Birdie Bites - Blackberry Lime Spritzer

With August in full swing it's by far the hottest part of the year here in Connecticut. Even though I can retreat into the AC if the temperatures swell above 90 degrees, I also love to cool off with a refreshing drink. While I love myself a good cocktail, alcohol can be really dehydrating, which is not exactly helpful in super sweaty weather. That's why I chose to leave it out of this particular recipe (although it would be very easy to turn this into a true cocktail if that suited your fancy). With fresh, summery ingredients and a little bit of bubbly goodness, this Blackberry Lime Spritzer is both refined and delicious.

Birdie Bites - Blueberry Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Any of my friends and family will tell you that I have a serious sweet tooth. And a non discriminating one at that. From berry cobbler, to chocolate cake, to creme brulee, I basically want to eat it all. But, since it is summer after all, I've had a particular craving for something fresh and zesty as per late. Looking to the fruit in my fridge for a bit of inspiration, I came up with this recipe for creamy, delicious blueberry lemon cheesecake bars. It involves a little bit of work to whip up, but the end result is totally worth it!

Birdie Bites - Brown Sugar Salmon

Salmon is one of my absolute favorite dishes to bring to the dinner table. It's easy to prepare, cooks in a flash, and tastes pretty flippin' delicious. It's also extremely versatile as far as fish goes, jiving with a number of different flavor combinations. In particular, I think salmon lends itself really well to savory-sweet preparations, which is where I got the inspiration to come up with this recipe. Brown sugar, with it's rich molasses notes, seemed like the perfect complement to my favorite fish.

Birdie Bites - The Perfect Margarita

If I could only drink one cocktail for the rest of forever, it would be you, Margarita.

Birdie Bites - Ricotta Gnocchi

Sunday afternoon.

The perfect time for cooking experiments.

Gnocchi is one of my favorite signature dishes to make, but I've always stuck to the traditional potato variety. While delicious, it can also be time consuming, and given my recent lazy streak, I was in no mood for doing any more work than absolutely necessary.

Thus, I decided to give ricotta gnocchi a try. They're a lighter version of their potato based cousins, and involve a little less prep work.

Birdie Bites - Cooking Classy's Caprese Mac and Cheese

Thursday evening. Only 8 working hours separate me from the glorious, glorious weekend. We're in the home stretch, people. It's time to get excited.

Or, being a bit more realistic, it's time to want to take a nap, because I am exhausted.