Farmer's Garden by Vlasic

I absolutely love pickles. I eat a pickle with my lunch almost everyday, and fried pickles are one of my favorite indulgences. And if you've never tried a pickle and peanut butter sandwich (made with bread & butter pickles, crunchy peanut butter, and potato bread), well, then you haven't lived. (I know it sounds gross, but trust me on this one!).

I also don't discriminate when it comes to pickles: I like all kinds. Although, I do have a few favorites - including the Farmer's Garden pickles made by Vlasic.

The main difference I see and taste with Vlasic's Farmer's Garden pickles vs. "regular," store-bought pickles is the flavor. Each jar I sampled was packed with real ingredients like garlic, red peppers, carrots, and cucumbers (obviously). The Kosher Dill Spears and Zesty Garlic Chips were both intensely flavorful, and I loved the bite of garlic in each thick, Zesty Garlic Chip. Either - or both - of these pickles would make fantastic additions to your Memorial Day BBQ spread this weekend.

And I won't even tell you how quickly Z and I plowed through our first jar of the Kosher Dill Spears...

If you're interested in getting in on some of the Farmer's Garden action, Vlasic is currently running a sweepstakes (through July 31st) for the chance to win a summer entertaining package worth up to $1,500. To enter, simply fill out this form (and automatically receive a $1 off coupon for any Farmer's Garden product you wish).

Happy Memorial Day weekend!

These pickles were complimentary, but all opinions are my own.

Easter Brunch Recipes

If your Easter holidays are anything like my family's, that means you do nothing but eat indulgent brunch food and drink mimosas and Bloody Marys.

Sound familiar? Whether it does or not, Easter brunch is one fun tradition.

Here, I'm re-sharing some of my favorite brunch recipes that will add a little extra something delicious to your Easter brunch spread. Whether you're looking to keep things healthy, have a few indulgent (read: lots of cheese) dishes in the mix, or simply want a good Bloody Mary recipe, this post's for you.

(Don't celebrate Easter? There are some vegetarian-friendly Passover recipes at the bottom of this post, too).

Easter Brunch Recipes:

• Wasabi Bloody Mary 
• Habanero-Cheddar Bread Pudding 
• Breakfast Bread Pudding
• Mushroom & Gruyere Quiche
• Kale, Onion, & 'Sausage' Frittata
• Jalapeno Pepper Jack Scones
• Leftover Cornbread Strata
• Homemade Cream Cheese
• Horseradish Deviled Eggs 
• Spicy Deviled Eggs

Vegetarian Passover Recipes:

• Vegetarian Chopped Liver
• Eggplant Mina

What are your Easter and/or Passover food traditions?

Christmas 2013

Happy new year!!

It feels like Christmas happened about five weeks ago, but that could be because we've been traveling since Christmas Eve. We spent the Christmas holiday with my immediate family in New Hampshire, followed by a Lahey family trip to Hilton Head, South Carolina. We got home on New Year's Eve and rang in 2014 here in Somerville. It was a busy couple of days, but they were filled with family, friends, great food, and celebrations.

I'll provide some insight into where and what we ate while in South Carolina soon, but, for now, here's a peek into what our Christmas day looked like (complete with my nieces' matching pajamas - too cute!).

The hot toy of this year - a keyboard!

How was your holiday?

Rialto & Muir Glen Organic Giveaway Winner

Happy Monday!

Thank you to everyone who entered my Muir Glen Organic Tomatoes and Rialto giveaway last week. We officially have a winner! (The winner was chosen via Random.org).

The winner is...

Julie!

"I love to make goulash [with tomatoes]."

Congrats, Julie!

And for all those who celebrate, may you have a very Merry Christmas! We're headed to New Hampshire tomorrow to celebrate Christmas Eve and day with my immediate family. I can't wait!

10 Things I Am Thankful For

'Tis the season to reflect on what we are thankful for and, this year, I am feeling especially grateful. With that being said, I wanted to share just ten of the things I am thankful for this year with all of you. I could go far beyond ten, but I'd rather not bore you all to death.

