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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Main, Recipes, Salad, Side Dish
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Quick & Easy Pesto Pasta Salad

There are so many reasons I love warmer weather, but for sure I love the change of food. The things that are in season and the foods we start to crave as the temperatures rise changes so much, doesn’t it? There are two things that feel like the true start of the warmer months to me: a cheeseburger and a cold pasta salad. Today, we’re talking about a quick and easy pesto pasta salad with just a few ingredients and almost no effort.

If you entertain a lot during the summer months, or even go to friends’ and family a lot in the summer months, a solid pasta salad is perfect to have in your back pocket. With the right ingredients a pasta salad can be so refreshing and the perfect side dish for grilling.

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Dessert, Recipes
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Strawberry Pound Cake Recipe

“Strawberry fields foreverrrr…”

Guys, I am SO into strawberries right now! Yesterday, we shared the Strawberry Chipotle Glazed Pork Tenderloin we’re serving up for Easter and today – a Strawberry Pound Cake! I’m so obsessed with this cake. It is so good. We’ve already made and devoured two of these. In one week.

This cake is: moist, sweet but not too sweet, full of strawberry flavor, buttery, and did I mention, moist? Don’t you love that word? I’ll say it again for the people in the back – this pound cake is so MOIST!

I’m also writing this as we’re baking a third (a gift to a friend, thankfully not staying in the house), and it’s wafting in here and it just even smells so incredible.

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Recipes
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How to Clean Fresh Artichokes

It might not feel like spring outside, but the season is in full swing in the market! It’s artichoke season, so get those kitchen shears ready, because you’re going to need to make artichokes straight away. Cleaning artichokes feels a little work intensive the first time you make them, but after once you’ll get it and you’ll be craving artichokes regularly!

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Entertaining, Recipes
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Creamy Lemon Vinaigrette Dressing Recipe

I’ve always loved a light vinaigrette, especially one that’s a little creamy. And I’ve finally cracked the code – dijon mustard is the secret to this vinaigrette!

Everyone needs a good dressing recipe in their back pocket, and I swear I could put this on everything – from salad to fish to meat to veggies. I’ve made this twice this week already and it’s only Wednesday!

 

Creamy Vinaigrette Recipe

Yield: Appx 1/4 c. | Time: 5 minutes

Ingredients:

1 large garlic clove, zested (or minced if you don’t own a zester)

Juice of 1/2 a lemon

3 tbsp dijon mustard (the smooth kind, not grainy)

2 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp white wine vinegar

salt and pepper to taste

 

Directions:

Combine all ingredients and shake it like a polaroid picture!

You can adjust the ingredients to your liking. If you want a thinner consistency, add water 1/2 tsp at a time.

Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in home, lifestyle
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Wild Flower Arrangement

I can’t tell you how much I love fresh flowers. I day dream about running through fields of wild flowers bursting with colors so naturally I need flowers in the house at all times. All over the place.

These are actually not wild flowers, but all different types of filler flowers from Trader Joe’s. They really have the best price on flowers if your heart isn’t set on a specific bloom.

It’s so easy to put together a beautiful stunning flower arrangement from grocery store flowers. My first tip, don’t over think it!

 

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Uncategorized
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Easter Lamb Lollipops Recipe

A few years ago, my mother made lamb lollipops for Christmas, which surprisingly was the first time I had ever had lamb! It was so delicious – so buttery and just the right size.

I have to confess, I’m not a huge fan of ham, so when I started creating the Easter menu, I knew I was going to feature lamb. It really was the base for my menu and I built out each course from there. Doesn’t “lamb lollipops” sound so much fancier than “lamb chops?” It is, though, one in the same. We’re just going to roll with “lollipops” over here.

These lamb lollipops cook up quickly and are marinated for several hours in lemon juice, mustard, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper. They cook up so fast, too! With everything else prepared, you’ll be putting fresh lamb on the table before you can even say, “Amen!”

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Recipes
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Perfect Asparagus Tart Recipe

Warm, cheesy, tangy, flaky…downright dreamy. This asparagus tart recipe is perfect for your spring and Easter gatherings and is irresistible served warm and super tasty at room temperature.

I promise the only regret you’ll have with this recipe is wanting to eat it all! It’s so simple it’s almost a sin to even call this a recipe. You can change up any aspect of the recipe, change the cheeses, use a different veg – it’s all up to you!

The balsamic glaze I added at the end really helped to finish the dish, just add right before serving if you decide to serve this tart at room temperature!

Serve up this Asparagus Tart with an arugula salad, Lamb Lollipops and Lemon Loaf for dessert! Get your Easter table ready here!

Easy Asparagus Tart Recipe

Yield: 6-8 servings | Time: ~35 minutes

Ingredients:

Pastry dough, thawed.

1/4 c grated Gruyere cheese

1/4 c whole milk ricotta cheese

1/2 tbsp lemon zest (optional!)

salt, pepper to taste (salt might depend on the cheese you choose)

optional: balsamic glaze to finish

 

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 400°

Roll thawed pastry dough onto parchment lined baking sheet

Score pastry dough in a rectangle to make the area that will be the “crust,” about 1/2 inch from the edges. Poke the base with a fork generously to prevent the puff pastry from, well, puffing up too much. Bake dough for 12 minutes.

Meanwhile, trim and blanch your asparagus. Drain well.

While pastry and asparagus are cooling, combine cheeses, lemon zest if using, salt and pepper. Mix well. Gently spread cheese mixture evenly on tart, leaving crust without cheese.

Top with blanched asparagus. Bake for 12 minutes or until crust is golden-brown and cheese is melty delicious.

Let cool for a few minutes and cut into slices. You’ll need a very sharp knife or a very sharp serated knife to cut the pastry without the crust falling apart.

 

Note: Frozen pastry dough typically comes with two sheets of dough. This recipe can easily be doubled to utilize both sheets of puff pastry. make sure to separate them from each other if you are going to thaw both sheets of pastry dough.

 

Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Recipes
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Simple Spring Lemon Loaf

In planning our Easter menu, I’ve tried to keep our recipes light, simple and bright. Know what I mean by “bright”? Those dishes that just feel lively and springy and, well, bright, as soon as you take a bite. Enter, this simple spring lemon loaf recipe!

The key to the super lemon flavor in this dessert is lemon zest, and a lot of it. So you’ll need a zester – I have this one! I love how moist this lemon loaf is, and the trick is the full fat sour cream – it not only gives it zing but also keeps the slices moist, even after a few days.

Another reason I love this recipe? You don’t have to dirty up your stand mixer! Just one bowl and a whisk and you’re all set.

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Posted on by Hailey Matesic Posted in Entertaining, lifestyle
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2 Simple Ways to an Elegant Easter Table

When I planned our Easter table, I wanted to find a few special ways to elevate the spring tablescape to be a little more elegant. Flowers can go a long way, I mean, check out those peonies and ranunculus!

I think of hosting gatherings as an event for our guests – how can we make every detail a little more special to really make a meal be an event for guests? It almost always comes down to taking one little extra step for a pretty detail.

Pretty ice cubes have always been #goals for me, but for some reason they always feel like so difficult to pull off. I’m here to tell you that’s not the case! Grab a bunch of edible flowers (here’s a list, super important to check first and not poison your guests) and toss some petals in an ice tray, topped with water. So simple, but so special!

My other favorite way to elevate a meal is a drink in a pretty bottle. I found these adorable bottles of elderflower sparkling water at World Market. It’s my new favorite place to find specialties to make my table feel elegant and I can’t wait to have an excuse to go back and find more goodies! Use a unique vessel to house the bottles, such as a large punch bowl filled half way with ice.

 
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