#also i was about to make a southwest salad

[what-i-made-for-dinner-yesterday]

My sister’s cat was ready to share our salmon with us….

Sides!

For sides we had blue corn stuffing, 3 sisters salad, roasted delicata squash, and pole beans.

The stuffing was blue corn cornbread, walnuts, cranberries, wild rice, and spices. We also had some carrots sneak in there because there was an assumption made and we didn’t double-check until after we added them. Carrots are from Persia! Whooops. The wild rice was harvested with traditional methods in Minnesota! I think shallots made it in too. Shallots are the one purposeful compromise we make. There is a wild onion native to the Americas that was used for culinary purposes, but it’s extremely hard to get ahold of unless you grow it yourself. Most native chefs use straight up onion or they suggest substituting with shallots for the closest taste so that’s what we did.

This is year 3 (I think) of the 3 sisters salad and we love it. Its maize, winter squash, and tepary beans. The beans are grown in the American southwest and my sister buys them from the Navajo nation Akemi O’Ohodum - Ramona Farms. They have an interesting story around their preservation. During forced relocations to reservations, women would sew the seed beans into their dresses to preserve them as they were culturally important as well as being a critical independent food source.

One of the things to really understand about food colonization is how traditional foods are often denied to those being colonized. For example, food crops like maize and tepary beans were intentionally ruined/restricted and instead sacks of wheat flour were provided. This meant the colonized became dependent on their colonizers for food - a common tool of colonialism and control. Saving tepary beans is an act of defiance that deserves to be honored and respected. I loved using them in our meal as a way of recognizing the importance of preserving culture. Decolonization, especially food decolonization, isn’t about recreating or restoring the past, but about embracing the future while understanding that your world view isn’t the only view of the world.

Our other two sides were pole beans (blistered in oil with salt) and roasted delicata squash tossed with maple syrup and salt. The squash was grown locally.

It was a delicious meal!

On to dessert next….

[apollos-olives]

Ooh tough question there about the cheap healthy meals(not sarcasm). The following does not take into account where you shop etc because that is personal information that does not need to be known ya know.

Some of my favorites are a bag of broccoli roasted in the oven with seasonings and either fish also in the oven/air fryer or taking some chicken and cutting it up to go with the broccoli.

I'll do a pack of cheese pizzas but they also come in individual ones at some stores and then a bagged salad (I can usually make a bagged salad last two meals if I have something to go with it)

Lately one I've been enjoying is some ground turkey ,since here it's cheaper than other ground meats, in a pan with some boiled potatoes and a can of beans or sliced peppers in a cooked together. You can make it southwest or spicy etc and it is really good with tortillas. This is usually two meals for me.

Breakfast wise? I've been using frozen egg burritos or some waffles.

Pancake mix is good too, because you can use it and then some boiled eggs on the side for a little bit of protein.

I'm sorry if these aren't the best suggestions. Hopefully these offer a few ideas etc. Have a good day:)

omg these are awesome!!! genuinely thank you so much that helps me out a lot. so far i only got one day down and i've spent like 30 dollars 💀 lmfao

what i got so far </3 devastating

but thank you again!

[pythonmelon]

USAmericans generally have access to a really varied diet. It really depends on where in the country you are what the local cuisine is, there's so much it's hard to cover, but generally;

We benefit from a lot of foods developed by immigrant communities being part of our food culture! Asian-American foods (Chinese takeout is the classic example but there are tons of cultures who brought their cuisine here and combined it with other available ingredients and cultural flavors), Italian-American Food (Spaghetti and meatballs, a lot of other pasta dishes, American-style pizzas), and foods developed in the American Southwest (Tex-Mex style stuff) taken in as part of annexing parts of Mexico. Cuisine from many African and European cultures are also huge parts of food culture, and it's not all takeout! Pre-prepared or mostly-prepared foods are amply available, a result of work culture and technology stuff we have a lot of frozen/instant/microwave foods available.

Bread, potatoes, and pasta and roast meats make up a big chunk of the average diet. Sandwiches both cold and hot. A lot of big complicated salads (both actually veggie based and non) with rich dressings. Casseroles are huge in the midwest and south- they're great ways to combine a lot of cheap and often bland ingredients into something pretty tasty, more than the sum of its parts.

A lot of our meals look so big and hearty because we as a culture LOVE leftovers! If you make, say, a pork roast, a pot of soup, a batch of pasta, a meatloaf- that can last several meals for a family, and be reused a lot of ways. Meatloaf not eaten with mashed potatoes can later be eaten on sandwiches (a lot of our sandwiches come as leftovers), or or leftovers meat and bones go into soups (a lot of soups are also made with scraps). Same goes for restaurants. A lot of our portions are really large but taking leftovers home is common and encourage. One meal out usually makes minimum two meals in reality, often three for some people.

The US food culture, like a lot of places, has a history with a lot of poor folks who had to find a lot of ways to use their food to fullest extent and those things have become ingrained in how we live even when food isn't tight, its in the blood.

We also tend to keep our vegetables to sides, and I'm not entirely sure why. Veggies steamed, stir fried, roasted, etc served with butter or a sauce of some kind are usually how people get vegetables into their meals.

We also LOVE a good big beverage. I do not know much about that one.

But, in sum, we eat a lot of immigrant-developed foods and multicultural options are day-to-day staples, a lot of carbs and meats, a lot of cheap foods made up nice, fried things, veggies-as-sides, prepackaged or pre-prepared meals and snack foods- and most of all, we love leftovers.

Ik there are usamericans following me I have a question for yall , what the fuck do y'all even eat . Like . The typical huge greasy American breakfast has to be an exaggeration but I really can't think of meals that don't contain stuff exclusive to my country and do you guys even have that honestly

[thequeenofsheba-blog]

Foodie adventures in southwest and southeast Sweden

Hoze sushiya in Gothenberg: The sushi here is excellent. The chef has an incredible level of understanding of Japanese history and sushi technique. His rice and shari are excellent, as are his selection of fish and his plated dishes. One of the best dishes of the meal was a simple bowl of rice with some cured egg yolk- his rice is that good. This is a sushi meal worth having outside of Japan https://www.instagram.com/p/C94Bt-UuNMD/?img_index=1

Knystaforsen: This restaurant feels like a dream, like you enter an enchanted garden for the entirety of the night. The food was very good, the space stunning, and the overall experience really, really magical. Some stand out bites included a charred strawberry, a tart with smoked cheese and trout roe, rainbow trout in a strawberry broth, a rhubarb jelly with smoked eel, a ‘waldorf salad’ dish that was really a 3* dish, and duck heart with a burnt oil sauce. The smoky element of each dish really makes it an excellent meal. The only major issue I have with the place is their bread and pastries, which are really no good, which also made the cheese course less enjoyable. They need a new pastry chef. I would recommend staying the night at their hotel, so you get the full experience. Breakfast the next day is expensive for what it is, but also very nice https://www.instagram.com/p/C977GRwuQ-W/?img_index=1

Holy Smoke BBQ: The place is hip and a great vibe. The food is darn expensive though, and though the short rib and spicy bacon were great, everything else really wasnt- the brisket was too chewy and not juicy enough, the jalapeno sauce had no real flavor, the mac and broccoli was dry and no good at all, and the creamed corn was fine, but nothing exceptional https://www.instagram.com/p/C9wempMu4t7/

Flickorna Lundgren på Skäret: This cafe is oh so cute and lovely, especially on a sunny day. Their rhubarb juice is delicious, as is their princess cake. Sadly their cinnamon buns are nothing to write home about.

Talldungen Hotel: The hotel is lovely, especially in the summer with the gorgeous flowers in the garden, and the restaurant is excellent- the meal was incredibly reasonable priced, and the food was so bright and fresh. They served one of the best gazpachos I have ever had https://www.instagram.com/p/C99rK1pxrLG/?img_index=1

Vollmers in Malmo: After three weeks of eating at the best restaurants in southwest Sweden and in Copenhagen, I sadly report that this was the one really disappointing meal that we had- this is simply put not a 2* meal and doesn't stack up against its many competitors in the area. The pacing was off, the service wasn’t great, and many of the dishes weren’t great, or weren’t well executed. There were a few good dishes- a potato foam dish, a squid dish that was very delicious, complex, punchy, highly technical and well executed, and sweetbreads with beets that were very good. But many of the other dishes tended towards the overly sweet side, and there was an overuse of vanilla in multiple dishes. I sent feedback to the chef, who wasn't there the night we eat there, and he refused to concede any issues re pacing or execution of the meal. Total and utter waste of money https://www.instagram.com/p/C-crt8stZ4Y/?img_index=1

Surf Shack in Malmo: this place makes a damn good smash burger. I wouldn’t recommend the garlic fries, they are over-fried so a bit too greasy. 

Kold in Malmo: Really, really good ice cream. 

[thedisneychef]

