Little Book Bakery

Little Plates

A small pause on a plate.

  • Avocado Salsa & Guacamole | Easy Avocado Ideas

    Simple ways to enjoy avocado salsa and guacamole with salad, sourdough toast, tortilla chips, and homemade Greek yogurt

    I always wish avocados would ripen perfectly, but they don’t always cooperate. Sometimes they soften all at once, and sometimes they stay a little firmer than expected.

    When I have a perfectly ripe, soft avocado, guacamole is usually the first thing that comes to mind. But when the avocado is still a little firm, I like to make avocado salsa instead.

    I love the buttery texture of a ripe avocado, but I actually enjoy a slightly firmer one too. It reminds me of how I sometimes prefer a banana just before it becomes fully ripe. A firmer avocado holds its shape beautifully in salsa and gives it a fresher, cleaner bite.

    My little secret ingredient in both avocado salsa and guacamole is an apple. I cut it into small pieces and mix it in with the avocado. The apple adds a crisp texture, a little sweetness, and a fresh flavor that works surprisingly well with avocado.

    I usually use fresh lemon juice for avocado salsa, but I don’t always have fresh lemons at home. On those days, I use bottled lemon juice instead. It’s an easy substitute and adds the little bit of acidity the salsa needs. I like keeping things simple and using what I already have in the kitchen. Once I make a batch, there are plenty of simple ways to use it.

    This time, I served the avocado salsa and guacamole with tortilla chips, and used homemade Greek yogurt instead of sour cream. I also added them to a simple bowl for an easy meal.

    I also like adding avocado salsa to a simple salad bowl. I usually don’t need any extra dressing, but when I want a little more acidity, I add a splash of white balsamic vinegar.

    For another plate, I buttered a slice of sourdough and toasted it until lightly crisp, then topped it with avocado salsa and sliced boiled egg. The warm, buttery sourdough with the cool, fresh salsa made a simple open sandwich that I would happily make again.

    Nothing complicated, just a few easy ways to enjoy avocados at home, whether they happen to be perfectly ripe or not.

    Now playing: Morning Breeze

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    A few more notes from home

  • Simple Plates | Homemade Brunch

    Chicken wraps, homemade sandwiches, fresh figs, burrata salad, and a little baking from home

    A few simple plates from home.

    Chicken wraps, homemade sandwiches, fresh figs with yogurt, and burrata salad, made for easy meals throughout the week.

    And a pound cake that didn’t quite go as planned.
    Still homemade, still part of the day.

    Now playing: Painted Ladies

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  • Hachis Parmentier & Risotto Sotto Bosco | A Family Dinner at Home

    A little bit of everything for a family dinner together

    It had been a while since we all sat down for dinner together as a family.

    When I asked what everyone wanted to eat, we each had something different in mind, so I decided to put them all on the table.

    Hachis Parmentier, Risotto Sotto Bosco, pear salad, garlic bread, and nachos with salsa and guacamole.

    French food next to risotto, with nachos somehow joining the table too. There wasn’t much of a theme, but everyone had something they wanted to eat, and in the end, everyone was happy.

    Hachis Parmentier and Risotto Sotto Bosco are two dishes we’ve enjoyed at Buvette, and I’ve been wanting to try making them at home.

    The Hachis Parmentier was the only dish I managed to photograph properly while I was making it.

    For the Risotto Sotto Bosco, the recipe calls for rice, shallots, white wine, and Parmigiano Reggiano. I didn’t have shallots at home, so I used red onion instead.

    And actually, what I wanted most today was nachos.

    I prepared some salsa and guacamole to go with them, and used Greek yogurt I already had instead of sour cream. For the garlic bread, I simply spread it with garlic butter before baking.

    With so many things going at once, I got pretty busy trying to have everything ready in time for dinner. So apart from the Hachis Parmentier, I barely managed to take any photos along the way.

    Looking back, I wish I’d taken a few more, but sitting down together while everything was still warm felt more important.

    The menu was a bit all over the place, but everyone had something they wanted to eat, and that was all that mattered.

    It was just nice to sit down, eat, talk, and have dinner together again.

    Now playing: A Quiet Bite of Happiness

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  • Simple Summer Brunch

    Fresh, simple food for slow summer days

    Summer always feels like a season that moves a little more slowly.

    I like to think of those days when I just want to lounge around a little longer as days simply meant to be taken at an easier pace.

    Our meals may end up looking pretty similar from day to day, but in summer, I find myself wanting something fresher for the first meal of the day.

    Fresh vegetable juice, salads, avocado, berries, figs, Greek yogurt, nuts, sourdough, boiled eggs, sous vide chicken, sun-dried tomatoes, and whatever else feels fresh and simple.

    And of course, something sweet.
    Peach preserves and homemade cookies.

