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)
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
If you’re looking for a simple DIY gift for friends and family, Homemade Hot Honey is a great option!
Hot Honey is honey infused with chili peppers and can be used in so many different ways, including drizzled on pizza to stirred into cocktails to served on charcuterie boards.
This recipe for Homemade Hot Honey is made with just three ingredients and can definitely be adapted to your tastes or what you have on hand.
Ingredients:
1 cup honey
3 dried chili peppers, split open, or 1 tablespoon red pepper flakes
If you’ve never had a Paloma Cocktail before, you are in for a treat! This 3-ingredient cocktail is a refreshing tequila-based drink perfect for warm weather!
Originating in Mexico, Palomas are sometimes compared to margaritas, but they are really closer to a greyhound, which is made with gin and grapefruit juice.
The Paloma Cocktail is one of the most simple cocktails to make. It is made right in the serving glass so you don’t need any bartending equipment to make it!
Ingredients (makes one glass, multiply as needed):
2 ounces blanco tequila
the juice of one lime
4 ounces grapefruit soda (like Jarritos – paid link)
When I first started this blog, I was living in Old City and working in Center City Philadelphia, which meant I got to stop at Reading Terminal on my way home and get inspiration for my meals based on what looked the best that day. I stopped by the Historic Lewes Farmers Market recently looking for some inspiration while at the Delaware Beaches. While I was there, I was able to catch a demonstration by SoDel Concepts’ Pastry Chef Dru Tevis and Bennett Orchards’ Henry Bennett. I picked up some White Peaches from Bennett Orchards while I was there, which inspired me to make this perfectly summery White Peach Strawberry Salad!
This salad is very simple to make, and has less than 10 ingredients, but delivers a balanced mix of sweet, toasty, earthy, and acidic flavors, making for a truly memorable bite!
Ingredients:
Salad:
1/3 cup sliced almonds, toasted
1 (5 oz) bag spring mix
2 sliced white peaches or nectarines
1 cup sliced strawberries
1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese (if you don’t like blue cheese, you can substitute in feta)
Note: I was sent bottles of OCEAN SPRAY CRAN•TROPICAL™ CRANBERRY TROPICAL JUICE DRINK in order to make this post. Opinions are mine alone.
Outdoor summer events call for fun cocktails, don’t you think? And this oh so pretty (and tasty) Tropical Margarita from Ocean Spray is sure to become one of your favorites outdoor sips!
Note: I was sent a jar of Sarge’s Shrimp and Grits Sauce, Yellow Stone Ground Grits, and Seafood Seasoning in order to make this post Opinions are mine alone.
If I see Shrimp and Grits on a Menu, you better believe I am ordering it! Despite this, (and inexplicably despite feeling fine about making shrimp and grits separately), I’ve always been a bit hesitant to make shrimp and grits at home.
So when I was contacted by Sarge’s to try their sauce, I jumped at the chance. Sarge’s sauce is made by Chef Julius West in Raleigh, NC. The sauce is a unique take on a classic Southern dish that has been a staple in the region for generations. Sarges Shrimp & Grits Sauce is a savory, rich, and versatile sauce that can be used as a marinade, a dipping sauce, or a cooking ingredient. Made with high-quality ingredients, including fresh shrimp, butter, and spices, our sauce is the perfect addition to any seafood, meat, or vegetable dish.
Sarge’s Low Country Shrimp and Grits Sauce is a delicious and savory combination of aromatic spices with a hint of fire to spice things up. The sauce blends together chicken broth, all purpose flour, garlic, vegetable oil, hot sauce, Sriracha, bell peppers, Worcestershire sauce, salt, and a special blend of herbs and spices.
With the help of Sarge’s sauce, this recipe for Shrimp and Grits can be made in just 20 minutes!
This recipe for Rosemary White Beans with Onions and Tomatoes has quickly become a staple in my house this winter.
It is quick to prepare, I tend to have most of these ingredients already on hand, and it is so darn comforting! It is also a one pot meal so there are less dishes to clean up when you’re done cooking and enjoying your meal!
I am quite the fan of Eggnog (as well as its coconut-y cousin, Coquito), so once it hits December, I am up for any excuse to have a little sip of it!
The Mixer, a website with recipes for cocktail making for all occasions, must know of my affinity for eggnog, because they sent me a recipe for an Eggnog Martini that I just had to try and share!
