Fresh Corn and Pesto Salad

Summer in a dish. Here it is, here it is. And it is tastier than you could have ever imagined.

Fresh is best, and this salad is all that and a bag of chips. Minus the chips.

Fresh Corn and Pesto Salad is the perfect side dish for your next cookout! I'm thinking any Fourth of July spread would be made better with this recipe on the table. All of the greatest gifts of summer are jam packed into one wonderful and tasty salad.

Let's first talk about fresh corn. Crisp and slightly sweet. Perfectly golden. Ugh. Love it. I literally love corn. There, I said it. And when you can get fresh corn, on the cob, well--what are you waiting for? Make this salad!!

Along with juicy/sweet/crisp corn, cut right off the cob, we are going to throw chopped cherry tomatoes and green bell peppers into a nice, big serving bowl. After a little toss to mix things up, we are going to coat the whole she-bang in a delicious pesto sauce. Traditional pesto is all we need here. The freshness of the basil with the rich bite of pine nuts and the salty tang of parmesan cheese elevates the flavor and send it off the charts.

Enjoy this salad with a burger. Or hot dog. Or grilled sausage. Or a shrimp bake. Anything! I have eaten this salad 3 times in the past week and I think it will be a staple on your summer table as well :-) Enjoy!

Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies

In the world of chewy, decadent, delicious cookies, I think these little bebes reign supreme. They are a wonderful marriage of crumbly peanut butter cookies, gooey chocolate chip cookies, and chewy oatmeal cookies. The trifecta, if you will.

Bonus! These cookies are dairy free and contain no flour. Perhaps they aren't completely guilt-free, but I completely support having an extra 2 or 3. They are just the perfect little snack bite!

Cashew Butter Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies come together in a mixing bowl with a strong wooden spoon. A little elbow grease goes a long way. Softened cashew butter is our base. Nutty, slightly sweet, totally decadent. To the cashew butter we add unsweetened apple sauce, quick oats, baking soda, a pinch of salt, and a bit of sugar. Because we are worth it, I toss in some mini chocolate chips--totally necessary!

I really cannot say enough good things about these cookies. I am obsessed with cashews and, as a result, absolutely love cashew butter. But don't worry--if you have almond butter or peanut butter on hand, they will work just as well! If you want a more traditional oatmeal cookie, feel free to sub out the chocolate chips for a few raisins instead!

Add these cookies to your next BBQ menu--they are sure to be a hit (and nobody will know they are just a teeeeny bit healthier than most cookies!)

Peanut Butter Ice Cream

Oh yes, oh yes, you're welcome.

Say it with me now: Peanut. Butter. Ice Cream. Peanut. Butter. ICE CREAM!!

I am still trying to figure out if my mom getting me an ice cream machine was the best or worst thing to happen to me. Probably a little bit of both. Sure, my waistline isn't THRILLED but in everything other sense, ice cream machine = life.

Many ice cream recipes are custard based, so it involves egg yolks, and tempering said egg yolks, and letting the mixture thicken. And these ice creams are delicious, they really are. But this. Ooooh, this.

This Peanut Butter Ice Cream is ridiculously simple. Fool-proof, even. But more importantly than that, it is outrageously delicious. It is made of a just a few good ingredients, and it is this simplicity that takes this ice cream above and beyond. The salty sweet joy of peanut butter packed into every creamy, cool spoonful.

As long as you have an ice cream maker (or a very nice friend with a ice cream maker!) you can absolutely make this recipe! And trust me when I say you should make it A.S.A.P.!

Chicken Caesar Sandwiches with Dill Potato Salad

I think picnics are an under-utilized date idea.

What is more fun and romantic than packing up a homemade meal, preparing refreshing adult beverages, and enjoying dinner in the park? 

Yesterday was the first perfectly warm summer day in Boston so Cory and I wanted to be sure we spent some time outside enjoying the sunshine. A picnic down at Jamaica Pond was just what the doctor ordered!

I prepared simple but delicious Chicken Caesar Sandwiches with a side of Dill Potato Salad. A great picnic meal should be easily portable and just as delicious chilled, warm, or at room temperature. For this meal, I prepared the potato salad ahead of time and the sandwiches just before we packed up to leave. 

