Jessica Merchant's Blog, page 92

What I Read In September 2023.

Here’s everything I read last month! Got through a few books – some good, some just okay! What are you reading right now?

You can find my reading lists here and previous what I read posts here.

And you can follow me on goodreads here.

I do have a book of the month membership – I love it so much. I get so many of my new releases and debut author books there. You can sign up for one here.

All of these books are linked through bookshop (if available!) and I highly suggest shopping through there because it will support your local indie bookstore. You can choose the local bookstore to support! I support Penguin Books when I buy which is my fave here in Pittsburgh.

WHAT I READ IN SEPTEMBER 2023Things We Left Behind – 4.5 stars

I can’t believe I’m saying it but I liked this one so much. I really didn’t care for the other books I’ve read by this author, especially the two before this. But this one, I loved. The story is an enemies to lovers/(kind of) second chance romance trope and follow Sloane who is a librarian and Lucian who is basically just a… powerful mogul. There are a few great storylines in this book and it’s also pretty steamy so… be prepared.

Forget Me Not  – 3 stars

I did like this one, but I could not get into the main male character. Like at all. This story follows a wedding planner who has a tangled past with a florist. He is super grumpy and kind of miserable but he just comes off… kind of mean to me. And I feel like he is never really fully redeemed – like his miserableness is just a part of who he is. That being said, I did like the writing and the storyline. Just wish he was a little more likable.

Shucked – 2.5 stars

This one took me quite a while to get into. The story follows Sunny who returns to her hometown to open a coffeeshop, and she opens it right across the parking lot from her brother’s best friend’s oyster bar. Yes, that’s a mouthful. He was also kind of grumpy like the guy in the story above, but it was slightly redeeming. There are so many parts of this story that aren’t really

You, Again – 3 stars

This is a modern day retelling of one of my favorite movies ever – When Harry Met Sally. We’ve got another enemies to lovers trope here with Ari and Josh, who meet and instantly hate each other, but cross paths later and become friends. This one also took me some time to get into, but I ended up really liking it. The characters and real and can be unlikeable, but ultimately the end is good!

The Connellys of Country Down – 4 stars

I adore a great family drama book!! This story follows The Connellys (shocking, I know), but mainly Tara, and their dysfunctional but very real lives. Tara has just been released from prison and is trying to get her life back in order. This was SO GOOD. Some characters are awful, but you feel for them. It’s the second book by this author that I ended up loving.

(This is not sponsored but there are a few bookshop and/or affiliate links above! Thank you for reading!)

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27 Recipes To Make In October!

The best halloween recipes are here! These are the most delicious recipes to make for the rest of October – cozy pastas, delicious cocktails, the richest desserts and bowls of soup to enjoy.

I’ve got the perfect list for you to cook from for the rest of the month!

So many delicious dishes – savory and sweet – to enjoy this October!

Whether you’re into creating spooky dishes for the season or just want to enjoy the crisp fall weather, there is something here for everyone to love.

Throw on your favorite Halloween movie and make a treat or cozy up with a bowl of soup. These October recipes are seriously dreamy.

27 Best Halloween Recipes To Make In October

(more…)

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Butternut Squash & Sausage Tortellini Soup.

This sausage squash tortellini soup is simple, satisfying and a huge crowd pleaser! Fire roasted tomatoes, butternut squash, italian sausage, kale and parmesan make this extra delicious!

I’m back with another installment of my favorite soup!

This is my go-to soup base when I need something quick, delicious and a big bowl of food that everyone will love. It starts with fire roasted tomatoes, some greens and cheese tortellini, and I switch out a few ingredients to make it different each time.

Today’s soup is filled with butternut squash, sweet italian sausage and kale! I’ve also made this fire roasted tortellini soup with chicken before, and also a vegetarian version with white beans!

WE LOVE THIS SOUP. 

Seriously, this is SO good. It’s incredibly easy, but because I use the diced fire roasted tomatoes, the flavor is over the top. And it’s pretty forgiving too. If you have some extra veggies to use up or want to remove an ingredient, it will still work. 