10 Things I Am Thankful For:

1.) My health. This is probably an obvious one, but without our health, we seriously have nothing. I am grateful to wake up everyday feeling healthy mentally, physically, and emotionally (despite the random, normal illnesses and moods that creep up every year).

2.) My family and friends. This year, my family has officially extended to include Z's family, and I couldn't be happier. I seriously lucked out. His family has been nothing but welcoming and warm since the day I met them. My family also rocks, and it's so fantastic (and fun!) to be an auntie. Z and I are also so lucky to have a group of friends - near and far - who we can always count on and have a great time with.

My youngest niece gorging on a cupcake.

Me, my other niece, and my nephew jumping into a leaf pile.

3.) My job. Remember when I quit the corporate world a year ago? It was horrifying and incredibly exciting at the same time. Today, I am doing nothing but writing, eating, cooking, and marketing for food-centric companies for a living. I will provide a longer update soon, but I am so, so, so thankful to do what I love every single day.

4.) Bagels with cream cheese and tomato. My favorite breakfast treat of all time (Cafe Rustica turned me on to the tomato addition). There's seriously nothing like a crispy bagel slathered with cream cheese and topped with fresh, juicy tomato. I am only not thankful that I don't have one sitting in front of me right now.

5.) Our home. I refer to our house as our "little slice of heaven in Somerville." We put a lot of work into our place, and we truly appreciate it every single day. I'm especially grateful for our home, our security, and our warmth when I think of the many people who have recently lost their homes, like in Washington, Illinois, the Philippines, etc.

Our white picket fence, right after it was finished.

6.) Debt. Sallie Mae and I are not friends (let's just say I owe her a lot of money), but the debt I have was well worth it. This may sound really odd, but every month when I go to pay her, I am grateful for the experiences I had in college, and all of the friends I made. I am still so close with many of my college friends today, and I would have paid double what I did if I had to go back and do it all over again.

7.) Traveling. My job allows me the flexibility to make my own schedule, which makes taking vacation time dangerously easy (thankfully, my bank account makes it not so easy). But having the freedom and finances to travel several times throughout the year - whether it be a short drive from home or a plane ride - is something that I really cherish.

Me and Z on a bike ride in Chianti.

8.) Boston. We've had a rough year here in Boston, but - as expected - we came out on top. It's been amazing to see the city come together in times of tragedy and success (hey, Red Sox!), and I really have a new appreciation for this city. I'm also thankful for all of the heroes - police officers, doctors, civilians, etc. - that helped save so many lives the day of the Boston Marathon bombings. If it weren't for them, a lot of people would have been much worse off then they already were.

9.) Craft beer. This stuff just makes my life better, and I'm so glad Z (a self-proclaimed beer geek) got me into it. I would much rather drink a stronger, delicious stout vs. 10 light beers any day (apparently, I am not in college anymore). Having the financial freedom (and a healthy liver) to try a slew of delicious beers on a regular basis is pretty fantastic.

10.) Z. I know it's cheesy, but I saved the best for last. I mean, it's pretty darn awesome to get to spend every single day with your best friend. I am beyond grateful I found a guy who's not only wonderful himself, but is perfect for me.

Your turn! What are you thankful for?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Carrot and Mushroom Hand Pies

Um, am I the only one who had no idea Thanksgiving is next week?? I found out yesterday. I honestly cannot believe we're already almost through November.

This year, we're celebrating Thanksgiving with Z's family. His parents rented a house in Cape Cod, and we'll spend a few glorious days relaxing, binge eating, and imbibing. I cannot wait!

These hand pies would make a fantastic addition to any Thanksgiving festivities. They're filling enough to be a vegetarian entree (with some sides), but they'd also make a great appetizer. They're also surprisingly simple to whip up, which makes them ideal for when you're already spending a full day cooking and prepping in the kitchen.

