Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 6

A Week In The Life, Vol 35.

Happy labor day!

We had such a full week to end summer – unofficially of course.

The view out my kitchen window!

Started out the week with a flat tire… whomp whomp. I think it’s my 6th or 7th with this car. Like how?!

Spent lots of time this week swimming! Coming home after school and jumping in the pool is very refreshing for them.

Cheering on his siblings at cross country.

The happiest runner ever.

We went to Cleveland to celebrate my niece’s birthday.

Had a blast!

Max went to the savannah bananas game!

Cutest ever.

Scoot scoot.

Fresh pesto.

Quick lunch Eddie requested that I mostly burned on the grill!

Labor day with our fam.

baby Lucy!

Our weather has been so cool and I love it.

Cutie girls.

The kids hit golf balls for hours.

Heels and a dress!

Favorite girl.

Jordy was very into it too.

So was Lucy!

We adore her.

Cousins!

They declared this ice cream cake the best they’d ever had.

Today we hung out and swam and did no labor!

Well, they did no labor! Their parents on the other hand…

The post A Week In The Life, Vol 35. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

42 of Our Favorite Game Day Recipes!

There’s a ton of amazing football season recipes here for you: snacks, dips, pulled pork, salads, treats, cocktails and more. Everything that is easy to make and serve for game day entertaining.

Football food is back!

It’s the best time of year! The games, the weather, the FOOD, all that jazz!

For years, I shared a huge list of our favorite “football foods” on Labor Day! Think, a big recipe guide so you could have everything you’d want to make throughout the football season, right on one page. It’s been a few years since I’ve shared one, so today I thought it would be great to show you my absolute go-tos when it comes to fall game day entertaining. The best of the best.

Regardless of if you actually want to watch the game or just enjoy the snacks, these are my top picks!

42 Football Season Recipes

(more…)

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What To Eat This Week: 8/31/25.

A few final summery meals this week!

What’s on your menu this week?!

What To Eat This Week

Summer bucatini with no cook tomato sauce

Crispy potato taco bowls

Black bean burger bowls

Sheet pan shrimp and rice

Pesto bucatini pie

Cheeseburger puff pastry pizza 

Summer tortellini chicken salad

Peaches and cream baked oatmeal cups

The post What To Eat This Week: 8/31/25. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Currently Crushing On.

Happy long weekend!

This week on the blog, I shared this sheet pan summer shrimp and rice. I also shared this summer bucatini with no cook tomato sauce! And the final summer fridays post of the season.

Here are my August favorites.

If you haven’t joined my substack newsletter yet, you can do so here! I also have shared all our favorite back to school items here.

There’s a new menu for the week and a new peek inside our everyday life.

You can find all my favorites in my amazon store front and LTK shop!

Thank you for continuing to make the launch Easy Everyday absolutely amazing . If you haven’t got your book yet, you can order here! xo

WHAT I’M LOVING THIS WEEK

Apple cider mulled wine sounds incredible.

I need this chile relleno soup.

Grilled chili lime chicken! Yum yum.

Craving this crab rangoon. OMG.

Minestrone soup for the win!

This coffee smoothie is calling my name.

Oven fried fish is the best ever.

Yes to pumpkin whoopie pies!

Bakery vanilla cupcakes that look amazing.

How cute is this dirty martini party?!

S’mores date bark! OMG. I need this.

Making this lemon chicken orzo for dinner.

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

Summer Fridays, Vol 14.

It’s our last summer fridays of the year!

EATING

All the labor day weekend recipes. A slider bar! A hot dog bar! This zucchini ricotta galette. And my zucchini lemon puff pastry! And this fig burrata caprese.

DRINKING

My september sangria! Also, my red apple cider sangria is the best ever.

MAKING

My bourbon caramel mascarpone apple dip! And my melted zucchini baked ziti. And salted honeycrisp fritters.

BAKING

If you have pumpkin on the brain like me, this chai pumpkin crumble bread. Oh my yum.

CRAVING

My caramelized onion dip. It’s truly elite!

GRILLING

My grilled chicken vodka pasta. And loaded grilled potatoes – perfect for the weekend.

SNACKING

On my apple oatmeal breakfast cookies.

LISTENING

To this cozy autumn playlist. Playing it on repeat!

READING

Started My Favorite Lost Cause yesterday!

PLANNING

All the back to school dinners. I love meal planning in a new year!

WEARING

The we the free cardi all week because it was COOL here! It has felt amazing. And this is like wearing a blanket. As with most free people, size way down.

SHOPPING

As soon as September hits, I’m in my espresso chocolate brown era. I love this new sequoia color from lululemon (and my fave pants!)! And varley does chocolate SO well too. And naghedi came out with chocolate bags! How do they all know me so well? A marketer’s dream.