Satisfying, cozy and comforting is the name of the game. 

Here’s how I make this! 

I start by browning the sausage. I love that this leaves flavor bits in the pot – and that it also releases some fat, so I can then soften the onions, garlic and squash in those bits. 

Once the onions and squash have softened, I stir in some tomato paste. I cook that tomato paste with the sausage and squash mixture until it’s slightly caramelized and dark in color. This really adds a depth of flavor that I find makes a huge difference. 

Then come the tomatoes! Diced fire roasted tomatoes are my love language. I have multiple cans in my pantry at all times. 

I stir in some chicken stock and bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce it and simmer until the squash is tender enough to eat.

Don’t forget a parmesan rind! This is the best thing you can add to any soup for an extra pop of flavor. I buy mine in a container at the cheese counter at Whole Foods, then store them in my freezer. I also always save the rinds on my parmesan too. 

Next, the good stuff. I stir in some heavy cream. Some chopped spinach or kale, whichever green I have on hand and some parmesan cheese. 

Finally, the tortellini! I stir that in and cook for just a few minutes, until it’s tender and perfect to eat. (more…)

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Tuesday Things.

1. I love October so much that I want to savor every.single.day. It’s already going too fast!

2. This caramel apple cake is incredible.

3. There is a cricket in the garage taunting me. This happened last year at this time. Combined with the lantern flies, I’m just going to lock myself in a room and never come out.

4. Hello, this is my new favorite sweatshirt. It is PERFECT! Sweater weather time! It lays so nicely, isn’t long but isn’t cropped. So many colors!

5. TV things!! Ummm all I watched this week was the Taylor Swift football game. Kidding! Kind of…

6. My kids are obsessed with watching The Muppets right now. It’s so cute!

7. Everyday Dinners is on major sale right now with an additional amazon coupon. Go grab some holiday gifts!

8. I need a good fall music playlist. Suggestions please!

9. How to manage catastrophic thinking. Need this.

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Autumn Arugula House Salad with Fig Vinaigrette.

This autumn arugula house salad is my signature fall salad when the temperatures start to drop. Peppery arugula with thinly sliced apples and dried cherries, all drizzled in a delicious fig vinaigrette and topped with crumbled goat cheese and spiced pecans. So crunchy, crisp and delicious!

Simple is best when it comes to this fall salad.

Arugula greens are topped with honey crisp apples, dried cherries, spiced pecans and goat cheese. Everything is drizzled in a fig vinaigrette and this whole plate is filled with crisp, refreshing crunch and savory, sweet flavor. 

It’s no secret that I love a good trashed up salad, but this is not that! This is a simple, somewhat classic house salad that is perfect to serve in the fall. The ingredients complement many other dishes so it’s an excellent starter salad. It’s also a wonderful base to use for chicken, salmon, beans and more. 

And it’s customizable, based on what you have. You can swap the cherries for cranberries. The pecans for just about any other nut. The goat cheese for feta or even cheddar. The options are pretty endless!

This salad is based on one that we had on vacation this past summer at Bay Harbor – sitting out on the patio and enjoying the wonderful view. Even though it was the middle of summer, this salad had all of these ingredients – PLUS berries. It was simple but so wonderful! 

I removed the berries for the sake of the season. And I almost added blue cheese instead, because my parents got crumbled blue cheese on theirs and it was incredible. So those are a few other options. 

Let’s talk about what this salad DOES have. 

Arugula! I like to use some baby arugula or spring greens for the base of this. They are so soft, peppery and crisp. 

Dried tart cherries. I will choose cherries over cranberries everyday, but it’s the season for all the fall things. If cranberries are your favorite, go for it.

Honey crisp apples, because there is nothing that screams FALL more than honey crisp. Yum.

Crumbled goat cheese. I just adore goat cheese in salads, because it’s super creamy and almost melts into the greens. I love the tang it adds as well. 

