In recent years, chefs and home cooks alike have been putting their own spin on the classic ratatouille recipe. My twist is this Ratatouille-Inspired Orzo Salad. This recipe combines roasted vegetables with orzo pasta, basil and red pepper hummus instead of a red pepper sauce, creating a light and fresh dish that is perfect for a summer meal or meal prep.

To make this salad, start by roasting a mix of diced eggplant, summer squash, zucchini, red and yellow bell peppers, and cherry tomatoes with olive oil, salt, and pepper. While the vegetables are roasting, cook the orzo according to the package instructions. Once both the vegetables and orzo are cooked, combine them in a large bowl with minced shallots, sliced basil, and a red pepper hummus dressing made with tahini, lemon juice, garlic, and paprika.

This Ratatouille-Inspired Orzo Salad is great for meal prep because it can be made ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator for up to five days. You can also customize the recipe to your liking by swapping out the vegetables for any seasonal favorites, such as butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, or sweet potatoes. If you need to make the dish gluten-free, simply substitute the orzo with a gluten-free pasta or rice. I also love how this is a vegan recipe!! Of course, you can add the dairy (goat cheese or feta would be delicious here.)

The post Ratatouille Orzo Salad appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

This is a great meal to make ahead. Make the quinoa ahead of time, steam the veggies ahead of time and make the dressing ahead of time. All you have to do at lunch is assemble and enjoy. Huge fan of that! I also love the veggies with the dressing (sans quinoa) for a fun family style salad at a dinner party. However you want to serve this, I hope you love it.

The post Tarragon Caesar Veggie Bowl appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

If you don’t have a pressure cooker, you can easily make this on the stove by simmering chicken in the liquid (all info in the recipe below) for about 45 minutes-1 hour until the chicken easily shreds.

Not into pineapple salsa?

Go with a pico de Gallo or a mango salsa here!

What jerk seasoning should I use?

If I were sitting here pretending to be a jerk seasoning expert, I would be blatantly lying to you. The experts who make the seasoning and sell it (typically) know best, so that’s why I used a seasoning that was already made. The one I used was from Cravings by Chrissy Teigen. I already owned her spice sampler, so that’s why I used it, but I must say it’s very very flavorful and I love it in this recipe!!

If you’re looking for a little video demo on how to make this recipe, it’s on my Insta below.

How long will the chicken and salsa last in the fridge for a make-ahead meal?

The chicken will keep up to 4 days if stored in an air-tight container in the fridge. The salsa will also last for up to 4 days stored in a sealed container.

The post Jamaican-Inspired Jerk Chicken Tacos with Pineapple Salsa (Instant Pot/Ninja Foodi/Pressure Cooker Recipe!) appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

I call this dish my *easy fancy* dinner for two. It gives total restaurant vibes and also takes 30 minutes to make. You can use frozen peas (yep, like the ones in the bag from the frozen section that are super cheap) and any tomatoes of your choice. You can also skip the tomatoes and opt for something else like greens, another veggie of your choice, or white beans.

I’m vegan … how can I enjoy this flavor combination? 

Vegans, rejoice, because king trumpet mushrooms are the new vegan scallop. Cut the stems cross-wise about 1-1 1/2 inches thick – and then score them. Sear just the way you would sear scallops, a few minutes on each side until golden brown! These go beautifully with the pea puree!

Can I make any of this ahead of time?

Yes!!! You can plate the pea purée and tomatoes the night before or morning of making this dish, then just sear the scallops and assemble!!! You can also make your pea purée up to 2 days before.

The post Seared Scallops with Sweet Pea Purée and Cherry Tomatoes appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

I have a tutorial on my YouTube channel on how to make this coconut key lime pie. It’s super easy, but I know you guys love the visuals to help you out here!

Can I use sweetened condensed coconut milk?

I tried the recipe with the sweetened condensed coconut milk that I found at Sprouts (so delicious and works for dulce de leche) but it sadly didn’t work. The filling becomes a soup in the oven and doesn’t stay together. I would stay away from that.

Do I have to use the Goya cream of coconut?

I used that in this recipe because it’s sweetened and nice and thick. That being said, I haven’t tested the recipe with a coconut cream from another brand. You could 100% try it out, but make sure to stay with my ratios in this recipe to ensure the filling sets!

