It’s a summer Friday in July — you deserve ice cream for lunch.
EATING
I’m still obsessed with peaches, so this marinated tomato and peach salad is on the menu this weekend. I’ve also been keeping a batch of pesto on hand every week because my garden herbs are going wild after all the rain. Pistachio pesto pasta salad is a must, and I’m planning to make homemade blizzards for dessert. I can’t stop raving about the hot honey pretzel chicken fingers — seriously, try them.
SIPPING
Right now I’m loving a homemade watermelon shandy. A friend recently suggested mixing rosé with Spindrift and it’s been a revelation. If you’re picking bottles for summer, check my rosé guide for options organized by price.
MAKING
Today I’m working on the dough for caramelized onion grilled focaccia. If you love bread, this one will blow you away — and even if you don’t normally care about bread, this is worth making.
BAKING
I’m baking an old favorite: coconut zucchini chocolate chip bread. It’s a vintage recipe that’s accidentally vegan and still reliably delicious.
LISTENING
I’ve been listening to the feel-good Friday playlist on repeat. It might become my go-to summer playlist — I can’t get enough of the first couple of tracks.
READING
I’m currently reading City of Girls and absolutely loving it. I also added Drawing Home to my list after enjoying the author’s previous book. What are you reading these days?
SHOPPING
It’s Nordstrom sale season, my favorite sale of the year even if it means thinking about fall while it’s still summer. I rounded up my favorites and shared everything I bought along with items I already own and love. Many of these pieces are staples that show up on my favorites lists regularly.
LISTING
I put together 20 of our favorite dinners to make meal planning easier. Planning changes week to week for me because I’m testing recipes constantly and I don’t like wasting food. I follow a “3 meal” rule for busy weeks and plan meals we enjoy without repeating the same dishes every week. Top picks right now are smoky chicken pitas, smoked turkey sausage with peppers, and summer skillet gnocchi.
BUYING
Remember the sun visor I mentioned a few weeks ago? I found another one and bought a Free People version in light tan. The original rolls up nicely for travel or a tote, while this one slips over your head like a traditional visor and offers great sun protection. It’s flexible and comfortable.
SHARING
There’s a new video for the salted dark chocolate chunk cookies on the recipe post — scroll down and you’ll find it above the recipe. These cookies always prompt mixed reviews: some people say they don’t work, others call them their favorite. The video shows exactly how I make them so you can follow along.
Jump in! xoxo