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Chorizo Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates

September 22, 2017 By Susannah Leave a Comment

Make tailgating better with a batch of Chorizo Stuffed Bacon Wrapped Dates! They’re an easy appetizer you can make for a crowd on game day or any gathering. Scroll down for 19 more amazing tailgating recipes!

Football season! It’s here, finally. I’ve been waiting all summer.

A couple weeks ago I got to watch the the first game of the year with friends and family at a dear fellow fan’s house. It was awesome to finally watch football again!

Oh, and the food. Football fans sure know how to eat.

Whenever I tailgate with this group, there is always a massive spread of deviled eggs, delicious dips and decadent pulled pork. There’s always craft beer and sometimes (if I’m there) bottled tailgate cocktails. Maybe even cheese dip. Or beer cheese dip.

It’s a feast.

And that’s how tailgating should be, in my opinion. Food and football just go hand in hand.

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Mango Lassi Smoothie

September 13, 2017 By Susannah 2 Comments

Sweet and savory at once, kick off your morning with a Mango Lassi Smoothie. Inspired by a popular Indian beverage, this liquid breakfast flavored with honey, turmeric and cumin is the best way to start the day.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

Breakfast on a weekday is always a struggle for me. As much as I love waffles and eggs benedict on the weekend, those more complicated-yet-delicious recipes do not make sense for me in the mornings.

I’ve never been a morning person, so easy, nutritious breakfasts are my thing.

While I would love to enjoy homemade pancakes and such on a weekday, smoothies are my go-to on a busy morning.

It’s so easy to just toss a few ingredients into the blender and go. You can even make them the night before and just hit “blend” in the morning. Instant breakfast. (I have this blender and a bunch of these smoothie essentials.)

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Ginger Peach Bourbon Smash

September 5, 2017 By Susannah 1 Comment

Savor the end of summer with a Ginger Peach Bourbon Smash. Muddle together an easy honey ginger simple syrup, juicy peaches, warm citrus and oaky bourbon, and toast to the last days of warm weather.
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This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

The other night I had a dream that someone scolded me for wearing white pants and white flip-flops the day after Labor Day. This is bizarre for a few reasons.

For one, I probably wouldn’t wear white pants. I try to never say never. But I really probably would not.

It would be just my luck to spill something and stain them forever. (Though I guess that’s why they make stain remover pens?)

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Shakshuka Eggs Benedict

August 15, 2017 By Susannah 3 Comments

Make Shakshuka Eggs Benedict for a brunch or dinner dish that’s sure to impress! Poach eggs in a chickpea tomato sauce, and serve them over toasted English muffins topped with drizzles of an easy hollandaise sauce and a sprinkle of feta cheese.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

Breakfast for dinner is always a winner. (Unintentional rhyme, I swear.)

I have long been a fan of eggs, bacon, muffins, french toast, pancakes and waffles at dinnertime. Even a cinnamon roll on occasion. Not every day, but once in a while? It’s just so ridiculous, you can’t not love it!

(Let’s be clear: Smoothies are not dinner.)

But dinner for breakfast? Also great. Trust me on this.

I’m not talking about eating warmed up leftovers.

I am talking about this Shakshuka Eggs Benedict recipe. It’s a dinner dish turned brunch bite.

Have you ever had shakshuka? It’s a North African dish that’s popular in the Middle East for dinner, but people in Israel eat it for breakfast.

It’s one of our favorite dinner recipes right now, but the breakfast quality gave me the idea to turn it into a brunch dish to share. I’ve been wanting to make it for you for a while.

Essentially, shakshuka consists of eggs poached in a spicy tomato sauce with chickpeas and feta.

The flavors of this vegetarian dish are so bright and warm. The spices include a rich combination of cumin, paprika and chili flakes for a little extra spice.

I use our cast iron skillet to make it on the stove, then pop it in the oven to cook the eggs a little bit longer.

My brunch version is a variation on classic eggs benny, complete with a super easy hollandaise sauce you can make in a blender! (My friend Christine taught me this recipe — so good.)

Plus, the addition of toasted English muffins helps to soak up the sauce.

