t have any and went without)
  • oil
  • pot
  • Slice the potatoes thin (You can use a fancy gadget but I just used a knife)
  • Soak the slices in cold/ice water for ~30 minutes
  • Rinse, pat dry, allow a bit of air‑drying on paper towels for ~5 minutes
  • Heat oil in a heavy‑bottomed pot (Dutch oven works well) to ~325 °F. Fry the potato slices in a single layer (about 12‑16 slices at a time) for ~2‑3 minutes per batch until golden and crisp. Don’t overcrowd.
  • Use a spider or slotted spoon to remove the chips, drain on paper towels.
  • While still warm, toss quickly in a large bowl with the salt + vinegar powder + herbs (if using) so the seasoning clings.
  • Enjoy!

Welcoming Borromini to the neighborhood!

Published on by blonde rosieLeave a comment

After spending my teens and twenties fully obsessed with shows like Sex and the City and Gossip Girl, I always dreamed of that glamorous city life — you know, hopping from art gallery openings to the buzziest restaurant of the moment, preferably in heels I couldn’t actually walk in. I feel like I had that dream become a reality when Jake and I were talking about what restaurant to make a reservation at for our one year wedding anniversary. We settled on Parc because it’s one of our favorites, and it’s turned into our go-to for celebrations. The next day, Jake texted me that there was one opening available at the just opened Borromini restaurant in Rittenhouse Square. While Philly is not like New York City, it’s still a city with an amazing food scene. Jake and I are both foodies, and we love trying new places and trying new things. So when a reservation was available at a restaurant with a very known long wait list – I knew we had to jump on it.

I loved the vibe right away. From the moment I stepped through the doors, I could tell a lot of time and money went into transforming this space. The space is massive (it occupies two floors in what used to be a Barnes & Noble) and yet somehow still cozy. With the vaulted ceilings, mosaic tilework, rustic oak beams, exposed brick, and these soft warm lights that make you feel like you’re somewhere you should be dressed up but also comfy. It has that fancy restaurant vibe, but also a place I would be comfortable going to grab dinner after work. The best way to sum it up is that it was built for Philly because we like nice things, but we are also down-to-earth.

I’ve heard complaints that the restaurant was too loud, but I didn’t find it hard to have a conversation. If anything, it added to the positive energy with people being excited to be there. The resturant just opened, but it already had that this is the place to be and gather. The waitstaff is also very friendly; we bonded over the Eagles loss, and they are very knowledgeable about the menu. The waitstaff are attentive but don’t hover and don’t rush you through the meal. Since we were celebrating our wedding anniversary, the restaurant was kind enough to surprise us with glasses of prosecco with our desert that came out with candles. It’s that little extra touch that goes a long way!

It’s a small menu, but you can tell that each item has been perfected and is selected to pair well with other dishes. We started with the Caprese and the focaccia while looking over the menu. It was hard to choose one because everything sounded so GOOD! I went with the spaghetti al pomodoro, and Jake ordered the 100-layer lasagna.

We already decided we need to come back again during the week when we wanted to get a drink after work. The aperol spritz was refreshing, and the Pomodoro Martini was heaven in a glass.

If I had to describe the food, I’d say that it’s fresh – not overly seasoned, just fresh ingredients to highlight the already delicious dishes. You could taste the fresh tomatoes in the spaghetti al pomodoro, and the lasagna was light and fluffy unlike traditional lasagnas.

Borromini is a great addition to the neighborhood, and I’m excited to come back again! We are already planning the next time we can stop by the bar and grab a drink and enjoy the restaurant vibes!

My Christmas Cookie Tradition

Published on by blonde rosieLeave a comment

Baking around Christmas is my favorite tradition! There’s just something magical about making batches of cookies and making the whole house smell like a gingerbread house. Over the years, I started to pack up cookies and give them to friends and family. What began as a few cookies in a plastic ziplock bag, has turned into a very large production that takes hours of baking and taking over the dining room to turn it into a cookie assembly and distribution center.

This year is busier than most and I was thinking of not baking this year or at least not going as big as I usually did. Until people started asking when the cookies were coming and making sure their Snickerdoodle cookies would be included this year. I realized that one long (very long) night on my end where I’m up until the early morning baking, is a small price to pay for the joy when someone receives a cookie package.

If you have a small budget or are looking to spread Christmas cheer to your friends or coworkers, maybe a cookie package is the right gift for you. Below is my list of cookies and sweets that make the list every year. This year I’m being kind to my body and breaking up the baking in two days so be sure to plan ahead! I like to get cute boxes and packaging at Homegoods or TJ Maxx to make the cookie packages a little more special. Or if you want to keep it simple, I have put cookies in a ziplock bag with a cute holiday cocktail napkin.

