Of all the ways to transform a boring piece of chicken breast, Monterey style is a surefire move towards flavor wow!

I mean…chicken, bbq sauce, bacon, cheese, diced tomato, and your favorite aromatics. Quintessential ‘Layers of Flavor.”

The original Cobb Salad was born one late night in the kitchen of Hollywood’s Brown Derby restaurant. Back in in 1937, owner Robert Cobb had a late-night hankering for a satisfying meal. He began pulling readily available ingredients into a bowl. This kitchen sink salad was promptly added to the menu and became a runaway hit!

EAT COBB:  Eggs, Avocado, Tomato, Chicken, Onion, Bacon, Blue Cheese.

There are so many wonderful adaptations to the original Cobb Salad version. Here’s how I build a Monterey Chicken Cobb Salad!

Clearly we’ve transformed boring chicken breasts with all these wonderful toppings.

Now let’s transform the salad! This is your chance to add your favorite ingredients. The Cobb Salad is a great way to use up leftovers.

At the same time the Cobb Salad was gaining in popularity, so was the table-side preparation. This type of dining experience was catching on quickly. It’s what we fondly refer to as dinner and a show. Today, as we find ourselves eating in vs. dining out, any opportunity to serve a meal family-style is welcomed in this house.

Monterey Chicken Cobb Salad is a family favorite that even your most challenging eaters will enjoy!!

Love the Monterey flavors check out Monterey Loaded Nachos Fries and the Monterey Chicken Grilled Cheese Sandwich.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

Print

Monterey Chicken Cobb Salad

Monterey Chicken Cobb Salad is a family favorite that even your most challenging eaters will enjoy!!

Course Main Course

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Monterey Chicken

• 3 boneless skinless chicken breasts, about 2 pounds
• 6 Tablespoons hickory bbq sauce or favorite
• 6 slices bacon cooked crispy
• 3/4 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1 Roma tomato diced
• 1 scallion thinly sliced
• 1 jalepeno finely diced

For the Salad

• 8-10 cups lettuce chopped
• 3 hardboiled eggs quartered
• 2 avocado diced
• 2-3 Roma tomatoes diced
• 3 scallions thinly sliced
• 2 corn on the cobb roasted, kernels removed from cobb
• 6 strips bacon cooked crisp, chopped
• 1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese

For the Chili Ranch Dressing

• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/2 cup mayonaise
• 2 Tablespoons fresh chives (or parsley) minced
• 2 teaspoons chili powder
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• pinch black pepper

Instructions

For the Monterey Chicken

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grill chicken breasts until almost done (about 155 degrees).
• Top each grilled chicken breasts with a schmear of bbq sauce, two slices of crispy bacon and a handful of shredded cheese. Place in oven for 10 minutes or until cheese is melted and bubbly and chicken registers 165 degrees.
• Remove from oven and sprinkle with diced tomato, jalapeno and scallion. Allow to rest for 5 minutes before slicing.

For the Chili Ranch Dressing

• Combine all ingredients. Chill until ready to serve.

For the Salad

• Place all salad ingredients on large platter. Top with sliced Monterey Chicken and drizzle with Chili Ranch Dressing.

The post Monterey Chicken Cobb Salad appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Oven-Baked because when it comes to chicken wings – they are equally delicious prepared in the oven as they are deep fried. And well….New Years resolutions!

Of Love! It just sums up how we feel about these finger-licking good crispy chicken delights!

If you’ve ever had Bang Bang Shrimp then you know how crazy good this crispy sweet heat combination is! There was a time when I’d crave these shrimp and have to make a trek to the nearest Bone Fish Grill. Now we make them at home without sacrificing flavor!

The wings are tossed in a mixture of panko and cornstarch, then layered on a rack lined baking sheet and baked for an hour at 400 degrees F.

The magic happens when the wings are tossed in the heavenly Quick & Easy 4-Ingredient Bang Bang Sauce. It has just the right balance of tangy sweet heat and comes together quickly.

