Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 320

Cantaloupe Daiquiris.

I want to scream it from the rooftops: I love daiquiris!

Have you ever seen a more gorgeous one?

This cantaloupe daiquiri is almost too gorgeous to be REAL.

And when I say REAL, I do mean the real daiquiris. Real, real ones.

The legit daiquiris.

Not the frozen sugary version that looked so tempting in our 90s youth.

A few years ago I made this grapefruit version and they are incredible. Even though I’m a grapefruit freak and would gladly consume one everyday of my life, those drinks are so fabulous that I think they could convert a non-grapefruit lover. For real.

And even though I’m getting sort of burnt out on summertime drinks and while I’m very into summer hanging around for a bit, my cocktail game is ready for the cooler weather and freshly picked apples and cinnamon rims. I can’t help it!

So in thinking about what I HAVEN’T turned into a cocktail in the last few years of this Thursday series, cantaloupe was at the top of the list.

It’s a fruit that we eat constantly – I buy one nearly every week. It makes for the best snack and is easier to cut up than a watermelon.

But the only things I’ve done? A coconut cantaloupe lassi. And some salsa.

Like, what?

How is that ALLLL I’ve done with cantaloupe when we have some in our house 99% of the time for about four or five months straight?

That was a disappointment.

But. Also an opportunity!

A chance for some cantaloupe deliciousness to find its way into my kitchen without too many ingredients.

Lime, rum, a bit of cherry juice? Pretty sure I can make those work ALL the time.

Here’s the cool thing about this drink. The cantaloupe flavor is very very VERY mild. It’s a little bit tart, almost slightly creamy with no cream and has just the slightest hint of melon flavor. Not too strong. Not too weird.

P.S. can we talk about THIS COLOR! It’s so stunning. I want to wear this color. Decorate my house in this color. It seems like this orange hue is reserved for our fall produce, but this melon-y orange is screaming summer to me right at this moment. Never have seen something so refreshing!

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Cantaloupe Daiquiris

Yield: makes 1 drink, is easily multiplied

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

3 ounces fresh cantaloupe “juice” or puree
2 ounces white rum
1 1/2 ounces simple syrup
1 ounce maraschino cherry juice
splash of lime juice
splash of seltzer



Directions:

To make the cantaloupe “juice,” blend 2 cups cubed cantaloupe melon in a blender until pureed and smooth. Strain the mixture through a mesh strainer that is sitting on a bowl, pushing any extra liquid out with a spoon.

Add the rum, cantaloupe juice, syrup, cherry juice and lime juice to a shaker filled with ice. Shake for 30 seconds then pour into a frosty glass. If you’d like some bubbles, splash some seltzer on top! Garnish with a wedge of lime and a few melon balls.

Note: for simple syrup, combine equal parts sugar and water. For instance, bring 1/2 cup of each to a simmer in a saucepan while whisking. Turn off the heat and let it cool to room temperature!

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And surely it’s more than our daily serving of fruit.

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One Pot Peach Basil Chicken.

I’ve got your summer chicken!

Don’t freak out! This one pot chicken is not as scary as it sounds.

Admittedly, when I sent a photo of it to Eddie and asked if he’d eat it for dinner, he was like … well it looks better than it sounds.

And that’s true.

It DOES look better that it sounds.

And it tastes better than it sounds.

I probably wouldn’t order any sort of peach chicken off of a menu without seeing a photo first. Something with peach salsa? Yes. All over that.

But peach chicken doesn’t sound like something that the majority of us would eat.

UNTIL NOW.

Look at the golden delicious crispy topping! The mouth-watering sauce. The super fresh garden basil!

That I had to buy because I’ve mostly killed what I planted.

AND. Can you guys believe that this is only the second chicken recipe that I’ve shared this summer? And it’s only the third I’ve shared since April! Mind blowing, considering Eddie eats chicken multiple times per week. And I’m allll about the non-boring chicken recipes – it’s the only way I can do chicken.

Must.have.variety.

This chicken was such a pleasant surprise. I was surprised. Eddie was surprised. He loved it more than I expected. He almost took down this pan on his own – no shock, but still.

