Sunday Brunch:

      Toasted bread serves as the foundation for chevre cheese, blackberry jam, prosciutto, and mixed greens dressed in balsamic vinegar. Serve with chocolate and vanilla macaroons for an ultimate Sunday indulgence.


       I hope everyone is feeling mellow today and enjoying the last bits of the weekend. Make yourself something decadent !




Yours,
Nico

Not your average cup of jo:

View my spiked cider recipe by clicking here

      Coffee.... the over the counter drug that gets many of us thru our hectic days. How do you prefer yours? I know someone who daily devours quarts of coffee (he likes to use an emptied and washed mayo jar as a cold coffee mug). Another friend of mine has a very specific blend of ingredients that only Starbucks can brew properly. Personally I'm not a daily coffee abuser. Instead I'd rather enjoy a coffee here and there from local cafes, or sip on a cup of cider or thai iced tea. Here are some of my favorite places to enjoy a not so average cup of jo on a pleasant Sunday morning:

Cappuccino from Cafe Delmarette

      Cafe Delmarette is one of my favorite places to grab a cappuccino and a sandwich in the mornings. Their tasty menu and artisan coffees make it easy to get out of my warm bed in exchange for a delicious meal. I'm excited to share my feature on this cafe later in the week!

Thai iced tea from Real Thai Kitchen

      If you are looking for authentic Thai food in Santa Cruz, CA give Real Thai Kitchen a try. They use lots of citrus, lemongrass, and spices in their dishes. And you can't leave without trying their sweet thai iced tea!

Amber tea with cream from Wine Wizards

      Wine Wizards in Stockton, CA offers a wide variety of loose leafed teas to satisfy anyone's taste buds! My personal favorite is the subtle flavor of Darjeeling. 

Another delicious cup from Cafe Delmarette

Do you have any morning coffee rituals? 

Yours,

Nico

Giving Thanks:

      The day before Thanksgiving I made the quick drive to my father's home to help him cook our turkey dinner. It's been a long awhile since my dad and I have been in the same kitchen at the same time cooking together and I have to say, it was pretty fun! While I've never made a huge Thanksgiving meal alone before, I feel like next year I will be prepared to make all the fixings after my day long cooking lesson with my dad this past Wednesday!

...I know gravy can be the most challenging part of a thanksgiving meal, stay tuned because later this week I've got a great recipe/method!

The turkey was defenseless against my family's rumbling tummies, see evidence here:

      Thanksgiving has got to be one of my favorite holidays. If you have been reading my blog, you know that I have a love affair with food and a holiday centered around the idea of eating is just my cup of tea (or even my cup of hard cider, find my recipe here). But I have to say, this time of year also reminds me to appreciate all of the wonderful things I have going for me in life. A heart felt thank you to my family, friends, boyfriend, and readers (that means you!) for continually supporting me thru out the entire year! Your affections never go unnoticed and I thank you!

Yours,

Nico

PS: May be your last chance to enter my give away sponsored by Elisemade! You could be the lucky winner of a FREE phone sweater, click here to enter!

Thee B.L.A:

      Thee B.L.A. as in bacon, lettuce, and avocado "sang wish" (my term for sandwich). So utterly simple yet decadent, unique yet universal. Nothing could be more satisfying than crisp toasted bread, a smear of lemon garlic aioli, balsamic dressed onion and greens, smooth avocado, and savory bacon!

      I added a home made lemon glazed cookie and fresh raspberries for a side dish next to my B.L.A.

      Dress up any simple prosecco or sparkling white wine with a splash of St. Germain, a liquor flavored with subtle elderflower for a special cocktail. Add sliced apple as a finishing touch:

What are you having for lunch?

Yours,

Nico

PS, Don't forget to enter my give away by clicking here to score yourself a free phone sweater case created by elisemade !

Snack Attack!

Linguini with cream sauce, arugula, heirloom
 tomato slices, and balsamic vinegar. 

M&Ms and origami cranes

Spicy Glazed chicken wings from Famous Dave's

Passionfruit raspberry chocolate cake with frest fruit

Caramel mousse and a fruit tart from CoCoLa

      Just a few snaps of meals and treats I've devoured in the last few weeks! Are your tummies growling fierce like a lion now?

Yours,

Nico

Birthday Cake:

      There's something about a great orange flavored chocolate cake. Since today is my birthday! I thought I would share this pictorial of a deliciously, chocolate-y, irresistable cake! 

When I'm baking I like to crack the eggs into a dish separate from the mix master so I don't get any shells in the batter!

Yum! I think birthdays always require a cake. What do you think I should wish for on the candles this year?

Yours,

Nico

Wendy's JBC sausages

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      My friend John has quite the personality and also quite the imagination when it comes to cooking. No idea is ever out of reach. Recently he made "Wendy's JBC sausages." The ingredient list include Wendy's bacon cheeseburgers, french fries, and nuggets (pictured above) but he also used ground pork belly, a package of precooked bacon, plus bacon bits, chopped bell pepper, minced onion, and spicy peppers all to my extreme horror and delight:

      There is so much grease in these sausages that when you pan fry them they shrink to half the size.....first red flag. However, I did give them a try, I'll let you imagine what they tasted like. 

Yours,

Nico

PS, all photos where taken by John and edited by myself!