Tag: mint girl

Recipe: Ninja Foodi Mac and Cheese

This is a recipe I recently made. It came out really well and I enjoyed it a lot. I did it on a Ninja Foodi Instapot.

Ingredients:

  • 1 1/4 cup small shell pasta
  • 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 1 cup chicken broth
  • 1 cup shredded cheese (any type)
  • 1/8 tsp garlic powder
  • 1/4 tsp onion powder
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • 1 1/2 butter
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
  • Panko breadcrumbs

Directions:

  1. Add the chicken broth, heavy whipping cream and pasta into the pot and stir.
  2. Close the pressure cooker lid and make sure that it’s set at seal. Set to high for 3 minutes. Let it release pressure, then release the rest of steam.
  3. Lift the lid carefully and stir in 3 Tbsp of butter, then stir so it can melt. Then add in the cheese and stir until melted. Add whipping cream if needed (for a less sticky consistency). Season with pepper, salt, garlic powder, and onion powder and stir.
  4. Sprinkle some cheese and breadcrumbs on top of cooked mac and cheese.
  5. Close the air crisp lid and air crisp at 400 degrees for 5 minutes.
  6. Enjoy!

I hope you enjoy!

My Trip

I went to Chicago recently. From Chicago, we also went on a mini road trip to Milwaukee.

The trip was fun and we stopped at a few interesting areas along the way. These are some of my favorite stops.

  1. Mars Cheese Castle
    This is a shop filled with cheese and cheese related items. The selection of cheese is wide and everything is locally made in Wisconsin. There’s also a bakery and some other local products, like jam and jelly beans (there’s a factory close by). There’s also postcards and cheese decorations. It’s a fun place and I enjoyed the trip there.

  2. Wind Point Lighthouse
    The lighthouse is a nice and beautiful area. It overlooks Lake Michigan and is a great photo spot. There are many rocks around the lake, so you can’t go down to the edge unfortunately, but the rocks are good places to sit. When we went, it was raining, not letting us see the full magnificence of the lighthouse, but I’m glad I was at least able to see some of it.
  3. Wingspread house
    This is a house designed by Frank Lloyd Wright (a famous architect). The house is shaped like a pinwheel and covers 14,000 square feet. We didn’t get to go inside the house, but it seemed like an amazing creation from the outside!
  4. La Merenda
    La Merenda is a really great restaurant with food from all over the world. The patio has many plants, like mint, thyme, kale, and so much more. The food is served in a tapas style (small sharable plates) and is delicious. Each dish is different and I really enjoyed them.
  5. Boswell Book Company
    This is a great bookshop! I always love bookshops and this was no exception. There were some really great books and I loved the way recommendations were also included. I saw a few super cool posters and magnets. Overall, this place is great!

June’s Top Books

Here are my top books for June!

June’s Best Books:

  1. Ariadne by Jennifer Saint
    This is a book about Ariadne, a figure in Greek mythology. This tells her story, from a young girl to an older mother. I loved reading about her feelings and the way that she grew, both in personality and in her knowledge. She’s such a true character and I love the way that we also get Phaedra’s (Ariadne’s sister) view as well.
  2. The Cursed Carnival and other Calamities by Rick Riordan
    This is a series of short stories from the Rick Riordan Presents authors as well as Rick Riordan. Each character faces a problem and they work together to solve them. There are also little mentions of other stories in some of them and that just makes it so much more fun. I also really love the diversity in the books.
  3. Shadow and Bone by Leigh Bardugo
    This is the first book in the Shadow and Bone trilogy, the first series in the Grishaverse. Alina is such a brave character and I love the way she faces her problems. The fantasy element is perfect and I really like the way everything plays together. All the characters are well shaped and I can’t wait to read more about all of them in the next two books.
  4. Drum Roll, Please by Lisa Jenn Bigelow
    This is a book about family and finding your voice. I love how Melly navigates throughout the confusions of her life and the ways she overcomes her challenges. I also love the LGBT+ content and how it adds to the story. This is such a great book!
  5. The Stolen Prince of Cloudburst by Jaclyn Moriarty
    This is part of a series, but you can read each book like standalones. This book is about Esther, an often-forgotten middle child. I love the way the story is conveyed and how we get a great sense of who Esther is. I also really like the connections to the other previous stories. This book is so fun and I really enjoyed the humor and liveliness of the book.

Top Books of January: click here
Top Books of February: click here
Top Books of March: click here
Top Books of April: click here
Top Books of May: click here

My Favorite Brownie Recipe

I’ve made brownies many times, but there is one recipe which I consider the best. Everyone loves the recipe, which is a perfect combination of fudgy and crispy.

