Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 64

Currently Crushing On.

Hello weekend!!

This week on the blog, I shared these strawberries and cream baked oatmeal cups. I also shared this grilled portobello burger, a ton of recipes for memorial day weekend and these peanut butter iced coffees!

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

Bang bang chicken skewers! Oh yum.

Love this green goddess hummus.

Mexican street corn salad is perfect.

Love this rhubarb upside down cake.

Fried pickles forever.

These strawberry blueberry daiquiris are so fun.

Mini pimento cheese balls! How cute.

Craving chocolate strawberry scones.

Refrigerator pickles are also a fave.

I want these apricot ginger scones.

Pistachio cake!! I am love it.

Absolutely adore this strawberry caprese pasta salad.

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Peanut Butter Iced Lattes.

Peanut butter iced lattes is my love language! Easy peanut butter syrup is mixed with freshly brewed espresso and milk and served over crushed ice. Your summer drink is here!

Say hello to my summer coffee!

These peanut butter iced lattes taste like a big peanut butter cookie. Easy peanut butter syrup, espresso, milk and TONS of crushed iced.

Oh hi, this will be breakfast everyday! 

So I’ve been gatekeeping this peanut butter syrup recipe for a few years because I thought it would be going in my next book. I was almost sure of it! 

After my lavender vanilla iced latte recipe in The Pretty Dish… I wasn’t sure I’d ever love a coffee recipe more. 

And while I LOVE this one, a different recipe won out for my next book. 

Therefore, here we are! 

Time to show you how to make a peanut butter iced latte and be the happiest person on earth this summer. 

First, the peanut butter syrup. 

It’s so simple. And speaking of simple, it’s just like simple syrup! Water, sugar, peanut butter. I like to add in a little vanilla extract too. 

The peanut butter syrup will last in the fridge too. It might get a little hard in the fridge, so you can always warm it up a bit before using or even just let the amount you need sit out for a few minutes. 

I mix the syrup with espresso and milk. That is it! 

Embarrassingly easy, right? 

Now, to be clear, this is just a peanut butter iced latte. No chocolate, mocha, etc. 

But! Of course, you can add some chocolate.

A drizzle of chocolate sauce would be perfect. Some sort of mocha syrup… whatever sounds good to you. 

Because we all know there is no better combo than chocolate and peanut butter!!  (more…)

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60 Recipes For Memorial Day Weekend!

These are all my favorite memorial day weekend recipes! There are snacks, cocktails, salads, pastas, burgers, hot dogs and more – everything to make the unofficial kick off of summer super delicious!

I have so many delicious memorial day weekend recipes for you!

I know we’re still a week and a half out, but I could NOT be more excited for the kick off to summer this year. MDW is one of my favorite weekends of the entire year and right now I’m feeling so much more hopeful and great about this season to come! Today I have a ton of my favorite recipes for Memorial Day weekend for you – not just burgers and hot dogs, but amazing salads, snacks, appetizers and dips, side dishes, grilled meals, cocktails and treats. It can’t get any better than this!

For a million years we have always gone to a Memorial Day parade on Monday then walked through the cemetery – it’s a tradition. The days before, we do tons in preparation for summer and just have a lovely little weekend. I love it!

Do you have any plans for next weekend? What delicious things are you making?

60 Memorial Day Weekend Recipes

(more…)

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Grilled Portobello Burgers with House Sauce.

My grilled portobello burgers are topped with creamy havarti cheese, served with lettuce and tomato on a fluffy bun and drizzle with house sauce. Tons of flavor and super satisfying – these are the best summer meal!

Burger season is here!

These portobello burgers are marinated and grilled until tender, smoky and charred. They’re topped with havarti cheese and served with my howsweeteats house sauce. Lettuce, tomato, bun, done! 

I’m on a major sandwich kick right now! Just in time for memorial day weekend and the start of summer. If you don’t feel like making my pimento cheese grilled chicken sandwiches, go for the meatless version!

Mushrooms burgers take on the flavor of whatever ingredients they’re paired with. Marinating them gives them a big tangy boost and when they are drizzle with my house sauce… oooooh eeeee. 

Best meal ever. 

The burgers are ridiculously satisfying and smooth. You can make them into slider sized burgers or use the large portobellos like I show here. 

Over a decade ago I had a huge infatuation with portobello burgers. I discovered them and absolutely fell head over heels. 

I love the flavor, the texture – everything!

Then, I got more into bean-based burgers. These veggie burgers are out of this world. The best I’ve ever had!

And just recently, I shared my black bean smashburgers. Oh my gosh. The next level was unlocked… those are crispy, crunchy, satisfying and taste amazing. 

Originally, I wanted to make portobello smashburgers. I tried a few times and it just didn’t give me the result I was craving – those crispy edges, that paper thin burger, the texture I love.  (more…)

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Tuesday Things.

1. The dreamiest chocolate loaf cake!

2. What scent do you remember your mom/grandmother wearing way back in the day? My mom wore obsession for a while when I was little, and then moved onto Dune, which my grandma also wore. I can still smell it!

3. I need family summer fruit storage ideas for my fridge. We LOVE fruit and go through a ton. I need a better system for storage and having it accessible.

4. TV things!! The Palm Royale finale… what! Is it coming back for another season? Also, just google the maya rudolph SNL open. It was incredible.

5. Maybe I should do the one-room-a-day cleaning method. If you even knew how much I need to clean the kitchen daily… !!!!

6. I have northern lights fomo over here… didn’t see them at all this weekend.

7. Finished reading this summer will be different over the weekend and it was SO good.

8. Restaurants from SATC that are still open today. Interesting!

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Strawberries & Cream Oatmeal Cups.

