Whipped Pineapple Parfait with Hood Cottage Cheese

Pineapple lovers – this one’s for you. This Whipped Pineapple Parfait using Hood Cottage Cheese is SO simple, requires no baking, and is a perfect treat for any season. The best part about this recipe is that you can get creative with it. You can serve it in individual parfait cups or as one large trifle. #Versatility

Ingredients:

• Four cups Hood Cottage Cheese with Pineapple

• 1 cup Vanilla Wafers, crushed

• One-8oz can crushed pineapple

• Two-3oz packages pineapple-flavored gelatin

• 8oz whipped topping, thawed

Directions:

1. Blend cottage cheese in a food processor until smooth.

2. Add in gelatin, crushed pineapple, and whipped topping. Blend until combined.

3. In your parfait cup or trifle bowl, add a layer of crushed wafers

4. Pour a layer of the cheese mixture over the wafers.

5. Next, add a layer of crushed pineapple. Repeat this process.

6. Garnish with whipped topping, Vanilla Wafers, and anything else your heart desires. You can really get creative here!

7. Enjoy!

*Note: this dish can be served immediately but for best results, let it chill for 30+ minutes before serving.

My Summer Dessert Staple: No-Bake Cheesecake with Hood Country Style Cottage Cheese

Friends, say hello to my new summer dessert staple: No-Bake Cheesecake using Hood Country Style Cottage Cheese. This cheesecake is light, creamy, packed with protein (thanks to the cottage cheese) and is an absolutely perfect treat for summer! Did I also mention it requires NO BAKING? #Win

Another thing I love about this cheesecake is that it can be served with almost ANY topping you wish. I tried it with both a homemade blueberry compote (delicious) and also with diced strawberries and chocolate syrup (equally delicious).

Now, let’s get to the recipe itself!

Ingredients:

For the cheesecake:

• 1 1/2 cups of smashed Ginger Snap cookies

• 1/3 cup granulated sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 6 tablespoons of butter

• 3 cups of Hood Country Style Cottage Cheese

• 1 cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup whole milk

• 2 eggs

• 2 pouches of gelatin

• Orange zest

• 1 cup of Half and Half or whipping cream

• 1/8 teaspoon salt

For the blueberry compote:

• 1 cup of fresh blueberries

• 2 teaspoons lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon corn starch

• 3/4 cup sugar

Directions:

To make the cheesecake:

• Preheat oven to 350

• Mix smashed ginger snaps with granulated sugar and cinnamon and stir together

• Add melted butter and mix

• Pour into a flat springform pan that is 10 inches in diameter. Apply pressure to create an even layer covering the bottom of the pan

• Bake for 5 minutes and set aside

• Blend Hood Country Style Cottage Cheese in a blender

• Combine sugar, milk, salt, two egg yolks and gelatin in a medium saucepan and continuously stir on low until combined, dissolved, and thickened. Sprinkle in orange zest.

• In two separate bowls, whip cream and egg whites

• Combine gelatin mixture with finely blended Hood Original Cottage Cheese and mix well

• Fold in whipped cream and whipped egg whites

• Pour filling into the baked crust refrigerate for 24 hours

• Serve and enjoy!

To make the blueberry compote:

• Combine blueberries, lemon juice, corn starch and sugar in large saucepan and stir on medium heat

• Stir until mixture thickens and the berries have popped

• Drizzle over cheesecake and enjoy!

To make the strawberry topping:

• Slice fresh strawberries and place on top of the cheesecake

• Drizzle cheesecake with chocolate sauce

• Enjoy!

Happy eating friends!

Lunch Bowls with Hood Cottage Cheese

I’ve always been a fan of Hood Cottage Cheese, but I’m reallllyyyyy a fan of their fruit flavored cottage cheese. I recently thought it could be interesting to create a nutritious lunch bowl swapping out a yogurt or smoothie base with Hood Cottage Cheese with Strawberry and with Pineapple (for some extra protein). I’ve tried a bunch of their fruit-flavored cottage cheeses, but I have to say the strawberry and pineapple flavors are my favorite (they are my favorite fruits as well).

So, with excitement, I present Brittany’s Hood Cottage Cheese Lunch Bowls, because why over complicate breakfast or lunch?

I created a strawberry and pineapple bowl for myself and a friend and WOW, they came out so good I figured I’d share the recipes with you all. These simple, five-minute bowls will change your LIFE (and your breakfast/lunch for the better).

Note: the recipes I used contain nuts, but if you have a nut intolerance you can substitute the nuts for oats or nut-free granola.