Can Chicken Salad Recipes: Easy and Delicious Meal Ideas

Hey there! I'm so excited to share with you some of my favorite chicken salad recipes. If you're like me, then you know that chicken salad is a great go-to meal for lunch or dinner. Not only does it taste amazing, but it's also really easy to make and requires minimal ingredients. In this article, I'll be highlighting several delicious chicken salad recipes that are sure to please your palate. So let's get started! Maybe You Also Like: - Can Banana Bread Recipe Be Used For Muffins - Can Cinnamon Roll Recipes - Can Cooker Kielbasa Recipe: A Delicious and Easy Meal Idea Classic Chicken Salad I love a classic chicken salad. It's easy to whip up and makes for the perfect lunch or light dinner. I often make mine with grilled chicken, as it adds an extra layer of flavor that appeals to my taste buds. But if you're not a fan of grilling (or don't have access to a grill), poached chicken works just as well – and is even easier! To make this version of the dish, start by poaching your chicken: Place 3-4 boneless, skinless breasts in a large pot filled with cold water over medium heat until they are cooked through — about 8 minutes. Once done, shred them into small pieces using two forks and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Next, mix together mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt & pepper in a bowl before adding the chopped celery, onion and parsley. Finally add shredded chicken and stir until all ingredients are combined. Serve on top of lettuce leaves or place between slices of bread for sandwiches! Greek Chicken Salad Moving on from the classic version of chicken salad, let's explore a Greek twist on this simple recipe. This variation is easy to prepare and offers healthy options for those looking to make healthier meals. Greek Chicken Salad begins with cooked chicken (I like to use shredded rotisserie chicken as it’s already cooked and adds fantastic flavor). Then comes an array of veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions and kalamata olives - all ingredients that provide great texture and flavor. The dressing is made up of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and oregano – it’s light but flavorful! Once everything has been mixed together you can enjoy your delicious Greek Chicken Salad right away or refrigerate before serving. It makes a wonderful meal-prep lunch option that will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days. With just a few simple steps you've got yourself a tasty salad full of nutritious ingredients - perfect for any occasion! Curry Chicken Salad I've made a curry chicken salad that's easy to prepare and perfect for meal prepping. This recipe is great if you're looking for something quick and flavorful. The star of the dish is the homemade curry powder, which combines fragrant spices like cardamom, coriander, cumin, and mustard seeds. I also add some garlic and onion powder for extra flavor. As far as assembly goes, it really couldn't be easier: just mix together cooked chicken with mayonnaise and your homemade curry powder in a bowl until everything is evenly coated. Then toss in diced apples and celery for crunchy texture, plus raisins for sweetness. To finish off this delicious dish, sprinkle chopped cashews on top before serving! This savory-sweet combination makes a tasty lunch or dinner option that will have everyone asking for seconds - so make sure to double up when preparing this delightful Curry Chicken Salad! Southwestern Chicken Salad Moving on from the delicious Curry Chicken Salad, let's take a look at Southwestern Chicken Salad. This hearty salad is packed with flavor and perfect for meal prepping ahead of time. Not only does it have all the wonderful flavors you'd expect in a southwest-style dish, but it also offers plenty of healthy substitutions that make this an even more nutritious choice. The base of this salad starts off with chopped romaine lettuce and grilled chicken breast strips. To add some extra flavor to the mix, diced avocado and black beans are thrown in as well. For added crunch and texture, try topping your salad with crumbled tortilla chips or roasted corn kernels. Finally, a creamy cilantro lime dressing brings it all together! Meal prepping tips for this southwestern chicken salad include chopping up veggies like bell peppers and onions ahead of time so they're ready to go when you need them. Also consider making enough dressing to last throughout the week - just store any unused portions in an airtight container until you’re ready to use it again! With these simple tricks, you can enjoy this flavorful dish anytime without having to worry about too much prep work each day. Mediterranean Chicken Salad I'm so excited to share this Mediterranean Chicken Salad recipe with you! It's the perfect combination of spicy chicken and a cold salad, making it an ideal dish for warm days. You only need a few simple ingredients to make it - chicken breasts, olive oil, lemon juice, red onion, feta cheese, spinach leaves and some spices like oregano and garlic powder. To start preparing the salad, heat up a pan on medium-high heat and season your chicken breasts with salt and pepper before placing them in the pan. Cook until golden brown then set aside to cool down. Once cooled off, cut the chicken into cubes. In a bowl mix together the cubed chicken with diced red onion, feta cheese crumbles and baby spinach leaves. For dressing use olive oil mixed with freshly squeezed lemon juice, oregano seasoning and garlic powder as desired. Toss everything together until evenly combined. This delicious salad is ready in no time! Serve alone or over cooked grains such as quinoa or rice for added nutrition. Enjoy! Frequently Asked Questions Is There A Difference Between Store-Bought And Homemade Chicken Salad? When it comes to store-bought and homemade chicken salad, there are significant differences. Homemade versions will often have more variations in terms of ingredients, while store-bought salads tend to be more consistent. Texture wise, homemade recipes can range from creamy to chunky depending on the cook's preference. Store bought versions usually offer a creamier texture due to their longer shelf life requirements. Ultimately, when deciding which version is better, it really depends on your own personal tastes! What Are Some Healthy Substitutions For Mayonnaise In A Chicken Salad? If you're looking for a healthier alternative to mayonnaise in your chicken salad, Greek yogurt and avocado oil are great substitutes! Both of these ingredients provide creaminess and flavor without adding extra fat. For example, Greek yogurt has fewer calories than traditional mayo and is packed with protein. Avocado oil also contains healthy fats that can help increase the nutrient content of your dish. Plus, it adds an amazing creamy texture to any recipe. So next time you make chicken salad, consider using one (or both) of these substitutions instead of mayo for a tasty, healthy meal! How Can I Make My Chicken Salad Gluten-Free? If you want to make your chicken salad gluten-free, there are a few alternative dressings that can help. Try swapping out the mayonnaise for vegan options like avocado or hummus - both of these will keep the flavors of your chicken salad while also making it gluten-free. If you don't want to use either of those ingredients, try using plain Greek yogurt or olive oil with some lemon juice and salt and pepper. This combination is lighter and healthier than traditional dressings but still flavorful enough to enjoy in your chicken salad! How Long Does Chicken Salad Last In The Fridge? Storing chicken salad in the fridge is an easy way to keep it fresh and delicious. The key is to make sure that it's tightly sealed so no air can get into the container. If stored properly, your chicken salad will last up to four days in the refrigerator. However, if you plan on keeping it for longer than that, freezing may be a better option as it will stay good for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat your frozen chicken salad, simply thaw it out overnight or reheat gently on low heat. With these storing tips and reheating techniques, you'll always have tasty chicken salad at hand! How Can I Make My Chicken Salad More Flavorful? If you're looking to make your chicken salad more flavorful, then adding some spicy ingredients is a great way to do it. Consider using cayenne pepper or jalapenos for heat, and chili powder or paprika for smokiness. You can also try adding creamy dairy-free options like coconut yogurt or tahini instead of mayonnaise. These will both add flavor while keeping the recipe light and healthy. Conclusion Making a delicious and healthy chicken salad is easy. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a variety of recipes that everyone in your family will enjoy. Whether you choose to make it from scratch or buy it pre-made from the store, adding some extra flavorings and substitutions for mayonnaise can take your chicken salad to the next level. Keep an eye on how long it sits out, as proper storage and refrigeration are key to making sure your chicken salad stays fresh and safe to eat. With a little bit of experimentation, you'll find the perfect combination of flavors that will keep your taste buds happy! If you're looking for more delicious recipes to try, be sure to check out The Disney Chef's recipe categories! Whether you're in the mood for something sweet like a cake recipe, something savory like a chicken or pork recipe, or something fresh like a vegetable or seafood recipe, there's something for everyone. And if you're a meat-lover, don't forget to check out the beef recipes category for hearty and satisfying meals. With so many options to choose from, you're sure to find a new favorite recipe to add to your collection. Read the full article

[menuandprice]

Captain Jack’s Island Grill – Lahaina, Maui, HI

Happy Hour at Captain Jack’s Island Grill – Lahaina, Maui, HI

Updated 2/16/2023 by the Maui Happy Hours team

Happy Hour at Captain Jack’s Maui from 2pm-5pm Daily

Happy Hour Drinks at Captain Jack’s - $5 Well Drinks - $5 House Wines - $6 House Margaritas and Mai Tais - $1 Off All Draft Beers and Domestic Bottled Beers - $9 Specialty Cocktails Happy Hour Specialty Cocktails $9 - Jack’s Mai Tai - Tropical Pirate - Sweet Sirens Lemonade - Treasure Chest Margarita Happy Hour Food Menu at Captain Jack’s - Tacos – Calamari $4, Chicken $4, Pulled Pork $6, Baja Fish $7 - BBQ Chicken Quesadilla $9 - Kracken Calamari $9 - Fish & Chips $13 - Sliders with Fries $8 - Coconut Shrimp $14 - Shrimp Cocktail $13 - —————————— Address: 672 Front St, Lahaina, HI 96761 Phone: (808) 667-0988 Website About Captain Jack’s Maui This casual pirate-themed eatery, the sister restaurant to Cool Cat Café, serves lunch and dinner daily. Captain Jack’s enjoys a bird’s eye view of Front Street in downtown Lahaina, across from the Banyan tree, on the 2nd floor of the West Wharf Cinema Center. They offer hearty breakfast on the weekends and fresh fish lunch and dinner specials daily. Try their Kraken Calamari served with a spicy tartar sauce for dipping or lilikoi beer-battered Captain Jack’s Fish-n-Chips. In addition, they have many delicious entrees from the Southwest Seas along with a full array of Pupus, Sandwiches, and Fresh Kula Green Salads. With a great location, fun atmosphere, delicious food, and live music nightly, this pirate restaurant is a local Maui favorite. Happy hour at Captain Jack’s in Lahaina is 2pm-5pm and features discounted beers, wine, cocktails, well drinks, and pupus (appetizers).

According to these Captain Jack’s patrons

“Great location and happy hour menu. Bartenders and staff were great, drinks and food were very good. Highly recommend Captain Jack’s!” Nash C., January 2023 “Captain Jack’s is a great place to go hang for happy hour. Staff was so great too!” Alaina C., February 2023 “Great restaurant in Lahaina! We came with a group of 10 for lunch, and they had something for everyone. A great kid’s menu if you are traveling with young ones! Prices were VERY reasonable and staff was friendly! Would definitely come back and would recommend for anyone looking for a meal in Lahaina!” Emily H., January 2022 “Food is always awesome, beer is always cold, drinks are always good and staff is always friendly! A definite go to!” James M., January 2022 “Calamari-strips appetizer was refreshingly tender! Got a table paralleling Front street and enjoyed people watching. Staff wore masks, very good service from Ryan. Wings with sweet and spicy chile sauce were plentiful and excellent. Jack burger, local-vegan taro burger, and fish tacos also excellent preparation and tasty. Lemonade refreshing. Maui Big Swell IPA served from can into cold glass was refreshing. Arrive on the early side of lunch or dinner and you’ll beat the crowds. But if you’re going to be in a crowd – this will be a fun filled place!” Craig H., January 2022 “Fish and Chips… Super Ono! Loco Moco broke Da Mouth! Maui Mule Super Yummy!” Anthony M., December 2021 “Food was great and the atmosphere was fantastic. Great views of the streets below and very cool with the open sides for the breeze to pass through. Grilled cheese and chicken nuggets for the kids. “These are the best nuggets I’ve ever had”-Gavin (aged 8).” Chris L., December 2021 “Pirate-themed restaurant! The staff was extremely friendly everyone we talked to was very polite and helpful. Food was so good. Reasonably priced, came out quickly. I got the shrimp appetizer, husband got a chicken sandwich and I had pulled pork- big helpings and tasted amazing. Awesome happy hour.” Molly T., January 2021

Want to make a comment or ask a question? Are you a fan of Captain Jack’s? Tell us in the comments below.

