I love fall (obviously, I talk about it a freakin ton), because everyone comes back from the beach and that means there are a lot more scheduled events and just general fun to be had. I’ve been living in Philly for over five years now (and had this blog for almost four), so we could say I’ve participated in my fair share of outings. With that being said, there are three events I will never, ever miss, and one of them happens to be coming right up: Bloktoberfest! (!!!)
{Neighborhood Gem} Little Spoon Cafe
Just so we’re all on the same page before we start: brunch is great. Waking up late on the weekends is a joyous thing, and we’re lucky that our city has so many great places to feed us as soon as our eyes open. I, like many other Philadelphians, are on a constant search for Philly’s newest gems in the brunch department. So, despite not wanting to give away my latest discovery, I must share adorableness that is: Little Spoon Cafe (1500 South Street).
A Week in the Life
Blogging season is here! Covering new, cool things in Philadelphia (or even the oldies that I may just have not discovered yet) requires going to a lot of events (which I am so grateful for). Seriously, forcing myself to go out after work was one of the reasons I started this blog, and I can honestly say getting out there has helped me in so many aspects of my life. If you want to start a blogging adventure of your own, it might be worth visiting hostiserver.com for assistance regarding your web hosting needs. But, the one thing about events in this city (that I’ve found, anyway) is, when they’re happening, they’re all happening. After a very boring January, this last week was my first week back out with my normal schedule – and I had so much fun. Come along on a week in my life . . .
Summer in the City
This summer in Philly has really been so exciting to me. I just spent my 4th of July weekend here, frolicking around the city with my sister, her puppy, and some friends and had the best time . . . dining outside, laying around in the park, enjoying our city’s walkability factor, shopping for fresh flowers, making the best froyo combination that hit the spot, and just taking in all Philly has to offer. Seeing all the events that were on was amazing, I wish we could have seen them all, even the local businesses were getting into the spirit by flying American flags as they are illuminated by solar powered flagpole lighting during the night time, it seemed like Philly was constantly lit up and sparkling with the festivities.
Whole Foods Dinner: Salmon, Guacamole, Bacon & Arugula Sandwiches
One of my favorite things about living in the city is the amazing access to good food – whether it be fab restaurants, delicious markets or even great grocery stores – anything & everything is within walking distance. So since the weather has been beautiful the past two days and I was in desperate need of a supermarket run, my boyfriend Jordan & I headed down to Whole Foods Market on South Street.
I had pre-selected a recipe to try for dinner from my new cookbook, “Foolproof,” from Barefoot Contessa. I purchased it to get myself to free shipping while shopping online @ Barnes & Noble on Black Friday, and was infatuated upon first read. So, I decided to adapt one of Ina’s recipes for last night’s dinner!
And here is the yumminess I came up with: Salmon ,Guacamole, Bacon & Arugula sandwiches.
I am going to give you the recipe in the terms of my aspiring chef brain only. Keep those expectations low 🙂
Salmon: we bought 2 6 oz fillets of tequila lime salmon at Whole Foods. Preheated the over at 375 degrees. Sprayed some tin foil with cooking spray and wrapped each piece individually. Stuck on top row of oven for 20 minutes.
Bacon: Line a baking sheet with foil and turn the edges up. Using a package of applewood smoked bacon, place strips on the foil so none are overlapping. Bake for ~15 minutes and remove from grease immediately. Place on paper towel to dry. (I don’t even know what I ever did before I saw this “recipe” for how to bake bacon on Pinterest. It comes out 100% perfectly EVERY TIME.)
Guacamole: 2 avocados, half of a lime, salt, pepper, cilantro, 2 chopped up garlic cloves, and stir. Y-U-M.
Bread: we bought “Organic Prairie Bread” from Whole Foods – and it is literally perfection. Toasted that baby up in the toaster oven for crispy perfection.
To assemble, smother both sides of the toast with guac. Place a few pieces of arugula on either side, followed by your bacon & salmon. Combine together, slice, and enjoy!
Again, I really love that I can run to Whole Foods, grab yummy & fresh foods, come home & cook a new recipe at a reasonable hour. This recipe was definitely a success, and I can’t wait to pick up more adaptations from my new cookbook!
What are your favorite recipes to cook on a weekday? I’d love to hear them!