Initially, I wanted to do some sort of twist on apricot chicken, the version where preserves are used. I’m all about the sweet and savory flavor combo. I also used sherry wine because it’s just so… rich in flavor. You know? Plus peach preserves? Ooooooh my gosh. I could not get the idea out of my head. It sounded so incredibly delish.

With a combo of dried and fresh basil, fresh peaches and preserves, it makes the best summertime dish.

Oh also! You could totally do this with pork chops too. My mom always makes the best boneless pork chops, but either version could work here. Sear them like you do with the chicken, then bake in the oven until done.

DREAMY!

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One Pot Peach Basil Chicken

Yield: serves 2 to 4

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

1 pound bone-in chicken thighs
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 shallots, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 peaches, sliced
1/4 cup peach preserves
1/4 cup dry white wine
1/4 cup dry sherry
1 handful fresh basil leaves, chopped, plus extra for garnish



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Season the chicken with the basil, salt and pepper. Heat an oven safe (cast iron or enamel) pot or skillet over medium-high heat and add the olive oil. Add the chicken and sear it on both sides until it’s golden brown, about 2 minutes per side. Remove the chicken and set it aside on a plate. Reduce the heat to medium and add the butter.

Add in the shallots and garlic with a pinch of salt. Stir well and cook for about 5 minutes. Stir in the peaches. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add in the peach preserves, wine and sherry, stirring with a wooden spoon to combine everything. Bring the mixture to a simmer. Once simmering, add the chicken back in. Place the pot in the oven for 20 minutes.

Remove the chicken and sprinkle with the chopped basil. Serve the chicken with a spoon for the extra sauce. You can serve this with rice, potatoes, quinoa, grilled bread, you favorite salad – the options are endless!

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Definitely need some grilled bread for that sauce.

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Tuesday Things.

1. So how about I have the largest iCloud plan for my phone and my iCloud storage is FULL. How is it that me, who is basically technologically challenged, has used up all of the iCloud storage? There have to be so many people out there who use it up more, right? What the heck do I dooooo. No time to go through and delete my 139K photos. Yep. That’s real.

2. Dying for a huge scoop of coconut milk chocolate ice cream. Yes please.

3. Over the weekend I did a major major closet clean-out and it felt fabulous. I’m ruthless when it comes to getting rid of things, because the best thing I’ve ever heard is that if something comes back in style in a few years, it won’t be the same exact style. With that being said, I definitely got rid of puffy vests from high school. Hmmmm. Why can’t I be this ruthless about my digital closet.

4. I was great at achieving “inbox zero” before I had Max. I would have zero emails almost every single day. Then, it all went downhill and now I’m sitting at a nice almost 8K in my inbox. STRESS. See #1 and #3.

5. Speaking of, I’m totally one of those people who can’t have ANY notifications on the front of their phone. None. No thanks. It’s anxiety inducing. So even if I don’t have time to respond to the messages, I must open them in order to remove the notifications. Like a crazy person.

6. OMG what the heck happened on The Affair omg omg omg. Can you even believe that really happened?! It feels so incomplete but I guess we will find out more this week. Also, new show alert! Eddie and I watched Yellowstone this weekend and we are absolutely obsessed. So so so so good. I’ve always been a huge fan of Kevin Costner and he is perfect in the show.

7. I got sucked into such a Facebook deep dive a few nights ago. We are talking, like, back so far that I was looking up people from elementary school. Pretty much loathe FB for personal reasons but love it when I feel like looking up random people. I mean stalking.

8. Oprah on her perfect date night. God I love her.

9. This version of Tuesday things was quite tech heavy which is not representative of my life whatsoever. But this is the 370th post of Tuesday things. I’m half embarrassed and half excited.

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Zucchini Pie with Burst Tomatoes.

Zucchini pie might be the only thing I want to eat for the rest of the summer.

YES. Zucchini pie. Not blueberry pie. Not peach pie. Zucchini pie!

Vegetables in pie.

P.S. pie is now a health food!

What is happening?

It’s true though. This zucchini pie is TOPS. And here we have a blog post with the word “pie” in the title and entire paragraphs that will NOT consist of me complaining how difficult it is to make pie crust!

Because there is no crust.

I sort of sometimes think that crust here would be a good idea. It would be zucchini quiche then, I guess. Both ways are delicious.

And both ways get us eating some goodness straight from the garden.

