Perfectly Grilled Steak with Potatoes and Chimichurri Sauce

Perfectly Grilled Steak with Potatoes and Chimichurri Sauce

Jun 10, 2019 · 13 Comments

Take a perfectly grilled flank steak served with buttery new potatoes and topped with a tangy chimichurri sauce and you have an amazing steak dinner! Juicy steak, fluffy potatoes and a vibrant chimichurri sauce will make you the king or queen of the cookout!

Grilled Steak

I spent the majority of my childhood living with my grandmother. She did not grill. We didn't even own a grill. One day I went to a friend's house and her dad grilled steak.

I was probably about 10 or 11 years old and I can still remember how that steak tasted. How amazing it was. It was my first taste of a perfectly grilled steak.

Since then, I've had many amazing foods, foods I never even dreamed of, however, to this day if anyone asks what my last meal would be, it would include a grilled steak.

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Sweet and Tart Coleslaw Dressing - Only 5 Ingredients!

Jun 9, 2019 · 30 Comments

The sweet and tart coleslaw dressing hits all the right notes! It's a homemade coleslaw vinaigrette that's a bit sweet, a bit tart, and has just a little bit of heat. Only five ingredients and mixed in a jar, so easy!

Creamy Coleslaw or Vinegar Coleslaw?

Have you ever stopped to contemplate coleslaw? Coleslaw is kind of weird. I mean, no one ever goes around saying, “Boy, I wish I had some coleslaw today.” Yet, it’s always there, just kind of plugging along. For me, it’s usually an afterthought, that little Styrofoam container tossed in at the last minute in the Kentucky Fried Chicken bag.

And since you are stopping to contemplate slaw, think about all the coleslaw ramifications. Do you like yours creamy or vinegary? Sweet or sour? With or without onions? Purely cabbage, or some carrots, what about broccoli? See. Slaw is a complex thing. A wonder. (You’re looking at it in a whole new light, now aren’t you?)

I definitely fall on the vinegar side. Once you find a good coleslaw vinaigrette, you can whip up some slaw for an easy side dish any time you want!

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Luxie and Coco

Jun 7, 2019 · 23 Comments

Random Luxie Photos

Well, I am back this week with some more random photos from the archives. Did you miss us last week? We were gone all week on a vacation in Kentucky. Before we left, I contemplated setting up a bunch of blog posts to schedule out and then decided against it.

I wanted to take a real vacation. No blogging. No checking stats (well I did a couple of times!)

For Christmas, our middle daughter gave us tickets to the Paul McCartney concert in Lexington, KY. We had always wanted to do the Kentucky Bourbon Trail, so we decided to tack that on to the week before the concert.

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Blackberry Cocktail - A Fruity Cocktail Recipe!

Jun 6, 2019 · 9 Comments

This Blackberry Cocktail is a fruity gin cocktail that is so delicious and so refreshing. We love summer gin cocktails and this is one of our favorites! With mint, cucumber, blackberries, lime, sugar, gin, and sparkling water you know it's going to be so good! It's like summer in a glass.

Summer Gin Cocktails

The berries have started arriving at the farmer's markets, Memorial Day is over with, it's officially summer! I buy as many strawberries, blueberries, raspberries and blackberries as I can carry.

Since I don't bake often, though I do have my eyes on blueberry cobbler in a new cookbook, I turn to cocktails. While I love all summer cocktails, I make no secret of my love of gin.

I know gin is kind of like beets and cilantro, you either love it or you hate it. I love it. It's floral herby notes pair so well with summer's berries, it's delightful in martinis, like a strawberry martini and this blueberry elderflower martini.

If you don't have berries, no problem, have you tried a Gin Mojito?

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Grilled Kale Salad with Strawberries

Jun 5, 2019 · 13 Comments

Sure you could make an ordinary Kale Salad Recipe, or you could easily kick it up a notch with this Grilled Kale Salad! You'll want to add this to all your cookouts! A grilled salad is such an easy way to add a side dish to your cookout, it cooks in minutes and can be done after all the other grilling is finished!

