Hello from West Palm Beach! I'm visiting my mom and though I'm a person who loves chilly weather and rainy days, it's nice to be in a place where I can have bare legs, if just for a weekend. I love this city (and will post about it soon!). We've walked a bunch along the water, gone to street fairs, and done things that you can't do in New York City like drive to Target and stand barefoot in the ocean in February!!

Last night I made my mom and her boyfriend an Ottolenghi-inspired feast. My mom asked me to teach her how to make some new recipes. Knowing that she loves red sauce Italian, I figured shakshuka would be sort of familiar but also brand new. We also made some tabouleh and garlicky baked eggplant. Mama loved it!

Meanwhile, my mom whipped up some incredible mojitos. Now I want one of those fridges that crushes ice for you. Anyway, seeing how much I loved it and how FAST I downed that sucker, she made me more and has since surprise ordered me mojitos over lunch. When in Florida, do as the Floridians do?

In recipe news, I made these a couple weeks ago and I cannot stop craving 'em! I was inspired by Meaghan's gorgeous tater tots. I tried to make them my own by adding some goat cheese and coating the in almond meal--yay, calories! I'd had almond croquettes in Belgium and they were so delish. These didn't have the same flavor, but I still liked the almond meal. I tried to deep fry the first batch, but they completely disintegrated. Too much butter and cheese, I guess!

Goat Cheese Tater Tots

5 potatoes (I used Yukon Gold)
4 Tbsp unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 tsp salt
4.5 oz goat cheese, at room temperature
1 egg, at room temperature
3/4 cup almond meal

Cooking Directions

Peel potatoes, cut into large cubes and place in a medium saucepan. Cover in cold water, then bring to a boil, reduce to simmer, and cook until fork tender, about 10 minutes. Drain potatoes and then press through a ricer into a large bowl.
Add butter and egg to potatoes. Also add in goat cheese, breaking it into pieces. Using a wooden spoon, stir mixture well to combine. Careful not to overmix, as mixture will become gummy.
Take out a handful of mixture and roll it into a long, skinny log. Slice tater tot size pieces and toss in almond meal to coat. Once all of your potatoes are rolled, cut, and coated, spread evenly on one or two baking sheets. Place in freezer for at least an hour or in the fridge overnight.
When ready to cook, preheat oven to 375. Bake for 10 minutes on one side and then turn and bake for another 10 minutes, until browned.
Remove from oven and let cool slightly before handling--they're very cheesy and soft to the touch when hot, so they can kind of fall apart in your hands! Serve warm.