Truth be told, I have so many favorite desserts these days that I’d temporarily put the always delicious and easy-to-make grasshopper pie on the back burner. But when I was coming up with ideas for this month’s Sugar & Cloth post, I knew it was time to revisit my old friend. But with a little bit of an update. Enter this no-churn grasshopper pie ice cream recipe. It tastes exactly like grasshopper pie, but in ice cream form, and dare I say, it’s even easier to make than the actual pie. Needless to say this ice cream recipe, which you can find on Sugar & Cloth today,  is giving the OG grasshopper pie a run for it’s money.

The post No-Churn Grasshopper Pie Ice Cream appeared first on Runway Chef.

Speaking of things I’m behind on, would you believe me if I told you I hadn’t even eaten shakshuka until more recently??! Like two years, recently, but still… I had no idea the goodness I was missing out on!

One of my favorite parts of making shakshuka is how customizable it is, from the sauce you cook the eggs in to the herbs you top it with to the bread you serve it with. And while this recipe makes just two mini servings, you can easily double or triple it to serve a crowd.

I’m certainly not giving up my eggs benedict anytime soon, but it’s definitely nice to switch it up every once in a while, especially to something that’s as healthy, fresh and flavorful as shakshuka is.

Happy brunching!

MINI SHAKSHUKAS (Serves 2)

INGREDIENTS

Sauce

3 tablespoons olive oil

½ a medium sized onion, diced

½ a jalapeno, diced

3 cloves garlic, diced

1 14.5-ounces diced tomatoes

2 tablespoons tomato paste

1 teaspoon cumin

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon zataar

Pita Crisps

2 full pitas, cut into small pieces

1 teaspoon sesame oil

¼ teaspoon za’atar

Salt

Shakshuka

2 eggs

¼ cup feta cheese

Fresh parsley, salt, za’atar, sesame seeds and/or sesame oil, for garnishing

Set a large skillet or pot over a burner turned to medium-high, add the olive oil and allow to heat for a few minutes. Toss in the onions and sauté until they’re translucent, about 5-7 minutes. Then stir in the jalapeno and garlic and continue sautéing for 2-3 more minutes.

Once the vegetables have browned, add in the remaining sauce ingredients. Stir to combine, turn the heat down to low, partially cover the pan with a lid, and allow the sauce to simmer for 30-60 minutes (the longer it cooks the better the flavor gets), making sure to stir occasionally.

About 15 minutes before you’re ready to assemble the shakshuka, make the pita crisps. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Spread the pita pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet. Drizzle with sesame oil and season with za’atar and salt. Bake for 7-10 minutes, or until the edges turn golden brown. Remove and set aside.

Keep the oven at 400 degrees while you assemble the shakshuka. Divide the sauce equally between 2 large ramekins (or mini pots, cast iron skillets, etc). Use the back of a spoon to gently press some of the sauce away from the center and up the sides, forming a “hole” for the egg. Crack an egg into each indentation, then sprinkle each dish with half of the feta cheese. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the feta has turned golden brown, the egg whites are firm and the yolks are cooked to your liking (baking time will depend on your oven and baking dish).

Drizzle with a little sesame oil, garnish with herbs/seasonings of your choice and serve immediately with plenty of pita crisps on the side.

The post Mini Shakshuka for Two appeared first on Runway Chef.

If you’ve looked at a calendar, read an article, been on social media, heck, even talked to a friend, there seems to be running theme- summer is almost over. But as the saying goes, it ain’t over til it’s over. And guys, have you actually looked at a calendar??!? Summer isn’t officially over until September 22nd. Yes, as in over-a-month-away September 22nd. So as far as I’m concerned, there’s still a whole lot of summer left to live and that’s just what I plan to do.

These photos are from this past weekend when we enjoyed a perfect summer day at the beach. We brought a picnic, lounged in the sun, took in an epic sunset and even had a special guest (The cutest little fox!!).  By far one of the best days I’ve had so far this season and a perfect reminder of why I’m not in an hurry to rush into fall.

Here’s a few more ways to enjoy the last of summer…

Schedule More Summer Fun // Plan for fall, but keep your current schedule focused on summer by putting pool or beach days on your calendar, making plans with friends for things done outdoors (think rooftop happy hours, mini golf, picnic, etc), or even grabbing a good ol’ fashioned ice cream cone after dinner.