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[fredzina]

Things that happened to me today:

A mouse crawled on me while I was at work to which I had to promptly had to hold in a scream

Two minutes after that I found out my boss tested positivity for covid

A minute after that I found out I will be running the store by myself all weekend with some randos from other stores because my coworkers are either a) having surgery b) going to be in fucking Canada or c) will be home sick due to covid now

Then promptly after that I spilled chlorine all over the floor because one of the lids wasn't on right while stocking it

One of the other managers stopped by and gave me a pretzel reeses because he was on his route from his other job at Hershey

I kind of insulted my gf (but not really) by saying I'd be real bummed if I died before my psych final tomorrow and never got to know my end of the semester grades instead of like saying I'd be bummed if I died rn because my partner is moving to live with me in a couple of weeks

Then I remembered it's our anniversary to which I got a .-. In response (she acts like she's not amused but I know she is)

Oh and I also had the realization that I apparently do not relate the most to tim and dick like I thought but rather bruce wayne and one of my best friends now has me in her contacts as the lego batman and I don't know whether I should feel honored or horrified at the implications of this

[sarahswifts]

Taylor’s NYU Acceptance Speech

Hi, I’m Taylor. Last time I was in a stadium this size, I was dancing in heels and wearing a glittery leotard. This outfit is much more comfortable. I would like to say a huge thank you to NYU’s chairman of the board of trustees, Bill Berkley and all the trustees and members of the board, NYU’s president, Andrew Hamilton, provost Catherine Fleming, and the faculty and alumni here today who have made this day possible. I feel so proud to share this day with my fellow honorees, Suzanne Hatfield and Felix Montez Rodrigues, who humble me with the ways they improve our world with their work. As for me, I’m 90% sure the main reason I’m here is because I have a song called 22. And let me just say, I am elated to be here with you today as we celebrate and graduate New York University class of 2022. Not a single one of us here today has done it alone. We are each a patchwork quilt of those who have loved us, those who have believed in our futures, those who showed us empathy and kindness or told us the truth even when it wasn’t easy to hear. Those who told us we can do it when there was absolutely no proof of that. Someone read stories to you and taught you to dream and offered up some moral code of right and wrong for you to try and live by. Someone tried their best to explain every concept in this insanely complex world to the child that was you as you asked a bazillion questions like “how does the moon work?” and “why can we eat salad but not grass!” And maybe they didn’t do it perfectly, no one ever can. Maybe they aren’t with us anymore, in that case, I hope you remember them today. If they are in this stadium I hope you’ll find your own way to express your gratitude for all the steps and missteps that have led us to this common destination. I know that words are supposed to be my thing, but I will never be able to find the words to thank my mom and dad, my brother Austin, for the sacrifices they made every day so I could go from singing in coffee houses to standing up here with you all today because no words will ever be enough. To all the incredible parents, family members, mentors, teachers, allies, friends and loved ones here today who have supported these students in their pursuits for educational enrichment. Let me say to you now, Welcome to New York, it’s been waiting for you. I’d like to thank NYU for making me technically, on paper at least, a Doctor! Not the type of doctor you would want around in case of an emergency, unless your specific emergency was that you desperately needed to hear a song with a catchy hook and an intensely cathartic bridge section. Or, if your emergency was that you needed a person who can name over fifty breeds of cats in one minute. I never got to have a normal college experience per day. I went to public high school until tenth grade, and then finished my education doing homeschool work on the floors of airport terminals. Then I went out on the road for radio tours which sounds incredibly glamorous but in reality it consisted of a rental car, motels, and my mom and I pretending to have loud mother-daughter fights with each other during boarding so no one would want the empty seat between us on Southwest. As a kid, I always thought I would go away to college, imagining the posters I would hang on the wall of my freshman dorm… I even set the ending of my music video for my song Love Story at my fantasy imaginary college, where I meet a male model reading a book on the grass, and with one single glance we realize we have been in love in our past lives. Which is exactly what you guys experienced at some point in the last four years, right? But I really can’t complain about not having a normal college experience to you, because you went to NYU during a global pandemic. Being essentially locked into your dorms and having to do classes over zoom. Everyone in college during normal times stresses about test scores but on top of that, you also had to pass like a thousand COVID tests. I imagine the idea of a normal college experience was all you wanted too. But in this case, you and I both learned that you don’t always get all the things in the bag that you selected from the menu in the delivery service that is life. You get what you get. And as I would like to say to you, wholeheartedly, you should be very proud of what you’ve done with it. Today, you leave New York University and then go out into the world searching what’s next, and so will I. So as a rule, I try not to give anyone unsolicited advice unless they ask for it. I’ll go into this more later. I guess I have been officially solicited in this situation to impart whatever wisdom I might have to tell you things that have helped me so far in my life. Please bear in mind that I in no way feel qualified to tell you what to do. You worked and struggled and sacrificed and studied and dreamed your way here today. And so, you know what you’re doing. You’ll do things differently than I did them, and for different reasons. So I won’t tell you what to do because no one likes that. I will however, give you some life hacks I wish I knew when I was starting out my dreams of a career and navigating life, love, pressure, choices, shame, hope, and friendship. The first of which is: life can be heavy, especially if you try to carry it all at once. Part of growing up and moving into new chapters of your life is about catch and release. What I mean by that is: knowing what things to keep and what things to release. You can’t carry all things: all grudges, all updates on your ex, all enviable promotions your school bully got at the hedge fund his uncle started. Decide what is yours to hold and let the rest go. Often times, the good things in your life are lighter anyway, so there’s more room for them. One toxic relationship can outweigh so many wonderful simple joys. You get to pick what your life has time and room for. Be discerning. Secondly, learn to live alongside cringe. No matter how hard you try to avoid being cringe, you will look back on your life and cringe retrospectively. Cringe is unavoidable over a lifetime. Even the term cringe might someday be deemed cringe. I promise you, you’re probably doing or wearing something right now that you will look back on later and find revolting and hilarious. We can’t avoid it, so don’t try to. For example, I had a phase where for the entirety of 2012, I dressed like a 1950’s housewife. But you know what, I was having fun. Trends and phases are fun. Looking back and laughing is fun. And while we’re talking about things that make us squirm but really shouldn’t, I’d like to say, I’m a big advocate for not hiding your enthusiasm for things. It seems to me that there is a false stigma around eagerness in our culture of unbothered ambivalence. This outlook perpetuates the idea that it’s not cool to want it. The people who don’t try are fundamentally more chic than people who do. And I wouldn’t know, because I’ve been a lot of things, but I’ve never been an expert on chic. But I’m the one who’s up here so you have to listen to me when I say this. Never be ashamed of trying. Effortlessness is a myth. The people who wanted it the least were the ones I wanted to date and be friends with in high school. The people who want it the most are the people I now hire to work for my company. I started writing songs when I was 12, and since then it’s been the compass guiding my life and in turn, my life guided my writing. Everything I do is just an extension of my writing. Whether it’s to write, directing videos, or short films, creating the visuals for a tour, or standing on a stage performing. Everything is connected by my love of the craft. The thrill of working through ideas and narrowing them down and polishing it all up in the end, editing, waking up in the middle of the night throwing out the old ideas because you thought of a newer better one, or a plot device that ties the whole thing together. There’s a reason they call it a hook. Sometimes a string of words ensnares me and I can’t focus on anything until it’s been recorded or written down. As a songwriter, I’ve never been able to sit still or stay in one creative place for too long. I’ve made and released eleven albums, and in the process, switched genres from country to pop to alternative to folk, and this might sound like a very songwriter-centric line of discussion, but in a way, I really do think we are all writers. And most of us write in a different voice for different situations. You write differently in your Instagram stories than you do in your senior thesis. Send a different type of email to your boss than you do your best friend from home. We are all literacy chameleons and I think it’s fascinating. It’s just a continuation of the idea that we are so many things all the time and I know it can be really overwhelming, figuring out who to be and when. Who you are now and how to act in order to get where you want to go. I have some good news: it’s totally up to you. I some terrifying news: it’s totally up to you. I said to you earlier that I don’t ever offer advice unless someone asked me for it and now I’ll tell you why. As a person who started my very public career at the age of fifteen, it came with a price. And that price was years of unsolicited advice. Being the youngest person in every room for over a decade meant that I was constantly being issued warnings from older members of the music industry, media, interviewers, executives, and this advice often presented itself as thinly veiled warnings. See, I was a teenager at a time when our society was absolutely obsessed with the idea of having perfect young female role models. It felt like every interview I did included slight barbs by the interviewer about me one day running off the rails. And that meant a different thing to every person who said it to me. I became a young adult while being fed the message that if I didn’t make any mistakes, all the children of America would grow up to be perfect angels. However if I did slip up, the entire earth would fall off its axis and it would be entirely my fault and I would go to pop star jail forever and ever. It was all centered around the idea that mistakes equal failure and ultimately the loss of any chance at a happy or rewarding life. This has not been my experience. My experience has been that my mistakes led to the best things of my life and being embarrassed when you mess up, it’s part of the human experience. Getting back up, dusting yourself off, and seeing who still wants to hang out with you afterward and laugh about it, that’s a gift. The times I was told no or wasn’t included, wasn’t chosen, didn’t win, didn’t make the cut, looking back, it really feels like those moments were as important if not more crucial than the moments I was told yes. Not being invited to the parties and sleepovers in my hometown made me feel hopelessly lonely. But because I felt alone, I would sit in my room and write the songs that would get me a ticket somewhere else. Having label executives in Nashville tell me that only thirty-five year old housewives listen to country music, and there was no place for a 13 year old on their roster made me cry in the car on the way home. But then, I’d post my songs on my MySpace - yes, MySpace - and I would message with other teenagers like me who loved country music, but just didn’t have anyone singing from their perspective. Having journalists write in-depth, often times critical pieces of who they perceived me to be made me feel like I was living in some weird simulation, but it also made me look inward to learn about who I actually am. Having the world treat my love life like a spectator sport in which I lose every single game was not a great way to date in my teens and twenties. But it taught me to protect my private life fiercely. Being publicly humiliated over and over again at a young age was excruciatingly painful, but it forced me to devalue the ridiculous notion of minute by minute ever-fluctuating social relevance and likability. Getting cancelled on the internet and nearly losing my career gave me an excellent knowledge of all the types of wine. I know I sound like a consummate optimist but I’m really not. I lose perspective all the time. Sometimes, everything just feels completely pointless. I know the pressure of living your life through the lens of perfectionism. And I know that I’m talking to a group of perfectionists because you are here today graduating from NYU. So this might be hard for you to hear. In your life, you will inevitably misspeak, trust the wrong person, underreact, overreact, hurt the people who didn’t deserve it. Overthink. Not think at all… and not deny any wrongdoings. Not take the steps to make it right. Feel very guilty. Let the guilt eat at you. Hit rock bottom. Finally address the pain you caused. Try to do better next time. Rinse, repeat. And I’m not gonna lie, these mistakes will cause you to lose things. I’m trying to tell you that losing things doesn’t just mean losing. A lot of the time when we lose things, we gain things too. Now you leave the structure and framework of school and chart your own path. Every choice you make leads to the next choice which leads to the next and I know it’s hard to know which path to take. There will be times in life where you need to stand up for yourself. Times when the right thing is actually to back down and apologize. Times when the right thing is to fight. Times when the right thing is to turn and run. Times to hold on with all you have and times to let go with grace. Sometimes the right thing to do is to throw out the old schools of thought in the name of progress and reform. Sometimes the right thing to do is to sit and listen to the wisdom of those who have come before us. How will you know what the right choice is in these crucial moments? You won’t. How do I give advice to this many people about their life choices? I won’t. The scary news is, you’re on your own now. But the cool news is, you’re on your own now. I leave you with this: we are led by our gut instincts, our intuition, our desires and fears, our scars and our dreams. And you will screw it up sometimes. So will I. And when I do, you will most likely read about it on the internet. Anyway, hard things will happen to us. We will recover. We will learn from it. We will grow more resilient because of it. And as long as we are fortunate enough to be breathing, we will breathe in, breathe through, breathe deep, and breathe out. And I am a doctor now, so I know how breathing works. I hope you know how proud I am to share this day with you. We’re doing this together, so let’s just keep dancing like we’re the class of 22!