Finally, spiced pecans! These pecans are toasted in a skillet with brown sugar and chipotle chili powder for a little heat. I toast them until the sugar melts over the heat and covers the pecans. This is my favorite way to make any sort of candied nut. I could eat these by the handful. 

Now for my favorite part: the dressing.

This fig vinaigrette is EVERYTHING I want a dressing to be.

I took a page out of my own cookbook, Everyday Dinners, where I share a jam vinaigrette. I’ve shared this before with a few other flavors of jam and it’s an easy, incredible way to make a dressing! I am not sure how Bay Harbor made their fig dressing, but this one uses fig preserves. And that’s not only easy, but incredibly delicious!

I live for fig preserves – they are my go-to on a cheese board and I adore them on toast too. And now, they make the best dressing.  (more…)

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A Week In The Life, Vol 40.

This week!!!

Hard to believe it’s October.

I did my first simmer pot of the year.

I live for the outfits Emilia picks out. This is what she wore to theater!

We also had school open house. Sparkles forever!

He adores her.

Our favorite tree!

Made a batch of my pumpkin cheesecake oatmeal this week and it’s just soooo good.

Park fun!

My mom and I had a show this week so arancini was first.

We saw Moulin Rouge and it was INCREDIBLE.

Baby butts in the air are the cutest!

And it was the first official hockey weekend!!!

Max’s biggest fans.

I need her to dress me.

I’d so much rather be watching hockey than baseball. Love this.

BFF.

Jordan swung his way around the bleachers.

Shopping adventures in Target.

Makeup and nails!

Max is super in trading cards right now. Baseball, hockey, football, etc!

We went to the sweetest little pumpkin Sebastian’s baptism.

I mean can you even take this perfect baby?!?

And then we made it to another cross country meet!

I love watching them so much. It was so hot, I don’t know how they did it! And there were so many bees. Where is my October weather?!

Home in PJs for the night! I hate anything with bats but how could I resist neon Halloween PJs?!

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What To Eat This Week: 10/1/23.

So many fall favorites are in the lineup today!

What’s on your menu this week?!

What To Eat This Week

Butternut couscous bowls with maple vinaigrette

Weeknight BBQ chicken sandwiches

Pumpkin turkey chili

Honeycrisp harvest salad

Pumpkin, sage & bacon pizza

Grilled hot honey smoked sausage skewers

Greek orzo salad in a jar

Pumpkin cheesecake baked oatmeal

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Currently Crushing On.

Hello hello!

This week on the blog I shared this butternut couscous bowl with maple vinaigrette. I also shared these ranch smashed sweet potatoes, our favorite asiago cheese beer bread and some pumpkin turkey chili!

All of my September favorites are HERE!

There’s a new weekly menu up and a peek at a week in our life.

The Everyday Dinners cookbook club is on fire! If you have a copy of the book, request to join the group. If not, get one here! We’re finishing up our summer cooking challenge. 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

Buffalo chicken quesadillas are a major favorite.

Whoa – pumpkin caramel!

Dutch oven chili looks amazing.

Lovely apple cinnamon baked oatmeal.

Apple dumplings also look incredible!

I need this pumpkin bundt cake.

Pumpkin crepes too!

This stuffed pepper soup sounds awesome.

Red pepper jelly you can make at home!

Craving this creamy pumpkin soup.

Chocolate pudding for the win.

And this pumpkin bread!! Wow.

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September Favorites.

A peek at everything I loved in September 2023! 

FOOD

ALDI pumpkin spice loaf cake. This might be the best pumpkin bread I’ve ever tried. It is incredible.

Favorite Day pumpkin cheesecake ice cream. Enough said! Can you tell I’m on a pumpkin kick?

My honeycrisp harvest salad. Every year in September I lose my mind over HOW GOOD this salad is that I first created so many years ago.

HOME

Hulken Rolling Totes. I could shout from the rooftops how much I adore these totes. I use them for just about everything – they are super easy and light to use too. The kids used them when we dropped off their school supplies and they love them too.