It’s an exciting thing here, because until this my number one preference would be breaded and fried zucchini rounds and no one has any time for that.

This zucchini pie is sort of like a frittata with spiralized zucchini! Some eggs, a little cheese, tons of blistery, garlicky tomatoes. It can be a full meal with a salad or even a side dish at a party or something. It’s ridiculously versatile!

And we all know that those are my favorite meals.

So you could probably also use grated zucchini in this. The key is that you have to reeeeeallllly squeeze all of the liquid out of the zucchini. I mean, after I did this I felt like I had carpal tunnel, I was squeezing and twisting and turning the towel so much.

But the end result is worth it and it’s something that has to be done in the recipe. Because no one wants a wet pie. Nope.

After that part, you combine the zucchini with the aforementioned eggs and cheese and herbs. You toast some garlic and tomatoes in olive oil until your entire house smells divine (it will, trust me) and you fold that in there too.

The whole mess goes into a springform pan – and the edges have to be wrapped in foil so nothing spills out. I learned this the hard way, oh yes I did. Three smoke alarms and a splattering of burnt cheese and egg later, I wrapped the dang pan.

However! You could totally make this in a pie dish or even a square pan and just cut out slices like that. Or squares. They may not be quite as pretty, but they will still taste like heaven.

A little parm on this, some extra herbs thrown on top… this is your summer breakfast, lunch and dinner!

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Zucchini Pie with Burst Tomatoes

Yield: serves 6

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Ingredients:

3 pounds zucchini, spiralized
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 pint cherry tomatoes,halved
4 garlic cloves, minced
2 tablespoons chopped fresh oregano
7 large eggs
2/3 cup milk
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons chopped fresh herbs (like basil, rosemary, oregano, parsley)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2/3 cup freshly grated white cheddar cheese
1/2cup freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping



Directions:

Spiralize the zucchini and set it in a colander. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of salt over it and toss well, then let it sit for 20 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Spray a 9-inch springform pan with nonstick spray. Wrap the bottom tightly with aluminum foil in case the egg tries to leak out.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the olive oil, tomatoes, garlic and oregano. Cook until the tomatoes are bursting, about 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.

Take the zucchini and wrap it in a kitchen towel (you may have to do this is batches). Squeeze and twist the towel until ALL the liquid is gone (it will take a few minutes and some elbow grease!), the repeat with the remaining zucchini.

In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, flour, pepper and another pinch of salt until combined. Add in the tomato mixture, the zucchini and the grated cheese. Toss is together well. Pour the mixture into the springform pan.

Bake for 55 to 60 minutes, or until the center isn’t jiggling and the top is golden. Remove and let cool for 10 to 15 minutes. Open the springform pan and slice into wedges. Garnish with extra fresh herbs and parmesan cheese.

from cooking light

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I appreciate you so much!

Heaven sent, I tell you.

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Currently Crushing On.

Happy Saturday!

I hope you guys have a fabulous weekend and enjoy the beginning of August. S’mores, swimming and sunsets is what I’m all about right now.

This week, I shared a little photo diary from our time in Boyne City, as well as my July beauty favorites and lifestyle favorites. Those are some of my favorite posts I get to share. LOVE. Thank you so much for being here!

xoxoxo

Favorites this week:

everything fried pickles! i’m dead.

helllo avocado ice cream.

give me all the grilled panzanella please.

these cherry watermelon tequila bombs. ooooh!

plum crumb bars. so pretty!

very interested in this vegan bolognese. innnnnteresting.

sheet pan zucchini chicken meatballs. have to try these.

all i want are these cinnamon chip pancakes!

scrambled eggs with goat cheese? i’m in.

loving these creamy tropical fruit smoothies!

perfect blueberry crumble pie, yesss.

this is stunning.

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Summer Fridays, Vol. 10.

HELLO summer fridays! I love you so much.

CREATING

An outdoor picnic spread for us! Like I want a blanket, a basket and all the rosé one could desire. I want to do it at sunset or maybe around an outdoor movie?

SIPPING

I can’t get enough of my lavender lemonade. I know it’s wild how seriously into lavender I’ve become in the last few years (especially because I loathe all floral scents and have not really been into it in my food either!), but when the lavender is combined with sugar, it’s a whole different ballgame. I’m definitely making a batch of this as a little Friday indulgence. And I’m thinking of adding some of the Trader Joe’s sparkling lemonade so it’s bubbly? This week, I’ve also been verrrry into my strawberry summer water. Because… it’s the week after vacation.

