Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 399

Tuesday Things.

1. The post vaca hangover but fortunately (unfortunately?) it’s nothing Target can’t cure. Are you team vaca or vacaY, with a Y? I’m the first, for no other reason except for hating change.

2. Pretty sure that I’m making these chocolate chia hemp bars tomorrow. Love!

3. For one of the first times in my life, I woke up the night we returned home and had NO idea where I was. Three other times I woke up and thought we were still in our boyne city condo. It was like an out of body experience and so weird.

4. Speaking of waking up, I stayed up until 3:30AM on Sunday (totally could not afford to do this) reading It Ends With Us after Kristen recommended it. I had to be up at 6, and it was SO worth it. I absolutely could not put the book down. I’m going to do a post here shortly of the books I’ve read recently.

5. Speaking of waking up again, I need to get my ish (

6. I’ve been giving Eddie so much crap about watching WWE the last two days (on apple TV, whyyyy) and then continued to do so last while I had on Bachelor in Paradise. Biggest hypocrite ever? I think so.

7. Aside from our embarrassing late night TV choices, I’m sooo sad that the Olympics are over! We aren’t currently watching anything, but I’m eagerly waiting for Masters of Sex to come back. I’m also feeling a good old SATC binge.

8. Whyyy don’t I do this exact to-do list hack every single day? That’s it. I’m starting now.

9. I’m by noooo means ready for pumpkin dessert or fall things but I kinda, sorta, maaaaaaybe want to burn a fall candle. SHAME.

Marinated Tomato Peach Salad with Herb Butter Toast.

I told you that I will call anything a salad.

Anything!

Soooo. Reality is setting in.

Reality is setting in that we’re back from vacation and no longer is it acceptable to eat ice cream before dinner (or let’s be real – just FOR dinner) and hollandaise-smothered everything for breakfast.

It’s quite depressing, not to mention that the only thing my taste buds seem to be screaming is GIVE ME SUGAR! This salad should do the trick, right?

Ha. Hahahahaha. That’s my mantra on many Mondays (alliteration anyone?) and while sometimes I make a killer one that does do the trick, I still want to eat thirty handfuls of granola while cooking dinner and maybe one (I mean three) chocolate chip covered peanut butter spoons before bed.

I bet you don’t know anything about that.

Marinated peaches and tomatoes though – swimming in a briny mixture that tastes so delicious I could drink it, if only because I’m a vinegar freak – bring me back from the brink of walking off the plank into sea of all the sweets.

Even for me, there’s enough sweetness here that I don’t really want the last Tom’s Mom’s cookie hanging out on our counter.

(Not really, but YOU KNOW.)

Um, how insanely gorgeous are these little heirloom tomatoes?

Again, I just want to eat them because they are so pretty.

Oops, also. I’m forgetting one important thing. The freaking buttery, herby baguette toast.

You didn’t REALLY think I’d just have some marinated tomatoes and peaches and call it a meal, right?

This crunchy on the outside, soft on the inside rich and buttered toast is so flavorful and gives a wonderful texture to this bowl of summery produce. I adore the combination and it adds the perfect bite to the meal – something a little extra to feel satisfied.

This week seems better already!

Marinated Tomato Peach Salad with Herb Butter Toast

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:

2 pints of heirloom cherry tomatoes, jalved
2 peaches, sliced
1 large shallot (or 2 small), thinly sliced
5 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons white balsamic vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon dried oregano
2 tablespoons fresh basil leaves
2 tablespoons fresh oregano leaves

herb butter garlic toasts

1 baguette, sliced into rounds
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon dried basil
2 teaspoons freshly grated parmesan cheese



Directions:

In a large bowl, place the tomatoes, peaches and shallots. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, garlic, salt, pepper and oregano. Pour the dressing over the salad and toss well (but gently!) to coat. Place the salad in the fridge for 30 minutes.

Remove the salad and top with fresh basil and oregano. Taste and season additionally if needed. Serve immediately with the toasts.

herb butter garlic toasts

Preheat the broiler in your oven to the highest setting. Place and oven rack about 6 inches underneath it.

Slice the baguette into rounds. In a bowl, stir together the softened butter with the garlic salt, oregano, basil and parmesan. Spread the butter on the baguette slices. Place them on a baking sheet and set under the broiler, just for 2 to 3 minutes until golden and toasty. WATCH them the entire time!! Broilers can burn the bread quickly, so keep an eye on the bread and remove it if needed.

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!

Only thing missing might be some chickpeas!

Honey Glazed Chicken Quesadillas with Peach Guacamole.