Kale Salads

Yes, I have firmly jumped on the kale salad bandwagon. Lately we have been enjoying a Kale Greek Salad and a Blueberry Kale Salad regularly on rotation.

Why not? Kale is delicious and healthy. I even get all zen as I massage my kale. However, I found something even easier. No massaging required. Grilled Kale Salad. You're welcome.

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How to Root Basil Cuttings in Water

Jun 4, 2019 · 23 Comments

Basil roots so easily in water, you can turn one plant into many plants! This even works with store bought basil in the plastic herb packets! I start every summer by planting two basil plants and end up with at least eight more plants!

Rooting Basil Cuttings in Water!

Basil is one of my favorite herbs to grow! I use it in everything from salads to pesto to soup. So, I go through a lot of basil. One day, I had cut more than I needed and I stuck a few of the tops into some water and sat it on the windowsill, hoping to keep it fresh until I needed it.

After a couple of weeks, I discovered the magic of rooting basil cuttings in water!

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Boozy Bourbon Chocolate Popsicles

Jun 3, 2019 · 18 Comments

Rich and creamy with lots of chocolate and bourbon flavor, these Boozy Bourbon Cocoa Pops are great for Father's Day or anytime you want a sweet adult frozen treat! The classic pairing of bourbon and chocolate makes a boozy popsicle that are perfect for picnics, cookouts or sitting by the pool. They are naturally sweetened with dates and dairy free!

Boozy Popsicles

Ahh... boozy popsicles. I love them. You might remember that a couple of weeks ago, I posted these Pina Colada Popsicles. They were amazing and if you haven't made them yet, you must!

I love getting my cocktails frozen on a stick. Just like meat and chicken always seems to taste better on a stick, so do cocktails. I love boozy popsicles so much, that I actually did a round up of them with not only my popsicles, but other food bloggers as well, my 15 Boozy Popsicles to Make Right Now is one of my most popular posts on the blog!

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Luxie in the Evening Light

May 24, 2019 · 18 Comments

Calico Cat in the Evening Light

We are back this week for a quick post! I hope I'm not the only one, but while I'm at Lowe's or Home Depot or the local nursery, somehow all these plants manage to hop in my cart.

I've spent the last few days, filling pots with soil and plants. I've gone through almost 3 bags of potting soil and there are still two trays of plants left to plant!

I don't have a vegetable garden, so I have pots of tomatoes and peppers all over the place!

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Gin Mojito

May 23, 2019 · 16 Comments

This Gin Mojito is a riff on a mojito cocktail featuring gin and sherry! So delicious and so refreshing! This lower alcohol cocktail is perfect for a summer cocktail, make a batch for your next cookout!

Low Alcohol Summer Cocktails

I am all about lower alcohol cocktails in the summer. Low alcohol means you can drink more as you sit around the grill waiting for the hamburgers and hot dogs. What's even better than one cocktail is when you can enjoy two or three!

I have two favorite low alcohol cocktails (and plan on making more!) - this Gin Mojito and the pretty Sloe Gin Collins.

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Piña Colada Popsicles

May 21, 2019 · 13 Comments

Your favorite piña colada cocktail in these fun piña colada popsicles! Lucious and creamy and bursting with fresh pineapple and coconut flavor! Pineapple, coconut milk, rum and sugar are all you need for this delicious booze pop!

For the Love of Popsicles

I've made no secret of my love of popsicles, particularly my fondness for Boozy Popsicles. So, when a sweet blogging friend, Sarah at Live, Eat, Learn said that she was putting out a book on popsicles and would I like to receive a copy, I didn't hesitate to say yes!

For the Love of Popsicles is filled with such a variety of amazing sounding popsicles! There is literally something for everyone in this book! She has it broken down into categories of Fruity, Creamy, Coffee & Tea, Hidden Veggies, Poptails and even Pupsicles!

