Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork w/ Corn Muffins + Broccoli and Raisin Salad + Banana Pudding

This week's meal includes Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork with a Corn Muffin, Broccoli and Raisin Salad, and Banana Pudding. It's a Valentine Kitchen Favorite. 

I braise my pork shoulder with my own BBQ sauce and Dr. Pepper. Yep, you read that correctly, Dr. Pepper. The sugar and the spices from the soda create a beautifully seasoned and moist pork shoulder. My pulled pork started from Ree Drummond's recipe, and I've modified it slightly over time. I serve the meat with a corn muffin and honey butter. 

The Broccoli and Raisin Salad is one of my favorite picnic midwest salads. The salad consists of broccoli, raisins, sunflower seeds, and bacon. The dressing for the salad is mayo-based, a little tangy, and very sweet. I add red onion to the dressing. So, it's sweet, salty, spicy, crunchy, and chewy. You can't get enough!

Banana Pudding has long been a favorite southern dessert, and I'm bound and determined to make it a favorite of the midwest. I make my vanilla pudding from scratch, so it's extra special. The vanilla pudding is layered with bananas and vanilla wafer cookies. All the flavors soak into one another for a dessert like no other. If you don't already, you're going to love it.

I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! 

Chicken Enchiladas Verdes + Spinach Salad with Lime Vinaigrette + Key Lime Pie

This week's meal includes Chicken Enchiladas Verdes, Spinach Salad with Jalapeño-Lime Vinaigrette, and Key Lime Pie. 

The Chicken Enchiladas Verdes includes six corn tortillas filled with poached chicken breast and Monterey jack cheese. However, it's the Verde sauce that really makes these enchiladas special. It's a sweet-sour (not at all spicy) flavorful sauce. It combines onion, garlic, cumin, roasted tomatillos, and roasted poblano chiles. It's so tasty you'll want to eat it on everything! The enchiladas are served with cilantro, green onions, and Mexican Crema.

The Spinach Salad with Jalapeño-Lime Vinaigrette is a simple salad with a lot of flavor. I adore simple spinach salads. The dressing is just jalapeños (seeded and cored, so it's not too spicy), lime juice, garlic, olive oil, and a little honey and salt to balance everything out. The recipe for the Jalapeño-Lime Vinaigrette is adapted from Julia Turshen's new book, Simply Julia. The salad is topped with cotija cheese, a fantastic Mexican cheese that is salty and crumbly. 

The Key Lime Pie is a legit (in my opinion) Key Lime Pie. So, it's not green, but rather the color of custard with lime zest. It has a graham cracker crust, and it's topped with a sweet and sour whipped cream. You'll love it! 

The add-on this week is freshly made Guacamole. It's a mash of avocados, red onion, jalapeños, garlic, and lime juice. It's served with hand-fried tortillas chips. 

This week's meal tastes like summer but is starting to look towards fall. I think you're going to love it. 

Welcome to Valentine Kitchen!

I have a new name, a new pick-up day, and a new location! 

I have received my license from the State of Iowa, and I am moving into the Mickle Center in Sherman Hill. Hooray! 

Unfortunately, there is no meal this week while I'm getting settled into my new kitchen space. 

Beginning the week of August 23, you will now pick up all orders on Wednesdays from the Mickle Center in Sherman Hill. I will send out precise pick-up instructions with your next order. I hope it will be easy and convenient for everyone. 

I'll send out an email on Monday mornings at 9 a.m. with the details for the meal that week. You simply follow the link in the email to purchase the meal and add-ons. You pay for everything online. Then, you pick up your food at The Mickle Center, 1620 Pleasant St., Des Moines, IA 50311, on Wednesdays between 4 and 6 p.m. 

I appreciate all your support over the last six months. I couldn't do this without you! 

BLTs + Cantaloupe and Fresh Mozzarella Salad + Peach Ice Cream

This week I'm revisiting some of your summer favorites: BLTs and Peach Ice Cream. So while tomatoes are ripe and peaches are perfect, we're having them again! New this week is a Cantaloupe and Fresh Mozzarella Salad. Cantaloupe is like candy right now, so I am taking advantage of its natural yumminess. For an add-on this week, my Best Blueberry Muffins. 

