This post is intended for ages 21+. Please drink responsibly. That beautiful Great White Shark on the label of this #gifted North Coast Chardonnay from Juggernaut Wines called out to me this week! This sophisticated, refreshing wine is the perfect bottle to have on hand when it's Shark Week! Inspired by sharks, I paired this wine with grilled ahi tuna steaks and angel hair pasta, tossed in Vesuvio sauce. It's a myth that sharks like to eat people, but they actually love eating tuna. Tuna's rich fats and oils are what fuel them, and this wine's acidity cuts through those oils beautifully, making every bite feel intentional and balanced. It's the kind of pairing that makes you slow down and actually taste what's on your plate. Whether you're grilling outside or settling in to watch, a glass of this Chardonnay and some delicious food make for the perfect way to enjoy Shark Week. Are you watching? Shark Week is on all this week at 8 PM on Discovery. . . . @juggernautwines #SharkWeek #JuggernautWines #AdventureAwaits #cswdumplings Are you watching Shark Week?

🪄 Leftovers to Dinner, FAST! ✨️ I had half a red onion left from grilling brats last Sunday, a quarter of a head of broccoli, and the last of my shredded chicken from enchilada night sitting sadly in my fridge. Instead of letting it all go to waste, I sautéed everything in EVOO, stirred in a packet of @foodearthofficial Organic Coconut Curry Simmer Sauce, and served it over rice. In about ten minutes, I had a totally new meal! That's exactly why I keep these Food Earth simmer sauces stocked in the pantry. On the nights when I have no plan and a fridge full of random bits and pieces, they turn "I don't know what to make" into something that actually tastes intentional. The Organic Coconut Curry is my favorite, but their Tikka Masala and Butter Chicken sauces (also organic) are really good, too. I love how they give sad, leftover ingredients a whole new life. Food Earth products are shelf stable and super convenient. They've become my go-to for easy meals that taste like takeout! . . . @FoodEarthOfficial @apexdropofficial #foodearth #simmersauces #leftoverhacks #cswdumplings #gifted

We're celebrating a very hot National Ice Cream Day at The Scoop in downtown Oswego! This family-owned small business handcrafts their own ice cream in fun, unique flavors. They even created flavors in honor of the town's two high schools. You can get their (HUGE) scoops in a dish, a waffle cone, a waffle bowl, or even between two cookies! Today we enjoyed 🍦 A single scoop of Chocolate Pretzel 🍦 A double scoop of Elvis 🍦 A double scoop of Triple Chocolate It was hot and our ice cream was melting fast, but that just gave us an excuse to devour it with all the gusto we could muster. 😆 All three were creamy and delicious, but our fave was Elvis. The banana ice cream with peanut butter swirls and chocolate chunks would've definitely been approved by the King himself. @thescooposwego also sells candies and books, with many by local authors. Stop by, browse, and enjoy an ice cream. It's what summer was made for! . . . #partnership #nationalicecreamday #chicagohummingbirds @hummingbirdshq @thescooposwego #shoplocal #cswdumplings

We were so grateful to be invited to experience Schmaltz Deli, just down the road from where I grew up! They've been in the Naperville area since 2004, but settled into their Lisle location 4 years ago. They're the place locals love, and it's no surprise. Schmaltz serves up the kind of NY-style Jewish deli experience you usually have to fly to Brooklyn for. As soon as I pulled into the parking lot, I knew this place truly values their customers. In addition to the spacious parking lot, there's drive-up service, a pickup window for when you're in a hurry, a patio for sunny days, and even a private dining room if you're celebrating something special. But let's talk about the food. Schmaltz carries all the traditional Jewish deli staples done right: matzo ball soup that tastes like Bubbe made it, latkes with that perfect crispy edge, comforting kugel, and lox that melts in your mouth. Almost everything sweet is made completely from scratch, including all their flavors of rugelach, a Carnegie-style cheesecake worth the drive alone, and chocolate eclairs so colossal they should honestly come with a warning label. And then there's the star of the show. Their corned beef and pastrami are legendary for a reason. Piled high, perfectly seasoned, and stacked on bread that somehow holds it all together. One bite in and I understood exactly why the locals are obsessed! This isn't just a deli. It's a gathering spot and a restaurant family. It's the kind of place where the people behind the counter know your name and your order. If you're in the area, do yourself a favor and go. And if you're planning an event, they cater too. Support small. Support family-owned. And enjoy real deli goodness! . . . @schmaltz.delicatessen @mustard.love #schmaltzdeli #napervilleeats #jewishdeli #supportsmall #cswdumplings