LISTENING

This week’s playlist is totally picnic inspired. I’m obsessed with this for a Sunday afternoon. It’s like Nancy Meyers movie meets picnic lunch.

EATING

A packable picnic lunch to go with your playlist! I’m thinking things like my favorite egg salad, either with a baguette or lettuce cups, this pistachio pesto burrata pasta salad, the salted lavender honey nuts, these goat cheese stuffed figs and maybe even these rosé champagne gummy bears for a treat!

READING

I’m finishing up The Summer I Met Jack and I am SO into it. It probably helps that last week I watched Chappaquiddick super late one night while editing a bunch of photos, then stayed up for another two hours wikipedia-ing everything about that situation and Kennedy family. And speaking of, have you guys read (or bought) Maria Shriver’s book I’ve Been Thinking? After listening to her on Oprah’s podcast, I knew I had to race out and get that book for my nightstand.

CRAVING

Affogato. Alllll the affogato. It started in Rehoboth Beach a few weeks ago. We saw it, we wanted it, we didn’t end up getting it even though we talked about it daily for three days. Earlier this week I did a post with Haagen-Dazs for affogato and I had to shoot it three times to get the perfect pour shot that I really wanted. Now, I want it every single night after dinner. Like it’s all I’m thinking about. Oh and to make matters worse, I have an entire affogato bar in The Pretty Dish. Having a Nespresso machine makes it so easy. And irresistible.

SHARING

It’s still summer and we’re still sharing our summer essentials guide over at Sweet Peas Meals. And! We have a super easy + quick lunchbox guide coming next. Going to be so helpful in a few weeks.

WEARING

Okay so it was a wacky week and I won’t lie: I lived in leggings (my favorite are the lulu align, I probably have like 15 pairs) and denim shirts. The denim shirt for summer that I’m loving is this one by Cloth and Stone. I actually have multiple button down shirts from Cloth and Stone and they are just SO soft. Seriously comfortable and when I say I live in them… well, it’s embarrassing.

LOVING

I shared my beauty favorites earlier this week, but one of my forever summer favorites is this Sol de Janeiro body butter. If you’ve been reading for a while then you know how much I adore this. It smells like summer and the scent is STRONG. It smells like vanilla and pistachio and almost and coconut and it’s just incredible. I have it in the body cream, the body wash, the lip balm, a bath bomb and the hand cream (in my purse) and it’s one signature scent that surrounds me in summer, even if it’s not the perfume I’m wearing. And that’s the thing – it doesn’t necessarily interfere with perfume either, even though it has its own scent. ANYHOO. I love it but I put it away come September. So we’re getting close! I love having those special seasonal scents. I’m weird.

LOOKING

At fall decor last night on the interwebs. How much are you judging me right now? I have to do a Christmas themed shoot this weekend so it’s not like I’m THAT wacky.

Make it an ice cream weekend! xo

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July Favorites: Lifestyle.

Here’s a peek at all the things I’ve been loving in July! Can’t wait to hear yours down below. xo

Kite Hill Chive Cream Cheese Style Spread. I am totally on this bandwagon. This stuff is absolutely AMAZING. It’s dairy free. It’s made with almonds. And it tastes like HEAVEN. I like this so so so so so much.

American Spoon Wildflower Honey Mustard. HOLY COW. This is new at American Spoon this year and if you’re a mustard freak… you need it. It’s like a tangy but creamy honey mustard. We’ve barely had it a week and already have gone through half a jar.

Milk Chocolate Amaretto Cherries. I love Cherry Republic and was super excited to see that they reopened their storefront in Charlevoix after a a fire had destroyed it last year. These cherries were an impulse purchase – we usually buy a bag of chocolate covered ones, but I grabbed these too because my SIL and I were starving! These are… insane. So darn delicious.

Jeni’s Salted Peanut Butter with Chocolate Flecks Ice Cream. OMG. This is unreal. SO so so so good. I had it a year or two ago, and I just had some a few weeks ago. However, when I returned from vacation I actually had a PR package from Jeni’s Ice Cream (literally a dream) and that was one of the flavors, so now it’s in my fridge. If you’re a chocolate peanut butter freak like me, you’ll love love love it. Pretty sure you can find it at Whole Foods!