Carrot & Mushroom Hand Pies

Yields: 8 servings

For the filling:

-2 tablespoons olive oil

-1/2 yellow onion, diced

-4 medium carrots, peeled and diced

-5 white button mushrooms, chopped

-1 clove garlic, minced

-1/8 teaspoon grated fresh nutmeg

-1 teaspoon ground cumin

-1/4 teaspoon fresh thyme

-Salt and pepper, to taste

For the dough:

-4 cups all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting

-2 teaspoons baking powder

-2 teaspoons salt

-1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter, cut into small pieces

-1 cup cold water

-1 large egg, lightly beaten with 1 tablespoon water

Directions:

Filling:

1.) Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

2.) Heat oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add onion, and cook until it begins to soften, about 4-5 minutes. Add carrots and mushrooms, and cook until carrots begin to soften and mushrooms are browned, about 5-6 minutes.

3.) Add garlic, and cook for about 30 seconds. Then, add nutmeg, cumin, thyme, salt, and pepper; stir, taste for seasonings, and adjust as necessary. Remove pan from heat.

Dough:

1.) In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Using your fingers, cut in butter until mixture is crumbly. Add just enough cold water so dough comes together.
2.) Turn out dough onto a lightly floured surface, and divide in half. Knead each half 2 or 3 times to form smooth balls.
3.) Cut each ball into four equal pieces. Cover with plastic; let stand until slightly risen, 20 minutes. Shape into balls.

Hand Pies:

1.) On a floured surface, roll out each piece of dough into an 8-inch round. Divide filling evenly among rounds, spreading it over half of each and leaving a 1/2-inch border.
2.) Brush border of bottom halves with water; fold top halves over filling to close completely. Press edges to seal with your fingertips, then crimp firmly with a fork.
3.) Place hand pies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Brush tops with egg wash, avoiding crimped edges. Bake until golden brown, about 30 to 40 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through.

[Print this recipe]

I loved these buttery, flaky pies filled with sweet carrots and "meaty" mushrooms. The hint of fresh nutmeg also gave these an almost autumn-like flavor, too. I clearly over-kneaded my dough, which is why my pies look a little extra rustic, but just follow the directions above and you should be good to go.

What are you doing for Thanksgiving this year?

Peanut Butter Chip & Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Espresso Sea Salt

Longest recipe title ever? Probably, but these cookies have a lot going on...in a really, really good way.

The best chocolate chip cookie recipe I've ever baked is this one from Betty Crocker. It's seriously foolproof, and how can cookies with two sticks of butter baked into them be bad? I used this recipe as my base for this new, Halloween-ish creation (I say "Halloween-ish" because of the colors). Chocked full of sweet peanut butter chips and rich chocolate chunks, these buttery gems are topped off with some salty bits of espresso sea salt. Dig in.

Peanut Butter Chip & Chocolate Chunk Cookies with Espresso Sea Salt
Yields: 36 servings
Adapted slightly from Betty Crocker 
-3/4 cup granulated sugar
-3/4 cup packed brown sugar
-1 cup butter, softened
-1 teaspoon vanilla
-1 egg
-2 cups all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour)
-1 teaspoon baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
-1/2 cup semisweet chocolate chunks
-1/2 cup peanut butter baking chips
-Espresso sea salt (or regular sea salt)

Directions:
1.) Heat oven to 375 degrees.
2.) Mix sugars, butter, vanilla, and egg in large bowl. Stir in flour, baking soda, and salt (dough will be stiff). Stir in chocolate chunks and peanut butter chips. Drop dough by the ice cream scoop-full (about 2 inches apart) onto ungreased cookie sheet.
3.) Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until light brown (centers will be soft). Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet. Cool on wire rack.

[Print this recipe]

Buttery, sweet, salty - all of my favorite flavors wrapped in one (er...36) cookies. Betty's chocolate chip cookie recipe is a seriously awesome foundation for some seriously awesome cookie variations.

Happy [early] Halloween!

Are you dressing up at all this year? I dressed up as an 80's chick last weekend, but that was about it. I'm getting old.

Memorial Day Weekend {Snapshots}

How was your weekend?

Frozen Mango-Jalapeno Margarita

I think I have a problem. The last few cocktail recipes I've made are spicy, and most of that spice has come from jalapenos. What can I say - I like my drinks to have a little spice to them.

