Grilled Halloumi Cheese

Halloumi, a sheep and goat's milk cheese from Cyprus, is salty, squeaky, and perfect for grilling. Learn how to cook it with this simple guide!

If panzanella is my favorite summer dinner, then grilled halloumi cheese is unquestionably Jack’s. He doesn’t care how I serve it: in a summery grain bowl, in sandwiches, or just plated up with sliced tomatoes and a side of crusty bread. He loves its charred, salty flavor and rich, squeaky texture. I can’t blame him – I’m a big fan of it too! What is halloumi cheese? If you’re thinking, “Wait, cheese on the grill??”, I get it! A slice of cheddar or mozzarella would melt right through the grates. But not halloumi. This cheese, which hails from Cyprus, has a uniquely firm…

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Peach Salsa

Love peaches? Love salsa? Then this peach salsa is for you! Sweet, spicy, zesty, and fresh, it's delicious with tortilla chips or on tacos and more.

When life gives you peaches, make peach salsa! Well, peach salsa and peach crisp and peach cobbler and peach salads and peach pizza and, and, and… It’s peach season, people! I hope you’re eating these honey-sweet, chin-dripping fruits at every chance you get. But today, let’s talk peach salsa. This super-simple recipe is one of my favorites to make at this time of year. It’s sweet and savory, spicy and bright, and it’s an absolute breeze to put together. Dice up all the ingredients, add them to a bowl, and stir to combine! In ten-ish minutes, you’ll have a zesty,…

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Grilled Tomatoes

Tender, juicy, smoky, and sweet, these easy grilled tomatoes are a knockout summer side dish! Italian dressing and fresh basil take them over the top.

Have you tried grilled tomatoes? I hadn’t until just recently, instead reaching for veggies like sweet corn, mushrooms, and zucchini whenever I fired up the grill. But a few weeks ago, I brought a bag of bright red romas home from the market. A variety of paste tomatoes, they’re firmer and denser than the heirloom tomatoes that I like to add to salads at this time of year. So, on a night when I was grilling veggie burgers for dinner, I decided to try grilling the tomatoes too. Seriously, I had no idea what I was missing! Grilled tomatoes are…

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Chocolate Zucchini Bread

You'll love this chocolate zucchini bread recipe! Packed with shredded zucchini and gooey chocolate chips, it's moist, fudgy, and delicious.

This double chocolate zucchini bread is moist, fudgy, and delicious. In the summertime, it’s my favorite way to satisfy a chocolate craving. It tastes just as decadent as a rich chocolate cake, but it’s made with healthier ingredients like whole wheat flour, maple syrup, and zucchini. Eating your vegetables has never tasted so good! Like my classic zucchini bread recipe, this recipe makes two loaves. They disappear pretty quickly in our house, but if you have extra, pop one loaf in the freezer for another day, or share it with a friend! They (and you) will love this chocolate zucchini…

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Air Fryer Fried Pickles

Love fried pickles? Try making this air fryer version at home! Crispy, crunchy, and full of pickle flavor, they're a delicious appetizer or snack.

By popular request: air fryer fried pickles! Recently, a few of you have asked me if I’ve made fried pickles in the air fryer. After getting the question a couple of times, I knew I had to try it. I have to say, I’m so glad I did! These air fryer fried pickles are crispy on the outside, juicy in the middle, salty, tangy, and completely addictive. They’re a great fun, easy appetizer for a summer happy hour, though honestly, we like these air fryer pickles so much that I plan to make them at all times of year. I…

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Remoulade Sauce

You only need 10 ingredients to make this easy remoulade recipe! Creamy and tangy, with a spicy kick, it's a delicious dipping sauce or condiment.

Creamy and tangy, with a delicious spicy kick, this remoulade is my favorite sauce of the moment. I’ve been slathering it on veggie burgers, serving it with French fries, and setting it out with these addictive air fryer fried pickles. We even loved it on the grilled sweet potatoes we made last week! All that’s to say, if you’re looking for an easy sauce to punch up a meal, this remoulade might be just the thing. Classic French remoulade resembles tartar sauce. It has a mayonnaise base, and capers or gherkins and fresh herbs are often mixed in. This recipe…

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Blueberry Cobbler

This easy blueberry cobbler recipe is a delicious showcase for summer fruit. A layer of juicy, jammy berries bubbles beneath a golden biscuit topping.

