Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 20

Bruschetta Balsamic Salmon.

This bruschetta salmon is an easy and versatile weeknight meal. Seared salmon drizzled with syrupy balsamic glaze and topped with diced tomatoes, garlic and fresh basil tastes like summer. Serve with your favorite side dish for a simple dinner!

Nothing screams summer is coming like a bright bruschetta topping!

This salmon is seasoned and seared, then drizzled with balsamic glaze and topped with all the garlic, tomatoes and basil you could wish for.

Tastes like sunshine is on the way. 

It’s also fresh. Flavorful. Light and really satisfying at the same time! 

Could I BE any more excited about a dinner that comes together in 20 minutes? I really can’t. Especially when it “seems” fancy and feels elevated in your own kitchen. Sometimes I forget that meals like that exist. Ones that feel special and make the meal memorable, but end up taking mere minutes to prepare! 

I must start keeping a running list on my phone of those easy ones. 

Here’s the thing: I could eat a version of seared salmon every single day. I love it.

The way it is so buttery and melts in your mouth? Perfection. I prefer searing it over roasting any day of the week because the outside crust is fantastic.

I also love the glaze that forms in the pan. 

One of the reasons I make a dish like this so often is because it takes no time at all. Minimal effort too! As long as you don’t mind chopping tomatoes and mincing some garlic.

I don’t – and I find it almost mindful and therapeutic. Plus, the fragrant basil and garlic makes me so happy. It’s nostalgic and summer foods are the best. 

P.S. the bread. The bread! 

This most amazing cheesy garlic bread on the side… It’s fantastic. I don’t mean to gatekeep it but it definitely deserves its own recipe spot. I will tell you about it later this week or next! 

This salmon can be served with any grain, rice or pasta. You could make my bruschetta pasta salad too – just knock out all the chopping of the tomatoes and garlic in one night! You can also serve it alongside some grilled vegetables or my baked cheesy rice. 

Or roasted asparagus with lemon! The crisp, springy spears are only made better served with it.  (more…)

The post Bruschetta Balsamic Salmon. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Tuesday Things.

1. It’s giant fruit plate season and I could not be more excited. If I put a fruit plate out on the table, it’s devoured.

2. Just two chocolate chip cookies! Okay I need to make these today.

3. Realized the other day that my sourdough starter is over 1.5 years old. I can’t believe it!

4. Great journaling prompts for May.

5. I love making my own little snack mix. Mini pb pretzels, crispy edamame, pistachios – it’s the fave combo right now.

6. How to set boundaries. I have become the queen of this!

7. TV Things. I finished the Four Seasons and oh my it was kind of depressing! Like should we all just be in therapy?! Cast was fantastic!

8. Zendaya’s look at the Met Gala was unreal!!

9. A meditation for feeling overwhelmed.

The post Tuesday Things. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Crispy Lemon Chicken Bites & Spaghetti.

My entire family is obsessed with these crispy lemon chicken bites! Served with a very light and herby lemony spaghetti, this is such a cozy meal but also one that is ridiculously satisfying. Perfect weeknight meal!

We’re making an easy Monday meal today!

This is one of those meals that my kids go wild for. Crispy lemony chicken, creamy spaghetti and a ton of fresh herbs. It’s light but comforting at the same time. It’s easy to make and easy to love! 

And I almost want to tell you to double the chicken because it’s incredible. Little crisp lemon chicken bites. Sometimes I take one and dip it in dill sauce. 

Mind blown deliciousness. 

I don’t even know how to describe it… 

These lemon chicken bites are SO good – they are perfect on their own. Or thrown over rice or any other kind of grain. Also incredible in a wrap or on top of a salad. They don’t even look that special but they are tender and juicy and cook fast. 

And they are super easy to make! I chop up chicken breasts, season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and add a sprinkle of cornstarch. Oh and some fresh lemon zest of course. It’s a dream!

Then, I crisp them up in a skillet and it takes mere minutes. Ridiculously easy, I tell you. They make the kitchen smell wonderful. The kids come in and want to steal a piece before the meal is even ready.

While the chicken is cooking, I boil some spaghetti. I like to use the same pan I cook the chicken in, so once it’s finished, I transfer it out. I throw the cooked pasta in, add some starchy pasta water, just a drop of cream, lots of fresh herbs and more lemon zest.

Oh! And parmesan. How could I ever forget?!

