Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 363

July 10, 2017

Pulled Chicken Guacamole Sliders with Grilled Corn Pico.

We are talking summer on a bun here, people!


pulled chicken guacamole sliders with grilled corn pico I howsweeteats.com


These pulled chicken guacamole sliders are to DIE for. And topped with a grilled corn pico de gallo, which is just… pico de gallo… tossed with grilled corn. I mean, it is flavor city. A sandwich piled high with all of the summer things I love at the moment.


We are finally reaping the benefits of some summer gardens here – the corn and tomatoes right now taste SO fresh and sweet and it’s only highlighting what is turning out to be such a fun summer. Max is a little fish this year and wants to swim every day, so we’ve been spending lots of time doing that, tending to our own garden (where I just BROKE one of my tomato plants in half, waaaah!), watering plants and hosing each other down with squirt guns. It has been such a perfect month so far!


pulled chicken guacamole sliders with grilled corn pico I howsweeteats.com


I’m dyyyying to know how your summer is going. I’m having a small meltdown that school supplies are already popping up at Target (even though I’m totally #schoolsupplies for life!) and trying to relish each day and complete all the summer bucket list things.


Which is totally ridiculous since my schedule stays the same ALL THE TIME.


pulled chicken guacamole sliders with grilled corn pico I howsweeteats.com


Sooo wondering what is on these babies?!


What we have here is beer braised chicken, similar to the chipotle chicken right here in these tacos. I LOVE making chicken this way. It’s super flavorful and never gets too dry. It’s easy to pull and you can toss it with all sorts of spices and other ingredients. It doesn’t involve eight hours in a slow cooker either – you can even make it tonight when you get home from work!


Winnnnnning.


pulled chicken guacamole sliders with grilled corn pico I howsweeteats.com


This is one of Eddie’s dream meals, minus the guac. I KNOW. So very depressing. We simply leave the guacamole off of his sandwiches and that means more for mine, so I’m not complaining too much.


But these!


They are super filling and such a lovely dinner idea if you’re over burgers at the moment. You could even use pulled pork if you have it on hand. So many options here.


pulled chicken guacamole sliders with grilled corn pico I howsweeteats.com


ALSO. Important things in summer: they are one of those meals that is so loaded and packed that you don’t necessarily NEED a true side dish. I mean, I think some chips or a salad work perfectly. Next to a beer, for optimum flavor success.


pulled chicken guacamole sliders with grilled corn pico I howsweeteats.com


And if you’re really feeling it, you could also put this whole gigantic mess in a taco! I’m loving the sandwich right now (baby sliders so we all can eat more please!) but a tortilla would be equally as perfect.


Then in that case, it would require a margarita. Adjust accordingly!


pulled chicken guacamole sliders with grilled corn pico I howsweeteats.com





Pulled Chicken Guacamole Sliders with Grilled Corn Pico




Yield: serves 4 to 6




Total Time: 1 hour




Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken thighs
1 teaspoon chili powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1 lime, juiced
3/4 cup of your favorite beer
slider buns for serving

quick guacamole



2 avocados
1/2 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
¼ sweet onion, diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, juiced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper

grilled corn pico de gallo



2 ears of corn, grilled and kernels cut from the cob
1 cup fresh pineapple cubes, diced
1 pint cherry tomatoes, quartered or diced
1 jalapeño pepper, seeded and diced
1/2 sweet onion, diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
1 lime, juiced
salt and pepper to taste



Directions:

Place the chicken in a dish or resealable plastic bag and cover it with the salt, pepper, chili powder, smoked paprika, garlic powder and cumin. Add in the lime juice. Marinate for 30 minutes.


Heat a large oven-safe skillet over medium heat and add the oil. Add the chicken and sear it on both sides until it's deeply golden brown. Pour in the beer and let it cook down almost halfway.


Transfer the skillet to the oven and cook for 15 to 20 minutes, just until the chicken is cooked through. Remove the skillet and using forks or kitchen tongs, shred the chicken and toss with any of the juices and beer in the skillet.


To assemble the sliders, add the guacamole on the bottom of the bun, top with the chicken and then add on the corn pico. Serve!


quick guacamole


Mash the avocado in a bowl. One mashed, stir in the pepper, onion, cilantro and lime juice. Add in the salt and pepper and mash. Taste and season additionally if needed.


grilled corn pico de gallo


Combine all the ingredients together in a large bowl and stir. Let sit for 30 minutes or so for the flavor to develop.








Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag your recipes with #howsweeteats! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page. I appreciate you so much!


pulled chicken guacamole sliders with grilled corn pico I howsweeteats.com

p.s. make extra guac too, please. Of course!