LOVING

This dedcool xtra milk fragrance. If you like unisex skin scents (think 11:11), this is right up there with that. It’s wonderful! I’m also really liking this innisfree sunscreen in the glowy finish. Anything that doesn’t migrate into my eyes is a win.

SHARING

My August favorites with you! I also have a whole list of favorites for skin flooding, fall entertaining and fall must haves.

BUYING

I just got the crown affair overnight repair hair serum. I love everything from crown affair so I have high hopes.

CELEBRATING

The end of another summer fridays season! As the sun sets on this season, I can’t believe we’ve done it for so many years. It’s wild how time flies – I feel like I just wrote the first post of the summer and had so much fun to look forward to. Now we are wrapping up August and I’m ready to tell you happy holidays, that’s how fast it goes! If you love summer fridays, head over to my substack! I share a similar friday newsletter every.single.week and a monthly love letter that is exactly like this. Thank you so much for being here!

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August Favorites.

A peek at everything I loved in August 2025!

FOOD

Sourdough pretzel rings. I am not a pretzel person but my kids are. Well, these have made me a pretzel person. Absolutely delish!

Wildgrain. I mentioned in my substack that I got a wildgrain box and we really love it. The sourdough, croissants, cookies and english muffins have all been so good.

Trader Joe’s chocolate gummy bears. I never thought I enjoyed chocolate gummy bears until these. Ooooh they taste amazing.

My chicken caesar wraps. I’ve made them so much this summer!

HOME

Floating command shelves. We’ve been loving these for the kids’ rooms. They are so sturdy and the perfect size for them. I wish I knew these existed earlier!

Ooni stack bowls. I LOVE these. They are technically for dough proofing for the ooni oven but I use them to store all sorts of things! Ingredients in the fridge, prepped things for cooking, etc.

Costco outdoor table set. We bought this table in April – I was in costco and sat in it and was instantly hooked at how comfortable it is. The chairs are unbelievably comfortable!! Everyone who sits in them can’t believe it. And they are bar height so they are a little easier for our older family members to sit in too. They also swivel. I am ready to order a second table for our deck because we moved this one to the pool!

BEAUTY

Educated Mess vitamin C serum. I think this has officially replaced the skincueticals vitamin c for me. I love the texture and it’s so brightening!

Prequel half and half moisturizer. I don’t even know how to explain this – it’s like a milky moisturizer and the texture is wonderful. I use it every which way: under sunscreen, under makeup, as a moisturizer under a thicker one, over and under my retinol. It’s amazing.

Cyklar vanilla body wash. This body wash smells incredible and is so moisturizing. Like a rich vanilla but not sickly sweet.

Haruharu wonder daily sunscreen. I am loving EVERYTHING from this brand (the barrier essence is incredible) and this sunscreen is fabulous. I think it might even replace my favorite beauty of joseon. So great under makeup, no breaking out, etc. The texture is wonderful.

FASHION

Rhone mirage half zip. This is going to be my summer-to-fall staple. It’s so thin and lightweight but lays so nicely. I absolutely love it. I got it in black and white!

Frame le palazzo crop jeans. My favorite jeans ever – but the crop is like a regular jean on me. Love them. They are so stretchy and comfortable.

Aerie offline wide leg pants. These are exactly like some foldover yoga pants I had in college and I’m obsessed. So cozy and perfect for lounging.

MEDIA

The Summer I Turned Pretty! It will forever be a comfort show for me. I love it. And yes I read the books years ago!

A Song To Sing by Miranda Lambert & Chris Stapleton. Ugh! I just LOVE this song. I can listen to it on repeat 50 times. It’s so good.

Wild Dark Shore. Definitely my favorite of the month. Heart wrenching, wonderful, suspenseful – everything.

KIDS

Kids swim fins. We got these in two sizes and they are the hit of the summer. It’s so cute seeing how fast the kids can swim with them on! They love them.

Twisty pets bracelets. Just going to say it: my kids love junk. Like junky fun from five below, target dollar spot, etc. We try to limit it but these are SO cute – I bought one as a back to school treat for Emilia and Jordan immediately wanted one too, so we ordered a 3-pack. They’re a hit, very fun and cute!

Cooling towels. These have been a MUST for my kids during running season! They run cross country and it’s been hot as heck here. It’s amazing how much these cool you down. These and the neck fans are staples once the meets start.

[none of this is sponsored, i just love to tell you what i love every month! there are a few general affiliate links above! xo]

The post August Favorites. appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Summer Bucatini with Marinated Tomatoes.

We love this pasta with no cook tomato sauce! Juicy marinated tomatoes with lots of basil and garlic are tossed with hot pasta. Add on some shaved parmesan and you have the perfect summer pasta dish!

This is the ultimate summer meal! 

Juicy marinated tomatoes with tons of garlic and basil are tossed with hot pasta and lots of parmesan cheese. It’s garden fresh while being cozy and comforting. And it’s a great way to usher in a new season in just a few weeks!

