5 Things I’ve Been Loving & What I Cooked Last Week

A Perfect Sandwich for the Beach, My New Favorite Nail Color & More, Crispy Avocado Tostadas, Watermelon Yogurt Drink, Giant Garlic Bread Pizza, Healthy Doggy Cake

Hi everyone,

Hope you’re having a great week! My mom was just in town, and we had such a fun and productive time, as always. We filmed nine new recipes and also enjoyed some great meals like crunchy tacos (of course), Korean bbq, sushi, and even treated ourselves to Pinkberry fro-yo (we both love the original tart flavor!). I'm always a little sad when she leaves, but I’ll actually be seeing her again this weekend for my cousin’s bridal shower, which will be really nice.

Today I’m sharing five things I’ve really been loving lately, including my go-to sandwich for taking to the beach, an unexpected nail polish color I’m obsessed with, and something I’ve been doing to relax and unwind.

First, here’s a recipe for garlic bread pizza that my mom and I made while she was visiting. We combined our favorite parts of pizza and garlic bread into one, and it turned out so good. We both said, “How have we never done this before?!” Hope you give it a try!

What I Cooked Last Week! ↓

Giant Garlic Bread Pizza

My mom and I combined our favorite parts of pizza and garlic bread for this recipe. The result is crispy and buttery on the bottom, melty and cheesy on top.

Giant Garlic Bread Pizza

40KB ∙ PDF file

Download

Download

You can download the PDF recipe above and watch the video here :)

5 Things I’ve Been Loving

1. A really good baguette sandwich

Now that we’re back in LA for the summer, Doug and I have been making more trips to the beach. I’ve never loved sitting on a towel in the sand (I find it’s not the most comfortable) but Doug got us reclining beach chairs, and it’s been so much nicer. We always pack a picnic, and lately I’ve been obsessed with baguette sandwiches. I do love a sandwich on sliced artisan bread, but only if it’s toasted, which isn’t ideal for the beach. A baguette, on the other hand, travels well, holds up for hours, and is so satisfying to eat. I always try to find a French-style one with a good crust.

For our July 4th beach day, I made two: one with turkey, avocado, mayo, and red onion, and the other more Italian-inspired, with mustard, ham, salami, and pepperoncini. I pack the greens separately to keep them crisp (sprouts for the turkey, romaine for the Italian) and add them right before eating. And for some crunch, I brought two kinds of chips (I always sneak a few into my sandwich): sour cream and onion for the turkey, salt and vinegar for the Italian. So good.

2. Dark Blue nail polish

Getting my nails done has always felt like a little self-care ritual, and I’m usually a creature of habit when it comes to colors. I get bummed when I choose one I don’t love, especially since I always go for gel, which stays on for a while. (It’s the only thing that holds up when I’m cooking and doing dishes daily.) Sometimes I test a new color on my toes first, just to be safe.

A few weeks ago, I was in line at Radio Bakery behind someone with this great dark blue polish. It totally planted a seed in my mind, and the next time I was at the nail salon picking a color, I went with a similar shade, O.P.I Isn’t it Grand Avenue, and I’ve been loving it. It’s a rich, almost regal blue that feels like a fun change from my usual picks while still being classy and not too bright.