I think the best compliment Cory gave was saying how it felt like we had bought the sandwiches at a nice sandwich place. And they are an absolute cinch to make, for far less dough than you'd spend at a local sandwich shop! The homemade potato salad is just a bonus! I lightened it up by using greek yogurt and dijon mustard for the dressing, and tossing it with red and yellow potatoes, celery, shallots, and fresh dill. Totally fresh and delish. 

BBQ Chicken Quesadillas with Corn and Avocado Salad

I have a very urgent message from my kitchen to yours: YOU NEED TO MAKE THESE QUESADILLAS.

I was telling my friend about this mouthwatering creation and she said: "I am convinced that barbecue sauce is the greatest condiment of all time." This was such a wonderful nugget of wisdom--it is so true!

I had a hard time photographing these BBQ Chicken Quesadillas with Corn and Avocado Salad but I knew I needed to share this recipe with you immediately. This was one of those meals that I cooked, plated, took a bite and immediately closed my eyes and said "MMMMmmmmMMmmmm." When that happens...well, people need to know about it.

There are a few key components take these quesadillas above and beyond. Tender chicken breast that is baked to perfection, crusted in a bunch of tasty spices is a good place to start. Thinly sliced red onions add a necessary tang. Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce because...well...see comment above. Monterey Jack cheese is an absolute necessity--it melts so wonderfully and keeps all the tasty goodness packed inside crispy whole wheat tortillas.

Because we can't stop, won't stop, I also add some crispy bacon strips. Duh.

There are a few different ways that people build quesadillas. I prefer laying one tortilla in a big pan, adding all the fillings to one side then folding the tortilla in half to form a half moon. Some people layer one tortilla on top of another and cut it like a pizza, but I tend to lose all my filling this way.

When it comes to bringing this whole meal together, sour cream is a great way to cool down the spicy tang of the barbecue sauce. The corn and avocado salad is fresh and light, the perfect compliment to our crispy, gooey quesadillas. Let's get to it -- I know you can't wait any longer!

Simple Sides: Garlicky Spinach with Crispy Bacon

I have this vision for a new series and as you can see I am calling it "Simple Sides."

Oftentimes I feel like we all get bogged down with the main course that sometimes the hardest thing to do is pull together some delicious side dishes to round out the meal.

This happened to me this past weekend. I was cooking oven roasted chicken thighs that I wanted to have a really delicious crisp skin and juicy meat. After I popped the chicken in the oven I realized that I hadn't made any plan on what to serve alongside this chicken. Panic ensued and I went scurrying through my fridge and freezer trying to see what veggies I had on hand.

Luckily this story has a happy ending and this Garlicky Spinach with Crispy Bacon is just that. This side dish comes together in a flash and it is packed with great flavor. Anything that has bacon in it HAS to be good, so this should seem like a no-brainer. Add tasty garlic and protein-packed spinach to that equation and we are in side dish heaven.

I don't know about you, but at big holiday meals I am always loading up on extra potatoes and veggies rather than turkey or ham and if this spinach was part of that, Lord knows I'd be going back for seconds and thirds.

The recipe below is a perfect side for two, but it can easily be multiplied to serve a larger crowd.

If there are more vegetables or side dishes you'd like me to try out as a Simple Side, feel free to leave a comment below!

Marinated Feta and Avocado Salad

We need to talk briefly but seriously about this salad right here. This is my current obsession, as in, eating it morning, noon, and night.

This lovely is no brain child of my own. I must give credit where credit is due. So, a million thank you's to Union Street Grill and Patio in Newton, MA. Union is one of our favorite date spots--not only do they have the most BANGIN' outdoor patio in the greater Boston area, but their cocktail selections are fun and original (think Sangria Rita which is absolutely a margarita with a float of sangria) and the food--so, so good.

When I saw this Marinated Feta and Avocado Salad on the menu, I was hooked. It perfectly suited my avocado obsession as well as my general obsession with all things feta cheese. Feta everything.

I tried to eat this salad like a lady. But somehow it inevitably led to me shoveling forkful after forkful in my mouth. The creamy avocado, the tangy and crumbly feta, a perfectly sweet and sour citrus vinaigrette, and an irresistible crunch from pistachios--this is what salad dreams are made of.

Ever since this date night, I've been thinking about this salad and how I knew I could satisfy my craving for another heaping plateful at home. And so, here it is. A recreation of that same Union Street dish that is so close to the original I cannot help but urge you to give it a try. Let's do this.