Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 13

Currently Crushing On.

Happy weekend!

This week on the blog I shared this grilled halloumi corn and peach salad! I also shared this peach blackberry crisp, my 4th of july recipe guide and a new summer fridays post! And if you haven’t subscribed to my substack, you can do so here!

I shared my June favorites and everything I read in June too.

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 WEEK

No bake oreo cheesecake! My family would flip.

The most stunning shrimp chimichurri.

Breakfast quesadillas are a dream.

The ultimate guacamole. Yes.

Triple berry muffins. Yum.

Love these summer quinoa stuffed peppers.

Lobster mac and cheese forever!

Craving this coconut poke cake.

Red white and blue sangria is so fun.

I want to make this firecracker cake.

Cucumber basil gimlet looks so refreshing.

Love this lemon blueberry gooey butter cake.

Italian pasta salad looks unreal.

The best healthy road trip snacks.

The post Currently Crushing On. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Summer Fridays, Vol 6.

Hello, perfect summer friday!

EATING

Grilled chicken caesar sandwiches. My favorite smash burgers! Also grilled veggie orzo. And caesar pasta salad too.

DRINKING

Mango frosé! Refreshing and fun for the weekend.

MAKING

Red white and pickled blueberry burrata. And my bruschetta pasta salad, for sure.

BAKING

My red white and berry sheet pan shortcake!

CRAVING

My grilled peaches with burrata and pistachios.

SNACKING

On this summer marinated goat cheese. It’s fabulous and gets better as it sits.

GRILLING

The best summer mushroom pizza! Also this grilled shrimp orzo. Divine.

LISTENING

To our 4th of July playlist!

READING

The Art of Vanishing and loving it!

WEARING

This bright red anjuli nap dress! I still live in my nap dresses, they are SO comfortable. I love this version that just looks slightly updated. Plus this denim jacket. And these raffia slides that I love. I’m also obsessed with these strappy flat sandals. Everything from the cushionaire brand is so comfortable.

LOVING

This epres bond repair hair treatment! I got some blonde back in my hair and have been using this the past two weeks, and now will switch to once a month. It’s GREAT. I spray it on and leave it for a few hours before washing. I also really like this k18 astrolift volume spray!

SHOPPING

Just bought this little woven satchel that is very designer inspired. And the varley midi tank dress. Such high quality and I love how it can be dressed up or down. Also still loving the zip through knit! My naghedi bag obsession is still 50% off! And P.S. if you love farm rio like I do!!!!

SHARING

Last year my SIL told me to do our school supply shopping right after the 4th to get it done, out of the way and to enjoy the rest of summer. I’m doing that early next week and I started my list for back to school! I also like to do teacher care packages every year.

CELERATING

The 4th of July with everything delicious this weekend! Have a safe and happy 4th!

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Your 4th of July Recipe Guide!

Sharing my 4th of July recipe guide, with 60+ delicious recipes to make for the most fun summer holiday! Snacks, apps, stuff to grill, burgers, salads, desserts, drinks and more. You can find everything you need right here!

The 4th is going to be extraordinarily delicious!

We’ve got salads and dips and tons of red, white and blue. Of course burgers and hot dogs with pasta salad sides and corn. All the best of the best! Cocktails and mocktails and everything you need to make this weekend off-the-charts incredible.

I love to do a classic BBQ menu with lots of red white and blue desserts and apps. Berries are so fabulous right now that it makes it easy! Lots of my favorite summer recipes are on this list and you can’t go wrong with any of them.

What are your plans for the 4th this year? Let me know what you’re making below.

4th of July Recipe Guide – 60+ Recipes for the 4th of July

10 minutes best grilled bruschetta 

Chimichurri grilled feta

We adore this peach burrata crostini. It’s so good. (more…)

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June Favorites.

A peek at everything I loved in June 2025!

FOOD

Fruit Riot sour mango. This combo with the strawberry and peach is so incredible. We all love it!

Chobani toasted coconut vanilla yogurt. This was too sweet for me at first because I only use plain greek yogurt. But once I cut it with plain, I ended up loving it. It’s amazing with grape nuts and fruit! Definitely tastes like dessert.

Torres fried egg chips. This brand makes my favorite truffle chip and when I heard about these, I had to try. They are DELISH.

HOME

Corn brush. Corn on the cob season! I live for it but if there is one strand of silk, I’m done. This is saving me.

Dock and Bay beach towels. These are the best because they dry SO fast – they don’t get soaking wet like terry towels. They also fold up super small to go in your bag.