Oven-Baked Bang Bang Chicken Wings of Love make the perfect crowd-pleasing Game Day treat!

Have you got a favorite flavor pairing? I’m always on the lookout for new chicken wing inspiration. We’re thinking Dill Pickle should be next up!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

Pin It For Later

Print

Oven-Baked Bang Bang Chicken Wings of Love!

Oven-Baked Bang Bang Chicken Wings of Love make the perfect crowd-pleasing Game Day treat!

Course Appetizer

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 1 hour hour

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Oven-Baked Wings

• 1 pound chicken wings flats & drums separated
• 1/2 cup cornstarch
• 1/2 cup panko breadcrumbs (Gluten Free for GF version)

For the Bang Bang Sauce

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Thai sweet chili sauce
• 1 Tablespoon sriracha hot sauce
• 1 Tablespoon honey

Instructions

For the Oven-Baked Wings

• Preheat the oven to 400° F. Place a rack in a rimmed baking sheet.
• In a large bowl combine cornstarch and panko. Toss wings in mixture then place on rack in a single layer. Bake for 1 hour.

For the Bang Bang Sauce

• In a small bowl, whisk together sauce ingredients. Place baked wings in a large bowl, add sauce and toss to coat.

The post Oven-Baked Bang Bang Chicken Wings of Love! appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

It’s a chicken wing kind of day in our house!

For one, there’s a showdown happening…a Fantasy Football showdown. More about that later!

If you’ve ever had Bang Bang Shrimp then you know how addicting this sweet and spicy sauce can be!

So as I was pondering what flavor pairing to consider for today’s Game Day Wings it came to me. And the Bang Bang Chicken Wings of Love were born!

This simple flavor packed sauce is smooth and tangy and has only four ingredients:

• Mayonnaise
• Thai Sweet Chili Sauce
• Sriracha Hot Sauce
• Honey

About the Fantasy Football Showdown. Nick and I have been in the same fantasy football league for years. Inevitably we’d play each other 2-3 times throughout the season with fairly equal head to head results. But never have we met each other in the final championship series….until this year!

This is Final Playoff Week 1 of 2. At the time I started this blog post, Team Take a Hike (that’s me) was a 20 point favorite. I’m now projected to lose by 35 points. I’ll keep you posted on this house divided showdown! It ain’t over til it’s over!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

Print

Quick & Easy 4-Ingredient Bang Bang Sauce

This Quick & Easy 4-Ingredient Bang Bang Sauce will transform a pan of baked chicken wings! And deliver restaurant quality fried shrimp too!

Course Sauce

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1/4 cup Thai Sweet Chili Sauce see recipe link in post
• 1 Tablespoon Sriracha hot sauce
• 1 Tablespoon honey

Instructions

• Whisk together sauce ingredients. Store in a jar in refrigerator for up to a week.

The post Quick & Easy 4-Ingredient Bang Bang Sauce appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Which was a good thing, because the Oven-Baked Bang Bang Chicken Wings were already in the oven! That’s how we roll.

If we don’t have an ingredient or element of a recipe my first thought is always “how do you make that from scratch?”

In this case, a key ingredient in Bang Bang Sauce is Thai Sweet Chili Sauce.

There’s an addictive quality to sweet and spicy foods. And salty sweet too. Our tastebuds clearly enjoy getting a workout.

Here’s how the Easy Homemade Thai Sweet Chili Sauce came together!

To begin, bring water and rice wine vinegar to a boil. Then add sugar, ginger, garlic, red pepper flakes, and ketchup and boil for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and add in cornstarch and whisk until well combined. Return mixture to a boil over medium heat and allow to cook down for an additional 7-10 minutes.

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce has the right balance of acid, sweet and heat. It’s a wonderful dipping sauce (good-bye Duck Sauce) and pairs perfectly as a glaze with baked salmon, stir-fried shrimp, or fried chicken!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

Print

Easy Homemade Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Thai Sweet Chili Sauce has the right balance of acid, sweet and heat. It’s a wonderful dipping sauce (good-bye Duck Sauce) and pairs perfectly as a glaze with baked salmon, stir-fried shrimp, or fried chicken!

