Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 78
January 24, 2024
White Pizza Frittata.
This white pizza frittata is such a satisfying and delicious dish! Mozzarella cheese, herbs and fresh tomatoes are baked with eggs and topped with a light arugula salad. It’s super good and so easy!
Nothing beats breakfast for dinner!
This white pizza frittata is incredible. Baked eggs with lots of mozzarella cheese, oregano, basil, garlic and tomatoes, topped with parmesan and some dressed arugula greens. Ridiculously filling and so, so tasty.
While I love making classic pancakes, bacon and eggs for dinner, sometimes an egg forward dish like a frittata or quiche steals the show. This is a dish where the leftovers taste amazing and it comes together quickly.
At the same time, it feels sort of special. Unique and fancy, if you will. But it’s just eggs! Baked eggs with ingredients you most likely have in your kitchen.
If you’ve been around for any length of time, then you know that I have an obsession with white pizza. White pizza itself, white pizza flavors – I shared white pizza dip a billion years ago. White pizza lasagna. White pizza grilled cheese!!
What is this white pizza that you ask? Super cheesy, garlicky flavors with herbs and tomatoes. Basil, oregano, a good drizzle of olive oil.
I knew these flavors would work wonders in a frittata and I was correct!
This has become my new favorite way to eat eggs.
And I live for eggs. In fact, I’d go as far to say that eggs are my favorite food. Their delightful savoriness and overall versatility make them a staple nearly every day for us.
I start by cooking some shallots and garlic in a touch of butter. I like to get these nice and brown so there is lots of flavor.
Next, I pour in the frittata filling which consists of eggs, mozzarella cheese, basil, oregano and a little half and half or cream. (more…)
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January 23, 2024
Tuesday Things.
1. I secretly still get giddy when I drive by houses with their Christmas lights on. I wish this was a thing until the end of winter!
2. And yesterday it was still very bright outside past 5PM and it felt like an awakening. Amazing.
3. This chile relleno casserole looks incredible.
4. The shimmer markers that Emilia got for Christmas have turned into my favorite thing of January.
5. Would you use ranch flavored lip balm? I’m a no. But I’m also not a huge ranch person.
6. TV things!! I’ve tried to start Only Murders in the Building for many years and never get into it. Well, now’s the time! Because I can’t find anything else to watch.
7. Ridiculously excited for one in millennial to come out today. Pretty sure it’s right up my alley!
8. Speaking of, I saw an article that maybe Gen Z could bring malls back to life. I love the mall. I hope this happens.
9. Per the above, I’m sure it’s from my adoration of mall madness back in the day. Best game ever.
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January 22, 2024
Sticky Salmon with Avocado Greens.
This sticky salmon kale salad is one of my favorite easy weeknight meals. The salmon is savory and sticky – it practically melts in your mouth. The kale salad is buttery from the avocado and fresh and lemony. Together, they’re a match made in heaven!
This meal is on repeat around here!!
Simple salmon with a sticky pan sauce served with a lemony kale salad loaded with creamy avocado. It’s the best combination when you want a satisfying, delicious meal!
This is my favorite way to make salmon. When I say I make it this way weekly, I am serious. We adore this!
And it could not be more simple, because the stickiness really only comes from two ingredients: honey and water.
YES.
That is it.
Now, of course, I add a few other spices on the salmon to change the flavor, depending on what else we are having for dinner.
For this reason, I cover the salmon in smoked paprika and garlic powder, which when combined with salt and pepper, is pretty much my howsweeteats house seasoning. Howsweeteats dust, if you will!
I love this combo because it’s very sweet and smoky, almost BBQ sauce-like, without being saucy.
The other thing I like to do is sear the salmon in butter. I find that searing it in a little bit of butter gives it such a fabulous brown color. This alone makes it just look more appetizing, you know? That golden color, a little bit of crust – you can’t beat it!
See how deeply golden my salmon and sticky sauce look? That is just from using the spices and searing it in the butter. Get some color on it!
So needless to say, I serve this salmon with just about EVERYTHING. I eat it for lunch leftovers. I wrap it up in nori sheets with rice. Serve it with potatoes.
And today, I’m showing you my favorite avocado kale greens that come together so super fast.
Eddie doesn’t love avocado, so in real life, I might just be eating this salad alone. However, he does love kale salad. So he will skip the avocado and throw the salmon on top of the simple lemony greens. It’s still so, so good.
