Welcome to the weekend, my friends! It’s been a drizzly wet week here in Ohio until yesterday, but I loved the overcast days and enjoyed the sound of rain while I worked. As a result, I’m extra happy about a few days of sunshine now too.

My youngest son finished school this week and we’re kicking off the summer with a whole lot of nothing on the calendar next week. (I’m thrilled about that!) But first, the weekend will be filled with a baby shower, a grad party, church, family dinner, and a game night.

ON THE BLOGS THIS WEEK:  Parmesan cheese, black pepper, butter, and olive oil combine to make this parmesan pepper pasta. Its ease of preparation is matched only by its perfection. The recipe is a gentle riff on the classic Italian dish cacio e pepe which translates simply as cheese and pepper. 

Calling all broccoli and shrimp lovers! This flavorful honey garlic shrimp stir fry is exploding with vibrant crisp-tender broccoli and shrimp.

Summery cucumber tomato pasta salad combines garden fresh cherry tomatoes and cucumbers with bite-sized pasta and onions in a vinegar dressing. This is a dish that screams summer cookout!

We are a family of meatloaf lovers. So, naturally, when a friend told me that she makes her meatloaf with a package of Lipton onion soup mix, I knew I needed to try it. I’ll admit I’ve tweaked the recipe a good bit from the original one I found on the Lipton website. I like what I like, what can I say? However, it turns out that those onion soup seasonings work very well for meatloaf.

This tuna pasta salad with bell peppers, celery, cucumbers, red onions, and olives is lightly tossed in a light, tangy, pickle-inspired creamy dressing. All the flavors and textures in this salad combine to make it a hit with everyone who tries it.

Toasting coconut gives it a nutty sweetness and complexity that dried coconut lacks – and it’s so easy to do, too!

Toasted coconut ice cream is fool-proof sweet, creamy coconut vanilla ice cream with the nutty goodness of freshly toasted coconut. It’s perfection in simplicity in ice cream form, friends.

What I’m CRAVING: All the berries in the world! I can not get enough fresh berries lately and I’m thrilled that they’ve been so sweet and tart and perfect lately when I buy them. I just shook together a jar of creamy poppyseed dressing to make this Read more

Toasted coconut ice cream is fool-proof sweet, creamy coconut vanilla ice cream with the nutty goodness of freshly toasted coconut. It’s perfection in simplicity in ice cream form, friends.

Toasted Coconut Ice Cream

To make this coconut lover’s ice cream, you’ll need the following ingredients:

• heavy cream
• whole milk
• sugar
• kosher salt
• vanilla extract
• coconut extract
• toasted coconut

The most popular question I get is whether it’s possible to make ice cream without a machine. The answer is YES. You can make ice cream without a machine. Find the full directions here!

With over 100 ice cream recipes here to choose from, there’s sure to be an ice cream for everyone! If you’re new to making ice cream, the best and easiest vanilla ice cream is a great place to start.

These are my favorite inexpensive containers for storing ice cream. They’re perfect for gifting (who doesn’t love homemade ice cream?) storage, re-using, etc. I write the flavors on the lids with a sharpie and it washes off with dish soap.

I have more ice cream scoops than I can keep track of at this point and I definitely play favorites. This ice cream scoop does the best job ever of cutting through firm ice cream and still delivers a pretty scoop. It gets bonus points for being one of the least expensive scoops I own as well.

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Learn how to unlock intense flavor, crisp texture, and beautiful golden brown color when you learn how to toast coconut. Toasting coconut gives it a nuttiness, sweetness, and complexity that dried coconut lacks – and it’s so easy to do, too!

How to Toast Coconut

Previously I relied on toasting coconut in the oven and in the microwave. Those methods work as well, but lack some of the control of the stovetop method.

The stovetop is my favorite for being able to closely watch and delivering the extra crispy bits. Since I love the crispy bits the most, this method wins for me every time now.

And once you have had freshly toasted coconut, the world is your oyster! Anywhere you’d use plain coconut in a dessert, swap in the toasted coconut for added oomph!

Use it in recipes like Coconut Cookie Bars: chocolate and toasted coconut stuffed inside chewy blondies, could any dessert possibly make me happier? Or sub it for the sweetened coconut flakes in Coconut Rice Krispie Treats for a seriously irresistible twist on classic rice krispie treats.

How to Make Toasted Coconut

To make toasted coconut, you’ll need the following items:

• non-stick skillet
• sweetened coconut flakes
• heat-proof spatula or wooden spoon
• plate

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Parmesan cheese, black pepper, butter, and olive oil combine to make this version of the classic simple and sublime Parmesan pasta. Its ease to prepare is matched only by its perfection.

Parmesan Pasta

Nothing beats pasta when it comes to turning out a quick meal that makes everyone happy. But this pasta dish is a particular stand out in that category.

Whether you serve it as a stand-alone vegetarian main dish with a Strawberry Spinach Salad or pair it with a meat dish like Baked Italian Chicken, it’s sure to please.

Cacio e Pepe

This recipe is a gentle riff on the classic Italian dish cacio e pepe which literally translates as cheese and pepper. The original dish uses only pasta, black pepper, salt, and Pecorino Romano cheese.

There are so many reasons to love this dish; simplicity of preparation, perfect balance of flavors, and budget-friendliness, just to name a few.

Our version makes use of Parmesan cheese both because it’s our preference and what we had on hand and I don’t like making special trips to the store unless I have to.

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Parmesan Basil Zucchini Fritters [+Video]

These delicious zucchini fritters are made with parmesan cheese and fresh basil for a flavorful twist. They are the perfect way to use up summer zucchini and make for a tasty appetizer or side dish.

You are going to go nuts for these crispy parmesan basil zucchini fritters! They are perfectly crunchy, full of cheesy goodness and so much flavor with only a few ingredients! Get ready to fall in love with your new favorite zucchini recipe.

I love to find new ways of using that bursting with produce zucchini plant and these parmesan basil zucchini fritters recipe is a perfect way to mix things up from the traditional zucchini bread, zucchini lasagna etc.

Ingredients for Zucchini Fritters

If you have zucchinis overflowing in your garden, grab a couple of them and a few other simple ingredients. I always like to see a quick overview of the ingredients so I know what to grab at the grocery store. Here is everything you will need:

• Zucchinis: shredded small with a box grater, no need to peel them
• Egg: helps bind the fritter together
• Flour: gives the fritters structure and just regular all purpose flour is all you need
• Chives: adds flavor
• Basil: adds flavor
• Salt and Black Pepper: adds flavor and the salt draws out moisture from the zucchini
• Mozzarella Cheese: adds gooiness
• Parmesan Cheese: adds flavor and crispiness

Dipping Sauce

• Sour Cream: acts as the base for the dipping sauce, plain Greek yogurt can also be used
• Feta Cheese: adds saltiness and flavor
• Parsley: adds freshness
• Lemon Zest and Juice: adds acidity and bright fresh flavor
• Garlic: adds flavor
• Salt and Pepper: adds flavor

I sprinkled some green onions on top for the photos so that’s totally an option if you want! The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post.

How to Make Zucchini Fritters

You won’t believe how easy it is to make these crisp zucchini fritters! Especially when you use the air fryer! Here are the steps:

• Prepare the Zucchini: Grate zucchini using a box grater or food processor and then place in a colander with salt and let stand for 10 minutes.
• Make the Sauce: While the zucchini is sitting, make the sauce. Place all ingredients into a blender and pulse until smooth. Set aside.
• Squeeze: Using a cheesecloth or a clean kitchen towel, squeeze out as much liquid from the shredded zucchini. The salt will have released a lot of moisture.