Skip the long waits at restaurants on New Year's Day and make brunch for yourself in your jammies, while you watch Netflix! These "Chicks in the Pig Pen" are the perfect thing to pep you up after bottles of champagne - and are super easy. Check out the recipe below and stock up on these essentials before you pop bottles!
Read MoreThe Holiday season is in full swing! I have been prepping by collecting fun local gifts to stuff in the stockings of my friends and family! I also crafted some beautiful cupcakes that may not fit in a stocking, but will easily be stuffed into the mouths of hangry relatives. Check it all out below!
Read MoreHey Hangry Hombres, guess what?!? I'm going to be on an episode of Diners Drive-Ins and Dives with the one and only Guy Fieri on Friday, December 18 @ 10pm EST! Guy brought his killer flannel and frosted tips to Toki Underground and chatted with Hangry District about dumplings, ramen and his hatred for eggs. I hope you tune in!
Read MoreIt's the most wonderful time of the year!! Thanksgiving is my favorite day of the whole year, and I am PSYCHED for the feast. Check out my tips and tricks to keep you sane, relaxed and confident about the big day, while allowing for a few cocktails in between!
Read MoreEmporiYUM is a one-of-a-kind touring food marketplace featuring the tastiest treats from around the country. I took a trip to the DC stop at Union Market and discovered delicious foods, purchased thoughtful gifts and explored top-quality products from a lineup of artisans you can only find locally. Check out my photo summary of my favorite bits and bites!
Read MorePetworth's Upshur Street is on fire in DC. Joining the likes of this Japanese must-try Crane & Turtle are Slash Run, the Hitching Post, Alex McCoy's anticipated Southeast Asian restaurant and Petworth Citizen to name a few. I have been chomping at the bit to try Crane & Turtle and the experience was surprising and pleasant.
Read MoreHere's a protein packed breakfast bowl that's filled with flavor and ready in five minutes! If you have cooked quinoa in your fridge - as I usually do, you can make breakfast, lunch and dinners in a flash. Let me know what you love eating for breakfast so I can come up with a Hangry District spin on it.
Read MoreBest parts about working in an office setting full time? Lunch time and snacks, of course! A lot of DC employees tend to grab lunch on the go, or head to the closest fast food place for a break and some sustenance. I like to pack! Saves me money and calories. I love coming up with fun lunches that aren't just sandwiches and will give me a boost to get through the rest of the afternoon. Check out some of this month's favorites below.
Read MoreAs a cook and food obsessed maniac, I am often asked, "What's your signature dish?" or "What is your cooking style?" That question stumps me every time. I literally cook everything, I don't really have a particular style and I don't typically cook one dish repeatedly as my "signature dish." I consider myself a MacGuyver in the kitchen - that's my style. I create dishes based on the ingredients in my house and what's in season. However, I always have the makings for my Meeshballs. Keep reading to find out what's in a Meeshball!
Read MoreDo you have this song in your head now? I do. Hi friends! The days are getting shorter and the temperatures are dropping, so I've been coming up with simple week-night suppers that warm me up from the inside and allow me to enjoy the last rays of sunshine. Meatloaf has been a staple in my life since I was little. My mom made meatloaf a lot and I have taken her recipe and added my own twist and tips for you!
Read MoreIt's October! Time for trips to the pumpkin patch, haunted forests and most importantly - soups, squash and sweatpants! Summer in the swamp of DC was brutal, and I opted for dishes that required minimal heat. Since Fall is finally upon us, it's time to light a fire under my.....stove, and get cookin'! Last weekend I had a magical time in Disney World, where the Oktoberfest activities were in full swing. I wanted to keep the magic alive when I got home, so I created an Oktoberfest-style dinner complete with Bavaria Brass band playlist - nothing makes me hungrier than the sound of a tuba. Let the feeling of gemütlichkeit come over you by making this meal for yourself!
Read MoreIf you live in DC, then you've been experiencing quite the rainy week this week. There is nothing more relaxing or romantic to me than turning on some French music, pouring a glass of sparkling rosé and firing up the stove to cook a comforting meal, while listening to the pitter-patter of the rain on my windows. Rain is my favorite excuse to cook for hours. Keep reading to see what I came up with to warm us up and dry us off.
Read MoreThe Airedale opened in Columbia Heights this summer and is such a breath of fresh air! Literally - they have a beautiful patio on the main floor and two patios upstairs, for dining al fresco in the front or just hanging out at community tables for some beers and bites in the back. I checked it out for happy hour and ended up staying for dinner. Keep reading to find out why!
Read MoreThroughout my culinary adventure, I've often found myself telling friends and family that you do not have to be classically trained to be a great cook. With a lot of practice, patience and enthusiasm, self-taught cooks can achieve any dish that most restaurants create. I have come a long way from microwaving hot pockets for every meal, to catering large events and instructing cooking classes - and I taught myself!
As a self-taught cook, I have relied on three tips/techniques that take my food from blah to voila! Those techniques are sauces, seasoning and sourcing seasonally. Keep reading to find out why!
Read MoreIt has been almost exactly one year since my trip to Japan, and I have been craving the cuisine. What better way to satiate the craving than to celebrate DC Restaurant Week at Daikaya Izakaya. I've been to Daikaya for the amazing ramen on the first floor and was so excited to try the Izakaya upstairs. I was not disappointed. Keep reading to find out why you should head to Japan for your next meal in the District.
Read MoreOne of my favorite fellow foodies is Pamela Arriagada, a colleague of mine at the Carnegie Institution for Science. Despite being an astronomer on campus, our conversations always transition to food during the work day. Pamela is from Chile and has treated us more than once to traditional empanadas from her father's recipe. Since she is now embarking on a new adventure with her husband in Seattle, I asked her to come show me the ropes so I could keep the empanada tradition alive, and keep my hangry boyfriend happy :)
Read MoreWhitmore Farm owner, William Morrow, on his life as a DC area farmer and his favorite animal Harriet the sheep, who speaks to him.
Read MoreI had the pleasure of visiting Whitmore Farm last week to see one of my favorite farmers, William Morrow. I've known Will since I was 19 and just getting my feet wet in the sustainable agriculture and farming/food world. Enjoy the tour of his amazing farm with me through these photos. Happy Friday!
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