So, when I received a bag of Zulka Pure Cane Sugar earlier this week (courtesy of RKPR Public Relations) - a new, all-natural, and unrefined granulated sugar - I knew I had to make a cocktail with some of it. I mean, it says right on the front "Great in drinks." How could I resist?

And with Cinco de Mayo being in the very near future, I thought it appropriate to use this sugar in a margarita.

Frozen Mango-Jalapeno Margarita

Yields: 1 cocktail

-1 tablespoon Zulka Pure Cane Sugar

-3 jarred jalapeno slices (or, a few slices of fresh jalapeno sans seeds)

-2 tablespoons lime juice

-2 ounces tequila

-Generous splash of Cointreau

-1 1/2 cups frozen mango chunks

Lime wedge and extra Zulka Pure Cane Sugar for rim of glass

Jalapeno slice for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1.) In a cocktail shaker, muddle together sugar, jalapeno slices, and lime juice for about 20 seconds. Add tequila and Cointreau and shake vigorously for 10 seconds.

2.) Place mango chunks in a food processor or blender; add tequila mixture. Pulse or blend until mixture is smooth, about 20-30 seconds.

3.) Run a lime wedge along the rim of your glass. Pour some of the sugar in a shallow bowl, and dip glass into it so rim is covered with sugar. Pour mango mixture into rimmed glass, and garnish with a jalapeno slice.

[Print this recipe]

I loved how the frozen mango made it evident that this margarita was made with real fruit versus an overly sugary mix. The jalapeno also helped to save this beverage from becoming too sweet - the sugar on the rim ended up being a welcome sweetness to help balance out the spice. Overall, this was one refreshing margarita with a lot of great flavors.

Hope you all have a great weekend!

The Zulka Pure Cane Sugar I received was complimentary, but, as always, the opinions expressed in this post are honest and 100 percent my own.

Cinco de Mayo Recipes

Z's cousin is marrying one of the founders of Tanteo Tequila this weekend...on Cinco de Mayo. Coincidence? I think not. And I'm not complaining (although, my liver might be on Monday).

Regardless of how you are choosing to celebrate Cinco de Mayo this year, I wanted to re-share some of my favorite Cinco de Mayo-friendly recipes. You can quickly whip up any of these recipes for just a few bucks each. There's even a cocktail recipe included that uses Tanteo Tequila. You know I'll be drinking that one this weekend!

Entrees:

Pumpkin, Black Bean and Tofu Fajitas
Mushroom and Fontina Quesadillas
Spicy Tofu Tacos with Corn and Black Bean Salsa
Habanero-Lime Black Bean Enchiladas
Stay-at-Home Mexican Lasagna
Spinach, Onion and Goat Cheese Quesadillas

Spinach, Mushroom and Black Bean Enchiladas

Cocktails:

Jalapeno-Cilantro Tequila and Tonic
Jalapeno, Gin and Basil Martini
Spicy Gin and Tonic

How are you celebrating Cinco de Mayo this year?

Onion and Pepper Quiche

This post is long overdue - I made these quiches for Z's family's Passover celebrations. The recipe is incredibly easy to make (I used this one as my guide), and it was a big hit at the dinner table.

Onion and Pepper Quiche 

Yields: 2 quiches (8-10 servings)

-2 tablespoons (1/4 stick) butter
-1 cup diced yellow onion

-2 bell peppers, cut into strips

-Salt and black pepper
-8 large eggs
-1 1/3 cups half and half
-2/3 cup whole milk
-Salt and black pepper
-1 teaspoon dried oregano

-Pinch of crushed red pepper flakes
-2 1/2 cups grated cheddar cheese, divided

-2 frozen deep dish pie crusts

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 325°F.

2.) Melt butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onions; sauté until they begin to soften, about 2 minutes. Add peppers; season with salt and pepper and sauté until peppers are tender, about 6-8 minutes. Transfer to plate; spread out to cool slightly.
3.) Whisk eggs, half and half, milk, salt, pepper, oregano, and crushed red pepper flakes together in a large bowl. Stir in 2 cups cheddar cheese and onion and pepper mixture. Pour filling into crust. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 cup cheese over quiche.
4.) Bake quiche until puffed, golden brown, and just set in center, about 40-45 minutes. Cool 30 minutes. Cut into wedges.