BLTs are, hands down, my favorite summer sandwich. It's the best combination of flavors and textures. It's salty, sweet, soft, and crunchy. I am taking it to the next level by serving it on handmade focaccia bread with Basil Mayonnaise. The tomatoes are local from Radiate DSM; the basil is from my garden. The sandwich will not come assembled, but it's a cinch to put together and ensures all the components taste fresh and delicious. 

The Cantaloupe and Fresh Mozzarella is a simple salad, and that's why I love it. Cantaloupe tastes like candy right now and is perfectly paired with creamy and salty fresh mozzarella; it's a match made in heaven. The salad is seasoned with basil from my garden, sea salt, and freshly ground black pepper. And that's all it takes for a perfect summer salad. 

We had it last week, and you loved it so much we're having it again: handmade Peach Ice Cream. Hooray! Peaches are perfect for the tiniest moment during the year, and we have to take advantage. The base of the ice cream is made with cream, local fresh eggs, and a peach syrup made fresh from southern Missouri peaches. Then pieces of fresh peach are mixed into the ice cream. It's a summer delight! 

For the add-on this week, I'm making my Best Blueberry Muffins. The muffins themselves are tender and packed full of blueberries. To make them extra special, they are topped with lemon zest and sugar. It adds and a little crunch and a little brightness. They will make your mornings delicious! 

Tomato-Prairie Breeze Tart + Leafy Green Salad + Peach Ice Cream

This week's meal includes a Tomato-Prairie Breeze Tart, Leafy Green Salad, and Peach Ice Cream. The add-on this week is Spinach and Artichoke Dip. It's going to be a good week! 

There are many versions of tomato tarts in the world, but this one is my favorite. It includes local stars: tomatoes and Prairie Breeze. The pastry for the Tomato-Prairie Breeze Tart is exceptional. It has butter and sour cream, so it's perfectly flakey and perfectly tender. The filling consists of lightly caramelized onions that are cooked with fresh thyme. The onions are added to eggs, sour cream, and my favorite local cheese, Prairie Breeze, by Milton Creamery. The filling is topped with fresh local tomatoes and more Prairie Breeze. It bakes up to a perfect eggy, tomato-y tart.

A simple Leafy Green Salad is the perfect companion to the tart. The salad consists of various soft leafy greens with a classic vinaigrette made with champagne vinegar, dijon mustard, and olive oil. 

For dessert this week, Peach Ice Cream. Hooray! The base of the ice cream is made with cream, eggs, and a peach syrup made fresh from Georgia peaches. Then pieces of fresh peach are mixed into the ice cream. It's a summer delight! 

The Add-On this week is classic Spinach and Artichoke Dip served with pita chips. It's an old-school appetizer and always the first to go at a party. This dip is good cold, heated, on pizza, added to a wrap, or whatever you can think to do with it. You know it, you love it. 

I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! 

Carnitas with Corn Tortillas + Corn and Avocado Salad + Tres Leches Cake

This week's meal includes Carnitas, handmade Corn Tortillas, Corn and Avocado Salad, and Tres Leches Cake. I have been so excited to make this meal all summer. I just needed sweet corn to come into season, and it's finally here. The add-ons this week are fresh Guacamole and hand-fried tortillas chips. The nibble board is a perfect starter for summer tacos. 

Carnitas are pork shoulder slowly cooked with onion, jalapeño, garlic, oregano, cumin, and orange juice. It's rich and flavorful and makes a perfect taco. The Carnitas are served on handmade Corn Tortillas. The tacos are topped with queso fresco, Mexican crema, cilantro, and pickled red onions.

The Corn and Avocado Salad is made from fresh Iowa sweet corn, avocados, queso fresco cheese, green onions, and a lime vinaigrette made with fresh garlic and jalapeños. It's bright and fresh and pairs perfectly with the rich tacos. 

Tres Leches Cake is a cinnamon and vanilla cake soaked in three kinds of milk: sweetened condensed milk, evaporated milk, and heavy cream. It's dense and moist and topped with a whipped frosting. It's one of my all-time favorite cakes. 

The add-on this week is freshly made Guacamole. It's a mash of avocados, red onion, jalapeños, garlic, and lime juice. It's served with hand-fried tortillas chips. 

The Nibble Board this week includes queso fresco, aged manchego cheese, fresh cherry tomatoes, chorizo, pickled jalapeños, corn nuts, and two varieties of corn crackers. It's a great appetizer, snack, or lunch! 

I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! 