Drizzled with hollandaise and sprinkled with fresh parsley and feta cheese, this is an easy brunch dish that’s sure to impress.

Comment below if you try this recipe, and be sure to share it on Instagram with the hashtag #feastandwestrecipes.

I hope you enjoy! // susannah

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Blackberry Mojito Popsicles

August 11, 2017 By Susannah 1 Comment

Soak up the sun and rum with a batch of Blackberry Mojito Popsicles. They’re a boozy, zesty, frozen treat starring fresh blackberries, lime, mint and rum.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

Mojitos are without a doubt one the best summer drink.

They’re ice cold, they’re sweet, they’re tart, they’re minty fresh.

The absolute best.

It’s no secret that I love mojitos. There’s tons of mojito recipes here on F+W.

I made these Kombucha Mojitos, and these Red, White + Blue Mojitos are always a hit at the American summer holidays.

I even have a recipe for Mojito Jell-O Shots! (So fun for a crowd.)

My favorite mojitos I’ve ever had are — this is going to sound weird — not from a beach vacation. In Prague!

The summer I studied abroad there, my friends and I drank lots of mojitos. One bar we went to served them with the sugar not fully dissolved at the bottom.

Some bartenders might frown on that, but I loved it because I could tell he had hand-muddled the sugar and mint into the glasses.

Another favorite mojito memory? I used to get together with a big group friends to watch a certain (awful) reality show each week, and a few times I made these Lemon-Lime Mojitos in a HUGE batch.

I didn’t own a pitcher back then, so I’d squeeze limes and lemons into a giant cooler to serve to the group.

So now you know where my love of mojitos comes from, and now I can tell you more about these Blackberry Mojito Popsicles.

I’ve been dreaming about mojito popsicles all summer. Sweet, tart, minty… they sounded perfect.

And a perfect excuse to use my popsicle mold again! (Because these Prosecco Popsicles are gone.)

But I also wanted them to have some extra color and more bursts of flavor. The answer? Blackberries.

There is nothing more perfect than the most succulent blackberries in the summer.

Except maybe a Blackberry Mojito Popsicle.

These boozy Blackberry Mojito Popsicles are 1,000% perfect for savoring the last few moments of summer.

And so are these Citrus Sangria Popsicles from my friend Madison, and these Peach Julep Popsicles by my friend Erin. I cannot get enough of the boozy popsicle goodness.

Boozy popsicles all around, y’all. Cheers to you! // susannah

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Limoncello Lemonade

August 4, 2017 By Susannah 6 Comments

Love lemon? Sip on an ice-cold glass of Limoncello Lemonade. Pair fresh, homemade lemonade with zesty Italian limoncello for an ultra sweet-tart sipper you can serve anywhere from summer cookouts to baby showers.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

The gifts people bring back from trips are some of my favorite things.

Let me be clear, though. I am not huge on souvenirs, so no keychains or cheesy tchotchkes for me. I do love a good postcard, though!

But especially no souvenirs with names on them. Which is actually pretty easy because, like, NO souvenirs actually say ‘Susannah’ on them. Especially not spelled correctly!

But now that I’ve gotten older, I really appreciate a good edible — or drinkable — gift.

It’s really nice to share a piece of that place and get a taste for what the person experienced on their travels.

Recently a friend brought me the most flavorful chocolate from Guatemala. I’ve never been to Guatemala, but I love how rich and creamy their chocolate is, and you can taste the love and care Guatemalans put into their products.

For a while now, my dad has been asking me what I am going to do with the limoncello he brought me from his trip to Italy with my sister last year. It’s been sitting in my pantry waiting to be incorporated into a cocktail or three.

I have been waiting for the right idea to pop into my head, but I finally decided to bite the bullet and incorporate it into a cocktail this summer. I love to sip on lemonade in the summer, but boozy is better sometimes.

Enter this Limoncello Lemonade.

If it seems weird that I used a lemon spirit in a lemon drink, hang on a minute.

I should mention that vodka lemonades were my “drink” in college. But whenever I make them now, all I can taste is the sharp alcoholic flavor of the vodka.