Course Sauce

Cuisine Asian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes minutes

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 cup water
• 1 cup rice vinegar
• 1 cup sugar
• 2 Tablespoon fresh grated ginger or 1 tsp. ground ginger
• 2 minced garlic cloves or 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 Tablespoon ketchup
• 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon natural red food coloring optional

Instructions

• Bring water and rice vinegar to a boil. Whisk in sugar, ginger, garlic, ketchup, red pepper flakes and bring to a boil. Simmer for 5 minutes then remove from heat. Whisk in cornstarch, then return to a boil and cook down for 7-10 minutes until reduced by almost half. Store in a jar in refrigerator for up to a week.

The post Easy Homemade Thai Sweet Chili Sauce appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

Deliciously sweet apples with cranberries and pecans give this salad wonderful crunch. Tangy feta cheese is the perfect balance.

And let us not overlook the Maple Cider Vinaigrette! So simple to make, yet bursting with bright flavor!

Have you pinned down your holiday meals? We’ll be having an assortment of heavy hors d’oeuvres on Christmas Eve for sure. But I haven’t decided about Christmas Dinner quite yet! I’m pretty certain it will include this salad though.

Honey Crisp Apples are in season between September and December. So be sure to make them the star of your Thanksgiving and Christmas Holiday Salads.

Cranberries and Sugared Pecans also sing of late autumn. They impart a nice sweetness that pairs perfectly with briny feta cheese.

Homemade Sugared Pecans are easy to make at home and are also wonderful in Spinach Salad with Warm Bacon Dressing and Festive Pear Pomegranate Salad.

This Honey Crisp Holiday Salad comes together quickly and is lovely as part of a festive buffet or as a starter for a special sit down dinner.

However there’s no reason not to make this for a weeknight lunch or dinner! Your tastebuds will thank you!

The Maple Cider Vinaigrette is so simple to make. Add apple cider vinegar, maple syrup, a touch of Dijon mustard and olive oil to a glass jar with a lid. Shake like crazy, then season with salt & pepper to taste.

I hope you’ll give this delicious salad a try! And if you do, I’d love to hear from you in the comments below.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

Pin It For Later

Print

Honey Crisp Holiday Salad with Maple Cider Vinaigrette

Honey Crisp Holiday Salad with Maple Cider Vinaigrette is the ideal salad to pair with a special meal or holiday feast. Deliciously sweet apples with cranberries and pecans give this salad wonderful crunch. Tangy feta cheese is the perfect balance.

Course Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Ingredients

For the Maple Cider Vinaigrette

• 3 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

For the Honey Crisp Holiday Salad

• 5 ounces mixed salad greens
• 2 Honey Crisp apples sliced
• 1/3 cup dried cranberries
• 1 cup sugared pecans recipe link in post
• 1 cup crumbled feta cheese

Instructions

For the Maple Cider Vinaigrette

• Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a glass jar with lid. Shake well to combine. Season with salt & pepper to taste. Store any unused portion in refrigerator for up to a week.

For the Honey Crisp Holiday Salad

• Arrange mixed greens on a serving platter. Add sliced apples, sugared pecans, dried cranberries and crumbled feta. Drizzle with Maple Cider Vinaigrette.

The post Honey Crisp Holiday Salad with Maple Cider Vinaigrette appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

The first up is this festive Pear, Pomegranate & Pecan Spinach Salad with Pomegranate Maple Vinaigrette!

You see, I was somewhere between planning our Family Thanksgiving menu and scheduling an upcoming Holiday Luncheon when I realized a serious void on Lemony Thyme. I’m really slacking in the festive salad category.

That was then, this is now!

That beauty shot screams holiday to me! But the truth is, this salad is so quick & easy to make that we don’t have to wait for a special occasion. Make it today!

A simple google search delivered the pomegranate pear one-two punch.