[Print this recipe]

I love making quiches for everything from big family gatherings to an easy and versatile weeknight meal. Quiche is also a great go-to recipe to make if you're cooking for a crowd with a wide range of dietary restrictions (for instance, just omit the crust for the gluten-free folks).

What's your favorite dish to make for a crowd?

Easter Candy Giveaway from Lake Champlain Chocolates

Oooooh, do I have something fun for you guys today!

Although I was just talking about St. Patrick's Day yesterday, Easter is not too far in the future. Easter rarely occurs in March, but this year, it is. I love when Easter rolls around, mainly because my all-time favorite candy is Easter candy. I'm not really sure why - perhaps it's the pretty colors, the cute bunny shapes, the cream-filled eggs? Regardless, it's good. And locally made Easter candy is better than anything I can buy at CVS, in my opinion. Knowing you guys appreciate local businesses (and candy) too, I reached out to Lake Champlain Chocolates (LCC) a few weeks ago to see if they were interested in doing a giveaway on The EE. LCC has been making specialty chocolates in Burlington, Vermont for 25 years...and their chocolates are really, really good.

Truffle from LCC's Spring Chocolate Assortment.

Lucky for us, LCC happily obliged to doing a giveaway. They're giving one lucky EE reader their Milk Chocolate Easter Basket ($49.50 value) - just in time for the holiday!

Inside the basket: 6.5" Classic Milk Chocolate Easter Bunny; 6.5 oz. Milk Chocolate Caramel Eggs Gift Bag; 2 oz. Milk Chocolate Carrot; 4 oz. All-Natural Jelly Beans (available only in gift basket); 1 Organic Milk Chocolate Bar (available only in gift basket).

LCC sent me a sample of the Easter basket to try for myself (as well as a box of their Spring Chocolate Assortment - something you all must buy), and trust me when I say this is not your ordinary Easter basket. Every item is clearly made with only high quality ingredients, and those caramel eggs? Incredibly good.

To enter to win this Easter basket, simply comment on this post saying what your favorite Easter candy is. For an extra entry, tweet: "I entered to #win #Easter candy from @MichellePC and @LCChocolates!" Please leave a second comment with your tweet.

I'll pick a winner Friday (3/15) morning. Good luck! 

This giveaway is now closed. 

I received the Milk Chocolate Easter Basket and Spring Chocolate Assortment in return for doing this giveaway. As always, the opinions expressed in this post are honest and 100 percent my own.

Boozy Irish Whoopie Pies

The best way to spend a cold, snowy day (in my opinion) is baking in your kitchen...with booze, of course. And last week, when it was snowing like crazy outside, that's exactly what I did.

We had an early St. Patrick's Day party to go to Saturday night, so on Friday, I decided to whip up these boozy little treats. I was initially inspired by this recipe, but, since we didn't have any Bailey's on hand, I improvised. I also added green food coloring to the cream for extra St. Patrick's Day flair (the food coloring was Z's idea).

Boozy Irish Whoopie Pies

Yields: 10 servings

Adapted from Burn Me Not

Cookies: 

-1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
-3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
-1 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
-1/2 teaspoon salt
-5 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
-1/2 cup granulated sugar
-1/2 cup packed light-brown sugar
-1 large egg
-1 cup Guinness (or stout)
-1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Filling:
-12 tablespoons (1 and 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
-1 3/4 cups confectioners' sugar
-3-4 drops of green food coloring

-4 tablespoons whiskey (I used Jack Daniel's)

Directions:

