I'm going to let you in on one of Oklahoma's best kept secrets. You won't see a big flashy sign for it, and I even know people who have lived in the area for years who haven't seen it. But when you find it and make your first visit, I promise you'll be coming back again and again. It's tucked away on a side street in downtown Stillwater, Oklahoma. Turn down 10th Street off Main, and look for this little sign.

It's home to one of the most unique dining experiences you'll ever have - shabu shabu. Funny name, serious food technique. The name is an onomatopoeia in Japanese for the sound you'll hear when cooking your food (oh yeah, this is going to be an interactive dining experience) "swish swish".


You simply pick the meat you'd like - I always go with the large plate of ribeye, and my boyfriend always gets the lamb. We frequented this place when I went to Oklahoma State, and we've never ordered anything else in four years. I don't mess with perfection.


And if you're a vegetarian? Fear not. They have a heaping plate of vegetables that you can get instead of meat. You then choose what type of broth you'd like to cook with: spicy, sweet, or mixed. I prefer the sweet or mixed, but if you like things hot then go with spicy. I'm admittedly a little bit of a pansy when it comes to spicy food. If you're particularly tough, ask for Thai chile on the side, too.

All of their entrees come with vegetables and rice on the side. Oh, and ask for an egg. We'll get to that later. Your broth will come to a boil on a little induction burner in the middle of the table, and then you get to cooking away. If you're a first timer, your waitress will walk you through the cooking process and explain how it all works. If you're really lucky, the owner and the legend himself, Dean, will stop by during your meal and insist you try something new or spicy.


Drop in your noodles, carrots, and mushrooms first - the longer these cook, the better they get. The rest of your plate you'll cook as you go. The meat at Tokyo Pot is sliced crazy thin, so it cooks up in just a few seconds. Grab a slice with your chopsticks and "swish swish" in the broth until it's the right amount of done for you. Then it goes for a quick bath in the ponzu sauce and directly into your mouth. You'll probably groan with satisfaction after your first bite. Don't be ashamed, it's normal.

The cooking process may seem overwhelming at first and yes, you will drop things in the broth and have to hastily rescue them from doom (That's what the slotted spoon is for.) But after a few visits, you'll be a pro.

And you know what pros do at Tokyo Pot? They eat their eggs like this.


If you ordered an egg at the beginning, you'd probably be shocked when your waitress brought out a bowl of raw egg. What the hell are you supposed to do with that?

Grab your rice spoon, then dunk it in the egg so it's soaked. Then, dip your spoon in the broth to heat up the egg and eat it. It's weird. Your mouth and brain will be completely confused. Why did you just eat raw egg and rice? And how did it taste so good?! 

What I love most about Tokyo Pot is that it's a totally interactive food experience. You can't just mindlessly shove food into your mouth while checking Instagram with your other hand here. You're engaged with your food and the people you're enjoying it with. You share pots of broth with friends and family, and you'll argue about who stole all of the noodles from it. Some of my best memories from my time in Stillwater were spent swishing away at Tokyo Pot with the best of friends. Stop in when you're in Stillwater and tell them Bacon & Braids sent you. Hell, make a trip to Stillwater just for Tokyo Pot. You won't regret it.

In my previous trips to Vegas, I haven't wandered too far off the Strip. But the city is full of wonderful food (ask any local and they'll tell you - none of it is on the Strip.) So I decided to find a Sunday brunch option that was worth the trip to old Las Vegas. After discovering Park on Fremont and immediately seeing "Fried Mac and Cheese Balls" on the menu, I was in. I called to make a 12:30 reservation and hopped in an Uber down to Fremont Street. When you see the giant martini, you're in the right place.


Park on Fremont has an adorable patio and primarily outdoor seating, but lucky me, I managed to visit on a day it was pouring down rain. But the interior is just as stunning. I always appreciate a restaurant where it seems like everything was chosen for a reason. From the decor behind the bar to the Trivial Pursuit cards on every table, Park is definitely one of those places. While I waited for a table, I sat at the bar for a strawberry bellini while admiring the interesting taxidermy on the walls.



Of course, it wouldn't be brunch without mimosas. They have a steal of a bottle special. $20 for a jug or orange juice and a bottle of sparkling wine (and it isn't Cook's!)


Of course, I had to start with the fried mac and cheese balls. These were the HIGHLIGHT of the meal, hands down. Crispy, gooey, and delicious, I burned my fingers and mouth on my first bite but it was worth every minute.


I sacrificed a bit of my fingerprints to photograph this piping hot mac and cheese ball. But you guys deserve this view. Does it seem a little excessive to dip fried mac and cheese into more cheese? Yes. But this is Vegas, after all.


For a meal, I got the brunch Monte Cristo. Bacon, egg, and cheese, sandwiched between French toast and served with syrup. I'm more of a fan of the traditional Monte Cristo pairing of jam, but this was also delicious.


