Jamily's Top 3 Jacksonville Faves

I haven’t lived in Jacksonville long, we’re coming up on our 5th year Jacksonville anniversary. But even so, it’s the longest my husband and I have lived anywhere! In the almost 14 years since we got married we’ve lived in 3 states and had 10 addresses, and no, we’re not military. When we first moved to Jacksonville it took some getting used to. We were coming from the Gulf Coast of Florida and if you’ve been there, Sarasota specifically, you know it’s just different. At first Jacksonville felt so big, like I’d never get the hang of the neighborhoods, and honestly even now I still occasionally have to look at a map to get my bearings. In the short time it took to reach our first fall and winter in Jax, I was hooked. The weather completely sealed the deal for me and I absolutely love living here! You get just enough of cold and cool weather to miss the beach and just when you’re longing for hot beach days it warms up! It’s hard for me to choose 3 favorite things about living in Jacksonville but if I had to choose:

1.     The Bridges. Follow me here for a second. With all the land that encompasses Jacksonville and the St. John’s River flowing through it, you’ve got to have several bridges to get around this large city. Jacksonville has 5 major bridges connecting its towns and I absolutely love them all. Depending on which bridge you’re on you get to see so much of our beautiful city! You can see the river, the waterways and marsh, the beautiful mansions on the water, boaters, fishermen! I could name a hundred reasons but my absolute favorite is going over the Dames Point bridge at sunset. The glistening water and views of Jacksonville are breathtaking and I am so thankful every time I go over that bridge that I live here.

2.     Local Pride. Business owners and long-time Jax residents love it here! It’s no secret that Jacksonville is one of the biggest cities in the country, but did you know that because we have two major military bases we also have a huge revolving door of people coming and going? I think that makes us unique and those that are locals, including small business owners, are happy to stay for the long haul. The people of Jacksonville are proud to be here and support local businesses more than chain stores. That’s unique for a city so large and I’m happy to be a part of that local culture.

3.     The Seafood. I’m a huge foodie – it’s my first love and passion. It takes skill to cook a great fish but also to supply it. My favorite seafood restaurant here is called Safe Harbor Seafood (https://www.safeharbor-seafood.com)  and you can find me there at least once every 3 months. My family and I have been going there for about 4 years and they consistently serve fresh, local seafood time and time again. There is a plethora of wonderful seafood restaurants here in Jacksonville – we’re so close to the ocean you’d be hard pressed to find one that didn’t serve wonderful food. Our local fisheries take pride in their craft and providing our town with the best catch is something they have mastered.

Jamily's Top 5 Favorite Cookbooks ( + Food Blogs)

There’s nothing like holding a cookbook in your hands. I love turning the pages and settling in on the couch with a new book. As I turn each page I read the recipe stories and funny anecdotes about how a particular recipe came to be and inevitably start creating a mental food map – basically routing how and when to make each and every recipe that calls to me. Reading recipes is something I do for fun believe it or not! These are my top 5 favorite cookbooks (+ food blogs), in no particular order. I hope I can inspire you to either get one of these books or follow some of these amazing recipe creators! You’ll be so glad you did! 

1.     Magnolia Table by Joanna Gaines – If you know anything about Joanna & Chip Gaines you know they don’t cut corners, they give their all and it’s always 100%. I totally feel this is reflected in this cookbook! I’ve had it for over a year and I find myself reaching for it just as much as I did when I first got it. In my mind it’s the top breakfast cookbook. The stories Joanna adds and history behind the recipes are as beautiful as the book itself and it was such a success that she recently released volume 2! It will definitely be my next cookbook purchase. 

Favorite Recipes: Jojo’s Biscuits, The Best Ever Fluffy Pancakes, Three-Cheese Quiche, Chicken Spaghetti!

2.     Super Simple by Tieghan Gerard – Have you heard of her? She the super talented brains behind food blog “Half Baked Harvest”. I’ve been following her for so long I’d be surprised if you hadn’t made one of her recipes! She’s a total kitchen sensation – her ideas and flavor pairings are incredible and I find myself thinking “why didn’t I think of that combo?” a whole lot more.  You will find incredible recipes on her blog and recipe videos on Instagram but this book is just a treat for the eyes you have to have. The colors and recipes will inspire the chef in all of us!

Favorite Recipes: Crispy Chicjen Khao Soi Noodle Soup, The Meanest Greenest Pizza, Spinach And Artichoke Mac-And-Cheese Bake, Chocolate Mousse!

3.     Seriously Delish by Jessica Merchant – Another amazing food blogger turned cookbook author! Jessica is famous for “trashing things up” which basically means taking a classic staple and turning it on its head with something crazy and amazing. For example: adding grilled pineapple to guacamole! I mean, come on! She’s behind the blog How Sweet Eats which I’ve been following for almost 10 years.  Her love for glitter, Lisa Frank, neon colors and the word “totally” is so fun and I feel like you could never be in a bad mood cooking up one of her fab recipes! At the end of every year she posts recipes fails for the year and that’s just hilarious and reminds us all that it’s okay to mess up in the kitchen! Don’t take yourself too seriously. 

Favorite Recipes: Doing A Cheese Board Like Whoa, Vanilla Bourbon BBQ Sauce, Garlic Butter Roasted Chicken!

4.     Mastering The Art of French Cooking – Julia Child, Louisette Bertholle & Simone Beck. Oh Julia. Her passion for cooking is unmatched. She was brave and committed to the kitchen! I didn’t grow up watching Julia Child on TV unfortunately but I certainly learned about her in culinary school and as my culinary adventures grew. Did you ever see the movies Julie & Julia? I was completely mesmerized by it and Meryl Streep’s performance. I need to cook immediately after watching that movie, it never fails. This book is a classic, when my husband surprised me with it I spent hours reading and re-reading cooking methods and traditions. If you’re not well versed in the kitchen I recommend this book because it has so much knowledge and direction on every page. It’s such a joy each time I open the book!

Favorite Recipes: Coq Au Vin (chicken in red wine with mushrooms, onions and bacon), Fonds D’Artichauts Au Beurre (Buttered Artichoke Bottoms), Boeuf Bourguignon (beef stew), Bavarois Au Chocolat (Chocolate Bavarian Cream)!

5.     All The Healthy Things by Ashlea Carver Adams – Okay, I’m cheating a little on this one. Technically not a cookbook but a food blog and it is incredible! I feel like cookbooks aren’t as popular as they used to be as technology pulls us farther away from paper. As I said before, I absolutely love a cookbook in my hands but if for some reason you haven’t published one I will follow you and cheer you on and make your recipes as best I can! This is new-to-me blog has sucked me in big time! Ashlea is a gorgeous lawyer turned food blogger, how incredible is that? Her recipes are colorful, healthy and delicious. I am planning on making one of Ashlea’s recipes tonight for dinner and I can’t wait.

Favorite Recipes: Honey Chipotle Chicken Bowls with Spicy Lime Tahini, Crispy Baked Ranch Chicken Wings, Greek Chickpea Salad, Bacon, Egg & Cheese Muffins, Honey Sriracha Salmon!

Let me know which recipes you try in the comments!