Get a New Bathing Suit // This may seem counterintuitive when everyone is talking about fall fashion, but trust me, nothing will make you want to hang on to summer faster than a new swimsuit. Lilly & Lime recently sent me a few of their bikinis and I am straight up obsessed. They’re incredibly comfortable, well made, the price point is, well, on point (like under $100), and, the best part, they have sizes for all us girls who normally struggle to find bikini tops (heck, even just swimsuits in general) that actually fit. They come in all kinds of fun colors, prints and styles, you can mix and match the pieces, and on some of the tops (like the one I’m wearing) you both adjust the straps or completely take them off for a strapless option. Needless to say, I’m obsessed (in case that wasn’t obvious).

Eat All the Summer Foods // Think fresh salads, lots of seafood, allllll the peaches and plums, grilled foods, and, obviously, lots of ice cream.

Grab a Few More Beach Reads // You know those cheesy books, where the pages go by in a breeze and you got lost in some frivolous fairytale, momentarily forgetting the troubles of the world? Yeah, those books. Read a few more of those before fall.

Take One Last Getaway // Whether it’s a weekend or a week, August is the perfect time for one more rosé filled, relaxing beachside escape. It doesn’t even have to be something new, far or extravagant. The point is to relax and soak up the last of summer.

The post 5 Ways I’m Enjoying the Last of Summer appeared first on Runway Chef.

If you want to know why I haven’t been blogging as much….

Instagram life does not equal real life. It’s been said over and over again. We get it. We know. But, do we really? As much as we acknowledge that everyone else’s perfectly curated squares are hiding the reality of life, just how our own perfectly curated feeds are hiding our own mess, at the end of the day, Instagram is a mask, one that many are afraid to remove.

What started as a platform for people to share their unique and individual works and connect with others, has turned into a never ending hodge podge of marble table tops, coffee cups and comment pods. It’s inauthentic, exhausting and, quite frankly, I’m over it.

Despite all that, I just can’t shake the connections I’ve made on the platform. From the individuals that have become friends, to the businesses that have become clients and the people I’ve met in foreign countries that I’ve never even visited, it’s truly amazing. While many have gotten caught up in the algorithm and the issues with this service and that service, I’ve instead chosen to take a step back and focus on the positive. The community, the ability to share unique work or a unique point of view, the opportunity to keep things real.

Of course, I’m the first to say that Instagram life is not my real life. But what does that really mean? What is my real life? I tell you that my real life might be having some problems, but like champagne problems or actual problems? You wouldn’t know, because I don’t share. Saying Instagram life isn’t real life is just as much a mask as Instagram itself is. What good does it do to say it’s not real life but then not actually share real life? Maybe we don’t share because we’re embarrassed, or scared, or afraid of what others will think, or that we will be judged. We all have our struggles, many of us have the same struggles, and yet, this day and age of social media oversharing has made us think we must continue pretending to each other that our lives our perfect.

Today, I’m going to try to break that cycle. Not to get attention, but to legitimately actually try to break the cycle, maybe to help someone else know they aren’t alone, to connect on something besides the newest color of lipstick for fall, to be real. After all, isn’t that how this whole blogging thing started? To be different, real, relatable, instantaneous?

So, in the spirit of keeping it real….

Many of you probably noticed my lack of blog posts over the past few months, and while I’d like to say it was just because I got buried in work and redoing my site, that’s really only a small part of the story. The real story is that I am burnt the F out. Like I’ve been burnt out before but this burn out is on a different level, one that I didn’t even know was possible, one I didn’t know how to deal with. My body hurts at all times, I’ve probably had more panic attacks/mental breakdowns than someone in a mental institute, no matter how much I sleep I’m always tired and making it out anywhere (for friends, fun or work) has become a process that I want nothing to do with.

Yes, work has absolutely taken over my life (Beyond grateful for the work, not grateful for the lack of work-life balance.) and I need an assistant and office space like yesterday. Yes, redesigning my site has turned into a total rebranding project which has turned into redoing my entire (poorly built) business structure which has turned into more months of work than I ever planned on. But that’s not all.

I haven’t shared the details yet (I promise I will be in just a few weeks!) but we’ve also been spending the last few months preparing for a major life change (It’s probably not what you think it is…). It’s scary, exhausting, expensive and there are many unknowns. To say I’m freaked the F out would be a major understatement.

Moving right along in the things you aren’t going to see on Instagram, are a few family issues. I don’t want to get into all the details (out of respect for their privacy), but one thing I can share is that many of my family relationships have been strained and, in some cases, non-existent. I come from a background where my family struggled financially, my father was hardly present in my life (I can’t tell you the last time I saw him or spoke to him), there have been a series of unexpected deaths, and a sister who was once my best friend became a complete stranger (She and I are finally getting our relationship back on track, though, and I couldn’t be happier about it!). Many of these issues have left scars so deep that even after all this time, I can’t seem to get them to heal. Some of the time I forget those scars are there. Much of the time I proudly wear those scars as badges of honor for the struggles I have made it through. But every once in a while, they become open wounds again. These past few months have been one of those times.