1.) Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Grease baking sheet (or line with parchment paper); set aside.
2.) In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cocoa powder, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3.) In the bowl of an electric stand mixer, combine butter and both sugars. Using the paddle attachment, mix on medium/high speed until smooth, about 3 minutes. Add egg and mix until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Adjust speed to low and gradually mix in half the flour mixture, then the Guinness and vanilla, and finish with the remaining flour mixture.
4.) Drop tablespoonfuls onto prepared baking sheet (I used an ice cream scoop), spacing 2 inches apart. Bake 10-12 minutes or until cookies spring back when lightly touched. Place baking sheet on wire rack and let cool 5-10 minutes. Remove cookies from baking sheet and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
5.) For the filling, combine butter and sugar in a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3-5 minutes. Add food coloring and whiskey and beat until combined. (Feel free to add a bit more confectioners' sugar to thicken filling, if needed). Transfer buttercream to a prepared pastry bag fitted with a large tip.
6.) To assemble, pipe filling on the flat sides of half the cookies then sandwich with remaining cookies.

[Print this recipe]

These whoopie pies tasted like grown-up Devil Dogs. The sweet, whipped filling had just the right kick of whiskey - and paired with the rich chocolate cookies? Pure alcoholic bliss.

As a major bonus, these whoopies pies didn't take that long to make or assemble, either. I feared that it would take me all afternoon to make them, but they really didn't take that much time from start to finish. That's my kind of recipe!

Are you making any St. Patrick's Day recipes this year? If yes, what are you making? I plan on attempting Irish Soda Bread this week!

Off to New Orleans

Z and I are off to New Orleans with his family for Christmas! We leave in a few hours, and I could not be more excited. None of us have ever been there before, so it shall be quite the fun adventure. I'll be sure to recap our trip upon my return late next week!

In the meantime, I hope you all have a very Merry Christmas!

Have you ever been to New Orleans? Any places, restaurants, etc. you recommend we check out?

Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites

On Sunday, Shannon hosted a blogger holiday cookie swap. While I unfortunately couldn't be in attendance, I was still eager to participate. I mean, what's better than baking and tasting homemade cookies this time of year? Or, any time of year for that matter?

For me, holiday baking starts with the red and green M&Ms (if you recall, these cookies defined my childhood Christmases). With a bag of those as my inspiration, I researched recipe ideas online and came across this one for Peanut Butter Cookie Dough Bites. I followed the recipe exactly, but swapped out the chocolate chips with holiday M&Ms. If you'd like to do the same, just to be sure to only use about 1/2 cup of M&Ms (because M&Ms are larger than chocolate chips, fewer work best).

If you like peanut butter and chocolate together, then you will love these. They were super easy to make, too, and they kind of reminded me of Munchkins - meaning, you can have four or five without feeling guilty (because five Munchkins = a whole doughnut, basically). I've never been great at math, but that logic makes sense to me!

I'm off to spend my morning with this little cutie. Have a great Thursday!

[Holiday] Treats on Washington

A few weeks ago, chefs/owners of Treats on Washington, Dana Briley and Jessica Brown, invited an intimate group of bloggers to their Brighton location. The small event was geared toward tasting some of their treats while getting into the holiday spirit. Briley and Brown had their tiny bakery decorated beautifully for this event, with samples of some of their favorite sweets on display for us bloggers to try. They even had some festive libations for us to wash our treats down with, including homemade egg nog and champagne. 

Chocolate Peppermint Macarons.

Since this event was right after work, Briley and Brown also had some savory dishes for us to sample, including their Curried Lentil soup and their Garden Vegetable Sandwich, pictured below (the Garden Vegetable Sandwich is made with roasted red peppers, roasted yellow squash and zucchini, marinated green beans, shaved fennel, and hummus on a focaccia roll).

Some of my favorite samples from the evening were the Chocolate Peppermint Macarons, the Panettone (Italian holiday bread), and the homemade marshmallows, complete with a crushed peppermint rim. Briley and Brown clearly put a lot of time and effort into making this event festive, which really helped kickstart the holiday season for me. I'm also a big fan of smaller, more intimate blogger events like this one because it allows you to actually meet the folks behind the food (in addition to other bloggers). 

Other items on the Treats on Washington menu that caught my eye were the Roasted Vegetable Braided Bread, the Egg Nog Latte (seasonal), and the Cranberry Gingerbread Muffin (also seasonal). I definitely plan to go back soon to try some of their other creations!

Have you ever been to Treats on Washington? What's your review?