The BEST Caprese Salad with Pistachios

The BEST caprese salad with pistachios recipe is right here! There’s nothing like finding a good recipe for fresh from the garden tomatoes.

This caprese salad is so light and refreshing and oooooooooohhhhhhhh so wonderful during the summer when you can pick the tomatoes straight from your garden. I had no idea tomatoes could even be that delicious until I tried my first homegrown tomato. It’s like a totally different thing. Am I right, gardeners?!

We love pistachios too and threw some on top of this pretty salad one night and we both found ourselves digging for the pistachios which could only mean one thing, they were meant to be. That added crunch is molto buono!

Recommended Equipment

• Tomato Knife
• Cutting Board

Before You Begin…

Slice your tomatoes nice and thick! I love a meaty bite of garden fresh tomato! And slice your mozzarella into thick slices too.

What is a Caprese Salad?

Caprese salad is a simple Italian salad, made of sliced fresh mozzarella, tomatoes, and sweet basil, seasoned with salt and olive oil.

Ingredients for Caprese Salad

Have I ever told you we love caprese salad? No? Well, we do. Like, a lot. Especially when it has a really nice balsamic vinegar (not the cheapest no name stuff at the store). And even more so when it’s the best caprese salad with pistachios. Here is everything you will need…

• Tomatoes: heirloom or vine ripe tomatoes
• Mozzarella: it has to be fresh!
• Pistachios: shelled and either lightly salted or no salt added
• Basil: fresh leaves only
• Olive Oil: you’ll only need a drizzle but a good quality oil will make all the difference
• Balsamic Vinegar: go for a higher quality vinegar or even a balsamic glaze
• Salt and Pepper: just for a little extra flavor

The measurements and details for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

What Kind of Mozzarella is Best for Caprese Salad?

You absolutely have to use fresh mozzarella to get the full caprese experience! The part skim or low moisture mozzarella, while cheaper, is saltier and won’t grab on to the flavors like fresh mozzarella does. You can get the fresh mozzarella balls (bocconcini) if you want, but we love the big hunks of a block of fresh mozz.

If you absolutely need a substitute, then burrata will be your best bet.

What Type of Tomatoes are Best for Caprese Salad?

If you have access to fresh tomatoes straight from the garden, then go with those! Get some at a farmers market or maybe your neighbor! They just can’t be beat!

If store bought is your only option, then go with vin

Chocolate Chip Banana Zucchini Bread [+ Video]

This easy zucchini banana bread is studded with chocolate chips and packed with flavor! Enjoy it warm from the oven, or freeze a loaf for later!

Recommended Equipment

• Measuring Cups and Spoons
• Bread Pans

Before You Begin…

Spray your bread pans with cooking spread and then take a paper towel and wipe the spray off the top inch of the pan, all the way around. This will help the batter “catch” the side of pan and then poof up in the middle. Your loaf will be both gorgeous and delicious!

Chocolate Chip Zucchini Banana Bread Recipe

Did you ever play school when you were growing up? I totally did and I was pretty darn sure I was going to grow up to be a teacher. I didn’t. But I did grow up to be a banana bread lover. Not sure what that has to do with being a teacher, but it’s the truth.

Zucchini bread on the other hand, gross. I did not like the texture as a kid at all. I refused to eat it, which must have been so much fun for my parents. And then I slowly forgot about it until I became a food blogger. If there’s one thing pinterest doesn’t need more of it’s quick bread recipes, so obviously I chose to give you all one.

Not true? Well, either way I decided it was high time I tried this whole zucchini bread thing again and guess what, I was a total chicken about it. I mean, I couldn’t just jump in right? I’m a toe dipper in the pool for heaven’s sake! I needed a slow start so what better thing to try than a chocolate chip zucchini banana bread? And guess what? It’s so blasted delicious I’m going to try a zucchini bread tomorrow. All by myself. If I hate it, I’ll give it away to the neighbors, ha!

Zucchini Banana Bread Ingredients

As with most quick breads, this chocolate chip zucchini banana bread requires mostly pantry staples:

• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda and baking powder
• Cream of tartar
• Salt
• Canola oil
• Granulated sugar
• Egg
• Mashed banana
• Grated zucchini
• Chocolate chips

How to Make Zucchini Banana Bread

1. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt. Set aside.
2. In the bowl of a standing mixer, whisk together the egg, sugar, and oil.
3. Whisk the grated zucchini into the egg mixture.
4. Add in a little of the flour mixture, followed by some of the mashed banana. Continue alternating between the two until everything is added to the batter.
5. Gently fold in the chocolate chips.
6. Turn the batter into a loaf pan and bake until done.