[This post is brought to you by Pernod Classic – I’m working with them to create a few recipes this summer with their delicious liqueur! Stay tuned for more deliciousness and thank you so much for reading! xoxo]

Look at this burning stack o’ love!

Cheesy, melty, filled with goodness and a perfect way to cap off the summer. There is nothing else I want to share with you right now. Except perhaps a cocktail.

This is the second recipe I’m sharing in partnership with Pernod Classic. I’m loving this liqueur more and more by the day – the recipe ideas I have right now are endless. Two weeks ago we used it to deglaze a pan of honey-coated chicken and it’s probably my favorite use yet.

It adds SUCH a ridiculous amount of flavor. Can’t even take it.

Quesadillas are one of those things that we always forget about here until we have a lot of leftovers and absolutely NO idea what to do with them.

It almost always happens as such: Eddie and I will go back and forth on what the heck we should have for dinner, we can’t think of anything but we have lots of leftover chicken. I quickly throw together quesadillas five minutes before he gets home and with one bite, we’re both like WHY don’t we have these more often?

Late 2016 goal: have them all the time.

Good news! If you don’t have any leftover chicken, you can make a delicious version super quickly right on your stovetop. I chopped up a chicken breast and cooked it in a touch of butter and honey and then deglazed the pan with Pernod Classic, which added a very slight, almost spiced anise flavor. It added a pop of something that an otherwise boring chicken quesadilla just needed, you know?

Sidebar: Max never stops asking for “deeee-yas” now (I usually make his with cheese and chopped veggies) and it’s the cutest thing ever. Another reason to make more quesadillas, obviously.

Inside, I added some melty Monterey jack cheese, some quick salsa and a chopped up peach. It tastes like summer and not only compliments the Pernod, but also compliments the peach guacamole.

YES.

Can you even?

We are talking fresh peach guacamole, made completely with some sweet onion, jalapeno, cilantro, lime juice and cotija cheese.

Just give me a spoon please and thank you. I don’t even know if I need a chip!

Honey Glazed Chicken Quesadillas with Peach Guacamole

Yield: serves 2

Total Time: 30 minutes

Ingredients:

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, chopped into 1-inch pieces
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper


2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 teaspoon olive oil
2 tablespoons honey
¼ cup Pernod Classic
1 cup freshly grated Monterey jack cheese
1 peach, chopped
½ cup sweet corn
4 flour tortillas
butter for the pan

peach guacamole

2 avocados
1 peach, peeled and chopped
1 jalapeno pepper, seeded and diced
¼ sweet onion, diced
3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
2 limes, juiced
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon pepper



Directions:

Heat a large skillet over medium- high heat. Season the chicken with the salt and pepper. Add the butter and olive oil to the skillet. Once melted, add the chicken and cook until golden on all sides – cook for 5 minutes, then flip and toss and cook for 5 minutes more.

Drizzle the honey over the chicken and toss. Turn the heat down to medium. Add the Pernod to deglaze the pan, tossing the chicken well.

To assemble the quesadillas, add some cheese on the bottom of the tortilla. Fill with half of the chicken, half of the peach and corn. Add another sprinkling of cheese and the top tortilla. Repeat with remaining ingredients.

Heat either the same skillet or a large griddle over medium heat and add a touch of butter to coat the bottom. Place the filled tortillas on the surface and cook until the tortilla is golden and crisp and the cheese is melted.

Slice and serve with the peach guacamole and a drizzle of crema.

peach guacamole

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

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!

Who am I kidding. Of course I need a chip.

Boyne City Travel Diary, Part 2.

More of our trip! You can find part 1 here of my favorite place. xoxoxo

 

[BBQ chicken salads on the beach * the best iced latte from the stained cup * pizza from wood fired up pizza truck * melt-in-your-mouth whitefish from cafe sante] 

Currently Crushing On.

HI! We are venturing home from vacation today (saddest face ever) and I’m being a whiny brat about it. I hate to leeeeave. Growing up, this trip signaled the end of summer and the start of school. While summer won’t be ending for me for another month, I miiight buy some school supplies and fall candle to feel a little better?

What are you up to this weekend?! I’ve been totally out of the loop all week!

AND. Here’s a video peek at how I make my most favorite kale caesar salad with greek yogurt dressing. We eat this at least once a week! And another video of my favorite summer skillet gnocchi!

faves of the week:

fruit loops french toast!!!!! this is a thing.

how absolutely stunning are these peach tostadas?

guys. this rainbow cake. this rainbow cake!!

adorable blueberry blackberry turnovers.

for all!

brilliance is a cheddar snow brunch cake.

on my menu this week is a strawberry and herbed rice salad.

freshly squeezed mimosa cupcakes. oh heck yes.

loving the sound of this arugula and pickled radish salad.

a spicy peach rosé granita. wow wow wow.

the prettiest little blueberry almond tea cake.

always craving some avocado, tomato and goat cheese toast!

copycat krispy kreme donuts. is this real life?

perfect slow cooker BBQ spare ribs!

finish off summer with these roasted peach and salted caramel pops.

