I don’t eat a lot of breakfast. It’s usually coffee with a side of coffee topped with coffee. This week, some of Noelle’s banana bread is joining the show. Everybody welcome Noeelllllle’s bananaa breeeaaaaad. That was my Oprah.

Usually when I have breakfast, I have BREAKFUNCH. It’s not quite brunch because brunch is fancier and has alcohol. Breakfunch is when you wake up late and shove a giant plate of pancakes or waffles or baked potato hash in your face. Weekend Breakfast has been what I’ve always called breakfast posts so it’s staying. For now.

Today I had breakfunch. With that sexy foolproof skillet of potatoes above.

When I say foolproof, I mean it. I’ve had way too many bad potatoes for breakfast. I’m pretty sure everyone has. Enter the dog commercial with Sarah McLachlan but instead of dogs it’s plates of sad potatoes. Make it stop.

No more red bags of frozen potatoes and pepper confetti business. No more undercooked bland oniony plates of potatoes. No more mushy par boiled chump food. I have the secret to your dream skillet of potatoes: baked potatoes.

Completely cooled, baked the night before, perfect for breakfast, potatoes.

This revelation hit a year or so ago when I used some baked potatoes from the night before in a skillet with sausage and veggies and they were perfectly cooked. And breakfunch takes like 20 min this way. It might seem like a pain to have to bake them and let them cool, but you can shut your mouth and start planning your breakfasts.

Seriously though, just bake them the night before and let them cool and when morning comes, breakfast/unch is a snap. And the possibilities are endless. I usually throw in fresh corn and zucchini, today I used bacon and some chard I got from my friend Anna, topped with cotija and sriracha.

#voomvoomshebang

#hash

#letsmakesomebreakfunch

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I had announced on the last grocery list that I had taken a pasta salad with me to the graduation BBQ along with a million other dishes.

This is not that pasta salad. This is better.

That pasta salad is what happened when my brain looked like a giant bowl of malt o meal aka brain fart aka how can I sleep but make it look lm still awake? solution: paint eyes on my eyelids, no wait, glue googly eyes on there.

When this happens it’s usually from lack of sleep and stress and I try and put like 35 things in a pasta salad, then everyone is like, what the hell is this? And I’m all like:

I remade the salad and kept it to just three fillings, equal parts of each and it turned out great. I know this is a day late and a dollar short for Memorial Day, but I don’t want to live in a world where there’s only one BBQ for summer. Make it happen, then make this salad.

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SUMMER. IS. HERE.

I had my jk commencement on Saturday. I say jk because I still have a few classes to finish in the fall, but now that parts over and I don’t have to wear that sister act costume with the hat that leaves an imprint on my forehead ever again.

This phallic peace was not my doing. It was totally Anna. Totally proper.

The BBQ went over great and the food was fantastic. I stuck with the plans from the previous grocery list and added an anything goes pesto pasta salad and a pitcher of mint grapefruit margaritas.

Megan’s Large Marge cookies were seriously the best chocolate chip cookies I’ve probably ever made. My brother busted into the cookie dough while it was chillin’ in the fridge and said it was the best cookie dough he’s ever had.

Basically make these cookies right now.

And that bad boy up there is leftover cookies + coconut ice cream that Steve makes melded together to make an ice cream sandwich baby that I wish we had more of.

Now that summer’s here I can have more happy hours and possibly drink in the afternoon. I’m not an alcoholic, it’s just when the opportunity pops up to have a cocktail and shove BBQ in my face I’m going to take it. Real life.

I already shared that strawberry rhubarb vodka earlier this week, and I’ve got a peach batch brewing but not brewing in the cupboard right now. Not an alcoholic.

Besides the booze though I’ve got my eyes on some good food.

Things like ice cream, duh. Megan made this super chocolatey goodness that I want to slather in melted peanut butter and wear as a hat and take bites of it all day. Somebody invent an ice cream hat. (via Take a Megabite)

Maybe one of these mornings I should make myself some breakfast. Noelle made this sexy frittata. Because I like a good frittata and good frittatas like me. (via xo breakfast)

If I’m not feeling the frittata though, there’s always the stuffed french toast route. I know. Erika deserves a high five for this one. Get it! (via Southern Souffle)

I was going to link up these date newtons and say something about the old man inside me but then I was like, uh, probably shouldn’t. But then I did anyway. (via The Flourishing Foodie)

I’ve got a boatload of strawberries burning a hole in my fridge. I think this strawberry syrup would be perfect to use them up. Then I would take that strawberry syrup and then douse everything in it. (via Oh, Ladycakes)

Ashley just posted this bowl of salad heaven. It’s perfect timing, because I feel like that ice cream hat is really going to wreak havoc on my thighs. (via edible perspective)

I usually don’t like sweet potatoes unless they’re in the form of a tater tot. Let’s face it though, any carb would be delicious as a tater not tater tot. I feel like these black bean and sweet potato burgers can be added to the list of exceptions of sweet potato dislike. (via Cookie and Kate)

And lastly, in case my strawberry hole in the fridge doesn’t stop burning: (yes I just wrote that sentence) STRAWBERRY AND CHOCOLATE MARBLE LOAF. (via A Cozy Kitchen)

strawberry hole.

hashtag strawberry hole. make it happen.