[nathalycarv]

“Hi, I’m Taylor.

Last time I was in a stadium this size, I was dancing in heels and wearing a glittery leotard. This outfit is much more comfortable. 

I’d like to say a huge thank you to NYU‘s Chairman of the Board of Trustees, Bill Berkeley and all the trustees and members of the board, NYU’s President Andrew Hamilton, Provost Katherine Fleming, and the faculty and alumni here today who have made this day possible. I feel so proud to share this day with my fellow honorees Susan Hockfield and Felix Matos Rodriguez, who humble me with the ways they improve our world with their work. As for me, I’m…90% sure the main reason I’m here is because I have a song called ‘22’. And let me just say, I am elated to be here with you today as we celebrate and graduate New York University’s Class of 2022.

Not a single one of us here today has done it alone. We are each a patchwork quilt of those who have loved us, those who have believed in our futures, those who showed us empathy and kindness or told us the truth even when it wasn’t easy to hear. Those who told us we could do it when there was absolutely no proof of that. Someone read stories to you and taught you to dream and offered up some moral code of right and wrong for you to try and live by. Someone tried their best to explain every concept in this insanely complex world to the child that was you, as you asked a bazillion questions like, ‘how does the moon work’ and ‘why can we eat salad but not grass.’ And maybe they didn’t do it perfectly. No one ever can. Maybe they aren’t with us anymore, and in that case I hope you’ll remember them today. If they are here in this stadium, I hope you’ll find your own way to express your gratitude for all the steps and missteps that have led us to this common destination. 

I know that words are supposed to be my “thing,” but I will never be able to find the words to thank my mom and my dad, and my brother, Austin, for the sacrifices they made every day so that I could go from singing in coffee houses to standing up here with you all today because no words would ever be enough. To all the incredible parents, family members, mentors, teachers, allies, friends and loved ones here today who have supported these students in their pursuit of educational enrichment, let me say to you now: Welcome to New York. It’s been waiting for you. 

I’d like to thank NYU for making me technically, on paper at least, a doctor. Not the type of doctor you would want around in the case of an emergency, unless your specific emergency was that you desperately needed to hear a song with a catchy hook and an intensely cathartic bridge section. Or if your emergency was that you needed a person who can name over 50 breeds of cats in one minute.

I never got to have the normal college experience, per se. I went to public high school until tenth grade and finished my education doing homeschool work on the floors of airport terminals. Then I went out on the road on a radio tour, which sounds incredibly glamorous but in reality it consisted of a rental car, motels, and my mom and I pretending to have loud mother-daughter fights with each other during boarding so no one would want the empty seat between us on Southwest. 

As a kid, I always thought I would go away to college, imagining the posters I’d hang on the wall of my freshmen dorm. I even set the ending of my music video for my song “Love Story” at my fantasy imaginary college, where I meet a male model reading a book on the grass and with one single glance, we realize we had been in love in our past lives. Which is exactly what you guys all experienced at some point in the last four years, right?

But I really can’t complain about not having a normal college experience to you because you went to NYU during a global pandemic, being essentially locked into your dorms or having to do classes over Zoom. Everyone in college during normal times stresses about test scores, but on top of that you also had to pass like 1,000 COVID tests. I imagine the idea of a normal college experience was all you wanted too. But in this case, you and I both learned that you don’t always get all the things in the bag that you selected from the menu in the delivery service that is life. You get what you get. And as I would like to say to you, you should be very proud of what you’ve done with it. Today, you leave New York University and then you go out into the world searching for what’s next.  And so will I.

So as a rule, I try not to give anyone unsolicited advice unless they ask for it. I’ll go into this more later. I guess I have been officially solicited in this situation, to impart whatever wisdom I might have and tell you the things that helped me in my life so far. Please bear in mind that I, in no way, feel qualified to tell you what to do. You’ve worked and struggled and sacrificed and studied and dreamed your way here today and so, you know what you’re doing. You’ll do things differently than I did them and for different reasons. 

So I won’t tell you what to do because no one likes that. I will, however, give you some life hacks I wish I knew when I was starting out my dreams of a career, and navigating life, love, pressure, choices, shame, hope and friendship.

The first of which is…life can be heavy, especially if you try to carry it all at once. Part of growing up and moving into new chapters of your life is about catch and release. What I mean by that is, knowing what things to keep, and what things to release. You can’t carry all things, all grudges, all updates on your ex, all enviable promotions your school bully got at the hedge fund his uncle started. Decide what is yours to hold and let the rest go. Oftentimes the good things in your life are lighter anyway, so there’s more room for them. One toxic relationship can outweigh so many wonderful, simple joys. You get to pick what your life has time and room for. Be discerning.

Secondly, learn to live alongside cringe. No matter how hard you try to avoid being cringe, you will look back on your life and cringe retrospectively. Cringe is unavoidable over a lifetime. Even the term “cringe” might someday be deemed “cringe.”

I promise you, you’re probably doing or wearing something right now that you will look back on later and find revolting and hilarious. You can’t avoid it, so don’t try to. For example, I had a phase where, for the entirety of 2012, I dressed like a 1950s housewife. But you know what? I was having fun. Trends and phases are fun. Looking back and laughing is fun. 

And while we’re talking about things that make us squirm but really shouldn’t, I’d like to say that I’m a big advocate for not hiding your enthusiasm for things. It seems to me that there is a false stigma around eagerness in our culture of “unbothered ambivalence.” This outlook perpetuates the idea that it’s not cool to “want it.” That people who don’t try hard are fundamentally more chic than people who do. And I wouldn’t know because I have been a lot of things but I’ve never been an expert on “chic.” But I’m the one who’s up here so you have to listen to me when I say this: Never be ashamed of trying. Effortlessness is a myth. The people who wanted it the least were the ones I wanted to date and be friends with in high school. The people who want it most are the people I now hire to work for my company. 

I started writing songs when I was 12 and since then, it’s been the compass guiding my life, and in turn, my life guided my writing. Everything I do is just an extension of my writing, whether it’s directing videos or a short film, creating the visuals for a tour, or standing on stage performing. Everything is connected by my love of the craft, the thrill of working through ideas and narrowing them down and polishing it all up in the end. Editing. Waking up in the middle of the night and throwing out the old idea because you just thought of a newer, better one. A plot device that ties the whole thing together. There’s a reason they call it a hook. Sometimes a string of words just ensnares me and I can’t focus on anything until it’s been recorded or written down. 

As a songwriter, I’ve never been able to sit still, or stay in one creative place for too long. I’ve made and released 11 albums and in the process, I’ve switched genres from country to pop to alternative to folk. This might sound like a very songwriter-centric line of discussion but in a way, I really do think we are all writers. And most of us write in a different voice for different situations. You write differently in your Instagram stories than you do your senior thesis. You send a different type of email to your boss than you do your best friend from home.

We are all literary chameleons and I think it’s fascinating. It’s just a continuation of the idea that we are so many things, all the time. And I know it can be really overwhelming figuring out who to be, and when. Who you are now and how to act in order to get where you want to go. I have some good news: it’s totally up to you. I also have some terrifying news: it’s totally up to you.

I said to you earlier that I don’t ever offer advice unless someone asks me for it, and now I’ll tell you why: As a person who started my very public career at the age of 15, it came with a price. And that price was years of unsolicited advice. Being the youngest person in every room for over a decade meant that I was constantly being issued warnings from older members of the music industry, the media, interviewers, executives. This advice often presented itself as thinly veiled warnings. See, I was a teenager in the public eye at a time when our society was absolutely obsessed with the idea of having perfect young female role models. It felt like every interview I did included slight barbs by the interviewer about me one day “running off the rails.”

That meant a different thing to everyone person said it me. So I became a young adult while being fed the message that if I didn’t make any mistakes, all the children of America would grow up to be perfect angels. However, if I did slip up, the entire earth would fall off its axis and it would be entirely my fault and I would go to pop star jail forever and ever. It was all centered around the idea that mistakes equal failure and ultimately, the loss of any chance at a happy or rewarding life. 

This has not been my experience. My experience has been that my mistakes led to the best things in my life. 

And being embarrassed when you mess up is part of the human experience. Getting back up, dusting yourself off and seeing who still wants to hang out with you afterward and laugh about it? That’s a gift.

The times I was told no or wasn’t included, wasn’t chosen, didn’t win, didn’t make the cut…looking back, it really feels like those moments were as important, if not more crucial, than the moments I was told “yes.”

Not being invited to the parties and sleepovers in my hometown made me feel hopelessly lonely, but because I felt alone, I would sit in my room and write the songs that would get me a ticket somewhere else. Having label executives in Nashville tell me that only 35-year-old housewives listen to country music and there was no place for a 13-year-old on their roster made me cry in the car on the way home.

But then I’d post my songs on my MySpace — yes, MySpace — and would message with other teenagers like me who loved country music, but just didn’t have anyone singing from their perspective. Having journalists write in-depth, oftentimes critical, pieces about who they perceive me to be made me feel like I was living in some weird simulation, but it also made me look inward to learn about who I actually am. Having the world treat my love life like a spectator sport in which I lose every single game was not a great way to date in my teens and twenties, but it taught me to protect my private life fiercely. Being publicly humiliated over and over again at a young age was excruciatingly painful but it forced me to devalue the ridiculous notion of minute by minute, ever-fluctuating social relevance and likability. Getting canceled on the internet and nearly losing my career gave me an excellent knowledge of all the types of wine. 

I know I sound like a consummate optimist, but I’m really not. I lose perspective all the time. Sometimes everything just feels completely pointless. I know the pressure of living your life through the lens of perfectionism. And I know that I’m talking to a group of perfectionists because you are here today graduating from NYU. And so this may be hard for you to hear: In your life, you will inevitably misspeak, trust the wrong people, under-react, overreact, hurt the people who didn’t deserve it, overthink, not think at all, self-sabotage, create a reality where only your experience exists, ruin perfectly good moments for yourself and others, deny any wrongdoing, not take the steps to make it right, feel very guilty, let the guilt eat at you, hit rock bottom, finally address the pain you caused, try to do better next time, rinse, repeat.  And I’m not gonna lie, these mistakes will cause you to lose things.

