Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 62

Tuesday Things.

1. A summer goal of mine is to get outside every morning for the whole circadian rhythm benefits and all that. I love early mornings!

2. On that same note, who else feels like the day is totally waste if you sleep in whatsoever?!

3. This creamy lemonade sounds so delicious!

4. My herbs are abundant already and that means tons of lavender lattes, caprese and pastas with chives, rosemary, basil and more. Tastes like summer over here.

5. How to develop trust in yourself. Love this.

6. I saw that fall decorations are out at hobby lobby. Whaaaaaat.

7. Ways to find moments of peace.

8. TV things!! I watched the dancing for the devil tiktok documentary on netflix! I’ve been hooked on that story for a few years. Crazy.

9. How to give your kids an old fashioned summer. Ha!

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Summer Shiitake Tacos with Cilantro Ranch.

These summer mushroom tacos are an easy but flavorful weeknight meal! Smoky shiitake mushrooms are served on a warm flour tortilla with cotija cheese, topped with mango salsa and cilantro ranch. Delish!

Hello! This is how to make dinner tonight.

A smoky mushroom taco topped with tangy cheese, all the summery salsa (mangos! jalapenos! lime!) and a creamy cilantro ranch that is fantastic enough to eat with a spoon. 

We.love.these. 

Just look at the flavor on these!

This might just be my favorite kind of taco. I love a veggie-heavy, meatless taco – and yes, my 2012 self has no idea who I am today. I am glad I have changed!

But still, they are my favorite.

First, they are simple and easy. You can really throw any vegetable in a taco, but mushrooms are a go-to for me because they cook so quickly. I don’t necessarily care about their meaty texture. It’s more about the ease and flavor for me.

Second, the flavors are endless! I made these mushrooms have a pretty smoky, garlicky flavor, almost mimicking my favorite carnitas. Again, not in texture, but flavor. And they are just so super good.

Finally, ALL the toppings work on mushroom tacos. Years ago, you might remember that I shared a mushroom and corn taco recipe. It was a copy of our favorite little taco shack that was only open for a hot second, and I’ve never forgotten how incredible their mushroom tacos were. In fact, I credit them with my infatuation with mushrooms in tacos. 

Give me tortillas, mushrooms and cheese and I am set! 

Well, almost.

In order to give these the ultimate summer twist, I make a quick mango salsa. The bright, refreshing sweet punch is what makes these feel super summery. Warm weather adjacent, if you will. 

We eat mango salsa all year round, but definitely more in the summer. Our family can demolish a bowl of it with a bag of chips and it’s one of our favorite snacks. Plus, it can be made ahead of time too. 

The cilantro ranch is what really takes things over the edge for me. These make the tacos taste restaurant-quality FABULOUS and add such incredible flavor. I use my classic ranch recipe and add a ton of fresh cilantro, blending it together and boom – done. It’s also a wonderful dip for veggies or even crackers and chips.

And you can make it days ahead of time – it lasts great in the fridge.  (more…)

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A Week In The Life, Vol 23.

It’s summer!!

But first, one more week of school!

Hats and cereal. Every morning.

Had a few rainbows this week.

The prettiest!

Max’s summer league hockey games.

The color!

Both kids had end of year parties!

And then it was the last day!

How on earth?!

Baby face at the start of the year!

They are huge!

Basically a teenager.

Schools out for summer!!

He is such a little fish and will stay in for hours.

Yay summer.

This boy. Very into baseball.

Birthday parties allll weekend!

And baseball games!

It was so lovely and cool out.

More swimming with friends.

Cute little BFFs.

And a little more hockey!

Max had a friend over so we had a cozy saturday night of popcorn and uno.

Summer cuddles!

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What To Eat This Week: 6/2/24.

Ringing in June with some fabulous summer eats!

What’s on your menu this week?!

What To Eat This Week

Veggie naan pizzas

Summer salmon tacos

Burst tomato burrata pasta

Weeknight grilled steak salads

Grilled summer chicken bowls

Honey chipotle chicken tacos

Pickle lovers egg salad

S’mores overnight oats

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Currently Crushing On.

Happy JUNE!!

This week on the blog, I shared this crispy bruschetta chicken. I also shared my May favorites and my annual summer friday series started back up!!

You can find my summer reading list right here!

Plus, a new weekly menu and a peek at a week in our life.

You can join The Everyday Dinners cookbook club right here! If you have a copy of the book, request to join the group. If not, get one here!  Ready to start on fall! It is such a wonderful community and an amazing place for recipe ideas.

xoxoxo

WHAT I’M LOVING THIS WEEK

Crab guacamole! Yes yes yes.

Always funfetti cake. Always.

Baja salmon looks amazing.

Give me all the fried pickle ranch dip.

Horchata is calling my name.

I need this real deal caramel cake.

Strawberry pie is stunning.

Loving this spicy marg.

Shrimp cobb salad is incredible.

OMG! Tequila sunrise popsicles.

Grilled pineapple salsa is amazing.