Plus, we’re all drowning in tomatoes right?!

They are so fabulous this time of year. The little red jewels are so flavorful and sweet. They only get better when marinated. I mean, why bother cooking them?! I don’t want to ruin their summer perfection at the moment. 

And let me tell you: this is coming from someone who is not a top-notch tomato lover. Like, I usually don’t get tomato on my sandwiches or burgers. So if I like these marinated tomatoes in my pasta, everyone will. 

This whole thing starts with… the marinated tomatoes of course! 

I first shared these tomatoes in one of my substack newsletters months ago. I’ve been making them for years and tossing them in hot pasta and it’s one of eddie and my favorite meals. And they couldn’t be easier. All you need is time.

Yes, time. Because you have to let them sit and hang out on the counter for a few hours. I’ve probably used them before within 30 or 60 minutes because I am not exactly the picture of patience. But they truly are better when they sit for the whole time. 

Into the marinated tomatoes go: 

Cherry tomatoes

Lots of minced garlic 

A touch of crushed red pepper

And sugar! 

Olive oil

Balsamic vinegar

And fresh basil

Mix that all up and cover the bowl. Let it sit for four to six hours! YES YES YES.

Four to six. It really makes a difference. Just let them chill on the counter all day while you work or do whatever else it is that you have to do. 

Next, when it comes time to eat, boil some pasta. You really can use any cut of noodle that you enjoy, but a traditional long noodle is my favorite. Bucatini is always the first choice over here!

You could also do a classic spaghetti or angel hair. 

Toss everything together – place the hot noodles right on top of the tomatoes. Then mix mix mix!  (more…)

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Tuesday Things.

1. I’m dying to make this snickerdoodle zucchini bread!

2. Have you heard of a teddy graham latte? I think it’s made with brown sugar and honey?

3. Secrets of the best espresso martini.

4. I am verrrry excited that the pumpkin cream cold brew is back. And all the pumpkin things. But mostly all the apple cider things. Apple cider is ELITE.

5. Also I am getting so many christmas decor emails (insanity) and the problem is that I want my house to looks *exactly* like that and *exactly* like it threw up christmas everywhere. Too soon?!

6. How mindfulness breaks bad habits.

7. TV things!! I’m excited Platonic is back – it’s funny. TSITP is my focus at all times now. I am like a desperate teenager!

8. I adore everything Jeni does.

9. How to organize your digital life.

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Summer Sheet Pan Shrimp and Rice.

Our whole family loves this sheet pan shrimp meal! It’s so easy to make and a fabulous way to use up some summer produce. Serve it over jasmine rice with a little drizzle of dressing – simple and so delicious!

Here’s to a super easy dinner tonight!

This summer sheet pan shrimp is made with my cilantro lime dressing, burst cherry tomatoes and sweet corn. It’s a refreshing spin on the usual cozy sheet pan meal and served over jasmine rice? It’s lovely!

Satisfying, light, flavorful and comes together super fast. 

I have just a few more summery recipes to share with you all. While they are a bit summer focused with garden produce, they also are versatile to make any time of year. After all, we are roasting some vegetables and any time you do that – they taste fabulous! 

Shrimp only takes a few minutes to cook, so I use my tried and true method for sheet pan meals with this dish. What that means is that I roast the ingredients in two rounds. First, we’re doing the vegetables. Next, we add the shrimp to the pan and let it cook and bring everything together. 

This is so simple and easy and it’s what makes sheet pan meals actually taste good! This way, there is no worrying that everything will be done at the same time. It’s virtually impossible to throw a ton of stuff on a sheet pan and hope it’s all finished at the exact same time. This way is the only way that works. 

So, this is how it comes together!

First, the tomatoes and corn go on the baking sheet. I toss them with some olive oil and seasonings and then pop the pan in the oven. This way, the tomatoes can burst and get super flavorful while the corn gets slightly caramely. 

While those roast, I toss the shrimp in my cilantro lime dressing. If you’ve been following along here for awhile, then you know that this may be my favorite dressing of all time. It is incredibly versatile and so easy. It makes everything taste SO good. It’s a great marinade but also a wonderful dressing or dip or drizzle! I coat the shrimp in a bit of it and let it chill until the tomatoes are one.  (more…)

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A Week In The Life, Vol 34.

Big week over here!!

But first, a few last days of summer.

Just look at that color coordination!

Cross country the last few weeks has been so HOT.

And then it was the first day of school!

5th!

2nd!

And preschool!

Pre-preschool pics with our baby BFF.

Post pre-school drop off.

Mom melt down time since they are back in school!

The first few days were only half days.

So they still had lots of time to play.

Max still loves a good graphic novel.

The best.

Can’t wait for some fall plants!

Hockey is back in full force.

More cross country…

But always smiling!

First dip in our pool.

We are very excited!

20 minute dinner I threw together tonight! Corn, grilled chicken, caesar. The best.

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