Hood Cottage Cheese with Strawberry Bowl

Ingredients:

• One 5.3oz container of Hood Cottage Cheese with Strawberry

• Fresh strawberries, diced in half

• Fresh raspberries

• Assorted nuts (or nut-free granola)

• Two TBSP honey

Directions:

1. Scoop one cup of cottage cheese into a large bowl, stir gently

2. Top with diced strawberries, raspberries and nuts. When placing each topping, arrange them in their own section for a better bowl aesthetic

3. Drizzle honey over bowl

4. Enjoy!

Hood Cottage Cheese with Pineapple Bowl

Ingredients:

• One 5.3oz container of Hood Cottage Cheese with Pineapple

• One banana, sliced

• Fresh cut pineapple

• Shaved coconut

• Chia seeds

• Macadamia nuts

Directions:

1. Scoop one cup of cottage cheese into a large bowl, stir gently

2. Top with diced pineapple, shaved coconut, banana and nuts. When placing each topping, arrange them in their own section for a better bowl aesthetic

3. Drizzle honey over bowl

4. Enjoy!

Three Days in Paradise with The Travel Center

When two local agencies, The Travel Center and Social Mavens, asked me if I’d be interested in pivoting slightly from my usual food content to promote a destination, I was beyond ecstatic and could not say yes fast enough. This blog post is a long time coming, as this trip was in the works for many months and I owe it all to The Travel Center. They are a Boston based travel agency and planned every little detail of our itinerary alongside the resort, including our flight and transportation accommodations. Let me start by saying I would highly recommend their services no matter where you go (they rep a ton of different destinations), BUT I can assure you that after reading about this trip, you’ll want to follow suit and stay at the Grand Velas Resort in Los Cabos, Mexico.

And guess what, you’re in luck because I’m running a special promotion with them until July 23, 2021!

If you book a trip through the Travel Center before July 23, 2021 (for a trip within the calendar year), you’ll receive:

• A Suite DOUBLE Upgrade

• Complimentary hydrotherapy water journey ceremony per person per stay

Terms and conditions :

• Apply only from Suite Ambassador Ocean View to Suite Ambassador Sunrise. Double suite upgrades guaranteed at the time of booking.

• For up to two guests per room, once during the stay

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So, about my trip, here’s the scoop:

Day 1:

When we got off the plane and out to the parking lot, we were immediately greeted by our driver, Carlos, who kicked off our vacation in the best way possible. On our drive to the resort, he offered us a much-needed ice cold Mexican beer and of course we said YES (full disclosure, I did not know you were allowed to drink in a moving vehicle anywhere, so I was loving it). We drank our beers and enjoyed the beautiful views of Cabo and at around 2pm we arrived at the Grand Velas Resort. Upon arrival, we were quickly ushered to a lovely seat in the lobby where we enjoyed a welcome drink (just a casual glass of Veuve with some ‘fruit caviar’) and were personally greeted by our concierge for the stay. Each guest has a concierge assigned to them that helps answer any questions and book events/activities around the resort – no joke! After enjoying our drink and ocean views, we arrived at our luxurious corner suite and our jaws hit the floor! My sister Caitlin (my plus one) and I were staying in a Grand Class Suite, featuring a full wall of windows and unobstructed ocean view. The patio had a literal wading pool on it and a big chase lounge for ultimate relaxation. The suite itself was incredible too, it had a massive walk-in shower, a jacuzzi tub, a luxurious King sized bed with cotton sheets, a dining table, and a living area. As we later learned on our property tour that evening, this suite is most popular for couples because of the romantic elements and open concept living (which is just LOL because I brought my sister). Anyway, we also got to see a Wellness Suite on our tour. This particular suite is two floors; the first floor features an elliptical machine and a massage bed where visitors can enjoy in-room spa treatments. The bottom floor features a living area, a patio with a wading pool, and sitting area.

Another thing we discovered on our property tour is that The Grand Velas is not just for couples and adults. They actually have Family Suites on property which have everything you would need to bring your little ones on vacation; strollers, seats, toys, changing tables and more. These baby items can be ordered ahead of time and be delivered to the room before your arrival! This saves you the hassle of having to travel with all the gear kids usually require (I personally don’t know what it’s like to travel with kids but can imagine it would be a life saver to have all the necessary items already waiting for you in your room).