    Somehow, summer is already coming to an end.

    Spider-Man: Brand New Day made me so happy this summer.
    So, of course, it had to be the soundtrack for this post. 🕷️🤍

    Now Playing: A Brand New Day
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  • Homemade Korean Milk Bingsu

    Milk bingsu made with an ice cream sandwich mold

    Homemade Korean milk bingsu at home.

    In summer, there are days when I need to prepare something cold for the kids.

    Sometimes it is ice cream, sometimes it is a shake, and sometimes I make Korean milk bingsu instead.

    This time, I used an ice cream sandwich mold to freeze the milk ice. It turned out to be a very useful way to make just enough for one serving at a time.

    This was actually an idea one of my kids suggested to me.

    The milk ice was made with milk, a little heavy cream, and a little condensed milk. After it froze, I broke the pieces into bowls and added whatever toppings we had at home.

    Before eating, we usually add a little condensed milk, chocolate syrup, or fruit syrup. The toppings can be ice cream, Korean rice cake, fruit, or sometimes nothing much at all.

    That is one of the nice things about bingsu at home. It does not have to be the same every time. Each bowl can be a little different, depending on what is in the kitchen and what everyone feels like eating that day.

    The ice cream sandwich mold made the whole thing easier. The pieces were small enough to break apart, the amount felt just right, and the bowls came together quickly.

    A cold homemade Korean milk bingsu, made for a summer day at home before everything melted too fast.

    Now playing: Mei Lost in the Forest

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    A few more small notes from home

  • Weekend Brunch at Home with Pancakes and Fruit

    A summer table with a watermelon bowl, even without watermelon

    Weekend brunch at home with pancakes, fruit, coffee, corn, salad, and a few small things to share.

    There was no watermelon on the table, but somehow the table still felt like it had watermelon on it.

    Sometimes, on weekend mornings, even mom wants a break from preparing another family meal. But weekend brunch is also one of the best times of the week, so I end up standing in front of the kitchen again.

    Around this table, the small stories we missed during the week start to come back.

    A weekday episode someone forgot to mention, something to look forward to next week, something someone is not looking forward to, a funny new story, a new song, and whether everyone likes today’s menu.

    Because of those small conversations, weekend brunch at home is hard to skip.

    Half of our family loves watermelon, and the other half does not, so I am always a little careful when buying one.

    On days when I miss the feeling of summer watermelon but do not bring one home, I let the watermelon bowl join the table instead.

    It always works like a small trick.

    Even without watermelon, the table somehow feels like summer.

    Now playing: At the Table

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    A few more small notes from home

  • Cheesy Smashed Potatoes

    A warm tray of small potatoes

    Cheesy smashed potatoes at home.

    I was given a bag of small potatoes, and this felt like the easiest way to use them.

    When there are several small potatoes in the kitchen, cheesy smashed potatoes are one of the fastest, tastiest, and least fussy things to make.

    They go into the oven, the edges get crisp, the cheese melts, and for a little while I can move on to another dish while the tray takes care of itself.

    By the time they come out, they already feel like something everyone can take from the middle of the table.

    A warm tray of small potatoes, saved from an ordinary day at home.

    Now playing: Cooking Time

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    A few more small notes from home

  • Summer Fruit Cups

    Watermelon Fruit Cups with Green Grapes and Orange Slices

    When plain watermelon feels a little boring, I make a simple fruit cup like this.

    You can add any fruit you like, but today, watermelon is the main one, so I used much more watermelon than anything else.

    The drink, syrup, or sauce you add to the fruit cup can be whatever you like.

    Now playing: Raindrop Waltz

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    A few more small notes from home

  • Pancake Breakfast Details from a Weekend Morning

    Pancakes, fruit, and small breakfast details from home

    A few small details from a weekend brunch morning.
    Pancakes, a glass syrup jar, fruit, and everyday plates served at home.
    Not a styled table, just a simple record of brunch at home.

    Some pancakes were plain, some had blueberries, and a few were served with fruit on the side.

    Pancakes always feel good even while they are cooking.
    The warm smell that fills the kitchen is the kind only chocolate chip cookies can almost replace.

    Now playing: Mmm Mmm Good

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    A few more small notes from home

  • Fruit, Vegetables, and Homemade Donuts from a Weekday Table

    Fresh fruit, simple vegetables, and small homemade donuts from home

    A few details from a weekday table at home.
    Fresh fruit, simple vegetables, and small homemade donuts were on the table.
    Not a styled table, just a simple record of food at home.

    The weather is getting warmer, so lighter food felt right for the day.
    Fruit, vegetables, and small homemade donuts made a simple weekday table.

    Now playing: Slow Days, Sweet Meals

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    A few more small notes from home