This combo has been done many times which told me it was worth recreating. This holiday-worthy salad has a base of baby spinach, topped with sliced pears, sugared pecans, tangy goat cheese and gorgeous pomegranate arils.

I find the easiest way to free the pomegranate seeds is the ‘bowl of water’ method. Envision that the pomegranate is hexagon in shape. Cut a small section off the bottom, then score the fruit at each of the ridges and pull it apart in sections.

Submerging in water does two things. It keeps your hands and cutting board from becoming stained with red juice. But also, as you free the arils from their membrane, they will sink and the membrane will float.

Or you can now buy a container of pomegranate seeds. You choose.

I decided to pair these beautiful fruits with spinach, but baby greens would be lovely too. I added goat cheese which nicely balances the sweet pear and sugared pecans.

But what really ties this Pear Pomegranate & Pecan Spinach Salad up with a bow is the Pomegranate Maple Vinaigrette.

If you’ve ever made Muhammara Dip before you likely have Pomegranate Molasses on hand. But no worries it’s now widely available and brings big flavor to this salad dressing.

If you need to sign up for a dish to bring to that holiday pot luck…make this salad. I promise it will be a hit!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

Pin It For Later

Print

Pear Pomegranate & Pecan Spinach Salad with Pomegranate Maple Vinaigrette

This festive Pear Pomegranate & Pecan Spinach Salad with a Pomegranate Maple Vinaigrette is holiday menu worthy! And it's quick and easy to prepare.

Course Salad

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

For the Pomegranate Maple Vinaigrette

• 3 Tablespoons pomegranate molasses
• 2 Tablespoons apple cider vinegar
• 1 Tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 2/3 cup olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

For the Salad

• 5 ounces baby spinach
• 2 pears thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup pomegranate seeds
• 1 cup sugared pecans
• 1 cup goat cheese crumbles

Instructions

For the Pomegranate Maple Vinaigrette

• Combine all vinaigrette ingredients in a glass jar with lid. Shake well to combine. Store any unused portion in refrigerator for up to a week.

For the Salad

• Arrange spinach on a serving platter. Add sliced pears, sugared pecans, pomegranate seeds and crumbled goat cheese. Drizzle with Pomegranate Maple Vinaigrette.

The post Festive Pear Pomegranate & Pecan Spinach Salad appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

This recipe is the perfect make-ahead side dish that can be reheated in the oven or the microwave.

These creamy potatoes are fluffy with a nice buttery flavor.

Perfect if you ask me!

The Potatoes

For this recipe you’ll need 5 pounds of russet potatoes, or about 6 bakers. I find this variety of potato to yield the perfect smooth and creamy consistency.

No gritty or gluey mashed potatoes here. Please tell me you know what I’m referring to :)

The Cooking Method

Peel and cut potatoes into about 6-8 pieces each and place in large pot of salted cold water. Add a bay leaf, a few sprigs of fresh thyme, a couple garlic cloves and salt to the water. Thank you to the Kitchn for this recipe tip!

We’re going to take advantage of any opportunity to infuse flavor into our potatoes. If you don’t want flecks of thyme leaves in your potatoes you can place the fresh herbs in a cheese cloth bundle, then discard after boiling.

Cook potatoes just until *fork tender, then drain and return to the hot cooking pot to dry. Remove and discard the thyme and bay leaf before mashing.

*the ideal way to achieve fork tender potatoes is when you can insert a fork easily but still lift the potato from the water before it falls off. Not scientific, but tried and true.

I still use a good old fashioned potato masher but have heard of great results when using a potato ricer as well. For best results, please resist the urge to use an electric mixer which tends to deliver a gluey mash.

Add the following ingredients to the mashed potatoes:

• butter (1/2 cup)
• cream cheese (8 ounces)
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup whole milk
• salt & pepper to taste

Continue to mash until well combined. Transfer potatoes to a 9×13 baking dish. Add dollops of butter to top, cover and refrigerate until ready to bake.

