Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 326

Spicy Watermelon Sangria.

I’ve got your weekend watermelon!

Weekend watermelon sangria, that is.

I know, I know, this time of year it’s like I just can’t STOP with watermelon. Maybe it’s the nine-ish month drought without it that gets me hooked in June?

But at least I haven’t bored you with watermelon pizza this year. Yet.

The fact is that I’ve loved watermelon like a freak ever since I was a kid – and I’m even talking about artificial watermelon flavor! You know, like the watermelon bubble gum you’d chew in 1996? Yep, I was all over that.

While I’m not going to buy it now because I’m old and convinced my teeth will fall out, I am still going to make all the watermelon things. And with as many watermelon cocktails I’ve made in the past? I’ve never made watermelon sangria!

That’s nuts. Because every week I’m shoving a new version of sangria in your face. And while I’ve had some melon balls in certain sangrias (boozy fruit is where its at), I’ve never made actual watermelon sangria with watermelon juice.

And by watermelon juice, I just mean pureed and strained watermelon. Melon is so packed with water that once it’s blender and strained? You get the most delicious (and gorgeously pink!) juice from the watermelon. It’s my favorite mix for a margarita. The best combination, truly.

It’s light and refreshing in summer too. Try it alone over ice. Or with lime!

Back to our spicy sangria though.

We’re adding rosé. YEP. So really, it’s the millennial pink dream!

Makes me so super happy.

Right now I’m sure you’re curious as to just what it is that makes this sangria DIFFERENT.

I mean, honestly – not a ton. It’s watermelon. There is wine… and brandy… and fruit! It’s freaking delicious though.

What really takes it over the top though is the ancho chile sugar on the rim. It’s just spicy enough. Because the sangria isn’t overly sweet, thank goodness. There’s a hint of sweetness – but an overwhelmingly refreshing taste.

And then BOOM! Some heat.

I alllllmost threw some jalapeño slices in here but the fear of sneaky jalapeño seeds in my throat made me want to cry, so ancho chili powder it is. A more controllable heat in our drink. I’m into it!

We’re getting to the point though where I want to make ALL my cocktails every week. There’s only so much summer sun and I have an endless stream of fun adult beverages to share.

Good problem to have though.

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Spicy Watermelon Sangria

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 15 minutes

Ingredients:

1 (750mL) bottle dry rosé
1 cup watermelon juice
1/2 cup brandy
1/2 cup grand marnier
2 cups club soda, plain or whatever flavor you’d like
1 1/2 cups of watermelon balls
1 pint of strawberries, sliced
1 giant handful fresh mint

for the rim

2 teaspoons ancho chili powder + 1 tablespoon sugar, stirred together



Directions:

To make the watermelon juice, take 4 cups fresh watermelon cubes and place them in the blender. Blend until they are pureed totally then strain the mixture over a glass. Now you have watermelon juice!

Add all of your fruit to the bottom of a pitcher. Pour your wine, watermelon juice, brandy, grand marnier and club soda over top and stir. This tastes great when it sits in the fridge and “marinates” for a bit. To serve, rim a glass with a lime wedge and dip it in the ancho chili sugar. Add ice and some of the boozy fruit and pour the sangria over top.

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That strawberry raft is where I’m going to float all day.

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Spicy Rainbow Salad.

[Hi! I’m partnering with Sutter Home today to bring you a spicy recipe to serve with their Riesling! Thanks so much to Sutter Home for sponsoring this post!]

HELLO. Who doesn’t want to eat the rainbow?

When we’re told to eat the rainbow, this is exactly what I envision. Rainbow salad like whoa. All of these gorgeous colors, so much crunch. It’s how a salad SHOULD look. A combination of bright and refreshing fruit and veggies with crunchy, spicy lime dressing and loads of fresh herbs.

How could anyone say no to this beauty?

Here’s the deal. This salad is a take on one of the best salads here in Pittsburgh, the Caribbean rainbow salad from Kaya. If you haven’t had that salad yet? RUN. Run and get it today. It is SO delicious and fresh and satisfying. And that’s coming from someone who isn’t a salad lover. As one of the most talked about salads in the city, I knew that I had to try to recreate it at home.

And something super exciting? Today, I’m partnering with Sutter Home to bring you a spicy recipe that pairs amazingly well with their Riesling. I am a huuuuge Riesling lover. It’s one of the only exceptions that I make when it comes to sweet wine.

