HAPPY FRIDAY!!!!
Since we’re all friends here (and I promised I’d share this with you first), here’s a sneak peek of my website below:
I know I said it would “likely” be launched 2 weeks ago (in hindsight that was wildly ambitious lol), but, we’re currently finishing up (aka the emails between my website developer and me now include phrases like “final steps” and “it should be good to go”). But now, I need your help!!
I’ve shared so many random recipes in the past year and I only wrote down dessert jar content, so as of now….I guess this would make me a dessert blogger???????
Considering the majority of recipes I’ve shared on the internet are savory, rather than sweet, the irony is pretty hilarious.
Jokes aside, I would love your input on what recipes I should go back and write out, take pictures of, and publish on my website. I have a few of my personal favorites that will make their way to the website, but considering this website is for you (and not me), I’d love to know what you saw, liked, tried, enjoyed, etc.
Obviously, recipe collections are very much a long-term project and take years to grow, but I would like to start this website off with at least 30ish diverse recipes. From there, I hope to share at least 3-4 recipes per week (156 per year!!!).
ANYWAY, all suggestions for what to test again/write/photograph/share are greatly appreciated by yours truly. <3
Now for the substance of HH…
chili-stuffed peppers
It’s easier than pie.
When you have leftover chili on hand (whenever I make chili we always seem to have leftovers, so I hope I’m not the only one *fingers crossed*), get yourself 2-4 bell peppers, take off their tops, remove their seeds, fill them with that leftover chili, top with cornbread batter, and bake.
You can grab some “just-add-water” cornbread mix at the store OR make this ultra-easy cornbread recipe at home:
Cornbread:
Ingredients
• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/2 cup flour
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1/4 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp buttermilk
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted
• 1-2 tbsp water
Preparation:
Preheat your oven to 375ºF
In a large bowl, combine all dry ingredients and whisk until well combined
In a separate bowl whisk together egg, buttermilk, and melted butter. Add to dry mixture and whisk together until a pasty batter forms. Slowly stream in 2 tbsp of water, while whisking, until the batter slightly loosens up
Top chili-stuffed peppers with cornbread batter and bake stuffed peppers for around 30-35 minutes or until the tops are slightly golden
If you’ve been a subscriber to this newsletter for a month, you’re probably aware of my adoration for Costco. $1.50 hot dogs, $5 rotisserie chicken, 24 eggs for $5. I mean, what’s not to love?????? Plus, one of my all-time favorite quotes comes from their founder (below):
“If you raise the [price of the] effing hot dog, I will kill you. Figure it out.” - Jim Sinegal, Founder of Costco
As someone who also loves all things business (I was a business major in college, woop woop), I recently learned that the majority of Costco’s profit comes from their membership fees, which accounted for $4.2 billion of their $5.8 billion profit last year.
Insanely cool, right?
Momofuku Hot Honey
We’re just going to cut right to the chase - it’s a 10 out of 10. It’s texturally perfect in addition to being flavorful and spicy. I highly recommend it if you love hot honey with flavor and crunch.
I got my boyfriend on the Cava train literally days before we moved out of Arizona, and sadly we no longer live near one. Kind of cruel of me, I know.
That said, I had to make it up to him by finding a Mediterranean place in Sacramento that had most of what he was looking for - tzatziki, hummus, spicy feta, flavorful rice, and delicious meat.
I found it. Meet Petra Greek.
I got the chicken souvlaki - LOVED it. He got the chicken gyro - he LOVED it. We shared the triple dip plate (included hummus, tzatziki, and spicy feta w/ pita, of course) - we LOVED it.
If you’re in Sac, you won’t miss Cava. Trust. (jk I would definitely still love to live near a Cava bc Cava isn’t Mediterranean food in the way that Chipotle isn’t Mexican food, ufeelme?)
I’m just going to preface this by admitting that I’m very bad at responding to comments and reading my DMs - I stopped being as responsive after the seasoning police debacle (I had honestly never seen so many hate comments in my life until those couple of weeks and it scarred me lol).
BUT, I do still see the very kind messages you all leave me in my comments and it makes all of this so much more worth it.
There are a few of you who have messaged me or commented something alluding to this newsletter, and as someone who hates self-promoting content (like this newsletter), it makes my entire week when you mention it. So, thank you so much - I SEE YOU 💛
Anyway, I hope you all enjoy this weekend - you deserve it!
Here’s a sneak peek of what I’m planning on sharing next week via social media…
another dish breakdown
pumpkin spice desserts (because I’m actually a dessert blogger, remember?)
sourdough focaccia (that requires no kneading)
and more!!!
HAPPY FRIDAY HAPPY HOUR!
💛,
Zoe
i make your corn orzo recipe all the time!! would love to see a more "official" recipe on the website :))
The seasoning police debacle. lmao. Please embrace the meme and make the most out of it.