We adore whipped feta.

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Summer Fridays, Vol 1.

It’s the return of summer fridays!

If you’re new here, summer fridays is our weekly virtual coffee date where we chat about all the things we’re doing, loving, craving, watching, etc – and take a true summer friday! This is the seventh year in a row (!!!) for these fun posts and I’m so glad you wanted them to return! These are meant to inspire you for the weekend and bring some fun to each summer friday.

EATING

My strawberry crunch salad on repeat. I live for strawberry season! Also very into my summer BBQ chicken chopped salad at the moment. And my tortilla pizzas with pepperoni chickpeas.

DRINKING

Well I can’t quit my peanut butter iced coffees. Or my lavender vanilla iced lattes! If you want a fun cocktail for the weekend, these spicy grapefruit tequila sodas are incredible.

MAKING

S’more bites. These are incredibly delicious!! And embarrassingly easy.

BAKING

My strawberry cobbler bars. OH MY WORD these are so fabulous. Everyone loves them.

CRAVING

Smashburger fries. And my italian chopped salad on garlic baguettes. Yessss.

GRILLING

My grilled salmon club sandwich. Crave worthy!

LISTENING

The summer fridays 2024 kickoff playlist!!

READING

Just finished The Paradise Problem. Adored it! I’m starting How To End a Love Story this weekend. Here’s my giant summer reading list if you need some inspo!

LOVING

We’re transitioning out of the school year which means I have to shout out my favorite hulken bags. I don’t know what I would do without these! They hold so much, are super lightweight and HAVE WHEELS. Great for sports with kids, school stuff, groceries and more. Also excellent for road trips or summer tailgating, etc. And can we talk about how they now have HOT PINK. I am forever 13. The small one is great too.

SHARING

I know that bogg bags have been all the rage the last few years. I love the simple modern bag so much more! I think it’s cuter. A little more flexible. All the same great features too. I have the extra large bag and OF COURSE I have the color “80s mix.” Neon forever.

BUYING

Some last summer essentials over here. You can find my list of summer essentials, amazon kid favorites and entertaining essentials in my amazon store front. Since it’s also bag season (pool bag! travel bag! handbag!), I live for pouches that can be transferred from bag to bag. I have many that I love, but I recently discovered these neoprene pouches and they are incredible. Perfect for summer and they hold so much.

WEARING

Still living in this button down stripe shirt! I love the colors, the way it fits, it can be worn alone or over something… also barely wrinkles at all!

SHOPPING

A few of my go-to beauty products are finishing up. I love the gucci bronzer, but think I’m going to try this fenty one. For the millionth time I’m repurchasing complexion rescue, hourglass unlocked mascara, charlotte tilbury airbrush setting powder (incredible over tinted sunscreen!)

CELEBRATING 

The end of the school year over here! It’s our last day of school today and the kids are so excited. I’m excited for a switch of routine for a bit! Also sad because I LOVE the kids teachers this year, as well as the school. It’s always bittersweet!

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May Favorites!

A peek at everything I loved in May 2024!

FOOD

Toom garlic dip. Ohhh my goodness. This is heaven. Use it as a spread, a dip, right off the spoon. I get mine at Costco!

Canada Dry fruit splash cherry ginger ale. This is our new obsession. Eddie and I both love it. We get the zero sugar version and it’s such a fun and delicious warm weather drink! I don’t love soda and carbonation, but every once in a while I crave something like this. And this one hits the spot.

Grillos pickles sandwich makers. Obsessed with pickles. The end.

HOME

Tineco iFloor 3 Breeze vaccuum. Meet the new love of my life! This has changed my life, truly. It cleans my floors like NOTHING else. It is so worth it – I bought a second one – the ONE S5 PRO. I love both equally, the latter’s battery just lasts a little longer for my main floor. I think 4 or 5 of my friends have bought one since seeing it being used on my floors. It’s incredible.

Scout crossbody cooler. This has been my spring activity cooler this year. Not only are the colors amazing, but it’s crossbody! I’m always carrying a million things into baseball and wearing this crossbody is a huge help. It’s lightweight too. Holds a ton!

Firevibe s’mores kit. I bought this for a our patio and everyone is loving it. It fits the best s’mores ingredients and a lot of them. Also comes with s’mores sticks! It’s so pretty too.

Dash mandoline. Best purchase ever. I’ve been using a very old and unsafe mandoline for years! This one has a foolproof safety feature and the slices are paper thin.

Holographic cups. These are super sturdy plastic cups and excellent for a party if you need them. Much much thicker and sturdier than a regular old solo cup. And they are so pretty too.

BEAUTY

Beauty of Joseon relief sun SPF 50+. Current daily sunscreen that I am LOVING. Wow, this is excellent. I use it on its own and also under makeup. The consistency is great, it doesn’t migrate in to my eyes and it doesn’t pill under makeup.

Ouai St Bart’s body mist. I am SO excited this exists. I love this scent so much and have looked for the last few years to see if they had a perfume in this scent. It is fabulous for summer! Smells delicious.