Sutter Home’s Riesling is light and almost tropical-like. It’s delicious when served ice cold; incredibly refreshing is the first thing that comes to mind. I can taste some slight peach and watermelon so obviously it’s what I want to drink right now in the heat. It’s like it was made for me. And those fruits shine through and pair with the papaya and mango and bountiful veggies in this bowl and it’s like the best flavor explosion you’ve ever tried. So much produce and such a stunner! I just knew that it would be ideal with this salad.

While I love the sweetness, what I REALLY freak over is how well this Riesling pairs with something spicy. The spicy lime dressing on this rainbow salad is unreal. It is tangy and lime-y with a bite from the diced jalapeño. It’s not overwhelming, but it’s juuuust spicy enough to meet the Riesling in the middle for what I consider an fantastic pairing. The fresh jalapeño slices also add something wonderful – and you could use pickled ones too. Even candied ones if you want more of the spicy + sweet.

Back to our rainbow bowl…

This vibrant salad includes papaya and mango, which I am ALL over. I adore fruit in salads – that’s no secret. It makes the veggie-hater in me enjoy a green plate just a leeeettle bit more.  We also have fresh bell peppers, tomatoes, cucumbers and shredded carrots.

I quickly caramelized some plantains in a skillet (it’s the only real cooking we do here, unless you make the crispy shallots!) and we also have chickpeas on the side. These make the salad super filling and satisfying – a necessity for us in this house.

A sliced avocado on top for creaminess. Can’t have a salad in 2018 without avo! Pickled onions too and not only because they are pink. Well, maybe. But their brine-y flavors adds a whole other element.

There are tons of fresh herbs and that might be my favorite part. Combined they add more wonderful fresh flavor.

A giant sprinkle of sesame seeds for even more unexpected taste. Roasted and salted pepitas too! I know… this is a dream pile of greens right? All the things in one bowl.

For the topping? Here, I crisped up some shallots which add a fantastic texture and pair perfectly with the spice. But if it’s a sweltering day and you can’t bear to do that? Add on some crunchy, dried plantains for the crisp bite. It’s just as delish.

If it seems like everything in your fridge is inside this bowl, it’s because it is. This recipe can serve two as a meal, four as a side – or if it’s at a big party with lots of other dishes? You can stretch it even more. It’s gigantic rainbow-ness entices everyone, trust me.

Oh oh! And the entire thing is drizzle with the spicy lime dressing. And served with a chilled glass of the Sutter Home Riesling. Can’t get enough of, ice cold.

Seriously, I think we have found our meal for summer.

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Spicy Rainbow Salad

Yield: serves 2 to 4

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

1 plantain
1 tablespoon butter
2 cups butter lettuce greens or baby spinach
1 cup sliced papaya
½ cup grape tomatoes, sliced
½ cup chickpeas
¼ cup chopped red pepper
¼ cup chopped green pepper
¼ cup chopped cucumber
¼ cup shredded carrot
¼ cup chopped mango
¼ cup pickled onion
2 tablespoons roasted + salted pepitas
1 avocado, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons sliced jalapeno pepper
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint
1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
lime wedges, for serving
crispy onions or plantain chips for topping
1 bottle Sutter Home Riesling, to pair

spicy lime dressing

2 limes, juiced
¼ cup chopped cilantro
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
1 teaspoon honey
pinch of salt and pepper
¾ cup extra virgin olive oil



Directions:

The only thing to cook here is the plantain! Peel the plantain and chop it into chunks. Heat the skillet over medium heat and add the butter. Add the plantain and cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until it becomes golden brown. Remove it from the heat.

Place the lettuce in the center of your plate. Build the rainbow salad around the lettuce, adding the papaya, tomatoes, chickpeas, plantains, peppers, cucumber, carrot and mango. Top with the pickled onions and the pepitas. Add the avocado in the middle, then sprinkle on the jalapeño slices and the basil, cilantro and mint. Sprinkle on the sesame seeds. Add a wedge of lime for spritzing.

The one thing left to do is your topping. You can either use some crispy frizzled shallots/onions (store-bought or make your own here!) or some crunchy plantain chips!

Drizzle with the dressing and serve with a chilled glass of Riesling on the side.

spicy lime dressing

Whisk together the lime juice, cilantro, garlic, pepper, honey, salt and pepper. Continue to whisk while streaming in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified. This stays great in the fridge for up to a week!

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And that… is a SALAD.

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Tuesday Things.

