Adventures in San Francisco

I really love visiting big cities, and San Francisco was no exception.  As I mentioned last week, I was fortunate enough to spend my break in that great city!  The main purpose of the trip was to complete a week long internship at the St. Regis hotel, but that doesn’t mean there wasn’t any time for fun!

My trip started out with a layover in Phoenix.  I got to see my parents, eat delicious Mexican food, and enjoy not wearing a jacket for once.

I'm pretty sure I was the only one in the airport wearing a long sleeve shirt.

My younger brother and sister had their break the week before mine, so they had flown out on Wednesday to see my grandparents.   When I arrived in California, they were there to pick me up at the airport!

The three of us spent the weekend with my grandparents exploring the city and going to the beach.

On Monday I officially began my internship.  Isn’t the hotel nice?? I’m pretty sure the bathroom was a big as my dorm room.

I stayed busy throughout the day, but at night my roommate Kim and I were able to tour the city.

We did exciting things like eating Thai food, shopping at Union Square, getting Boba tea, and taking selifes in Macy’s in front of a picture of the Golden Gate Bridge.

It looks kind of convincing, right??

I had such a great time over break!  It was wonderful seeing my family, I learned a lot through my internship, and I met a new friend.  

And now there's only 6 more weeks until summer!

Nutella Yogurt Dip

Spring break is finally here!  And spring break means warm weather, which means summer is approaching, which means I’m almost done with my first year of college.  Yikes!  Where did the time go?

I will be MIA next week because I’ll be in San Francisco completing an externship at the St. Regis hotel!  I don’t know a whole lot in terms of details, but I do know that I will be working in the food and beverage department and staying in a five-star hotel for the week.  What could be better, right?  I’m sure I will have lots of pictures and stories to share when I get back!

The inspiration behind this recipe is that I needed something that was quick to throw together and would be good for snacking on during packing breaks.   My mom never really bought Nutella much when I was home, but I have discovered a newfound love for it in college.  It's good to know that I am learning valuable things in college. 

Hooray for another two-ingredient recipe!

 What you need:

2 5.3 containers vanilla flavored Greek yogurt

¼-1/3 C Nutella

Pretzels, graham crackers, and/or strawberries for dipping

Look at that.  A brand new jar of Nutella.  That is pure bliss if I ever saw it.

What you do:

Stir together the yogurt and Nutella until blended. 

Look at that, we're halfway done!

Serve with pretzels, graham crackers, or eat straight up with a spoon.  I may or may not be guilty of the last one.

  Right after you make this, the texture is better for dipping, but if you put it in the fridge for 30 minutes or so, it firms up like pudding.  Nutella pudding? Mmmmmmm. Happy spring!

Jumbo Pasta Salad

Alright, winter.  It’s been fun, but I think we should let spring have its turn now.  Apparently this was the snowiest winter Indiana has experienced in a long time.  It figures that the year I come to Indiana is the year of the snowpocalypse!

This pasta salad is a refreshing break from the chilly weather outside.  It has bright colors and flavors, and screams summer barbecue.  Plus, this recipe makes a lot, making it perfect for sharing!

I don’t need even need it to be hot-I would just like to see it get above freezing.  Is that too much to ask? 

What you need:

1 lb macaroni pasta noodles

1 pint grape tomatoes

1 3.5 oz can black olives

3 C broccoli florets

1/4-1/3 C Italian dressing (6-8 individual packages)

4 oz garlic basil cheese

1 ½ C shredded Asiago, plus more for garnish.

What you do:

Cook the pasta according to pasta directions.  Meanwhile, slice the tomatoes in half and chop the florets into bite size pieces, if necessary.  

Mix together with remaining ingredients in a large mixing bowl.  Add cooked pasta and dressing, adding more if needed.  Stir to combine.  Serve cold. 

Don't be stingy with the cheese!  The saltiness of the asiago and the creaminess of the garlic basil cheese really kicks the flavor up a notch.  Grilled chicken would also be a great addition!

Cheesy Pesto Pull-Apart Bread

Yes, you read that right.  Three of life’s greatest gifts are combined into one glorious dish: bread, pesto, and cheese.  It’s all quite simple, yet the finished product tastes amaaaaazing.  My friends and I polished off an entire loaf in one sitting even after we had eaten dinner.  No shame.

What you need:

1 Loaf Italian bread

1 3.5 oz jar of your favorite pesto

About 1C shredded cheese, but the more the better!  A shredded Italian mix would be great.

I used a combo of Asiago and Edam (not pictured).   Normally, I wouldn’t have such an exciting assortment of cheese, but my friend's parents sent her some for her birthday!  That is good parenting right there.

What you do:

Preheat the oven to 400°.  Slice the bread into one-inch strips, lengthwise and widthwise (is that even a word?), being careful to not slice all the way through the bread. 

Spread the pesto in all the nooks and crannies and cover with shredded cheese!  

  

Wrap the prepared loaf in foil and bake for 10-12 minutes, or until cheese is melted.

Happy birthday to my dad and sister back home!  I miss you and love you guys!