I actually owe this recipe to my dad, who came up with this on the fly one night for dessert. These choco tacos have been a family favorite since and are so simple to make! I like to mix milk and dark chocolate in my choco tacos, but occasionally I add other flavors for a different filling. My favorite fillings include peanut butter (with chocolate), raspberries (with chocolate), blueberries, blackberries, coconut (with chocolate), and peaches. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print Choco Tacos Recipe

1 sheet Pepperidge Farm Puff Pastry (thawed)

1/2 cup chocolate chips (milk or dark)

1 egg

Once the puff pastry sheet is thawed (instructions on package), lay flat and cut the sheet into four even squares. Place about 3 tablespoons of chocolate chips in the center of each square. Fold the puff pastry diagonally over the chocolate chips to form a triangle. Crimp the edges of the puff pastry (I use a fork) and score the top of the pasty with a sharp knife. In a small bowl, whisk the egg and use a brush to apply egg wash to the top of the puff pastry. Bake at 375 degrees for 18-20 until flaky and golden. Best when served warm.

Meet Winston! If you follow along on Instagram, you know that Alex surprised me this Christmas with the sweetest Golden Retriever puppy! Since then, we have had a few accidents on my favorite West Elm rug, the backdoor is always covered in muddy paw prints and there are bones and toys all over the house. Okay, maybe he is not always sweet, but we have loved having a dog in the house. The second we picked up Winston my brain started running with a million questions. We always grew up with dogs but owning one on your own is a little scary. I am answering some of the questions we had going into life with a puppy!

Where is the best place to buy pet supplies? We have loved using Chewy to buy just about everything for Winston. Alex hit a Black Friday sale on Chewy before I even knew about Winston, and he ordered food, treats, toys, a kennel and a collar. Since then we have ordered heart worm prevention and more food through Chewy. It is so easy to price compare online and nothing beats having a heavy bag of dog food delivered right to your font door. Pro tip: don’t order multiple bags of dog food at once if you want to be able to pick the box up off your porch (speaking from experience).

How do I find a good vet? We asked friends, read reviews on NextDoor and online. We ended up taking Winston to CityVet at their Preston Park location, but they have locations all over Dallas. The staff is so friendly and Dr. Tucker is extremely knowledgable. He had some great tips to deal with a teething puppy and talked us through all the shots that we had the option to give Winston. We feel like Winston is in good hands and we are not being taken advantage of or up-sold.

What do I do with the dog while I am at work? One of the first things we did was kennel train Winston. When we leave for work he goes in his kennel for a few hours, and I am fortunate enough to be able to come home during the day to play with him. We have been looking a few daycare places but have not found one we love. We would like for him to be able to play with other dogs some days to release that puppy energy!

Should I have my dog trained? Some breeds are easier to train than others, and puppies are even easier to train. It took us about two weeks to get Winston comfortable in his kennel and house trained. I was not about to allow another stain on my rug so with enough praise and treats (and racing him outside), house training happened quickly. We used meal times as an opportunity to teach him sit and he has kind of learned shake. We still need to work on not jumping on people, walking on a leash and staying put. We have not taken Winston to any training classes, but are planning to take him.

I have linked some of my favorite dog accessories below and be sure to follow @sirwinstonphillips on Instagram to see more! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

A few months ago I shared my Toasted Brussels Sprouts recipe, which is perfect for the fall and winter months. Since spring is quickly approaching, I am sharing my Summer Brussels Sprouts recipe. This version of Brussels sprouts is a little lighter and the perfect base for a salad. With the help of Trader Joe’s (of course), it is super easy to whip up using their pre-shaved Brussels sprouts and sliced almonds. This side pairs well with chicken or fish, and I added my simple pesto salmon on top. I just top each piece of salmon with pesto, bake at 425 degrees for 12-16 minutes and boil for 2 minutes to finish. I have included the full recipe for Summer Brussels Sprouts below. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print Summer Brussels Sprouts Recipe

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

3 cups shaved Brussels sprouts

1 tablespoon lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon pepper

3/4 cup of sliced almonds

Heat olive oil in a skillet over medium heat, and add shaved Brussels sprouts. Toss with lemon juice, salt, and pepper. Add sliced almonds and cover, and let simmer until Brussels sprouts start to soften. Remove from heat and serve warm. Top with shaved parmesan cheese.

I get asked for my classic brownie recipe all the time, so I thought I would share it here. I used to be a “boxed brownie” girl and baked with the premade mix until I gave a Ghirardelli homemade recipe a try. This is my modified version of that recipe and it is so simple to make. I love the blend of dark and milk chocolate, but if the flavor is too rich, you can substitute for the Semi-Sweet Baking Bar and Baking Chips. I also love to add toasted pecans to the batter for a little extra crunch. Enjoy! xoxo

Print Classic Brownie Recipe

1/2 cup (1 stick) of butter, cut into pieces

4-ounce Ghirardelli Chocolate 60% or 70% Cacao Baking Bar

1 cup firmly packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 large eggs

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/4 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup Ghirardelli Milk Chocolate Baking Chips

Chop baking bar into pieces and melt with butter over medium heat, stirring continuously. Stir brown sugar and vanilla into the chocolate mixture. Remove from heat, add eggs and mix well.

In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to chocolate mixture, mixing until well blended. Stir in chocolate chips and pour batter into a greased 8-inch, square baking pan.

Bake for 25 to 28 minutes at 350 degrees. Let cool before cutting into squares.

Images via Alex Phillips.

Valentine’s Day is tomorrow! If you have a sweet tooth like me, these peanut butter heart cookies are the perfect way to celebrate. I love the peanut butter and chocolate combo and these Hershey’s hearts will literally melt in your mouth. You may have seen a similar version of these cookies with a Hershey’s Kiss, but with the hearts, you get some chocolate in every bite. These cookies are great for a girl’s night, to take to the office, or as a sweet treat after dinner. Enjoy and Happy Valentine’s Day! xoxo

Print Peanut Butter Heart Cookies Recipe

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 brown sugar

1/2 cup butter, softened

1/2 cup peanut butter

1 large egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon salt

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 cup sugar

1 bag of heart chocolates

Cream 1/2 cup sugar, brown sugar, butter, and peanut butter until fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, and salt, and mix well. Add flour and baking soda until thoroughly combined.

Roll dough into 1-inch balls and dip in 1/4 cup sugar. Place 2 inches apart on a parchment-lined cookie sheet.

Bake 8-10 minutes at 375 degrees. Remove from the oven and immediately press chocolate heart in the center of each cookie.

Images via Alex Phillips.

Today is National Pizza Day, and you don’t have to tell us twice to eat pizza! One of our favorite date nights is making homemade pizza and watching a movie at home. So, we might cheat a little on the “homemade” part because Trader Joe’s provides everything including the dough, but we do build and bake it ourselves! We really like the Trader Joe’s Garlic & Herb Pizza Dough, but Trader Joe’s also has a great cauliflower pizza crust in the frozen section (when Alex will let me buy it). We top our pizza with Trader Joe’s Marina Sauce and Light Mozzarella Cheese. We change up the other toppings depending on what we want, but this time we added pepperoni, sliced onion, spinach, parmesan cheese, and red pepper flakes! Enjoy celebrating with your own pizza! xoxo