Rails Wren Stripe Dress. Okay so I’ve mentioned this dress a bunch over the last month because I’ve practically lived in it. So comfy. So cute! Rails stuff is just so soft. And it has POCKETS!

Rails Sydney Stripe Shirt. SO obviously, speaking of, this is another one of my faves. I bought this for both Lacy and my mom for their birthdays in June and I’ve been wearing it nonstop. I love that it buttons up the front and back. Really cute for summer.

Southern Charm. I’m embarrassed but not so much that this was my guilty pleasure TV show over the last month. I don’t watch much reality TV and I’m totally hooked on this.

The Affair. And I can’t go without mentioning The Affair as another favorite, because it is SO good this season. It’s back to where it was in seasons 1 and 2. Loving it so much.

Logan and Lenora Oversized Carryall Tote. I actually have two of these bags and ended up using them more than expected at the beach since they are waterproof. They are also GIANT. Like you can fit so many things. I would fit 5 beach towels in here, a few toys for Max, snacks, baby stuff for Emilia, sunscreen – even more. You can really load it up. And the prints are SO cute.

Little Unicorn Waterproof Outdoor Blanket. This was another purchase I made in June and it is so awesome. We took it to both Rehoboth and Boyne City. I will say that since it’s waterproof, sand slides onto it easier than a regular beach towel, which means Emilia can get a handful. But I’ve found that the secret is placing this on the sand and then after you swim or whatever, placing your beach towels on top to sit or sleep or whatever. Then your wet towels aren’t crusted with sand! I’ve also been using this in our yard and it’s perfect for grass.

Cooler Shock Ice Packs. Very random, I know. Like really random. But we desperately needed new ice packs for our coolers (I think we were using ones Eddie bought 20 years ago or something… eeek) an these were the highest reviewed. OMG. They are incredible. You actually fill them yourself and they turn to gel. Then you freeze and they last forever. Like over 24 hours. I also use this size to stick in that JuJu Lunch Box thing that I take EVERYWHERE. I mentioned it last month and I seriously throw that thing in my bag every time we go some where. An ice pack, something  like blueberries for Emilia, yogurt for Max, a Perfect Bar for me. It’s the best.

[none of this is sponsored, just like to talk about things that I discover and love over the month. i purchased everything myself aside from the Jeni’s ice cream that was sent to me. tell me your faves! there may be a few affiliate links above. xoxoxo.]

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Watermelon Grapefruit Palomas.

Please tell me that you need a good Paloma.

An icy fruity bubbly Paloma!

A good Paloma on a Thursday, the best ever day of the week, when it’s hot and sunny and perfect outside and we have a whole month of summer ahead of us! YEP. That’s what I’m living for right now.

Um, also, our drink today is OMBRE. Bringing it back to trends from 2012 because I’m always late to the game.

So I have been utterly obsessed with creating a watermelon grapefruit cocktail, one that meshes my two favorite flavors without tasting weird. You know? And it’s apparent that after the 8345 margaritas I’ve shared (you’re like PLEASESTOP!) and all the sangria and the mojitos and all that jazz, that I had to do a new spin.

I’ve made palomas before around here, sticking to the classic grapefruit and adding a twist with salty chili sugar (oooh so good!) – and figured that throwing in some watermelon juice would be fantastic.

And fantastic it is.

If you love fresh and fruit with a hint of citrus, you will be allll over this. It’s sweet but refreshing and just utterly devourable.

Like, don’t even attempt to drink it with a straw because you might suck it down in one slurp. (p.s. what a terrible word that is, slurp. Ugh.)

But I guess that may not be a problem?