Ingredients:

  • 1 cup melted butter
  • 3 cups sugar  (white)
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 4 eggs
  • 1 ½ cups flour
  • 1 cup cocoa powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup chocolate chips

Directions:

  1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a deep baking dish (9×13 is the preferred size).
  2. Combine the butter, sugar, and vanilla in a bowl. Beat in the eggs until blended.
  3. Gradually stir the flour, cocoa powder, and salt into the egg mixture until blended. Stir in the chocolate chips. Spread the batter evenly into the baking pan.
  4. Bake in the oven for 35 to 40 minutes. Cool pan on rack before cutting.
  5. Enjoy!

Do you have any go-to brownie recipes?

Traveling in San Antonio

I went to San Antonio recently and I enjoyed all of the marvelous and wonderful sights, so I decided to share my favorites with you. I hope you enjoy!

  1. The Japanese/Chinese Tea Garden
    The Japanese Tea Gardens, were a crowded, but beautiful place. It was lush, green, and filled with nature. There were a few koi ponds, a waterfall, and beautiful bridges. We also saw koi and 2 ducklings. I really loved the scenery and the breath-taking views.
  2. The Pearl (neighborhood)
    The Pearl is a neighborhood with many restaurants and other fun shops. It borders the San Antonio River and is a big open area. There are many picturesque views, with the buildings and the field areas. Two of my favorite places in the Pearl are Lick Ice-cream and Twig Bookstore.
  3. The Mercado
    The Mercado is the largest Mexican market in the US, with 32 specialty stores/booths. It is full of vibrant colors, like the papel picado overhead, or the fun colors of the booths. There’s food, drinks, toys, and more. Sadly, we went at a time before the market has opened, so we didn’t get to see everything.

Have you been to San Antonio? If so, what are your favorite parts of the city?

L: Luigi Lemoncello

Luigi Lemoncello is a character from the Mr. Lemoncello series by Chris Grabenstein.

Mr. Lemoncello is a game creator who loves making quirky and creative games. He’s a big fan of reading and owns libraries with many technology and game advancements. He’s wacky and can make anything fun. He is able to make everyone happy with his wonderful creations.

This is a post for the A-Z April Blogging Challenge 2021. You can read the other posts here.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

These are other characters whose names start with L who I enjoyed reading about.
Larry (Ghosted- Michael Fry)

G: Gilly Hopkins

Gilly Hopkins is a character in The Great Gilly Hopkins by Katherine Paterson.

Gilly is a tough girl who is used to being placed in foster homes. She starts out as a very independent young girl who is used to getting her way, but as time goes by, she realizes that maybe sometimes, it’s ok to be vulnerable. She lets herself open up to others and becomes more kind and caring.

This is a post for the A-Z April Blogging Challenge 2021. You can read the other posts here.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

These are other characters whose names start with G who I enjoyed reading about.
Gabby Garcia (The Gabby Garcia series- Iva Marie-Palmer)

George (George- Alex Gino)

F: Froggy

Froggy or Prince Charlie Charming is a character from the Land of Stories series by Chris Colfer.

Froggy is Alex and Conner Bailey’s first and one of their closest friends in the Land of Stories. He’s very kind and a great person who loves to help others. I loved seeing the way he always stuck by the twins’ side. He’s a lovable character and I wish we got to see more of him.

This is a post for the A-Z April Blogging Challenge 2021. You can read the other posts here.

C: Carter Locke

Carter Locke is a character from the Magic Misfits series by Neil Patrick Harris.

Carter is a bright young boy. He uses playing cards as his weapons and is a master at working with them. He also specializes in sleight of hand and vanishing magic. I love how he works with his friends and family to figure out puzzles and defeat Bosso and Kalagan, the two main antagonists. He’s really funny and I love how he changes throughout all the books. He’s a great character and I love reading about him!

This is a post for the A-Z April Blogging Challenge 2021. You can read the other posts here.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

These are other characters whose names start with C who I enjoyed reading about.
Cece Bell (El Deafo- Cece Bell)

Connor Bailey (The Land of Stories series– Chris Colfer)

Curzon (The Seeds of America Trilogy – Laurie Halse Anderson)

B: Batty Penderwick

Batty Penderwick is a character from the Penderwicks series by Jeanne Birdsall.

Batty is the youngest sister in the Penderwick family. She can be shy around people who she doesn’t know, but overall is a bright, funny person. She loves animals and her family. She is gentle and timid, but learns how to be stronger and stand up for herself throughout the books. I love the way she’s changed in the books and I think she’s a great character!

This is a post for the A-Z April Blogging Challenge 2021. You can read the other posts here.

HONORABLE MENTIONS:

These are other characters whose names start with B who I enjoyed reading about.

Brynne Rao (Aru Shah series- Roshani Chokshi)