We adore these strawberry oatmeal cups! Hearty, satisfying oatmeal bites filled with fresh strawberries and served with cream or yogurt. The perfect breakfast or snack that you can make ahead of time!

Snack attack time!

These strawberry oatmeal cups are a twist on the old school strawberries and cream oatmeal. Portioned into bite size cups, these are made with juicy strawberries and a little cream, some honey and cinnamon, applesauce and vanilla. 

They taste like a little bite of heaven! 

I have rambled about this many many times over the years, but as a kid, strawberries and cream instant oatmeal was my thing. I LOVED it, along with peaches and cream oatmeal. It was a total comfort food for me. It’s still such a nostalgic breakfast! 

Occasionally I’ll buy a box and it just tastes so darn good.

I’ve made a version of these oatmeal cups with peaches and cream before, so it was only a matter of time until I made a strawberry version. 

Strawberries and peaches are probably my top two fruits. I adore them. So, I really enjoy them in oatmeal or yogurt bowls. Love them mixed together too. 

Plus, they are just SO easy.

Mix everything in a big bowl, press into a muffin tin and bake. Super simple and perfect for making when you have about an hour of time to meal prep.

I love to make these ahead of time to have for breakfast. Served warm or cold, they are delicious! What I love even more though? Having them on hand for snacks.  (more…)

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A Week In The Life, Vol 20.

It’s be a lovely week over here!

My favorite babies!! How are they mine?!

I adore them.

Little morning hike.

An Emilia-picked outfit. My fave!

Little farm trip.

Jordan’s fave.

Mid-recipe.

This boy has so much fun while the others are at school!

Wearing Max’s shirt again!

And finishing up his toddler program at school.

Also eats dinner at the baseball field many nights.

It’s flower time!

My started is doing so well. All I’ve done is been consistent!

Dance party every night before bed.

Another Emilia outfit. We had to run to target and this is what she put on at 8am.

Practically a teenager.

Lovebugs.

Cute little coffee shop.

We had the birthday party circuit this weekend, so we made something easy for dinner. Grilled steak salads for mother’s day! They were SO GOOD.

Lots of cuddle time with my favorites this weekend.

I feel so lucky for this life!!

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What To Eat This Week: 5/12/24.

Here’s to a new week!

What’s on your menu this week?!

What To Eat This Week

Crispy chicken mediterranean salads

Asparagus souffle frittata 

Sheet pan buffalo chicken meatballs and broccoli

Grilled salmon with mango salsa

Golden ginger cauliflower chickpea bowls

Crispy potato pizza with arugula salad

Dilly chickpea bowls

Granola scones

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Currently Crushing On.

Happy weekend!

This week on the blog I shared this grilled chicken caprese lunch bowl. I also shared this crispy potato gruyere pizza, the best cucumber spritzer and some grilled salmon with mango salsa.

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

You can see everything I read in April right here!

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

Cajun honey butter salmon looks incredible.

Craving this fattoush salad.

Mexican stuffed peppers. Yum.

Dying over this tiramisu cheesecake!

Strawberry pound cake is also amazing.

This cantarito cocktail sounds fabulous.

Olive dip! Oh my gosh, I need this.

Also need a cucumber basil gimlet.

Rhubarb blondies! How fun.

The classic strawberry pretzel salad.

Avocado pesto pasta is so good.

I love hummingbird cake.

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Grilled Salmon with Mango Salsa & Coconut Rice.

We love this grilled salmon with mango salsa! The salmon is tender and buttery, served over coconut rice and topped with a juicy mango salsa. A touch of heat, brightness and fresh flavor! Super satisfying and delicious.

Oh hi, we’re making your new favorite dinner today! 

This is my favorite way to make grilled salmon, topped with fresh mango salsa and served alongside creamy coconut rice.

YES. Yum. 

This is one of those meals that I could make and enjoy every single week. It’s so satisfying, tastes fresh and summery and is also delicious. I love how balanced it is and how filling it leaves me, without feeling overstuffed. 

If you’re looking for an excellent meal to make for Mother’s Day weekend, this could be it! Can we talk about how gorgeous it is?! The colors are stunning. 

Here’s how I make it! 

First, the salmon. I cover it in my favorite spice blend, which is really just a mix of kosher salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika and onion powder. It’s simple and creates an excellent flavor crust! 

Salmon is super easy to grill, and I usually use my grill pan to make it even simpler. This is the grill pan I’ve used religiously for the last few summers. Sometimes, I will just throw the salmon filets directly on the grill, but I make sure all of my attention is on them so they don’t fall apart through the grates. 

Either way works!! 

The other components can be made ahead of time or even partially prepped ahead of time.

Mango salsa is a go-to in our house. We always have tons of mango because the kids love it. Since it’s always available, I find myself making a mango salsa at least once a week. My favorite version does not include tomatoes.

I use mango, jalapeños, red onion, cilantro and tons of fresh lime. It is so bright, refreshing, sweet and a little spicy. Plus, it brings some great texture to any dish. 

For the coconut rice, I love to use jasmine rice as the base. I cook it in a mixture of coconut milk and water, then even add some finely shredded coconut to the pot once it’s finished. I’ve been a huge coconut lover all of my life, so I think this is fabulous. 

Eddie, on the other hand… does not love coconut. He likes the flavor but doens’t care for the squeak-in-your-teeth texture. So, I’m happy to tell you that this meal is also fabulous with plain jasmine rice, no coconut involved. (more…)

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