How to Store Zucchini Banana Bread

To maximize the shelf life of banana zucchini bread, cover with foil or plastic wr

Welcome to the weekend, my friends! This entire week has been a whirlwind and the weekend is going to be every bit as full for us. My older boys convinced me to do the Barbenheimer thing with them, so we’ll be watching a double feature of the Barbie movie and Oppenheimer tonight. I’ll let you know what I think of it all next week.

Sean and I saw Don McLean in concert last night for his 50th-anniversary tour of American Pie. I honestly wasn’t sure what to expect, as I’ve never thought of him as a big performer, but wow. His musicians were incredible and his voice?? 77 years old and he still gave me chills – it was a bit reminiscent of Johnny Cash several times. (And last but definitely not least, mad props to the man who managed to make his American Pie finale last almost 20 minutes and kept the crowd going the entire time.)

ON THE BLOGS this week: Beef and broccoli is a classic restaurant dish that is surprisingly easy to re-create at home. With tender strips of beef, crisp broccoli, and a flavorful sauce; it all comes together in just minutes.

The savory allure of bacon dances with the subtle crunch of fresh cauliflower and sweet, chewy cranberries in this bacon lover’s cauliflower salad.

Want a little more bacon goodness in your life? Toasted sourdough bread is loaded with melted cheese and mouthwatering strips of perfectly cooked bacon in this bacon grilled cheese.

The simple goodness of fresh corn and wholesome ingredients makes this scalloped corn a heartwarming Amish classic.

Tender broccoli and rich, melting cheese bring so much flavor to each of these broccoli and cheese stuffed chicken breasts.

The slight tang of buttermilk pairs perfectly with sweet, ripe blueberries in these light and fluffy blueberry buttermilk pancakes. And these eggless pancakes prove that you can skip the eggs and still have the soft, fluffy pancakes you know and love.

Creamy smooth ice cream bursting with buttery popcorn flavor? Is that too crazy an idea? Absolutely not. One taste is all it will take to make a believer out of you too.

What I’m CRAVING: Sushi. ALL the sushi. Can you be addicted to sushi? If so, my hand is raised over here. I didn’t even like sushi when Sean and I were first married and it’s only been in the last 5 or so years that I r

Creamy smooth ice cream bursting with buttery popcorn flavor? Is that too crazy an idea? Absolutely not. One taste is all it will take to make a believer out of you too.

Oh. My. Word. When I had the initial idea for this flavor, it was loosely inspired by my love for this Caramel Popcorn Ice Cream Sundae. I had no clue at the time just how fantastic that ice cream idea would turn out to be.

Ice Cream with Popcorn

Crunchy caramel popcorn and ice cream, topped with hot fudge, caramel, whipped cream, the first time I tried that ice cream sundae it left me speechless. And, it also left me wanting to try an actual ice cream that might taste like popcorn.

If you’ve known me long, you might know that I often enough make dinner out of a bowl of popcorn. Or an afternoon snack. Or a post-breakfast snack. I will happily handful as a snack any time of the day.

So, the idea of making ice cream with popcorn had me intrigued. Why not turn one of my favorite snacks into my favorite kind of dessert?

The first method I tried was to simply soak the popcorn in milk and then strain it, much the same way that I make cereal milk ice cream flavors. Well, that resulted in very little popcorn flavor.

Next up, I soaked the popped kernels in the ice cream mixture after warming it on the stovetop. Then, when it was soft, I blended it until completely smooth. This result? Mind-blowing. Actual popcorn flavored ice cream.

I can’t get enough of it. There’s nothing better than serv

The slight tang of buttermilk pairs perfectly with sweet, ripe blueberries in these light and fluffy Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes.

Blueberry Pancakes with Buttermilk

I love berries in my waffles and pancakes, but there’s something special about making blueberry pancakes with buttermilk. The buttermilk makes them a little lighter and fluffier, and it adds that signature tang.

Make sure to use real buttermilk in this recipe! You’ll find a lot of substitutions online, but the result is so much better with the real deal. If you don’t have it on hand, don’t worry. You can make some killer blueberry pancakes without it.

Blueberry Buttermilk Pancakes

I adore the simplicity of breaking out the griddle and whipping up a batch of pancake batter in just a few minutes. (So, my family eats pancakes pretty often.)

We’ve tried pancakes with everything from chocolate chips, to M&Ms, fresh fruit, nuts, and even sweet cereals added in. But, this blueberry buttermilk pancake recipe balances the tangy buttermilk and sweet berries wonderfully and it’s a current favorite.

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