With this Limoncello Lemonade, the lemon flavor seems to disappear. (I did not have this issue with this spiked lavender lemonade.)

Pairing lemonade with limoncello is a flavorful way to enjoy both. You can get all the sweet summer taste of lemonade, plus a little booze that’s masked by the lemonade.

Limoncello is great on its own over ice too, but my dad carried that heavy bottle all the way from Rome and I’ll be really sad as soon as the bottle is gone! So this cocktail is a nice way to stretch it out.

This cocktail is ultra tart and zesty, and each highlights the lemon flavor in the other, making it the perfect refresher for a hot summer day. You could serve these at a wedding, a baby shower, a cookout — or just because.

Plus, it just tastes like Italy — each time I drink this limoncello it makes me wish I were traipsing the streets of Rome and Positano with my dad and sister. But for now, I’ll have to settle for this drink.

Oh, and these adorable glasses? Also hand-carried on an airplane. My friend Erin brought them to me from Dallas when she visited this year. The perfect glasses for the perfect drink!

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July Travelogue

August 3, 2017 By Susannah Leave a Comment

Here’s the July Travelogue! Have a look at the things I did, ate, drank and saw over the last couple of months. Scroll to the end to see our video of our Outer Banks road trip!

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

July was a blur. A total and complete blur.

I feel like I say that every month, but time sure is flying.

July was busy. There was a lot going on at work, plus we took a working vacation to the Outer Banks (and managed to check off a number of Chrissie’s OBX Hidden Gems) and a weekend trip to Raleigh to see a concert.

I began the Travelogue series last year as a way to tell you a little more about what’s going on in my life, beyond the usual recipe and travel inspiration I usually write about here.

Plus it’s a nice way for me to look back at the passing time. So here’s a quick recap of last month!

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How to Craft Signature Cocktails for Weddings

July 14, 2017 By Susannah 2 Comments

Today I’m sharing how I help my friends dream up and craft signature cocktails for weddings, parties and special occasions! A cute cocktail makes any celebration more memorable, and it can be meaningful, too. Read on to learn how I do it!

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

Wedding season is upon us. Every year, I have at least one friend who asks for my help creating a signature cocktail, either for their wedding or for a bridal shower they’re planning for a friend.

These requests are always super fun for me, as a blogger who writes so much about cocktails. (I even wrote a guide to making delicious drinks at home!)

I know I don’t usually write about weddings here, but I get enough requests that it felt worth writing about.

The reality is that anyone can come up with a signature cocktail for a wedding, and I want to help!

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Blackberry Peach Bramble

July 7, 2017 By Susannah Leave a Comment

Sip on a Blackberry Peach Bramble. Made with fresh blackberries, peaches and honey, plus fragrant gin, this cocktail is the farmers market in a glass.

DISCLOSURE: I received free product from Hendrick’s Gin as part of this post. As always, all opinions and recipe are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that support Feast + West!

It has been entirely too long since I have been to a farm and picked fruit.

Like, actually walked up to a tree and picked an apple. Or spent an hour on my knees picking berries.

I don’t think I’ve made a trek out to a farm like that in forever.

Once in elementary school, we took a field trip and picked strawberries as a class. I remember being so proud of the basket of berries I brought home.

I also have some lovely, fond memories of picking blueberries with my best friend when we were in high school. Her mom took us one summer day, and we were super giggly.

Somewhere there’s a really cute picture of us, plus her sister and her pal, sitting in the back of their truck surrounded by bushels of the most juicy berries I’ve ever eaten.

It was just so delightful. I am longing to do something like that again.

And yes, before you say anything: I do have a garden.

It’s all veggies right now, though, mainly because my watermelons haven’t come up yet. And sure, sure — tomatoes are a fruit, but we treat them like vegetables. (Plus my tomatoes keep getting eaten! Ugh.)

Having a garden is awesome, but it is no match for a day spend on a farm, enjoying a farmer’s bounty right at the source. Fresh and succulent.

This Blackberry Peach Bramble tastes a lot like that. I bought my fruit at the farmers market last weekend.