Greek Chicken + Rustic Olive Rolls + Spinach Salad with Feta + Mixed Berry Buckle

This week's meal includes Greek Chicken, Rustic Olive Rolls, Spinach Salad with Feta Cheese, and Mixed Berry Buckle. The add-on this week is Garlicky Hummus with pita chips. The whole meal features flavors and ingredients from Greek cuisine.

The Greek Chicken is prepared with rosemary, thyme, garlic, lemon, oregano, and coriander. It's marinated and then roasted, so the meat is full of flavor and moisture, and the skin is brown and crispy. It is served with pan drippings. The Rustic Olive Rolls are freshly made and perfect to soak up the juices from the chicken. They are soft white rolls with bits of kalamata olives.

The Spinach Salad with Feta is a simple spinach salad with a red wine vinaigrette. It is the perfect compliment to bold flavors in the kitchen.

The Mixed Berry Buckle is an individual-sized cake with the freshest summer berries: raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. It is topped with crunchy bits that give it the perfect texture.

The add-on this week is Garlicky Hummus served with pita chips. The hummus is made freshly and is very garlicky with a hint of lemon. It's a perfect extra side with the roast chicken or a mid-week snack.

This week's nibble board is filled with Greek favorites: feta cheese, dolma, cherry tomatoes, mini cucumbers, Kalamata olives, crispy chickpeas, pita crackers, and fig and olive crackers. It is the perfect start for the meal or a delicious lunch.

Zucchini and Ricotta Galette + Parmesan Smashed Potatoes with Chive Yogurt + Peach Crisp

This week's vegetarian meal for two includes Zucchini and Ricotta Galette, Parmesan Smashed Potatoes with Chive Yogurt, and Peach Crisp. The add-on this week is Honey-Vanilla Ice Cream, which is perfect on the Peach Crisp. And I'm excited to introduce Nibble Boards! Nibble Boards are little snacks that coordinate with the weekly meal and are the perfect snack while you're preparing your dinner or an easy, ready-to-go lunch. 

The Zucchini and Ricotta Galette is a rustic tart filled with ricotta cheese, mozzarella cheese, parmesan cheese, shingled with fresh, local zucchini, and topped with garlic olive oil. The pastry is flakey and has a hint of lemon flavor. Honestly, zucchini is not my favorite summer vegetable. I usually find it a little bland and slimy. However, I lost my mind for this tart. It has so much flavor and has me feeling a deep love for summer zucchini. 

The Parmesan Smashed Potatoes with Chive Yogurt are new potatoes boiled, smashed, and topped with olive oil, parmesan cheese, salt, and pepper. They then get roasted in the oven, and the smashed edges get a little crispy. They are great! 

Peach Crisp. Peaches are my all-time favorite fruit. The peaches are perfectly ripe and topped with oats, brown sugar, cinnamon, and of course, butter. It's a perfect and classic summer dessert. 

The Honey-Vanilla Ice Cream pairs perfectly with the Peach Crisp. The ice cream uses only honey for the sweetener, no sugar. So, it has a deep honey flavor. The perfect vanilla ice cream, in my opinion. 

Nibble Boards! This week's first nibble board is inspired by summer favorites, just like the meal. It includes Rainier Cherries—the ABSOLUTE BEST—summer berries, Prairie Breeze cheese from Milton Creamery, honey goat cheese, strawberry and jalapeño crackers, water crackers, sesame almonds, and fresh mint. It's the perfect snack with a summer cocktail or an effortless summer lunch. 

I hope you enjoy this week's meal! 

BLTs + Watermelon, Feta, and Mint Salad, + Strawberry Shortcake Pie

This week's meal includes BLTs on handmade focaccia, Watermelon, Feta, and Mint Salad, and Strawberry Shortcake Pie. The add-on this week is Chocolate Pecan Scones. I am embracing every moment and flavor of summer.

BLTs are, hands down, my favorite summer sandwich. It's the best combination of flavors and textures. It's salty, sweet, soft, and crunchy. I am taking it to the next level by serving it on handmade focaccia bread with Basil Mayonnaise. The sandwich will not come assembled, but it's a cinch to put together and ensures all the components taste fresh and delicious. 

The Watermelon, Feta, and Mint Salad has become a summer staple at many BBQs, and for a good reason, it's delicious! The watermelon is sweet and juicy, the feta is crumbly and salty, and the mint creates freshness and balance. If you've never the pleasure of eating this salad, you're in for a summer treat.  

