June 2024 Recap

There’s so much in June for the kids’ end of school festivities and with my work fiscal year-end. We finished strong but I’m also really looking forward to a little more relaxed July! My bffs celebrated our birthdays with a long weekend to Charleston and that included tons of good food, drinks, and a lot of walking. Mr. J didn’t get the greatest birthday or Father’s day celebrations but agreed to a burger and his one gift he wanted.

The Hawaiian Burger was the star this month. It was so juicy and the pineapple slaw was a great addition.


I gave this strawberry lemonade smoothie a refresh from 2015. The extra became popsicles and were fantastic that way.


Lastly, I loaded up Cranberry Nut Chicken Salad and loved it.

July means lots of day camps for both kids this year, which also means packing anything they’ll agree to eat as lunches. I picture more pool time. I have a bfast idea I can’t wait to try out! We are probably overdue for apps for dinner so I’ll have to make that happen.

The Big Kid:
He’s done with 3rd grade! It was a really great year and I love to see him grow up in so many ways. He’s Celtics obsessed and went to the parade. He picked friends instead of the whole class for his end of year party and they are a nice group. He got to see his big cousins play all the sports as their seasons ended.

The Little One:
She had a great time having field day for the first time. She also hosted her first ever end of year party with her class and dance friends. It felt a little sad for kindergarten to be over but I think she’ll feel very comfortable joining the elementary school and with kids who are more used to being at school than in kindergarten. She grumbles about swim lessons but does everything and we can see such growth in her strength.

Goals for this year:
Year of small businesses/artisans/writers: I picked cute earrings in Charleston
More meatless meals: hmmm. Maybe not a lot
sandwiches and salads: I made cranberry nut chicken salad!
a focus on going to new or places we don’t get to all the time: I had margaritas with the moms’ night out group at El Centro and was reminded to get there soon.
redo photos – this strawberry lemonade smoothie a refresh from 2015
what I’m reading: I read Banyan Moon and was really into it. Then, my fav author had a new book: Anita de Monte Laughs Last by Xohchitl Gonzalez had so much to it. I also read Mad Honey which is one I’ll remember forever and wasn’t expecting. It was a really good reading month.

Hawaiian Burger & Pineapple Slaw

Happy Birthday Mr. J! This year’s birthday burger is pork with some salty bits, sweet pineapple slaw, and a little teriyaki glaze. This one has it all.

Hawaiian Burger & Pineapple Slaw
Ingredients: (serves 4)

1 package shredded cabbage mix
1 pineapple
2-3 green onions
1/4 cup mayo
3 tablespoons rice vinegar
1 pound ground pork
1/2 package spam
3 tablespoons teriyaki sauce
4 brioche rolls

Directions:
To prep the slaw, mix together the cabbage mix, green onions, 1/2 of the pineapple and juice, mayo, and rice vinegar.

Stir well and refrigerate until serving- at least 30 minutes.
While the slaw is chilling, prep the burgers.

Chop the spam and pan fry it until crisp. Then drain and let it fully cool.
Preheat the grill.
Mix the ground pork with the spam chunks and 1 tablespoon of the teriyaki sauce. Form into patties.

Grill the burgers until the internal temp reaches 160 degrees. Brush with teriyaki sauce.

Assemble the burgers on the buns with the slaw on top and extra pineapple if you like!

Enjoy! We loved this one! The kids each ate it all without any prompting. Next time I might add some caramelized onions. I’d make the slaw again with pulled pork too!

The spam makes it – it is salty and crispy. Don’t question it – crisp it up and we’ll use the remainder on a pizza with pineapple. It isn’t something for everyday but think about the one can will be 8 servings.

The Historical Timeline of the Birthday Burgers:
2023 was a Chicken Caesar Salad Burger with our beloved flavors
2022 was a Bacon Jam and Parmesan Peppercorn burger was all about the toppings. 
2021 was a Waffle Breakfast Burger with ground sausage in the patty, maple aoli, and melted gouda.
2020 was a BLT burger with ground bacon IN the burger and tomato jam
2019 was a Manchego Burger with manchego, quince jam, and arugula
2018 was a Garlic Lovers Burger with garlic butter, chips, garlic aoli and white cheddar.
2017 was an Ultimate Mexican Burger with queso, guac, and beans.
2016 was a Mac & Cheese Stuffed Burger topped with bacon, onions, and tomato.
2015 was a Picnic Burger with slaw & potato sticks
2014 was a German Burger with horseradish, caramelized onions, pickles and a pretzel roll
2013 was a Vermont Burger with maple mayo, cheddar, bacon, and spinach
2012 was a Bacon Wrapped Burger – enough said
2011 was a Stuffed Burger stuffed with bacon & cheddar or bacon & blue cheese

Cranberry Nut Chicken Salad

There’s a chicken salad sandwich at Whole Foods on a cranberry bread and it is such a great combo. Mine has dried cranberries and pistachios mixed in it.