Boyne City Travel Diary, Part 1

Otherwise known as… the vacation of Max? I just can’t help it! My favorite baby in my favorite place.

If you’re a longtime reader, then you’ll know that we head to Boyne City, Michigan every summer. My dad’s grandparents lived there and we’ve been going my entire life. As usual, I’m going to do a bunch of photo dump posts, but next week, I’ll share a video of our trip! For years, you guys have been asking for my favorite places and suggestions, and I’m going to put everything in one big post for you. I love that so many of you have traveled here too and reached out to me about your trip!

Scroll down to the bottom for details for post-specific details! And most of the pictures in this post were taken with my samsung nx300 (with the 30mm lens), aside from a handful of iPhone photos.

P.S. if you need to smile, click here.

[salad & pizza from 7 monks taproom * cherry donuts from friske orchards at the boyne city farmers market * BLAT sandwich from lake street market * ice cream from kilwins * cappuccino from cafe sante]

Chipotle Candied Bacon and Smoked Blue Cheese Pizza.

On a garlicky herb crust!

That’s a mouthful. In the best way possible. Are you ready to be flavor punched in the face?!

Here’s the rundown:

crispy, candied, spicy bacon bits.

blankets of melty, smoked blue cheese.

lots of fresh herbs.

a thin and crispy crust! studded with herbs and garlic and lots o’ love.

How am I even still aliiiiive?!

GUYS THIS PIZZA.

No seriously. This pizza.

It is like… wowza. There are no words. It doesn’t seem like much, based on two ingredients and all, but it has so much ridiculous flavor. So much that I just keep repeating myself and have no idea how to explain just exactly how phenomenal this tastes. Annoying.

It’s my at-home version of a local bar/restaurant’s pizza, one where I don’t necessarily prefer to frequent unless I’m getting this pizza every single time. It also comes in a salad version and – um – hello, I think I might remake that for the blog too while I’m at it.

This is a double duty pizza for me. It makes for an AWESOME appetizer for happy hour, a dinner party or small gathering with a few cocktails. You can even slice it in to little squares and take it to parties come holiday season. (what. no. not yet.)

My point is that it is just SO versatile.

It’s also hearty enough to be your MEAL meal. Your pizza meal. I like it with a little salad – something wacky about the pizza and salad combo, right? It’s fantastic. Cold, crisp and refreshing meets warm, rich and hearty. It would probably be my last meal request. If we’re being real.

Also. If I’m being REALLY real. You might want to make two. Two pizzas. For two people. Maybe. I mean… it’s that good.

Chipotle Candied Bacon and Smoked Blue Cheese Pizza

Yield: makes one 10 to 12 inch THIN pizza

Total Time: 45 minutes

Ingredients:

8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
2 teaspoons brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon chipotle chili powder
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 ounces fontina cheese, freshly grated
8 ounces smoked blue cheese, plus extra for topping (my favorite brand is rogue creamery)
fresh herbs for topping

crust

1/2 cup lukewarm water
1/2 teaspoon active dry yeast
1/2 teaspoon honey
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon italian seasoning

 

Directions:

Place a pizza stone inside you oven on the middle rack. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F. You most definitely need a pizza peel for this - or at least something to easily transfer your dough to your stone.

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until some of the fat has rendered but the bacon is NOT crispy yet. In a bowl, whisk together the sugar and chili powder. Sprinkle it over the bacon and toss and stir. Cook until the bacon is just STARTING to get crispy - you do not want it very crispy at all or else it will burn in the oven. But you do want the fat released. Remove the bacon with a slotted spoon and place it on a paper towel to drain any excess grease and slightly cool.

In a large bowl, mix together the water, yeast and honey. Let that sit and get foamy, about 10ish minutes. During that time, measure out and prep your ingredients - because this dough doesn't have to rise! You want everything measured out and ready to top so you can quickly transfer the dough to the stone.

After 10 minutes, stir the flour and salt into the yeast mixture. Stir until the dough comes together, first using a spoon and then using your hands. If the dough is REALLY sticky, use a little more flour until it becomes silky, adding 1 tablespoon of flour as needed. Flour your workspace and knead the dough a few times with your hands. Let it sit for a few minutes while you finish making the bacon or prep the pizza dough.

