heirloom tomato & blackberry crostinis + $25 giveaway

Last week, I treated myself to an early Father’s Day gift (no, I’m not a father, yet, so goes my rational). And, I didn't even need to spend much time searching cause I knew exactly what I wanted was on UncommonGoods dot to the com. I literally ordered myself some socks and rocks (I’m not even joking), plus two soapstone appetizer platters and a shot glass set. Then I realized. What am I going to do with two (two!) soapstone appetizer platters and a soapstone shot glass set? I can’t even drink yet! Then I realized. What can’t I do with two soapstone appetizer platters and a shot glass set! I even rationalized my buying a "hiding-place rock" for top secret recipes (more on that later). This Father’s Day, treat dad to this beautiful Heirloom Tomato & Blackberry Crostini that's rich, refreshing, and so easy. And, don’t think I’m just writing this post to brag to y’all about my new haul. Keep reading below to learn how you can win a fresh-off-the-printing-press $25 UncommonGoods gift card (I haven’t forgot about y’all, my fellow incorrigible shopaholics)!

This post is divided into two sections: 1) Heirloom Tomato & Blackberry Crostini, and 2) $25 UncommonGoods Giveaway. Peppered throughout are my reviews of the four uncommon goods I got from UncommonGoods. You can check out the exact items I bought here. 

easy steak gyros + homemade pita

I saw a hilarious Arby's commercial where the company was promoting their new gyros, and the narrator pronounces gryos six different ways (euro, jiro, guyro) before giving up, calling them Mediterranean tacos! So, I thought I'd share with you my own Mediterranean tacos that, are not only cheaper and healthier (check out this wonderfully-detailed article about the benefits of eating steak) than Arby's, but are ten-times tastier. As summer peaks around the corner, you're going to want this recipe in your arsenal for those sunny beach day picnics. I'll show you how to make everything you see in the picture: the pita, the steak, and the tzatziki. Let's get started!

5 pro tips when making homemade pasta

Whether you call it pasta or noodles, doing it fresh not only tastes better, but it's healthier for you. Once you know how quick and simple it is to make your own pasta, you’ll be ashamed you ever bought the store-variety. With just four ingredients and 20 minutes, you can whip up a truly home-cooked meal that is sure to impress the guests and show them who the real foodie is.

peanut butter raisin oat cookies

Peanut Butter Cookie fans and Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Fans rejoice, for tonight we settle our differences and come together for the holidays. I know, lately tensions have been running high between our cults, but if anything can bring peace to our warring sides it is this cookie. 

Creamy peanut buttery, chewy raisin oatliciousness, this cookie is not only flavor packed, but texturally symphonetical—made up a whole bushel of words in that sentence. But miracles happen when cookies like this enter our hearts. Enough dawdling, let's get on with the recipe. 

thanksgiving sour cream biscuits

If you're reading this post, you're one of two people: (1) Thanksgiving just passed and you're trying to see how long you can last before the food coma takes you too, or (2) you're panicking because Thanksgiving is tomorrow and you just remembered that mother-in-law Margaret only comes to Thanksgiving dinner for the biscuits! Whether you're the former or the latter, these super easy biscuits can solve your problems. Did I mention they only take 5 minutes (of effort) to make!

Take a quick look at the picture of me in the left sidebar. No matter how strong your astigmatism is, I am definitely not the face of an expert biscuit maker. Nor do my parents look like expert biscuit makers (picture me...thirty years older). The fact is, Chinese people are not expert biscuit makers, nor are they even that fond of eating biscuits. If any person was as unqualified as I was to show you how to make a biscuit, it would be a babbling two-year old. Nevertheless, there in that statements lies my point. If I can make these damn good lookin' biscuits, you can definitely make them...and they'll probably turn out even better than mine. 

strawberry (and cherry) cheesecake parfaits

Officially the summer months are coming to an end as companies reintroduce pumpkin spiced everything and Halloween décor to the masses. These transition times usually lend me to a certain shortsighted nostalgia. I think about all of the fun things that I’m going to miss as one season lay rest to a new. As summer ends and fall takes over, a part of me cannot let go of the sun soaked memories and meals that summer brought. If my wimpy frou frou nostalgia shpeal isn’t reason enough for you to try this recipe, let me remind you that you still have a 30 quart Ziploc bag full of strawberries in your freezer that you need to get to before freezer burn does. Let’s celebrate the beginning of autumn with this blast-from-recent past summer treat: Strawberry (and Black Cherry) Cheesecake Parfaits. 

virgin mango bellinis + basil

For the entire week I have procrastinated writing this post because I wondered whether it was really necessary to write down a recipe that has only 3 ingredients, and even less steps (and I was being lazy). Making these bellinis was so easy that I'm pondering whether I should change this blog to an only bellinis blog. I mean, the alliteration is right there. 

Truthfully, if there weren't any laws mandating that children under 21 can't drink, these bellinis would be totally non-virgin. But, laws and regulations and stuff. What can you do.

scrambled eggs and tomato | a childhood favorite

Those of you who have scoured cookbooks and websites in search of a quick and easy recipe for the weekdays and nights, exposing yourself to computer viruses whilst scraping the dark underbelly of the internet, scour no more. Often times the best things in life are the simplest, case and point, the humble scrambled eggs and tomato. After reading the comments you guys left me on my social media (links in the sidebar), I learned that many of you also grew up eating this dish. Some of you suggested adding onions while others emphatically yelled "witchcraft" from their rooftops. While suggestions are encouraged they aren't necessary because today we're sticking with the crowd-pleaser. Passed on to my momma from her dad and generations before him, this dish needs no accoutrements or augmentations. Remember, the simplest things are often the best. 

While I'll admit it was difficult to shoot this dish because of it's somewhat brain-like features, the poorly taken photography in no way degrades the deliciousness of the recipe. Because this is so easy to make and can be achieved with only basic refrigerator staples, this is a dish you can prepare whenever you want in whatever mental state you're in. On a completely unrelated note, this is the perfect hangover food. I know this not by experience so one need not call the Center for Underaged Drinking. My point is nostalgia can be had by you whenever you'd like in less than five minutes. Cheers!