The post Pulled Chicken Guacamole Sliders with Grilled Corn Pico. appeared first on How Sweet It Is.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on July 10, 2017 03:45

July 9, 2017

Boyne City Travel Diary 2017, Part 2.

boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


More crazy photos from my favorite place! To see part 1, click here.


How INSANE was this sunset? At least once when we are there every year, the entire sky and lake are hot pink and purple. No filters needed!


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com

boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


I’m super weird about sweets when I’m pregnant (like, I don’t want them at ALL) and the same goes for ice cream. I really just wanted soft serve, had a tough time finding it and when I finally did and asked for rainbow sprinkles (like the eternal 13 year old that I am), the kid asked if I wanted them on top or INFUSED. Infused?


I went with it! It was odd. But interesting.


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


More tacos from The Cantina in Charlevoix! So so good and their elote was amazzzzing.


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


How do I even handle having my heart outside of my body like this? I cannot.


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


Cherry donuts from Friske’s, which I look forward to everrry year and now have Eddie obsessed with as well. Too bad I’m not into sweets!


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


Somewhere over the rainbow. It was perfect!


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


Despite all these sunny beach pictures, our weather that week was pretty horrible. Really cold (like in the 40s, 50s and sometimes 60s), when the sun came out, it was still only about 62 degrees and it was sooooo windy.


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


Love the moodiness though.


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


This was fried halloumi with strawberries, mangos and cilantro, sort of like a salsa. Oh man, it was HEAVENLY.


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


The chilly weather didn’t stop this lovebug from going into the water almost every day! He would be freezing the minute he’d get out, but my brother was a trooper and would take him in and stay in with him for 30 or 45 minutes. Super cute.


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


boyne city travel diary I howsweeteats.com


My all-time favorite ice cream in the universe is Kilwin’s chocolate peanut butter. It (sort of) changed my weird pregnancy ways.


The post Boyne City Travel Diary 2017, Part 2. appeared first on How Sweet It Is.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on July 09, 2017 18:46

July 8, 2017

Currently Crushing On.

currently crushing on I howsweeteats.com


HI! Happy serious summertime! I mean, here we are. In the THICK of it. I’m loving it.


What are you guys up to this weekend?! We have a birthday party and some other fun things on the agenda. Hopefully some swim! Max is a little fish these days.


I shared a TON over on crumbs this week! My june beauty favorites, june lifestyle favorites and the first photo diary of our vacation last week. Later this week, I’m sharing a pregnancy update on the baby page!


Favorites this week from around the web: 


majorly craving this frozen mint lemonade.


creating healthy eating habits. i love tracy so much.


whoa whoa whoa! cheesy savory oatmeal. can you do it?!


how stunning are these nectarine chili mojitos?


this coconut cashew kale salad is right up my alley.


how to host the most epic pizza party. i’m game.


small batch cheesecake that looks insaaane.


love the idea of lavender bedtime milk. basically obsessed.


mini skillet chocolate chip cookies. not hating this at all.


have you even tried a sabich? i want to.


helllo classic shrimp macaroni salad.


crazy amazing: strawberry black peppercorn italian cream sodas.


The post Currently Crushing On. appeared first on How Sweet It Is.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on July 08, 2017 03:45

July 7, 2017

Strawberry Pizza with Bacon and Caramelized Onions.

I’m putting strawberries on your pizza and don’t even be mad about it.


strawberry pizza I howsweeteats.com


I know exxxxactly what you are thinking when it comes to this pizza. WELL THAT’S JUST WEIRD.


Right? I’m sure weird has crossed your mind, at the least. Probably other interesting words that I could list if I had a thesaurus.


But hear me out. I thought the same thing at first too. In fact, in took me a few days to come around. Let me tell you the story!


strawberry pizza I howsweeteats.com


Every year when we come back from northern Michigan, I’m insanely inspired to make a few dishes that I had and this past trip was no different. I almost always recreate something that I’ve eaten at Café Sante. Like, always. We stay in walking distance from the restaurant and in previous years, we’ve eaten a meal there EVERY SINGLE DAY.


It’s just so freaking good.


SO! That’s what happened again. On our first night there, I saw that there was a strawberry pizza on their specials menu. They feature a produce-special each month and I was super excited we were going in June since 1. I’m obsessed with all things strawberry and 2. It had been over ten years since we were there in June, so I never had their June menu! YES these are the insane things I think about.


strawberry pizza I howsweeteats.com


Anyhoo. I saw that pizza and was like… huh. That’s weird. Like really weird. I don’t think I can do it. Not in the mood. Strawberries in a savory salad, yes, but on my pizza? Meh. Not into in.