The Strawberry Shortcake pie is made with fresh strawberries, shortbread cookie crust, and whipped cream on the side. It has all the vibes of strawberry shortcake but in pie form. The best of both desserts! 

The add-ons this week are Chocolate Pecan scones. These are not your below-average, dry scones. These scones are biscuit-like, soft, and buttery. They are perfect with coffee for breakfast or an afternoon snack. 

There are a lot of new and exciting this happening for me now that I have graduated! I intend to nail down commercial kitchen space so I can serve more customers. I will have a fresh, new design for my website. And finally, I will be introducing a new menu item, Nibble Boxes. Nibble Boxes complement the weekly meal and are meant to enjoy while you're preparing your meal.

Beginning in July, I will be raising the price of my weekly meal to $40. All meals will always contain the highest quality ingredients and will always be entirely handmade by me. 

Vacation!

I'm on vacation! I'm at Lake Okoboji this week with my family, enjoying time away from home for the first time in over a year. OMGOSH, it feels so good. I'll be back next week with a summer goodie, BLT on Homemade Focaccia, Watermelon Feta Salad, and Strawberry Shortcake Pie. For add-ons, I will have the most delicious chocolate-pecan scones. I hope you're all enjoying the official start to summer!

BBQ Chicken Skewers + Cornbread Salad with Buttermilk Herb Dressing + Rainbow Fruit Pizzas

This week's meal includes BBQ chicken skewers, Cornbread Salad with Buttermilk Herb Dressing, and Rainbow Fruit Pizzas! A summer menu like no other. 

This week for add-ons, I'll have Pimento Cheese w/ Ritz Crackers (the best), Rosemary Cashews, and extra Rainbow Fruit Pizzas. 

The BBQ chicken includes two skewers per person of cubed chicken breast that is brined and grilled—then coated in homemade BBQ sauce that is a little sweet and a little tangy. There is nothing better than perfectly grilled chicken skewers in the summer!  

The Cornbread Salad with Buttermilk Herb Dressing contains crisp romaine lettuce, sweet cherry tomatoes, and a buttermilk herb dressing. The buttermilk herb dressing is buttermilk, lemon juice, basil, parsley, green onions, and dill. It's glorious. The really special part of the salad is the cornbread croutons. Enough said. The recipe is inspired by a recipe in one of my favorite new cookbooks, The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook. It's a true gem.

The Rainbow Fruit Pizza is personal-sized and made with a chewy sugar cookie, cream cheese glaze and fresh strawberries, peaches, fresh pineapple, fresh kiwi, and fresh blueberries. It's a perfect summer dessert. Happy Pride! 🌈

The Pimento Cheese is also from The Lee Bros. Southern Cookbook. I have been making this for years, and it's so addictive and so good served with Ritz Crackers. It's the perfect way to start your meal. 

I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! 

Falafel with Flatbread and Tzatziki + Sun-dried Tomato Pasta Salad + Lemon Olive Oil Cake

This week's meal includes Falafel w/ Flatbread and Tzatziki, Sun-dried Tomato Pasta Salad, and Lemon Olive Oil Cake. It's a perfect Mediterranean summer meal for two. 

I am also introducing add-ons! This week's add-on the crowd favorite, Rosemary Cashews. The perfect little snack for baseball games, pool time, or with drinks after work.

The Falafel are handmade with chickpeas, onion, garlic, parsley, lemon, cumin, and coriander. I fry the falafel until they are golden brown on the outside and are light and tender on the inside. They are little flavor bombs. I serve the falafel on handmade flatbreads with tzatziki sauce. I make the tzatziki with Greek yogurt, cucumbers, garlic, and lemon. It is cool and refreshing and keeps the whole meal tasting fresh and summery. 

The Sun-dried Tomato Pasta Salad has sun-dried tomatoes, cherry tomatoes, feta cheese, and kalamata olives. I make the vinaigrette with sun-dried tomatoes, garlic, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. Ina Garten inspired the recipe, and it's my favorite pasta salad out there.  

The Lemon Olive Oil cake an ultramoist lemon cake with a subtle olive oil flavor. It is iced with lemon icing to add an extra boost of lemon flavor. It's divine! The recipe comes from Yossy Arefi's wonderful book Snaking Cakes. 

I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! 

Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork Sandwiches + Broccoli and Raisin Salad + Banana Pudding

This week's meal includes Dr. Pepper Pulled Pork on a homemade Hawaiian bun, Broccoli and Raisin Salad, and Banana Pudding. This meal is the perfect way to kick of summer! 

