Grilled Chicken Mediterranean Bowls

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Summer is officially halfway over you guys.  Each year around this time I seem to begin easing into fall mindset; it’s a  point of bittersweetness thinking about what’s shortly ahead.

School.  Structure.  Less daylight.  Earlier bedtimes.  More responsibility.  And quite honestly, each time around this year, that all tends to sound slightly appealing to me.  As much as I adore our summers here in MN, the fall brings so much wonderful newness.  The scenery is impeccable.  The crisp air and lack of mosquitos are like a dream.  The kids getting into a new routine and their utter excitement about school is so uplifting.  And schedules…you know I love a solid, predictable schedule 😉

But before all of that comes, while things are still warm and sticky and loosey-goosey, please, please, I beg you, do me a favor?  Celebrate these last days of summer in your kitchen and make this dish.  It’s sheer delight; summer at its very very very finest.  And if you have even the slightest love for Mediterranean flavor, this is absolutely for you. Continue reading

Gooey Chocolate Zucchini Bread

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Guys, I write to you with reservation.  This is not how this was supposed to go.  We weren’t supposed to end our zucchini week this way.  I had big dreams.  High hopes.  Goodbyes are difficult…zucchini goodbyes, well, they deserve more than a confidence-lacking post.

You see, I was kind of saving the best for last here with this bread.  I made it last week…it was incredible…but I didn’t take photos.  Figured I’d make it again this week because my kids acted like famished wolves when I made the last batch…it would be a perfect opportunity for me to get some photos for you. How special to be able to share them on this last day we have together with zucchini.  I hate goodbyes.   Continue reading

Butter, Lime + Parmesan Corn

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Happy official summer, friends! It’s a much anticipated time here in Minnesota and man can we embrace it. Lakes for days. Warmth. Homegrown produce. BBQs. Patios. Late bedtimes. Smores over a bonfire. Sandy shoes. And CORN.

Let’s just get something straight, for starters.  I love Minnesota.  Living here is perfect for myself and my family.  But I am a gosh darn Iowa girl..and proud of it.  18 wonderful years of my life were spent in Iowa and aside from Hawkeye football…and pork…and so many other fabulous things….that place reigns supreme for homegrown corn.  There’s just nothing like it.  We ate it so often in the summers…and there were always farmers selling it out of the back of their trucks along the sides of the roads.  Hows that for fresh? Continue reading

One-Pot Southwest Chicken and Rice

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Far, far, FAR too often I end up with boneless, skinless chicken breasts in my fridge with no plan in sight.  Then, what happens is I avoid them…like the plague.  They sort of bore me and man is it easy to fall into ruts of grilling or pasta-ing them.  No clue why I continue to put them in my cart at the beginning of the week but I do…likely because they force me to get creative.  So the end of the week comes and all I’ve got left in the fridge is those poor little chick-a-dees and a bunch of randomness in the veggie drawer, freezer and pantry to work with.  Continue reading

Thai Chicken Pineapple Kabobs with Coconut Rice

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Right here we’ve got a bunch of my favorite flavors all muddled into one fabulous, stand-out meal.  The tiny bit of peanut butter in the marinade takes the flavor of this juicy, smokey chicken straight over the top….the pineapple adds the perfect hint of sweet acid and the coconut rice just simply turns this number into a home run.  So yum.

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One Pot Chicken + Asparagus Lemon Cream Pasta

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I’m just going to lay it all out there, guys.  We’ve talked about that word ‘creamy’.  There.  I said it.  I put it out there.  I can not stand the way that word sounds.  But it needs to be used.  Theres a time and a place…and this, right here, would be it.   Continue reading

One Pot Savory Chicken + Farro

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So let’s talk about this farro love affair I have going on.  Remember this?  My feelings toward this super grain simply hasn’t changed.  If anything, I’ve fallen deeper.  So it should come as no surprise that I am two-thumbs-up’ing this One Pot Savory Chicken + Farro. Continue reading

Quinoa, Spinach + Roasted Chicken Salad

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So this daylight savings time thing.  Are you feeling it?  Am I crazy {enter VERY loud boom upstairs and a screaming 4 year old…I’ll be right back} Continue reading

Coconut Curry Shrimp + Noodle Soup

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I love a good soup that requires a couple of different utensils.  Because that usually means I get a couple of different experiences out of eating the dish.   Continue reading