I bit into my first peach of the summer, and it was so tender and bursting with summer.

And then the blackberries, each a little sweet-tart explosion.

I remembered this Blackberry Peach Sour I made a few years back — so full of flavor and wonder.

It inspired me to make a Blackberry Peach Bramble with a bottle of gin that the good folks at Hendrick’s sent me. I’m not usually much of a gin drinker, but this one is fantastic with its flavors of rose and cucumber.

I’m definitely a fan of the bottle they sent me, but if you need help choosing a gin, you might like this introductory guide to gin!

In addition to the bright flavor of the gin, this cocktail incorporates muddled blackberries, puréed peaches and local honey, as well as crème de mure, a blackberry liqueur. You can substitute crème de cassis if you like!

It’s spectacular when shaken and served over crushed ice. Like the farmers market in a glass.

Whether you get your blackberries, peaches and honey from a farm, the grocery or the farmers market, this cocktail is one to enjoy all summer long. // susannah

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May + June Travelogue

July 5, 2017 By Susannah 3 Comments

Here’s the May + June Travelogue! Have a look at the things I did, ate, drank and saw over the last couple of months.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

I know it’s been a little quiet around here lately. Being real about it? The last couple months have been pretty tough for my time management skills.

May and June are always packed months with tons of social engagements and busy for work, but there’s been a lot going on around here lately.

I began the Travelogue series last year as a way to tell you a little more about what’s going on in my life, beyond the usual recipe and travel inspiration I usually write about here. Plus it’s a nice way for me to look back at the passing time. So here’s a quick recap of the last couple months:

Lake Toxaway, N.C.

To get away, Chris and I took a couple of road trips to the mountains and the beach just to get away. It was so nice.

Then I got a cold that got worse fast. I was diagnosed with bronchitis and spent a couple weeks just making sure I slept as much as possible.

My sister, who lives overseas, visited for a few days, and we spent 3.5 lovely days doing all the things we don’t ever get to do because she lives so far away. Nails, movies, cocktails, catching up. I even cooked her a belated/early Thanksgiving feast.

And as if all of that wasn’t enough…

Remember the stray cat I mentioned last month? Shortly after I wrote that post, she brought us her four tiny kittens. One by one, she dropped the first three off under our porch. The next day, she brought the fourth.

So we took in all five, much to Pixel’s dismay, and became their foster parents. Yes — we went from one cat to six in two days.

One was adopted pretty quickly, and last week, the remaining three went to a new foster home.

All three are still available, which is a shame because they are just SO cute. If you’re local to Charlotte and interested, apply to adopt them via our rescue, Catering to Cats & Dogs. Their names are Rocky, Bullwinkle and Meredith.

And the mama? She’s ours now. Meet Julep. We love her so much. And Pixel is adapting just fine.

Besides our new family member, here’s what I loved in May & June:

Gorgeous place I went:

Highlands, N.C. This sweet little mountain town was just a few waterfalls away from the mountain house we stayed in with Chris’s family. I loved exploring this idyllic town over an afternoon. I’d love to go back.

Thing I ate:

We went to Myrtle Beach, S.C. for Chris’s birthday, and discovered a little gem of an ice cream shop called Melt. I was pretty pumped about the M&M ice cream, which is actually flavored with M&M’s — not just vanilla with M&M’s stirred in. Amazing.

Movies I’m adoring:

I finally watched both Moana and Lilo & Stitch recently, which is 1,000% not helping my Hawaii wanderlust. These films are so cute! Pass the Pineapple Mango Tiki Punch, please.

Drink I imbibed:

I finally got my hands on a bottle of the Rua whiskey from Great Wagon Road Distillery — so good. Chris and I have been enjoying this on the rocks and in various whiskey cocktails at home.

Place I’d like to go:

As previously stated, I am seriously obsessed with Hawaii right now. My friend Meghan almost killed me with this gorgeous Kauai travel guide. Must go!

Drink I want to make:

These Orange Red Wine Spritzers from Honey & Birch sound like summer in a glass. Need more days by the pool, stat.