I’m trying to tell you that losing things doesn’t just mean losing. A lot of the time, when we lose things, we gain things too. 

Now you leave the structure and framework of school and chart your own path. Every choice you make leads to the next choice which leads to the next, and I know it’s hard to know sometimes which path to take. There will be times in life when you need to stand up for yourself. Times when the right thing is to back down and apologize. Times when the right thing is to fight, times when the right thing is to turn and run. Times to hold on with all you have and times to let go with grace. Sometimes the right thing to do is to throw out the old schools of thought in the name of progress and reform. Sometimes the right thing to do is to listen to the wisdom of those who have come before us. How will you know what the right choice is in these crucial moments? You won’t.

How do I give advice to this many people about their life choices? I won’t.

Scary news is: you’re on your own now.

Cool news is: You’re on your own now.

I leave you with this: We are led by our gut instincts, our intuition, our desires and fears, our scars and our dreams. And you will screw it up sometimes. So will I. And when I do, you will most likely read about on the internet. Anyway…hard things will happen to us. We will recover. We will learn from it. We will grow more resilient because of it. 

As long as we are fortunate enough to be breathing, we will breathe in, breathe through, breathe deep, breathe out. And I’m a doctor now, so I know how breathing works. 

I hope you know how proud I am to share this day with you. We’re doing this together. So let’s just keep dancing like we’re… The class of 22.”

- Taylor Swift

@taylorswift

[wonderwomanfantasy]

fatgum

fuck yeah I LOVE writing for Fatgum

fatgum x Plus sized! Reader

Warnigs: I talk about titties.

word count: 1,000 (about)

summary: it seems everyone on the internet can only talk about how good your pro hero boyfriend looks after he loses weight. you can't help but think you might stand to lose a few pounds yourself.

You were on your side scrolling through twitter. A terrible idea really. There were pictures of your boyfriend after today’s fight. It must have been a tough one. There was almost no fat left on him. His shirt was ripped showing his abs. Most of the posts were talking about how hot he looked like this. How lucky he was that he could burn fat so quickly. How yummy he was. Hmm.

You knew Tai didn’t mind your weight. But sometimes you did. What would life be like if you could lose weight as quickly as he did? And even though he didn’t mind your extra fluff, maybe he would prefer someone thinner, fit, and able to fit into more fashionable clothes. Someone that didn’t need a superhero to sweep them off their feet.

“Honey? I’m back!” you shook your head pulling yourself out of your thoughts. You got up and went to greet your superman.

“There’s my baby-” he cooed, shouldering in through the doorway, his arms loaded with bags of food. Too much for anyone who wasn’t him to eat. He leaned down and kissed your forehead.

“Look at what they did to my boy!” you gasped seeing layers of bandages that covered his torso, you hadn’t noticed any cuts in the photos you’d seen, all the damage must have been internal, which didn't make you feel any better

“Relax it’s just a few broken ribs,” he said laying down the food on the table,

“Oh just a few broken ribs,” you scoffed, crossing your arms.

“It’s okay baby, I’ll be fine, always am,” he assured, “come on let’s eat, I’m starving,” he said. You sat with him and helped him pull out everything. Something about seeing him in person just brought back your earlier concerns.

“Take whatever you want baby,” he said.

“Is there like a salad?” you asked. He nodded,

“Here, barbeque chicken southwest style, what kind of dressing do you want? We've got a bule cheese and- hey what’s with the face?” you hadn’t realized it but your nose had wrinkled with distaste.

“Nothing Just hoping for something a little lighter I guess,” you shrugged

“Big lunch or something? Don’t worry babe if you don’t finish it I will,” he said.

“No it’s not that- I’m just trying to lose a little weight,” you admitted. Tai froze, he put down the salad and picked up a box of sweet and sour noodles. Pushing them towards you.

“Well that’s dumb, here eat,” he said pushing more stuff at you.

“Tai I’m serious, I don’t like the way I look,” you huffed.

“Why not?” he asked.

“I don’t know, don't you think I’d look better thinner?” you asked.

“Do you like me when I’m thinner?” he asked, gesturing to his thin form.

“No- but that’s different,”

“It’s not. I love you no matter what you look like,” he said. You huffed, you should have known it would have gone something like this, he really could be so stubbornly positive sometimes. You sighed and started picking at the noodles. You didn’t need his approval to diet, even if you hated the idea of actually dieting. You wished you could just become thinner like Tai. you were just taking your first bite when he spoke again.

“Besides, I kinda like big women like you,” he murmured. You choked.

“You can’t just say shit like that,” you spluttered.

“Why not? I mean it, you’re whole body feels like a titty,” he said around a mouth full of food.

“TAI,”

“What? My whole body also feels like a titty, best kinda squishy,” he said, poking his chest that was already starting to expand back to its normal plump and round shape.

You burst out laughing.

“There’s a smile,” he cooed, “I didn’t even get a smile when I got home, that hurt honeybunny,” he said.

“You’re the best Tai,” you sighed, beaming at him,

“Second only to you,” he leaned across the table and kissed you.

“Now dig in before I steal your food,” before you could react he lunged with his chopsticks stealing a mouthful off of your plate and stuffing it into his mouth. You acted in retaliation, snatching a chicken kabob from him. His eyes narrowed, his wide smile turned into a smirk.

“Now it’s on cupcake.”

Both of you were cashed out on the couch recovering from the big meal. Taishiro pat his stomach, big and round. You were laid out on his chest, using him like a bean bag chair. Your arms couldn’t even fully wrap around his middle. Fatgum smiled and patted your head.

Really, you had nothing to worry about. Your body was perfect, you were perfect. Besides, even if you did go on a diet he’d just have to fatten you up again, that was his job after all.

[bubblyhoney]

picnic bitch

warnings: crude language duh, suggestive (not explicit) content, an eminem reference

tags: sapnap x gn!reader

words: 1156

A/N: a continuation of a detail from my boyfriend!sapnap head canon :D

-

The breeze wafts across your face, moving a lock of hair to tickle on your cheek. You swat a hand up at your cheek and furrow your brows.

The weather today has been fairly pleasant and not too sweltering, thank God. The park is busy this time of afternoon, but you both snagged a spot underneath a huge tree in the southwest corner of the field.

“Pass me a strawberry, please, baby,” he mumbles from above you. You glance up at him, one eye squinted, and reach for the container of strawberries. “Feed me.” He smirks and drops his mouth open, tongue out. You just roll your eyes and place a berry into his mouth, careful to not get his spit on you. You settle back into his lap, content.

Today was the designated picnic day. You try to have a couple during the summer just because it’s so lovely to sit outside, relax, and eat, but you’d already had about six since the start of summer. They mostly consist of you feeding Sapnap fruit and laying with your head on his lap, stretched out and comfortable. Today you were sporting clothes all loose and blue as the sky, wanting to be stylish but not too sweaty. He’d gone for sweat-shorts and a green flannel over a white shirt: cute. Very cute. So cute you can’t help but stare and feel your cheeks flush.

Shuffling his legs, he readjusts his arms and hums as he settles back into the bark of the tree. Sweet music plays lightly in the background, courtesy of your portable speaker sitting perfectly on top of the picnic basket.

“You look ethereal,” is what you can’t help but to whisper. You peek one eye open and stare up at his relaxed face. He rolls his eyes but smiles down at you, tips of his ears pink.

“Shut up,” he mumbles, shy. You just huff and roll up onto an elbow, reaching for your lemonade. It’s tart on your tongue and you make a pleased noise at the taste, swallowing. He just watches you.

“What time are you making dinner?” You fold up onto your knees, raising your eyebrows as you screw the cap back onto your bottle.

“Oh, am I making dinner now?” Teasing, he reaches for your arms and you accede, letting him tug you onto his lap. “It’s salad night.” Making a face, he strokes up and down your bicep, both soothing and causing goosebumps.

“I thought you liked salad night, babe.” His hair is soft and nice on your palm when you reach a hand up to pet his hair. He stills and lets you, but shrugs after a moment.

“I like salad, but never as a full meal. Can we make spaghetti?”

“Okay, yeah,” you agree, shuffling forward on his lap. “That sounds good. I’ll be expecting homemade pasta, Chef.”

“Oh, yeah?” He brushes a wind-disturbed tuft of hair out of your eyes. Full lips split into a smile as he leans back into the tree, eyes closed. “Sounds like a lot of effort, sweetheart.”

Your skin tingles brightly at the pet name. A beam of sunlight breaks through the green leaves of the tree and stripes diagonal across his calm expression. When you said ethereal, you meant it.

The serene mood, all breezy and gentle music, breaks when you open your mouth. As usual.

“Hey, are you Mom’s spaghetti?” You pause for a second and let your hand drop onto his collarbone. “Because you make my knees weak and my palms sweaty.” The pick-up line takes a second to hit before his eyes snap open. Bowing forward, he makes a retching sound into your lap.

“Oh my God,” he breathes, cheeks puffy and strained as he holds in a laugh. “That was actually awful. You should be ashamed.” Shrugging, you relax back into his thighs with a sigh.

“I thought it was pretty good, actually. You’re in love now; I just beguiled you. Get beguiled.” Your voice is teasing, poking, as you play with the bottle of lemonade in your hands.

“I don’t think an Eminem reference has as much power as you think it does,” he says simply, and tugs you closer into his lap. One hand slides up to your neck, just resting, before he’s pulling you forward, inches away from his mouth. “But I do love you.” His lips slide easily against yours, tasting your chapstick and breathing you in. You taste like lemon and sugar. His other hand rests comfortably in the curve of your waist, squeezing intermittently.

You take a few minutes to just kiss. Not making out, not grinding or teasing. It’s peaceful out here, away from families, so you take your time.

It’s the second a drop of water plops right onto your shoulder that you tense. Pulling away, you raise an empty palm up in the air. Drop. Drop.

“It’s raining,” you practically wail, and clamber out of his lap. The sky has turned an ugly grayish blue, dark clouds that came out of seemingly nowhere looming in the distance. He huffs, irritated, and starts to gather your stuff up. The strawberries go into the basket, as do the sandwiches, and you toss your lemonade in as well. You stand to fold the picnic blanket and shove it down into a tan tote bag.

The park is rapidly clearing of people. Teenagers at the skating park hop on their bikes, adults walking their dogs scatter in the parking lot to their respective vehicles, and you two scramble to collect your things and make a dash for your car. It’s full on pouring when you yank open the passenger seat and climb clumsily in.