In general, Caitlin and I were super impressed by the layout of the resort. There is a designated kids playing area and water park set away from the other pools so as not to disturb older guests. It truly is a resort for the whole family. Lastly on our property tour we saw the Master Suite, which featured a full living room and dining area separate from the bedrooms. This suite is multi-purpose and would be good for both families and couples, or those hoping for a little separation between the sleeping and living areas. These are just 4 of the 6 suites the Grand Velas offers - talk about variety and having something for everyone!

The next part of our property tour had Caitlin seriously re-thinking her wedding plans this September – is it too late to move the party to the Grand Velas? We got to see the gorgeous Terraza del Mar – a massive terrace that can hold up to 600 people overlooking the ocean. The Terrace was just ONE of eight beautiful locations onsite where couples can host their big day. The Grand Velas offers an a la carte menu with pricing tiers for on property weddings, so you can spend more on the items you care about and less on the items that aren’t as important. They also have an elite team of wedding planners to help coordinate each and every detail - their team has helped couples arrive via helicopter, drive luxury cars onto the property, and much more. I have no doubt they would help anyone plan the perfect day. If you’re interested in the Grand Velas for your big day (I don’t blame you), click here for a more detailed list of their venues and service offerings.

Terraza del Mar

Azul Garden

Terraza del Mar

After our tour, Caitlin and I did our own exploring and enjoyed dinner at one of the seven amazing restaurants on the resort. Of course, we started with Italian food at Lucca. Tired from a long day, we enjoyed an Aperol spritz, appetizer salads, pasta entrées, and of course a cannoli for dessert. It was delicious and exactly what we needed.

Day 2:

You know what true luxury is? Putting your breakfast order on your door handle before bed (~11pm) only to have it delivered to you the next morning at the time of your choice – I kid you not. Early morning on day two, we enjoyed eggs, bacon, toast, and fresh fruit on our patio overlooking the ocean. Then, Caitlin dragged me to a Pilates class. At first, I was much more focused on getting a seat by the pool as early as possible, but I was glad we went. The fitness classes are set up next to the pool area under a lovely pergola. While breathing deeply and listening to the instructor, you can hear the ocean crashing behind you. I almost forgot about all the pain my abs were in! The resort offers a variety of these classes several times a week, all included with your stay.

After class, it was finally pool time. Let me take a moment and talk about these pools because WOW. The resort features three large infinity pools stacked at different levels, almost like a massive, continuous waterfall. Each pool has a swim up bar too, so you don’t have to get out of the water to get your margarita! #Bliss The top two pools are for everyone and the pool at the bottom (closest to the ocean I might add) is for adults only. Caitlin and I settled ourselves at the adults only pool and took advantage of the incredible pool service. In fact, I lost count of the number of margaritas we drank…. Oh and did I mention your personal concierge comes to check in on you once a day to ensure you have all that you need? Not only is the service impeccable, but everyone is so genuinely kind and lovely to chat with.

Next on our agenda was a wine tasting featuring Mexican wine, something I was not at all familiar with at all! We sampled two reds and a white from Baja California, Mexico, the largest wine producing region in Mexico. Miguel was our host for the event and he walked us through the tasting, telling us about the distributor, the wine flavors, and the Baja California region. We paired each wine with a bit of cheese too. Like the Pilates class, the Grand Velas offers these types of events to guests as part of their experience.

After a day of margarita drinking and a wine tasting we were certainly ready for our dinner reservation at Cocina de Arturo. All the food at Grand Velas was amazing, but this was by far our favorite dining experience. It’s a six-course tasting menu and wine pairing designed by a Michelin starred chef – it does not get more luxurious than that. Check out my Instagram highlight (labeled ‘Cabo’) for more pictures and details on what we ate, but one notable dish was the Wagyu beef entrée. It melted in your mouth and might go down as one of the best steaks I’ve ever had (and I’ve had a lot of steak).

Day 3:

After sleeping in on day three, Caitlin and I decided to check out the breakfast buffet at Azul. Azul is open for both breakfast and lunch, and you can find something for everyone there. A notable call out was the quesadilla station, featuring fresh, made to order quesadillas with your choice of meat and toppings. It was DELISH! After breakfast and with full stomachs, we found our seats at the adult pool once again. Taking it a bit easier than the day before, Caitlin and I stuck with Diet Coke and Mexican beer for most of the day. Admittedly, we could not resist the boozy popsicles or mango margaritas hand delivered by the amazing staff throughout the afternoon.

