Welcome to the weekend, my friends! My two youngest kids are at opposite ends of the country visiting family this week and next. I’m so glad they were able to do this, but man, the house sure has been quiet this week! I miss having them home.

I’ve headed out of town myself for a spur-of-the-moment weekend trip, so Sean and my oldest are going to have to hold down the fort and keep Oscar company this weekend. It’s hard to imagine a time when the boys won’t all be living at home, but I know that day is coming.

ON THE BLOGS this week: A colorful medley of garden-fresh vegetables is tossed in a light oil and vinegar dressing to make this tangy pasta salad a surefire hit at your next gathering.

Sweet onions, fresh zucchini, and grilled corn along with a bit of chicken and plenty of melting cheese made these some of the best vegetable quesadillas that I have made recently.

Roasted peanuts, ginger, garlic, and spicy red chilies give this easy kung pao chicken a kick that makes it quite unique. Kung Pao chicken is savory and sweet with as much spiciness as you might desire. The peanuts provide an additional nutty flavor that really brings it all together.

The robust flavor of artichoke hearts is perfect with the fiery kick of fresh jalapenos in this endlessly snackable artichoke jalapeno dip.

Learning how to roast beets is something that I am so glad I took the time to figure out. Getting those purple rocks soft and delectable is much easier than I imagined!

Sweet and earthy beets dance with tangy goat cheese, crunchy candied walnuts, and a drizzle of rich balsamic in this roasted beet salad.

Sweetly tart and tender rhubarb is baked to perfection under a crisp topping of brown sugar and oats in this easy rhubarb crisp.

There is nothing – and I do mean nothing – that compares with steeping whole spices and tea leaves to make an authentic pot of fragrant, spicy, sweet homemade chai. I’m warning you now, once you’ve made real chai you will never be as happy with the other versions.

Fragrant cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves are steeped with black tea leaves to infuse each scoop of this chai ice cream with the classic flavor of chai tea.

Sweet strawberries meet tart rhubarb, b

Fragrant cardamom, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves are steeped with black tea leaves to infuse each scoop of Chai Ice Cream with the classic flavor of chai tea.

Chai Ice Cream

This chai ice cream recipe creates a memorable dessert that is richly fragrant with all of the spices we love in chai, whether it’s ordered from your favorite coffee shop or made at home.

It is a cold, creamy treat that blends all the warmth of a traditional spiced tea into a surprisingly refreshing dessert. You’ll love this ice cream on its own or scooped over a peach cobbler or an apple crisp.

Like many other recipes I’ve shared over the years, this recipe was inspired by a conversation with my sister Jenny. Her husband Jason can be thanked for the chai recipe that forms the base of flavors in this new ice cream.

Milk Tea Ice Cream

I don’t typically prepare my morning or evening tea with milk, but I’ve seen my mom do it for years. And, when making chai tea, I always use half and half. Turns out, a lot of cultures have their own version of tea with milk.

I don’t know why I never tried to make an ice cream with this flavor before. In retrospect, it seems a no-brainer that milk tea ice cream could work. I’m glad I finally gave it a try, because chai tea ice cream is fabulous!

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There is nothing – and I do mean nothing – that compares with steeping whole spices and tea leaves to make an authentic pot of fragrant, spicy, sweet homemade chai.

I’ve enjoyed plenty of powdered chai in coffee shops and I’ve brewed my own a few times with chai-flavored teabags and mixes. I’m warning you now, once you’ve made real chai you will never be as happy with the other versions.

Easy Chai

I heard about my brother-in-law’s homemade chai for a few years before it finally worked out for me to sample it at their house.

If you recall, this is the same sister and her husband who introduced me to Spanish Cafe con Leche after they visited Spain almost 15 years ago. When they tell me that something is delicious, I tend to believe them.

Now that I’ve had a chance to make Jason’s recipe for myself, it most certainly does not disappoint. I’ve been making this easy chai in doubled and tripled batches for years now and I love having a jar or two stashed in the fridge.

Served with a plate of Almond Bars, a steaming cup of chai (or an iced chai latte) becomes an afternoon snack that no one turns down.

Chai Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this recipe:

• cardamom pods
• whole cloves
• cinnamon stick
• fresh ginger
• black peppercorns
• bay leaf
• loose black tea leaves
• water
• half and half
• light brown sugar or honey

Chai Recipe

Place the cardamom, cloves, cinnamon stick, ginger, peppercorns, and a bay leaf in a medium size saucepan.

Add the water and bring to a boil. Allow this to boil for 5 minutes. Remo

Roasted peanuts, ginger, garlic, and spicy red chilies give this easy kung pao chicken a kick that makes it quite unique.

Kung Pao chicken is savory and sweet with as much spiciness as you might desire. The peanuts provide an additional nutty flavor that really brings it all together.

My husband and kids devoured their servings, peppers and all. I simply left the peppers on my plate and the stir fry was the perfect level of heat for my taste.

I found this recipe for the best-ever kung pao chicken over ten years ago and it’s been a family favorite for all of these years. I’ve learned to double this recipe since I first started making it.

The recipe below is already doubled from the original. If you’ve made it in the past and prefer a smaller recipe, use the slider in the recipe card to reduce the serving size to 3.

Easy Kung Pao Chicken

My favorite flavors these days are found in Asian foods and I am always looking for more stir fry ideas. I never can resist the ready-made freezer meals at Trader Joe’s and their Kung Pao Chicken and Orange Chicken have both been staples in our freezer for many years.

That said, it was well past time for me to try my hand at authentic kung pao chicken, so I was thrilled to find this easy recipe. While the ingredient list is a little long at first glance, like most stir-fry recipes the dish comes together very quickly.

The ingredients in this recipe may be a little different from what you’re used to, but they are all very easy to find in an Asian market or online. I typically shop in the stores (because I love to see the variety in person!) but if there isn’t a nearby option or if you want a visual before shopping, I’ve linked to a few similar products here.

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Sweet onions, fresh zucchini, and grilled corn along with a bit of chicken and plenty of melting cheese made these some of the best vegetable quesadillas that I have made recently.

Zucchini Quesadilla

Gooey cheese quesadillas have been a classic dinner item in our house for years now, but I’m always looking for ways to change things up.

These quesadillas combine the flavorful pop of fresh zucchini, sweet onions, hearty grilled corn, and (if desired) chicken to create a game-changing mix of flavors.

Vegetable Quesadilla

With only a few minutes of effort, these quesadillas come together easily. All you’ll need to cook this easy dinner recipe is a skillet, a spatula, and a few minutes on the stove.

Because the time required to prep and cook these quesadillas is so short, this is a great recipe to make in bulk. Leftover quesadillas are an easy (and common!) meal option in my house, and we always keep the ingredients at hand in case we need a last minute dinner plan.

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