Um. Well. The moment that we left? I regretted my no-pizza decision. Don’t get me wrong, the meal I had was amazing but I couldn’t get the freaking pizza out of my head. I was obsessed with the idea. To a crazy extent.


We didn’t make it back until the end of the week and I got the pizza.


OH


MY


GOSH.


strawberry pizza I howsweeteats.com


It was one of the best, most memorable things I have ever eaten. I was so mad that it was our last night because it meant that I couldn’t take the leftovers. UGH. The flavor was just absolutely insane. It was also almost a fork-and-knife pizza because it was so loaded with ingredients and strawberry balsamic, but once it cooled, the slices were easy to pick up.


And that is how this pizza came into my life.


The moment I got home it was the first thing on my list to make, and make it I did. AND IT TASTED JUST AS GOOD. I had jotted down the ingredients list on the menu but was afraid some secret thing would be missing from the list. Nope nope nope. Pretty sure we nailed it here.


strawberry pizza I howsweeteats.com


Here’s the rundown!


The cheese is mostly ricotta but there is also some mozzarella mixed in. Super creamy and wonderful.


There are caramelized onions that I LEGIT caramelized for over an hour. Super sweet and caramely and wonderful. And they are not too sweet, because…


There is also bacon on the pizza! Now, bacon and I are having a weird thing this pregnancy. I mean, I’m normally fairly picky about bacon and I want it to be super crispy but at this stage in my life I cannot even begin to stomach slightly uncooked bacon. Like chewy pieces that someone would put on pizza, UNDER the ingredients, so it doesn’t crisp? Oh hell no. Get it away from me.


Therefore, I made sure to crisp my bacon up first before it went on the pizza. Lots of flavor!


Then strawberries, of course.


strawberry pizza I howsweeteats.com


BUT. The best part might be the strawberry balsamic drizzle that I made from scratch so it would be super flavorful. It was SO good. Super briney and tart drizzled over creamy cheese and smoky, crunchy bacon and sweet onions and strawberries. WHAT.


It’s a flavor lover’s dream come true! Trussst me.


strawberry pizza I howsweeteats.com





Strawberry Pizza with Bacon and Caramelized Onions




Yield: makes 1 pizza, serves about 4




Total Time: 2 hours




Ingredients:

dough



1 1/8 cups warm water
3 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 tablespoon honey
1 tablespoon olive oil
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt

pizza



8 slices bacon, chopped
1 sweet onion, thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 cups ricotta cheese
6 ounces mozzarella cheese, freshly grated
1 pint strawberries, hulled and halved
2 tablespoons freshly grated parmesan cheese
fresh basil and oregano for topping

strawberry balsamic reduction



1/2 cup chopped strawberries
2/3 cup balsamic vinegar



Directions:

In a large bowl, combine water, yeast, honey and olive oil. Mix with a spoon, then let sit until foamy, about 10 minutes. Add in 2 1/2 cups flour and salt, stirring with a spoon until the dough comes together but is still sticky. Using your hands, form the dough into a ball and work in the additional 1/2 cup flour, kneading it on a floured surface for a few minutes. Rub the same bowl with olive oil then place the dough inside, turning to coat. Cover with a towel and place in a warm place to rise for about 1-1 1/2 hours.


While the dough is rising, heat the bacon in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Cook until semi-crispy and the fat is just rendered, then remove it with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel to drain any excess grease. Keep the skillet over low heat and add the sliced onions. Toss well, adding another pinch of salt. Cover and cook until caramelized, stirring occasionally and making sure the onions are burning, for 45 to 60 minutes. Halfway through the caramelization process is when I stir in the garlic.


After the dough has risen, punch it down and place it back on the floured surface. Using a rolling pin or your hands, form it into your desired shape (sometimes I use baking sheets and do rectangles or free form pizzas - this specific dough will yield one pizza large enough to feed about 3-4 people) and place on a baking sheet or pizza pan. Place the towel back over the dough and let sit in the warm place for 10 minutes.


Heat the oven to 425 degrees F. (If I use my pizza stone, I heat my oven to 475 degrees and bake for 15 minutes. If you're just using a baking sheet, follow the directions below for baking and set to 425 degrees.)


Begin to make your pizza! Cover your dough with the ricotta and mozzarella cheeses. Evenly disperse the halved strawberries, caramelized onions and bacon. You can drizzle a little of the balsamic reduction on now too, but I also like to put it on after.


Bake for 20 to 25 minutes (or around 15 to 20 minutes if using the pizza stone) until the cheese is golden and bubbly. Remove from the oven and top with a sprinkle of parmesan, fresh basil and oregano. Devour!


strawberry balsamic reduction


Place the chopped strawberries in a food processor or blender and blend until pureed.