I, of course, went immediately to the poptails. There is only one thing I love more than a refreshing cocktail, it's a refreshing cocktail popsicle! With everything from a Amaretto Sour to a Mojito boozy pop, there was so much to choose from. Since I had just bought some pineapple from the store, I settled on the Piña Colada boozy popsicle.

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Sheet Pan Cod and Asparagus

May 20, 2019 · 9 Comments

This Baked Cod with Asparagus and Jalapeño Dressing is so easy to make and can be on the table in under 30 minutes. Perfectly roasted cod and asparagus are topped with a jalapeño dressing with just the right amount of heat and a creamy avocado puree!

Plate with asparagus topped with cod and a bright green mound of avocado puree.

I love cod! It is one of my favorite fishes for fish and chips. It fries up so light. However, I don't want to eat fried fish all the time, so I went looking for a lighter way to eat cod and I found it!

This simple cod recipe can be on the table in under 30 minutes! It's so easy you won't believe how amazing the flavors all come together!

The cod and the asparagus roast together at the same time, so it's a sheet pan dinner with a couple of homemade condiments.

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Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Chive Pesto

May 19, 2019 · 34 Comments

This Roasted Fingerling Potatoes with Chive Pesto is so good! Fingerling potatoes are roasted until nice and crispy, then they are given a quick toss in chive pesto. The recipe makes plenty of chive pesto, you'll find so many ways to use it!

Potato Recipes

One of the drawbacks of being a food blogger is needing to always have new fresh content, which means that you don't go back and revisit recipes very often.

Like this recipe for roasted fingerling potatoes with chive pesto. I made it in June 2011. I raved about it. It was fantastic. I planned on eating it every week.

And then, 8 years went by. I made and raved about other potato recipes, like Sheet Pan Scalloped Potatoes and Scalloped Potatoes with Gruyere and Skillet Fried Potatoes and Smoked Gouda Scalloped Potatoes.

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Kitten Luxie and Her Toy

May 17, 2019 · 19 Comments

Calico Cat, Luxie as a Kitten

I'm back this week with more photos from when Luxie was a kitten. I didn't get to take any new cat photos this week, it's been crazy. May is a busy month for us. My husband's birthday is May 8th and mine is a week later on May 15th, then in between that you have Mother's Day! I also had tests at the eye doctors and a CT scan all squeezed in there!

But since I still have over 1,000 cat photos that I haven't edited, I have plenty to choose from when looking for some weekly kitty cat photos!

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Strawberry Watermelon Smoothie

May 16, 2019 · 14 Comments

Strawberries and watermelon make an amazing refreshing smoothie! This pretty pink smoothie is so delicious and healthy with no added sugar and no dairy! Strawberries, watermelon, ginger and lime juice are all you need to make this healthy smoothie!

Strawberry Smoothies

If I had to name a favorite smoothie, it would probably be strawberry. There is just something so good about using strawberries in smoothies. Besides the gorgeous color, they just add so much flavor.

I've paired them with beets for a Strawberry Beet Smoothie Pop that is fun to eat and so healthy! One of my most popular smoothies on the blog is this Strawberry, Banana, and Kiwi Smoothie.

Today we have another strawberry smoothie, this one featuring watermelon! Together they make such a refreshing smoothie and you'll love that it's sugar free, dairy free, vegan, paleo and whole30 compliant!

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Peach Bourbon Sour

May 15, 2019 · 7 Comments

Using fresh peaches to make a peach shrub makes this Peach Bourbon Sour extra fresh and delicious! If you've never used a shrub in cocktails before, this is a great peach cocktail recipe to begin with!

What is a Shrub (or a Drinking Vinegar)

Do you know what a shrub is? I’m not talking about the big green bush that blocks the view from your dining room window. I’m talking about the fruity vinegar infusion.

