Soba Noodles with Shishitos & Avocado

People like to ask me “what’s your favorite recipe?” and I never have an answer. My “favorite” is often what’s most recent and/or what’s coming up next… But this one combines two definite favorites – blistered shishito peppers (which I usually make as an appetizer), and one of my go-to simple soba noodle recipes. Because my “favorites” are almost always the simple things. I brought home a bunch of shishito peppers from the farmers market, but the base of this recipe is so versatile – feel free to sub in a star vegetable of your choice. The noodles get tossed in a light sesame-soy…

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Portobello Mushroom Dogs

Skip the packaged veggie dogs at your next cookout - grill these tangy marinated portobello mushrooms instead! They're easy, healthy & flavorful.

summer / vegetarian

We’re all familiar with the ubiquitous portobello burger, so I’ll be honest: I originally planned to serve these mushrooms in hot dog buns for the novelty of it. For my money, though, portobellos really work better in dog form than in burger-form. They get more fully covered in the tangy, savory marinade, and (because they’re thinner strips) they cook a lot more quickly and more evenly. Portobello Veggie Dog Recipe Ingredients Growing up around Chicago, hot dogs were never taken lightly. A good Chicago dog has a myriad of components, including mustard, onions, a whole pickle, peppers, and more. This…

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Crispy Zucchini Casserole

Summer side dishes don't get better than this zucchini casserole recipe! A crispy, nutty panko topping covers a saucy layer of pesto and zucchini.

summer / vegetarian

If you have a mountain of zucchini or yellow squash in your fridge, this zucchini casserole recipe is just the thing for you! In fact, you should try this recipe even if you don’t have any summer squash on hand. The crispy, nutty Parmesan and panko topping contrasts perfectly with the saucy zucchini, pesto, and marinara underneath. It’s super simple to put together, and it can pass as a side dish or a meal on its own. Make this zucchini casserole recipe once, and you’ll have it on repeat all summer long. Zucchini Casserole Recipe Ingredients Here’s what you’ll need…

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Spicy Sweet Potato Avocado Tostadas

vegan / gluten free / McCormick

There are no cool breezes in the air, but fall feelings are starting to happen in Austin by way of our local produce selection. This recipe was created from as many things from my Farmhouse Delivery (a local CSA-like farm share) box that I could fit into one meal. I received a sweet potato the size of my small dog Annie, and a bunch of tiny grape tomatoes – so I thought hearty tostadas with fresh, spicy salsa would be fitting for an in-between seasonal dinner. The okra here isn’t totally necessary but I had tons to use up so in it went. Feel free to…

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Heirloom Tomato Sun-Cheese Toasts

summer / vegan / appetizers

You may have noticed that I love making non-dairy sauces & spreads of out cashews, walnuts, and almonds (to name just a few). Every time I post a nutty sauce, I get a comment or two from readers who are allergic to dairy and nuts. (And I totally feel for you). Hopefully, you are not also allergic to seeds because my current obsession is this spread made from sunflower seeds. Sunflower seeds blend up to become a similar texture to ricotta, although the flavor of this spread is a bit more rich & tangy. I’ve posted similar recipes in the past – this time I’ve altered it to use easier-to-find ingredients.…

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Spicy Peach Jam

Learn how to make peach jam with this easy recipe! Slather it onto toast, dollop it onto ice cream, or top it onto tacos for a surprising sweet twist.

summer / vegan / gluten free

A few weeks ago, I had dinner with my friend Grace, and she brought me the most delicious homemade blackberry jam. Since making jam isn’t really my jam, I asked her if she would come over and share a recipe for the blog. I love peaches, and they were in peak season, so we decided on spicy peach jam. And last weekend, we jammed. Well, technically, she jammed. I watched. Jack took pictures. How to Make Peach Jam Canning aside, I was surprised how easy this peach jam recipe was. It looks long but, really, the most time consuming part is…

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How to Make Frozen Yogurt

Learn how to make frozen yogurt with this easy frozen yogurt recipe! Luscious, rich & creamy, it beats soft-serve froyo any day.

summer

We’ve made a lot of ice creams before, so I don’t know why it’s taken us this long to think of making a frozen yogurt recipe with actual yogurt! Guess what? It tastes nothing like the soft-serve froyo you get from frozen yogurt shops. It’s creamy, luscious, and rich, made with Greek yogurt, a bit of coconut cream, a little sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. The yogurt gives it a tangy flavor (a little like cheesecake), and it has a bright pop from the tart cherries that are marbled throughout. We’re kind of obsessed. How to Make Frozen Yogurt To make this frozen…

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Watermelon St. Germain Cocktails

summer / cocktail / entertaining

In case I haven’t mentioned it before – it’s pretty hot here. I’ve been eating watermelon like crazy because, well, I think it just might be the most refreshing fruit on the planet. I had been thinking of making watermelon margaritas until I had the most refreshing elderflower & vodka watermelon cocktail made by the Tipsy Texan a few weeks ago at the opening of Métier Cook’s Supply (a really cute kitchen supply store, btw – if you’re in Austin, go check it out). This is definitely a simplified version but I get impatient to make cocktails that have more than just a few easy ingredients.…

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Fig & Ricotta Flatbread Pizza

gluten free / vegan-option / Pamela's

It’s possible that I’ve been going a little salad crazy around here lately. Jack has brought it to my attention that we may have one too many salad recipes on the site. So this week, I’m changing things up: first pasta and now pizza. Because sometimes we all need to live a little and just say yes to a few carbs. So last Sunday night when I announced “pizza night!,” I got a thumbs up from Jack. When I said “it’s gluten free pizza night!!!!” he gave me a look. I knew Pamela’s pizza crust would be good (like I mentioned…

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Lemony Summer Squash Orecchiette

Make this simple weeknight pasta when you have a bounty of summer squash. With just 10 ingredients, it's fresh, bright & satisfying.

summer / pasta / vegetarian

You still have tons of zucchini right? Ok, I thought so, just checking. This summer squash pasta recipe should be next on your to-make list. It’s a straight-forward, simple dish – perfect for highlighting a special seasonal ingredient like summer squash. My zucchini and yellow summer squash were on the small side, so I sliced them into thin little coins and paired them with orecchiette pasta. I like how the shape of the summer squash and the shape of the pasta are somewhat similar. It makes for a nice “easy-to-get-it-all-on-your-fork” sort of texture. How to Make This Summer Squash Pasta Recipe Making this pasta…

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Wine-ey Peaches & Cream

summer / link love

… otherwise known as: peaches leftover from the bottom of your sangria pitcher. With ice cream. And a pinch of cinnamon if you want to get fancy. This weekend might have been my laziest summer weekend yet. Jack was out of town so I really kicked back. I ate some pretty interesting (yet amazing) watermelon sushi Friday night with a girlfriend… went for a long sweaty walk this morning… and then caught up on every episode of Food Network Star. I can’t say I’m on pins and needles about tonight’s finale because my favorite girl (Emma) got kicked off a few episodes back. I guess I’m…

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Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.