Welcome to the weekend, my friends! I’m in Albuquerque this weekend for my nieces’ B’nai Mitzvah and I’m looking forward to a fun day of celebrating with them. My sister converted to Judaism many years ago and it’s always a joy to share those traditions with her family.

ON THE BLOGS this week: Did you know that you can make a restaurant-quality clam chowder in less than 30 minutes? It’s easier than you might think!

Roasted potatoes, green chile sauce, and black beans tossed with barely wilted baby spinach make a surprisingly delicious combination in this breakfast hash recipe.

Sweet, sticky, and just a little spicy, this chicken stir fry is a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

Creamy chunks of avocado are combined with tender pieces of chicken in a fresh and slightly spicy dressing to make this avocado chicken salad.

Savor a delightful medley of fresh, ripe vegetables with a tangy homemade vinaigrette in this zucchini pasta salad. This is a recipe you will make more than once this summer.

Dive into this timeless combination of flavors with savory chicken, gooey mozzarella, and marinara sauce, nestled in tender-crisp squash, and topped with toasted bread crumbs. These chicken parm zucchini boats are a big hit!

These parmesan smashed potatoes are the joyous marriage of fluffy, tender insides and delightfully crispy edges. Every flavor-packed bite will have your taste buds dancing.

Dive into a bowl of strawberries and cream and you’ll see why it remains a classic. This quintessential summer combination of sweet, tangy fruit and velvety smoothness will have you reveling in each bite.

Rich banana ice cream, decadent chocolate chunks, and crunchy walnuts create a tantalizing treat you won’t soon forget. Chunky monkey ice cream is the perfect late-night indulgence.

What I’m CRAVING: These BBQ Pork Skewers with a sticky, sweet, and spicy marinade sound fantastic. I’m so ready for grilling season.

My FAVORITE THING this week is this magnetic cell phone holder. I’ve used a couple of other holders in our vehicles over the years and this style w

Rich banana ice cream, decadent chocolate chunks, and crunchy walnuts create a tantalizing dessert you won’t soon forget. This delightful recipe for Chunky Monkey Ice Cream is the perfect indulgence.

What is Chunky Monkey Ice Cream?

Once, I was like you, looking at this name, and wondering to myself, “What is Chunky Monkey Ice Cream?” But, now that I have many sweet summers and delicious scoops under my belt, I can share the secrets of this delicious treat.

This variety was developed by Ben and Jerry’s, featuring pieces of walnuts and fudge (chunky) in banana flavored ice cream (monkey). And, it has been charming taste buds for over 30 years.

But, now you can make homemade chunky monkey ice cream in the comfort of your own kitchen, to the delight of your family and friends.

Chunky Monkey Ice Cream Recipe

You will need the following ingredients to make this chunky monkey ice cream recipe:

• heavy cream
• milk
• sugar
• kosher salt
• vanilla extract
• very ripe bananas
• walnuts
• chocolate chips
• coconut oil or vegetable oil

Chunky Monkey Ice Cream

Start by whisking together the cream, milk, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a large mixing bowl. Place the bananas in a smaller bowl use a fork to mash them well. Add them to the ice cream mixture and stir or whisk to combine.

Pour the mixture into your ice cream maker and freeze according to the manufacturer’s directions.<

Sweet, sticky, and just a little spicy, this Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry is a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

The heat of the Sriracha is mellowed with the sweetness of the pineapple and the result is a sweet and sour stir fry that is not at all burn-your-mouth-hot, despite copious amounts of Sriracha.

If your kids love take-out sweet and sour chicken, they’re going to go nuts for this meal. Faster than ordering in and even tastier, this stir fry recipe makes everyone happy!

While spicy, this is one of the most kid-friendly chicken stir-fry recipes I’ve made. My youngest son has been eating this since he was just 2-3 years old and he still eats every bite and asks for more. For a slightly sweeter version, try this Teriyaki Chicken with Pineapple too.

Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir-Fry

This Sweet and Sour Chicken Stir Fry requires about 10-15 minutes prep time for the chicken, vegetables, and sauce; and less time than that to cook and serve it. Start a pan of rice before doing anything else and you will have dinner served in 30 minutes or less.

This meal is always a hit with my family and there is never a bite leftover!

How to Make Chicken Stir-Fry

After cooking your rice, prepare your chicken and vegetables. Slice boneless skinless chicken thighs into small pieces–the smaller the better for this recipe!

Drain a can of pineapple and reserve the juice to use later. (We’re going to add it to the sauce in a minute!)

Slice your bell peppers into thin strips and make sure your snap peas are rinsed with any stemmed ends trimmed. Prepared bags of washed, trimmed sn

Creamy chunks of avocado are combined with tender pieces of chicken in a fresh and slightly spicy dressing to make this Avocado Chicken Salad.

Avocado enthusiasts will love this dish but even if you’re not wild about the creamy green fruit, I encourage you to give this recipe a try. My family hasn’t always loved avocados, but they went crazy over this chicken salad recipe.

After my boys decided they loved guacamole a few years ago, the Roasted Garlic and Bacon Guacamole and the Pomegranate Guacamole have been on regular rotation. (Side note, don’t knock that Pomegranate Guacamole until you’ve tried it, my friends. It’s incredible!)

Chicken Salad with Avocado

We almost always have avocados in the house these days, because I buy as many as possible every time they’re on sale. I do my best to use them before they are overly ripe, but occasionally we wind up with several ripe avocados that need to be used asap.

There are worse problems to have than an overabundance of avocados, right? Whenever this happens, I take the opportunity to have some fun getting creative in the kitchen.

This Avocado Chicken Salad was the fortunate result of having a few too many avocados in the house along with a rotisserie chicken that was begging to be made into a salad for sandwiches.

When I made this avocado chicken salad recipe for the first time, we couldn’t believe how great it turned out! Everyone in my family opted to eat their chicken salad in a different way, so we can vouch that it’s delicious however you consume it.

My boys enjoyed theirs on top of toasted slices of sourdough bread. I ate mine with a handful of multi-grain crackers and Sean opted for eating it lettuce wrap style.

This would also be tasty in a wrap or on top of a garden salad. The last time I made this chicken salad, we ate it layered in between a couple of slices of bread for more traditional chicken salad sandwiches.

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Roasted potatoes, green chile sauce, and black beans tossed with barely wilted baby spinach make a surprisingly delicious combination in this breakfast hash recipe.

If you’ve been here long, you know that I’m a huge fan of hash for breakfast. I’m here for it, whether it’s a classic sausage hash with cabbage and potatoes, or this roasted sweet potato and spinach hash.

Hash is a simple, yet versatile option, perfect for mornings when you want something delicious and customizable. With endless combinations of meats and veggies, it ensures a tasty breakfast that never gets boring.

And, it’s great for using up those last few handfuls of spinach before it gets lost in the back of your refrigerator. I also like this spinach and potato hash for that, with garlic and onion. And, this spinach quiche looks amazing too.

Breakfast Hash

To get the crispiest potatoes in your hash, make sure they are dry when you drizzle them with oil and roast them. Excess moisture steams the diced potatoes.

This tip holds true for any crispy potato recipe, whether it’s roasted red potatoes, roasted sweet potatoes, or even these roasted potatoes and green beans. I added green beans to my grocery list, after seeing that last recipe again.

Hash is a frequently requested meal at our house. Often it is breakfast, but of late, it has also been in the dinner rotation. How could it not be, with something as savory as this cabbage and corned beef hash