I make my pulled pork in a dutch oven, and I braise it with my favorite BBQ sauce and Dr. Pepper. Yep, you read that correctly, Dr. Pepper. The sugar and the spices from the soda create a beautifully seasoned and moist pork shoulder. My pulled pork started from Ree Drummond's recipe, and I've modified it slightly over time. The meat sits on top of a homemade Hawaiian bun, making this sandwich extra special.

The Broccoli and Raisin Salad is one of my favorite picnic midwest salads. It's broccoli, raisins, sunflower seeds, and bacon. The dressing is mayo-based and a little tangy, and very sweet. I red onion into the dressing. It's sweet, salty, spicy, crunchy, and chewy. You can't get enough!

Banana pudding has quickly become a favorite. I make my vanilla pudding from scratch, so it's extra special. All the flavors soak into one another for a dessert like no other. 

I hope you enjoy this week's meal as much as I do! 

Glazed Meatloaf + Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes + Spinach Salad + Oatmeal Cookies

This week's meal includes Glazed Meatloaf, Twice Baked Sweet Potatoes, Spinach Salad, and Oatmeal Cookies. It's all about Old School Classics! 

My Glazed Meatloaf is classic. Nothing fussy about it. It's a mixture of ground beef and ground pork, puréed onions and garlic, Worcestershire sauce, and thyme. I cover my meatloaf with ketchup because is it even meatloaf if it isn't glazed with ketchup?!  

The Twice-Baked Sweet Potatoes are a fancy twist on regular twice-baked potatoes. The recipe is inspired by Ina Garten and one of my favorites from her. I start with baked sweet potatoes because I love sweet potatoes. I mix the cooked inside of the sweet potato with sautéed shallots, butter, fresh thyme, and taleggio cheese. The mixture is put back into the sweet potato shells and baked again until the mixture puffs slightly and the cheese melts. They are delicious!  

The spinach salad is my go-to simple spinach salad. It's just fresh baby spinach with a lemon vinaigrette. It helps balance the richness of the meatloaf and sweet potatoes.

My Oatmeal Cookies are a favorite in our house. They are exactly what I want in an oatmeal cookie. They are chewy, moist, oaty, and not too sweet. I brown the butter, which gives them a deep nutty flavor, and add a little extra salt to keep them from being too sweet. There is also less flour and more oats than most oatmeal cookie recipes, so they are extra oaty. Just the way I like them!  

Roast Chicken Breast with Warm Bread Salad + Maple-Roasted Carrots + Rhubarb Crumble Bars

This week's meal includes Roast Chicken with Warm Bread Salad, Maple-Roasted Carrots, and Rhubarb Crumble Bars. It's all about roasting, and it's all about spring. 

I love a hearty dinner salad, but there is no better than this Roast Chicken with Warm Bread Salad. The recipe is inspired by the famous San Francisco restaurant, Zuni Cafe, which has been open since 1979. It's on my bucket list to eat this salad at Zuni Cafe. However, in the meantime, I'll make a version for you that will not disappoint. I make it with cast-iron roasted chicken breast that is dry brined for 24 hours with lemon, garlic, and thyme. I serve it over a bed of spinach with a champagne vinaigrette, currents, and green onions. And the very very best part is the bread. I make homemade bread and cube it and roast it under the chicken. The bread soaks up all the delicious chicken drippings. It's crisp in some spots, soft in others, and has a ton of flavor. 

The Maple-Roasted Carrots are carrots roasted with butter, maple syrup, and brown sugar. That's all you need for a perfect roast carrot, and these certainly don't disappoint! 

The rhubarb crumble bars are the same base and crumble as the wildly popular Raspberry Crumble Bars I serve. However, in this version, I use homemade Rhubarb-Vanilla Jam. The rhubarb is local and picked from friends and family (I wish I had my own!). Rhubarb is only in season for a short time in the spring, and I try my hardest to eat as MUCH as possible.  

Leek Tart + Garlic Roasted Potatoes + Spinach Salad + Carrot Cupcakes

This week's meal includes a Leek Tart, Garlic Roasted Potatoes, Spinach Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette, and Carrot Cupcakes! It's an ode to French cooking.

