Summer Grilling Party for Two & What I Cooked Last Week
An Easy, Healthy Summer Dinner, My Go-To 10 Minute Lunch Plate, Mom's Zucchini Pie, White Cheddar Mac & Cheese, Grandpa's Benihana Ginger Dressing
Hi everyone,
Hope you’re having a great week and soaking up this final stretch of summer! Doug and I have been making the most of the nice weather with al fresco meals such as picnics at the beach on weekends and grilling on our balcony in the evenings. I especially love firing up the grill on a weeknight for a healthy, easy dinner with minimal prep and cleanup.
This week, I’m sharing a simple sausage and veggie dinner I recently threw together on the grill, plus a few grilling tips and the easiest summer sweet treat to finish the meal.
Also, my debut cookbook is officially available (it comes out March 3rd!) and it would mean the world if you pre-ordered a copy. Thank you so much for your support 🥰
Before we talk about grilling, here’s a recipe for my mom’s zucchini pie that I love making in the summer. It has cottage cheese for creaminess and gooey pockets of melted mozzarella, plus a pound of zucchini to keep it light. We really hope you try this one!
What I Cooked Last Week! ↓
Mom's Summer Zucchini Pie
The perfect blend of light and rich. The mozzarella melts into little pockets of cheesy goodness. (Tillamook is my favorite!) It’s so delicious with the zucchini, onion, and fresh herbs.
You can download the PDF recipe above and watch the video here :)
Grandpa's Benihana Ginger Dressing
My grandpa was a flavor chemist, in charge of formulating the taste of medicines at Abbot Labs. Years ago, he recreated this Benihana dressing at home. I’m proud to share it with you in his honor!
My Go-To 10 Minute Healthy Lunch Plate
A quick and healthy lunch with a bunch of elements to mix and match. Cottage cheese and eggs for protein, cucumber for crunch, and everything bagel seasoning to tie it all together.
White Cheddar Mac & Cheese
Mini shell mac & cheese is both simple and extraordinary. The noodles pool up with the creamy sauce, reminding me of Annie’s white cheddar mac, my childhood favorite.
Summer Sausage Grilling Party for Two
When Doug and I are both in town, we almost always have dinner together during the week. Most nights it’s just whatever I’ve filmed that day, and as the weekend gets closer we like to go out since we both love dining at restaurants. Lately though, there have been a few days where I didn’t film a recipe and got to just cook whatever I was in the mood for without worrying about the cameras.
So the other night, on a Monday, I threw together an impromptu grilling dinner for two. We’re lucky to have a big balcony right off the kitchen and living room (our house is kind of upside down, with bedrooms below and the kitchen on top). It gets hot out there in summer, but we finally got an umbrella for shade, which makes me want to grill more often.
I’ll admit I’m no expert with the grill, but I’ve been enjoying honing my skills this season. There’s something about grilling that feels summery and fun, and it’s such an easy way to make a balanced meal with plenty of veggies alongside a protein.
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