• Chocolate peanut butter and jelly cups
    Food,  Living

    Chocolate Peanut Butter & Jelly Cups | Halloween Inspiration

    Homemade peanut butter and jelly cups are year-round sweets, but it happens to be nearing Halloween as I write this. That means I’m also sharing a playlist of my favorite seasonal songs to get you in the spirit. If there is anything better than melting chocolate for a new recipe, it’s playing some good music while you do it. Whether you celebrate spooky season or tend toward the cuter side of the holiday, now is the time to think about festive dishes to enjoy on Halloween in between popping these chocolates. I personally love this pumpkin tomato soup served in a whole pumpkin. If you already have a main dish…

  • Food

    Summer Fruit Salad

    When the summer fruit is this good, treat yourself to an indulgent yet healthy dish that hits all the right sweet, slightly savory, and tangy notes. Champagne vinegar is my preferred way to brighten up a mix of stone fruit, buttery avocado and mango, and blackberries. With its delicate, crisp flavor, it lends just the right amount of acidity. Torn basil leaves add an herbaceous quality. Then I finish it with beautiful sea salt flakes. All the flavors benefit from that little touch. After all, summer is better with a reminder of the sea. Ingredients 2 large nectarines2 apricots⅓ pound cherries¾ cup blackberries1 mango1 avocadoHandful fresh basil leavesExtra-virgin olive oilChampagne…

  • Strawberry tomato salad
    Baking,  Food

    Strawberry Season Recipes

    As the days grow longer, dishes get brighter with red bursts of strawberry and brilliant yellow slices of heirloom tomato.  This is the time to linger over a meal and let the berries of the season carry you into eventual summer.  Since strawberries are a featured ingredient throughout Thirsty Radish, I gathered a few of my favorite strawberry recipes along with some new ones and tips.  They are the foundation for beautiful meals that are worthy of gathering over but also perfect for weeknights.  Grilled Strawberry and Heirloom Tomato Salad After a brief stay in the grill pan, strawberries become even juicier, which makes them the ideal salad addition.  This…

  • Grilled nectarine and arugula salad with feta, pistachios, and cherry tomato vinaigrette
    Food

    Grilled Nectarine and Arugula Salad with Feta, Pistachios and Cherry Tomato Vinaigrette

    “Talking of Pleasure, this moment I was writing with one hand, and with the other holding to my Mouth a Nectarine — good God how fine.” – John Keats Smoother than a peach, nectarines are an ideal stone fruit for grilling – no peeling required.  Juicy and sweet-tart, they become even more flavorful after a brief turn on the grill pan, with char marks signaling where the natural sugars have caramelized.  For a summer salad, I top baby arugula with the grilled wedges.  Feta adds lightly salted creaminess, and pistachios lend the right amount of crunch. When nectarines are in season, tomatoes are too, right in a summer garden or…

  • Triple berry crisp
    Baking

    Triple Berry Crisp

    “Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit…” – Henry  David Thoreau The berries have been just so good this year.  After plucking some from the refrigerator, I realized it was time for their brightness  to be matched with a buttery crumb.  On went the oven.  Even as the months get warmer, I don’t hesitate to bake up a fruit-based dessert such as this triple berry crisp. In this recipe, I combine strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries because they’re delicious alone but even more so when combined.   As they bubble and thicken in the oven, the berries mingle, some burst, but quite…