Cookies and Sweets

  • Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Peanut Butter Cookies with Hershey Kisses
  • Sugar Cookies with sprinkles
  • Snickerdoodle Cookies
  • Gingerbread Cookies
  • Pretzels dipped in chocolate with sprinkles
  • Grinch themed Hershey Kisses

Happy baking!

Lunch at Royal Boucherie in Old City

Published on by blonde rosieLeave a comment

It was July 4th weekend and our original plan was to walk around Old City but the heat wave made that difficult. We still wanted to spend some time in Old City, walk past Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell, and get in the holiday spirit. So what better way to celebrate the 4th than go to Royal Boucherie? It’s been on my list to try for a long time and I’m glad we could make it happen.

A dimly lit restaurant and bar is around the corner of Chestnut Street on 2nd Street. The floors and walls look like they have their original panel walls and hardwood floors. We sat at a table in the corner by the window to enjoy the pub aesthetic of the restaurant. How could we pick just one thing? The menu has a classic French menu but enough selections for patrons new to French food. We joked that Royal Boucherie is the delicious peasant food compared to the fancy and formal French restaurants we have visited before. Could it be that Royal Boucherie has better food than another well-known French restaurant in Philly?

We started with cocktails and chuckled at the creative drink names like Franklin’s Mistress and Wham Bam Thank You Cran. If you don’t have time to sit down for a meal, I highly suggest you order a drink at the bar to enjoy the custom-made bar and mingle with fellow patrons.

Since we are foodies, we wanted the full food experience and started with a Fromage Tasting Board and escargot a lail noir, black garlic braised escargot, ratatouille, panisse, crispy garlic escargot to share. The cheeses were perfectly selected to pair with a baguette and jams that we were making notes to make this board at home. I should note that the portions are more similar to what I’ve experienced in Europe, smaller portions with high-quality selections. At first glance, I thought there wouldn’t be enough of the Fromage board for both of us to share, but I was left satisfied without being too full for the main course.

For the main course, Jacob went with a boucherie burger, foie gras, brie, onion confiture, frites. He said it was probably the best burger he has ever had with the perfectly melted brie on the burger. I wanted to try something new than my usual order of modules and went with the crab cakes, blistered cherry tomatoes, roasted broccolini, saffron rouille. The crab cakes were not your traditional style like you expect in beach towns but instead had a French twist with unexpected flavors. Every bite was delicious!

We split a chocolate mousse tart as a special treat before heading back out into the heat. Restaurants like Royal Boucherie are hard to come by with their dark moody interior, friendly staff, and perfectly curated menu. The next time you are looking for a good meal out with an experience, I highly recommend stopping by here. We’ll be back again soon because it’s been a week and we are still talking about the fromage board!

Friday Favorites 1.19

Published on by blonde rosie1 Comment

If I’m honest I have to tell you I still read fairy tales and I like them best of all.

Audrey Hepburn

I am bundled up and enjoying the first snow day in years! With all of the snow and ice this week it’s nice to be able to stay home during this snowstorm and be able to enjoy it from home. It took me a few days to get ready for the new year, but I have finally settled into a routine.

  • Saltburn
  • Buccaneers
  • Real Housewives of Miami

I got a Blendjet for Christmas and it makes my mornings so much easier! I like to prep my smoothie at night and put it in the fridge so I can just grab and go in the morning. My one issue is that it doesn’t blend frozen fruit but I don’t mind prepping a smoothie with frozen fruit at night because by morning it’s melted enough to blend together.

One excited purchase I’m excited about is I signed up for the gym last weekend and I’ve been really committed to it.
Picked up these black leggings with gold buttons from Zara and I’m so excited to style these!
One great thing about January is the after Christmas sales! We picked up a few ornaments for our tree next year.

Last weekend I did a big grocery trip to set myself up for success this week. I’m back to eating healthy and that means meal prepping! I’ve been eating a salad for lunch and packing pretzelcrips, peppers with hummus. Instead of counting calories, I’m focusing more on healthy meals and healthy snacks during the day so I don’t eat junk food when I’m starving at the end of the day. For dinner, I made taco salads and rice bowls with protein this week and we enjoyed a nice pork tenderloin in the crockpot on Monday. I love using the crockpot but I always forget about it!

Starting to swap out my Christmas decor for hearts and pink! 

Finally sitting down and working on my posts about our London trip. It’s nice to go through photos and write about our trip, I’m already planning our next trip back!