1. So. Who else goes out and does a huge grocery run and then gets so hungry that when you get home that you insist on ordering take out? Or going out to eat? This is my life.

2. How perfect is this simple chocolate cake with ganache? Oh my gosh.

3. It almost feels sacrilegious to put these strawberries in a dessert – they are THAT sweet. It’s the one time of year when I can agree that fruit is dessert.

4. That Billions finale. OMG. First, I absolutely loved the ending. Loved loved loved it. Like it was pretty much what I was waiting for and hoping for after we had them team up in the middle of the season. Taylor? Ugh. I’m torn between wanting them to go down but also rooting for them since they are right – Axe did teach them to be like that! I just loved it all. Such a good show. Oh and also… I started watching Southern Charm. From the beginning!

5. The self-checkout at Target is terrifying. Like have you ever looked up while you’re standing there and BOOM. Your huge face is on a huge screen and you’re staring at yourself and you just want it to stop.

6. The boring-ness of my life this entire week is becoming apparent since I just wrote about grocery shopping TWICE.

7. I adore Jocelyn’s take on her birthday. Those paragraphs she wrote? Sound like they came right out of my brain too. I can totally relate!

8. From the time I was a young kid, I’ve had weird anxiety about tornados. I mean, I was/am petrified of them – and we don’t even live in an area where they are common. I don’t know where it stemmed from (maybe the Wizard of Oz? ha.) but I can’t stop watching this video of storm chasing. Insane.

9. Name your best s’mores combination. Ready set go! (p.s. I’m thinking mine would include pretzels.)

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Green Goddess Tuna Melt Tartines.

Monday means it’s time to eat your greens!

Never did I ever think I’d share a recipe using canned tuna on my site. But here we go! This green goddess tuna is one of my new favorite things.

Because you know what? I’m on a mission to make and share some more lunch-friendly meals. Mostly because I’m selfish and I need some new lunch-friendly meals.

Whomp whomp.

So here’s the thing. I grew up eating tuna quite a bit for lunch. My mom and I absolutely loved it (however, I could do without her chopped celery in there, thankyouverymuch) but my brothers and my dad we’re super against it. This means that she would occasionally make it for lunch and it was all ours!

I almost always ate mine on toast, but crackers made an appearance too. I never took tuna in a school lunch or anything, but on a weekend or summer, it was fair game.

And then! Maybe in college or something – or after one particularly horrific experience with tuna noodle casserole – I took a long tuna hiatus. Tuna wouldn’t reappear until my 20s when I realized that I actually really loved it if it was doctored up properly.

The way that I love it the most now? Mixed with olive oil and herbs and either stuffed in a pita or strewn throughout a salad. I am no longer a mayo hater, it’s just not my favorite way to consume it at the moment.

HOWEVER!

The green goddess dressing? From The Pretty Dish? That so many of you are freaking over – that comes with chicken salad? WELL.

It’s a game changer here.

This green goddess dressing is everything because it’s made with yogurt AND avocado. Tons of fresh herbs, some spinach – it’s basically a delicious powerhouse. You’re going to have extra dressing, so keep it in the fridge for the week. It’s incredible on chicken and fish, used as a veggie dip – all sorts of things.

So! Not only did I toss the tuna with some of the green goddess dressing, I also tossed that entire mixture with baby arugula greens. That peppery bite is just so good. I spread it on toast (along with more green goddess dressing, of course), topped it with Havarti cheese and threw the entire mess under the broiler.

OMG.

The weird thing is that growing up, we never made tuna melts! Only tuna sandwiches. Which is insane, given our freakish love for all things cheese. How is that possible?

I’ve changed that all here, so now we live in melty bliss.

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Green Goddess Tuna Melt Tartines

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients:

1 avocado
2/3 cup plain greek yogurt (I like full fat or 2%)
1/3 cup mayonnaise
2 garlic cloves
¼ cup chopped parsley
1/4 cup chopped basil
2 tablespoons snipped chives
½ lemon, juiced
salt and pepper
5 ounces tuna (canned/packaged in water)
1 cup baby arugula greens
2 to 3 ounces havarti cheese, freshly grated
4 slices multigrain bread, toasted



Directions:

Add the avocado, yogurt, mayo, garlic, herbs, chives, lemon juice, salt and pepper to a food processor and blend until combined. You want the mixture to be creamy and spreadable!

To make the melts, add the tuna to a large bowl. Add the baby arugula. Add about 1/4 cup green goddess dressing to start and toss the mixture together until everything is combined.

