Now that it’s fall, it is the perfect time for me to share one of my go-to quick weeknight dinners: Chicken Pesto Meatballs.
This recipe for Chicken Pesto Meatballs is equally easy, quick, and delicious – you’ll be amazed at how flavorful these meatballs are!
The below recipes serves the meatballs with a pesto pasta, but we have also enjoyed the chicken pesto meatballs on a bed of salad greens, with rice and vegetables, or on their own as an appetizer.
Ingredients:
Chicken Pesto Meatballs:
1/2 cup homemade or store-bought pesto (if buying store bought, I strongly suggest going to the prepared foods section of the supermarket to see if they have any freshly made pesto rather than jarred)
1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 pound ground chicken
1/2 cup grated parmesan
Pesto Pasta:
16 oz pasta of your choice (my favorites are fusilli and orzo for this recipe)
One of my favorite parts of being a member of a CSA is the abundance of tomatoes that they provide. During tomato season, I gobble up tomato sandwiches, salads filled with tomatoes, and basically any tomato-filled recipe I can. Recently, even I had more tomatoes than I knew what to do with, so it felt like the right time to make some homemade gazpacho, or more specifically, Juicer Gazpacho Shooters!
As I gathered my ingredients, my husband asked if I was using our Hurom H320 Cold Juicer (paid link) to make the gazpacho. Now, why didn’t I think of that?
let’s take a moment for my pretty tomatoes
These Juicer Gazpacho Shooters are so easy to make! Most ingredients are added straight into the hopper, and the juicer does the hard work for you.
The result is a beautifully silky-smooth gazpacho, perfect for serving in small shooter glasses (paid link) for a great summer party appetizer or a fun start to a meal.
Note: I have permission to share the below Fried Rice Carbonara recipe from Danny Freeman’s latest cookbook, Italianish (paid link)
Before I share this recipe for Fried Rice Carbonara, I want to give some background on its inspiration. Recently, I attended an event at Binding Agents, Philly’s only cookbook store, located in the Italian Market. The event included a talk, signing, and pasta demo with Danny Freeman to feature his new cookbook, Italianish: Modern Twists on Class Italian Flavors (paid link).
Danny Freeman, or Danny Loves Pasta, is known for creating fun and beautiful, colorful pasta shapes and recipes (his first cookbook, Danny Loves Pasta – paid link – is an absolute delight). His latest cookbook, Italianish, is a celebration of Italian American flavors reimagined for easy family-friendly and many weekday-friendly recipes.
During the talk, Danny spoke of his inspiration of this latest cookbook, growing up in an Italian American home, and adapting those flavors and recipes for his own family. Italianish is filled with creative, inventive, and playful takes on Italian classics, including recipes for Lasagna Soup, Rigatoni alla Vermouth, and Rainbow Cookie Cookies.
The cookbook includes a bunch of indices that make this cookbook so incredibly useful. There is a time index so you can quickly scan recipes based on how much time you have – some recipes can be made in as little as 15 minutes! There is also a sauce index and a meatball index to help you better mix and match to create multiple versions of the recipes within the cookbook. Italianish also includes three “intermezzos” which highlight cicchetti (small snacks originating in Venice), fresh pasta, and farro bowls.
While providing insights into his latest cookbook, Danny Freeman also gave a demo on different fresh pasta shapes, which I can’t wait to try for myself at home!
Danny Freeman was kind enough to allow me to post one of the recipes from his cookbook on my blog.
To highlight the imaginativeness of Italianish, I’ve chosen to recreate Danny’s recipe for Fried Rice Carbonara.
As Danny writes, “With the pork and the eggs, [fried rice] is not so different from a carbonara! The classic pasta dish is made with guanciale, Parmesan, and egg yolks, and we can use those same flavors to whip up this quick carbonara fried rice.” I absolutely love Spaghetti Alla Carbonara, so I couldn’t wait to try this recipe!
Ingredients (serves 2 as a main dish, or 4 as a side):
3 cups cooked rice
4 oz guainciale or pancetta, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Note: I was sent tins of Fishwife Smoked Rainbow Trout in order to write this Smoky Pantry Pasta post. Opinions are my own.