“This sucks!” He yells over the downpour, and slams closed the driver’s door. It’s much more quiet in here, you realize, and tilt your face up to the sunroof. You’d peeled back the covering on the way here “to let the sunlight in” and now it’s getting pelted with large, warm raindrops. Sapnap moves in his seat, getting situated, and starts the car with a rumble. It’s also fucking hot in here.

“This is not how I was thinking our picnic was going to end,” he pouts. “I thought we would actually make it to the cake.” A cartoonish frown appears on his lips and you melt, aw-ing. You reach a thumb to rub at his bottom lip.

“It’s okay, we can finish the cake when we get home. Spoil our dinner.” You wiggle your eyebrows and he huffs out a laugh, pulling his seatbelt to its lock.

“I doubt we’ll make it home without pulling over and shoving our faces with it,” he scoffs. A smirk grows on your face and he glances warily at it, shifting to reverse out of the parking spot. “What’s that face for?”

“Are you familiar with the idea of whipped cream play?”

Yeah, the cake doesn’t make it home.

-

A/N: ask or send me stuff!! requests, rants, anything. :D comments are extremely welcome and even encouraged

[doubleleoenergy]

iv. Lolita, Lolita Series

Hey Lolita, hey! Hey Lolita, hey! I know what the boys want, I'm not gonna play.

Series Masterlist

Pairing: bestfriendsdad!Andy Barber x fem!reader

Warnings: 18+ ONLY, mentions of alcohol, mentions of relationship violence, oral (female receiving), pet names, dirty talk

Words: 2240

Summary: Andy’s falling at y/n’s feet, just like all the other boys before.

Six days. It had been six agonizing days since their encounter at the club, and Andy Barber was losing his cool. The nightly, and sometimes midday, jerkoff sessions weren’t quite enough to satisfy his hunger.

Things with y/n had been the same, as if their little blowjob fest hadn’t happened. They continued to carpool to the office, continued to be friendly back at home, and y/n continued to tease him as always. She’d wear her tight and barely there clothing around the house and the office and had even started walking around in her towel after her showers. Andy didn’t mind the view, and neither did the boys, stuttering and stammering at the sight of her. But again, it wasn’t enough. 

That morning y/n greeted him with another breakfast and coffee before work, donning a black long sleeve crop top with a slit across to give him the view of just a bit of cleavage. Her light denim jeans were practically painted on her body, her perky ass bouncing with each step in her black strappy heels.

“You look good, y/n. As always.” Andy commented, taking a sip of his coffee. He thought a bit of flirting might help his case of getting closer to his little Lolita, though she didn’t seem phased by the compliment.

“Thanks Andy, we should get going. I’m shadowing you with your clients today, remember?” Her internship had been stellar, learning valuable information about the field and her future career. The only problem occasionally was Neal, who tended to linger too long at her desk and always stared down her shirt as he talked. Normally she would put the man in her place, but it offered a good source of jealousy from Andy, which she couldn’t pass up.

Their ride to the office was filled with conversation as Andy briefed her on their clients for the day, y/n taking notes in her notebook of all the critical details. Though she probably wouldn’t need the notes, she had read over the client’s files for the past two days in anticipation.

Y/N sashayed down the hall in front of Andy to his office, and he watched her ass the entire time she moved, trying not to pop a boner before the workday even started. After arriving at the office door and unlocking it, the two got comfortable for their first client of the day.

“Are you nervous?” Andy questioned, eyes focusing intently on her.

“Of course not. I’m just eager to please.” Her tone was heavy with seduction, lips curving into a huge smile when Andy shifted uncomfortably in his seat.

By the time they had finished up with their clients for the day it was nine o’clock, a much later day at the office for them since y/n had started her internship. The two were both starving since lunch, stomachs growling as they headed home for the evening.

“Jacob said he and the boys are going to see a midnight movie showing after the bar, won’t be back till late.” Y/N announced, fingers typing out a quick reply to Jacob.

“Alright, are you interested in going out for some food? I think it’s way too late to start cooking something. We can go to that Mexican restaurant up the street from the house if you want.” Andy suggested, glancing over at y/n as he parked the car in the driveway.

“That’s fine, let me go change really quick and then we can go.” Y/N walked straight through the garage doors and up into her room, getting herself refreshed for dinner. Andy decided to change as well, pulling on a pair of dark denim jeans and a grey Henley long-sleeved shirt that accentuated his muscles. He was honestly hoping that y/n might consider this a date but given how she seemed to avoid any movement in their relationship, it seemed unlikely.

Andy scrolled through his email on his cell phone, leaning against the kitchen counter as she walked down the stairs. His eyes met hers before traveling down to the tight burgundy floral mini dress, the thin spaghetti straps barely holding in her braless breasts as they poked out slightly above the fabric. Andy’s eyes continued lower to the slit in the dress, staring at where the slit hit mid-thigh and ended right at her hip bone. Was she not wearing any underwear?

“Okay, I’m ready.” Y/N’s black stilettos clicked against the hardwood as she made her way towards the door, headed towards his car once again. Andy trailed behind, his eyes roaming over her backside while his cock stirred in his jeans.

The restaurant was less than a mile from the house, a quick drive for them both, which was a relief considering how hungry they both were. The waitress came up shortly after they sat, a young perky blonde who seemed to be a little extra attentive to Andy, though he didn’t pay any attention to her. He was too busy watching y/n scanning the menu, chewing her bottom lip as she figured out what to eat.

“I’ll have a Coors Light and a southwest salad, please.” Y/N’s voice was soft as she spoke to the waitress.

“I’ll have a Coors as well with the street taco trio. Thank you.” Andy handed over their menus before returning his attention back to y/n. “Did you like sitting in on the meetings today?” He asked, leaning back in his seat.

“Definitely, it’s nice to fully see the process at work. Usually I’m filing the paperwork after a meeting, but today gave me the chance to start from the initial meeting to the filing.” The waitress arrived with their drinks as she finished her sentence, taking a long swig from her beer.

“I’m glad. We make a good team, don’t you think?” Andy had to admit, she was the most impressive intern they’d had since he started there. But the question isn’t just about work, hinting at the possibility of them together.

“We’re alright.” She responded, shrugging her shoulders. Andy sighed, six days of waiting to figure out anything between them was torture, just like the mind games she was playing with him now. His thoughts are briefly interrupted by the arrival of their meal, using the break in their conversation to consider his next words carefully. It was like he was building a case as he had done hundreds of times at work, though this case was a bit higher stake for him.

“Look, in the club I know I said we couldn’t do this...do us.” Good start, Andy-boy. “But we’re both adults as you said. It’s not weird, unless we make it weird, and if we keep things private for a while so as not to hurt Jacob...why don’t we give it a try? Us, I mean.”

Y/N chewed thoughtfully on her meal, listening to his case and reflecting on his words. “I’m not a relationship girl, you know that.” The thought of being in a committed relationship with anyone terrified her, a trigger from her family trauma. What happens if Andy is kind at first, but later turns into a monster like her father? Would she really want to end up like her mom? No thank you.

“I do know that, but I also know that there’s something between us, y/n. You can’t deny that. Otherwise, you wouldn’t have done what you had.” Andy retorted, taking a bite of his tacos.

“Everything I do is because I want to do it.” She declared, leaning back in her seat and crossing her arms over her chest. “A relationship is different, Andy. Why tie yourself down to someone? It’s not like it ever lasts, you should know that firsthand.” She’s referring to his divorce, the thought that Andy even wanted to be committed to someone else after that was confusing.

“Maybe that’s true, or maybe we’re just waiting for the right person to change our minds.” He’s leaning on the table now, his eyes locked on hers to gauge her reactions.

Y/N’s eyebrow raises at his response, her head tilting to the side. “And you’re trying to say that I’m that right person?” Her eyes roll back into her head, straightening her body and digging back into her meal. “You’re thinking a little too highly after one hookup.”

Andy knows they’re going in circles with the conversation and so he drops it, finishing up their meals in silence and not protesting when y/n asks to split the bill. Definitely not a date.

The ride back to the house is uncomfortably silent, y/n playing Candy Crush on her phone to distract herself from any further talk about a relationship. Y/N is about to go up the stairs to her room when they arrive, but Andy stops her, grabbing her wrist and pulling her back over to him.

“What are you doing?” She asks, brows furrowed as her eyes meet his blue hues. Andy tugs her closer by her waist in response to her question, lips hovering inches away.

“Think about it, we’d be good together, you can’t deny that.” And with that Andy is leaning in, pressing his lips passionately against y/n’s own. Without any hesitation y/n reciprocates the kiss, hands instinctively wrapping around his neck to pull him in closer, if that was even possible.

Their lips dance together in the perfect rhythm for a moment before Andy breaks the kiss to pepper wet kisses to the flesh on y/n’s neck. She rolls her head to one side to give him better access, tugging at the hair on the nape of his neck when he nibbles on a sensitive spot. She lets him continue for a moment before pushing him gently off her, confusing laced across his face.

Y/N’s heels click against the hardwood as she starts walking down the hallway towards his bedroom door, stopping right in front of it and looking back at Andy, a cocky grin spreading across her swollen lips.

“I think it’s time you return the favor from the other night.” And with that she slips into his bedroom, Andy following quickly on her heels and shutting the door behind them. He watches, eyes blown wide, as she saunters over to the bed, sitting right on the edge of it. She leans her body back, her weight against her elbows, opening her legs to reveal her bare core, her heels firmly placed on the floor in front of the bed for balance.

“Don’t just stand there and stare, Andy. Get to work.”

He doesn’t need to be told twice, practically crawling across the room, his knees hitting the soft carpet a foot away from her outstretched legs. His strong hands move from her knees up her thighs, pushing her dress up to her stomach to reveal her wet heat to him.

It was glistening like diamonds, just as beautiful as the rest of her body. He rests his hands on each of her inner thighs, pushing her legs slightly wider and locking his eyes with hers as he leans forward and licks a strip up her slit. His first taste of her is incredible, better than he could’ve imagined, and he wastes no time on diving in further, lapping at her core.

Andy’s beard tickles her pussy as he works his tongue into her, sending shivers down her spine. Her fingers instinctively grab at his hair, her grip tightening whenever he lapped at a spot that made her moan. She kept her eyes on him the entire time, loving the way he looked between her legs. She could get used to this.

Andy moved his head back, his pointer and middle finger rubbing against her wet folds before they dive in, curling deep and releasing a satisfied moan from her lips. “Your pussy is so pretty, so wet and delicious. My little Lolita.” There goes the pet name from the other night, though it was quite fitting for her.