This recipe is quick and easy because it uses store-bought eggnog. To make it even more simple, stir up a large batch so when you’re ready to enjoy with friends, all you have to do is pour it into glasses!
Eggnog is synonymous with the holidays, so I wanted to share The Mixer’s recipe ASAP so you can enjoy it with friends and family as well!
Note: I was sent samples of Spero Sunflower Cheese Products in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
It’s the time of year where having a few party appetizer recipes on hand can be very helpful, especially ones that you can create quickly and travels well, if needed.
I prefer to have some recipes that can fit different dietary needs, including an appetizer or two for dairy-free or vegan friends and family.
This recipe for Vegan Cranberry Goat Cheese Pistachio Truffles is made with Spero Alternative Goat Cheese. Spero, a plant-based company that offers sustainable and affordable cheese and egg alternatives, such as Spero’s Sunflower Cheese products. Spero has a bunch of yummy flavors of their cheese spreads, including The Goat, which is a smooth and tangy taste very similar to goat cheese.
Plus, this recipe is super simple and has just four ingredients!
Note: I received a cooler bag with BrightFarms local leafy greens and salad ingredients in order to write this post. Opinions are mine alone.
I am so excited to share this Autumn Delicata Squash Salad recipe with you, thanks to BrightFarms!
I recently received a lovely delivery from BrightFarms, the leading provider of locally grown packaged salads.
BrightFarms operates hydroponic greenhouse farms right outside the communities where they are sold, including one in Selinsgrove, PA, about 150 miles from Philadelphia. The indoor farming company has revolutionized what’s possible in the agricultural industry by growing produce indoors and in carefully controlled greenhouses without ever using pesticides.
Their products are:
Pesticide-Free: Proudly pesticide free and non-GMO to keep your family safe
Greenhouse/Sustainably Grown: Greenhouses provide the ideal environment to grow 365 days/year to peak flavor
Locally Grown: Greens are grown, harvested & delivered to stores in as little as 24 hours, so BrightFarms greens are at peak freshness and flavor when arriving in your fridge
My BrightFarms cooler bag was filled with a bunch of goodies, including the ingredients to make this delicious Autumn Delicata Squash Salad!
To make this recipe easier to come together, I strongly suggest using a mandoline (I love the one that comes in Oxo’s Mini Complete Grate and Slice Set [paid link]) to slice the fennel and red onion. I am quite accident prone, so I also strongly suggest purchasing a cut-resistant glove (paid link) so that you keep all of your fingers cut-free.
Ingredients:
2 (8 to 10 ounce) portions albacore tuna
3 1/2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 tablespoon ground coriander
salt, to taste
ground pepper, to taste
1 large navel orange
1 fennel bulb, trimmed and very thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, very thinly sliced
1/2 cup coarsely chopped pitted Castelvetrano olives (I like to keep half of them whole and chop the other half)
the juice of 1 lemon
2 tablespoons reserved fennel fronds, plus more for garnish
3 tablespoons freshly chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
Seafood is a favorite weekday dinner of mine because it usually takes under 30 minutes to make a seafood dish. This particular recipe for Sheet Pan Balsamic Fish with Roasted Tomatoes has become a staple in our home because of the relatively easy clean up as well – most of the meal is made right in one sheet pan!
I like to serve this over rice or couscous to soak in all of the juices on the sheet pan. This makes 2 hearty servings, with plenty of the tomato mixture to enjoy!
I know it is quite late in the season for a soup recipe, but I made this Leek and Potato Soup recently and just had to share it. This is a fairly traditional Irish Leek and Potato Soup, but the simplicity means you can really make it your own with some tweaks if you wanted.
Leeks are in season late winter to early summer, so this soup is great for those slightly cooler days, or when you’re looking for something simple to make that is ultimate comfort food.
This recipe uses under 10 ingredients and can be made in under 30 minutes!
Ingredients:
4 tablespoons salted butter
1 yellow onion, chopped
3-4 leeks (depending on their size), sliced
1 pound Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and cut into cubes
Lemon and blueberry is such a solid combination. I’ll basically eat any baked good with those two flavors together, which might be why I already have shared a lemon blueberry pancake, cupcake, and icebox cake on here already! So when I saw a recipe for Lemon Blueberry Drop Scones on Taste of Home, I wanted to try them. I messed with the method of their recipe and adding a bit more lemony goodness through lemon extract because I really wanted that flavor to come through.
These are super easy and rustic looking scone recipe. The more misshapen they are, the better they look!