Spread a spoonful of the green goddess dressing on each piece of toast. Top with the tuna mixture. Top each with about 1/2 ounce of havarti cheese. Heat the broiler in the oven to high and place the tuna toasts under for just 1 to 2 minutes, until the cheese is melty. Serve immediately with potato chips or whatever side you’d like!

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More cheese please.

The post Green Goddess Tuna Melt Tartines. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Currently Crushing On.

Hey hey! HELLO Saturday. I hope you’re able to embrace the beauty of summer (well, almost!) this weekend.

Some things! My next book signing for The Pretty Dish is in one of my favorite places, D.C.! The party/Q+A/signing is at Room and Board, so be sure to RSVP here (it’s free!) if you can come. And then that Saturday, June 23rd, I’ll be signing books in Philadelphia at Fantes Kitchen! We had such an amazing time there for my first book and I can’t wait to go back.

This week, I did a quick update on Emilia at 7 months too! And finally, pop over and follow me on Pinterest if you’re not yet. Apparently they are trying to go back to “how things used to be”… in a good way!

xo

My favorites this week:

smoked gouda garlic bread. OMG.

this 3 minute cast iron steak looks amazing.

the classic negroni. i adore them.

oh hi fried tortilla ice cream sandwiches. what!

and mango citrus fruit punch is so pretty.

double dark chocolate cookie dough ice cream. i’m dying.

craving these banana chocolate chip muffins.

blueberry basil ginger soda. love this.

always loving a good zucchini lasagna.

sunflower butter cookies! the answer to no PB.

super intrigued by this aquafaba amaretto sour.

salted tahini cookie dough fudge. oh yum.

i want to make this cold soba noodle salad for lunch.

blueberry oatmeal quick bread. sounds so good!

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Summer Fridays, Vol. 2.

Welcome back to Summer Fridays! Let’s make it feel like a fun day of vacation, k? 

Creating

My perfect summer morning. I’ve always been a morning person and am obsessed with creating a great start to the day. But here, I’m not talking about waking up and doing morning pages or exercising or drinking lemon water. Well yes, I would include all that, but what I’m talking about is right after that. I’ve been writing down what my perfect day would look like in hopes to create it for myself so I’m more present. And in LOVE with every single day… at least to the best of my ability. I’m so worried about time flying by (because, hello – it does) and missing moments with my kids because I’m working or on the computer or just generally spazzed. I want our mornings to be filled with sunshine and fresh fruit and smoothies and maybe pancakes and I want us to eat it outside before it gets super hot out and I don’t want to open my phone every 64 seconds. I realize that sounds so easy but it’s a small part of the perfect day and what I want to do! Since I love to hear others’ routines (read: I’m obsessed), I’m excited to hear what your ultimate morning would look like!

Snacking

On the melon mozzarella board above! This is my favorite summer snack board so far. All variations of melon: watermelon, cantaloupe. honeydew, cucumber, some marinated mozzarella. Everything is made into skewers or paired with prosciutto or drizzled with balsamic or pesto or all of the above! It’s a really fun and colorful snack idea and you can make a huge one or a small plate depending on your current summer sitch.

Sipping

Or should I say… slushing? Tomorrow is National Rosé Day so take a look at my rosé guide and then make some of this watermelon frosé! Pretty sure it’s what I’m going to make tomorrow too.

Eating

This white clam sauce pizza with chili oil. Remember when I created this after being in Brooklyn last spring? The thing is that I was in that iffy stage of pregnancy where nothing sounds good and I’ve really been wanting it ever since. It is SUPER delish. Very decadent but also light, if that can be a thing. It can. Trust me.

Baking

This cherry peach crisp with oatmeal cookie crumble. Cherries are great right now and peaches might be iffy – so you can use frozen ones! Fight me for the topping because honestly that’s all I really care about. Also making the cobbler bars from The Pretty Dish with all the strawberries we picked!

Planning

A little menu for Sunday dinner. I’m thinking my house salad, flank steak with chimichurri, bacon blue potato salad and spicy broccoli. Having such a weird, weird thing for broccoli right now.

Listening

To the Summer Fridays Summer Kitchen playlist! Oh yes, here it is for all of your chill cooking, baking and cocktailing enjoyment. I freaking love it.