There are so many occasions when a pantry meal, like this recipe for Smoky Pantry Pasta, can be a real life saver.
I try to have a couple of pantry meals on hand for busy weeknights, the first meal back after a vacation, or, most recently, when we are in the process of moving to a new home. Preparing for the move meant that we were in cleaning out mode and doing our best to not have to go to the grocery store for any additional items.
Mid-move, I was sent the most beautifully packaged tinned fish from Fishwife – three tins of Smoked Rainbow Trout (affiliate link).
Fishwife is a female-founded and led food company aiming to make ethically sourced, premium, and delicious tinned seafood a staple in every cupboard. Founded in 2020, Fishwife sources from healthy fisheries and certified sustainable aquaculture farms to bring the vibrance of conservas culture to the North American table.
The Smoked Rainbow Trout is raised in an ASC-certified sustainable farm in the Denmark countryside and is slow-smoked in small batches over beechwood to give it that beautiful smoky flavor. The Fishwife website suggests enjoying their Smoked Rainbow Trout stirred into a lemony pasta, as smoked trout dip with potato chips, or in a savory sandwich.
source: eatfishwife.com
I adapted this Smoky Pantry Pasta recipe from a pantry pasta recipe on Fishwife’s website, making it only with items I already had on hand. Although the original recipe calls for anchovies, I thought the smokiness of the Smoked Rainbow Trout would enhance the recipe even more!
Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) box pasta (I used gemelli because that’s what I had on hand)
Everyone needs more weeknight dinner recipes, and this recipe for Grapefruit Miso Butter Chicken is nice and simple for those weeknights you really don’t feel like cooking.
With just six ingredients, you can have the super tasty Grapefruit Miso Butter Chicken on the table in 40 minutes!
Ceviche is a surprisingly easy meal to make at home, and this Salmon Ceviche is no exception! I know it seems like it would be super intimidating but trust me, you can have this seemingly fancy dish ready in 30 minutes!
The one thing to keep in mind when making salmon ceviche is that it is strongly suggested to use salmon that has been previously frozen to help ensure food safety. Ceviche is raw, after all!
For recipes like this Salmon Ceviche, I use my salmon filets from Sitka Seafood Market. (I have a subscription, and have had one for years, but the link is not an affiliate link) Sitka Seafood Market’s Salmon is wild caught and quickly frozen, so I know it is safe for raw consumption.
This Salmon Ceviche comes together quickly. Once you have prepared your ingredients, just add them to a non-metal bowl and let marinate for up to 30 minutes and you’re done!
Ingredients:
the juice of 1 lemon
the juice of 1 grapefruit
the juice of 3 limes
1/2 red onion, minced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 bell pepper, diced
1 avocado, diced
1 to 2 salmon filets, pin bones and skin removed, cut into bite sized pieces
Note: I was sent samples of Goldswarm Honey in order to make this Honey Glazed Orange Ginger Shrimp. Opinions are mine alone.
Just wait until you try this Honey Glazed Orange Ginger Shrimp! The shrimp is marinated in a garlic-ginger-Chinese five spice, then tossed in an orange honey glaze and is served over rice for a wonderfully flavorful weeknight meal!
I was sent this recipe along with some absolutely delicious honey from Goldswarm Honey, a luxury honey sourced from the wildflowers of West Africa.
With its bold floral notes and deep caramel undertone, Goldswarm elevates any dish or drink into a gourmet experience. Unlike mass-produced honey, Goldswarm is ethically harvested from Nigerian beehives and completely free of preservatives, additives, and heat processing – preserving its rich antioxidants and nutrients.
This recipe for Honey Glazed Orange Ginger Shrimp seemed like the perfect way to test out (and highlight) Goldswarm Honey!
Ingredients (serves 4):
1 lb. large peeled and deveined shrimp (20-25 count)
5 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon finely diced ginger or ginger paste
2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
½ teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder, plus more for garnish
I know St. Patrick’s Day was a week ago, but these Irish Soda Bread Scones are so tasty, they need to be shared! Plus, who needs a specific holiday to enjoy something as yummy as Irish Soda Bread Scones? These can (and should) be enjoyed all year round!