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Watermelon Grapefruit Palomas

Yield: makes 1 serving, is easily multiplied

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 ounce grapefruit syrup
2 ounces tequila
3 to 4 ounces watermelon juice
2 ounces club soda (or even a lime flavored seltzer)
grapefruit slices or watermelon wedges for ganish
crushed ice

grapefruit syrup

1/2 cup freshly squeezed grapefruit juice
1 cup sugar



Directions:

Note: to make the fresh watermelon juice, I add about 2 cups of cubed watermelon to a blender and puree until it’s smooth. Pour it over a mesh strainer into a bowl and you have watermelon juice! :)

Fill the glass with crushed ice. Add the grapefruit syrup and tequila and stir. Pour in the watermelon juice. Pour the soda over top and garnish with a watermelon or grapefruit wedge. Serve!

grapefruit syrup

Heat the juice and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk until the sugar dissolves and bring the mixture to a boil. Turn off the heat and let it cool to room temperature. It will become slightly syrupy. This stays great in the fridge for a few days.

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Really, it’s basically juice! Fruit juice.

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How to Make a Perfect Hummus Platter.

Otherwise known as: how to eat all the hummus.

If eating an entire hummus platter is wrong, then I certainly don’t want to be right. I mean, we can make this hummus platter at home and it’s not awful.

Creamy bean dips that are a vehicle for bread and crispy chips?

This, in fact, sounds wonderful.

So here’s the deal. This restaurant that we love has a hummus platter as an appetizer. And it’s really so simple. I mean, the platter itself is packed and loaded and huge and something I would absolutely order as a meal. But it’s made up of simple, relatable, classic, delish flavors – nothing is weird or wild and it’s all just so insanely GOOD.

We order it as a snack when we’re there and we end up devouring it. They serve the hummus in big scoops with both fluffy pita and pita-like crackers. There is a wonderful couscous salad that Eddie and I basically fight over. Plump olives. Roasted red peppers. Bits of feta.

I’m craving it just by description.

Now I’ve wanted to make a version at home for us for a long time. I’m no stranger to hummus but knew that making a platter at home would be slightly more time intensive since I’d have to make all three dips and continuously clean out the food processor.

You don’t really HAVE to do that, especially if you start with the chickpea version and finish with the black bean version and really scrape out that bowl well.

And you can even make it a bit ahead of time (like the night before) for a party, prep the couscous and just combine everything right before serving.

I promise. Totally worth it!

And if that still freaks you out, just make one version of hummus with the rest of the goodness. You’ll still be in love with the final result.

Let’s start with my favorite: caramelized onion hummus! I’m so into caramelized onions at the moment. After bringing them to their golden sugary peak, I whip them into regular old hummus – chickpeas + tahini – and oh my gosh, want to devour this dip with a spoon.

I’ve never cared about black bean hummus before – while I like black beans, I’ve never really LOVED them in whipped dip form. But this smoky black bean hummus is so full of flavor. Cumin, smoked paprika, lots of lime juice – ugh, it’s SO good. Even if the color makes it the most unappealing thing you’ve ever seen in your life ever.

The last of the bunch is this roasted red pepper white bean hummus. I know that roasted red pepper is almost known as a classic these days when it comes to hummus. While I love the peppers by themselves, I don’t always love that flavor of that hummus so I wanted to slightly switch things up. And it IS Eddie’s favorite flavor of hummus, so I couldn’t not include it. When mixed with the white beans, this dip is a bit richer and creamier than it’s chickpea counterpart. It’s really freaking good!

Okay okay, so what else is on this plate?

The quick tzatiziki is bright and creamy. Grated cucumber and lemon and yogurt – it goes on everything!

The couscous salad is dreamy. I love to take a pita wedge, slather on some hummus, add a spoonful of the couscous and top it with a drizzle of the quick tzatziki. It’s fresh and light but also a total flavor explosion.

We also have some olives (of course, my briney loving heart can’t say no), some cucumber wheels and red onion, lots of fresh herbs, lemon, olive oil – all the things that a great greek salad is made of. But it’s on this pretty little platter!

And if you’re feeling like making your own pita (it’s truly the way to go. So easy and simple and absolutely fantastic), I have a killer recipe for whole wheat pita here.

Have you ever heard something calling your name so loudly? HELLLLLO hummus platter.

Now my only goal in life is to convince Eddie that this is dinner tonight.

