Breakfast in bed is a birthday tradition in our house, and I recommend everyone start this tradition! Last year Alex whipped up his own version of mini frittatas and I was very impressed. I love the light airy texture of frittatas and these mini frittatas make serving a crowd effortless. This recipe can easily be altered with different meats, vegetables, and cheeses. I have also tried a version with bacon and sharp cheddar, but nothing beats the lightness of turkey breakfast sausage. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print Mini Frittatas Recipe. 

5 eggs

1/4 cup milk

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon paprika

1 shallot, chopped finely

1/2 cup mushrooms, chopped finely

1/2 pound turkey breakfast sausage

1/2 cup Asiago cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350 degrees and grease 12 muffin tins, set muffin tins aside. Whisk eggs, milk, salt, pepper, and paprika until well combined. Pour egg mixture evenly into the prepared muffin tins. In an oiled skillet, sautee the chopped shallot and mushrooms until tender. Add turkey sausage to the skillet and cook until browned. Evenly spoon sausage mixture into each muffin tin on top of the egg mixture. Top each muffin tin with a pinch of shredded Asiago cheese. Bake for 16-18 minutes until tops are slightly browned. Best served warm.

Looking for more breakfast recipes? Check out my posts here:

Breakfast Casserole

Avocado Toast Four Ways

Banana Bread

Sausage Balls

Sour Cream Coffee Cake

Dark chocolate is no doubt my favorite dessert, especially when paired with the creamy flavor and crunch of hazelnuts. This dark chocolate ganache nut tart is not only a total crowd-pleaser but also very simple to make. I used walnuts and hazelnuts for the crust, but I have made this tart with a crust of walnut, hazelnut, and pistachio that was equally delicious. The shaved nuts on top can also be replaced with a sprinkle of sea salt, but I prefer the dark chocolate taste instead of the sharp sea salt. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print Dark Chocolate Ganache Nut Tart Recipe. 

4 Tbsp. unsalted butter, melted, plus more room temperature for pan

2½ cups mixed raw nuts (such as walnuts, blanched hazelnuts, pistachios, and/or almonds)

¾ tsp. kosher salt

12 oz. dark chocolate (70% or more), chopped

1 ½ cups heavy cream – maybe 1 and ¼

5 Tbsp. unsalted butter, room temperature, cut into 1″ pieces

Lightly butter tart pan with removable bottom; line with a round of parchment paper cut to fit just inside the pan. Pulse nuts in a food processor until finely chopped. Add salt and melted butter, and pulse until nuts begin to clump together and the mixture looks sandy. Evenly press mixture into bottom and up sides of the pan. Bake crust at 350 degrees until golden brown, 20–25 minutes. Let cool.

In a heat-proof bowl, add chopped chocolate and top with pieces of butter. Heat cream in a small saucepan until just beginning to simmer; immediately pour over chocolate and butter. Let sit, undisturbed, for 5 minutes. Whisk chocolate until smooth and glossy. Pour ganache into the crust and smooth out any bubbles. Chill, until set, at least 1 hour. Remove tart from pan; sprinkle shaved nuts on top. Slice into wedges with a hot knife.

This strawberry rhubarb pie is the perfect summer treat! It is tart with just a hint of sweetness and is best served chilled. I included my standard pie crust recipe below but doubled it so there is enough dough for the lattice on top. Do not skip over the note to fully let this pie chill. I know it smells amazing right out of the oven, but it has to have time to set properly or the filling will run everywhere. If you like sweeter desserts over tart desserts, I recommend adding an additional ¼ cup of light brown sugar to the filling. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print recipe for Strawberry Rhubarb Pie. 

Crust

Filling

1 ½ pounds rhubarb, cut into ½-inch pieces

2 pounds strawberries, hulled, halved, quartered if large

½ cup granulated sugar

¼ cup light brown sugar

5 tablespoons cornstarch

Pinch of kosher salt

1 large egg

1 tablespoon raw sugar

Preheat the oven to 425°. Let dough sit at room temperature for 5 minutes to soften. Working one at a time, roll out two disks on a lightly floured surface (about ⅛” thick). Carefully transfer 1 dough round to the pie dish (make sure it’s a deep pie dish). Lift edges and allow the dough to slump down into dish, trim, leaving about a 1″ overhang.

In a large bowl, add rhubarb, strawberries, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Mix well. Gently scrape filling into dough-filled pie dish.

Cut the remaining round of dough into ½-inch strips. Lay strips in a lattice pattern over the filling and crimp edge as desired. Beat egg with 1 tsp. water in a small bowl and lightly brush over top of the dough. Sprinkle with raw sugar.