Mini travel umbrella. I am the worst and never ever have an umbrella. This saved my life about 50 times this month. I keep it in all my bags and it’s SO tiny!

BEAUTY

Naturium restoring body lotion. I go through body lotion and oil like a crazy person and this one is fantastic. Has a pump, super thick and nourishing. No scent!

YSE skin glow. This was a fave last summer and it’s great. I use it for minimal makeup or no makeup days. I use it as sunscreen but with a glow. It has such a pretty finish on the skin.

Kosas heartbeat blush. This color is incredible. I am such a blush fiend – this is like a hot firey red/orange/coral and so lovely for summer. I adore it!

FASHION

Lulu align dress. I know I talk about this over and over again but it’s just the best one. I have worn it ten million times and it holds up SO well.

Crewneck flowy dress. I bought this a few months ago and it’s another dress I’ve been living in.

Alo visor. I LIVE in a hat outdoors. Spring, summer and fall – constantly. I love this alo one. It is cute and looks a little more fun that my regular black ones. And the sweat band is good!

MEDIA

Atmosphere. Best book of the month. Unreal. Her characters kill me.

Ginny & Georgia. I really loved this season so much!

KIDS

No leak googles. We saw a few kids have these on vacation and ordered some instantly. My kids live in goggles and these are by far the best. Comfortable, don’t fog up, don’t leak – they are so good.

Toy camera. Jordan got this for his birthday and he adores it. He takes it everywhere! It is so cute.

Chroma blends watercolor markers. My kids are obsessed with these, especially Emilia. They are so satisfying to use too.

[none of this is sponsored, i just love to tell you what i love every month! there are a few general affiliate links above! xo]

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What I Read In June 2025.

It’s hard to believe that my younger self used to FLY through books weekly in the summer. This month, I lost a whole week while we were on vacation because I didn’t really have a second to read! I still read SO many great books – pretty much everything by my favorite authors of the summer.

I also shared my giant summer reading list, which is my favorite thing ever.

I do have a book of the month membership – I love it so much. I read SO many books from this box. I get so many of my new releases and debut author books there. You can sign up for one here.

Most of these books are linked through bookshop (if available!) and I highly suggest shopping through there because it will support your local indie bookstore. You can choose the local bookstore to support! I support Penguin Books when I buy which is my fave here in Pittsburgh.

Okay, keep me posted on what you’re reading below!

WHAT I READ IN JUNE 2025Atmosphere – 5 stars

I am an OG TJR fan – I’ve been reading her books since 2014 when she was writing strictly romance. I LOVE everything she writes. I never think her next book will interest me/live up to the hype/compare to the others I’ve loved and they always do. It’s wild. This story follows astronauts and it is so compelling and nonstop exciting. I absolutely loved it and I really didn’t think I would this time.

Mansion Beach – 5 stars

Another huge huge favorite of mine!! I love reading her books every summer and this one is fabulous. It’s a modern retelling of The Great Gatsby and it is SO great. I absolutely love her writing and this story is fascinating and exciting. The character development is incredible and so is the detail.

The Love Haters – 3.5 stars

Oh look – another one of my favorite authors! Seriously this was the best month of reading ever. This one is very cute and I really liked it. Probably not my favorite of hers but I still enjoyed it. The main character takes a job based on a tiny white lie and the story unfolds from there. Lots of swimsuit/body talk which I was over halfway through. Oh and the dog storyline was super cute!

It’s a Love Story – 4.5 stars

Shocking – another favorite summer author. And this was such a great summer read! We follow a child actor who is now a studio exec and promises that a famous popstar can write a song for the movie she is producing. We have pure enemies to lovers between her and the cinematographer. His family is fun and hilarious and he brings her right into it – it’s great! Many of my favorite tropes are in this one.

Til Summer Do Us Part – 3.5 stars

This is a fun quick summer read. Our main character (who is divorced) pretends to be married so she can fit in with her coworkers who are mostly men. Her best friend’s brother partakes in this fake marriage and they end up on a marriage retreat. Forced proximity, one bed, all of those fun tropes are included. It’s cute one, light and funny at times!

Sounds Like Love – 5 stars

Ah this one was SO good. Love love loved it. We follow a musician who pretty much has writer’s block (music block?!) and ends up back in her hometown hoping to get some inspiration and find the words. She ends up meeting another musician who is stuck on the same song (sounds crazy right?) and they decided to finish it together. This is phenomenal and I loved it so much. If you love music, you will LOVE this.

