Taco Tuesday at Taqueria Feliz

Last night Jordan and I ventured down to Main Street Manayunk to celebrate Taco Tuesday at the newly opened Taqueria Feliz. The guacamole was to die for...

...and the blood orange Feliz Margarita was the best margarita I've ever had. No lie.

The pork carnitas tacos were a deliciously unexpected take on one of my favorites, pulled pork. 

I definitely have a new favorite Mexican restaurant, and I'm looking forward to taste-testing the other margaritas on their menu!

Homemade Mediterranean Dip

This dip speaks for itself. Words simply cannot describe how delicious it is. So I won't even try. 

Get the recipe here.

StrEAT Food Festival

I remember racing down the street as a kid chasing the ice cream truck and the tune of "Pop Goes the Weasel". I'm not sure whose idea it was to move beyond ice cream and begin to sell everything from cupcakes to Korean barbecue off of the side of trucks, but they're a genius! This past Saturday I wandered down to Main Street Manayunk to check out the StrEAT Food Festival and taste the fare from some of Philly's most popular food trucks. They certainly didn't disappoint! 

{photo via Manayunk.com}

Homemade Pumpkin Spice Donut Holes

I'm on a pumpkin kick (aren't you?!) and was instantly smitten when I stumbled across this recipe on Pinterest. These donut holes are out of this world!

S'more Summer, Please

{S'more via Dustjacket}

Labor Day Weekend is practically upon us, and, although I'm looking forward to the long weekend, the holiday always serves as a sad reminder that summer is over. Celebrate the last weekend of summer with a s'more, and dare to try a variation on the classic summer treat.

{S'mores Cookie Bars via Lovin' From The Oven}

{Raspberry S'mores via Real Simple}

{S'mores Cupcakes via Bakers Royale}

{S'mores Fudge Bars via Handle the Heat}

{S'mores Tarts via Cupcakes & Cashmere}

Homemade Peach Cardamom Crumble

I love fruit in my dessert. When I go out to eat, if there's a lemon raspberry tart on the menu, I'm all over it. 

I've tried many variations of peach crisp, but this recipe just jumped to the top of my list. I used yellow peaches instead of white peaches as the recipe calls for, but it was delicious all the same. The crumbly topping includes oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and one special ingredient: cardamom. The warm, wintery taste of cardamom mixed with the sweet, summery peaches is unexpected and delicious. I like to think of the flavor combination as Christmas in July! 

DIY Cheese Board

If you follow me on Instagram then you already know that I love a good cheese board.

Cheese boards at (clockwise from top left): Garces Trading Company, Triumph Brewing Company, Point Brugge Café, Varga Bar

I was recently inspired to try my hand at creating my own cheese board. Keeping in mind that the best cheese boards include a variety of flavors and textures, I opted for the following:

Brie

Goat gouda

Dubliner cheese

French bread

Homemade orange-infused honey

Fig jam

Homemade Orange-Infused Honey

I'm a lover of all things sweet, and honey is no exception. The delicious blend of sweet and citrusy flavors makes this orange-infused honey perfect for summertime.

Orange-Infused Honey

1/2 cup honey

zest of 1/2 orange, cut in strips

Place the honey and orange zest in the bowl of a double boiler. Bring the water to a boil and let the mixture sit on the heat for 10 minutes. Then remove the bowl from the heat and let sit for another 10 minutes. Strain the honey into a jar and enjoy!

Valentine Sugar Cookies with Raspberry Buttercream Icing

When your birthday is in February like mine, it's only natural that some of your favorite birthday treats have a Valentine's Day theme. When I was in elementary school my mom used to bake heart shaped sugar cookie sandwiches with pink buttercream icing and send them to school as a birthday treat for my class. These cookies have become a Valentine's Day tradition, and I love them just as much now as I did as a little girl.

Classic Sugar Cookie

2 1/4 c flour

1/2 c sugar

1/2 c confectioner's sugar

1/8 tsp baking soda

1/8 tsp cream of tartar

1/2 tsp salt

12 1/2 T unsalted butter

1 egg

1 T vanilla extract

Place the flour, sugars, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt in a food processor and process just until mixed.

Cut the butter into small pieces and distribute over the flour mixture.  Process until the dough resembles coarse meal (about 30 seconds).

Stir the egg and vanilla together in a cup.  With the processor running, pour the egg mixture through the feed tube and process until the dough comes together (about 30 seconds).

Remove the dough from the processor, place it on a work surface, and knead it for several seconds.

Roll dough to 1/8 inch thickness. Cut heart shaped cookies with cookie cutters and place dough on a cookie sheet. Sprinkle sugar over cookies and bake for 8 minutes at 375 degrees.

Let cookies cool on wire rack. Once cookies are cool, make icing.

Raspberry Buttercream Icing

1/4 c shortening

1/4 c butter

1/2 tsp vanilla

2 c confectioner's sugar

1T milk

1 T seedless raspberry jam

In the bowl of a mixer, cream butter and shortening. Add vanilla.

Add sugar slowly, one cup at a time, beating well on medium speed. Scrape bowl often.

Add milk and beat at high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in raspberry jam.

Spread icing onto cookies to make sandwiches.

Makes approximately 16 sandwich cookies.