Last but not least, is the hardest for me to share. Many of you know and love Mr. RC almost as much as I do….which makes it even harder for me to say what I’m about to say and why I kept it hidden for so long. Earlier this year, he and I almost went our separate ways. I don’t want to share the full details, but something I once never thought possible, divorce, became a very serious reality for us. I didn’t have it in me to continue putting on a front like everything was ok when it so was not, so instead I just retreated into client work, putting forth only the absolutely necessary minimal effort on everything else.

Today, we’re better. But in the spirit of realness, things aren’t back to being all peachy keen. He is still the most supportive of everything I do here and with my work, we absolutely respect and love each other, but as for our relationship, we have work to do and a long ways to go. I absolutely cannot recommend therapy enough. It amazes me how many people laugh at the idea of seeing a therapist, but it’s been one of the best things I/we have ever done.

Our therapist also gave us a very important reminder that I think is prevalent to this post about life and also for so many people to remember in so many situations. Just because we’re adults, doesn’t mean we stop growing and changing. Our interests change, our needs become different, we learn new things, our hobbies aren’t what they once were, and yet, somehow, we don’t necessarily adapt or even acknowledge these things. You can’t be the same person from 22 until the day you die and that’s ok. Realize it and adjust accordingly, in relationships, in work, in life.

If you’ve made it this far, a) you should probably get another hobby (I’m kidding, of course!) but also, b) thank you. Seriously. I appreciate you reading through more than you know. In fact, if you’re even reading my blog at all still, after all these months of almost no posts, I can not say thank you enough for sticking it out. I promise I’m coming back with better content than ever before and I can not wait to show you all the new design (It’s going to be EPIC!). Plus, I may or may not have some giveaways lined up to celebrate!

While I could have kept this post short and sweet, sharing a standard “life got busy, I’m sorry I stopped blogging” type of post (which I’ve certainly done in the past), it just didn’t feel right. I don’t want to pretend just for a few more likes. I don’t want to do what everyone else is doing just because it’s what I “should be doing”. Let’s be real, I’ve never been one to do what every one else is doing anyways, so why stop now? I know plenty of people will think it’s weird how much I’ve shared, or will think I’m doing it just for attention and will say nasty things or unfollow me. Please, by all means, go right ahead. All’s I’m really trying to do is break the cycle, take the mask off, keep it real, connect with others, bring it back to the what blogging was and should be. Authentic, unique, approachable, real. I look forward to sharing more of this and less of that other stuff on my new site oh so very soon.

Now, let’s discuss. I’d love to know your thoughts. Have you gone through or are going through something similar or even any struggle that you’re scared to share publicly for fear of how others might react? What are your feelings on the current state of Instagram, influencing and all bloggers posting them same sh*t? Let’s connect and chat more about it below, and even more importantly, let’s all do a better job to remember Instagram/blog life isn’t real life, we never know what someone else is going through and why they may be acting a certain way, and the best we can do for each other is to be kind and loving, no matter what.

P.S. I’ll be sharing a post very soon on some of the things I did to get through this burnt out/difficult stage, but if there’s anything in particular that you guys would love to hear more about or would like to connect further on (Maybe what else I learned from therapy or what has helped our relationship besides therapy), please don’t hesitate to let me know.

The post Keeping it Real appeared first on Runway Chef.

This post has been sponsored by Finlandia. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Must be 21 or older to consume alcohol. Please drink responsibly.

Good company with good cocktails are a tough combination to beat in the summertime. It’s a relaxing, fun way to enjoy time with friends and since it only requires a few snacks and beverages, it’s also a pretty low-key gathering, too, aka the only kind of gathering you want to have in the summertime.

Both lemonade and iced tea are classic summer drinks I can’t get enough of. Since I seem to always have endless supplies of them on hand, it should come as no surprise that one or both are a constant in all my summer cocktails. Another constant in my summer cocktail repertoire is Finlandia Vodka. Finlandia Vodka is the un-substitutable ingredient in my cocktail creations with its crisp blend of pure glacier spring water and six-row barley. This spiked berry-lavender iced tea cocktail I recently made using it, is sweet, refreshing and (despite how fancy it sounds) it’s actually quite simple to make. In fact, it requires a mere 4 ingredients- mixed berries, Finlandia Vodka, lavender simple syrup and iced tea- to make. The only catch? Making sure you brew your tea in advance and preparing the lavender simple syrup with enough time to allow it to cool. Ok, and maybe not eating all the berries, too

While this cocktail itself is simple, there’s still plenty of fancy ways to serve it. But don’t be fooled by my use of the word fancy. Though these serving ideas might sound complex, they’re still just as simple as the drink recipe itself. With one simple recipe and a variety of ways to serve it, you can really elevate your gathering and keep things fresh and exciting without the work of making multiple cocktails. Read on for the berry lavender spiked iced tea recipe and details on each serving idea, plus peep the video for a step-by-step on making the cocktail.