Feeling bronzed and maybe a little sunburnt, we went back to the room to prepare for our next activity – a mixology class! We were pleased to see this was being taught by Fabian, as he had made us drinks the night before and was an absolute sweetheart. First, we made an amazing Mezcal cocktail that Fabian made up (we named it The Fabian, original I know). It had pineapple, mezcal, lime juice, sour mix, a few drops of salt water, a few dashes of habanero bitters, and was finished with ginger beer. It was SO GOOD! He garnished it with a dried lime, rosemary, and peppercorns, and then torched the garnish to add an extra bit of smoke and flavor to the drink. He then showed us his techniques for adding smokey flavors to other spirits. For example, he used a torch on peppercorns, let the smoke fill up the glass, and then served us a shot of “smoked” tequila. It was spicy and delicious.

After the class, Caitlin and I got ready for our last dinner at the Mexican restaurant, Frida. The cocktail menu featured mezcal and tequila focused drinks. Before ordering, our waiter brought us a sampling of special dishes from all around Mexico. Our favorite was the queso (obviously) which came with delicious homemade corn tortillas. As always, the service was amazing and we left feeling incredible full and happy.

Okay, are you feeling the travel itch yet? That evening sadly concluded our trip to Grand Velas Los Cabos. The next morning, we woke up early to get at least two short hours out by the pool and then got ready for our trip back home. The concierges and other resort staff walked us to our car and waved us goodbye as we headed out toward the airport. We both almost cried because we were SO sad to leave!

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Allow me to get sappy for a moment now.

I want to take moment and sincerely thank you all for your support and love over the years, and for allowing my business to grow and expand to other areas and experiences. I would like to thank the Grand Velas Los Cabos, Social Mavens, and of course The Travel Center for giving me this opportunity and encourage ALL of you to book a trip for yourself this summer or fall. I promise it will not disappoint.

Again, here is the promotion information again, running now through July 23, 2021:

If you book a trip through the Travel Center before July 23, 2021 (for a trip within the calendar year), you’ll receive:

• A Suite DOUBLE Upgrade

• Complimentary hydrotherapy water journey ceremony per person per stay

Terms and conditions :

• Apply only from Suite Ambassador Ocean View to Suite Ambassador Sunrise. Double suite upgrades guaranteed at the time of booking.

• For up to two guests per room, once during the stay

Thank you again and stay tuned for more exciting content to come! Bon Voyage!

Cacio e Pepe

I am by no means re-inventing the wheel here with this recipe, but since so many of you requested it - here you go!

INCREDIENTS

• 1 pound of Pastene Mafaldine pasta

• 1 cup of Parmesan cheese

• 3 TBS butter

• 1/2 cup olive oil

• 2 TBS crushed pepper

DIRECTIONS

1. Cook pasta per the instructions on the bag. I like to cook my pasta al dente, meaning a little bit firm to the bite.

2. Drain pasta and add butter, olive oil, Parmesan cheese and pepper. Stir well.

3. Serve and enjoy!

The Magic Macchiato

The story behind this absolutely DELISH macchiato is actually a funny one.

My mom (aka my BFJ partner-in-crime in the kitchen) and I wanted to whip up the super popular Instagram-trending Dalgona Coffee, but unfortunately failed because we did not have the right ingredients. With our Dalonga flop, however, we accidentally created something magical. When we realized we were onto something, we recreated the recipe, refined the ingredients and BOOM - macchiato magic.

We were actually SHOCKED at how delicious this turned out…it’s like a homemade Starbucks drink without the $8 price tag. Because it was so good, we decided to share the quick and easy recipe.

Note: a frother and espresso machine are required for this recipe, but DON’T let that intimidate you or turn you away! My mom and I did some research and found some really affordable ones from Amazon (the long-term savings here make the little upfront investment worth it). You can find them linked at the bottom of this page.

INCREDIENTS

• One Nespresso pod (any flavor)

• 2 tablespoons sugar

• 3/4 cup milk

• Shaved dark chocolate

DIRECTIONS

1. Brew one Nespresso pod.

2. Combine brewed Nespresso shot with sugar and froth for 2-3 cycles.

3. Fill glass with ice. Add milk.

4. Add frothy espresso.

5. Top with shaved chocolate.

Rolo Salted Pretzels

I was inspired to post this recipe after seeing a similar peanut butter pretzel sandwich recipe on Instagram (via one of my favorite food bloggers @kalejunkie). Rolo Salted Pretzels were my go-to snack in high school. I don’t really know where or how I got my hands on this recipe - I think my best friends mom made it up because she used to make these for us ALL the time! These bite-sized babies are SO easy to make and are dangerously good...

