100th InMySitiEra??
That's a LOT of yapping
I’ve written a hundred of these guys??
That’s wild!
I wasn’t really sure what to write for this piece, so it’s been whistfully sitting in my drafts.
It hit me in the car that in full transparency, I just want to write updates on what I’ve been up to the past month or so.
I won’t lie, August and September were some unexpected, restful yet packed months of my year.
So, for a grandiose 100th post, here are my favorite things I’ve eaten, made, and experienced the last month.
Naan Pizzas
Shoutout to my mom because these are one of her specialties.
Not gonna lie, these feel a teeny bit silly in theory, but they’re really good.
The naan bread is pillowy yet chewy and can withstand a substantial amount of sauce and toppings. Plus, when you throw them in the oven, they get the “leoparding” that good pizza crust gets and are delightfully crisp on the bottom.
It’s a texture playground, and the best part? Incredibly convenient.
It’s safe to say that my mom’s are the best. Sorry, everyone, get over it.
She’s done many variations, but my favorite is an alfredo base with spinach, mozz, feta, cherry tomatoes, and maybe chicken if I’m feeling it.
David and I recreated that variation earlier this month, and they weren’t too bad!
But I will stick to the statement that my mom’s really are just better.
Tahini-Abuelita Cookies
I made these for a game night a few weeks back, and they were surprisingly good!
I say surprisingly because I didn’t have a recipe and originally wanted to make brownies, but didn’t have any chocolate chips or the will to go to the store.
At the moment, I was visiting with David’s grandma, Maria, where she and I were trying to go back and forth in mismatched Spanglish. I was trying to explain what I wanted to make, and she goes,
“Tengo chocolate!” and hands me her package of Abuelita….
The more I tried to explain the difference between Abuelita and baking chocolate, the more I realized I could probably make something delicious with the hot chocolate tablets instead.
Most chocolate is just sugar, cocoa, and some fat, right?
I melted down the Abuelita with some salted butter and added tahini to cut the sweetness and add subtle nutty notes.
I also just love tahini and chocolate together—it works!
The batter came out thicker than expected so I decided to roll them in little balls for makeshift crackle cookies, until I realized I didn’t have any powdered sugar.
“Maria, tienes azucar para pastel?”
“Si!!”
She says as she hands me a box of turbinado sugar.
“Lo siento, uhhhhh el powder”
“Ohhhh, no tengo”
So we roll with the punches and coat each dough ball in turbinado sugar and let me tell you, WOW.
These were incredible.
Not too sweet, great crunch from the turbinado sugar, moist yet a little crumbly, and were top tier with a cup of coffee.
Breakfast Biscuits
So these are a new concept to me, and I’m a big fan.
I initially saw them on Pinterest, looking for filling and quick breakfast prep ideas. The first time I saw them, I thought they were ghastly gimmicky and vaguely hinting at diet culture (I’m looking at you, cottage cheese-carb replacements).
When I tried out this recipe by Nicole Addison, I realized how wrong I was, shocked by how delicious these were!
Her specific variation is a base of Greek yogurt, eggs, cheese, and flour, and it’s a “choose your own adventure” from there.
I originally used half Swiss, half mozzarella, ham, green onions, and spinach, and they were incredibly cheesy, crispy, chewy, and wonderfully filling.
Think an upgraded version of the cheddar bay biscuits from Red Lobster….times five.
I am actively making these and having them on deck in my freezer from now on, thank you very much.
Syrian Bread with Aunt Dar and Amanda
I’ve talked about making Syrian Bread many a time on this platform, but it truly is one of my favorite things on this planet, especially when making it with my family.
The last time I went home to visit my folks, my Aunt Darlene and my cousin, Amanda, came over to bake bread.
We rarely ever make bread in the evening, but we whipped up this batch at night, and it’s a full vibe.
My dad and I took the lead, forming the dough balls, while my dad and Aunt Dar took over rolling out the rounds and baking them all up, while the five of us chatted and laughed about life.
It was nice not to be in the driver’s seat for this batch, and getting to sit and talk with my family. I did, however, take the lead in tasting/quality checking, plus grabbing the butter, Labne, and honey (very, very important).
I’m forever grateful for the generational gift that is Syrian Bread and all it brings to the table, literally and figuratively.
Photo Album feat. the highlights!!
Chicken Alfredo at Mireya and Adrian’s wedding
Banana Splits & movie night with David’s family
Torchy’s Tacos plus seeing my old friend, Sarah
Breakfast for Dinner Potluck!!
Other Honorable Mentions
Ganzitos
My dad’s fried fish
CAVA’s kids’ meals
Shakshuka
Annie’s white cheddar mac and cheese
HEB’s Buffalo Chicken Dip
All in all, I’m thankful to be writing and continuously grateful to God for how humbling and rich the last few weeks have been.
Currently, I’m looking forward to fall recipes and cooking in a new kitchen space (more details soon!!!!)
As always, I’m glad you’re here, and thanks for reading 100 of these guys.
With Love,
Cara