Heat the strawberries and balsamic vinegar in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Allow the mixture to come to a boil, then immediately reduce to a simmer. Simmer until the mixture reduces by half of the amount - about 8 to 10 minutes. Set it aside and let cool until ready to use. Be sure to watch this carefully so it doesn't boil over!





[inspired by cafe sante]






Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag your recipes with #howsweeteats! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page. I appreciate you so much!


strawberry pizza I howsweeteats.com

NOW do you get me?!


The post Strawberry Pizza with Bacon and Caramelized Onions. appeared first on How Sweet It Is.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on July 07, 2017 03:45

July 6, 2017

Boyne City Travel Diary 2017, Part 1.

boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


Here’s a peek at some of our vacation pics from Boyne City! Indulge me while I use this as a personal journal to dump tons of photos of my favorite place and my baby in my favorite place.


Most of you know that we go here every year, so it’s not anything too new! Last year we made a little video and listed some of our favorite places, and since we do a lot of same things on this vacation that we’ve done my entire life, I figured doing one again would be too repetitive. Lots of sunsets and lake pics, per usual. 


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


Here’s my favorite lovebug in my favorite place, for real. I could take pictures of him looking out at the water allll day. And, um, maybe I did. He adores the water and the boats!


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


Also why have I never had this drink before? Oh my.


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


First macaron for the win!


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


And a new restaurant in Charlevoix that we LOVED, The Cantina. So good we ate there twice.


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


One of my favorite parts of this trip was that Max napped on my, while soaking wet and wrapped in three towels, multiple times. Twice on the boat and on the beach! I loved it because even though he is a huge cuddler, he doesn’t fall asleep on me anymore. So sweet.


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


First crepe too! Banana and nutella. I had this exact crepe three years ago when I was pregnant with Max and it was the turning point in my life for liking nutella.


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


Bumps and hugs.


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


boyne city 2017 I howsweeteats.com


The best. xoxox


The post Boyne City Travel Diary 2017, Part 1. appeared first on How Sweet It Is.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on July 06, 2017 18:56

Sparkling Peach Cider.

GUESS WHAT. I made us a summery peach drink!


sparkling peach cider I howsweeteats.com


AND. This is a booze-free peach cider! Booze free, guys. No rum. No wine. No rosé. Just delicious (for lack of a better word) sparkling peach cider that everyone can enjoy.


I KNOW. I won’t be mad if you add a little bourbon.


But trust me. It will disappear either way.


sparkling peach cider I howsweeteats.com


This peach cider came about when we were on vacation because it popped into my head and I could NOT stop thinking about it.


Well, not just really popped into my head. We would be driving down the road and I’d keep seeing signs for peach cider. Like non-alcoholic peach cider. And that sounded SO incredibly wonderful to me in the moment. I NEEDED the peach cider in my life. Instantly. And I have not been a weird craving person this pregnancy.


Spoiler alert: I didn’t get the cider on the side of the road.


sparkling peach cider I howsweeteats.com


I did something better and made it at home.


So! Here’s how it went down. I followed this recipe for pear cider that I made back in the fall, but I decreased some of the spice because I didn’t want it to taste too fall-like. I used one cinnamon stick and a split vanilla bean for lots of wonderful vanilla flavor.


This can be a PROCESS. Well, scratch that. It is a process. It’s a mostly hands-off process, but I simmered the cider for around 3ish hours so the maximum flavor was really there. It’s worth it! I promise.


sparkling peach cider I howsweeteats.com


Once the cider was seriously peach infused, I allowed it to cool, doubled strained the solids (lots of vanilla bean remains which I think is cool because you see the little vanilla flecks!) and mixed it with a sparkling soda. OH MY GOSH.


This is so refreshing and wonderful. Plus, with all the extra fruit it’s like a non-alcoholic sangria. Freaking love.


sparkling peach cider I howsweeteats.com


You can add whatever the heck you want to this because it’s super peachy. Raspberries and cherries were in my fridge and about to lose their luster, so in they went. Other fruits will slightly flavor the drink, but nothing like the peach base! And fresh mint is a given because it lends a light, refreshing taste and in a weird way reminds me of peach lemonade. You can also add different italian sodas to mix fruity flavors. FUN.


So these are your weekend plans now, right?!


sparkling peach cider I howsweeteats.com





Sparkling Peach Cider




Yield: serves 6 to 8




Total Time: 4 hours




Ingredients:

8 whole peaches, cut in half (pit removed)
1/2 cup brown sugar
1 cinnamon stick
1 vanilla bean pod, split open
3 to 4 cups soda water, or peach soda, or citrus flavored soda water
fresh cherries and raspberries for garnish
fresh mint for garnish
frozen peach slices for serving (and keeping it cold!)