Roll the dough out as thin as you possible can - at least 10 inches. If the dough keeps springing back, let it rest another 5 or 10 minutes. Flour your pizza peel VERY well. To transfer the thin dough to your peel, I gently and quickly fold the dough in half and then in half again, pick it up, and unfold it on the floured peel. Quickly add your toppings. Brush the dough with olive oil. Sprinkle the fontina cheese on the dough as a "base" cheese to help everything stick. Add on the bacon and the blue cheese crumbles (I use about all but 1 ounce, save it for topping) evenly.

Open the oven and gently slip the pizza from the peel to the stone - I use a spatula to help if needed. Bake the pizza for 10 to 15 minutes - just keep and eye on it since the oven is so hot and stones can differ. It will be done when the crust is crispy and cheese is golden.

Remove the pizza by sliding it back onto the pizza peel with the help of a spatula. Let the pizza cool for a few minutes before slicing. Top with the extra blue cheese and fresh herbs. Serve immediately!

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!

Crunch.

Rainbow Coconut Smoothie Bowls.

A RAINBOW! We’re eating a rainbow.

I don’t think it’s any secret that for me, this is the year of the smoothie bowl.

Which makes me a complete and utter hypocrite.

A few years ago I thought these were ridiculous – ludicrous, pointless and such a waste of time – why not just DRINK your smoothie?

I know.

I KNOW. Right.

You’re probably thinking that exact same thing right now.

I’m here to convince you otherwise! Maybe.

It’s probably because it’s summer and super hot outside and frosty bowls covered in fruit are fun to eat for breakfast. I think that’s what sold me.

The obvious key is that the smoothie has to be THICK. Like spoon-able. Think Wendy’s frosty consistency. Man, I haven’t had one of those in years and for some reason, right now it sounds excellent. Perhaps I should cover that with rainbow fruit and pretend it’s breakfast?

When it IS thick and slightly resembles soft serve, it’s such a treat. Especially if you’re a fruit freak like I am. Depending on your blender, you may need to play with frozen banana/coconut ice cube amounts until your get that perfect consistency. Since I started kneeling at the altar of the Vitamix a few years ago, the recipe below makes it creamy and thick every single time.

This coconut smoothie is fantastic on it’s own, even if you don’t want to cover it with an almost Lisa Frank-style rainbow of fresh fruit. Coconut milk ice cubes, coconut milk, shredded coconut, frozen bananas and even coconut meat (I find mine at whole foods!) are blended together to taste like a tropical paradise.

YES you can most likely leave out the bananas – it may be a bit less frosty-like and not quite as sweet, but it’s doable.

Most importantly though: doesn’t everyone want to eat fruit when it’s done up ROY G BIV style? I mean, I hope so.

Rainbow Coconut Smoothie Bowls

Yield: serves 1 or 2 (depending on how hungry you are!)

Total Time: 20 minutes

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut milk
2 frozen bananas
1/2 cup coconut milk ice cubes
1/2 cup frozen (or fresh!) coconut meat (I find frozen at whole foods)
2 tablespoons hemp seeds
2 tablespoons shredded, unsweetened coconut
1 teaspoon honey

for the rainbow fruit: (it's totally up to you!)

red: strawberries, raspberries, pluots
orange: peaches, mango
yellow: banana, pineapple
green: kiwi, fresh mint
blue: blueberries
indigo: dark plums
violet: blackberries, black raspberries
shredded coconut for topping



Directions:

To make the coconut milk ice cubes, fill an ice cube mold with coconut milk! Freeze overnight. Slice and prep your fruit before you make the smoothie.

Blend together the coconut milk, bananas, coconut milk ice cubes, coconut meat, hemp seeds, shredded coconut and honey. You want it to be thick so it can be scooped into a bowl, much like an acai bowl or banana "ice cream." This works best with a high powered blender.

Once the smoothie is in the bowl, layer on your fruit in the rainbow pattern. Cover with shredded coconut. Serve immediately!

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!

Since it’s Thursday, do we add a splash of rum?

Summer Shrimp and Charred Corn Pasta Carbonara.

I’m hereby declaring this my favorite meal of the summer!

Except for garden-fresh tomatoes. And burrata. And anything that remotely resembles some version of caprese. And fresh, buttery lobster rolls.

But other than that, THIS is the meal of the summer!

Yes, it’s carbonara, but it’s totally light and delightful. You just need a small serving. It’s super satisfying and tastes INCREDIBLE. With a salad to start and an ice cream cone to finish, there is no other meal needed to get you through the end of August.

