Happy Christmas 2022

and a Rice Krispie Treat with #holidayvibes

If you worked for me, with me, or with Merigold Analytics in 2022, chances are you got one of these in early December. These little boxes are filled with the stuff dreams are made of – stickers, marshmallows, and Oreo cookies. This Christmas season, OneandahalfSlices made layered rice krispies stuffed with Oreo, Biscoff, Graham, candy cane, and many, many, tiny marshmallows. We celebrated Christmas this year bouncing between Arlington, Virginia, Georgetown, DC, and Melbourne, FL. We cheersed at the Four Seasons and set to work tying yellow ribbon around tiny take-out boxes. However you choose to be festive this year, I hope it includes a OneandahalfSlices recipe or two. Here are a few words of wisdom and 2022 in review in case you need suggestions.

Favs of the year (that got made over and over and over):

chimi (for steak or fish)

borek (for brunch)

paper plane (for libation)

crab avocado toast (for brunch)

signature salad (for weeknight)

tira (for special occasion)

katsu ramen (for the baby love)

fettuccine (for Sunday)

madeleines (for anytime)

I’d give you guys the recipe for Rice Krispie treats but it’s so stupid easy it hardly warrants a post. Melt 3 tablespoons of salted butter with most of one bag of mini marshmallows. Stir it constantly and once it bubbles, add six cups of rice krispie cereal along with the remaining marshmallows, mix, and spoon into a 9×13 pan. Let cool.

Eat the whole pan at once.

I made variations of the theme of rice krispie treats this year for every customer demo, every large engineering meeting, and, yes, the OneandahalfSlices Christmas presents. The message for this holiday seasons is simple:

never bake without libation

love on your analysts and engineers

measure less and live more

whatever you do, love your day

See you all next year.

Happy Anniversay OneandahalfSlices!

The first year of OneandahalfSlices was one of immense learning and creativity. From instrumenting WordPress, to logo design, amateur phone photography, Instagram recipe reels, and posting tempo. As of this writing, there are 76 well-curated recipes – some of them as old as my personal culinary history and some of them new to me in 2021. They include meat-forward and vegan meals alike, a lot of international flavors (Moroccan, Thai, Indian, Japanese, Italian), sweet things, and some staple cocktails.

To celebrate, I’ve got three things for you:

1) I asked my very talented and beautiful niece, owner of Liz Bakes, to make some custom OneandahalfSlices cookies for the occasion! Those cookies, along with the custom cat cookies she made honoring the household cats, are featured below. Find her on Insta and DM her to place an order for custom cookies for virtually any occasion. She’s based in Atlanta but ships nationwide.

2) The Year in Review. Scroll down for the Top 9 recipes (most liked, most re-created, most celebrated) from the first year of OneandahalfSlices!

3) A killer playlist for 2022. Need some new vibes to get creative, focused, vibrant? Got you covered. Just hit shuffle.

Now, onward into 2022. Sneak preview of what is to come… Tiramisu, even more ramen!, essential lasagna, even more chocolate chip cookies!, risotto, and many, many other delicious things.

Happy Cooking!

🥘

Sausage Lentil Stew

Get the Recipe

Flaky Cobbler

Get the Recipe

Beautiful Berry Pavlova

Get the Recipe

Perfect French Toast

Get the Recipe

Perfect Pot Roast

Recipe & Pairing Dinner

Homemade Granola

Get the Recipe

Skillet Cornbread

Recipe & Story

Best Caesar Salad Dressing

Get the Recipe

Moroccan Chicken Tagine

Get the Recipe

Finally some shout-outs to those who have supported and entertained me culinarily this year!

(if you’re a Virginian, you’re going to want to read this)

Longstone Farm (farm) – from your Sunday suppers, to your self-service farm stores, to your delicious, local pork, chicken, and beef, I enjoyed every moment I spent with you in 2021. You’re amazing people with an amazing mission, and an inspirational sense of purpose in our local agricultural community.
Sumac VA (restaurant) – you’ve cooked some of the tastiest meals I’ve eaten in 2021, 100% locally-sourced, in the midst of the most beautiful scenery in Sperryville, VA. Keep cooking!
Patowmack Farm (restaurant) – you’re the most wonderful date night spot in Virginia, MD, and DC hands down. Elegant, inspired, Michelin-quality, locally-sourced cooking at its finest.
Spring House Farm (farm) – your farm store in Leesburg is enviable and I made a monthly trip out to you for chicken and beef for the entirety of 2021. To be continued in 2022.
Potomac Vegetable Farm (farm) – thank you for being my local CSA, with ample pick-up locations, vegetable and meat options, and excellent organization. Your produce is something I feel good about eating and cooking year-round.
Whiffletree Farm (farm) – your local turkey and goose do not disappoint for the holidays and your self-service farm store in Warrenton is accessible and convenient. Your grass-fed beef is also unmatched.
Organic Butcher of McLean (market) – thank you for always having interesting meats and local products. You were the source of my 2021 boar chops, my experimentations with rabbit, and many other experimental meats in 2021.
Seylou Bakery and Mill in DC (restaurant) – your locally sourced pizza on sourdough is quite honestly the best pizza I’ve ever had in my life. Worth the drive.
The Dabney DC (restaurant) – you’ve become one of my favorite Michelin restaurants downtown with an elegant emphasis on local sourcing and Virginia/Maryland-based cuisine. Spending New Year’s Eve with you was unforgettable.
Caboose Brewery in Vienna, VA – from locally-sourced small plates to Virginia’s best, local beer, there is truly nothing better than a Sunday morning run to your Vienna location or an after work stop-in. Plus, the comfy t-shirts!