Berry Lavender Spiked Iced Tea
(For a pitcher)
4 ounces Finlandia Vodka
8 ounces lavender simple syrup (see recipe below)
1 cup mixed berries (fresh or frozen and unthawed)
28 ounces iced tea (you can use any flavor you like, but I prefer a berry one) 

Add berries to a pitcher and muddle into a thick pulp. Then add the vodka and simple syrup and stir to combine. Serve chilled, over ice. 

Lavender Simple Syrup
2 cups sugar
2 cups water
1/8 cup dried lavender

In a medium-sized saucepan, stir together the sugar and water and place on a burner set to medium heat. Add in the dried lavender and continue stirring for approximately 10 to 15 minutes, or until the sugar has completely dissolved into the water and the mixture appears translucent. Remove from the heat and allow to cool. Store in an air tight jar or container in the refrigerator for up to 6 weeks.

Mini Watermelon // This is a quintessentially fun summer way to serve a drink and a great way to share a cocktail with friends. No glasses are needed, making clean-up super easy and the extra fruit doesn’t hurt, either, right?!  I’d recommend serving this at a bbq or picnic, aka somewhere that it can be placed in the center of the table and easily shared.

What You Need: a mini watermelon, extra long straws, lemon slices, fresh mint

How to Do It: Slice the top off of the watermelon, then scoop out the inside, making sure to leave at least a few inches on the bottom (to prevent anything from leaking out). Side note: this can be done in advance, then covered in plastic wrap and stored in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

To Serve: Fill with chilled spiked iced tea, add in a few lemon slices, garnish with lots of fresh mint and add in a straw for each person you’ll be sharing the drink with.

Fruit & Citrus Skewers // Citrus twists make everything, even a glass of water, look high end, at least in my opinion, but they couldn’t be easier to make! Pair them with berries and you’ve got yourself one snazzy little drink skewer in no time. Pro tip: these can be made ahead of time (so feel free to make a big bowl of them), then when it comes time for serving, set the bowl out along with the pitcher of tea, glasses and a container of mint and let everyone garnish their own drink.

What You Need: lemon twists, strawberries, halved, fresh mint, mini skewers

How to Do It: Simply add a lemon twist and a strawberry half to a skewer. Fill a glass with ice, pour in the iced tea, add a generous sprig of fresh mint and garnish with the skewer.

Mini Flower Bouquet Garnishes // These whimsical garnishes aren’t for everyone but they’re certainly one of my favorites and they’re especially perfect for a ladies luncheon or an afternoon picnic. With so many types of flowers to choose from, this is another garnish with an endless array of variations. It’s also another great DIY one, if you just so happen to want your guest to get involved.

What You Need: flowers, twine, straws

How to Do It: Cut the twine three times the width of the jar. Select your flowers (I recommend 3-4 types) and trim them down so that the stems are only about 3-4” long. Wrap your twine completely around the mouth of the jar once, and tightly tie your mini bouquet to the side of the jar. Trim the ends of the stem and twine, then fill with ice, spiked tea and add in a straw.

Note: the glasses can be decorated ahead of time, just fill with the ice and drink right before serving.

Homemade Popsicles // Adding a popsicle to a cocktail is nothing new, but it’s still one of my favorite ways to enjoy a drink in the summer. I mean, who doesn’t want something icy cool in the summer heat? Plus, with a variety of flavors, it allows everyone to customize their cocktail how they choose. I took inspiration from another favorite summer drink, the Arnold Palmer, and made peach lemonade and strawberry lemonade popsicles, but you can really use any juice you choose. You can even add in berries, mint or other flavors for truly unique options. And yes, you can 100% use store-bought popsicles, but when homemade ones are so easy to make (and taste so much better) why would you want to use anything else?!

What you Need: Juice of your choice, popsicle maker, mint or lemon twists

How to Do It: Fill your popsicle maker with juice, add in popsicle sticks and freeze at least 12 hours, or preferably overnight.

To Serve: Fill a glass with iced tea, garnish with mint or lemon twists (if desired) and add a popsicle right before serving.

The post Spiked Berry Lavender Iced Tea (+ 4 Ways to Serve Summer Cocktails) appeared first on Runway Chef.