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

Fabulous Ranch Green Beans Recipe [+Video]

This is a green beans recipe like you’ve never tasted before and it is FABULOUS! The green beans are creamy and full of that comforting ranch flavor that everyone loves all topped with a crunchy Panko topping. Boom! You’re going to love this vegetable side dish!

I’ve been spending some quality time with more and more teenagers lately, and I’ve never felt more old and out of touch. Haha! I find myself asking them to explain all the slang words they are using. I learned a new one the other day and I’m totally incorporating it into my everyday lingo because it’s used to describe really, really good food — now that is something I can relate to! The word is “bussin'”. I can confidently say that these green beans are totally bussin’! 

After I accidentally created our melt-in-your-mouth baked ranch chicken, I had the thought that swapping the chicken for green beans would be stellar! And then I thought, nobody ever cares about green bean recipes. My next thought was…I don’t care! I’m going to do it anyway! And I was 100% correct, creamy ranch green bean casserole is out of this world…aka bussin’! And you need to try it!

Ingredients for Ranch Green Bean Casserole

You only need a few ingredients to make this tasty side dish, and most of the items will already be things you have on hand. Here is what you will need:

• Green Beans – fresh, washed, trimmed and then blanched
• Shallot – part of the onion and garlic family but more subtle in flavor
• Salt and Pepper – adds flavor
• Butter – used in the base for the sauce and as a binder for the crunchy Panko topping  
• Flour – thickens the sauce
• Ranch Salad Dressing – Trust me on this, make it from the packet, following the directions. It will taste way better then if you just buy a bottle of ranch.
• Milk – combines with the ranch to create the sauce
• Panko Breadcrumbs – Japanese-style breadcrumbs that adds crunch to the top of this casserole

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of the post. You can also save and/or print the recipe from there.

How to Blanch Green Beans

Blanching green beans takes just a few quick and easy steps. Fill a large pot of water and bring it to a boil over high heat. Add kosher salt to the water (about 1 tablespoon for every quart of water). When the water starts boiling, add the beans and let them cook for 2-3 minutes. 

Fill a large bowl with cold water and ice while the beans are cooking. When the beans have finished cooking, transfer the beans to the ice bath. Let them sit for a few minutes in the cold water. This helps the green beans maint

German Potato Salad

German potato salad is served warm with tender potatoes, crunchy bacon and a mustard vinegar dressing that is everything a potato salad should be!

Don’t get me wrong, we love our traditional potato salad! And it always has a place as a favorite side dish at the picnic table, but if you want to change things up and ditch the eggs and mayo, then this is the potato salad for you!

I start by boiling some golden and red potatoes, then I cook the bacon on the stove in a dutch oven. Once the potatoes are fork tender, I combine them with the bacon and some garlic with a little of the bacon fat (hello flavor town!!) and then top it all with a tangy mustard (2 kinds!) and apple cider vinegar dressing.

The ingredients are so few and so simple that it seems impossible it could be so good, but it is heaven! It’s all topped with a little fresh parsley on top because, while it seems useless, it actually freshens the whole dish up. Trust me, you need to make this.

Ingredients for German Potato Salad

• Potatoes: We love the combo of some Yukon gold potatoes and red potatoes, but you could do all of one or the other. Just avoid the russets!
• Salt: adds flavor to the potatoes as they boil
• Bacon: adds flavor and a crunchy texture to the dish. Don’t forget to reserve some of the bacon grease left behind.
• Butter: use unsalted so that you can control the saltiness of the dish
• Olive Oil: extra virgin is preferred
• Apple Cider Vinegar: adds acid to the dish
• Garlic: adds flavor, be sure to use fresh garlic
• Sugar: mellows out the vinegar
• Mustards: we use a combo of stone ground mustard and Dijon for maximum flavor
• Salt and Pepper: just enough until it tastes perfect to you
• Parsley: some is going to get mixed in while everything is cooking and some is going to be added fresh on top at the end so make sure you follow the instructions

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

What Kind Of Potatoes Do You Use For Potato Salad?

For potato salad, you’ll want to stay away from starchy, thick-skinned potatoes like russets, which will fall apart during the cooking process.

Red potatoes or golden potatoes maintain the perfect texture for salad.

Variations for German Potato Salad

There are a few options for changing this recipe up. You can always try different combinations of potatoes, though we really love the combination of reds and Yukon golds.

If you want to lighten things up a little, try using turkey bacon. You’ll be losing a lot of flavor if you go with this option because you won’t have the bacon grease to add to the dressing. Turkey bacon is quite lean and doesn’t leave much, if any, grease behind.

Feel free to play with the mustards that you use. If you want to add a little heat, try using a little s

Garlic Dill Fingerling Potatoes

Little buttery fingerling potatoes braised with garlic and dill and topped off with fleur de sel salt are the next greatest thing to hit your Sunday dinner. You are going to love these potatoes!