Reading

The Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo. OMG. Get down there in the comments and talk to me about this book. I read it in 24 hours from the time we took off for Nashville until we landed back in Pittsburgh the next night. I LOVED IT. I’m still thinking about it. So many of you said it was fabulous on my summer reading post, but honestly, I was afraid I wouldn’t get into it. A novel about someone writing a story about someone else seemed too confusing to me but it was unreal. It was SO good. Exactly the kind of book that I love. And I can’t stop thinking of the characters Evelyn and Celia. And Harry! It was one of those books that was so good that I didn’t want to start a new book, you know?

But, I did start Wish You Were Here last night. We shall see.

Writing

And outline because I want to get my freaking dream novel written. Except I’m not an outline person. And I have two kids. And a buisness. And about 128 other excuses that is keeping me from getting it done. So because of that, instead of just ACTUALLY DOING IT, I’m looking up videos on youtube about how to be productive. Makes loads of sense in my brain.

Dreaming

Of staying somewhere an entire month next summer. It can’t really happen for us with Eddie’s job but I am so intrigued (and envious!) following Bev’s month in Connecticut that I want to somehow make it happen! Now if only I could make that month happen on Nantucket like I was wishing last week…

Craving

A little trip to Cape May! That’s more doable. If you’re a longtime reader than you know that I grew up going to the Jersey Shore (Wildwood + Cape May – there are even blog posts on it!) but we kind of scrapped it the year my brother got married and we haven’t been back since. I’m dying to take my kids there but it’s so tricky to find a spot that allows you to rent for just a few days (most of them want a one week commitment) right ON the beach. Also, obsessed with this Tuckernuck shoot in Cape May. So nostalgic for me.

Wearing

This lululemon tank that I’m obsessed with. It’s so stretchy and soft. And I don’t so much love it all flowy and loose but tying it into a knot on the side? OMG. I love it. Kelly Kapowski knotted tops for life. I’ll never stop.

Making

A Trader Joe’s run today! Tell me all your new favorites below and I will most likely (over) share mine on insta stories.

A watermelon cheese board might be the only board I need.

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10 Rosés I’m Drinking This Summer. (And a Cheese Board, Of Course!)

Oh hi summer!

Today, we’re talking about one of my favorite subjects. Rosé! The best rosé to drink this summer. All the rosé that I’m freaking over right now in 2018. Sounds about right.

Because, you guys! One of the questions I’m asked most in the summer is… what is your FAVORITE rosé?! Or… what rosé should I buy this weekend?! I use lots and lots of rosé in my cocktails (you know this!) but also love to drink it (and talk about it…) like the millennial that I am.

And here! I’m going to tell you about my top ten favorites. My faves of the pretty pink bottle that we can’t stop buying in the summer.

First up, the deets. I love dry rosés. I don’t want a sweet rosé. Or at least not a very sweet rosé. Dry is where it’s at for me.

Second, I didn’t get all fancy with the tasting notes here. I wanted to give you a quick rundown of my favorite brands, stress-free. But I do love rosé that has hints of watermelon and cherry and some light floral flavor. Yessss.

I know that there are different regions for rosé, but I can say with confidence that after years of drinking it? I prefer rosés from Provence, specifically coteaux d’Aix-en-Provence! So fancy. That’s why I’m doing a post on ten bottles that I love, as opposed to rosés from different regions or rosés that I want to try. These ten here? They are the ones I’m buying the most often. You’ll probably see three stand outs below that I purchase the most, but other than that, the rest are all game.

You’ll also notice that some of the bottles below are dated from 2016. With rosé, you want to buy it aged from the previous year (or maaaaybe one year before, but it’s not a wine that gets better with age) so I’m hoping that since I shot this early in the season, it’s the reason why my store still had bottles from 2016. However, being in Pennsylvania (a control state), our pickings can be slim! Lacy and I went to multiple different stores to check out the rosé selection over the last few months (err,  years?) and ended up happiest with these.

Oh and ones I’m rambling about here? They are all non-sparkling (saying “flat” sounds terrible and gross) and non-cider variations. I love sparkling versions too (and I’m dying to try the cider but haven’t yet!), but wanted to focus on the bottles without the bubbles.

Also! You guys give me amazing recommendations for rosé on instagram but sometimes I can’t get my hands on it being here in PA. And it’s quite depressing that my Trader Joes and Whole Foods don’t sell wine! Leave all your favorites below and on my travels, it’s my mission to seek them out.

Now for the goods! We have ten bottles below and I just wrote a quick note for you about why I love them. Nothing fancy or too wine-techy (there is an amazing article on food and wine for that!), but since you always ask – these are the rosés that I buy! For sipping, sangria-ing and gifting.