Fresh lemon, a touch of honey, some dijon – all massaged into the kale. Top it with buttery avocado and boom – you’re done.
I love serving these two side by side. The salmon is savory, hot and sticky. The salad is cold, refreshing and chewy. They work so well together and are a great complement! (more…)
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January 21, 2024
A Week In The Life, Vol 4.
It’s been a snowy week over here!
And I’m in full Valentine’s mode, which is something I didn’t even care about until I had kids. Ha!
Had a snow day to start out the week!
These two are serious BFFs. Emilia takes such great care of him.
Really working on my sourdough game!!
I also made potato soup because it sounded so good on a snow day.
Sparkle snow.
This girl’s style. I live for her.
It’s also been almost one year since we got her ears pierced! She is still loving them.
Max had a basketball game.
The third child is different. I would never have let the first lay on this dirty gym floor. But he played so nicely the whole time!!
Hair also out of control.
Getting her ready for bed is super fun.
And we ended the week with another snow day!!
Had to make them cinnamon rolls to celebrate.
And we went sled riding with friends.
So fun.
It snowed nonstop.
Tiny BFFs.
Here’s Jordy dressed like a dad.
Waiting for Max’s hockey game to start!
She.is.so.fun.
Had great games all weekend!
And the cutest cousins came to cheer him on!
And now onto a new week…
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This Week’s Menu: 1/21/24.
Tacos, salads, soups and more this week!
What’s on your menu this week?!
This Week’s Menu
Hot honey chicken thighs with rosemary orzo
Crispy lemon salmon green salad
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January 20, 2024
Currently Crushing On.
Hello hello weekend!
This week on the blog I shared this winter breakfast quinoa. I also shared these hot honey chicken thighs with rosemary orzo and this creamy chicken and couscous soup!
And!! My big winter reading list is up. You can also see what I read in December, a few weeks late.
There’s a new weekly menu up 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 WEEKChocolate granola! Oh yum.
This hawaiian sunset cocktail is gorgeous.
Hot honey chicken lettuce wraps. YUM.
This chicken wild rice soup is wonderful.
Lemon blueberry muffins look incredible.
Perfect red velvet cupcakes.
Veggie pizza dip! My mom always made veggie pizza.
This heirloom tomato soup is stunning.
Ham and bean soup looks great too.
And Philly cheesesteak pizza! Yes yes yes.
Crockpot chicken fajitas looks amazing.
Cutest Valentine cookies.
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January 19, 2024
Creamy Chicken Couscous Soup.
This creamy chicken couscous soup is a delicious and cozy comfort food, perfect for chilly winter days. Creamy and light, but satisfying at the same time, this is a soup that is in rotation all year long.
Another quick soup is on the menu today!
I love making a quick and easy soup for lunch and dinner – and this creamy chicken couscous soup is crave worthy!
Yes, it’s basically another way that we love to eat chicken noodle soup. You know that I’m a huge fan of couscous, whether it be as a side dish, as the base for a grain bowl – it’s wonderful. Maybe my favorite ingredient to use for salads and more!
This chicken couscous soup has a rich parmesan broth with carrots and celery, lots of shredded chicken and a big cup of couscous poured in towards the end.
Oh my gosh. It’s creamy. So delicious! Easy and simple and a nice way to change things up.
This reminds me a lot of my chicken and stars soup. A tiny cut of pasta, a spritz of lemon, lots of fresh herbs – the flavor profile is similar. This soup is creamier and has a more hearty feel on a spoon. And it is so.freaking.good.
Do you know what it also reminds me of? My chicken soup risotto! The orzo sucks up a lot of the broth and this almost becomes a “stoup.” It is so thick and creamy and that increases as it sits. The leftovers can actually be scooped out and served like a side dish – soup bowl required – because it’s so thick and creamy.
In a good way, of course!
There are a million recipes out there for GOOD chicken soup. So I’m not going to bore you with the details, but I’ll share a few tips that make the soup excellent for me.
First, a parmesan rind! Can’t make soup without it. Cut the rind off your parmigiano-reggiano cheese (or buy a container of rinds at the grocery store) and toss it right in the stock pot. Simmer the soup with the rind in it to get the most delicious savory, rice broth that is heavy on the parmesan flavor.
Next, a spritz of lemon juice. This is key at the end to balance the flavors. It adds some brightness and also tastes incredible.