When life gives you blueberries, make blueberry cobbler! With a golden biscuit topping and jammy fruit filling, it’s just as delicious as blueberry pie, but it’s much simpler to make. I love this blueberry cobbler recipe because it puts the fresh fruit front and center. I only sweeten it lightly, letting the berries’ natural sweetness shine, and I skew heavy on the ratio of fruit to topping. This blueberry cobbler recipe features a thin layer of golden, buttery biscuits with lots of juicy blueberries bubbling underneath. Add a scoop of vanilla ice cream, and it’s absolute heaven. Blueberry Cobbler Recipe…

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Sautéed Patty Pan Squash

Show off the summer's cutest veggie in this easy patty pan squash recipe! Seasoned with lemon, garlic, and fresh herbs, it's a delicious, easy side dish.

If you love a cute, colorful veggie as much as I do, head to the farmers market and buy yourself a box of patty pan squash. These adorable summer squash tend to be small in size, and their shape varies. Some are round, others are tulip-shaped, and still others look like little flying saucers with fun scalloped edges. You’ll find them in a variety of colors – dark green, light green, yellow, or a mix – but they all have a similar texture and taste. Their flavor is close to that of yellow squash, but they have firmer, denser flesh.…

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Panzanella

Filled with ripe, juicy tomatoes and crusty bread, this panzanella salad is a delicious summer meal. A shower of fresh basil takes it over the top.

It’s official: I can’t make it through a summer without sharing a new panzanella recipe. To me, this Italian bread salad is the perfect template for turning whatever produce I happen to have on hand into a fresh-yet-satisfying meal. Sweet corn? Peaches? Peppers? Yep, I’ve panzanella-ed them all. Of course, traditionally, panzanella isn’t an any-vegetable-goes kind of salad. It originated in Tuscany as a way to use up stale bread, and tomatoes were always a key ingredient. Their juices soak into the bread, softening it and giving it flavor. Onions, basil, and a tangy vinaigrette round out the dish. Earlier…

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Pesto Pizza

This pesto pizza recipe will be a hit at your next pizza night! Topped with basil pesto, mozzarella, and tomatoes, it's simple, classic, and SO flavorful.

Jack and I have been making great homemade pizza for years, but when I took my first bite of this pesto pizza, I knew that we’d outdone ourselves. To be honest, I was surprised. This pesto pizza recipe doesn’t call for any fancy ingredients or special techniques. It’s simple and classic, a delicious reminder of how flavorful seasonal ingredients, like summer tomatoes and garden-fresh basil, can be. If you find yourself with this summer bounty on hand in the next few weeks, I really hope you’ll try this pesto pizza. It’s so much more than the sum of its parts.…

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Easy Vegan Coleslaw

This vegan coleslaw is the perfect summer side dish. A creamy, sweet, and tangy dressing coats lots of crunchy veggies - no one'll guess that it's vegan!

This easy vegan coleslaw is the perfect side dish for a summer cookout, picnic, or BBQ. It tastes just like classic coleslaw, but the ingredients all happen to be 100% plant-based. A creamy, sweet, and tangy dressing coats crunchy cabbage, carrots, and scallions. Set it out at your next gathering with whatever you’re grilling, and I promise, it’ll be a hit! No one will guess that this coleslaw is vegan. Vegan Coleslaw Recipe Ingredients This vegan coleslaw recipe calls for 10 simple ingredients: Cabbage – I love using a mix of red cabbage and green cabbage to create a blend…

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A food blog with fresh, zesty recipes.
Photograph of Jeanine Donofrio and Jack Mathews in their kitchen

Hello, we're Jeanine and Jack.

We love to eat, travel, cook, and eat some more! We create & photograph vegetarian recipes from our home in Chicago, while our shiba pups eat the kale stems that fall on the kitchen floor.