Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 11
July 20, 2025
A Week In The Life, Vol 29.
What a week!!
So much happened this week that I don’t even know how it’s only been seven days.
Morning workouts with this baby!
I woke up super early Monday morning (errr… basically didn’t even sleep) to our flight to Nantucket being delayed. Made it to the airport while resulted in a very hellish 36 hours.
We made it to NYC where we then couldn’t leave. Flew to Boston in the middle of the night to be closer to the island… and eventually landed on Tuesday afternoon!
I have never left the three of them and it was VERY HARD!!
It was so hard on all of us! Max sent me a text that said it was “the longest day of his life.”
Hated being away from them!
Our luggage didn’t arrive on Nantucket when we did. So lunch it was!
The Cru lobster roll has been one of my favorite lobster rolls since 2013 when I first had it.
Everything else is delish too!
I am team warm lobster roll every day.
All worth it!
Praise that our luggage showed up at the actual 11th hour before the book event!
White Elephant at night is dreamy.
We had so many delicious meals! Starting at The Nautilus.
Just as dreamy in real life.
It has been AGES since I had a smoothie bowl but this was so good… probably because it was steamy as heck with 1% humidity!
This signing was amazing… Elin’s fans are incredible and line up for hours ahead of time.
Dinner later was wok fried lobster! Ahhhh.
I adore Nantucket because it is just so charming. I have forever. If only it didn’t cost a bajillion dollars to live there!
My suitcase got the memo to match the hydrangeas. It’s the BEIS berry.
After no sleep for almost 48 hours to start the trip, it was hard to recover. We had a great time but I still can’t get over that we lost an entire 1.5 days, our place for the night and all of our plans! Needless to say I was excited to get home.
Favorite preschooler in his 90s gear.
Matching for cross country!
So fun.
And a little walk in the sun later that evening.
Had to make a good dinner today! All the caramelized onions.
Classic summer love.
My lettuce wrap burgers, roasted broccoli, caprese and chive grilled potatoes! Yum yum.
The post A Week In The Life, Vol 29. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.
What To Make This Week: 7/20/25.
Loving all the summer flavors this week!
What’s on your menu this week?!
What To Eat This Week
Creamy lemon zucchini bucatini
Lemon chicken bites and spaghetti
Grilled sourdough pizza with italian chopped salad
Caramelized onion burger lettuce wraps
Baked blueberry muffin oatmeal
The post What To Make This Week: 7/20/25. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.
July 19, 2025
Currently Crushing On.
Hello weekend!
This week on the blog I shared this grilled sourdough pizza with italian chopped salad! I also shared this incredible grilled salmon spread, a bunch of easy summer dinners and new summer fridays post. And here are all my favorites from the nordstrom anniversary sale!
I shared all of our back to school favorites right here.
There’s a new menu for the week and a new peek inside our everyday life.
You can find all my favorites in my amazon store front and LTK shop!
Thank you for continuing to make the launch Easy Everyday absolutely amazing . If you haven’t got your book yet, you can order here! There is a big giveaway happening on instagram and another happening in our facebook cookbook club!
xo
WHAT I’M LOVING THIS WEEKThe most stunning strawberry sorbet.
Mason jar honey cakes! These are so cute.
I love a spicy salmon sushi bowl.
Shrimp scampi for the win.
Homemade orange chicken and rice is incredible.
Taco pasta salad is fabulous.
Loving these margarita popsicles!
Green tea ice cream is amazing.
I want to make lasagna zucchini.
Peach bourbon smash. Love.
I might make pickles this weekend.
Grilled asparagus and zucchini salad!
Craving this grilled chicken sandwich.
Cinnamon swirl banana bread! Dying to try it.
The post Currently Crushing On. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.
July 18, 2025
Summer Fridays, Vol 8.
Happy summer fridays to you!
EATINGMy grilled BBQ chicken sandwiches! And lemon zucchini bucatini. It’s a dream.
DRINKINGMy whipped coconut cream cold brew. Yes please!
MAKINGMy pesto smashed chickpea salad for lunch. And summer tortellini chicken salad.
BAKINGMy sun dried tomato and herb scones. A savory scone is everything.
CRAVINGMy hot honey tomato crostini. I could eat this every day!
SNACKINGOn this week’s summer salmon spread. This is absolutely divine.
GRILLINGGrilled chicken parmesan. And zucchini corn orzo! And flaming hot cheetos hot dogs.
READINGStarting Totally and Completely Fine this weekend! What are you reading?!
LISTENINGTo this new summer sparkle nights playlist.
