The biggest adjustment for my son’s  distant learning BACK TO SCHOOL route has been the lack of in-person social interaction with his friends. He’s told me he misses recess and the conversations they had as they dug into their lunch boxes. I heard what he said and came up with a way to make his lunch time special here at home. I decided I would make a deluxe dessert every week and during his mid–day break away from the screen,  him and I would have daily heart to heart chats (where no topic was off the table) while eating our dreamiest sweet treat.

This is the first time I’ve ever made a galette. I wasn’t sure what to call it but settled on Peach Berry Almond Galette. Love how easy it came together and the fact that I was able to use up the last of the summer fruit I bought a few days ago. I didn’t have all the ingredients I wanted for my galette, but I made due with what I had on hand. HOT DIGGITY DOG it was insanely delicious.

Sugar Top Blueberry Muffins – Making my sun rise from the highest heights.

Since the pandemic, I started hiking a few times a week in a place where I virtually see hardly anyone else. It’s a great way to unload some anxiety and replace it with endorphins. It elevates my mood, allows a little bit of adventure to my life which was once upon a time jam packed with experience, AND it gets my heart racing. <3

Pan Dulce French Toast: I’m officially that gal that uses every little scrap of food in the house. I’ve learned a few tricks during this pandemic of how to preserve and make things stretch for longer than usual. My grandfather was raised during the depression and was seriously the master of conserving food. Thankfully I remembered a few of the things he taught me that I used to take for granted, and didn’t pay much mind to. He would freeze bread or tortillas if we had too much in the house. Or toast bread that was a few days old and then dunk it in his coffee. He was so crafty that way.

Are you the type that makes a list of the food you need for the week with a set schedule of planned meals or do you just grab basics and then get imaginative with what you have on hand? I used to be the type that stuck to a planned list and scheduled meals. These days I feel like I am thinking outside the box and falling more into the latter. I was excited to learn that Northgate Market now offers ‘Pronto Curbside’ in both Norwalk and La Habra locations which makes life so much more convenient.  The way I see it, I’m one less person in the market making it safer for the working associates, and customers, and I’m still able to stock up on all my favorite items.

I’m pulling out my Loaded Los Angeles Nachos for the return of Dodger baseball . Gotta admit that the arrival of my favorite sport is well timed and will bring us some sense of normality. I don’t mind that the stadium will be empty of an audience. In fact I’m happy about it and love the cardboard cutout people they have in attendance instead. Baseball will give us something to look forward to each night and have an overall excitement surrounding it. America’s favorite past time will help us pass the time to the other side of the Coronavirus-era.

Cauliflower Mojo De Ajo is the vegetarian version to the legendary Puerto Nuevo dishes many of us Latinx grew up on. When I was a kid/teen my family would take road trips down to Rosarito for the weekend on many occasions. We would all pack into my uncle’s van and head south of the border for a little taste of Mexico on the beach. I have so many fond memories of that time spent with my family and the meals we shared.