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I had to take a pause from posting every other day because I’ve been not only dealing with my painful herniated disc, but have also been fighting an annoying cold the last few days. It’s been really hot in NYC during the last week or so and there’s nothing more uncomfortable than having a cold when it’s hot outside. It’s not like I could make a stew to nurse me back to health… :( So I decided to make something that was comforting but summery at the same time: Fresh Tomatoes, Mozzarella and Arugula Risotto!...

(This post is sponsored by Crock-Pot®. All opinions are my own!) Oh, fall! My favorite season! Beautiful foliage, pumpkin spice lattes, apple picking, sweaters, boots and the wonderful smell of something baking in the oven. It is also the time of year when your oven’s real estate is at a premium. Want to bake a cake? Ha! Get in line. The turkey and the roasted potatoes got here before you!...

Summers are for going to the beach, BBQs, picnics, hanging by the pool, visiting the neighborhood ice cream shop at least once a week (Tim is worried the woman who works there will soon know us by name! ?) and making delicious chilled soups that require no stove or oven. Ideally! But in reality, summers are for doing some of these things, but mostly it’s Olivia hanging by the AC 24/7, having nightmares about the electricity bill and regretting not getting a membership for the community pool....

I participated in Mom Blog Tour Winter Fancy Food Show (#MomBlogTourFF) on behalf of Wendy’s Bloggers. I received Saffron Road products to facilitate my review, but my opinions and the recipe are my own. Twice in one day? Yep! I’m working extra hard today. Well, kinda… I’m not sure you’ve noticed that my recipes have been on the simple side lately. I know my grandma has! We were talking on the phone the other day and I was complaining about being pregnant (after all that’s all I do these days!...

No more dreading mornings for me. Yesterday, I went to bed looking forward to waking up so I could drink an ice cold glass of this delicious Thai Iced Coffee. As soon as the sun started beaming through my window (we still don’t have curtains and the blinds at the new apartment are white and don’t block the light) I jumped out of bed, poured myself a glass and am now enjoying it on my new balcony....

I like to toss my arugula with some olive oil and lemon juice, just to make it extra special! The recipe I came up with has 1 cup serving per individual pizza. It is quite a bit because I like an arugula explosion in my mouth, but feel free to customize however you like! That’s the beauty of homemade pizzas! You can make it perfect for you. Also, I know I’ve said that before, but the secret to a perfect pizza is… rolling drums… a pizza stone!...

If you know me, you know I love Italian sauces. My classic Bolognese is a big hit, as are my Braised Beef Ragu and my Pasta Puttanesca! Make sure to check these out too. The best tomato sauce recipe ever! Fresh tomato sauce from scratch used to be something that only happened in my grandma’s kitchen! I remember having dinner at her house and eating the most amazing meatballs that simmered and were served in a simple, fresh sauce that tastes like… love....

What is the best way to peel tomatoes? If you’ve ever tried using a peeler to peel a tomato, you quickly learned that that was an impossible task! There is only one best way to peel a tomato, and it requires quickly blanching them so their skin lifts off, making it easy for you to peel it off the tomatoes. Now, you must be thinking: “What about roasting? Or freezing? Or even charring the tomatoes over a flame?...

Food boards are my favorite way of entertaining guests. From a classic cheese board or charcuterie boards, to Bruschetta bars or sandwich platters, and even a dessert board, I am always coming up with a new way to display food in a fun way for my guests at intimate gatherings to share. The boards/platters create wonderful social occasions and encourage people to talk and socialize! This Post is sponsored by TRISCUIT and Sabra....

A Sous Vide Turkey Breast is a great option if you don’t want to roast a whole bird. Sous Vide cooking ensures the turkey is tender, succulent and unbelievably flavorful. Don’t believe me? Try it! You will be so amazed that this might become your new family tradition. “This post is sponsored by FoodSaver®; however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.” Perfectly cooked, juicy turkey breast Tim and I are really proud of our Thanksgiving turkey....

For more Red White and Blue inspiration, check out my American Flag Cake, Patriotic Red Velvet Cupcakes and Berry Pavlova. Homemade Berry Pie is Summer Comfort Food! Happy 4th of July! I got way too excited making this American Flag Pie, aka Stars and Stripes Pie, aka Old Glory Pie, aka Patriotic Pie. Whatever you call it, it is a fun dessert to serve for summer patriotic celebrations, like today (Fourth of July), Memorial Day and Flag Day....

Aaaand I’m back! Had to take a little blog break to tend to some pressing matters, aka go have a baby, but I’m feeling great (despite the lack of sleep) and ready to resume all foodie affairs. The good news is that my mom is visiting and I get to pick her brain and watch her make family recipes so I can recreate them to share with you. And on the spotlight today is a Portuguese/Brazilian classic: Bacalhau à Gomes de Sá....

I hope you don’t mind that I’m sharing yet another dessert recipe. It’s the fifth one in a row, but who’s counting? Dessert is LIFE! ❤️ Besides, making a Black Forest Cake has been on my bucket list for ages. (Yep, I’m one of those annoying people that have a cooking/baking bucket list! I wanna cook the world!!) Even though this cake is originally from Germany, it did make its way to Brazil and became really popular down there, making an appearance in lots of birthday parties every year!...

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Blue Diamond®. The opinions and text are all mine. If you’ve been following this blog for a while, you know I’m a huge fan of appetizer boards. Not only are they visually appealing, but they are also versatile, and you can use them as pre-dinner nibbles or as the main event in a cocktail party. In past posts, I’ve shared a few tutorials for cheese boards, a DIY bruschetta bar, and a guide on how to put together a crudité platter....

Love passion fruit? Make sure to also check out my Passion Fruit Ice Cream, Passion Fruit Cocktail and Passion Fruit Mimosa. This is a sponsored post written by me on behalf of ACME Markets. All opinions are 100% mine. A quick and easy salmon recipe! Summer is almost gone, which means you will see me walking around the produce section, nervously looking for fresh passion fruit. You see, while this tropical fruit is widely available in my home country (Brazil), it only shows up for about a week here in the United States....

(This post is sponsored by California Almonds.) Love is in the air! After all, Valentine’s Day is almost a week away. And nothing says “I love you” like a homemade edible gift! Especially if it involves chocolate. After all, Valentine’s Day without chocolate is like a beach day without sunshine! And you know what else is quickly approaching? Almond Day! February 16th is the day to celebrate all things almonds....

Tutu de Feijão is a typical Brazilian dish that is a must-try if you’re a bean lover! Rich and hearty, it is absolutely delicious and very easy to make. Better than refried beans! I have yet to meet a Brazilian that is not crazy for rice and beans. From feijoada to caldinho de feijão, beans are a huge part of our cuisine and one of the first things we learn how to cook!...

… which is funny because before I moved to the U.S., I had no idea Cinco de Mayo was even a thing! Brazilians are definitely missing out on this holiday and all the Mexican food that comes with it. Not that I need an excuse to eat Mexican food! Especially not this Easy Chicken Quesadilla that I have to say was devoured in a matter of seconds. I mean how could we not adore this quesadilla?...

(This post is sponsored by Q Squared NYC.) Oh spring, where art thou? I’ve been patiently waiting, dreaming of my days in the sun, barbecuing, outdoor parties or pretty much anything that doesn’t involve having the heat on. But despite being almost April, we just recently got a lot of snow! ? Excuse me while I go pout under the warm covers for a moment… But it’s okay, because deep inside I know that soon the sun will be shining and I’ll be able to wear all the dresses (pants are so uncomfortable when you’re pregnant) and throw all the fun spring/summer parties....