Underwood Rosé

I see Underwood rosé everywhere and honestly, first tried it after seeing it all over instagram. I thought it might be hyped up but I ended up loving it and was surprised at how dry it was. It’s a good one! And I love that it’s from Oregon.

Really wanted to include a canned rosé in this post, but I couldn’t find many – and really couldn’t find one I love. But you can get Underwood in a canned version!

Fabre de Provence

This is the sweetest of the bunch here, but it’s still not SWEET sweet. And it’s so pretty that I’d buy it for the bottle alone… you know? This is a good place to start if you have dry rosé haters in your life. Also great for sangria.

Miraval Rosé

Let’s just throw it out there that Brad and Angelina bought the Miraval castle and got married there. My oh my. This is the priciest rosé in the group (and usually the priciest one I will buy – the prices vary, at my liquor store it was around $30) but it’s delish. It’s full bodied and dry.  The bottle is also so pretty! Okay I promise I’ll stop saying that.

Whispering Angel Rosé

Whispering Angel is super smooth and light and frankly… can almost be sipped like water! It’s so perfect on a hot summer day.

Notorious Pink

This is a new-to-me rosé that I only first bought two months ago. But I think it’s my new favorite! Like, getting to be my top favorite. We drank this on Memorial Day when it was 90 degrees around the pool and it was SO wonderful. It’s just so light. At the moment, this is my #2 pick.

Minuty Rosé

If you’ve been following my cocktail posts for a few years, you know that two years ago I discovered Minuty and fell in love. It’s been my favorite ever since. It’s light and smooth and not sweet at all. The bottle? Gorg. (sorry!) It’s my #1!

Aime Roquesante Rosé

This is the rosé that reeeally got me into rosé! Lacy first introduced me to this over three years ago. We drank it for a few years and I bought this most often, until I found Minuty, which I ended up loving a little more. I still really love this one. Dry and delicious!

La Crema Pinot Noir Rosé

La Crema makes some of my favorite wine (their Pinot Noir is practically the only one I drink) and when I found their rosé, I was super excited. This one is pretty dry as expected and it goes super well with a cheese board. It’s a bit on the pricier side though.

Hecht & Bannier Rosé

Another new-to-me bottle this year that I’ve fallen in love with. Very dry and light. And I saw this on two different menus while I was in Nashville this past week. Delish.

Nicolas Pinot Noir Rosé

This rosé is one I recently tried as another Pinot Noir version – and it’s cheaper than the La Crema above. It was also really good. Lacy actually liked this one better than the La Crema – however, Nicolas was her #1 favorite rosé last year, and this year she doesn’t love it quite as much. So crazy how the vintage flavors change year to year.

And now for the best part? Okay okay, one of the best. Isn’t the rosé the best?

THE CHEESEBOARD. OF COURSE.

I like to keep it super seasonal here. Since we’re in June, we have a few strawberries and cherries, some sugar snap peas and the traditional grapes, of course. Can’t skip the olives because everything tart and briney is life. Honeycomb for sweetness. Baguettes and crackers – the seedier the better!

My ideal summer night is full of chilled rosé, a fab cheese board to snack on and a killer playlist. We need nothing else.

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Summer Rosé Cheese Board










Ingredients:

cheese

merlot or syrah soaked cheddar
gorgonzola or shropshire blue
brie or taleggio

sweet

strawberries
bing cherries
honeycomb
grapes
fresh figs
fig jam

savory

prosciutto
sopressata
marinated olives

crunchy

seedy flatbread
sliced baguette
breadsticks
fried marcona almonds

fresh

sliced radish
sugar snap peas



Directions:

Arrange it all on a pretty board and go to town!

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I appreciate you so much!

Now that I’ve rambled on about my favorites, tell me yours! There are so many excellent rosés out there and I wish I could get my hands on all of them.

Leave a comment with your favorite rosé (or two?) because I have a huuuuge notes section in my phone filled with rosés to try when I travel. And I’m going to use this comment section as a resource!

Why can’t every day look like this.

The post 10 Rosés I’m Drinking This Summer. (And a Cheese Board, Of Course!) appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Grilled Chicken Strawberry Poppyseed Salad.

Here’s a sneak peek into my lunch world.

Because I cannot stop eating this strawberry poppyseed salad! I mean, I am eating it every day. It is to die for. Delicious. So fresh. Satisfying but not heavy. Major flavor bomb. And it’s also kind of a copycat panera strawberry poppyseed chicken salad. Secrets!