Directions:

Combine the peaches, sugar, cinnamon stick and vanilla pod in a large stock pot and cover with water. You want the water to be about 2 inches higher than the peaches. Bring the mixture to a boil, reduce it to a simmer and cook for 1 hour uncovered. After 1 hour, you can mash some of the peaches (they will just fall apart). Cover the pot and simmer for another 2 hours.


After 2 hours, let the mixture cool. Strain it through a fine mesh sieve (I did so twice) to remove the solids. Some of the solids may remain. You can strain it through cheesecloth one more time if you'd like! At this point, stick it in the fridge so it chills. It's great warm, but since it's summer, we want it to be COLD.


Before serving, mix the peach cider with the soda water or peach soda (if you can find it). You can also use any other flavor of soda or seltzer you'd like. To serve, add in extra fruit (like cherries or raspberries) and use frozen peach slices as your ice cubes. Garnish with fresh mint.








Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag your recipes with #howsweeteats! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page. I appreciate you so much!


sparkling peach cider I howsweeteats.com

And yes I guess you can add a bottle of wine in there too!


The post Sparkling Peach Cider. appeared first on How Sweet It Is.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on July 06, 2017 03:45

July 5, 2017

June Favorites: Lifestyle.


Below you can find all the non-beauty items that I’ve been loving in June. Lots more to come in July! Let me know what you’re loving below. Especially books! xoxo


The Identicals! SO GOOD. Ahhh. I read Elin Hilderbrand’s new book and finished while on vacation (with the B&N version that has a bonus chapter at the end) and just loved it so much. Such a good story. Definitely my favorite book of the entire month! If you guys are still searching for things to read, check out my summer reading list.


La Colombe Draft Coffee. My cousin told me about this coffee and how great it was over ice. I ended up grabbing one while running errands one day (I’ve been mostly off coffee and not feeling it lately!) and drank it straight. I’ve been in LOVE with it ever since! I love having them on hand if we are going somewhere in the morning. And it IS great over ice. My favorite is the vanilla, but I refrain from buying it often since I really don’t need a ton of sugar in a drink. I’d rather eat my sugar. YOU KNOW. I really want to try the coconut milk version of this too.


Another drink that I’m still loving (and always loving) is the Kevita Masterbrew Kombucha. The lavender melon flavor is my current fave. I have been replacing my coffee in the morning with this and while I’ve drank it for years, can’t seem to stop raving about it.


For my TV favorite this past month, I have to give it to Bloodline even though I was sort of disappointed with the ending. I just LOVE watching the show (and hello, Kyle Chandler) so much and was still so invested in the storyline. I wish it could continue and that it hadn’t really jumped the shark, but I still like the show and think it’s binging capabilities are great.


Luluka Disc Lariat Necklace. I’ve bought necklaces from this brand on etsy before and love them SO much. This is the one I’ve most recently purchased and I’ve just been living in it. I’ve mentioned before that these are similar to the super pricey Lana Jewelry line, which I adore. I definitely believe in investing in jewelry (especially at my age, ha!), but when it’s so delicate and something I’d like to wear every day, I just can’t justify that price when babies/toddlers would be grabbing it and ripping it off my neck. This one is SO pretty and everyone asks about it!


This was the month of some new pajamas for me. I grabbed a few things from Gap Body when they were having a sale and always forget how soft and wonderful their stuff is. I love these scoop neck camis and basically everything from the pure body collection. I also LOVE these crop pajama pants from Target which would normally not be anything I’d buy, but grabbed on a whim. They are so comfortable and soft!


Lilly Pulitzer Sloan V Neck Dress. My sister-in-law wore this dress for her baby shower and looked amazing. I don’t need any maternity clothes because I have a ton from when I was pregnant with Max since I went on my book tour at that time. However, they are mostly fall clothes. I still love regular clothes from lululemon and athleta and can make most of those things work at this point. I bought this dress in a different print in midi version (that now I can’t find to link!) and it’s SO stretchy and wonderful. Lilly stuff is so long that it’s also nearly a maxi on me. I love that I can wear it now but can easily wear it next summer and when I’m not pregnant too! When I posted this on insta stories, so many of you asked about it. The colors are just bright and fun and perfect for summer.


Ambitious Kitchen’s Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies. I cannot even tell you how much we love these. We make them ALLLLL the time. No, we are not paleo but something about the cookies is just so good. They don’t taste like a traditional chocolate chip cookie but they are delicious. I love the texture from the almond flour. Also, they are VERY filling – like one cookie is very filling.