Bake pie for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°. Continue to bake until crust is deep golden brown and juices are thick and bubbling, 60-75 minutes longer.

Transfer pie to a wire rack and let cool at least 4 hours before serving. Yes, it smells amazing, but if you don’t give it time to set up properly, the filling will be runny when you cut into it.

My favorite place to grab lunch while shopping is the Mermaid Bar at Neiman Marcus NorthPark. They offer the beloved salad trio, which includes their famous tuna salad. I tested multiple tuna salad recipes and quickly discovered that the water chestnuts make their tuna salad stand out. I love the crunch the water chestnuts add and it pairs so well with the tuna flavor. This recipe can be altered based on personal preference, I like to cut down the amount of mayonnaise and add more pecans. Enjoy! xoxo

Images via Alex Phillips.

Print Tuna Salad Recipe.

9 oz. chunk white albacore tuna in spring water, drained

1/2 cup finely diced celery

1/2 cup sliced water chestnuts, drained

1/2 cup mayonnaise

3/4 cup coarsely chopped pecan pieces

1 Tablespoon lemon juice

In a large bowl, lightly break up the tuna with a fork. Add the celery, water chestnuts, pecans, mayo, and lemon juice. Mix well to combine, and season to taste with salt and pepper. Store in the refrigerator for up to two days, but because the nuts can get soggy, it is best served immediately.

Mirrors // Sink Faucets // Shower Head // Handles // Vanity Mirror // Vanity Tray // Vanity Stool // Soap Dispenser // Waste Basket // Towel Hooks // Towel Ring // Toilet Paper Holder

It was always part of the plan to remodel our master bathroom and the pandemic seemed like the perfect time. Really, two years was two years too long for me to live with the tiny shower, green walls and giant jacuzzi tub. In late September I started talking to contractors and quickly decided that since I knew exactly what I wanted I could be my own contractor. I called our paint guy, who knew a tile guy, who knew a cabinet guy, who knew a glass guy and before I knew it I had a remodeling team. They were all fantastic to work with and they helped create exactly what I wanted. In less than a month they gutted the entire bathroom, moved pipes and plugs, retextured the walls, painted, tiled, installed cabinets and hung our mirrors. The downfall of remodeling in a pandemic was that our cabinet handles, towel ring, towel hooks and toilet paper holder were all on back order. The first week of March we finally received all the hardware we had ordered in October and can share our master bathroom before & after. I cannot share our beautiful new bathroom without thanking my father in law for helping me source the perfect tile. I also owe my dad and his friend Kevin for convincing me that I needed a full vanity and their great eye for design. Everything used in our bathroom is linked below and I am happy to pass long recommendations for who we used! xoxo

When I was in elementary school I received a cookbook for Christmas and the first recipe I learned was classic tomato sauce and pasta. I grew up making my own tomato sauce for years until Alex pointed out the unbelievable cheap and clean ingredient tomato sauce at Trader Joe’s. Eataly recently opened here in Dallas and I came home with pasta imported from Italy, which seemed deserving of homemade tomato sauce. Using my tweaked childhood recipe, I opened the can of Cento tomatoes and was blown away by the end result. I tested my same recipe multiple times with different tomatoes and tomato paste, coming to the conclusion that all tomatoes are not created equal. In the past I bought store-brand canned tomatoes, usually looking for the best price. While these tomatoes are a little more expensive, I cannot argue that Cento, Mutti, Pomi, San Merican, and San Marzano brands had the best flavor. I also found that the Mutti triple concentrate tomato paste made a huge difference in my classic tomato sauce recipe. Enjoy! xoxo

Photos via Alex Phillips.

Print Classic Tomato Sauce Recipe.

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 onion diced

3 cloves of garlic pressed

1 teaspoon red pepper

2 teaspoons Italian Seasoning (oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, onion, parsley, and sage)

3 tablespoons triple concentrate tomato paste

15oz crushed tomatoes

In a medium saucepan bring olive oil to a simmer over medium heat. Add onion and garlic, stirring occasionally, until tender. Add red pepper, Italian seasoning blend, and triple concentrate tomato paste, and stir until tomato paste is well distributed over onions and garlic. Add crushed tomatoes, cover, and simmer for 25-30 minutes. Serve warm over pasta and top with fresh parmesan cheese.

Tomato Sauce and Paste brands to try: Cento, Mutti, Pomi, San Merican and San Marzano

Italian Seasoning: Morton & Bassett has a nice blend of oregano, basil, thyme, rosemary, onion, parsley, and sage