For music this week I leave you with one of the songs from Daft Punk’s newest album that’s probably all over the radio. I can’t stop listening to it and doing my try and be sexy suave dance. Summer’s here you guys.

I made you some infused vodka on a Monday.

Because my girl Megan knows what’s up.

Because TGIF comes every week.

Because this stuff takes a few days to happen, so you have to make it like, now, if you want TGIF to happen.

Sometimes you get confused though and TGIF comes twice a week. You can either cry in your cornflakes or embrace drinking on a Thursday with this vodka. Choose the embrace.

Infused vodka couldn’t be easier. Seriously, just some fruit and vodka, sitting together for a few days in a dark place like a cabinet, or the soul of a mob wife.

Not only am I giving you the vodka, but I’m giving you my new favorite drink of the summer:

The classic greyhound is just grapefruit and vodka, with a squeeze of lime or lemon. This sunburnt version gets a nice red hue (and amazing flavor) from the strawberry rhubarb vodka and some nice cooling business from the mint leaves. Total cheers to Summer drink.

Now let’s hurry up and get that vodka infused so it’s ready for the weekend, or the double TGIF.

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Finals are upon us. I’ve already written a couple papers and have another to write, along with an actual test. In my head though, somehow, it’s already summer and I may have already finished all my work.

This is a problem.

On top of finals I have to worry about house cleaning for family that’s coming this weekend for my commencement. I’m graduating. Just kidding, I’m walking, and going back for a final semester in the fall. Once again though my head is telling me that’s already happened, so, I guess I’m all done.

This weekend also involves a BBQ after my EIGHT AM COMMENCEMENT which will be awesome because it involves other friends that are graduating and family and potluck style goodness. Since there’s a crowd that’ll be following me around I’ve decided to bring a lot of food.

So far I have my blackberry pie bars, potato salad, and Megan’s Large Marge cookies planned out.

BBQ Potlucks aren’t for dieting.

I still need a couple more things to bring and luckily there’s these things called food blogs.

Before we get started with that though, I think I’m ready for this jelly:  jelly doughnut milkshake with booze. This is more of a sit at home and devour the entire thing by yourself sort of deal. Bless you Erika. (via Southern Souffle)

Now, back to the BBQ Potluck

Tracy has some drinks down pat. Vanilla. Pears. Vodka. Say no more. (via Shutterbean)

Jonathan has a fantastic post about fish and chips. I’m seriously considering taking those chips. (via The Candid Apetite)

Megan also has this babe of a salad with a spicy sriracha dressing. Tracy made this one. Yes yes and yes. (via Take a Megabite and Shutterbean)

What if like, last minute I need to make some mini hamburger buns? BOOM. 40 minute hamburger buns. from scratch. (via Katie at the Kitchen Door)

Joy just posted this genius idea. Imagine a giant bowl of this staring you in the face at a BBQ. If I had a nickel for every time I overstuffed something that’s supposed to roll or wrap (sushi, tamales, burritos and spring rolls included) I’d probably have about .70 (via Joy the Baker)

What if I need something icy cold like Theresa’s heart (housewife reference) because maybe it might be hot? Cindy’s got me covered with these ice pops. Mint and fruit were just meant to be together. (via Hungry Girl Por Vida)

For music I leave you with some magic from St. Lucia. They were one of the openers for Two Door Cinema Club When we went to see them last year on the really long Tuesday. This song is perfect for a BBQ where everyone’s been drinking and someone really needs to do some punchdancing. It’s also really great for just making salad and not wielding a knife around.

Am I the only one that doesn’t really care for fruit pie (apple excluded, obvs)? So much mushy filling, so little crust. When I was a kid I would usually eat the crust and leave the berries. And ask for extra ice cream. I was a lemon meringue kind of kid.

Now, I know what you’re thinking: Billy you just gave me blackberry fruit pie bars. Get your shit together.

Here’s what I’m thinking: Thin single layer of blackberries and a nice mega layer of pie crust. I’ve got it together, I’ve got it going on.

When I first saw these on Smitten Kitchen I was like what? yes. let’s do this. Then I went and priced out blueberries. They aren’t affordable in my area yet. Aren’t affordable as in the blueberries alone would have been $15 for this recipe. Deb says you can use frozen, but I wanted to take advantage of the fresh berry season. So I went for blackberries.

Hot damn am I happy about that.

When I tried the first bar after they had barely cooled, I wasn’t sold. It was okay. eh.

Then I let them refrigerate overnight and ate three for breakfast the next morning. Then a couple more for lunch. Before I knew it there were like 5 left. I don’t want to talk about it.

I said I don’t want to talk about it.

But we can talk about how fantastic these are. They’re perfect for BBQs, picnics, and re-creations of the opening credits of sound of music, like this:

Look how happy Julie is about these pie bars.

You can try any berry you want in there, maybe even some fresh cherries? But I warn you: do not try it with strawberries. Cooked strawberries turn gray and gross. You’ve been warned.

Now, let’s make some pie bars and impress people and/or do some meadow running.

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