WEARINGMy black short nap dress all week! I’ve had the longer ones for years but I LOVE the short one too. It’s just so ridiculously comfortable. Also lived in my free people cardi all week.
LOVINGThese brain teasers are SO fun to do with the kids.
BUYINGI bought this spill proof pitcher to make my kids lemonade – their current obsession. And this peach lip peptides gloss! I bought this dress in nantucket – it is so lightweight and cozy comfy. I also got these nike waffle sneakers that my cousin wore all week – they have a sheen to them and look SO cute with dresses and skirts. And this grey shirt jacket.
SHOPPINGSome of my nordstrom sale favorites! The supergoop sunscreen and coola sunscreen are both so good. And the osea body balm is the best. The mini longchamp is still my #1 pick! And the armani cheek duo – both shades I already mix and use every single day for blush.
SHARINGAll of our back-to-school essentials! And back-to-school teacher essentials too.
The post Summer Fridays, Vol 8. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.
July 17, 2025
15 Summer Dinners I Make When I Don’t Feel Like Cooking.
Sharing 15 of my favorite summer dinner recipes I make when I don’t feel like cooking! Quick and easy meals that everyone loves – ones that are perfect to make when it’s super hot outside.
My favorite summer dinner recipes are here!
There are many more nights in the summer where I just don’t feel like cooking dinner. Like at all.
Mostly because it’s hot, we’ve been out and about all day, it’s a million degrees, the heat has zapped our appetites and… it’s hot. Did I mention it’s hot? The sun can be draining and before I know it, it’s 5PM and we’re all starving and need something quick on the table.
Regardless of if I want to cook or not, corn and tomatoes are ALWAYS a staple here in the summer! Sometimes I make them fancy, sometimes not. Some of the recipes below don’t require any cooking and some come together fast – think summer comfort food that we all love. These are some of the oldie but goodie recipes on the blog!
Would love to hear your favorite summer dinner recipes below!
15 Favorite Summer Dinner Recipes
This is one of my favorites – every time of year! It has so much flavor and crunch. While it does require actual cooking, it comes together so super quickly. It’s a wonderful quick summer pasta and leftovers taste great too.
I’ve rambled about this salad forever but it’s just SO good. It’s a great meal prep salad to have in the fridge, and makes any meal come together quickly. If you haven’t prepped it ahead of time, it doesn’t requite any cooking. I love to eat this with toasted sourdough or even thrown on a bed of lettuce. Or in a pita!
Stone Fruit Caprese with Basil Vinaigrette
Any and all forms of caprese salad are a serious go-to in this house, especially once our tomatoes are peaked. Adding stone fruit to this gives it a fancy boost and uses up more seasonal produce too. The basil vinaigrette is something you can make a day ahead of time too.
Grilled Corn, Tomato Avocado Salad with Chimichurri
There is nothing better than corn, tomatoes and avocado! Throw the corn on the grill and then toss these delish ingredients together. I love them drizzled with chimichurri but truly you could use any dressing you love here.
Blueberry Summer Salad with Creamy Balsamic
My blueberry salad is perfection. The almonds take a few minutes to make, but since it’s the only part of the salad that requires cooking, you can do it! Or just use some toasted sliced almonds instead. The creamy balsamic is a delish dressing to prep ahead for the week. (more…)
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July 16, 2025
Grilled Summer Salmon Spread.
This grilled summer salmon salad is one of my new favorite snacks! Satisfying, delicious and easy to share, it’s a great simple dish for a party and another option to make a sandwich.
Welcome to your new favorite lunch!
Or snack. Or app. Even a party passer! Basically, your new favorite way to use up grilled salmon. My summer salmon spread is incredible, packed with red peppers, fresh herbs, yogurt, lemon, green onions and more.
Spread it on a sandwich, scoop on toast, serve it with crackers or crudités. The options are endless for this baby and I can’t wait to tell you about it.
Now, this recipe was born out of me having quite a bit of leftover grilled salmon one Monday afternoon. I made it for dinner on Sunday night and we headed to the pool Monday. I opened the fridge to prep a few snacks and spied all the leftover salmon. Instantly, I grabbed a bunch of other ingredients and within minutes, had a delicious salmon spread that we enjoyed all afternoon.
This was a big deal because generally, I do not like salmon salad. And when I say salad, I mean the kind that is mayo-based and creamy and served like tuna salad. I don’t know, but it’s not my thing. And I do like tuna prepared this way.
