If you saw the poke recipe I shared recently, I’ve got the perfect little something to serve alongside it: Fiery Edamame. And fair warning, this stuff is seriously addicting.
You know how there are some foods you simply can’t stop eating? That’s me with this edamame. It has just the right amount of heat to give it a kick, while the creamy, spicy sauce keeps you reaching for just one more. Thank goodness for the shells, they’re pretty much the only thing slowing me down.
I’ve been making this recipe a lot lately because it’s ridiculously easy. We’re talking less than 10 minutes from start to finish, making it perfect as a quick snack, appetizer, or side dish. Pair it with my fresh ahi poke and you’ve got yourself a meal that feels a whole lot fancier than the effort required.
And hey, edamame is packed with protein, fiber, vitamins, and minerals, so I’m going to go ahead and consider that permission to polish off the entire bowl.
Spicy, creamy, messy, and completely irresistible, grab some extra napkins and dig in!
INGREDIENTS 14 oz bag of frozen edamame in pods 1 tbsp garlic, minced 1 tsp sesame oil 2 tbsp chili paste 1/4 c mayonnaise 1 tbsp soy sauce sea salt sesame seeds
STEPS
Prepare the edamame per the package instructions, drain, and transfer to a large bowl.
In a small bowl, whisk together the garlic, sesame oil, chili paste, mayonnaise, and soy sauce.
Pour the sauce over the edamame and toss to coat.
Transfer to a serving dish a sprinkle with a little sea salt and sesame seeds.
Well, hello there! It’s been a minute. Or, you know… almost three years.
I certainly didn’t intend to disappear from Diva di Cucina for that long. I’ve missed this little corner of the internet. Sharing recipes, taking way too many pictures of food, and connecting with all of you. But somewhere along the way, life got busy. Really busy.
And the truth is, as much as I love blogging, my family, friends, and work will always come first. Between all the things that fill my days (and nights and weekends), the blog just kept getting pushed a little further down the list. You know how it goes. You tell yourself, I’ll get to it next week. And then suddenly three years have passed. How does that even happen?!
At the beginning of this year, I made a vision board and set an intention to make my way back here. Nothing crazy. I wasn’t going to promise myself weekly posts or some ambitious content calendar I knew I couldn’t keep up with. My goal was simply to find a better balance and start sharing recipes again, even if it was only once a month.
So here we are, with just four months left in the year, and I am barely making good on that intention. But you know what? I’m here! And I can’t think of a better way to toast my return than with a cocktail. Cheers to that!
This margarita is the perfect combination of spicy and sweet, and it is ridiculously easy to make. You literally just throw all the ingredients into a shaker and mix vigorously. That’s it! Somehow, though, the finished drink feels fancy enough that people will think you put in way more effort than you actually did. My favorite kind of recipe.
The sweet, tropical pineapple balances out the kick from the jalapeño, while the lime keeps everything bright and refreshing. You can easily adjust the heat depending on how spicy you like things.
It’s the perfect drink for a lazy afternoon by the pool, a summer BBQ with friends, taco night on the patio, or simply celebrating the fact that you finally did the thing you’ve been saying you were going to do all year.
So cheers to finding balance, following through on intentions (even if it takes a little longer than planned) and making time for the things that bring us joy.
And cheers to being back. I’ve missed this. Now, who wants a margarita?
Note: If you don’t like things spicy and just want a mild jalapeno flavor, do not put the jalapeno slices into the drink shaker, just add them to the glasses. Shaking the jalapenos with ice in the shaker releases those spicy oils and infuses the flavor into the drink.
INGREDIENTS 1 1/2 c pineapple juice 1/2 c silver tequila 1/4 c orange liqueur (I prefer Grand Marnier or Cointreau) 2 tbsp lime juice, fresh squeezed 1 jalapeño, sliced lime wedges (optional) tajin or salt for the rim (optional)
STEPS
Pour some tajin or salt on a small plate.
Rub a lime wedge around the rim of two glasses and dip the glasses into the tajin or salt to coat and fill with ice.
In a drink shaker, combine the pineapple juice, tequila, orange liqueur, lime juice, half of the sliced jalapeño, and some ice and shake vigorously for at least 30 seconds.
Strain the margarita into the prepared ice filled glasses and garnish with the other half of the jalapeno slices.
Tomatoes and basil are like an Italian match made in heaven. You can almost guarantee that anything made with those two ingredients will be amazing. One of my favorite ways to bring them together is in a classic bruschetta made up of tomatoes, basil, garlic, and olive oil. So simple but so damn good! Now imagine that fresh bruschetta spooned over a juicy chicken breast smothered in zesty pesto and a layer of melted mozzarella cheese. That my friends, is one hell of a tasty main dish for dinner.
I like to just eat this chicken on it’s own but with the carb monsters I live with, I tend to serve it for them with a side of rice pilaf or over a bed of pasta alfredo. This recipe is so easy to put together, but it looks fancy enough, that you can totally serve it for dinner guests.
