This creamy pumpkin spice espresso martini combines vodka, Irish cream (or coffee liqueur), freshly brewed espresso, and pumpkin spice syrup to create a rich, seasonal cocktail perfect for autumn gatherings. You may also enjoy the pumpkin spice martini and classic espresso martini recipes mentioned earlier. Easy Fall Cocktail Recipe This pumpkin spice espresso martini captures … Read more
Making an Ice Cream Cake from scratch is easy and rewarding. This layered recipe combines chocolate and vanilla ice cream with a gooey hot fudge center, crunchy cookie pieces, and a light whipped cream frosting for a classic party dessert. A homemade ice cream cake lets you control every ingredient and avoid questionable additives found … Read more
You already know if it can go on my Traeger, I’m at least going to try it once. Smoked bacon on the Traeger takes bacon to another level: crisp edges, a slightly chewy center, and a subtle wood-fired flavor you don’t get from the stovetop. After years of cooking on a pellet grill, I’ve learned … Read more
Perfect for Kids After School Soup is a warm, nutritious, and kid-friendly option that fills little bellies after a long day. Mild, comforting, and easy to eat, it’s great for children and adults alike. This soup also makes a convenient work-from-home lunch. Serve it alongside a simple salad, a favorite sandwich, fresh-baked bread, or a … Read more
Quick and simple to prepare, an omelet is a versatile dish that works for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. Learn how to make an omelet for a satisfying, wholesome meal that takes minutes and requires only a few ingredients. Omelets are one of my go-to meals when time is short. They take only minutes to … Read more
Delicious, quick, and easy air fryer chicken thighs are ready in about 30 minutes. The air fryer yields tender, juicy meat with crispy, golden skin — a perfect weeknight dinner made with just a handful of pantry staples. Tips for Making Air Fryer Chicken Thighs With only six basic ingredients and a few simple steps, … Read more
Beautifully spiced and with a truly amazing crumb, this low carb gingerbread loaf — made with a touch of blackstrap molasses — tastes like the holidays in a slice. Low Carb Gingerbread Loaf Almond Flour! This loaf has all the hallmarks of a great gingerbread: a tender, ultra-moist crumb, a buttery melt-in-your-mouth feel, and a … Read more
One pan, so many possibilities! These favorite sheet pan dinners deliver big flavor and feed a crowd with minimal effort. What is a Sheet Pan Dinner? A sheet pan dinner is a simple, one-pan meal prepared on a rimmed baking sheet. It’s an efficient, low-fuss way to cook: minimal prep, easy cleanup, and many recipes … Read more
We’re only a few days away from reaching two full months as Chicago residents, and it still feels surreal. Sometimes I forget I live in Illinois — I’ll spot the corner of my driver’s license in my wallet while waiting in line and do a double take. The time change has thrown me off more than once; I once scheduled a work call for EST before remembering Chicago is in Central Time.
Gardens at The Art Institute
These past eight weeks have flown by. Part of me feels like we’ve lived here a long time; the other part still expects we’ll return to DC in a few months. Yet it’s real: we will be living in Chicago for the next five years. Our apartment is settled, we’ve explored much of the city, and a steady routine has taken root. It hasn’t been perfect — about a week into the move I had a small identity crisis. Being away from close friends and family, combined with the whirlwind of the past year — residency match anticipation, planning a wedding, an adventurous honeymoon, and then packing and moving — left me feeling a bit unmoored. There were no big events on the horizon to distract me, and that felt strange.
June didn’t help; it was reportedly the wettest June in almost a century for Chicago, and the persistent rain and cloudy days made the adjustment harder. Thankfully, life has settled, and I finally feel like I can focus again. That’s a welcome relief.