The beauty of this recipe is it can be made up to 2 days in advance of serving. And you can reheat in the oven or microwave.

Oven Heating Method

Oven heating is my preferred method because we love the buttery golden top.

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
• Remove potatoes from refrigerator and allow to rest at room temperature
• Bake uncovered for about 45 minutes or lightly browned and heated through
• Heating times will vary depending on oven and if multiple dishes are being heated together
• Tent with foil If casserole begins to brown too quickly

Microwave Heating Method

Reheating in the microwave comes in very handy, especially during the holidays when oven space is in high demand.

• Microwave potatoes uncovered on high in one minute increments
• Stir after each minute, until hot

Family Favorite Side Dishes

If you’re planning your Thanksgiving or Holiday menu, here are a few our our family’s favorite side dishes.

• Three Cheese Mac ‘n’ Cheese
• Sweet Potato Casserole with Brown Sugar & Pecans
• Summer Squash Casserole
• Herb Browned Butter Stuffing
• Fresh Green Bean & Mushroom Casserole with Crispy Shallots

Everyone loves mashed potatoes. When you’re planning a big meal, go ahead and make this side dish in advance. One less thing to worry about as you’re enjoying the company of friends and family.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

The post Easy Creamy Mashed Potato Casserole appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

As we head squarely into soup season this creamy delicious pot of love deserves to be on rotation.

Yes this soup is loaded with tender chicken and rice.

Making the Soup

However it is the signature ingredients (Avgo-lemono = egg + lemon) that give this comforting soup it’s fresh bright flavor and soothing creamy finish.

When time permits, begin by making a big batch of Homemade Chicken Broth. I even do this a day or two in advance. Then I have some for the soup pot and some for the freezer.

To make this classic Greek Chicken & Rice Soup, begin with a mirepoix sautéed in olive oil. Then add garlic and fresh parsley, followed by good quality chicken stock.

When the broth comes to a gently boil, add rice and simmer until just tender. Then juicy chicken meat is added along with fresh squeezed lemon juice.

Tempering the Eggs

The one important step in making this soup is tempering the eggs before adding them to the hot broth. We don’t want our eggs to scramble in the hot liquid.

To do this, beat eggs in a small bowl. Add a ladle full of the hot soup to the egg and whisk quickly. Then return this mixture to the soup pot, whisking continuously until well combined.

The result is a silky broth loaded with tender chicken and rice, with a kiss of lemon.

There’s no reason not to bring the Greek Islands into your kitchen with this delightfully fresh and beautiful soup.

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

Pin It For Later

Print

Agolemono (Greek Chicken & Rice Soup)

Greek Chicken & Rice Soup, also known as Avgolemono, is a wonderfully hearty soup with fresh bursts of lemon throughout.

Course Soup

Cuisine Greek

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Libby with Lemony Thyme

Ingredients

• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 large onion, about 1 cup fine diced
• 3 carrots, about 1 cup fine diced
• 2 celery stalks, about 1 cup fine diced
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley fine chopped
• 8 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup rice triple rinsed
• 2 lemons, juiced about 1/2 cup
• 3 cups cooked chicken, cubed or shredded 2 breasts or a rotisserie chicken
• 3 eggs
• salt & pepper to taste

Instructions

• Over medium heat, heat olive oil in large dutch oven or soup pot. Add onion, carrot and celery and saute until just tender, about 5-7 minutes. Add garlic and parsley and cook an additional minute. Add chicken broth and bring mixture to a gentle boil. Reduce heat to low, add in rice and simmer for 20 minutes or until rice is tender. Stir in lemon juice and cooked chicken and heat through.
• To temper the eggs, beat eggs in a small bowl. Add one ladle of hot soup broth to eggs and whisk quickly. Return egg/broth mixture to soup pot and whisk to combine. Remove from heat. Season with salt & pepper to taste.

The post Avgolemono {Greek Chicken & Rice Soup} appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

The ingredients in this salad are simple and colorful and fresh. Tangy feta, with blistered tomatoes and crisp corn pair perfectly with creamy avocado and fresh cucumber and greens.