His fingers find a good rhythm inside her, eliciting the prettiest moans from her lips. His cock is painfully hard in his jeans, though he knows right now it is all about her pleasure. He can tell her orgasm is building, moving his face back to suck at her clit while his fingers keep their pace in and out of her dripping core.

Her walls start to tighten, y/n seeing stars as she feels that familiar buildup in her stomach, tightening her grip on his hair. Andy’s eyes lock back on hers, a seductive smirk spreading across his lips.

“Let go, Lolita. Cum for me.” And just like that her orgasm rips through her, her walls tightening around his fingers as she pushes his face flush against her folds, allowing him to lap up her release.

She’s shaking by the time he pulls away, his beard covered in her slick, the sight alone giving her a sense of pride and ownership over him.

“That was incredible.” Y/N announces, adjusting her dress and standing back up, stepping towards the door of the bedroom. Andy’s jaw drops, his cock twitching as she walks away. “Where are you going? I’m hard as a rock right now.”

Y/N stops to look at him, her eyes trailing to the bulge in his jeans, shrugging her shoulders. “Guess you’ll have to jerk off to your fantasies of me as always.” And with that she opens the door and exits the bedroom, leaving Andy kneeling with frustration against the carpet.

Tagging those who may be interested. Let me know if you want to be added to the tag list: @midnightf @my-divine-death @saamwilsonn @fierylibraa @fuckandfluff​ @rattlemyb0nes​ @rootcrop @goldenboysteve​  @turtoix​  @jeremyrennermakesmesmile​  @ccmarvelxx ​

[bellakitse]

Cooking with Friends 

for @madamewriterofwrongs​ 

(inspired by the bts pic of the trio at Carlos’ place)

“Do you need any help?”

Carlos Reyes looks up from the fish pieces he’s frying to find Marjan looking at him curiously, a glass of the sparkling grape juice he’s taken to having in stock since he and TK officially started dating in her hand.

There is lively laughter and conversation behind them as his boyfriend entertains his other two crew members, Paul and Mateo.

“Sure,” he starts with a smile, getting one back from the girl TK is so fond of. “Can you chop that?” he asks as he points at the herbs on the cutting board. “The rice is almost done and ready for it.”

“Cilantro lime rice?” she questions, placing her glass down to wash her hands before she picks up a knife.

“Mmhmm,” he nods, taking out some finished pieces of fish, placing them on a paper towel to soak up the extra oil.

“And Baja tacos, yum,” Marjan continues, nodding towards the fresh tortillas he’s placed on the dishes before adding the fish.

“With a chickenless southwest salad,” he finishes for her, raising an eyebrow when she chuckles. “What’s so funny?”

“Nothing, nothing,” she says quickly, grin still firmly in place on her pretty face. “It’s just that TK is a shit cook. He gets out of it at work by trading the chore with Paul when it’s his turn, and now he has a boyfriend who is also awesome at cooking, so he doesn’t have to do it when he’s off shift either. It’s kind of hilarious.”

Carlos chuckles at her observation; she’s not wrong. TK has many talents he’s come to learn about in the weeks since they’ve gotten serious. Talents and habits Carlos either finds adorable or hot beyond belief. But his boyfriend is simply not cooking-compatible and would live off takeout and cereal if left up to his own devices.

“He’s only with me for my cooking,” he jokes with a grin, raising an eyebrow when Marjan snorts.

“Yeah, no,” She corrects him. She points at the pot of rice that now sits off the stove; when he nods at her, she starts to fluff the rice with a fork a few times before pouring the lime juice he’d squeezed earlier. “Trust me, if you heard the way he rambles on about you, you would know that while he does mention your cooking, is just one of the million things he goes on and on about when he brings you up.”

Marjan gives him a pointed look. “Which is all the time.”

Carlos feels his face go hot, and he knows it has nothing to do with having been in the kitchen for the last hour cooking. “He does not talk about me all the time,” he replies with conviction for a moment before continuing, hesitant. “Does he?”

“We can bring Mateo and Paul into this conversation if you’d like; they’ll back me up,” Marjan answers, opening her mouth again to call for their friends.

“No, that won’t be necessary,” he hisses quickly, shooting her a look when she smirks. “You just want to embarrass TK,” he continues with gentle reproach, knowing she doesn’t mean it with malice. Teasing, he’s learned, is the way Marjan and TK show affection towards each other.

Marjan’s smile grows even wider, proving his observation correct.

Carlos shakes his head. “Troublemaker,” he tells her, unable to hide his fondness for her as she throws him a wink. “Here, take these plates to the table.”

Marjan rolls her eyes at him jokingly but does what he says. He calls out to the rest of the guests, calling them to the table as he readies the other plates. Mateo and Paul take their seats along with Marjan, while TK comes to meet him in the kitchen, taking a plate from him.

“This all looks and smells delicious, baby,” TK tells him with a sweet, happy smile on his face. He’s been grinning like this for the last three days since Carlos agreed to host this little get together. The bashful look on TK’s face when he asked him if it would be okay to invite the trio over, and the smile that followed when Carlos said yes, still tugs at his heartstrings. Carlos would do anything to keep that smile on TK’s face.

“Hopefully, it tastes delicious too,” he answers, chuckling when it makes TK roll his eyes.

“When have you ever made something that isn’t delicious?” TK questions teasingly.

“I made a beef wellington so bad once that it would have sent Gordon Ramsay into a rage,” he answers, cringing as he remembers that particular culinary fail.

Gordan Ramsay is always in a rage,” TK answers, eyes crinkling at the corners as he grins. “That’s his shtick, babe.”

“Cute,” Carlos mutters dryly, causing TK to light up.

“I’m glad you think so,” TK answers, turning sideways to keep the plates out of the way as he leans into Carlos’ space.

Carlos tries not to react, but it’s impossible when his boyfriend is this close, his lovely pouty mouth inches from his. He closes the small gap, his stomach doing a somersault as TK’s eyes flutter shut a second before Carlos covers that gorgeous mouth with his. His body sings at the soft sigh TK lets out as he kisses him gently. He can feel himself starting to get lost in the kiss when a loud whistle startles them both. Turning his head towards the table, he sees Paul pulling his hand away from his mouth.

“Yeah, we get it, you’re in love,” he says with a sarcastic roll of his eyes. “But we’re waiting and hungry.”

Carlos feels his face go red once more, his heart racing at Paul’s words, but TK, instead, just laughs joyfully.

“No need to be jealous of me and my gorgeous man, Strickland,” TK teases his friend as they come to sit at the table, passing the last of the plates around.

Paul narrows his eyes at TK, but Carlos can see the hint of a smile on the curve of his mouth. “Love makes you obnoxious, brother,” he tells him, wreaking havoc with Carlos’ insides as he casually drops the word love around once more.

“Maybe,” TK agrees easily as he starts to dig into his salad. “But it’s doing amazing things to my complexion, don’t you think?” he asks, batting his eyelashes aggressively at Paul.

Paul rolls his eyes while Marjan and Mateo exchange a grin, obviously used to this simple ribbing between all of them. It makes Carlos happy to witness it, and hopefully, be part of it.

“Okay, you two can continue,” Mateo waves in their direction. “But I’m eating, this smells really good, and I have been living off pop tarts I found in the back of my cupboards for the last week. Pretty sure they were expired.”

Marjan raises an eyebrow at the man next to her, judgingly, before turning back towards the rest of them. “Gee, why can’t probie get a girl?” she asks, drawing a pout from Mateo and laughter from the rest of the table.

Carlos joins into their easy camaraderie, teasing and sharing with the group as they eat. Halfway through the meal, when the trio is busy recalling an incident earlier in the week, TK leans in close to him.

“Thank you,” he says quietly, his green eyes soft as he smiles at him shyly. He shrugs when Carlos gives him a questioning look back. “My ex never cared about getting to know my crew, and he sure as hell never made them an amazing dinner to get to know them better. This means a lot to me – ” TK pauses, looking over at his friends, all smiling and enjoying themselves. “They’re – “

“Your family,” Carlos finishes for him. TK looks back at him, eyes now shining, pleased that Carlos gets it. He nods back at him. “Then they’re my family too, Ty.”

TK lets out a soft sound, another beautiful smile on his face. He leans in further, pressing his forehead to Carlos’ temple gently. “You’re my family too, baby,” he whispers, lips brushing over Carlos’ cheek.

Carlos exhales, a little shaky, his heart thundering at TK’s words and the meaning behind them. “And you’re mine.”

[aestheticvoyage2021]

Day 290: Sunday October 17, 2021 - “Great Aunt and Uncle”

Had Jane and Dave over to meet our big boy.  They were here last in the Spring helping to make final touches on the room that’d become his nursery as Mom and Dad stressed about how things would come together.  Now that they get to connect with the fruits of all that labor.   This is the fifth set of Great Aunt/Uncle that William has been introduce too - and these two are certainly special, in several unaccountable ways.  Of course, as my Mom’s youngest sibling, Aunt Jane was always the cool aunt growing up and aside from me having been old enough to remember their wedding and great times, I always just looked up to them as smart, wise, and in-tune people in this world - the coolest thing you can be! Plus, they’ve always shared and nurtured my love for Michigan State and wound up with me here in the Southwest half the year.  Audrie even met them before meeting my parents - a fitting warm up! And aside from Saint Dave having married the two of us, and declaring us husband and wife, it was also his absolute enthusiasm for babies and kids and being a Dad and Uncle-Grandpa that would tip the scales over time as we thought about having kids or not.   I literally thought of them both when I told AC (a lifteime ago) that “I can’t imagine that we would ever regret starting a family, but I can definitely imagine us regretting it if we don’t”  - the way Dave got so excited about the thought of having a baby added, was inspiration for that.  And so it was heartfelt fully today when after giving us some time to connect, William woke from his nap, and made an appearance, full of smiles, to come meet his Great Aunt and Uncle Jane and Dave.  I watched from the kitchen, chopping up the salad bar for our lunch, as all three of them connected in.  Family tree buddy - those roots are important.

And as if pronouncing us Husband and Wife wasn’t enough, being the retired dentist that he is, it was Uncle Dave that pointed out “his first tooth is coming in” and just like that, we had a teething baby.  It wasn’t untll later, when I picked the photo of the day, I noticed Wiliiam, memorializing his new benchmark, and the irony of Uncle Dave noticing it first, literally was pointing it out in the photo.  The grandness of the scheme.

Song:  The Allman Brothers - One Way Out (Live at the Filmore)

Quote: “Some of us can live without a society but not without a family.” ― Amit Kalantri

[thequeenofsheba-blog]

Foodie adventures in southwest and southeast Sweden

We traveled from Gothenberg to Kullaberg to Kivik to Malmo in late July 2024. The areas we visited were stunning and we were lucky to get lots of sun. Here are our foodie tips-

Hoze sushiya in Gothenberg: The sushi here is excellent. The chef has an incredible level of understanding of Japanese history and sushi technique. His rice and shari are excellent, as are his selection of fish and his plated dishes. One of the best dishes of the meal was a simple bowl of rice with some cured egg yolk- his rice is that good. This is a sushi meal worth having outside of Japan.

