3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce

September 25, 2023 Jenna Hazel

We are settling back into life after spending a week up in door county where we picked tons and tons of apples — and somehow I am still wondering why I didn’t pick more. I got like 99% Honeycrisp which are my all time favorite and just can’t stop eating them.

When I eat apples I typically like them with something. Sometimes I like them with a chunk of sharp cheddar and sometimes I like them dipped in sauce. I am particularly smitten by the peanut butter-apple combo. Like, whoever came up with that is my favorite person for eternity. The salty-sweet combo has my heart.

The other thing I really love to dip apples in is caramel. The sweet creamy goodness paired with the crunch of the apple — so, so good. This peanut butter caramel sauce was created so I never had to choose between the two again. And now, neither do you.

The caramel sauce has minimal ingredients to make things simple. This is sure to be your new addiction and the possibilities are endless. Start with dipping apples and see where the sauce takes you.

3-Ingredient Peanut Butter Caramel Sauce

1/4 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup peanut butter
2 tablespoons coconut oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla, optional

Heat the maple syrup, peanut butter, and coconut oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring frequently. Once the ingredients have liquified and fully combined, stir in the vanilla. Remove the saucepan from the heat and allow to cool. Transfer to an airtight container and store in the refrigerator, using as needed.

Note: In the fridge the sauce will become more solid. If you would like to use it for dipping then I recommend scooping a little into a microwave-safe container and microwaving or heating in a sauce pan until it is runny again.

Our Favorite Coffee, Food, + Sights in Minneapolis / St. Paul, Minnesota

September 20, 2023 Jenna Hazel

Every time I go back to Minneapolis I’m surprised at how “big city” it feels. It kind of feels like a mini Chicago to me — except it’s super clean and doesn’t have the traffic problems — but it still has all the great parts — amazing restaurants, amazing coffee shops, a happening art scene, and just all around cool vibes.

St. Paul, just on the other side of the river is not as talked about but truly, equally as amazing. The cities are so close that every time we visit we end up popping back and forth between the two throughout each day. St. Paul is smaller, but still has it’s own downtown area that is fun to explore — lots of shops, restaurants, and awesome architecture.

One of the things that sets these cities apart from other midwest cities is the access to nature. Not only are there some beautiful parks throughout both cities, there are also places where you can get a legitimate hike in without stepping outside the city limits.

Fall is probably the best time to visit these wonderful cities, but all year round there are plenty of activities going on. Whether you’re looking for a long-weekend getaway or a place to spend an entire week, the Minneapolis and St. Paul both have plenty to offer.

Transportation

Both Minneapolis and St. Paul are very bike friendly. If you flew in and didn’t want to rent a car you could still manage to see a lot of the city. However, a car is probably the most ideal way to get around if you have it as an option.

COFFEE

SK Coffee - This roastery focuses on single-origin micro lot roasting which basically just means every time you go here they have limited edition, super interesting beans to try. Once we had a pour over that had peanut butter ice cream tasting notes and it was so fun. If you’re lucky enough to catch the owner, Sam, he’s always down to chat all things coffee. If not, all the baristas we’ve met are super knowledgable and friendly. They have two locations. The one in St. Paul is the original location and is a bit more on the industrial side. The Minneapolis location is a bit newer, but provides the same amazing coffee with some extra pretty light and vintage detailing. Since we discovered this place anytime we are near the twin cities we’ve made this coffee shop a destination. If you have to choose one coffee shop to go to, this is a must.

Wesley Andrews - A third wave shop definitely worth stopping by. Their baristas are very knowledgeable and they offer a variety of single-origin beans including some fermented options.

FRGMNT Coffee - This place was HUGE. If you’re in the North Loop area and in search of a solid cup of coffee that also includes some trendy vibes, here’s your spot. Come for the coffee, stay for the fireplace.

Duck Duck Coffee - This shop was located in Minneapolis. I love the grunge hipster vibe of this shop. They also have great breakfast sandwiches!

Yellowbird Coffee Bar - This shop was nestled in a quiet neighborhood in St. Paul where they had adorable adirondack chairs outside. The coffee was good. Not necessarily mind blowing, but good. It’s a great spot to lounge for a bit.

Nina’s Coffee - This shop was located in the Cathedral Hill neighborhood of St. Paul, but made me feel like I was in a European city. The building has such charm. We split a breakfast burrito and really enjoyed taking in the details of the building. It seems like the perfect shop to post up for a few hours studying or just reading.

FOOD/DRINKS

Owamni by The Sioux Chef - This restaurant serves up indigenous cuisine. They prioritize purchasing from indiginous food producers and have avoided the use of colonized ingredients such as sugar, dairy, and wheat flour. The menu changes as the seasons change, but when we were there they had bison asada tacos, maple chili sweet potato crisps, and blue corn porridge. Everything was both beautiful and delicious without feeling too indulgent. They’re generally booked out pretty far, but if you’re willing to sit at the bar you can usually put your name in for lunch and only wait an hour or so. It’s nestled along the riverwalk, so if you put your name in you can just go for a leisurely pre-dinner walk and I guarantee the time will fly.