The spaghetti is similar to the lemon spaghetti with roasted chickpeas in Easy Everyday. That meal is such a staple for us – it’s so easy, the textures are great and it’s very satisfying. We make it all the time, so I’m always looking for a way to add more excitement or make it taste different! 

Yes, I even change up my own recipes. All the time, in fact!  (more…)

The post Crispy Lemon Chicken Bites & Spaghetti. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

A Week In The Life, Vol 18.

Another week!!

I am still so mind blown it’s may!

Monday morning walks.

Jordan is obsessed with cleaning everything. Working on some of the deck furniture!

Birthday celebrations!

This cake was goooood.

School drop off fun.

We had really bad storms this week and the kids ended up not having school due to loss of power. SO nature walk it is!

Nature scavenger hunt, I should say.

Cutie BFFs.

Jordan lives for a playground.

Post picnic nap.

So cute!

He found more sunglasses.

Emilia has like 75 birthday parties to attend this month.

This one will probably be a core memory because it POURED and the kids played in the rain…

…and had so much fun!

Dressing himself. Down to the boots.

Hair before.

And after!

For her voice and piano recitals!

I love that her little toes don’t touch the floor!!!

And how proud she was after.

Max was sooo cute and proud of her.

Then she was basically roller blade barbie for another birthday.

Fun busy weekend and this week is bananas!

The post A Week In The Life, Vol 18. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

What To Eat This Week: 5/4/25.

Menu is getting summery and delish!

What’s on your menu this week?!

What To Eat This Week

Buffalo chicken chopped salad

Baked cheeseburger quesadillas

Grilled shrimp couscous bowls

Italian chopped salad with grilled garlic baguettes

Broccoli cheddar frittata souffle 

Smoked mozzarella spinach pizza

Chickpea pasta salad

Almond butter baked oatmeal cups

The post What To Eat This Week: 5/4/25. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Currently Crushing On.

Happy weekend!

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!

This week on the blog, I shared this broccoli cheddar frittata souffle. I also shared these baked crispy cheeseburger quesadillas, a ton of taco and margarita recipes and pimento cheese fries!

I also shared my april favorites and everything I read in april!

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!

xo

WHAT I’M LOVING THIS WEEK

Need this tres leches pound cake.

Sweet pea guacamole! Want to try this.

Love these salmon croquettes.

Ranch water is my go-to.

The prettiest rhubarb thumbprints.

Jam jar margaritas are the best.

Craving this dark chocolate zucchini bread.

Cheesy pepperoni bites!

This strawberry sheet cake is dreamy.

Sun dried tomato pasta salad looks wonderful.

I must make poblano ranch dressing!

Crab wonton nachos sound amazing.

Trying lemon poppyseed breakfast rolls.

Sweet and salty popcorn. LOVE.

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

Pimento Cheese Fries.

These pimento cheese fries are phenomenal – such a simple treat but one that is so indulgently delicious! Crispy waffle fries topped with melty pimento cheese, a shower of fresh chives and served with pickles. DELISH.

Welcome to your most delicious fabulous trashy weekend recipe.

Pimento cheese fries are everything you want them to be: crispy, cheesy, melty, gooey, topped with herbs and absolutely inhale-able. 

Is that a word?

It is now. 

Because you will probably want to inhale these. They are stupidly easy and so freaking good. I’m actually mad I haven’t made them before! 

It all starts with pimento cheese, and this is my favorite recipe. When I make this, our friends and family go NUTS. I love that it’s so simple to make, you can make it ahead of time, it makes a rather generous batch and it lasts in the fridge.

It’s basically the best make-ahead snack ever. You can dip chips or pretzels or veggies in it. You can use it as a spread. And you know I’ve made a whole host of things with this, like crispy chicken tacos, grilled cheese, deviled eggs, grilled chicken sandwiches, poppers with jalapeno ranch, BLTs, grits and even quiche.

Truly, it’s a delicious cheesy dip/spread that you can add to almost anything. And I love that! 

Remember when I made these cheesy pizza fries? My 10 year old suggested them and said I just HAD to make them. And he is the one that told me to use waffle fries!

The waffle fries are a game changer here because they actually hold the cheese. Since pimento cheese has a base of cream cheese, it will melt a little wonky. It’s not necessarily stringy and gooey, but it more so just melts into a delicious cheese blanket.

Hello, can I sleep under a cheese blanket? Thank you. 