We’ve developed a once-a-week habit of going to (or bringing home) Panera because Max is obsessed with bagels at the moment. Like, they are probably his favorite food right now and for those of you with toddlers, if there is a favorite food that isn’t mac and cheese or hot dogs… we are ALL over it.

I didn’t eat at Panera for YEARS. I mean, maybe ten-ish years? After college, I burned myself out on it and wasn’t really interested in the options. I don’t love deli meat or cold sandwiches and for a long time, the salads were sad. Just couldn’t do it!

But then Eddie started grabbing lunch there occasionally and would mention it. And once Emilia was born, I think that is when we started getting it once a week or every other.

And while I’d love to get a massive bread bowl of soup every single time, it is super heavy and not really conducive to hot summer weather.

Enter that freaking strawberry poppyseed salad. It is SO good. Sometimes I get the strawberry poppyseed salad on its own. Sometimes I get the strawberry poppyseed salad with chicken. Even better.

There has never been a more SUMMER meal than this.

Now I will say! It is sweet. It is a really, really sweet salad. I practically feel like I’m eating dessert. It has strawberries, blueberries, oranges and pineapple. Plus a fairly sweet poppyseed dressing that I added lime and orange to. If you’re someone who wants more savory? This probably isn’t for you.

HOWEVER. It tastes insanely fantastic if you want a refreshing, fruit-based salad for summer.

The balsamic chicken grills up perfectly and tastes like heaven. It adds the best savory bite and I usually don’t even care about chicken. You could easily add shrimp or salmon too. A million options here for you bored millennials like me.

I could eat bowl after bowl after bowl of this salad and you can bet that I will for the rest of the season.

We went strawberry picking this past weekend and the abundance of fresh, wildly sweet strawberries makes me so happy. And believe it or now, more so than cobbler, this salad is my favorite way to consume the red gems.

I don’t even know me!

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Grilled Chicken Strawberry Poppyseed Salad

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 45 mintues

Ingredients:

1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
4 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
2 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
8 cups torn butter lettuce
1 1/2 cups strawberries, sliced
1 cup sliced pineapple
3/4 cup blueberries
3/4 cup mandarin oranges

citrus poppyseed dressing

3 tablespoons champagne vinegar
1 tablespoon orange juice
1/2 lime, juiced
1/4 cup honey
1 shallot, diced
1 garlic clove, minced
1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/2 cup olive oil or grapeseed oil



Directions:

Place the chicken in a baking dish or a resealable bag. In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar, garlic, salt and pepper. Pour it over the chicken and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes or even overnight.

Heat your grill to medium-high heat. Grill the chicken for 5 to 6 minutes per sides. Let it rest for a few minutes before slicing it thinly.

In a large bowl, toss the butter lettuce with a pinch of salt and pepper. Add in the strawberries, pineapple, blueberries and oranges. Toss well. Add the chicken on top and drizzle on the dressing to serve.

citrus poppyseed dressing

Combine the vinegar, orange juice, lime juice, honey, shallot, garlic, mustard powder, salt and pepper in a food processor and blend until combined. With the processor on, stream in the olive oil until the dressing is emulsified and comes together. Stir in the poppy seeds with a spoon and serve. This stays great in the fridge for a few days!

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I appreciate you so much!

Please please please please please go make this for lunch. K thanks bye!

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Tuesday Things.

1. In looking back at old blog posts (embarrassing!) from 2011 and 2012 last night, I was sooo full of wishing that blogging/instagram was sharing real life moments all the time again. It’s so old school but I can’t stop doing that here on my crumbs section! Sometimes I feel like I’m living in 2009 with my posts. HA.

2. Not sure I’ve ever seen such an amazing strawberry shortcake. Insane.

3. In typical iPhone fashion, my camera is on the fritz soooo I need to think about a new one. The 8? The X? Give me your thoughts! I have a 7plus and love the size so I’m leaning towards the 8plus.

4. When I was planting some flowers Sunday night, I found huuuuge ant hills in some of my pots. Like the teeny ants, but millions. I mean, zillions. And it reminded me of this recurring dream I used to have as a kid where I would wake up and look across the room and see thousands of ants crawling up my closet door. And last night that’s all I could think of and my skin is still crawling! Ick. Going to have to move.