The shrimp? It’s cooked in a touch of the bacon fat. The charred corn is tossed along with those crunchy bacon pieces and ridiculously flavorful shrimp, mixed with whole wheat spaghetti and the parmesan + egg mixture.

It’s rich. It’s pretty! It’s embarrassingly easy to make on a weeknight too.

I love making carbonara in our house because even with just the bacon alone, Eddie considers it a full meal. I mean, that’s huge. The fact that there is no chicken or steak in traditional carbonara? And he still deems it acceptable? Big win. Yes, we are still talking about this in 2016. I live it every day.

Soooo – he obviously went super crazzzzy over this version with shrimp. Starting eating it straight out of the pan the moment he got home from work and all that jazz. We actually ended up having a huge fight about it, which is kind of hilarious now. Sort of. I made him sit down and eat dinner while listening to some Steve Tyrell and watching Max throw his shrimp all over the floor.

It was the most romantic ever.

Summer Shrimp and Sweet Corn Pasta Carbonara

Yield: serves 4

Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

8 slices thick-cut bacon, chopped
1/2 pound raw, peeled and deveined shrimp (I love to use the big "grilling shrimp")
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon pepper
3 ears sweet corn, grilled or roasted
1 pound whole wheat spaghetti or thin noodle of your choice
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 large eggs
1 1/2 cups freshly grated parmesan cheese, plus extra for topping
2 tablespoons freshly snipped chives
fresh basil and oregano for topping



Directions:

Bring a large pot of water to a boil first for your pasta. While it's heating, start the bacon.

Heat a large skillet over medium heat and add the bacon. Cook until totally crispy and the fat is rendered. Remove the bacon from the skillet with a slotted spoon. Carefully transfer all but about 1 tablespoon of bacon fat to a bowl and set it aside. Keep the skillet over medium heat.

Pat the shrimp completely dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle the shrimp with the salt and the pepper. Add it to the bacon fat and cook, tossing often, until the shrimp is pink and opaque, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the shrimp to a plate.

For the corn, you can either grill or roast it, use leftover corn, or prepare it the day before. You don't need to char it if you don't have time, either! To grill, I heat my grill on the highest heat and once hot, place the corn on direct heat, tossing often, for a few minutes until charred. To roast, I heat the oven to 425 degrees F and toss the corn occasionally on a baking sheet for about 20 minutes or so. Slice the corn from the cobs once finished.

(As a note, keep an eye on your pasta water and begin cooking it soon.) Whisk together the eggs and grated parmesan.

Add the bacon fat back to the skillet. Heat the skillet over low heat. Add the garlic cloves and stir, cooking for a minute or so. Add the spaghetti to the skillet and toss it well in the bacon fat. Remove the skillet from the heat. Pour in the egg/parmesan mixture and stir and toss quickly and constantly to create a creamy sauce, tossing for 3 to 4 minutes or so. Add in the bacon, shrimp and corn. Sprinkle with chives, basil and fresh oregano. Sprinkle with extra parmesan too. Serve!

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!

I would sell my soul for that bowl.

Tuesday Things.

1. Toast marshmallow s’mores ice cream. Hello, I’m alive!

2. Yesterday I spent AT LEAST 20 minutes trying to get on (and, well, STAY on) one of those huge inflatable swans in the middle of the lake. I swear it is absolutely impossible from the middle of the water. I must have flipped off that thing 25 times and was caked in sand. Bonus is that I haven’t laughed that hard in forever.

3. Now that we’re in the thick of it, which do you choose: instagram stories or snapchat? I miss the face filters (and, um, so does Max), but I’m instagram stories all the way.

4. We haven’t even turned on the TV while on vacation, aside from a few Olympic events. GAH. I love watching them so much. I practically bawled when Aly Raisman cried the moment she finished her floor routine. Simone is amazing. So much love. Katie Ledecky is ridiculously inspiring. I love this.

5. Excuses you tell yourself and learning from them. Ohhhh I need this.

6. Eddie bought a drone, and I am 100% terrified every time he puts the thing in the air to take a video. It’s like having a fear of heights and just watching it happen. I’m convinced it’s going to fall right out of the air.

7. Planner lovers! What planner are you loving for 2017 (or the 2016 fall start)? You know I’ve been a Day Designer planner hoarder for the last few years, but I might be switching to only bullet journaling. Unless there is something cool and new and amazing that I have to try, per your suggestion .

8. Do you think that any kids today still pass old-fashioned notes in class? Do they play MASH with paper and pencil or is there totally an app for that? (And if so I’m downloading it right now.)

9. Icecreamcation. It’s a thing.