Pregnancy has been doing some interesting things to our weeknight dinner routine. For one, I’m super picky and I’ve never, ever been a picky eater. There are things I’ll have on repeat, to hubby’s chagrin, every single week, multiple times per week. PLUS most days I have 0 energy to actually make a nice dinner for us, so quick and easy really hits the spot.
These mozzarella stuffed sausages have been on REPEAT in our house, at least twice a week. It’s so easy, you need 3 ingredients!
Earlier this month, we went to Nashville for hubby’s 40th/CMA Fest. We had so much fun and also ate our weight in fried chicken. Let me tell you. That spicy fried chicken thing they’ve got goin’ on in Music City is to. die. for.
I wish fried chicken didn’t have calories, because I’d be making this on the reg. But, these sandwiches gave us just enough of a little taste of Nashville at home.
To kick these sandwiches up a notch, I generously added spicy honey on top of the fried chicken. And then, topped them with the Trader Joe’s sweet and spicy jalapenos that are amazing (and I literally add to everything these days) and some spicy pickles.
You know when you have these stories in your head from growing up, and then you ask a parent about it and they’re all, “uh, no that was literally one time”? I think that’s my growing up experience with Strawberry Rhubarb pie. I have this distinct memory of my aunt “always making” SRP, but I’m 99% sure it was probably just one time.
To me, strawberry + rhubarb is a quintessentially summer flavor (okay, along with basil, but I digress). I’ve been playing around with rhubarb a lot this year (rhubarb ricotta cake coming at ya next week!) and I am 100% in love. We might even need to make a s + r ice cream topping, what do you think?
Guys, I am so into mint and basil chopped up on and in everything (see: herbed turkey meatballs). One of my 2019 Bucket List items was finishing dishes with fresh herbs or lemon/lime, and I’ve been all over it all year, but especially so now that the weather has finally broken.
This time of year begs for fresh flavors, crisp veggies, and overall light and quick meals. Really, who wants to turn on the stove anyway?! And less time in the kitchen means more time outside, or at the beach, lake or pool. Sign me up!
Oh how I love some grilled pizza, year-round, but especially in the summer. On Friday nights, we host a Fire Pit Friday with grilled pizza for all our friends and family. For that, we use the Trader Joe’s crusts, but when it’s just myself and hubby at the pool, we love to use a loaf of French bread, topped with pesto, mozz and cherry tomatoes. And it’s literally ready in 7 minutes!
Food poolside always feels like such a challenge to my creativity – kind of like when you’re trying to have a picnic and have to come up with something easy to eat, clean up and something that can hold up to the hotter weather.
Dinner ready in 30 minutes? Yes, please! I commute pretty far during the week (minimum 1.5 hours on the way home every day) and by the time I get into the kitchen I really don’t want to make something that takes a long time or a lot of effort. A turkey meatball is always a reliable choice, especially when they’re ready in 30 minutes (25 of which are spent in the oven)!
I like to strategically pick my weeknight dinners, usually opting for something that has to bake or simmer for at least 15 minutes. This gives me time to get at least one chore done while we wait for our dinner to be ready – love to switch the laundry, put a load away, do a load of dishes, or, more often than not, wash my face and put on pajamas.
Once dinner is made, I’m kind of down for the count. I’ll play with the pups, or work on a new recipe or do some “research” for “inspiration” on Pinterest. The last thing I want to do at night is clean! So, I get in a few minutes to tidy up while dinner does its thing.
Do you ever get into phases where this one thing is basically the only thing you want to eat? That’s where I am right now with this watermelon snack, which, by the way, is 1 shot of tequila shy of a deconstructed margarita. If you’ve never had watermelon with salt before, try it. Once you do, you’ll never want watermelon without a dash of salt again.
Not only is it a perfect summertime snack, it’s basically the best snack to have poolside. You’re welcome.
I can’t decide if this is a three bean dip or a three bean salsa – what do you guys think? Honestly, salsa to me needs tomatoes and there aren’t any tomatoes in this recipe – so we’re going with a dip! And this dip is so quick, so easy and is so versatile!
With Memorial Day Weekend quickly approaching (seriously, where has the time gone this year?!), I’ve been thinking more about quick and easy dishes for all the BBQs were planning to have this summer. We’ve spent time getting the yard ready for hosting and really can’t wait to have friends and family over all season long.
Toast-for-dinner is one of my go-tos for nights when I have no time, or get home late, or feel incredibly uninspired. And then, every time we do actually have toast, it always feels like such a little treat!
It’s such a simple idea that once you make a few different variations, you’ll have them in your back pocket when you need a quick meal or are having one of those no-idea-what-to-make-for-dinner kind of nights.
If life is all about balance, what better dish than fried chicken and waffles? A little sweet, a little savory. Chicken is protein, so that’s healthy, right?! Balance, guys, balance. For this go, I opted for cheddar and chive waffles and WOW. They. were. great!
Cheddar and chive waffles are one of my favorites, and they really taste amazing with the fried chicken. Sometimes, you don’t really want a super sweet waffle to go with that crispy chicken, amirite?!