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Blackberry Peach Crisp with Oatmeal Cookie Crumble.

We adore this blackberry peach crisp! It’s juicy and syrupy and warm, topped with a crunchy oatmeal cookie crumble and vanilla ice cream. So easy and simple yet classically delicious. Summertime!

Who else is excited because it’s berry crisp season?! 

This blackberry peach crisp is so warm with syrupy fruit and the most delicious, crunchy oatmeal cookie topping that makes it irresistible. 

Is it even summer yet if you haven’t made a fruit crisp?!

I think not. 

4th of July weekend is the perfect time to utilize a recipe like this. Serve it for dessert with lots of vanilla ice cream. It feels fancy and special and extremely summery, just the way I like it. 

We’ve been getting the most delicious blackberries (from Costco! Of all places.) the past few weeks. And we’ve been flying through them! I’m talking like one container a day, at least. My kids love them and Eddie and I both put them in yogurt bowls. They are incredibly flavorful and delicious!

I knew I wanted to make a crisp or cobbler or crumble with them. And since everything berry goes wonderfully with peach, here we are.

I adore peach season!

They are another frequent add-in to my yogurt bowls. They are also one of my favorite snacks to have in the summer. And of course, I adore them in savory recipes like salads and salsa. 

There is something about how juicy and perfect the combo of peaches and berries can be. The way it all melts and bursts together in a warm summery, yet cozy recipe. 

Then we go and top it with ice cream?

I am so sold. It is all I want to make for dessert right now! 

The whole process is super easy too.

I toss the berries and peaches with some flour, sugar and lemon juice. 

Then, I make the oatmeal crumble with oats, brown sugar, some butter and cinnamon. 

I sprinkle the crumble over the fruit and bake! It’s simple, easy, classic and really hits the spot. 

You can even prep it ahead of time up until that point, then stick it in the fridge until you’re ready to bake. 

Because the secret is to serve it WARM. Of course! I mean, just look at those melty vanilla rivers that swirl through the fruit. It’s the most important part.

That being said, I’ve totally grabbed a few spoonfuls straight from the fridge and enjoyed it. I mean… oatmeal means breakfast right?

Looks like it to me!

Blackberry Peach Crisp PrintBlackberry Peach Crisp#wprm-recipe-user-rating-1 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-full svg * { fill: #343434; }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-1 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-33 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-1-33); }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-1 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-50 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-1-50); }#wprm-recipe-user-rating-1 .wprm-rating-star.wprm-rating-star-66 svg * { fill: url(#wprm-recipe-user-rating-1-66); }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-1-33 stop { stop-color: #343434; }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-1-50 stop { stop-color: #343434; }linearGradient#wprm-recipe-user-rating-1-66 stop { stop-color: #343434; }We adore this blackberry peach crisp! It's juicy and syrupy and warm, topped with a crunchy oatmeal cookie crumble and vanilla ice cream. So easy and simple yet classically delicious. Summertime!Course DessertCuisine AmericanPrep Time 25 minutes minutesCook Time 45 minutes minutesTotal Time 1 hour hour 10 minutes minutesServings 6 to 8Author How Sweet EatsIngredients4 peaches, peeled and chopped3 cups blackberries¼ cup brown sugar1 tablespoon flour½ teaspoon kosher salt½ lemon, juiced4 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into tiny piecesvanilla ice cream, for servingfresh mint, for servingoatmeal cookie crumble1½ cups old-fashioned oats¾ cups loosely packed brown sugar¼ cup all-purpose flour¼ teaspoon cinnamon¼ teaspoon kosher salt8 tablespoons unsalted butter softenedInstructionsPreheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with nonstick spray.Mix the peaches and berries in the baking dish. Toss with the sugar, flour, salt and lemon juice. Toss well. Let sit while you make the topping.Stir the oats, sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt together. Add the softened butter and use your hands to crumble it up and toss it in the mixture – I combine it for a full 5 minutes until it is really incorporated and crumbly – almost the whole mixture is like wet oat-y sand… Sprinkle it evenly over the fruit.Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the fruit is caramely and the crumble on top is golden. Let it cool slightly before serving with ice cream. Garnish with fresh mint!

The color too!

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Tuesday Things.

1. Just having a mini panic attack over here that the year is half over!

2. I think I’m making these s’mores cookies today!

3. What is this summerween thing! I’ve gotten so many Halloween emails it’s wild.

4. P.S. I still don’t understand how people are using these sunscreen face mists. Anything sprayed on my face goes into my eyes and the whole day is ruined.