Inspired by one of my favorite Irish treats, these Irish Soda Bread Scones are really easy to make. Just like traditional Irish Soda Bread, these are best eaten with softened butter, and maybe a smear of your favorite jam.
I’m back with another cookie recipe using some of my favorite OXO tools, specifically OXO’s cookie press, disk set, and Ceramic Pan!
Every year, OXO supports Cookies for Kids’ Cancer and the fight against pediatric cancer. Before I share my cookie recipe for Spritz Cookies, I want to share a bit about Cookies for Kids’ Cancer.
Cookies for Kids’ Cancer (CFKC) is a nonprofit founded by two OXO employees after their son, Liam, was diagnosed with pediatric cancer. Through grassroots bake sales across the country, CFKC raises funds to develop new, improved and less toxic treatments for childhood cancer. Liam Witt’s legacy lives on as the organization works toward a cure for pediatric cancer, helping children and families everywhere.
Every year, OXO supports CFKC by encouraging people to bake and share.
For every cookie baked, OXO donates $1 to Cookies for Kids’ Cancer up to $100,000, so here is my new cookie this year to support the cause and spread the word!
Here are some of my old cookie swap and Cookies for Kids’ Cancer posts, in case you’re in a baking mood:
Every year, I am tasked with bringing a chocolate pumpkin dessert to Thanksgiving. Pumpkin and chocolate is my aunt’s favorite combination so I try to experiment a bit each year. This year’s recipe is actually really simple, and if you use store-bought ice cream, you can make this whole Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie in just minutes (plus freezing time)!
In fact, you can make this Pumpkin Ice Cream Pie as homemade, or as store-bought as you’d like. I personally made my ice cream, but bought the pie crust and the whipped cream.
With Thanksgiving so late this year, I hope you’ll forgive me for sharing a Christmas cookie recipe before Black Friday; these Cannoli Cookies are too good to keep a secret!
If you’re a cannoli lover, these Cannoli Cookies are sure to impress, especially because they are quite a bit easier to make than homemade cannolis!
Cannoli Cookies are spiced ricotta cookies with chocolate chips, pistachios, and orange zest, delivering the flavors of a classic cannoli in cookie form!
Note: I was sent a Hurom H320 Slow Juicer in order to write this post including a recipe for Green Juice. Opinions are mine alone.
This summer, I have really been enjoying having a CSA share again. However, no matter how hard I try, it is still difficult to use up all of those beautiful fruits and vegetables!
When Hurom contacted me about trying one of their Slow Juicers, I felt like the timing was perfect! What a great way for me to utilize these ingredients more, like in this recipe for Green Juice!
My husband has been making himself “green drinks” for years now in a blender (paid link) but I have trouble getting over the super pulpy texture of it. So Hurom’s H320 Slow Juicer (paid link) called out to me immediately. Not only is the juicer quite the visual stunner (shown in color “Kale”), but it also has two different strainers, one which yields an ultra-low pulp juice.
Despite the name, slow juicers are still pretty darn quick. Hurom’s patented Slow Squeeze Technology uses an auger to squeeze out juice (similar to how you would hand-squeeze an orange). This natural motion minimizes damage to ingredients, keeping their natural taste and nutrition intact.
Photo courtesy of Hurom
I am still learning the ins and outs of juicing and how to create the perfect balance of tasty and nutrient-rich juices, but I figured I’d take inspiration from my husband’s green drinks for my first try to make this Green Juice.
This recipe for Green Juice uses quite the colorful group of fruits and veggies, but the color of the kale and spinach wins out in the end, providing that nice green color to the drink.
Ingredients (makes ~16 oz juice; multiply as needed):
Note: I was sent a DREO ChefMaker Combi Fryer for review, which I tested using this recipe for Teriyaki Chicken Wings. All opinions are mine alone.
I am super late to the air fryer band wagon, but I am kind of happy I held out long enough to instead try a DREO ChefMaker Combi Fryer (paid link)! I am still becoming acquainted with all of the delicious options this appliance has, but I was so impressed with my first test run making these Teriyaki Chicken Wings that I had to share it immediately!