INCREDIENTS

• One bag of Rold Gold Original Pretzel Twists

• One bag of ROLO candies

• 2 cups chocolate morsels

• 2 TBS butter

• 1 TBS olive oil

• Falksalt Crystal Flakes *I use this salt on EVERYTHING. I am truly obsessed with it and am linking it below for those interested.

DIRECTIONS

To make the Rolo pretzel sandwiches:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Place pretzels on a lined baking sheet (they will not expand in the oven, so you can cram as many of them on the baking sheet as possible).

3. Place a ROLO on top of each pretzel with the larger side down.

4. Bake in the oven for 3-5 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and quickly add a second pretzel on top of each ROLO, creating a ‘pretzel sandwich’. Let cool and set aside.

To make the melted chocolate:

1. Place chocolate morsels into a microwave safe bowl. Add butter and olive oil.

2. Microwave in 20 second intervals, stirring in-between each session.

3. Stop microwaving when the chocolate is creamy and lump-free! It will take a few minutes.

The final touch:

1. Drizzle melted chocolate over pretzels using a fork.

2. Immediately sprinkle Falksalt over pretzels.

3. Enjoy! *I like to keep the pretzels in the fridge in-between munching so they stay cool and harden a bit.

Triple Chunk Cookies

Okay, I sincerely apologize for the delay getting this recipe up, but here it is. Behold: our triple-chunk vanilla, butterscotch and chocolate chunk cookies. I grew up eating these cookies and they were (and still are) such a fan-favorite in the Di Capua family household.

The recipe comes from my mom (I’ll give credit where credit is due!). Truthfully, it’s just a simple enhancement of the original chocolate chip cookie recipe, but our secret is all in the chips.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup vanilla chocolate morsels

• 1/2 cup butterscotch morsels

• 1 cup chocolate, semi-sweet morsels

• 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flower

• 1 tsp. baking soda

• 1 tsp. salt

• 2 sticks butter

• 3/4 cup granulated sugar

• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 2 large eggs

DIRECTIONS

1. In a large bowl, combine vanilla, chocolate and butterscotch chips.

2. Preheat oven to 375.

3. Combine flour, baking soda and salt.

4. In another bowl, combine and beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla extract until creamy. Add eggs.

5. Beat in flower.

6. Stir in the chips!

7. Scoop onto an ungreased baking sheet and bake for 9-11 minutes.

8. ENJOY!

Dining in Diamonds with Hearts on Fire

I could not have felt any more like Andie Anderson at the ‘Frost Yourself’ party in How To Lose A Guy in 10 Days. 

Here’s why.

This last week, Hearts On Fire - a Boston based diamond company known globally for being The Worlds Most Perfectly Cut Diamond - dressed me in multiple, gorgeous diamond jewels: the HOF Classic Double Row Band, the Lorelei Diamond Criss Cross Ring, the Aerial Eclipse Large Pendant, the Liliana Milgrain Diamond Bar Necklace, the Lorelei Floral Large Oval Inside-Out Hoops and the Triplicity Triangle Lariat Necklace.

Feeling fancy, my boyfriend Bobby and I dressed up and headed to our dinner reservation at Smith & Wollenksy in the Seaport. I always feel extra good about a restaurant experience when the food, service AND ambiance are exceptional. Smith & Wollensky definitely achieved just that with the help of their educated, alert and friendly staff and renovated dining space / event space. Plus the food…let me tell you about the food…

We enjoyed their new After 8 Nightly Wine Menu which is a four course wine pairing for just $80, available after 8pm on Sunday’s. This is a complete STEAL in my opinion. Bobby and I each ordered an appetizer (he got a salad and I the garlic muscles), two 10 oz filet steaks (cooked to perfection; they cut like butter), two sides, and dessert PLUS four different half glass pours of wine. 

Because nothing goes better with steak than diamonds #AmIRight?

If you’re looking to dine at Smith & Wollensky in the near future, book now as reservations are filling up for the holidays and New Years Eve!

Hearts On Fire is the perfect place to get something nice for your hunny, friend, or family this holiday season. Their diamond quality and service are both on point. They cut and polish their diamonds at 100X magnification, which is 10 times the industry standard. Every single one of their diamonds, even the tiniest, has the signature Hearts On Fire pattern as a result of it’s pristine and consistent cut. 

If you’re searching their website and don’t know where to start, start with my very own gift guide made just for you, or check out their latest collection on Instagram. You can thank me later.