To me potatoes are just the perfect family food. There’s just something about them that always brings back memories of Thanksgiving, Christmas, Sunday dinners etc, all home cooked by Mom. But times have changed, and so have potatoes.

I knew as a young girl that there were Russet potatoes. And that was all there was to it. I had no idea there were other kinds and that they are not only different but some potatoes cannot be subbed for other potatoes in recipes. For example, these brown butter braised dill fingerlings. Read on to find out why.

What are Fingerling Potatoes?

Fingerling potatoes are low in starch and extra creamy inside with a paper thin peel that crisps perfectly when roasted. There are lots of different types of fingerling potatoes – red, yellow, purple, golden or a mixture of all colors.

What Do Fingerling Potatoes Taste Like?

Once roasted these potatoes have a flavor that is mild, nutty and earthy, and their texture is firm and moist.

Why Use Fingerling Potatoes?

I mentioned earlier that you wouldn’t want to substitute other potatoes in this recipe. The reason for this is that fingerling potatoes braise better than other potatoes because you leave them whole since they are so small. They get soft and tender inside while the skin gets crispy and delicious. Fingerlings are also perfect for fast meals since they don’t have to be peeled and they cook through quickly.

The Ingredients for Dill Fingerling Potatoes

One of my favorite thing about potato recipes is that they usually don’t take many ingredients to make them delicious. This recipe calls for just 7 ingredients. Here is what you will need:

• Butter: unsalted and used to braise the potatoes on the stove top
• Fingerling Potatoes: rinse them but no need to peel them and you only need 1 pound of them
• Kosher Salt: used to flavor the braising fingerlings
• Black Pepper: freshly ground
• Fresh Dill: You’re really going to want fresh dill here, but if you absolutely must use dried, use 1 teaspoon. You’ll also use part of the dill while the potatoes are braising and the rest will be added at the end before serving.
• Garlic: adds flavor to the potatoes as they braise
• Course Salt: fleur de sel or kosher salt, used to season the potatoes right before serving

The measurements for each ingredient can be found in the recipe card at the end of this post. You can save or print the recipe from there as well.

What Can You Substitute For Fingerling Potatoes?

If you cannot find fingerling potatoes, new potatoes are a comparable substitute.

What is Fleur de Sel?

Fleur de Sel is salt in its purest form. It forms as seawater evaporates leaving a thin crust on the surface. It is so pure that it has no bitterness and adds delicious flavor to food.

I’m going to guess that most people don’t have Fleur de Sel on hand, so any other coarse salt, including Kosher salt works just

Lemon Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

Lemon roasted carrots and parsnips are salty and sweet and get all caramelized and delicious as they roast.

We top them with a honey lemon dressing to make a side dish easy enough for a weeknight meal but  also fancy enough to be a side for your Easter (or Thanksgiving or Christmas) feast!

Filled in More Ways than Just with Food

I’ve been really craving the simple classic recipes of the past lately. It’s almost like a feeling of homesickness and nostalgia for childhood has started to grow inside of me. I don’t quite know what has triggered it or even what to do with it, but I’ve found myself looking back on life with a tenderness and fondness I haven’t ever had.

I was a living-with-one-foot-in-tomorrow-girl for most of my junior high and high school years. I think it was in part because I had two older sisters that were far enough apart from me in age that they were already off to college and I felt left behind. I know now that living that way isn’t the best idea, but I have to be mindful now of not looking back with the same feelings. 

Being present, breathing in happiness right now instead of waiting for it or missing it from yesterday has become really important to me. Part of merging all of my worlds into one has been a bringing together of recipes we used to love but have gotten distracted with new, modern ideas. Roasted carrots and parsnips might seem old-school, but I bet you’ll be filled in more ways than just with food by making them. 

Ingredients for Roasted Carrots and Parsnips

The ingredients are simple and few. Here is what you will need:

• Carrots: You can peel them if you want but it is not necessary.
• Parsnips: If the parsnips are really thick, cut them in half so they closely match the size of the carrots.
• Garlic: Keep the cloves whole and in the peel so they can roast with the veggies.
• Olive Oil: Helps the veggies caramelize to golden perfection.
• Kosher Salt: Enhances the flavors of the vegetables.

Dressing

• White Wine Vinegar: If you don’t have it, red wine vinegar makes the best substitute or rice wine vinegar (not seasoned) will also work great.
• Lemon Zest: Adds a bright and fresh punch of flavor that pairs so well with root vegetables.
• Honey: Adds natural sweetness and thickens the dressing.
• Parsley: Fresh is preferred but if you have to use dried, use 1 teaspoon.

Do Parsnips Need to Be Parboiled Before Roasting?

Normally I would say no, but we like to parboil both the carrots and parsnips for this recipe. Then dry them thoroughly and let the oven do all the work roasting and caramelizing them. Parboiling cuts down on the roasting time and lets the caramelization happen perfectly.

Should I Peel Parsnips Before Roasting Them?