The ChefMaker is described on DREO’s website as “the most professional air fryer for making Michelin-starred meals.” The appliance uses “CombiCook technology” which translates professional cooking methods into intelligent algorithms that allow ChefMaker to become a fully automated master cooking machine that handles temperature, time, and atomization by itself. It also includes a water atomization system that replenishes evaporated moisture and reduces the chamber temperature to prevent food from charring and ensure the core gets evenly cooked.
There are a ton of ingredient-based presets to take a lot of the guesswork out of cooking, as well a three professional cooking modes: Chef Mode (ingredient-based master chef presets), Classic Cook (choosing a cooking style including air fry, defrost, reheat, broil, roast, toast, bake, and dehydrate), and Probe Cook (take full control of cooking temperature to create new recipes).
In addition to the appliance itself, the DREO app includes step-by-step videos for recipes while also tracking the cooking process on your phone.
Sounds kind of awesome, right? I wanted to try the ChefMaker out as soon as possible! Using the app, I found a recipe for Teriyaki Chicken Wings that I miraculously had all ingredients already on hand. I adapted the recipe slightly, but tried to stick to the step-by-step videos as possible to get a sense of the benefit of the app as well.
The weather has yet to turn cold (in fact, we just had a week-long heatwave!) but I’m already thinking about colder weather foods. One of my favorite comfort foods is traditional Irish Vegetable Soup.
Unlike a chunky vegetable soup commonly found in the US, Irish Vegetable Soup is a blended soup made of potatoes, leeks, carrots, and onions that feels creamy and comforting without any cream!
The absolute best way to enjoy an Irish Vegetable Soup is with some Irish Brown Bread, but because that’s somewhat difficult to come across in the US, I substituted in a loaf of Italian bread to sop up all that vegetable goodness.
Note: I was given a box of produce from Penn Farm and used some of the produce in order to make this Cantaloupe Tomato Panzanella Salad recipe. Opinions are mine alone.
One of my favorite things about this blog is the opportunity to spotlight amazing restaurants, ingredients, and food organizations when I come across them. So when I heard about this CSA, I knew I had to share their amazing story ASAP, even if it is toward the end of the CSA season (note: bookmark this post so you have all the info you need to sign up for this CSA next year!) I also have an awesome recipe for Cantaloupe Tomato Panzanella Salad that shows off the bounty of Penn Farm’s CSA, so be sure to check that out at the end of the post!
William Penn High School is a public high school in New Castle, Delaware, where students enrolled in the school’s Agriculture classes help maintain a farm nearby the school. Historic Penn Farm has been a tenant farm since its inception in the late 1700s, and the 100-acre farm is the last surviving farm of the original tenant farms. William Penn High School, through a partnership with the Trustees of the New York Commons, continues the legacy of Historic Penn Farm while educating students on agriculture and also supporting the local community.
William Penn High School’s “Farm-to-School” program gives students the opportunity to learn how to grow produce from seeds, maintain the farm throughout the growing season, and help to harvest everything at the end of the season.
Some of the produce is utilized in other programs within William Penn High School; agriculture students work directly with the school’s culinary students, nutrition services, and science students. Local produce from Penn Farm becomes delicious meals enjoyed by the rest of the student body. In addition to vegetables, other animal products such as eggs are also produced and used in school nutritional programs throughout the district.
All produce on Penn Farm is grown from non-GMO seeds and is grown following organic practices. The farm harvests A LOT of produce, so Penn Farm also offers a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture) each year. The 10-week CSA at Penn Farm lasts from late June through August, where those who buy a share receive a fresh produce box each week. Each box is chock full of vegetables, enough to feed a family of four for a week! Sign-ups each season open in the spring. I received the following in my box this week (note: the cantaloupe had to go it its own photo because it was bigger than my head!):
The CSA offering is a great way for Penn Farm, William Penn High School, and Colonial School District to provide a valuable service to the local community. In return, purchasing a CSA share serves as a method of monetary support for Penn Farm and the Agriculture Programs at William Penn High School.
To show off some of this beautiful produce, I knew I had to go for a summer classic: Panzanella Salad! This Cantaloupe Tomato Panzanella Salad highlights the cantaloupe, tomatoes, and cucumbers from my Pann Farm CSA Share, plus helped me use up some leftover Italian bread I had!
Ingredients:
Salad:
6 slices Italian bread, cut into bite sized pieces
