I think this might be the best week of eats that I’ve had to share with you in a really long time. Some great meals here in Charlotte coupled with being in my dad’s kitchen has been a pretty awesome combo.

Let’s dive right in. Warning, you will be hungry after reading this post!

Breakfast

I had brunch at littleSpoon here in Charlotte before leaving for Florida last Friday. Spread included slab bacon, bruleed cinnamon toast, a homemade hot pocket with eggs, turkey sausage and cheese and egg white, quinoa and kale tacos. I split all of this with a friend and it was delicious!

Lots of smoothies.

Lunch

A salad with spinach, turkey, pecans, avocado, feta, tomatoes, apples and dried cranberries.

Chicken salad and fruit plate from Zoe’s while I was out shopping with my mom. I introduced her to Zoe’s and she loved it!

This is not super exciting…chicken noodle soup. I was having major sinus pressure and ickiness yesterday so I took a break from working out and ate lots of nourishing, comfort foods. Feeling much better today! I think it was just the flight and change of climate/air pressure between Florida and here.

Dinner

Blackened Mahi in a citrus buerre blanc with wild mushroom risotto and sauteed veggies. This was the only dinner we went out for while I was home. The rest of the time I made my dad cook for me…you’ll see why in the next two photos!

Homemade sausage and cheese pizza. My dad makes the dough three days ahead of time so it can rest, rise and do its thing in the fridge. I swear his pizza is better than 99% of what you can get in a pizza place.

This was my favorite dish we had while I was home. It’s a replication of one of my families favorite dishes from Atlanta Fish Market, Sea Bass Hong Kong Style. It’s steamed sea bass over sauteed spinach with a soy/sherry broth and white rice. Garnished with fresh ginger and green onions. The fish was perfectly cooked and melted in your mouth. Here’s a link to the recipe. Try it! It’s good with any thick, flakey white fish and would probably be great for salmon too…as Asian style preparations usually are.

My first night back at home was spent at Stagioni for a birthday dinner for a friend. This was my third time at Stagioni and I think it’s one of the best spots in Charlotte. I wanted the duck but the kitchen ran out so I had a bone in pork chop instead. It was served with turnips, kale and polenta (the polenta was on a separate dish). Loved every bite of this!

Etc. 

I carried a super special package onto the plane with me. My sweet dad baked me two loaves of sourdough bread fresh the day I left. He wrapped them up for me to make the journey back to Charlotte.

Once I got home I unwrapped the bread, sliced it and placed it in gallon bags. My freezer is now stocked and I should be set with bread for a while. Yum!

And finally, I couldn’t resist sharing this old school snack with you. Ants on a log. It’s been years since I’ve had this and it was everything I remembered and more. This snack is definitely making a comeback for me!

What’s a snack from your childhood that you still love? There’s two for me in this post…the cinnamon toast and the ants on a log!

Reminder: you have until midnight EST to enter the Millchamp Sweet Potato Co. Giveaway!