My boyfriend got the Chilaquiles, served with steak and eggs. Super spicy, but that sour cream cools it off a bit. My boyfriend hates (and I mean hates) sour cream, but even he admitted that it was great on this dish.


 Here are a few more snaps of the decor in Park on Fremont. I love every bit of it.



Altogether, it was a wonderful, boozy feast. I will admit, I still regret not adding the garbage fries to my meal. But that just gives me another reason to head back on my next trip. And I'll cross my fingers for better weather!

When I first met Jamie, I was not that into seafood. If it was battered, fried, and served with chips, I was in, but other than that I was skeptical. But then, he made me this incredible dish. I couldn't believe how simple it was to prepare (seriously 5 ingredients) or how quick you can get it on the table. It's the perfect dish for those days where you worked late or are just too exhausted to cook, but you can't take the thought of eating out again. Here's how to make sweet chipotle orange salmon in just 20 minutes.


Start with your salmon filets. This was just for the two of us, but this recipe scales easily if you're cooking for a crowd. I always keep a stock of frozen salmon in my freezer just for this dish, but if you're #blessed to live on the coast with fresh seafood, I bet this would be even better. Don't judge me if my salmon filets look depressing. That's the pain of living in the middle of the country.




Drizzle in some olive oil to coat the bottom of the pan.


Set your salmon filets in the pan. These will need to cook about 5-8 minutes on the first side. I like mine pretty blackened, but you can check and decide how crispy you want it. The sugar will brown and stick to the pan, but don't worry, that's how it gets good.

 Flip your salmon over and cook for a few minutes on the other side. Then, pour in your orange juice. This can be as cheap or high-quality as you like. I don't judge. I use the low-carb Tropicana because I'm fancy like that.


Cover for a few more minutes and let the orange juice reduce and infuse into your salmon. We always serve this with some pan fried green beans and garlic quinoa, but it would be awesome with a salad or risotto. Each filet of salmon packs in over 30 grams of protein, so it's an awesome centerpiece for a healthy dish that doesn't suck.

Fall is my favorite season. Pumpkin everything, Halloween costumes, and cool temperatures (which also means leggings!) I also love the event that kicks off the Fall season every year - the Oklahoma state fair.




I actually skipped the turkey legs this year, but man they were tempting. You could also get a bacon wrapped turkey leg if you wanted to get a little extra carnivorous.


While this isn't from the famous cinnamon roll booth at the fair, this was pretty damn good. It came piping hot, fresh out of the oven and covered in sticky pecans. Yum.

 I went back for one of my favorites from last year - deep fried cheddar bacon mashed potatoes. These might have been my favorite thing this visit. You will burn your mouth on these delicious inventions, but you will love every second of it. You will dip it in more ranch and keep on suffering and enjoying it at the same time.

I fell in love with Boston on my first visit. Living in Oklahoma, there's a few specific things I appreciate about the city. 1. The harbor - I love being by the water, and living in the center of country, I don't get to see it much. 2. The history - You're lucky to find a building in Oklahoma that's 100 years old. In Boston, there's casual signs all over the place stating what historical events took place there. A quote from my tour guide, "Do you see that Chipotle over there? It used to be a book store where Nathaniel Hawthorne and Charles Dickens hung out." 3. The beer - Everyone drinks it and there's a bar on every corner. It's truly an amazing city. Here are some highlights from my first full day.

P.S. I hope you'll notice a little something different in this post - my image quality! I received a new camera for my birthday. It's a Sony DSC-RX100M III. I'm in love.

Since it was my first time in the city, I had to nerd out during the day and take a Freedom Trail guided walking tour. We took the reverse tour, which starts at Faneuil Hall every half hour, starting at 10:30 am. Each tour takes 90 minutes and you cover a lot of history. We followed our trusty guide, Miss Judith Sargent Murray, and she walked us through our country's history. I can't recommend these tours enough. The guides are all charming and informative, and I guarantee you'll learn something new.

The Park Street Church, home to much "hellfire and brimstone" back in the day.


King's Chapel, next to the first public school in the US. This building now houses a Ruth's Chris Steakhouse. Sometimes capitalism fails us.




After the tour, you can hop on a trolley to historic Doyle's. The bar has been around since 1882, and when you visit after the brewery, you get to keep a Sam Adams glass!





Whatever you get, try the onion rings! I'm an onion ring snob, and these are solid. Flakey and crispy just like they should be.

We swung back by the famous Omni Parker House toward the end of the day to try some Boston cream pie where it was invented. Like everything else in Boston, this hotel has history. It's the country's longest continually operating luxury hotel. Ho Chi Minh and Malcolm X used to work here, and it's where John F. Kennedy threw his bachelor party!



Truly a day full of Boston history and some classic food and brews. Safe to say I'm in love with this city. I can't wait to return.