A shrub is sometimes called a drinking vinegar. It is simply an infusion of fresh fruit, sugar and vinegar. It was popular in the colonial times and with the resurgence of craft cocktails, it is making quite the comeback.

It adds a sour fruit essence to your cocktails that simply can’t be duplicated with anything else. As a bonus, mix it with some club soda or carbonated water and you’ve got a refreshing non-alcoholic drink!

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Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula

May 14, 2019 · 10 Comments

This Prosciutto Pizza with Arugula is an easy and delicious flatbread pizza! Creamy mozzarella and crispy prosciutto are topped with lemony and peppery arugula for a gourmet pizza that is amazing!

Arugula on Pizza

There is a restaurant in Chattanooga that is near the Tivoli Theater. We have season tickets to the musicals at the theater, so we eat at Alimentari quite often. Being creatures of habit we almost always get the same thing - a salad and their prosciutto pizza.

Their prosciutto pizza is amazing with prosciutto, arugula, house made mozzarella and provolone.

If you've never had arugula on pizza, you have to give it a try! It's so good. It may sound funny, but believe me, you have to give it a try. The lemony, peppery arugula contrasts beautifully with the creamy mozzarella and the salty, crispy prosciutto. It brightens it and cuts through the richness of the cheese and prosciutto.

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Raspberry Chocolate Chip Frozen Yogurt

May 12, 2019 · 27 Comments

This raspberry chocolate chip frozen yogurt is bursting with fresh raspberry flavor and luscious little bites of chocolate! A healthy frozen yogurt that you can feel good about eating, plus it's delicious!

Healthy Frozen Yogurt

I've mentioned before my love of desserts. A meal just doesn't feel complete without a little something sweet at then end. It doesn't have to be big and elaborate, just a bit of a sweet.

Of course, it's even better if it can be a healthy dessert - or at least on the healthier side. Though I can rationalize the health benefits of even the most decadent dessert (it's a talent.)

Which brings us to today's healthy frozen yogurt recipe. It is perfect for an easy healthy dessert. If you need more prodding about reading about the health benefits of yogurt?

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More Luxie on the Bed

May 10, 2019 · 20 Comments

What to Call this Cat Post!

I am running out of ideas on what to call my cat posts! I already had Luxie on the Bed and Luxie Supervising.
However, she spends a lot of time on this bed, supervising me, and I find lots of photo opps!

This is my sewing room/guest room/food photography room. I am trying though to move my food photography to the first floor, because I hate dragging my food up the stairs to photograph it.

What about you all, do you run out of ideas on what to call your cat posts? My food posts are easy, they are usually unique, but there are only so many ways I can describe the kitty cat photos!

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How to Make Raspberry Vodka

May 9, 2019 · 27 Comments

Is is so easy to make your own raspberry vodka! No need to buy store bought! Use it in any cocktail that calls for vodka and you'll have the pretty pink cocktails we all love!

Making Homemade Fruit Vodkas

While I love making quick freezer jams and even quicker chia jams, my favorite way to preserve the lovely flavors of fruit is with fruit vodkas!

When you stroll down the vodka aisle at the liquor store, you'll notice the plethora of fruit flavored vodkas. If you look at them, you'll notice that a lot of them contain "natural flavors" and other questionable ingredients. What are natural flavors?

If like me you think that fruit vodka should contain fruit and vodka and nothing else, then welcome to the wonderful world of homemade fruit vodkas!

It is so easy to make your own at home, you know exactly what is in it and they taste delicious!

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Pasta with Broccoli and Capers

May 7, 2019 · 19 Comments

This Pasta with Broccoli and Capers is a plant based pasta recipe that you will turn to time and time again. So delicious and so easy!; It's the perfect blend of flavors! Broccoli, pasta, garlic, capers, red pepper flakes, olive oil and topped with some freshly grated parmesan cheese! Fast and easy perfect for an busy weeknight dinner!

The Best Plant Based Pasta Recipe!