Kopari KP scrub. The texture of this scrub is incredible. It’s so thick and creamy but the exfoliation is like sand – the best feeling ever. I use it multiple times a week in the shower and love it. Also love that it’s a squeeze tube and not a tub.

Elemis Resurfacing Facial pads. I am also loving these. I actually use them in the morning before moisturizer and sunscreen – I swear they are helping my skin so much.

FASHION

Cushionair sandals. Designer inspired, and SO comfortable. I have the faux uggs in this brand so I knew they’d be comfortable. They are memory foam! I actually wore them all day to cook last weekend during a party. Perfect.

Cuyana La Toquillera Hat. Oh my gosh, I LOVE this. The sun protextion is incredible. I love that the top is open like a visor (my head gets so hot and I need a visor over a full cap). It’s so comfortable, it stays on. I have been wearing the heck out of this. So much so, that I’m considering getting a second one.

lululemon pack light pullover. Another thing I’m loving! This is such a lightweight pullover – the fabric is incredible. I also love the banding at the bottom.

MEDIA

This Summer Will Be Different. My favorite read of the month!! Oh man, it is SO good.

Palm Royale. This cast cracked me up. I loved watching this every week!

KIDS

Step 2 Waterfall Wall. Jordan (and even the older two!) live for a water table. We have a regular water table but this wall is such a fun new discovery this year. I put it out on our deck and Jordan is entertained forever!

Plus Plus big blocks. These are another thing that has kept all the kids entertained this season, especially during evening activities. We’re all obsessed with legos and this is a fun twist on them.

UNO attack. The kids are obsessed with uno right now and this is SO fun. We have been having a blast!

[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 May Favorites! appeared first on How Sweet Eats.

Crispy Bruschetta Chicken.

We love this crispy bruschetta chicken! Paper-thin, crunchy chicken cutlets are topped with juicy summer tomatoes, lots of garlic, fresh basil and fruity olive oil. So flavorful and fresh!

First summer meal of the season is here!

My crispy bruschetta chicken is made with super thin and crunchy chicken cutlets plus the most delicious garlicky, basil-laden tomato topping. 

This is the only situation where you’ll see me using chicken as toast! Yes. The crispy chicken is like our toast in this instance, covered in tangy tomatoes that are bright and juicy and taste just like summer.

These crispy chicken cutlets are my love language. 

I already have a bruschetta chicken pasta recipe and it’s DELISH. I make it a few times every summer, I’ve made it for birthdays and more. It’s so satisfying and fresh and tastes like a restaurant quality dish.

We love it!

But nothing beats crispy chicken, right?!

My grilled bruschetta is one of the best things I make all summer long. We seriously eat it multiple times a week. Mostly on grilled sourdough, but let’s be real: it’s delicious on all the things!

The topping is so incredible and tastes like a big bite of SUMMER. 

Another thing I make often are the crispy chicken cutlets. These get rave reviews from the family. The key is to use paper thin chicken cutlets. I take a big boneless, skinless chicken breast and slice it as thinly as possible. Often, I get four or five cutlets from one breast. 

My breadcrumb mixture is also on point! Seasoned bread crumbs, finely grated pecorino romano – it makes for a savory, incredible combo. I fry these in a bit of avocado oil until they are golden and super crunchy and crispy.

Oh my gosh.

I eat about three of them off the plate right as I’m making them! Perks of being the cook. 

This may explain why I also am rarely hungry when we sit down for dinner. Oops.  (more…)

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Tuesday Things.

1. OMG! No chocolate chocolate chip cookies. I was just talking about how good this would be.

2. Dinner al fresco is my goal five days a week this summer.

3. The best food to bring to every summer outing. I love it.

4. I’m obsessed with people’s morning routines. Tell me yours.

5. The pickles hot cheetos snack. Hmmmm.

6. TV things!! Just started watching We Were the Lucky Ones!

7. Also so pumped for the Olympics. We can’t wait to watch.

8. How to stop obsessing about what people think of you. Truth.

9. I still need a quick and easy and short little family vacation spot. Help!

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A Week In The Life, Vol 22. Memorial Day Weekend!

It’s our favorite week of the year!

The unofficial kick off to summer.

Started the week with tennis.

Haircuts.

Shopping trips where Jordan demanded to not take off this hat.

Lots of baseball games.

School end of year teacher conferences.

A little lavender lemonade after for a good conference!

Strawberries and cream cold brew!

Ready for their sister’s game.

Cutest boys!!

So obsessed with my babies.

Baby BFFs.

Baseball ready.

And go!

First basil prune of the season.

Party snacks!

I made grilled buffalo chicken sandwiches that were sooo good.

Favorite girl.

Costco find. Or maybe Sam’s.

Baby Lucy!

So many games of Uno.

Parade hair.

Million year tradition.

Love bugs!

Jordy was in heaven!

The happiest!

Smashburgers for everyone.

Card games with cousins!

And now we’re ready for the last week of school!

Woohoo!!

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