BAKED CHICKEN INGREDIENTS 3–4 boneless skinless chicken breast salt & pepper 1 c pesto 2 c mozzarella, shredded
BRUSCHETTA INGREDIENTS 2 large ripe tomatoes, diced 8–10 basil leaves, chopped 1 tsp garlic, minced 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil salt & pepper
STEPS
Preheat the oven to 400º.
Place the chicken breasts in a lightly greased baking dish and season both sides with salt and pepper.
Spread the pesto over the tops of the chicken breasts and sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese.
Place the baking dish in the oven and bake for about 25 minutes or until the chicken is cooked completely through and mozzarella is just starting to brown up.
While the chicken is cooking, combine all the bruschetta ingredients in a medium bowl and stir to combine.
When the chicken is done cooking, transfer them to a plate and finish with a big scoop of that fresh bruschetta.
Quick one pot dinners are some of my faves. My husband’s too since he does the dishes. Ha ha! Basically, any noodle bowls are a hit with my family and I love them because they are usually quick, easy, and they are a great way to get an assortment of veggies into the mix. This recipe takes less than 30 minutes to make and it is so versatile. You can swap out the beef for shrimp or chicken and you can really use any veggies you want. I also recommend snow peas, bell peppers, zucchini, and mini corn as great options. The sauce has lots of great flavors that the noodles, meat, and veggies all take on. Just the perfect balance of sweet, salty, and spicy. We also like to serve this with a side of egg rolls or pot stickers to get that whole “take out” vibe.
If you follow me on Instagram, you have probably seen my backyard pride and joy, my little garden. One of the first springs in our home I had my dad and husband build me this big, beautiful redwood garden box. It has been a couple of years of figuring out what grows good and what doesn’t. Tomatoes, zucchini and pesto thrive during the hot California summer months.
Well, this year by spry little basil plants turned into full on basil bushes in a matter of a couple of weeks. They were thick, tall, and bushy and I knew they had to be harvested before they went to flower and became bitter and tough. Homemade pesto coming right up!
While I absolutely love store bought pesto nothing beats the freshness of making your own. It can be a little pricey with the cost of pine nuts, quality parmesan, and extra virgin olive oil but it is absolutely worth it! Plus, it is so easy to make. Load all the ingredients in the blender, and blend!
With how much basil I harvested I actually made a massive batch but you certainly don’t need to make that much at a time unless you are sitting on a big basil harvest yourself. The recipe below is written for a single batch.
One thing that is really great about pesto is that it freezes great! I proportion it out into larger containers for pasta dinners and then smaller containers that work great for pizza sauce like when I make my Shrimp Pesto Pizza.
What makes my pesto unique is I like to add some fresh lemon juice to the mix. I find it helps serve as a natural preservative, gives it a great flavor, and also helps to keep the vibrant green color.
INGREDIENTS 2 c basil leaves, packed 3/4 c parmesan cheese, shredded 1 c extra virgin olive oil 1/2 c pine nuts 3 cloves garlic juice from one lemon 1/2 tsp salt 1/4 pepper
STEPS
Combine all the ingredients in the blender and blend string periodically if needed.
Add additional olive oil if you need more liquid to blend.
During the hot summer months my body craves lighter refreshing meals and I just hate running the oven when it is 105º outside. We eat a lot of salads and tacos to keep it quick and simple, but it is always fun to mix it up with some new flavors.
I just absolutely LOVE this peanut sauce with all the other ingredients coming together. You have this flavor medley of peanuts, garlic, and ginger which are so good together and then you get this nice sweetness from the mangos and a little kick from the jalapeño, and that is all just in the sauce and toppings! Don’t forget about all those flavor packed veggies and shrimp in the layered in the lettuce cup too.
This recipe is incredibly versatile. While I myself enjoyed these as lettuce wraps, my husband and son had theirs in a flour tortilla as more of a fusion style taco (they like their carbs) but this would make an amazing entrée salad too if you just wanted to chop up the lettuce and use the sauce as a dressings. Either way, you will not be disappointed!
Note: These take less than 15 minutes to cook and assemble but there is a little bit of prep time needed to slice and dice all the veggies. If you have a busy week ahead, you can absolutely prep ahead of time by chopping up all the veggies and storing them in some sealed containers or bags.
Okay, so I am on a total peach kick here. Hopefully you didn’t miss the recipe I posted last week for Peach Margaritas. I am still recovering from those!
Now, in my opinion, the peach is the epitome of summer fruit. I just love that this time of year when I walk into the produce section or I’m at the farmers market, I get hit with a wall of the sweet sweet smell of stone fruit. Peaches, apricots, nectarines! Yum! There is just something about that sweet fleshy fruit that is so good anyway you have them.
Now when it comes to baking with peaches, I am all about a homecooked peach crisp, not a cobbler. When cooked, peaches get super soft so I like that sweet oatmeal baked to a nice crisp on top with a little bit of cinnamon. This is such a simple recipe, and you just can’t beat it hot out of the oven with a scoop of vanilla ice cream. I could eat it for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and dessert. Trust me, you will want to too!