Here at the Sidewalk Shoes household, we try to eat plant based a couple of times a week. I'm not going to lie to you, a lot of times we miss the meat. We love chicken, beef, salmon, and don't even get me started on pork!

So, eating plant based feels a bit like something we "have" to do, not something we "want" to do.

Until this recipe, that is. This is the best plant based pasta recipe!! As I was eating it, I kept pausing to think about how good it was. How it didn't need a single thing added to it. That I would make it again because I liked it so much, not because it filled our vegetarian recipe for the week.

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Smoked Salmon Salad

May 5, 2019 · 12 Comments

This Smoked Salmon Spinach Salad features flavorful smoked salmon, tender baby spinach, crisp apples, chewy raisins and toasted almonds all tossed in lemon vinaigrette.

So easy to make and amazingly delicious! This will become your new favorite spinach salad!

Two bowls filled with a spinach salad with smoked salmon and two forks.

Why You Should be Using Smoked Salmon for Your Salads!

I might be late to the smoked salmon salad party, but I am sooo happy to be here! If you haven't discovered how amazing smoked salmon is in salads, you have no idea what you have been missing.

We eat a lot of salads around here. A lot. This easy salmon salad has jumped to the top of the list. As I was carrying my empty salad bowl back to the kitchen, I was contemplating how soon was too soon to make this again.

With smoked salmon, you only need a little bit, because it has such flavor! We were able to make two salads from one 4 oz package of salmon.

Click here to pin this delicious Spinach Salad now!

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Luxie on the Dining Room Table

May 3, 2019 · 18 Comments

Luxie Kitty on the Dining Room Table

Are you a morning person or an a night person? Maybe an afternoon person? I am definitely a morning person. I am my most productive between 6am and lunch. After lunch, I just want to nap.

The reason I'm asking is because I am behind today. It's already after 1 and I am just now writing this post, which will go live at 2! This morning I got up at 6 as usual, but then I went to the gym. Came home, changed and rushed back out to run a bunch of errands and didn't get home until just a few minutes before lunch.

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Hibiscus Collins

May 2, 2019 · 17 Comments

This Hibiscus Collins is a pretty pink cocktail that is so refreshing and delicious! Perfect for a special occasion like Mother's Day or any time you want tasty cocktail!

Pretty Pink Cocktails

I admit it, I have a love of pretty pink cocktails. So, when I made Hibiscus Simple Syrup last week, I knew there would be some pretty pink cocktails in my future.

I've been reading The Twelve Bottle Bar and working my way through a natural cocktail progression. What I love about this book is it starts you out with a basic two ingredient cocktail and then it shows how you change it up by adding citrus and then sparkling water and so on.

What you learn is that most cocktails are riffs of old cocktails that have been around for ages. I'm really looking forward to working my way through the progression of cocktails. Just think of all the pretty pink cocktails that I can make!

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Strawberry-Amaretto Frozen Yogurt

Apr 30, 2019 · 22 Comments

This Strawberry Amaretto Frozen Yogurt is the best frozen yogurt! It is rich and creamy and full of luscious strawberries! The Amaretto adds a subtle almond flavor and keeps the yogurt from freezing too solid. A luxurious frozen yogurt, sure to become a favorite!

Boozy Frozen Desserts

I've mentioned before my love of desserts. I just have to have a little something to finish off a meal. It doesn't have to be anything major, but I miss it when I don't have dessert.

While I'll never turn down a piece of cake, there is something so perfect about frozen yogurt for dessert. Being a firm believer in probiotics, I try to eat yogurt every day.

This strawberry amaretto frozen yogurt was everything I hoped it would be. It's full of strawberry flavor and the amaretto really kicks it up a notch. Though you could always leave out the amaretto if you want to, though I am a fan of boozy frozen desserts - Boozy Bourbon Pops, anyone? Or how about this roundup of 15 Boozy Popsicles.

Because booze and frozen desserts are one of the best things about warm weather!

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