This post intended for ages 21+. Please drink responsibly. Summer just got a whole lot lighter! ✨ I've been sipping on these new #gifted Crystal Light Sparkling Vodka Refreshers and honestly? Patio season has a new MVP. Triple distilled vodka blended with the iconic Crystal Light flavors we grew up loving, like Fruit Punch, Lemonade, Wild Strawberry, and Raspberry Lemonade but with a light, bubbly finish that makes every sip feel like a treat. Zero sugar. Zero carbs. Just 77 calories and a whole lot of refreshing. ❤️ These are ready to drink straight from the can, which means more time soaking up the sun and less time mixing drinks. Whether you're hosting a backyard get-together or just unwinding after a long week, these are the perfect pour-nothing-just-pop-and-sip sipper. Which flavor would you reach for first? 🍓🍋 @sipcrystallight @apexdropofficial #CrystalLight #CrystalLightRefresher ##cswdumplings #LowCalorieCocktail

Traveling this summer just got a whole lot tastier. 🥩✈️ I tried these new #gifted beef stick varieties from Vermont Smoke & Cure and I am genuinely obsessed. These beef sticks are inspired by two classic steak sauce flavors, A.1. and Lea & Perrins, and they deliver that bold, rich steakhouse taste in a totally portable snack you can take anywhere. Slow-cooked in Vermont with high-quality beef and clean label ingredients, these aren't your average gas station snack. They're a fast, satisfying source of protein that actually keeps up with your summer schedule, whether you're running through an airport or road-tripping across the country. It's been hard to keep my protein intake up when I'm traveling or just heading out for summer fun, so I ❤️ that these make that so much easier. You can fnd these new @vtsmoke flavors exclusively at Kroger. Grab both the @a1originalsauce and @leaandperrins flavors because you'll defo want to try them side by side! They're both yummy, but are seasoned a little differently. Have you tried them? Let me know what you thought! . . . @vtsmoke @a1originalsauce @leaandperrins #VTSmokeAndCure #GoFurther #cswdumplings #proteinpower

This post intended for ages 21+. Please drink responsibly. At the end of a long day, we love to slip outside with a glass of something worth savoring. And I've just found my new favorite, Garrison Brothers HoneyDew comes in! This award-winning small batch bourbon is handcrafted in Hye, Texas, the first legal whiskey distillery in the state. It' infused with 100% Texas wildflower honey for a smooth, light finish that makes every sip feel like a deep breath. Every bottle carries information about its individual batch, including the bottle number and release date, so you know exactly what makes yours special. Pour it neat, head outside, and let the evening do the rest! . . . @garrisonbros @apexdropofficial #garrisonbrothers #cswdumplings #summersipping

Summer called and apparently it wanted tropical mango shrimp street tacos, so here we are! 😂 I grabbed a Fresh Express Tropical Mango Crunch Chopped Salad Kit because those flavors were giving me all kinds of ideas, and twenty minutes later this is what happened. I made a quick mango salsa first with chopped mango, red onion, jalapeño, and cilantro, then cooked the shrimp, and started building. Street taco sized flour tortillaswent first, with the salad greens as the base, shrimp piled on top, then that fresh mango salsa, some crumbled goat cheese, a drizzle of the mango vinaigrette from the kit, and the included tropical crunch toppings to finish it all off. I served these cold, which honestly was perfect for hot day we were having. My family demolished these and I was back on the couch in under half an hour. That's the kind of cooking I can get behind! How do you Express Yourself with Fresh Express? . . . @yourfreshexpresssalad #YourFreshExpressSalad #FreshExpress #ExpressYourself #cswdumplings #dinnerinunder30

There are restaurants, and then there are places that just feel good the moment you walk in. Blue Door Farm Stand is the latter. From the hanging ferns and warm faux candlelight to the marble tables and vintage chairs, the space wraps around you like a long exhale. It's the kind of place you want to linger. And the food gives you every reason to do exactly that. We started with the spinach artichoke dip, creamy, cheesy, and topped with a generous shower of parmesan, served alongside the most perfectly crisped tortilla chips. It disappeared faster than I'd like to admit. Then came the BKT wrap, packed with scrambled eggs, kale, and caramelized onion in a golden, toasted wrap. The cross-section alone was enough to stop the table's conversation. And the chilaquiles, a crispy tortilla base layered with red sauce, avocado, red onion, and cilantro, crowned with a sunny-side-up egg whose yolk broke at just the right moment! It was nothing short of spectacular. Oh, and the espresso martini? Absolutely non-negotiable. Rich, frothy, and deeply satisfying, it was the perfect way to ease into a leisurely morning. Blue Door Farm Stand, you had me at hello. @bluedoorlp #chicagobrunch #lincolnparkrestaurants #cswdumplings #bestchicagofood