Knystaforsen: This restaurant feels like a dream, like you enter an enchanted garden for the entirety of the night. The food was very good, the space stunning, and the overall experience really, really magical. Some stand out bites included a charred strawberry, a tart with smoked cheese and trout roe, rainbow trout in a strawberry broth, a rhubarb jelly with smoked eel, a ‘waldorf salad’ dish that was really a 3* dish, and duck heart with a burnt oil sauce. The smoky element of each dish really makes it an excellent meal. The only major issue I have with the place is their bread and pastries, which are really no good, which also made the cheese course less enjoyable. They need a new pastry chef. I would recommend staying the night at their hotel, so you get the full experience. Breakfast the next day is expensive for what it is, but also very nice.

Holy Smoke BBQ: The place is hip and a great vibe. The food is darn expensive though, and though the short rib and spicy bacon were great, everything else really wasnt- the brisket was too chewy and not juicy enough, the jalapeno sauce had no real flavor, the mac and broccoli was dry and no good at all, and the creamed corn was fine, but nothing exceptional.

Flickorna Lundgren på Skäret: This cafe is oh so cute and lovely, especially on a sunny day. Their rhubarb juice is delicious, as is their princess cake. Sadly their cinnamon buns are nothing to write home about.

Talldungen Hotel: The hotel is lovely, especially in the summer with the gorgeous flowers in the garden, and the restaurant is excellent- the meal was incredibly reasonable priced, and the food was so bright and fresh. They served one of the best gazpachos I have ever had.

Kivik's Musteri: A great place to buy very high quality cider and all sorts of apple products.

Vollmers in Malmo: This is not a 2* meal. The pacing was off, the service wasn’t great, and many of the dishes weren’t great, or weren’t well executed. There were a few good dishes- a potato foam dish, a squid dish that was very delicious, complex, punchy, highly technical and well executed, and sweetbreads with beets that were very good. But many of the other dishes tended towards the overly sweet side, and there was an overuse of vanilla in multiple dishes. I sent feedback to the chef, who wasn't there the night we eat there, and he refused to concede any issues re pacing or execution of the meal. Total and utter waste of money. 

Surf Shack in Malmo: this place makes a damn good smash burger. I wouldn’t recommend the garlic fries, they are over-fried so a bit too greasy. 

Kold in Malmo: Really, really good ice cream.

[thedisneychef]

Can Chicken Salad Recipes: Easy and Delicious Meal Ideas

Hey there! I'm so excited to share with you some of my favorite chicken salad recipes. If you're like me, then you know that chicken salad is a great go-to meal for lunch or dinner. Not only does it taste amazing, but it's also really easy to make and requires minimal ingredients. In this article, I'll be highlighting several delicious chicken salad recipes that are sure to please your palate. So let's get started! Maybe You Also Like: - Can Banana Bread Recipe Be Used For Muffins - Can Cinnamon Roll Recipes - Can Cooker Kielbasa Recipe: A Delicious and Easy Meal Idea Classic Chicken Salad I love a classic chicken salad. It's easy to whip up and makes for the perfect lunch or light dinner. I often make mine with grilled chicken, as it adds an extra layer of flavor that appeals to my taste buds. But if you're not a fan of grilling (or don't have access to a grill), poached chicken works just as well – and is even easier! To make this version of the dish, start by poaching your chicken: Place 3-4 boneless, skinless breasts in a large pot filled with cold water over medium heat until they are cooked through — about 8 minutes. Once done, shred them into small pieces using two forks and set aside while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Next, mix together mayonnaise, lemon juice, salt & pepper in a bowl before adding the chopped celery, onion and parsley. Finally add shredded chicken and stir until all ingredients are combined. Serve on top of lettuce leaves or place between slices of bread for sandwiches! Greek Chicken Salad Moving on from the classic version of chicken salad, let's explore a Greek twist on this simple recipe. This variation is easy to prepare and offers healthy options for those looking to make healthier meals. Greek Chicken Salad begins with cooked chicken (I like to use shredded rotisserie chicken as it’s already cooked and adds fantastic flavor). Then comes an array of veggies like cucumbers, tomatoes, red onions and kalamata olives - all ingredients that provide great texture and flavor. The dressing is made up of olive oil, lemon juice, garlic and oregano – it’s light but flavorful! Once everything has been mixed together you can enjoy your delicious Greek Chicken Salad right away or refrigerate before serving. It makes a wonderful meal-prep lunch option that will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 days. With just a few simple steps you've got yourself a tasty salad full of nutritious ingredients - perfect for any occasion! Curry Chicken Salad I've made a curry chicken salad that's easy to prepare and perfect for meal prepping. This recipe is great if you're looking for something quick and flavorful. The star of the dish is the homemade curry powder, which combines fragrant spices like cardamom, coriander, cumin, and mustard seeds. I also add some garlic and onion powder for extra flavor. As far as assembly goes, it really couldn't be easier: just mix together cooked chicken with mayonnaise and your homemade curry powder in a bowl until everything is evenly coated. Then toss in diced apples and celery for crunchy texture, plus raisins for sweetness. To finish off this delicious dish, sprinkle chopped cashews on top before serving! This savory-sweet combination makes a tasty lunch or dinner option that will have everyone asking for seconds - so make sure to double up when preparing this delightful Curry Chicken Salad! Southwestern Chicken Salad Moving on from the delicious Curry Chicken Salad, let's take a look at Southwestern Chicken Salad. This hearty salad is packed with flavor and perfect for meal prepping ahead of time. Not only does it have all the wonderful flavors you'd expect in a southwest-style dish, but it also offers plenty of healthy substitutions that make this an even more nutritious choice. The base of this salad starts off with chopped romaine lettuce and grilled chicken breast strips. To add some extra flavor to the mix, diced avocado and black beans are thrown in as well. For added crunch and texture, try topping your salad with crumbled tortilla chips or roasted corn kernels. Finally, a creamy cilantro lime dressing brings it all together! Meal prepping tips for this southwestern chicken salad include chopping up veggies like bell peppers and onions ahead of time so they're ready to go when you need them. Also consider making enough dressing to last throughout the week - just store any unused portions in an airtight container until you’re ready to use it again! With these simple tricks, you can enjoy this flavorful dish anytime without having to worry about too much prep work each day. Mediterranean Chicken Salad I'm so excited to share this Mediterranean Chicken Salad recipe with you! It's the perfect combination of spicy chicken and a cold salad, making it an ideal dish for warm days. You only need a few simple ingredients to make it - chicken breasts, olive oil, lemon juice, red onion, feta cheese, spinach leaves and some spices like oregano and garlic powder. To start preparing the salad, heat up a pan on medium-high heat and season your chicken breasts with salt and pepper before placing them in the pan. Cook until golden brown then set aside to cool down. Once cooled off, cut the chicken into cubes. In a bowl mix together the cubed chicken with diced red onion, feta cheese crumbles and baby spinach leaves. For dressing use olive oil mixed with freshly squeezed lemon juice, oregano seasoning and garlic powder as desired. Toss everything together until evenly combined. This delicious salad is ready in no time! Serve alone or over cooked grains such as quinoa or rice for added nutrition. Enjoy! Frequently Asked Questions Is There A Difference Between Store-Bought And Homemade Chicken Salad? When it comes to store-bought and homemade chicken salad, there are significant differences. Homemade versions will often have more variations in terms of ingredients, while store-bought salads tend to be more consistent. Texture wise, homemade recipes can range from creamy to chunky depending on the cook's preference. Store bought versions usually offer a creamier texture due to their longer shelf life requirements. Ultimately, when deciding which version is better, it really depends on your own personal tastes! What Are Some Healthy Substitutions For Mayonnaise In A Chicken Salad? If you're looking for a healthier alternative to mayonnaise in your chicken salad, Greek yogurt and avocado oil are great substitutes! Both of these ingredients provide creaminess and flavor without adding extra fat. For example, Greek yogurt has fewer calories than traditional mayo and is packed with protein. Avocado oil also contains healthy fats that can help increase the nutrient content of your dish. Plus, it adds an amazing creamy texture to any recipe. So next time you make chicken salad, consider using one (or both) of these substitutions instead of mayo for a tasty, healthy meal! How Can I Make My Chicken Salad Gluten-Free? If you want to make your chicken salad gluten-free, there are a few alternative dressings that can help. Try swapping out the mayonnaise for vegan options like avocado or hummus - both of these will keep the flavors of your chicken salad while also making it gluten-free. If you don't want to use either of those ingredients, try using plain Greek yogurt or olive oil with some lemon juice and salt and pepper. This combination is lighter and healthier than traditional dressings but still flavorful enough to enjoy in your chicken salad! How Long Does Chicken Salad Last In The Fridge? Storing chicken salad in the fridge is an easy way to keep it fresh and delicious. The key is to make sure that it's tightly sealed so no air can get into the container. If stored properly, your chicken salad will last up to four days in the refrigerator. However, if you plan on keeping it for longer than that, freezing may be a better option as it will stay good for up to 3 months. When you're ready to eat your frozen chicken salad, simply thaw it out overnight or reheat gently on low heat. With these storing tips and reheating techniques, you'll always have tasty chicken salad at hand! How Can I Make My Chicken Salad More Flavorful? If you're looking to make your chicken salad more flavorful, then adding some spicy ingredients is a great way to do it. Consider using cayenne pepper or jalapenos for heat, and chili powder or paprika for smokiness. You can also try adding creamy dairy-free options like coconut yogurt or tahini instead of mayonnaise. These will both add flavor while keeping the recipe light and healthy. Conclusion Making a delicious and healthy chicken salad is easy. With just a few simple ingredients, you can create a variety of recipes that everyone in your family will enjoy. Whether you choose to make it from scratch or buy it pre-made from the store, adding some extra flavorings and substitutions for mayonnaise can take your chicken salad to the next level. Keep an eye on how long it sits out, as proper storage and refrigeration are key to making sure your chicken salad stays fresh and safe to eat. With a little bit of experimentation, you'll find the perfect combination of flavors that will keep your taste buds happy! If you're looking for more delicious recipes to try, be sure to check out The Disney Chef's recipe categories! Whether you're in the mood for something sweet like a cake recipe, something savory like a chicken or pork recipe, or something fresh like a vegetable or seafood recipe, there's something for everyone. And if you're a meat-lover, don't forget to check out the beef recipes category for hearty and satisfying meals. With so many options to choose from, you're sure to find a new favorite recipe to add to your collection. Read the full article