My secret for using frozen fries is this: roast the heck out of them at a high temperature. This way, they get super crispy. Of course, keep your eye on them. I bake at no lower than 450 degrees F. And I bake for waaaaay longer than recommended. Again, keep an eye on them though!

To make these, you want the fries fully cooked and crisped before adding the cheese. It only takes a few minutes to melt – so you want the pan of fries ready to go! Then it’s super easy to

I like to shower the cheese fries with lots of fresh chives. It gives a little bright refreshing pop. 

Pickles are also amazing on the side, especially if you’re a pickle freak like I am!  (more…)

The post Pimento Cheese Fries. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

What I Read in March and April 2025.

A little late on my March reads for you! Oh my gosh – I hate that I missed sharing last month so we’re combining. I had a lot going on with the release of Easy Everyday an just couldn’t get to it. But! The good news is that I have read a TON of great books the last two months. Like so many good ones. And now, we’re into my favorite book release months – summer reads have always been my favorite – and I couldn’t be more excited.

And hear about what you’re reading!

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 MARCH & APRIL 2025Promise Me Sunshine – 3.5 stars

A book of the month pick for me. I almost didn’t read this because it deals with best friends + cancer (still scarred from Firefly Lane 17 years later, you know?), but I am so glad I did. the main character loses her best friend and is in a sea of grief. She finds comfort in an unexpected person who says he will help her complete her “to live” bucket list. This was so sweet – Miles, the main male character – is just wonderful an SUCH a good guy. I really enjoyed it.

You Between The Lines – 4 stars

Another book of the month find! We have two aspiring writers who have known each other since high school attending the same program. I love a second chance romance and this has some enemies to lovers in it too. These characters are super real and I loved how they turned out in the end. I highlighted SO many lines in this book.

Say You’ll Remember Me – 5 stars

Oh my gosh – this is heart wrenching and wonderful and I can’t even tell you how much I loved it. We have a date between the perfect guy Xavier and Samantha who is in the midst of a family crisis. She can’t really get involved with anyone at the moment. But these two have *so much* there between them. But! These two have so much going against them it’s crazy. There is a family illness trigger here and that was hard for me, but not enough to skip one of my favorite author’s books!

Fun For The Whole Family – 5 stars

I live for a family drama!! They are some of my favorite books. In this one, we follow four siblings, some are a mess, and there are secrets too. This had me all over the place – the siblings are estranged, but come back together and then get stuck together. If you haven siblings, you will get so much of this and there is a ridiculous amount of feeling in all of it. Lots of nostalgia here!

Passion Project – 4 stars

Another book of the month box find! This is SO cute. We follow Bennet who is deep in grief, has no desire date, and stands Henry up. He suggests that they take on a project of doing fun and exciting things as friends and it is exciting! I loved the slow burn of this book and SO much of it is real and relatable. I loved the ending and the characters are fabulous.

Famous Last Words – 4 stars

This is a domestic thriller and oh boy did it keep me guessing. A literary agent wakes up to a weird note from her husband and then later finds out that he is the one holding people hostage. This sucked me in instantly and couldn’t wait to find out what happened! It’s full of twists and turns and is shocking, even if a few moments are a little predictable!

Count My Lies – 3.75 stars

I definitely needed another thriller the last few weeks! I got this in my book of the month box. In this book, we follow Sloane who tells a lie and ends up as a nanny for a super rich family. Lots of twists in this one and the family isn’t what you think! I couldn’t put it down.

Great Big Beautiful Life –  5 stars

Emily Henry can do no wrong in my book and this was another winner for me. Her writing is just SO incredibly relatable for me. This story follows two writers who have the chance to tell a tabloid star’s life story. Oh my gosh, this gave me Evelyn Hugo vibes which is probably my favorite book of all time. I LOVED the every character, the story is a bit drawn out but in the best way possible. The ending is good. The whole book is not as romancy as her others, but I didn’t even need that. I loved it.

Cash – 4 stars

This is the first in a series but they don’t necessarily have to be read in order… though it does help because the ending is a little cliffhanger! These are like cowboy country spicy romance books, haha. I liked them and thought they were cute. Cash is about the oldest son and the daughter of the man who became a father figure to him. She inherits the ranch and it is a serious enemies to lovers trope, which I love.