Then there’s the Sherry Vinaigrette. Just the right balance of vinegar to honey to aromatic shallot and garlic.

I recently had the opportunity to prepare a Tailgate Luncheon for a very special Birthday Party!

When I sat down with my neighbor to plan the menu we got stuck on what type of salad to include.

Should we do a pasta salad like Italian Tortellini – decided on Three Cheese Mac ‘n’ Cheese instead.

Perhaps a great big Greek Salad with grilled chicken – we’ve already agreed on Mardi Gras Chicken Wings.

We went through this exercise for a few minutes before I posed this question….. What is your favorite salad? With a smile on her face she said there’s a salad at From The Earth that I love.

Bingo! We shall recreate that salad. Because with all that fun (and indulgent) Game Day food, it’s nice to have a great big salad!

I made multiple FTE visits, each time ordering THE salad. I quickly became a fan too!

I’m just now noticing I should have halved my cherry tomatoes ;-)

This salad makes a wonderful lunch or light meal. AND you can easily make a big batch to serve at your next family gathering or potluck!

What’s your favorite salad? The one that puts a smile on your face. I’d love for you to share in the comments below :)

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

Print

From The Earth Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette

The ingredients in this salad are simple and colorful and fresh. Tangy feta, with blistered tomatoes and crisp corn pair perfectly with creamy avocado and fresh cucumber and greens.

Course Salad

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author From The Earth Brewery

Ingredients

Sherry Vinaigrette

• 2 garlic cloves
• 1 shallot
• 1/4 cup sherry vinegar or substitute white balsamic
• 2 Tablespoons honey or more to taste
• 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
• 1/2 cup olive oil
• salt & pepper to taste

From The Earth Salad

• 1 pint Cherry Tomatoes blistered
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 10 ounces Mixed Greens
• 2 Fresh Corn on Cob blanched for 2 minutes, kernels removed from cobs
• 1 English Cucumbers sliced
• 1 Avocado sliced
• 1/4 cup Red Onion thinly sliced
• 4 ounces Crumbled Feta Cheese

Instructions

Sherry Vinaigrette

• In the bowl of a food processor, add garlic, shallot, vinegar, honey, and dijon. Puree mixture. With processor running drizzle in olive oil. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Store in a jar with tight fitting lid for up to one week in refrigerator.

From The Earth Salad

• Preheat oven to 400° F. Toss cherry tomatoes with 1 Tablespoon olive oil, spread in single layer on rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes or just until starting to soften and blister.
• Meanwhile, place salad greens in a large bowl or platter. Sprinkle with corn kernels, sliced red onion, cucumber, avocado and crumbled feta cheese. Add blistered tomatoes. Drizzle with Sherry Vinaigrette and enjoy!

The post From The Earth Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette appeared first on Lemony Thyme.

The first way is rather traditional made with spaghetti and lots of cheese and pepper!

The second is prepared with spaghetti squash! Equally as delicious, gluten free and low carb friendly!

If I may, for just a minute, share the highlights of our weekend. There’s a Jump to Recipe button just above if you’d like to skip the recap. No hard feelings :)

I planned and delivered a Tailgate Luncheon Birthday Party for 45 people on Saturday! eeeek!

It was such an amazing experience AND they loved it!!

Tailgate Luncheon Menu

• Slow Smoked Pulled Pork Sliders with 4 BBQ Sauces, including White BBQ Sauce
• Classic Coleslaw
• Three Cheese Mac ‘n’ Cheese
• Baked Beans
• Asian Beef Meatballs
• Chili Cheese Dog Tailgate Sliders
• Mardi Gras Wings with Celery/Carrots/Ranch Dressing
• From the Earth Salad with Sherry Vinaigrette
• Buffalo Chicken Dip with Tostitos Scoops
• Apache Bread Dip with Fritos Scoops
• Million Dollar Bacon (for the Bloody Mary Bar)

After being apart for six weeks, our bus is back home – better than ever!! We took her to the VW Invasion at Caffeine & Octane on Sunday. Incredible group of passionate car owners! I made a video recap and shared it on TikTok!

