Essentially Jackie

16
Jul
2014

USA Food Tour: Connecticut

This past Friday was Nick’s birthday. When I had asked him what he wanted to do he had said, “Why don’t we start your USA Food Tour and hit up one of the states?” I thought that was a great idea! I had come up with the idea a few weeks ago so I was eager to get the ball rolling. I mean, I do have 50 states to conquer so time is of the essence, right?

Since it was going to be a day trip we had to narrow the destinations accordingly. We had three options, but settled on Connecticut. Now, one would think that being that the entire southern part of the state borders the Long Island Sound, Connecticut would specialize in some form of seafood. Do not be fooled. Not very far into my research did I realize that pizza was indeed one of the foods that the Constitution State is known for. Silly me should have realized this before I started typing into Google. I mean, we’ve all heard of the 1988 film starring Julia Roberts based around the small town restaurant Mystic Pizza! No? Am I the only one? (more…)

11
Jul
2014

USA Food Tour

categories: Life & Adventures

I have recently become slightly obsessed with a particular travel blog, Alex in Wanderland. This girl is living the high life. She travels around the globe and writes about all of her experiences while sharing advice with her readers. What makes it even more interesting is that she is from my hometown. This particular blog has become a topic of conversation amongst myself and a few of my friends. Reading about all of her adventures gave me a wonderful idea. Why don’t we travel around the US, exploring each state’s cuisine. You have probably figured out by now that I Love Food. My life essentially revolves around it. Therefore I feel that this is a great way to try new things and see new places.

I have created a list of all 50 states and started compiling research to illustrate all of the different foods known to each region. So stay tuned for my new series of USA Food Tour stops.

05
Jul
2014

Blueberry-Cherry Pie

categories: Treats

There is nothing that speaks Summer like pie does. Strawberry rhubarb, raspberry, peach, blueberry, cherry…pretty much any fruit that you can pick up at the farmers market and turn into a delicious dessert. When I wanted to make a tasty treat for the 4th, blueberry and cherry pie jumped out at me. The colors speak for themselves, festiveness in a pie plate. I took it one step further by cutting little stars in the crust. (more…)

29
Jun
2014

S’More Brownies Please!

categories: Treats

S’mores are probably the most quintessential summertime treat. There is nothing better than sitting by the camp fire, toasting up some marshmallows, and sandwiching them between chocolate and graham crackers. I personally am a huge fan of s’mores. I believe my record in one sitting is over ten; a few of my cousins and siblings can attest to that.

With all of that being said, when I cam across a picture of s’mores brownie I was very intrigued. A brownie all by itself is delicious. Layer it with a graham cracker crust and top them off with toasted marshmallows and you have yourself an oozy-gooey, decadent dessert. I just know you are as excited right now as I was. So please be sure to whip up a batch of these fudgey delights and enjoy! (more…)

24
Jun
2014

Quattro’s on Instagram!

categories: Quattro the Malamute

I have become an avid Instagram user. I follow my friends and various celebrity chefs who all provide beautiful and sometimes mouthwatering posts. I must admit though, most of my favorite photos are those of my canine friends. There are quite a few posts out there devoted entirely to the furry little cuties. It was after some time of viewing them that a light bulb went off; Quattro should have an Instagram page! A place where his fans can view pictures of his oh-so-handsome face daily. It would also be a perfect “album” of sorts for my own personal use.

(more…)

24
Jun
2014

My Week of Dinners

categories: Life & Adventures

This last week was extremely hectic. I had one obligation or another every single night. This in turn made for a great week to document my week of dinners.

Monday was the monthly dinner date with Joyce, Jamie, and Sabrina. We had originally planned to go to a different restaurant. However, the day turned out to be absolutely gorgeous. After a week of rain we all agreed it would be great to sit outside. So we switched to another restaurant in Saratoga Springs that has great outside seating. This worked out well too because I had been meaning to try Druthers since they opened. Everything was delicious. From the beer, to the pretzels, to my chicken burger. Everyone was satisfied to the last bite. The company was great as well, but that goes without saying. (more…)

22
Jun
2014

Bridesmaids Revisited

categories: Life & Adventures

A few months ago Sarah, Theresa, and I decided we were overdue for a get together. The last time the three of us had seen each other was for the St. Patrick’s Day festivities. So we settled on a weekend in June that worked for all of us. Sarah and I set out Saturday morning to spend the day together.

We knew going in that it was going to be a wedding filled weekend. Theresa wanted to show us the church where she will be married next year, as well as the venue where the reception will be. Then we were going to meet some of her friends from home. Little did we know, Theresa had an exciting surprise in store. After we arrived at the house, the three of us sat down to chat and catch up before meeting up with the others. Right away Theresa jumped into a story which ended up with her asking Sarah and I to be two of her bridesmaids! She even wrote out these really sweet letters, personalized to each of us, telling us why she wants us to be apart of her special day. Of course, we said Yes! (more…)

16
Jun
2014

Happy Father’s Day

categories: Festivities

Since my parents purchased their camp up in the Adirondack’s, there have been very few weekends Dad has not spent up there relaxing. He loves the peacefulness and fresh air the Adirondack’s are known for. With that being said, we could not think of a better way to spend Father’s Day than up North with the family.

We started with a game of golf at a small course about twenty minutes from camp. Though I personally ended with one of the worst rounds since my first swing, we still have a good time.

(more…)

05
Jun
2014

Linguini with Shrimp, Asparagus, & Cherry Tomatoes

categories: Treats

This was my round for Girl’s Night. I really wanted to cook on the grill and eat outside. However, the weather prevented me from doing so. So I turned to my cookbooks and found a delicious recipe from Giada’s Feel Good Food. It was so easy to make and incredibly delicious! Paired with a nice, crisp glass of white wine and a side Caesar salad…we were ready for a fabulous Girl’s Night! (more…)

29
May
2014

Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge

categories: Treats

I learned something pretty amazing today. Fudge came up in conversation in the break room, as various foods typically do, and I was told that Fluff could be used to make it. I was very intrigued by this idea and decided to give it a try. I could have made a simple chocolate fudge, however I came across this chocolate peanut butter fudge recipe on Pinterest from Recipe Girl. This recipe was so simple and quick, I had it in the fridge to set within 20 minutes. It was delicious! (more…)