An easy, summery salad made with peaches, tomatoes, basil, and burrata drizzled with balsamic vinegar and olive oil.
Easy Peach, Tomato, & Burrata Salad
appetizers
The Trader Joe’s Cheese Board I Serve at Dinner Parties
It’s officially fall and for me that means it’s officially dinner party season. Aside from the upcoming holidays, I also have a lot of friends and family who have birthdays this time of year. My husband and I like to host celebrations whenever we can. It’s not always easy since we live in a one-bedroom apartment, but we’ve managed everything from pot-luck style gatherings to a sit-down dinner for 14 so…we make it work!
The dinner menu changes depending on the guest list and occasion, but there is one staple that makes it to ALL of our gatherings: a Trader Joe’s cheeseboard. (FYI this post is not sponsored, but if you’re reading this TJ’s, call me!)
…Roasted Potatoes with Kale Pesto
This post is part of a 30th birthday dinner party series.
When I started developing this roasted potato dish, I was looking to create a super crisp and almost fried-like potato. I came up with a great recipe using a very hot oven, but realized the day before my dinner party that it wasn’t the best idea. Crispy potatoes are like fries, they need to be served hot and immediately or else the texture and taste are compromised. With just one oven, there was no way I would be able to serve the roasted potatoes at its prime state! I made a last minute decision to forego the crispiness and instead cook them at a lower temperature. This way I could roast the potatoes and my other veggies at the same time (efficiency!) and not worry about texture too much (aka potatoes can be served warm instead of hot). The dish ended up being a little different than I initially planned, but that’s the beauty of hosting your own dinner party! There is always room for flexibility and last minute changes, after all it’s your kitchen!
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Greek Yogurt Buttermilk Dressing
This post is part of a 30th birthday dinner party series.
Oftentimes, salad is the most uninspired dish in my dinner spread. I usually just toss some greens with a simple vinaigrette, but I wanted to try something different so I went digging for inspiration online. I came across this article on Bon Appetit that mentioned something called a “hand salad,” basically a crudité with romaine leaves and Greek yogurt dressing. Apparently some of the editors weren’t into the concept, but I fell in love with it. It sounded perfect for a dinner where guests slowly trickle in and I felt like it would be a dish that would keep the party going until well into the night (ever hear of second wind?). I used the recipe in the article as a starting point and eventually came up with a Greek Yogurt Buttermilk Dressing with chives and garlic that tastes rich but is actually quite healthy.
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Patatas Bravas
I don’t really consider myself a wild and adventurous person. If anything, people would describe me as the exact opposite: quiet and the biggest homebody. I’m the first one to slip away from a party, and for as long as I can remember I like to be in bed by 11. But despite my natural inclinations towards being such a square, there’s a fiery side to me that absolutely can’t stand the routine way in which I choose to live my daily life. That side of me pushes against my rigid shell and sporadically makes me do (crazy) things like go to Oktoberfest semi-alone, and jump off a cliff somewhere off the Dalmatian coast (it was a mini cliff). I’m always extremely grateful for these experiences in hindsight, and I admit the most significant decisions of my life have been masterminded by the “other” me (ie. moving to Paris and pursuing a career in food). I’ve come to think of this side not so much as an alter-ego, but just my gut telling me to take on a daunting but equally exciting challenge. One I know will make me a better person (whatever that means!).
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