This Elan V Back Cover Up. This isn’t something I’d probably buy when not pregnant, but figure it would be the perfect cover up since it’s flowly and free. I like having a maxi dress swimsuit cover up option and the one I’ve been using is probably close to ten years old from Target and practically falling apart. It’s the one with the ruffles at the top that I bet many of you have, haha. Anyhoo, I love this Elan one and it’s SO comfortable. It does run really big though!


Marc Fisher Wedges. Pretty sure I have mentioned this three or four times in my favorites in 2017 but these shoes are SO COMFORTABLE. I can wear these for hours, walk in them comfortably and not feel like I’m going to fall on my face. I just love them so, so much. I also really like how they look with jeans too, though I’ve mostly worn them with dresses.


This perfect panzanella salad. This is the BEST traditional tuscan panzanella salad I’ve ever had. In fact, I’m making it for dinner again tonight. We adore it and it’s great for summer tomatoes.


[none of this is sponsored, just like to talk about things that I discover and love over the month. i purchased everything myself unless it was a gift from a family member or friend. tell me your faves! there may be a few affiliate links above. love love.]


The post June Favorites: Lifestyle. appeared first on How Sweet It Is.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on July 05, 2017 14:13

The Best Sour Cherry Galette!

It’s serious cherry pie season!


the best sour cherry galette I howsweeteats.com


And if you’re anything like me and can’t make a pie to save your soul (#truth), then a galette is necessary. A sour cherry galette, to be exact. The best one ever!


It’s a lofty claim, but someone has to make it.


the best sour cherry galette I howsweeteats.com


To say that I am ob.sessed. with sour cherries would be a major understatement. Two words, that obsession is. It formed later in life, which is sad because Mother Lovett used to make cherry pies all the time, way back when I could care less about pie.


BUT. There is something about making pie (or something very pie-like) yourself that makes you like pie. You know? Like, all that hard work with the crust and the filling makes you more deserving. Makes you more hungry. Makes you craaave the pie.


the best sour cherry galette I howsweeteats.com


I can never find sour cherries around me – it’s such a short window and the few places that stock them? I always inevitably miss the stocking which quickly sells out. I’ve make a sweet cherry pie before with bing cherries, which I still absolutely adore, but it’s NOT THE SAME.


Sour cherries are just… sour cherries. They cannot be substituted!


Err, well, they totally CAN, but they don’t taste anywhere near the same.


the best sour cherry galette I howsweeteats.com


So I was super excited this year when I found a local farm near me had freshly frozen sour cherries. I bought FOUR pounds then went back and bought four more. It’s really not as many cherries as you think, I swear.


I mean, it’s not like I’m having a difficult time shoving normal things in my freezer or anything. At all.


the best sour cherry galette I howsweeteats.com


Aside from wanting to take these babies and throw them in milkshakes and smoothies, I’ve made two galettes so far with my favorite crust. To me, the galettes are even better than pie. It’s kind of like you get MORE crust because you get the crust that folds over and the bottom crust. The tanginess of the cherries is perfection with the buttery, flakey crust.


the best sour cherry galette I howsweeteats.com


Only one thing can make the situation better. It begins with an ice and ends with a cream.


the best sour cherry galette I howsweeteats.com


Truly, this was like my taste buds’ dream come true. There is texture – flakey crust that has a crunch from the raw sugar. Tangy yet sweet cherries that pop in your mouth and are blanketed by a syrupy deliciousness.


What else do we even need?


the best sour cherry galette I howsweeteats.com


And then the freaking vanilla ice cream, which melts and streams through the cherries. Ice cream rivers are where it’s at. It’s the ideal balance for the cherries. There is a reason vanilla ice cream was made. And it’s for THIS.


the best sour cherry galette I howsweeteats.com


If I can do it, you totally can do it. No excuses!


the best sour cherry galette I howsweeteats.com





Sour Cherry Galette




Yield: serves 4




Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes




Ingredients:

crust (this makes enough for 2 galettes, so stick one in the freezer!)



4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon sugar
3 teaspoons salt
1 large egg, lightly beaten
1 teaspoon white vinegar
1/2 cup ice cold water
1 1/2 cups cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces (3 sticks or 24 tablespoons)
raw sugar for sprinkling
for brushing: 1 egg + a few drops of water, beaten together

filling 



2 pounds sour cherries (fresh or thawed)
1/3 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons butter, cut into pieces
vanilla ice cream for serving



Directions:

crust


Add the flour, sugar and salt to a food processor and pulse just until combined. In a small bowl, whisk mix together the egg, vinegar and water. Add the cold butter pieces into the food processor and pulse until small coarse crumbs remain. Sprinkle the water/egg mixture over the flour and pulse again until the dough comes together.