5. Billions was SO good this week. That ending with Taylor? Oh my gosh. And Lara and Bobby? This freaking cast is so good. And I’m freaking out for the finale next week. Oh oh! Do you know what else I watched that I thought was really cute? Splitting Up Together. Adorable. Annnd I’m so ready for Pacey in The Affair.

6. Insanity that it’s the 20 year anniversary of Sex and The City. And because of that, I can’t stop reading all the anniversary articles.

7. Did you guys see the spelling bee last week?! I pretty much hold my breath every time someone has to spell a word and it gets worse as the competition dwindles. I can’t even imagine being one of the parents! See also: those words were insane. Spelling was my strongest subject in school (hello, math is the worst) but those words? I was clueless.

8. Very much in love with Rachel’s idea of a dress code. Love.

9. Sometimes I sit and smell the perfume bottles in my beauty “pantry” to remind myself of certain moments. Why yes, I would be the queen of procrastination. And nostalgia! Really though, what did middle school smell like for you? For me, it was Elizabeth Arden Sunflowers.

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Crispy Chickpea Wedge Salads with Avocado Ranch.

Making you dinner tonight!

A crispy chickpea wedge salad is on the menu and it.is.perfection. Perfection, I tell you!

I know that I might be in the minority, but I LOVE iceberg lettuce. Not necessarily in a sad chef salad (which always reminds me of school cafeteria food), but as a wedge or a lettuce wrap or something, I just find it super refreshing. And hydrating!

And that crunch. Oooh that crunch. As a texture freak, it’s a must.

So a wedge salad is something I’m all over. The layers that you cut through and crunch through. It’s just so good! The dressing gets in all the lettuce nook and crannies and it is just so delicious. I have no other words – it’s delicious.

Here’s the thing. Of course, I’ll always be the first person to order the wedge with bacon and tomatoes. It’s a dream. But since I’m the predictable millennial who is always bored and must try new things? Well. I’m always going to try new things!

And this salad is an amazing new thing!

Okay okay, the crunchy chickpeas aren’t new at all. I’ve been making them for years! I make them to eat as a snack, to put on salads, to put in wraps – we just love them. So even though I practically consider it to be sacrilegious, I replaced crispy bacon with crispy chickpeas! They are so satisfying and filling that I knew I could actually turn this wedge into a full blown MEAL with them.

A light, lovely summer meal. I mean… maybe with dessert?

But anyway,  I also drizzled on an avocado ranch. That’s not new at all either. I make it all the time! I don’t love regular ranch but I freaking adore avocado ranch. Weird stuff.

Lots of fresh herbs on top too because it’s that time of year. I am soooo thrilled it’s that time of year. I’m practically using all my herbs already. Ooomph. Must grow more.

And finally some diced radish. For a bite and for color. Because… hot pink.

So here’s the thing. I have lots of recipes for the avocado ranch and lots of recipes that use crispy chickpeas. I suggest that when you plan to make this recipe, take a look at those other recipes and make them in the same week. That way, you can have extra avocado ranch for another weeknight meal (like these chicken skewers!) and chickpeas on another salad or in a pita or something. Double duty and no waste!

Now isn’t this just a perfect Monday? All those exclamation points are deserved.

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Crispy Chickpea Wedge Salads with Avocado Ranch

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

2 cans chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 tablespoon olive oil
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 large head iceberg lettuce, quartered
1/3 cup diced radish
3 tablespoons chopped chives

avocado ranch

1 ripe medium avocado
1/3 cup plain greek yogurt
2 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley
2 tablespoons freshly chopped dill
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon worcestershire sauce
1/2 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon onion powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper



Directions:

Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.

Place the chickpeas on a paper towel and pat the as dry as you can. Remove any loose skins.

Put the chickpeas on a baking sheet and drizzle with olive oil or the oil of your choice. Sprinkle on the salt, pepper, paprika and garlic powder and toss well to coat. Make sure the chickpeas are in a single layer. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, toss well and flip, then bake for about 15 to 20 minutes more.

This might make more chickpeas than you want to use – if so, keep them in a sealed container and you can reuse them! They will lose their crunchiness, but still taste delish.

To assemble the salads, slice the head of iceberg into quarters. Place each on a plate and cover it with salt and pepper. Drizzle with the avocado ranch. Sprinkle on chickpeas, radishes and chives. Serve!

avocado ranch

Combine all ingredients in a food processor and blend until creamy, scraping down the sides occasionally when needed. Taste and season additionally if desired. Store avocado ranch in a seal-tight container for 1 to 2 days.

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Ooooh that crunchiness.

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