But something hit me that morning and I knew that I HAD to make this spread. I had leftover pita chips ready to go, cucumbers and carrots as well as toasted sourdough for sandwiches.
Oh my GOSH. New summer snack unlocked. This was a dreamy hit – so filling and satisfying and light. Not overly creamy or wet, but made with just enough creaminess to bring it together.
And the grilled salmon! Well, that smoky flavor really took things over the top. (more…)
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July 15, 2025
Tuesday Things.
1. Would you eat the viral strawberry pasta?!
2. Jordan asked me what “the polka dots all over his nose” were the other day, and it’s definitely up there with the favorite things my kids have said! Cutest freckles ever.
3. The greatest luxuries in life can’t be bought.
4. Someone tell me what this new crazy font on IG is… because it’s making me feel extra old. I cannot read it!
5. The most amazing philly cheesesteak recipe.
6. TV things!! I’ve been watching Sullivan’s Crossing and… is it basically supposed to be a parody of Virgin River? Ha. I really can’t believe it. Also almost finished Too Much and loving it.
7. What Giada cooks in a day.
8. We spent the last 36 hours stuck in an airport… guys I might never get on a plane again!
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July 14, 2025
Grilled Sourdough Pizza with Italian Chopped Salad.
This italian chopped salad pizza is one of my favorite things to make! Chewy, tangy sourdough pizza crust topped with a zesty chopped salad filled with salami, roasted peppers, mozzarella and more. Tastes amazing!
This might be my current favorite meal!
This grilled sourdough pizza topped with an italian chopped salad is everything I want to eat right now. It’s so flavorful and satisfying. We ALL love it.
If you’re looking for something new and exciting to make for dinner, this is it. Chop up all your salad ingredients, throw the pizza dough on the grill and then pile the salad high on top.
Slice, serve and eat!
It’s perfect.
I’ve been making these grilled garlic baguettes with italian chopped salad for a few years and we LOVE them. It’s such a fun, easy meal and one that really hits the spot.
And one day, when I didn’t have any baguettes, I threw some of my pizza dough on the grill instead. I do this weekly but had never topped it with the italian salad. It’s fantastic.
First up: the crust. You don’t HAVE to use a sourdough crust, but it’s easily my favorite. I can’t stop.
I love this pizza crust so much. You do need to make it the night before, but once it’s mixed, all you have to do is wait. It’s simple and so wonderful. I like to have two or three on hand in the fridge or freezer, so that way if we’re craving pizza, I have this ready to go.
Yes, I still have my classic non-sourdough pizza crust recipe too. But since I feel my sourdough starter daily, I always have discard to use. So I use *fresh* discard for this recipe, meaning the leftover of my starter as soon as it’s re-fed. I haven’t used the discard that has sat in the fridge for awhile, so just keep that in mind.
The sourdough crust is SO chewy and tangy. We all love it – in fact my kids say that it’s their favorite pizza out of any other pizza we order. I either make it on the grill or in a cast iron skillet. Those are my two favorite ways. And they always win.
Next up: the salad.
We all know my love of chopped salads. The best salad to ever be a salad! Having a bit of everything right there on the spoon is ideal. A chopped salad is elite for that exact reason – you can get a bite of each ingredient, an array of texture, flavor and a drizzle of dressing.
My go-to italian chopped salad has salami, chickpeas, iceberg, red onion, tomatoes, roasted red peppers, banana peppers and fresh mozzarella. Oh and smoked provolone cheese! All drizzled with my italian dressing that is super super zesty. I could drink the dressing with a spoon. (more…)
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July 13, 2025
A Week In The Life, Vol 28.
We had a regular old summer week!
This one…
Sourdough pizza dough in the morning.
Early morning legos too.
Splash pad fun!
I made one of Eddie’s favorite dinners ever.
Silly cutie BFFs.
Once the crunch is gone, I’m done.
Early morning walks.
Little cuties.
Face painting fun.
He was very excited about his paws.
Matching her helmet!
Who taught them to meditate?!
Summer.
Cross country has started!
Emilia IS a runner!
His favorite place.
Making some post run eggs.
Hot honey pizza!
I love his blue laces.
This shot!
Who else has a graveyard of lip products?
Ended the weekend with the most perfect rainbow!
The post A Week In The Life, Vol 28. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.
What To Eat This Week: 7/13/25.
This week is packed with summer favorites!
What’s on your menu this week?
What To Eat This Week
Grilled buffalo chicken and corn salad
Grilled summer salmon with chimichurri
Honey mustard grilled chicken and broccoli
The post What To Eat This Week: 7/13/25. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.
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