Remove the dough with your hands and wrap it in plastic wrap. This dough makes enough for 2 galette crusts, so separate it into 2 sections now, - or separate it after it's refrigerated. Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes. Freeze one of the other balls of dough!


After 30 minutes, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.


filling 


Place the cherries in a bowl. Toss with the sugar, cornstarch and salt, making sure to coat all the cherries. Drizzle in the vanilla extract and toss.


Remove one of the crusts from the fridge. (The other is good for another week or so, or it can be frozen.) Roll one of the pie crusts into a... "rustic" shape - no shape necessary really - until it is about 1/4 inch thick. Place the dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Places the cherries in the center leaving a 2-inch+ border of crust.


Once the cherries are placed, fold the crust over top of them. Brush the crust with the beaten egg wash. Sprinkle it with the raw sugar. Bake the galette until the crust is golden, about 40 to 45 minutes.


Remove it and let cool slightly, then slice. Serve warm with vanilla ice cream.








Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag your recipes with #howsweeteats! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page. I appreciate you so much!


the best sour cherry galette I howsweeteats.com

Just looking at this baby thrills me.


The post The Best Sour Cherry Galette! appeared first on How Sweet It Is.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on July 05, 2017 03:45

July 3, 2017

Our Favorite Summer Pool Snack Mix. {Video!}

The best pool party snack mix?! WELL. Here is it!


{video!} our favorite summer pool party snack mix I howsweeteats.com


I’m popping in super quick today over this long holiday weekend to share one of my favorite, albeit embarrassingly easy, summer snack mixes!


Now here’s the thing, for my entire life (aside from the last three years!) we went to the Jersey Shore every June. We’d spend entire days at the beach until we were exhausted from the sun, then make our way up to the pool where we would stay until 7 or 8PM before deciding on dinner. In this early evening pool time, we’d all be STARVING from a full day on the beach and my uncle would throw together all the snacks in the condos in one giant bowl.


I have no idea why, BUT IT TASTED SO GOOD.



{video!} our favorite summer pool party snack mix I howsweeteats.com


I mean, it was nothing special. It was always a mix of popcorn, pretzels, chips – super snacky foods that were salty and savory and just hit the spot while we were probably wildly dehydrated from the hot day. The biggest thing here is NO chocolate. Nothing melty. Nothing that causes a mess when the temperature is hot.


As a horrifying side note, we actually love this trashy snack mix (I just took a tub of it to the pool yesterday!) but only if I don’t have a handful of random snacks to throw in a bowl.


{video!} our favorite summer pool party snack mix I howsweeteats.com


This mixture that I’ve put together here is the perfect combo of sweet and savory. And spicy! Just a little heat. It’s crunchy and perfect and I beg of you to put a bag of it together before your next pool day.


My favorite part? The dried green beans! I adore them, as they are both salty and sweet. And just so crunchy.


We have traditional cheese crackers like Cheez-Its (a must), pretzel sandwiches (with cheddar, though peanut butter is a perfect option too), popcorn (butter or kettle, yep yep!), wasabi peas (which are usually tolerable and not too hot) and honey roasted cashews.


So heck yes! Have a happy 4th of July and take some dang snacks to the pool or beach.


{video!} our favorite summer pool party snack mix I howsweeteats.com





Summer Pool Snack Mix




Yield: serves a crowd for snacking




Total Time: 10 minutes




Ingredients:

4 cups popcorn (buttered or kettle, depending on your preference)
1 1/2 cups pretzel sandwiches (cheese or peanut butter filled)
1 /2 cups cheese crackers
1 cup dried green beans
1 cup honey roasted cashews
1 cup wasabi peas



Directions:

Combine all the ingredients in one big bowl or ziplock bag and drag it all down to the pool! YES PLEASE.








Be sure to follow howsweeteats on instagram and tag your recipes with #howsweeteats! You can also post a photo of your recipe to the howsweeteats facebook page. I appreciate you so much!


{video!} our favorite summer pool party snack mix I howsweeteats.com

P.S. this combo tastes amazzzzing with ice cold beer.


The post Our Favorite Summer Pool Snack Mix. {Video!} appeared first on How Sweet It Is.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on July 03, 2017 03:45

July 2, 2017

June Favorites: Beauty.

Happy July!


june beauty favorites I howsweeteats.com


Here are alllll the things I’ve been loving in June. I went a little nuts with a few makeup things this month for that summery bronze feel. I want to be so bronzey and glittery and for my face to scream SUMMER.


And! If you guys also use the Macadamia Oil hair products (I’ve used those for over 3 years now), since they changed the line, I don’t know which conditioner is which? I’ve always used this deep repair masque (as my conditioner!) so is it now the ultra rich moisture masque? I’m guessing yes. And I’m still totally loving that Briogeo Scalp Revival Shampoo. I’ve been using it once a week!