Handheld steam iron. This has changed my life. I hate ironing, I don’t have time and totally still give my mom the one off item to iron if needed (she loves ironing!). This handheld iron/steamer has been a life saver for Emilia’s uniform skirts!

Lightweight gold step stool.

BEAUTY

Urban Decay Space Cowboy Eyeshadow. This kills me because I wore this eyeshadow in COLLEGE and then last year it was a huge tiktok trend. But I love it for a one and done look. And it doesn’t transfer to the face at all.

Laneige Glowy Balm in Peppermint. My fave lip gloss was just released in a limited edition peppermint. I grabbed two and love it!

Dazzle Dry Nail Polish in Vigor. My favorite color green! I have got everything in this shade this year. And I love this!

FASHION

Amazon Open Cardigan. This cardigan is so nicely structured and sharp. I love it. Also love all the colors. I have the blue-ish/gray one.

Free People Jayde Flare Jeans. These also make me feel like I’m back in college. I got the short version and I really love them – they are SO high-waisted, which is awesome. And they are so comfortable!

Air Essentials Crewneck. My favorite crewneck of all time. This material cannot be beat. And it wears and hangs so nicely.

Free People fleece. This is the softest fleece that is incredibly warm but feels somewhat lightweight at the same time. I want it in every color!

MEDIA

. This album is SOOOO good – I absolutely love it. I listen to it daily! So energizing.

Things We Left Behind. I can’t believe I’m mentioning this book because I slammed the first two, but I actually loved this one the most!

KIDS

Mondo Llama Halloween crafts. I talk about these all the time but they are my kids’ favorite crafts. They buy us at least an hour or two. And they are fun to display once they are done! The ones this year are bigger than last year.

Investigator Books. Max’s favorite books of all time – and they just released a new one this week. He rereads the old ones almost every single week.

Duplo base plates. These are amazing for Jordan for building!! Max has some for smaller legos, but these duplo ones are just as awesome.

[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]

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Pumpkin Turkey Chili.

I love this pumpkin turkey chili once the weather starts to cool down! It’s super hearty and satisfying, and comes together quickly and easily on a busy weeknight. Plus, it’s perfect for freezing and leftovers are great for lunch!

It’s chili time!

This pumpkin turkey chili is a spin on my favorite weeknight maple turkey chili, and it’s super satisfying, perfectly spiced and easy to make on a busy evening!

We have had ultimate chili weather this week! It’s been super gray outside, cold, drizzly and rainy – the perfect combo for a hot bowl of chili served with beer bread. So how timely that I have this recipe lined up for you today!

Get ready to enjoy this all season long because it’s going to become a new favorite too. 

My maple turkey chili is a major favorite as soon as the temperature dips here. I love it because it’s such an easy chili, but very flavorful and tastes like it’s simmered all day long. When in reality, it comes together in about 30 minutes or so. Sure, it tastes EVEN BETTER the next day, but it’s still super wonderful the day that it is made.

And this chili is like that too! I keep a little of the maple syrup in here, because it complements the pumpkin so well. I also add a bit more spice, a sprinkle of cinnamon and a quick shake of nutmeg, which doesn’t make it taste sweet, but just more spiced. It’s great!

The best part is that there is an entire can of pumpkin here! A whole can!!

It really ups the satiety of the chili since there is a ton of fiber in the pumpkin puree. I also love how much it thickens the soup, in an excellent way. This chili is so hearty, with the turkey, the beans, the pumpkins and the fire roasted tomatoes.

Speaking of! It’s no secret that I love using fire roasted tomatoes in all of my soups. I find that they add an excellent pop of flavor, so I couldn’t recommend them more here. The diced tomatoes cook down as the soup cooks too, so if you’re concerned about big tomato chunks, don’t be! 

Toppings are key here. This doesn’t taste like a pumpkin spice latte or anything, so there is no reason to be worried that it’s going to be sweet. I stick to my regular toppings on chili – lots of cilantro, maybe some green onions and I also really love crumbly cotija cheese.

And make a batch of beer bread, of course! (more…)

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