We bought the Costco size dried cranberries then everyone decided they didn’t care about them anymore. Of course! The nuts could be any kind you like. We often have pistachios around but walnuts, pecans, almonds, or cashews would all be good too – maybe not peanuts!

Cranberry Nut Chicken Salad
Ingredients: (for 2 servings)

1 cup roasted chicken, shredded
1/4 cup dried cranberries
1/4 cup nuts, chopped
2-3 tablespoons mayo
1 teaspoon red wine vinegar (or champagne vinegar/cider vinegars)
croissants or bread
salt & pepper

Directions:
Mix together the chicken, cranberries, nuts, mayo, and vinegar. Stir it together to combine.
Sprinkle with salt & pepper and refrigerate for 30 minutes – overnight.
Assemble onto sandwiches and enjoy!

This felt like such a treat. It is only a few ingredients but has a specialness to it. Celery has no part in my life but add it if you’re into it, or swap the nuts, or add whatever you like!

Strawberry Lemonade Smoothie

{originally published in 2015 and updated in 2024}

This is a crowd pleaser smoothie if I ever made one! This was an oldie that needed a refresh and it was so good. I poured some leftovers to be freeze-pops! The lemonade is refreshing and the frozen strawberries make it icy and thick.

There are lots of ways to customize it – swapping the yogurt can increase the protein, adding more lemon will give it a more lemon flavor, and adding greens or banana or other add-ins can help it be more of what you want.

Strawberry Lemonade Smoothie:
Ingredients: (serves ~2)

2 cups frozen strawberries (must be frozen)
1 cup vanilla yogurt
16 oz lemonade
2 tablespoons ground flaxseed

Directions:
Add strawberries, yogurt, and ground flax to the blender.
Start with half the lemonade and blend. Add more if you prefer it more sip-able, or leave as it for more spoon-able.

I love this one and hadn’t made it in awhile. I almost exclusively make the peanut butter and jelly smoothie though I’m due for a mojito smoothie.

May 2024 Recap

May is a marathon with lots of fun things, true feelings of spring to summer, and also, work is so busy so the month is FULL. We had some fun food and got outside much more.

I made a Street Corn Pasta Salad which felt like familiar flavors in a unique format.

Then I gave a refresh to the beloved Ranch Chicken Burgers we’ve been repeating 4x a year, since 2012!

I turned sausage & peppers subs into burrito-ish wraps. They had great cheesy and mustardy flavors!

My love for rice bowls runs deep so I did a Chicken Parm rice bowl theme.

Chicken Parm Rice Bowl - The Three Bite Rule

June will include a my bffs trip, that busy end of the school year, the end of the fiscal year at work, and of course flag day which is only a big deal in our town. I’ll make a birthday burger, a redo is on the menu, and some other spring/summer ideas.

The Big Kid:
We’re wrapping up the baseball season and school is a max capacity. There are so many field trips, spring concert, field day, the art show, and so much more. We keep hoping we’ll have the last spelling homework packet but eventually it has to be the last one! He got a new bike and is obsessed. It was shocking to see him this spring on his old one where he looked like a clown on a tiny one!

The Little One:
She had her dance recital to wrap up the year and really loved it this year. Her class is huge and I loved that she wasn’t nervous this year. She too had a field trip and will have another one coming up. We got a load of hand-me-down dresses and she’s in her glory with more sequins. She loves playground time during the baseball games and is very into egg salad for quick or picnic dinners.

Goals for this year:
Year of small businesses/artisans/writers: I didn’t get to it this month.
More meatless meals: We had peanut sesame noodles & edamame recently!
sandwiches and salads: salad bar dinner one night & a few salad kits were a nice change!
a focus on going to new or places we don’t get to all the time: Mom and I hadn’t been to lunch at Legal Seafoods for chowder in a very long time!
redo photos – Ranch Chicken burgers got a refresh since 2012 and apartment life!
what I’m reading: I read Sunshine Nails which was pretty good- it’d be perfect for vacation. The List was kind of a letdown…it was not really worth it. Alternatively, I was very captivated by First Lie Wins which I sought out for a page-turner I could undo the last two I hadn’t loved. I’m pretty obsessed with some others and should finish any day.