Acadia National Park

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I have been wanting to visit Acadia National Park in Maine since we moved back to New York in 2018 and we finally planned to a trip to visit at the end of this summer.

Acadia National Park is a 47,000-acre preserve that sprawls across Mount Desert Island. It is a beautiful area with rose-colored rocks, hiking trails, coastal views and dark blue lakes. I also can’t forget to mention the lobster rolls! Technically, the lobster shacks are found outside the park, but they were a key addition to our trip! I had three lobster rolls in the five days we were there! 🦞

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7 Best Quarantine Purchases

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Hello! My oh my, it has been awhile!! Since the last time I posted way back in October, A LOT has changed to say the least. 2020 has been a wild year - can you say global pandemic, murder hornets and an election year to top it off? Uggh. There are moments it feels like time is going by so slowly with nearly every day looking the same, but at the same time, I can hardly believe we are already nearing the end of August! Time certainly moves differently right now.

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Coconut Macaroons

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With warmer weather officially here in New York, I thought it would be fun to make some Coconut Macaroons. I made these the first time while staying with family back in March when my sister-in-law, Kim, discovered a bag of shredded coconut which was going to expire and wondered out loud what could be made with it. I immediately thought of Coconut Macaroons and came across this recipe. They were incredibly easy to make and ended up tasting delicious. The cookies are both soft and crunchy at the same time while the chocolate adds another depth of flavor which makes them perfect to enjoy on a warm summer day.

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Salted Brown Butter Crispy Treats

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Rice Crispy Treats have always reminded me of my childhood. There was always someone’s mom who brought them to a class party or holiday event. Even today my high school friend, Tara, continues to make them whenever we get together (she knows I can’t resist!). I found this recipe which takes the original instructions and tweaks them just a bit to make a more nutty and flavorful rice crispy treat. Something as simple as toasting the butter and adding additional salt really makes this dessert POP! Plus, they are SO EASY. I put these together in less than 10 minutes and could not be more happy with the results. Enjoy!

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Chocolate Chunk–Pumpkin Seed Cookies

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We had plans with my brother and sister-in-law to come over for Family Dinner this past weekend and I wanted to have a unique fall dessert waiting for them after our main meal. After searching online for a fall cookie recipe, I settled on these Chocolate Chunk-Pumpkin Seed Cookies.

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Peach Pie

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One of my favorite fruits are peaches and I truly believe there’s nothing better than eating a sweet peach on a hot summer day! As much as I love to bake, I have never tried to make a pie. Homemade pie crust has always scared me, and I prefer to bake things like cookies, cakes and brownies. However, with peaches in full swing at the farmer’s market a couple weeks ago, I decided to take a shot at my first homemade pie crust and bake a peach pie. I used this recipe for the crust and this recipe for the pie filling.

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Bread & Butter Pickles

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In an effort to pickle anything and everything I come across, I once again used a  recipe from this book and made two jars of Bread & Butter Pickles.  Thankfully, I was able to find "pickling cucumbers" at my local grocery store.  Pickling cucumbers have a thicker skin, helping to keep their crispness once prepared.  I think these will be good to throw on hamburgers or eat as is.  There is a lot of sugar in them, so I'll reserve these for a special treat! 

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Spicy Dill Pickled Vegetables

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I love a good pickled vegetable - pretty much in any form!  From cucumber to okra to radish to carrot.  If there are pickled vegetables nearby, there's a good chance I'm eating them.  This is the second time I have pickled vegetables myself and used a recipe from this book.  I usually eat them with a meat and cheese plate or on sandwiches, but they are delicious just on their own as well.  

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I ❤️ New York

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I love New York.  We lived in Manhattan for seven years and have so many wonderful memories and amazing friends who continue to live there.  I still can't believe we left over four years ago!  Each time we go back, I always have a list of favorite places and I constantly struggle with balancing visiting our "old haunts" and taking the time to explore new ones.  Alex and I have gotten better about trying at least one new restaurant while in the city and then re-visiting all of our old favorites.  

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Oatmeal Raisin Cookies

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Since moving back to the States, I have been itching to get back into baking!  Currently we are living in an Airbnb, so I am without all my baking equipment.  Luckily, the Airbnb host does have a few baking staples including: mixing bowls, spatulas, and oven mitts.  I did have to purchase a few items in order to continue my love of baking, especially since my beloved stand mixer is in storage!  For the time being, I ordered a hand mixer from Bed, Bath and Beyond and am doing it old school!  I also purchased a large baking sheet, measuring cups/spoons and some parchment paper. 

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Homemade Granola

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I'm still getting used to our new kitchen and wanted an easier recipe to begin with.  After some thought, I decided to whip up a batch of homemade granola.  My mom always has homemade granola in her pantry at home and I love having it for breakfast when I'm in Omaha.  I used this recipe and was pleasantly surprised with the end result!  I did overcook it a bit, so in the future I would not let it sit in the oven as long (it turns golden pretty quickly!), but the taste was the perfect combination of crunchiness, nuttiness and sweetness.  I can see myself making this again many times in the future! 

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Bruny Island

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We left for Bruny Island last week after two days in Hobart.  The only option to get to Bruny Island is by ferry and we were not the only people who had this idea!  The line to ride the ferry was long and we waited in our car for about an hour before we could board.  Neither of us had ever been on a ferry where you drive up in your car, park on the ferry, and then drive off once arriving at the jetty.  It was all quite exciting!  The ferry ride itself only took about 20 minutes and we arrived in Bruny Island shortly after 1:00pm. 

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Central Business District - Part II

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Alex and I headed back to the Central Business District (CBD) on Monday to continue our sightseeing in this area.  We woke up to a sudden rainstorm, but thankfully, it didn't last long and shortly after we jumped on the train and headed back into the city center.  

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Paris - Part II

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We arrived back in Lisbon from Paris last night and only have five full days left in Portugal before heading back home to the States to celebrate the holidays with friends and family!  We had an amazing time in France and I'm so glad we decided to fit this in before we leave Europe.  It was the perfect way to start the holiday season as the city was lit up in Christmas lights and festive decorations. 

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Lisbon

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We arrived in Lisbon on Wednesday and have spent the past few days touring around and seeing the sights.  It is much more spread out than Porto and there are SO. MANY. HILLS!  Lisbon is built on seven hills which is not only great for your calves (ha!), but also makes from some beautiful views.  It is also one of the oldest capital cities in Europe, second to Athens and was first ruled by the Romans, Germans, and Arabs before Portuguese crusaders finally conquered it.  

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GuimarĂŁes

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We arrived to the Douro Valley on Friday evening and having been enjoying this region.  It is mostly known for the vineyards that line the hillsides and make for very beautiful views.  On Sunday, we decided to drive an hour to GuimarĂŁes.  The city is often referred to as the "birth place of Portugal" when King Afonso Henriques chose this former Roman city to be the administrative capital of the Portuguese kingdom.  

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Azores - Day 3

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Day number three in the Azores started with driving to Lagoa do Fogo (Lake of Fire).  There is a 6.5 mile hike to the lake which is part of a natural reserve.  The hike started out mostly uphill for the first mile or so, but after that, it was a pretty easy walk.  We also walked next to an aqueduct for a portion of the hike which was interesting. The hike loops around a portion of the lake from the top of the crater.  The weather changes here by the minute, but this morning, we lucked out with mostly sunny skies making the lake look almost turquoise in some parts.  

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