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How to Make a Hummus Platter

Yield: serves a crowd

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

caramelized onion hummus

1 sweet onion
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 (25-ounce) cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 cup tahini paste
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water
3 tablespoons olive oil + more for drizzling
fresh herbs for topping

roasted red pepper white beans hummus

2 (15 ounce) cans cannellini beans, drained and rinsed
1/2 cup tahini paste
2/3 cup chopped roasted red peppers
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
4 to 5 tablespoons ice water
3 tablespoons olive oil + more for drizzling
crumbled feta for topping

smoky black bean hummus 

2 (15 ounce) cans black beans, drained and rinsed
1/4 cup tahini paste
2 garlic cloves. minced
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 lime, juiced
3 tablespoon ice water
2 tablespoons olive oil + more for drizzling
cilantro, for topping

cold couscous salad

1 cup cooked couscous, cooled (you can make it ahead of time!)
1/2 cup chopped roasted red pepper
1/2 cup chopped cucumber
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 cup crumbled feta
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 lemon, juiced

quick tzatziki 

2/3 cup plain Greek yogurt
1/2 seedless cucumber, grated
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 lemon, juiced
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

for serving:

pita bread, pita chips, marinated olives, cucumber slices, red onion, lemon wedges, fresh herbs



Directions:

caramelized onion hummus

Heat a large pot over low heat and add the butter. Once melted, add the onions, thyme and salt, stirring well. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and caramelized. This will take a full 30 to 40 minutes – or longer! You can do it ahead of time. But go low and slow so the onions don’t burn. Let them cool (at least slightly) before adding them to the processor.

Reserve a few chickpeas for topping. Place the chickpeas, tahini, the lemon juice, garlic, salt and pepper in your food processor. Puree until the chickpeas break down and the mixture starts to come together (it probably won’t be smooth at this point!). Make sure to scrape the sides with a spatula. Drizzle in the ice water. Blend it for a minute or two – just let it go! Once the water is in, the hummus should really start to get smooth – if you need a little more water, add it 1 tablespoon at a time. Drizzle in the olive oil. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Scoop the hummus into a bowl, top with the reserved chickpeas and drizzle with a touch of olive oil. Add the fresh herbs and serve!

roasted red pepper white beans hummus

Place the beans, tahini, peppers, garlic, lemon, salt and pepper into the food processor. Puree until the chickpeas break down and the mixture starts to come together (it probably won’t be smooth at this point!). Make sure to scrape the sides with a spatula. Drizzle in the ice water. Blend it for a minute or two – just let it go! Once the water is in, the hummus should really start to get smooth – if you need a little more water, add it 1 tablespoon at a time. Drizzle in the olive oil. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Scoop the hummus into a bowl, top with some crumbled feta and even red pepper flakes, and drizzle with a touch of olive oil. Add the fresh herbs and serve!

smoky black bean hummus

Place the beans, tahini, cumin, paprika, garlic, lime juice, salt and pepper into the food processor. Puree until the beans break down and the mixture starts to come together (it probably won’t be smooth at this point!). . Make sure to scrape the sides with a spatula. Drizzle in the ice water. Blend it for a minute or two – just let it go! Once the water is in, the hummus should really start to get smooth – if you need a little more water, add it 1 tablespoon at a time. Drizzle in the olive oil. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary. Scoop the hummus into a bowl, top with cilantro, and drizzle with a touch of olive oil.

cold couscous salad

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until combined. Taste and season additionally if needed.

quick tzatziki 

Mix all ingredients together in a bowl until combined. Taste and season additionally or add more lemon if desired.

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The post How to Make a Perfect Hummus Platter. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

The Pretty Dish Book Club – August!

Welcome to The Pretty Dish book club for AUGUST!

Woohoo! How fantastic is it that we’ve been cooking through this book since March? I love it oh-so much. Crazy that we’re here!

You guys have been kicking butt when it comes to recipes. July was awesome. The private Facebook community continues to rock my world. Everyone is so helpful, motivating, inspirational and passionate. Some of you have cooked through more than HALF of this book already.

All I have to say is thank you thank you thank you for making this book so well loved!

Here’s a few instagram highlights from July.

My husband doesn’t know this yet, but we are starting a new Lawrence household tradition for the warm months- Salad Sunday. This peach panzanella with burrata from #theprettydish is going to figure heavily. I added tomatoes and basil to the recipe and toasted the sourdough. Perfect summertime dinner.

A post shared by gclawrence (@gclawrence) on Jul 15, 2018 at 6:30pm PDT

Been feeling a little under the weather this week so I’m trying to increase my fruit intake