Also! Total random note but last month, the It Cosmetics CC illuminating cream basically just stopped working for me. I think my skin is way too dry for that thick texture. I’ve still been using the Bare Minerals Complexion Rescue daily and since I’ve had on more self-tanner, have just been using that if I have somewhere to go later in the day too!


Now for this past month…


june beauty favorites I howsweeteats.com


Jouer Skinny Dip eyeshadow palette. This is apparently the month of Jouer for me! I’ve never bought any makeup (aside from a tinted moisturizer years ago) from the line but have seen it for years on youtube. The moment I saw this palette, I was hooked. I do not know what came over me. I HAD to have it! I knew it would be more glittery than I’ve been wearing lately, but I could care less – it’s summer! The shades are amazing. My favorite shade (bikini) is probably the least pigmented, but it is still so good. Absolutely love it. I’ve been wearing it more for going out. At the end of the night, there is a leeeettle bit of glitter fall out on my face. Nothing horrible.


Jouer lip topper in Skinny Dip. I bought this as a bundle with the palette and am absolutely obsessed. Yes it is glittery and sparkly but it smells amazing and isn’t thick and tacky on the lips. I have been loving it by itself or on top of lipstick. PERFECT summer beachy shade!


Jouer powder highlighter in Skinny Dip. Um, can you tell I REALLY bought the whole bundle? Also completely obsessed with this highlighter. It’s a bit dark for my skintone, especially once my self-tanner has worn off, but if I wear it lightly on my cheekbones and it can be both a highlighter and blush. Absolutely gorgeous and so summery. Only thing I’ve been wearing on my face this month!


june beauty favorites I howsweeteats.com


NARS Orgasm lipstick. June was apparently the month of impulse purchases for me too. I went to Sephora with my cousin one night with no intentions of buying anything and fell in love with this. I had seen reviews and was completely uninterested but in person I was wowed. It is SO gorgeous. Such a lovely summer shade. It’s exactly like the blush, which I haven’t worn in years, but am now inspired to pick back up. I also might grab the liquid blush in orgasm too!


Sunday Riley Flora Oil. This is nothing new, in fact I’ve been using it for nearly 1.5 years now in place of the Luna Oil as I was trying to get pregnant. It’s my second bottle and a daily staple for me at night. I love this stuff, but the main thing I’m using it for right now? I’m actually putting it UNDER my eyes before I do my makeup! I saw this tip on instagram and it has been life changing for me. My skin on my face is so freaking dry, especially under my eyes. This is a lifesaver. (annnnd I just realized I forgot to put this in the photo! Ack! It was packed in a different part of my suitcase because it’s glass and I totally forgot to get it out when I took these pics as soon as I got home.)


june beauty favorites I howsweeteats.com


Tarte Make Believe in Yourself Eye Palette. I hadn’t been to Ulta in months. Like MONTHS. This was another impulse purchase (ugh!) – and I even brought the reviews up on my phone after looking at it in the store. Some were amazing, some were so-so. Usually not good enough for me to buy a palette. But I kept swatching this in the store and could not stop thinking about it! I have worn it nearly every single day since I bought it. I absolutely LOVE all the shades. And while this is more colorful than the Jouer palette above, it’s not bright nor nearly as glittery (it’s just more shimmer) so it works for daytime! And you don’t get glitter on your face. P.S. it’s also on sale right now, so probably about to be gone.


Supergoop Sunscreen Mousse SPF50. I love this so much more than I anticipated! It’s light and a little bit goes a long way. Used it all over my body on vacation and it’s perfect. Feels like nothing on the skin.


june beauty favorites I howsweeteats.com


So! That was my crazy June with buying makeup. I also actually bought TWO more palettes that I don’t even need but couldn’t resist on that same night in Sephora when I bought the lipstick. Both Anastasia palettes (the glow kit and the aurora glow) but I’ve had so much other stuff to try out that I am still deciding if I love the two. And basically, I’m not buying anything else until the VIB sale in November! (RIGHT?)


What are you loving right now?


{as usual, none of this is sponsored and all of these products were purchased by me. i am not affiliated with any of the companies above, nor do i accept free products. just love to talk about what i like, makeup junkie to makeup junkie. there are some amazon and general reward style affiliate links above. thank you for being here!}


The post June Favorites: Beauty. appeared first on How Sweet It Is.

 •  0 comments  •  flag
Share on Twitter
Published on July 02, 2017 03:45

Jessica Merchant's Blog

Jessica Merchant
Jessica Merchant isn't a Goodreads Author (yet), but they do have a blog, so here are some recent posts imported from their feed.
Follow Jessica Merchant's blog with rss.