After several days of planning and cooking, followed by the camaraderie we experienced at the car show….I’m pretty high on life!

With that great energy I’m making Cacio e Pepe. Cheese and pepper pasta (or cheese & pepper spaghetti squash).

My first taste of this dish was during a dream Italian vacation Nick and I took a couple years ago. The first leg of our trip was in Rome where we aptly took a “Cooking Class in Rome.”

We have relived this trip over and over through stories we’ve shared and recipes we’ve recreated at home. At the close of our class, our instructor, chef Andrea, gave us these words of advice. Do not leave Rome without having Cacio e Pepe.

He went further and recommended the restaurant Roma Sparita which was walking distance from our hotel. Little did we know at the time that Anthony Bourdain’s No Reservation’s in Rome episode featured this very dish.

I decided to share this recipe made in a parmesan cheese bowl, just the way it was served at Roma Sparita!

Well, almost the same way. I’m serving mine with spaghetti squash, but you do you!

How To Cook Spaghetti Squash

• Cut squash in half
• Use a spoon to scrape out the seeds
• Coat cut side with olive oil, sprinkle with salt & pepper
• Place cut side down on baking sheet
• Bake at 400 degrees F. for 45 minutes
• Using two forks, scrape the squash strands from skins

Cacio e Pepe Basic Steps

• Melt butter in a pan over medium heat
• Add freshly cracked pepper and toast for 1 minute
• If using pasta add in an little pasta water
• Add in cooked pasta or spaghetti squash
• Stir to coat with butter & pepper, reduce heat to low
• Sprinkle with pecorino romano cheese and toss to combine
• For spaghetti squash swirl in a little cream (in place of pasta water)
• Serve in parmesan crisp bowl

This dish is Italian comfort food made from the simplest of ingredients. It’s cheesy with a nice peppery finish. The Parmesan Crisp Bowl is like dessert!

Don’t forget to follow us @LemonyThyme on Instagram and Facebook! And check out our latest TikTok videos and Pinterest boards too!

All my best,
xo Libby

Print

Cacio e Pepe Spaghetti Squash (served in Parmesan Crisp Bowls

This dish is Italian comfort food made from the simplest of ingredients. It's cheesy with a nice peppery finish. The parmesan crisp bowl is like dessert!

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 55 minutes minutes

Servings 2

Ingredients

For the Spaghetti Squash

• 1 medium spaghetti squash
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• salt & pepper

For the Parmesan Crisp Bowls

• 1 cup parmesan cheese finely shredded

For the Cacio e Pepe

• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 3-4 cups cooked spaghetti squash see above
• 1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese grated
• 2 Tablespoons heavy cream
• salt to taste
• 2 Tablespoons Pecorino Romano for garnish

Instructions

For the Spaghetti Squash

• Preheat oven to 400° F.
• Cut squash in half and remove seeds. Coat cut side of each half with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Place halves cut side down on a baking sheet. Bake for 45 minutes or until a fork pierces skin easily.
• Using two forks, scrape squash to loosen strands. Remove squash to a bowl and reserve.

For the Parmesan Crisp Bowls

• Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Make 2 6"-7" diameter circles with the parmesan cheese. Bake for 5-7 minutes until lightly golden.
• Remove from oven and allow to cool for 1 minute. Using a spatula, lift cheese circles and place over inverted bowls. Allow to cool.

For Cacio e Pepe

• Melt butter in skillet over medium heat. Add pepper and toast for 1 minute. Add in cooked spaghetti squash and stir to coat with butter. Reduce heat to low and add Pecorino Romano cheese and stir well. Swirl in a little cream and mix well. Season with salt to taste.
• Transfer to parmesan crisp bowls. Garnish with a sprinkle of Pecorino Romano.

The post Cacio e Pepe Served Two Ways appeared first on Lemony Thyme.