The Leek Tart is a classic French tart I first made when I spent a semester cooking my way through Julia Child's Mastering the Art of French Cooking. It was a hit in our house. The tart has a buttery, peppery crust and a dense leek filling with tons of flavor. Comté cheese, eggs, and crème fraîche accompany the leeks in the tart. Comté cheese is a French cow's milk cheese from the Franche-Comté province of eastern France, bordering Switzerland.

The potatoes are small buttery potatoes roasted in olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper until they are golden brown and crisp. They are simple and delicious.

The spinach salad is a simple salad served with a flavorful Lemon Vinaigrette. It provides the perfect acidic contrast to the rich potatoes and tart. The salad is also served with parmesan cheese from Italy.

For dessert this week are Carrot Cupcakes. An all-time favorite. The carrot cake is made with fresh carrots, juicy raisins, and sweet and acidic pineapple. It's a dense, moist cake topped with cream cheese frosting. Delicious!

Week 90 | Graduation Week!

Hi There! I will be taking this week off. Eeek! It is graduation week, and there are activities planned for every day this week. Unfortunately, we aren't having an in-person ceremony due to Covid-19. However, we are having some fun activities with our Iowa Culinary Institute (ICI) class. We are doing photos in our cap and gowns, a luncheon, and dinner with friends. It's going to be a busy week, and it's important to me to attend these events after all my hard work for the past two years. Don't worry; I'll be back next week. I have many fun things planned for the next few months. I love cooking for you and appreciate all your support!

Here is a fun picture from my first day of school in 2019!

Week 89 | Chicken Taco Salad + Homemade Tortilla Chips + Key Lime Pie

Welcome to the new schedule! Thank you all for participating in my survey. Ordering will now occur on Mondays at 9 am, and pickup will be on Thursdays from 4 pm - 6 pm at my home. This is an ever-evolving adventure, and I appreciate all the support over the last three months. 

This week's meal includes a Chicken Taco Salad, Homemade Tortilla Chips, and Key Lime Pie. It's starting to feel and taste like summer!

The Chicken Taco Salad has A LOT of really yummy components. It starts with fresh romaine lettuce dressed with my favorite Jalapeño-Lime Vinaigrette. It's sweeter than spicy but has a bright background for the salad. The corn is dressed with lime juice, jalapeño, garlic, and green onions. The black beans are cooked with jalapeño, garlic, and cumin. The chicken is marinated with gold tequila, lime juice, orange juice, chili powder, fresh jalapeño, and garlic overnight. Then it's grilled! It's the first time I'm firing up the grill this spring, and I'm very excited about it. The salad is topped with guacamole, Mexican crema, cherry tomatoes, and Mexican cheese. The whole thing is one giant flavor bomb! 

The homemade tortilla chips are made from corn tortillas and fried by my hands. They are the perfect crunchy side with the salad. And any of the salad toppings work great as a dip with the chips. 

The Key Lime Pie is a legit (in my opinion) Key Lime Pie. So, it's not green, but rather the color of custard with lime zest. It has a graham cracker crust, and it's topped with a sweet and sour whipped cream. You'll love it! 

Week 88 | Loose Meat Sandwich + Broccoli and Raisin Salad + Crinkled Chocolate Chip Cookies

This week's meal includes Loose Meat Sandwiches (with homemade buns and pickles), Broccoli and Raisin Salad, and Giant Crinkle Chocolate Chip Cookies.

The Loose Meat Sandwiches are ground beef slowly cooked with dried onions and chicken broth. The meat sits on top of a homemade bun, which is what makes this sandwich extra special. The sandwich includes all the necessary toppings: ketchup, mustard, homemade pickles, finely minced onion, and American cheese. The homemade pickles are dill pickles that are a little sweet, a little sour, and the tiniest bit spicey. They are delicious. Altogether, it is a great and classic midwest sandwich.

The Broccoli and Raisin Salad is one of my favorite picnic midwest salads that felt perfect with loose meat sandwiches. It's broccoli, raisins, sunflower seeds, and bacon. The dressing is mayo-based and a little tangy, and very sweet. I mince shallot into the dressing. It's sweet, salty, spicy, crunchy, and chewy. You can't get enough!

The Giant Crinkle Chocolate Chip cookies are giant chocolate chip cookies that you "bang the pan" during cooking. Simply put, you pull the pan out of the oven multiple times during the baking process and drop it against the stovetop. This action creates crinkled edges, while the middle stays soft. It is the same method as the Crinkle Sugar Cookies I made for week 3. The chocolate chip version is delicious!