Thing on my wishlist:

Is it weird to want electric salt & pepper grinders? My dad has a pair, and I always love cooking with them (and him!) at his house. It would be such a novelty, but also so fun and so useful!

What I’ll miss about May & June:

That early summer weather. We’re getting into the 90°F+ days, and I’m not happy about it. I miss watering the garden without sweating!

Bonus awesome thing:

I flew my first ever kite when we were at the beach. It was magic, y’all. Pure magic. Here’s to July! // susannah

Patriotic Prosecco Popsicles

June 30, 2017 By Susannah 4 Comments

Boozy and patriotic Prosecco Popsicles are the cutest way to show your colors this holiday weekend! Berries and frozen champagne make for a darling red, white and blue treat you can enjoy anytime! (Watch the video to learn how to make them!)

It’s Popsicle Week! Arguably the best week of the year, when a bunch of bloggers get together to share our love for popsicles.

But why just a week? I always try to make popsicles all summer long.

Our house gets ridiculously hot by, like, 3 p.m. or earlier. And when you work from home, it’s VERY noticeable.

Popsicles always come to my rescue.

To beat the heat, I’m planning to make more of my favorite popsicles this summer.

These boozy Irish Coffee Popsicles are amazing, as are these Peaches & Cream Popsicles.

For hot mornings, these Yogurt Parfait Breakfast Popsicles are so fun.

Last summer, Chris and I shot our first video together, of these Swirled Blueberry Yogurt Popsicles, and we are SO making them again. (It was so fun to make a new popsicle video together, too — scroll down to watch!

And I’m adding a new one into the mix this year. I decided to do Popsicle Week right with a batch of boozy Prosecco Popsicles.

Frozen bubbly is going to be your new favorite way to cool down this summer.

These popsicles are perfect for July 4, which is somehow next week already? (How?!)

You can use any fruit, really, but I tossed in blueberries and strawberries for a red, white and blue twist. I am so pleased with how these turned out!

The prosecco base combines bubbly and a super small batch of homemade lemonade for a little extra flavor and sweetness. Learn how to choose a sparkling wine.

Overall, though, these babies are light and delicious, and I recommend munching on them while you watch fireworks on Tuesday.

July 4 has always been one of my favorite holidays.

I love that it’s for everyone in America, and that we can come together over loving our country — however we choose to love it. It’s a beautiful thing.

I’m looking forward to celebrating all of that love with my favorite Berry Cream Pie and a batch of Red, White + Blue Mojitos, and these Prosecco Popsicles of course!

Happy July 4, y’all! // susannah

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Pineapple Mango Tiki Punch

June 27, 2017 By Susannah 6 Comments

Suffering from wanderlust due to all this amazing weather? Time for a tiki party! Serve up a pitcher of this fruity Pineapple Mango Tiki Punch with a scoop of raspberry sorbet. It stars a homemade spiced rum and Tropicana^® Premium Pineapple Mango with Lime drink. Scroll down to see the video!

This post is sponsored by Tropicana. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Feast + West!

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

All summer long I have been dreaming of tropical destinations. The weather has been stunning lately, and all I want to do is be outside on a beach catching up on my growing pile of magazines.

As much as I love travel, I’ve somehow never stepped foot on a beach with crystal clear water.

I’ve never really been a “beach girl” but I think that is changing because I’ve been obsessed with all things Hawaii lately.

My dad recently went to Hawaii and has been sharing tales and photos of his travels. What a seriously beautiful place! I have to go.

One thing that really intrigues me about Hawaii is the — don’t be surprised — cocktails!

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This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

DISCLOSURE: I received free product from Hendrick’s Gin as part of this post. As always, all opinions and recipe are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that support Feast + West!

This post contains affiliate links. If you click on one and buy something, Feast + West receives a small commission at no additional cost to you. All opinions are our own.

Gorgeous place I went:

Thing I ate:

Movies I’m adoring:

Drink I imbibed:

Place I’d like to go:

Drink I want to make:

Thing on my wishlist:

What I’ll miss about May & June:

Bonus awesome thing:

This post is sponsored by Tropicana. Thank you for supporting the brands that support Feast + West!

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