Young Joni - If you’re looking for woodfire pizzas, fancy AF salads, and even fancier cocktails, this is the place for you. It’s a bit higher end and therefor a bit spendier, but it’s a really great date night spot or celebration spot.

The Anchor Fish & Chips - An Irish Pub with the best fish and chips I’ve ever had in my entire life.

Surly’s Brewery- This place is HUGE. It includes a large beer hall as well as a beer garden big enough to bring a large group. They have food options as well as a significant beer list.

Dangerous Man - This is an awesome brewery with a really great tapp room. My favorite is their peanut butter porter. It can get super busy inside on the weekend, but they also have a really cute alley with tables and string lights to hang out on.

SIGHTS

St. Paul
- St. Paul Cathedral - Whether you go inside or not, this cathedral is worth the stop just to take in all it’s beauty.
- Old Houses on Grand Avenue - After you’re done looking at the St. Paul Cathedral walk down Grand Avenue and take in all of the gorgeous houses that line this historic street.
- Como Park Zoo and Conservatory - This is a great FREE activity that is super fun for all ages.
- Golden Fig Grocery - This is such a cute grocer / kitchen store that had some really unique finds. It’s really close to the St. Paul Cathedral and totally worth a sop if you happen to be in the area.
- Hidden Falls Park - Although when we were there the falls weren’t flowing super strongly, the short hike to the falls was nice. It’s also just a great park to bring a picnic to and hangout.
Minneapolis
- Mill City Farmer’s Market - A really great farmer’s market on Saturdays. Check their website for specific times depending on the time of year.
- Bde Maka Ska Park - This is a great park for walking, running, biking, kayaking, paddle baording, or just hanigng on the beach by the water.
- Minnehaha Fall Regional Park - I love that this park is just smack dab in the city. This park boasts a 52 foot waterfall, limestone bluffs, and river overlooks. This is definitely worth a stop to fill your outdoorsy heart.
- Mill Ruins Park - This is another must if you’re in Minneapolis. Mill Ruins Park is a stunning park in downtown Minneapolis, Minnesota that is set on the west side of Saint Anthony Falls on the Mississippi River. There is a huge, historic stone bridge that was converted into a pedestrian and bike trail in the 1990’s. As you walk across the bridge you can take in the views of St. Anthony Falls, the only waterfall on the entire Mississippi River. The bridge links Mill Ruins Park on the west and Father Hennepin Bluffs Park on the east bank.
- Mall of America - I’m not really a huge shopper, but it’s still fun to go to the largest mall in America at least once.

My 6 Favorite Cookbooks

September 11, 2023 Jenna Hazel

If you walked into my apartment one of the first things you’d notice is the amount of cookbooks I have. You’d realize very quickly my obsession with them. The gorgeous pictures bring me SO. MUCH. JOY. I’d probably even say that “flipping through cookbooks” makes it to the top of my list of favorite past times. Is that a little crazy? Maybe a little. It’s not just the food inspiration, the stories that go along with the recipes and the personal glimpse into other people’s kitchens make them feel intimate and special.

To be honest, when I’m cooking I rarely follow a recipe 100%. I actually feel like I’m almost incapable of doing that (something I got from my mom!). I’m always improvising with whatever we have in our pantry/fridge, but even still I believe in the power of a good cookbook. It provides an anchor and sometimes all we need is a little grounding to encourage us to spread our wings and experiment on our own.

Although it was really hard to narrow down my top cookbooks these are the six cookbooks I find myself turning to again and again. I hope by reading about the ones I love you can find some that peak your interest and add them to your own collection.

What are your go-to cookbooks? I’d love to hear!

My 6 favorite cookbooks

Pretty Simple Cooking by Sonia and Alex Overhiser - This cookbook shows its frequency of use at our house in grease stains and cocoa powder smears. All of the recipes in this book are vegetarian and truly simple. Like not the kind where people say “oh it’s so simple” and then they’re actually like not at all. It’s the perfect cookbook to pick up if you’re new to the kitchen and don’t want recipes that are overwhelming, but still want to impress your friends.

My Favorite recipes from this book:

Strawberry Lime Chia Jam
Red Lentil Curry with Cilantro Chutney
Roasted Cauliflower and Black Bean Tacos with Chipotle Aioli
Veggie Supreme Paella
Bliss Bites
Flourless Dark Chocolate Cake with Macerated Raspberries

Healthier Together by Liz Moody - Liz does such a great job of creating recipes that feel healthy, but are also fun and interesting without being too fussy. This book focuses on curating healthy relationships with food and connecting with others around the table — a message I certainly appreciate.

There are chapters in thsi book focused on recreating your favorite take-out recipes, curating a healthy happy hour, making fancy fare for hosting at home, and much more. All of the recipes in this book are portioned for two people which works out perfect for Josiah and I, but if you’re serving more than that you can easily scale up the recipes. We use this one ALL.THE.TIME. I struggled to even narrow down my favorite recipes in this book because we love so many of them!