5. This new name for diet coke kills me. Ha.

6. TV things!! So excited that The Bear is back! Also started watching We Were Liars.

7. The perfect beach sandwich does exist.

8. New to me podcast: Clues. Only a few episodes and they are high profile but I do like it.

9. Do something for yourself everyday!

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Grilled Halloumi, Corn and Peach Summer Salad.

This halloumi peach salad is packed with tons of flavor and texture! Grilled corn, peppery arugula, pickled onions, pistachios and a delicious cilantro lime dressing are the key to making the best salad ever. Delish!

More in summer salad adventures!

This beauty is packed with peppery arugula greens, savory halloumi cheese, sweet peaches, crisp corn, cut right off the cob and one of my favorite dressings ever. 

It has a few other ingredients to make this irresistible and crunchtastic. 

The texture is all I need. Give me a salad with crunch and I will be there!

You know that I’m always on a mission to create the next best salad of the season. I do so weekly at home when I want to make our salads more exciting. Whether we are eating them as a starter, a side, for a holiday or even just for lunch, I want to make a salad that I absolutely freak out over.

One that I can’t stop thinking about. 

One that checks all the boxes: flavor, crunch, all the texture, satiety, seasonal and more. 

I love to mix sweet and savory. Use all the summer produce. Put all that fantastic juicy fruit right in there with a buttery lettuce and cheese and nuts. 

This salad is full of so many of my favorite things!

Grilled halloumi cheese

Grilled corn 

Fresh, juicy peaches 

Arugula greens

Pickled onions

Chopped pistachios 

And my cilantro lime vinaigrette! The best ever. For real. 

Halloumi is one ingredient I always adore but don’t use enough of. It’s super easy to slice and throw right on a hot grill. I throw the corn on the cob right on the grill at the same time. It’s so simple. 

This cilantro lime dressing is one I use in so many ways. Think salads, as a marinade, for fajitas and more. It’s very flavorful and easy to make. I use my favorite kitchen appliance to make it: the nutribullet!

Throwing all the ingredients right in that mini blender makes this a BREEZE. I will make it a day or two ahead of time too and it stays great in the fridge. Just give it a quick shake or whisk before using. 

The herby citrusy dressing also makes the whole salad taste very fresh and light. It coats everything perfectly without being heavy. Ideal for summer!  (more…)

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A Week In The Life, Vol 26.

More summer!!

We had another fun (hot) week.

Made cookies for the pool.

And this salmon spread/dip/salad that I threw together with last Sunday’s grilled salmon on a whim. It was SO good.

They are obsessed with swimming.

Fun with friends!

We hit the high 90s last week and it was rough.

This was the only thing to do.

I made these amazing quick steak salads last week. The recipe/method was in this week’s substack.

Grilled garlic bread. Can’t heat up the house!

She worked on this paint by number canvas for HOURS one day.

It turned out amazing.

Also her little hair turning bright blonde again is just too cute.

She also had tennis camp all week!

He enjoyed it.

Monkey bars are harder when you can touch the ground!!

Love.

Biggest cheerleader.

Summer hockey!

Jordan had a hair cut appt and she has a bunny and HE LOVES IT.

I did a super fun event at a local bakery space! Aperol spritz after.

And garlic bread.

Baby ducks on our morning walk.

Last day of tennis camp!

Playground fun.

We played so many different card games during a thunderstorm.

Cross country started too!!!!

This might be her fall sport for good!

Even Max ran with a smile on his face.

Sibling love at lunch.

They have been obsessed with each other this summer and it’s so cute. Playing so many things together.

Baby boy!!

I love a 10.5 year old who still colors.

The best pizza.

Hot honey forever!

Jeni’s after. We tried the new toasted s’mores and it was good but definitely tasted like coffee!

Jordan begged Eddie to go to the park.

He saw baby ducks too!

Then Eddie just casually freehanded this Bluey chalk art in minutes. He is SO talented at art.

I made Eddie’s favorite pancakes.

And it was another swim day. I need stock in leave-in conditioner this year!!

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What To Eat This Week: 6/29/25.

A full summer menu for the week!

What’s on your menu this week?!

What To Eat This Week

Black bean smashburgers

Taco stuffed avocados

Lemon chicken artichoke pasta salad

Grilled veggie naan pizzas

Chili lime salmon with mango slaw

Chopped wedge salad

Cherry jalapeno chicken salad

Blueberry muffin baked oatmeal

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