Finally, a good stock is also key here. This is where all your flavor is going to come from!
If I don’t have my own on hand, I love using the organic one from costco. You just want to be sure that your stock has a lot of flavor – and that you season the soup with salt and pepper accordingly! (more…)
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January 18, 2024
My Winter 2024 Reading List!
Sharing all the books for my winter 2024 reading list today! I am so excited about all of these – having a list of books to go through for the season is super helpful and gives me something to look forward to. You can find a little bit of everything here!
My favorite kind of reading post! I get so ridiculously excited about a good book list.
I live to curl up on the couch and read an entire book. Those days are rare now – most times it’s me staying up half the night to get in my favorite reading time. The kindle oasis has also changed my life because I can read in the school car pool line, etc. I take it everywhere! And these lists mean that I have options right in front of me to choose from. I’ve been sharing what I read every month and of course, you can find all of my reading lists right here.
What’s on your list to read this season?
P.S. all of the links below go to bookshop.org, which supports your local indie bookstores. Please shop there when you can! I am an affiliate and do receive a small percentage of your purchase.
My 2024 Winter Reading ListThe post My Winter 2024 Reading List! appeared first on How Sweet Eats.
January 17, 2024
Smoky Hot Honey Chicken Thighs with Toasted Rosemary Orzo.
One of our favorite easy dinners, these hot honey broiled chicken thighs with orzo are so incredibly delicious. Smoky with a little heat, the chicken is sticky and juicy and the orzo is made with rosemary and parmesan. Best combo ever!
Best meal coming right up today!
This meal is fabulous and comes together in 30 minutes. It’s filling and substantial – and such a wonderful flavor combination. The chicken thighs are broiled with smoked paprika and hot honey. The orzo is toasted with rosemary and garlic, then finished with lots of parmesan cheese.
It’s an all around winner!
A meal like this is always a huge hit in our house. It’s one I make often, meaning some sort of chicken combined with a quick orzo situation. I’ll serve it with roasted broccoli, a salad or some other vegetable and everyone enjoys it.
It’s very filling and satisfying.
Of course, it tastes super good.
The method for these chicken thighs is another thing I do often. I’ve been making chicken thighs like this forever now and it is by far my favorite way to eat them. Eddie LOVES this.
And the method is simple, quick and foolproof.
Season the chicken thighs all over with salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika. I love this combo because it’s so sweet, smokey and flavorful.
Then, they go directly under the broiler. I broiler for about 6 to 7 minutes a side. I use the rack directly below the broiler, so they get a very nice char.
Next, brush the chicken thighs with a mixture of hot honey and apple cider vinegar. This is incredibly tangy and sweet with a touch of heat. So super good. The chicken goes back into the oven for one minute at a time. Brush the thighs, broil one minute, then flip and repeat. I do this two or three more times per side to get the sticky, smoky, sweet chicken thighs.
The honey practically gets bruleed on top of the chicken thighs. It caramelizes right under the flame and it’s SO good. This is almost like making your own quick faux BBQ sauce. And it’s a hit every single time.
I toast the dry orzo in melted butter until it’s golden. I stir in fresh rosemary and garlic too.
Then, I pour in chicken stock. Bring this to a boil, reduce it to a simmer, cover and cook! That is it.
So while that happens, I make the chicken. This is a meal that comes together so well – the time is just perfect.
When the orzo has absorbed all the stock, I stir in a ton of parmesan cheese and more rosemary. (more…)
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January 16, 2024
Tuesday Things.
1. These blueberry muffins look incredible.
2. I’m thinking about getting a blanket ladder. But up until now I didn’t even like them! Now that it might work in my space… are they a yes or a no.
3. Tiktok and reels took me down this spiral of the Lenox Spice Village that has been discontinued for 35 years!! Now I’m convinced I need it. Like why.
4. TV things. I watched Fool Me Once… it was okay, but seemed very long and drawn out! Then I got sucked into the whole After movie series. Geez.
5. Tell me why It’s Complicated will always reign supreme as the best movie ever.
6. Can you get behind the pepsi + milk drink? Eeep. Don’t think I can.
7. Do these things at night to master your mornings.
8. I love Valentine’s Day clothing and decor. I’m forever 17 years old. The red and pink combo is just so fab.
9. The fact that it is already January 16th is blowing my mind!
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