Mmmm Mmmm Summer

With Preston starting school on Monday, he already feels summer slipping away. For me, in the full swing of funemployment, I thought I'd share some of my favorite things during summertime:

Sunshine

Warm evenings

Ripe watermelon

Caprese salad (pictured below)

BBQs

Iced coffee

Outdoor concerts in the park

Open windows

Sandals 

Mint juleps (pictured below)

Freckles

Sunflowers

Baseball games

Rose wine

Afternoon thunderstorms 

Patio dining

Popsicles

I could probably go on forever... what are your summer favorites?

Exploring Denver: South Pearl Street Farmers' Market

Between applying and interviewing for jobs, I am enjoying exploring Denver. This morning, Preston and I headed over to the South Pearl Street Farmers' Market to get some local produce and check out what this market had to offer. I grew up going to the Davis Farmers' Market every single Saturday morning and every Wednesday evening in the summers, so I was delighted to find such a great market right in our neighborhood! 

I naturally had to sample their chicken tamale offerings, which I found to be quite the tasty brunch. We also went home with ripe red tomatoes, a huge head of lettuce, kale, an onion, and a mystery pepper. Oh the joys of the market! Below are a few photos I snapped while strolling along under the big blue Denver sky.

Food trucks at the market

My tamal colombiano

More market views

I am going to explore more Farmers' Markets in the Denver area, and found this site to be especially helpful!

Hello, again

A week-long California vacation plus a week without Internet equals no good opportunity to blog. Oops! 

A week after the big move, I spent a week in California with my parents while Preston ventured off to Yellowstone to hike and have bro time. It was wonderful to see family and friends, relax by the pool, and visit my favorite restaurants and spots in my hometown. Below are a couple pictures from my trip:

A chicken tamale, apple juice, and a latte are my staple selections from the Davis Farmer's Market. I'm telling you - there is nothing else in the world like these tamales! I had one every Saturday for brunch growing up. 

A view of the market signs.

Favorite coffee stand

My mom and I made Eggs Benedict for Father's Day breakfast! Complete with side of bacon. 

As mentioned before, I flew back from California to Denver to find the Internet in my apartment was no longer functioning. Now, I am back from my little Internet hiatus and am marveling at all I accomplished sans Internet for one week: I interviewed at two companies, read a book, spent time with friends, BBQed, bicycled, swam, and explored Denver. I'm so happy to have the Internet back on, but I have to say that going without the world wide web is entirely feasible and tests my ability to entertain myself without Netflix, Facebook, Pinterest, and reading blogs. 

Tomorrow I'm looking forward to an interview and then to enjoying the weekend. Pictures of Denver adventures soon to come!

Fun, friends, and flowers

The last two weeks have been full of "F" words: fun, friends, and flowers. And also brunch.

Last weekend, I had a delicious Sunday brunch with friends at DOA. Most tasty! They have fabulous Bloody Marys and really good Eggs Benedict, among other delectable options. If you are ever in Tacoma, this is a must!

Preston surprised me with my favorite flowers: daffodils! Washington is in full bloom and I am loving every minute. The sun is out, it is getting warm, and summer feels like it is just around the corner. 

Mmmmmm beer. That is all. 

Nothing like Saturday morning Shakabrah! Another brunch favorite. 

Time is speeding by and I can't believe I only have seven weeks left in Tacoma. Before I know it, I will be Denver bound. I'm taking advantage of my time and seeing friends, keeping active, and eating at my favorite places. There is so much more to come!

Brunch

In these two years post-college, brunch has become my favorite weekend activity. I love the lazy mornings leading to a big, delicious meal with friends, bloody marys, and coffee. Brunch might be the only meal where it is normal to have three or more types of beverages in front of you (water, coffee, bloody mary/mimosa/etc.), and I love it! 

I am in love with breakfast food. This morning, a friend described it perfectly: One camp is "breakfast breakfast," the savory, and the other is "dessert breakfast," the sweet. I typically lean savory, but love to visit the sweet side every once in a while for the occasional donut or waffle. 

My go-to brunch order is eggs benedict. For me, it is the perfect combination of all my favorite breakfast items: eggs, ham, english muffin, and creamy Hollandaise sauce. Yum!  

Below are a few of my brunch favorites. If you live in the Pacific Northwest, I would highly recommend you check them out! 

Donut from Legendary Donuts in Tacoma, WA

Eggs Benedict and hash browns from Clyde Common in Portland, OR

Egg baked in an avocado, chez moi (don't let them fool you - this is actually not delicious at all. Who knew baked avocado tastes horrible? Got to have some Pinterest fails to keep things real.)

Bloody Mary, beer chaser, water at Clyde Common

Latte! This one is from the Commons in Woodinville, WA

Another donut featuring bacon - this one from Blue Star Donuts in Portland, OR

These are just a small sampling of some brunch highlights. I'm sure there will be more photos to come as I continue my weekend brunch routine! What is your favorite weekend tradition?

Veggie, goat cheese, and bacon frittata

Some of the ingredients: zucchini, tomatoes, mushrooms, kale, eggs, goat cheese

Pinterest can be so awesome when you come across a pin that inspires you to try something new and different from the regular routine, and that is just what happened here! I saw this recipe and thought to myself, what a good starting point for a delicious meal! Perhaps one day I will follow the recipe to a T, but this go around I put my own spin on it. 

When I cook, I like to have a recipe as a starting point, and then I change it up to fit my taste and mood. This recipe calls for jalapenos, and I just wasn't really in the mood for a spicy dish. So voila! I decided to add more veggies, bacon, and goat cheese to make it all my own. I would highly recommend starting from the recipe linked above, and then go with what sounds good to you. It is really quick and easy to make, and tastes great. 

I love recipes with lots of veggies and protein all mixed in at once, and I usually make a batch big enough to last me for a few days. Working full time, it is really nice to have a meal to bring to lunch or to have ready when I get home (or both!). You bet I'll be eating this frittata for a few days to come, and loving it!

Side note: this is my first time trying to capture food on my new camera. I have a lot of learning to do! 

The final product! 

Veggie, Goat Cheese, and Bacon Frittata

5 slices of bacon

1 onion, diced

1 zucchini, sliced 

1 cup tomatoes

1/2 cup sliced mushrooms

1/2 cup kale, chopped

8-10 eggs

1tbs milk

1/4 cup goat cheese

salt, pepper, and hot pepper flakes to season

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. On the stove, cook bacon on medium heat in a cast iron pot (I used my Le Creuset small cast iron pot) until medium. Remove from heat, and add in the onions; cook until soft. Add zucchini, then tomatoes, mushrooms, and kale. Season with salt, pepper, and hot pepper flakes as you go. When the veggies are soft and the kale is cooked down, add the bacon back in. 

In a bowl, whisk eggs and milk with salt and pepper. Pour mixture into the pot of veggies and sir in goat cheese. Cover and transfer pot to oven and bake for 25-35 minutes. Once solid, uncover and broil for 4-7 minutes till top is toasty brown. 

Let set for 10-15 minutes; dish is very hot. 

Enjoy!