Note: As much as I love using fresh peaches in my crisp, I want to be able to have peach crisp year round and you can really only get good quality peaches during the summer. So, with that said, I give you permission to substitute canned or frozen peaches in this recipe. If you want to use canned, make sure to completely drain them and if you use frozen, add 10 minutes to the cooking time.
CRISP INGREDIENTS 1/2 c old fashioned oats 1 c flour 1/2 tsp cinnamon 3/4 c butter, softened
STEPS
Preheat oven to 350º.
In a large bowl combine all the filling ingredients and gently fold making sure not to pulverize the peaches.
Transferthe fruit mixture to the bottom of a greased 13” x 9” baking dish and evenly spread out.
In that same bowl, mix together the oats, flour, and cinnamon.
Add the softened butter to the oat mix and using your hands, or a large electric mixer with a paddle, combine everything until it is all evenly mixed and nice and crumbly.
Distribute the oatmeal topping over the top of your fruit. (It is okay if it is all rough and crumbly. Do not push or pat it down.)
Bake uncovered for 30–35 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow it to cool for 10 minutes.
Serve in bowls topped with vanilla ice cream or whip cream.
When we bought our house 7 years ago, the backyard was a bare lot. I told my husband right off the bat that if we plant any trees in the backyard, they have to produce fruit. I don’t want to water something unless it provides more than shade. So over the years we have planted a lemon tree, lime tree, apricot tree, and a peach tree. This year the peach tree has produced more than ever before so I have been enjoying coming up with new recipes to try.
Now if you know me, you know I love a margarita and something I have found through the years is that you can make a margarita with pretty much any fruit. I’ve posted recipes for Grapefruit Margaritas, Mango Margaritas, and more recently a Watermelon Margarita. So why not a peach margarita!
The peach schnapps in this recipe replace the typical triple sec in a margarita and really gives it that peachy flavor. Perfect for a warm summer day!
Notes: This recipe makes two margaritas. I doubled the recipe and put the margaritas in a carafe so I could enjoy a couple poolside. If you like a frozen blended margarita, use two cups frozen peaches instead of fresh and then also add in about a cup of ice.
INGREDIENTS 2 peaches, peeled and pit removed 4 oz silver tequila 2 oz peach schnapps 2 oz lime juice lime wedges (optional) tajin or salt for the rim (optional)
STEPS
Add the prepared peach to a blender or food processor and blend fully, you want it nice and smooth.
Pour some tajin or salt on a small plate.
Rub a lime wedge around the rim of two glasses and dip the glasses into the tajin or salt to coat.
In a drink shaker, combine the peach puree, tequila, schnapps, lime juice, and ice and shake well.
Pour the margarita into the prepared glasses over ice.
This recipe is a must for your next dinner party or a day of poolside lounging. It makes a nice sized pitcher, perfect to share with friends. When I had a little party back in August, this was the signature cocktail served and it was a huge hit! We served it in some cute pitchers along with grapefruit wedges and sprigs of rosemary.
Grapefruit juice has always been one of my favorite cocktail mixers. It is just the right amount of sweet and tart and is so refreshing. I am pretty sure this cocktail is what sunshine would taste like, if sunshine had a flavor.
There are all sorts of variations of greyhound recipes, and this is one of my faves. The vanilla gives you this nice little bit of sweetness that cuts the tartness of the grapefruit and the soda water really lightens it up. I like the subtle flavor the rosemary garnish adds but if you like a stronger rosemary flavor you can infuse the vodka with it
Note: If you want to prepare this ahead of time, mix together all the ingredients EXCEPT the soda water. Don’t add the soda water until right before serving or it will go flat. overnight.
INGREDIENTS 2 c vodka 3 1/2 c grapefruit juice 2 tbsp vanilla 1 1/2 c soda water rosemary sprigs for garnish
STEPS
Mix vodka, grapefruit juice, vanilla, and soda water in a large pitcher and stir well.
Last year in my garden we were harvesting more tomatoes than we knew what to do with! We were having Panzanella Salad and Marinated Tomatoes almost every week. Once my jalapenos came in, I was all about that fresh salsa! Who doesn’t love that fresh salsa flavor!? Store bought salsa just does not compare.
This recipe is pretty much goof proof. You just add all the ingredients to the blender and blend. Yes, it really is that simple!
Just serve up with a side of some crispy salty tortilla chips or along with your favorite tacos or burritos.
Note: If you over blend your salsa, it can become sort of frothy. If this happens, just cover and store in the fridge for a couple of hours and it should settle. Fresh salsa can last in the fridge covered for up to two weeks. The flavors get better and better with time.
INGREDIENTS 1/4 white onion 2 tsp garlic, minced 1 jalapeno 4–6 medium sized tomatoes 1/4 tsp salt 1/4 tsp ground cumin 1/2 c fresh cilantro leaves juice from 1 lime pinch of sugar (optional, to balance the acidity of the tomatoes)
STEPS
Add the onion, garlic, and jalapeno to a food processor or blender and pulse a few times to chop.
Add all the remaining ingredients to the blender and blend to desired consistency.
Refrigerate for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to really come together. (Optional)