Wyatt – 4 stars

This is the second in the series and it’s just as cute. Wyatt is another one of the brothers and this is a friends to lovers trope. Equally as cute. He and his best friend who have always been in love with each other (but neither has known) agree to fake date. Lots of tropes in these books, ha! Still very spicy but you just need to be prepared going in. If you’re a Yellowstone fan you will like these.

Sawyer – 4 stars

The third book just came out last week! They are such quick fun reads. This one follows Sawyer who is a single dad and our trope in this book is single dad meets single mom. Very cute! Each one of the boys has an attitude of super grumpy, or super funny or the realistic one. The books are so predictable but I love how easy they are to read and the characters are all mostly great! Just finished it yesterday.

Story of My Life – 3 stars

Lucy Score started a new series set in Story Lake an this is book one. I have to say that at this start of this book, I was soooo turned off by the main character, who was in a downward spiral of life and just living very… gross. I had a hard time getting past it! But then it gets cute and she (a romance writer) buys an old house (without seeing it) and a family of brothers do the renovations. Sparks fly, of course. It’s a funny little town, sort of having a Stars Hollow Vibe! Another enemies to lovers trope.

Care and Feeding

Loved this memoir even though it was hard to read at time. It was my favorite from March. The author worked with both Anthony Bourdain and Mario Batali and lived a very interesting life, albeit quite chaotic at times. She is a great writer and I laughed out loud many times!

The post What I Read in March and April 2025. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

35+ Of My Favorite Tex Mex and Margarita Recipes!

Sharing 30 favorite tacos and margaritas here! Lots of delicious tex-mex options with tons of delicious margaritas for the side!

Tacos and margaritas coming in hot today!

Today I’m sharing over 30 of my favorite tacos and margaritas! A bunch of delicious tex-mex options, all paired with some of my favorite margaritas that I’ve made here on the blog. Since anything tex-mex is basically a staple of our weekly menu, I have tons of dishes that I absolutely love. Some days we do tacos, sometimes it’s enchiladas, often it’s a version of a burrito bowl and I can always go for a sheet pan nacho situation.

I mean, who wouldn’t?!

And! I’m a bit partial to the bubbly jam margaritas below but also ADORE my classic margarita recipe that I’ve been making for over a decade. It’s just so darn good. Scroll down and let me know what your pick would be! I’m thinking bang bang cauliflower tacos for tonight…

35+ Favorite Tacos and Margaritas

Bang bang cauliflower tacos

Sheet pan roasted shrimp tacos

Summer carnitas tacos

Grilled fish tacos

Weeknight baked ground turkey tacos

Summer salmon tacos

Honey chipotle shrimp tacos

Crispy cheese breakfast tacos

Our favorite ground beef tacos

Sheet pan lime shrimp fajitas (more…)

The post 35+ Of My Favorite Tex Mex and Margarita Recipes! appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Crispy Baked Cheeseburger Quesadillas.

These crispy baked cheeseburger quesadillas are a huge favorite in our house. Crispy flour tortillas filled with cheddar cheeseburger beef, topped with lettuce, tomato, pickles onions and the best burger sauce ever.

Here’s an embarrassingly easy meal for you today! 

These baked cheeseburger quesadillas are so highly requested in our house. The cripiest tortillas, cheeseburger filling with sharp cheddar, topped with refreshing romaine, juicy tomatoes and the tangiest pickled onions. All finished with a drizzle of house sauce!

This is such an easy weeknight meal, a great happy hour snack, a fun late night treat or even something you can share for an easy lunch!

This is a cheater sort of recipe. I’ve already shared with you how I make crispy baked cheeseburger tacos and cheeseburger tostadas. The combo is just so good!

It’s something I make often for the kids. Eddie also loves the cheeseburger flavor. And it feels a little lighter than eating an actual cheeseburger. 

I like to use ground turkey or beef, sharp cheddar, lots of lettuce, tomatoes, pickled onions and of course – how sweet eats house sauce. 

The house sauce is my everything. I make this almost once a week. It’s like my version of chick fil-a sauce and it’s delicious. Super creamy, a little tangy. You can dip basically anything in it. Or drizzle it on anything from burgers to bowls to potatoes to pizza and more.

It’s super versatile and makes the meal feel ever more special! 

The baked quesadilla is my go-to today, and here’s why: it is SO easy to feed a crowd. You can make multiple large quesadillas at once, as opposed to making just one at a time in a skillet.

There is no sketchy flipping – the fillings will not fall out when you gently flip. (more…)

The post Crispy Baked Cheeseburger Quesadillas. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.