What if I can’t find key limes?

Don’t worry! Juicing key limes is honestly a pain in the a$$. Most stores have bottled key lime juice which is extremely useful. You can use regular lime slices and zest for garnish.

Can I do something else with this crust? 

Of course!!! You don’t have to use vanilla wafers here. I found these amazing coconut cookies at a local spot and almost made a crust with them before Sebastian ate them all (LOL) so I went with wafers with the shredded coconut. You can use any cookie here with the shredded coconut.

What kind of coconut should I buy?

I bought shredded coconut! I would get the sweetened kind that you find in the baking aisle because it tastes more “coconutty” than the unsweetened one. I would refrain from toasted coconut because you’re going to toast it in the oven and you don’t want to burn it.

Pre-made or homemade whipped cream?

You can go with whatever you want here! If you want to pre-make the whipped cream, definitely go with homemade as it doesn’t melt quickly. You can whip full fat coconut milk with some sugar, the same way you would whip heavy cream. I honestly would blend heavy cream with some full fat coconut milk and sugar for the most balanced flavor.

My most important tip in the entire blog post is that you CANNOT mess with the ratios of this filling. Please stick with the measurements or else you risk the chance that your filling will be soupy and not set!! If this happens, you *can* freeze the final baked pie and eat it as a frozen treat. However, it’s best enjoyed out of the fridge so you can enjoy the soft, yet firm, custardy consistency.

The post Coconut Key Lime Pie appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

That pasta you used looks super cool…what if I can’t find that?!

The pasta I used here is actually one of the newest styles of pastas designed by Sfoglini and Dan Pashman – it’s called Cascatelli and it’s honestly THE COOLEST. It’s also very hard to find right now and pricy (like a 9 week wait time?!?!) SO, here are my substitute pasta options. If you can find campanelle (aka gigli pasta,) then that would be the closest to the cascatelli. Other great options are casarecci, garganelle, mafaldine , fusili, or gemelli. You could also use a cheese tortellini or small ravioli.

What mushrooms can I use here?

I’m so fortunate to live in PA, where we have many mushroom farms and a vast selection of local shrooms. I was able to find shiitake, maitake (hen of the woods) and king trumpet mushrooms (which are also known as vegan scallops!) If you want to go all out and find these mushrooms, i highly recommend! If you can’t find these, you can simply go with shiitake and maitake, or just shiitake. I wouldn’t go with anything other than shiitake, because I personally love the savory/meaty texture and flavor they deliver, which compliments the sweet corn pasta sauce.

What if I can’t find chives?

Minced scallions work great here or you can skip all together if you don’t want that savory, aromatic pop of onion-ness. Yep, made up that word.

Can I use frozen sweet corn?

You can absolutely substitute the fresh corn for frozen. I would microwave it to defrost prior to making the cream sauce, just so that any excess water that would thin out the cream can be strained.

What if I want to make this a dinner for two?

You could just go with the recipe below with 1/2 lb pasta and have an extra saucy pasta (or just leftover sauce!) or you could make it and have leftovers. If that doesn’t sound good to you, feel free to adjust below.

Sauce: 3/4 cup heavy cream, 1/2 cup sweet corn kernels, pinch of Diamond kosher salt

Mushrooms: go for a total of 8 -10 oz. of whatever blend you like

The post Creamy Corn Pasta with Seared Mushrooms and Chives appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

Whats a good substitute for summer squash?

Literally any vegetable lol. Or you can skip vegetables all together. But I would recommend broccoli, broccolini, asparagus or green beans.

What kind of orzo should I use?

I used whole wheat orzo pasta here (you can probably tell in the photos, since it’s darker) but you can use regular orzo pasta, whole wheat, or gluten-free! I tried a cassava based one that was delicious and gluten-free.

Can I make this vegan?

This is a vegetarian dish, but you can easily make it vegan but swapping the butter with vegan butter. I don’t think the vegan butter will brown, but the buttery flavor will be great here regardless. If going vegan, just skip the Parm all together and make sure you add salt and pepper to taste.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Skyler Bouchard Oppenheim (@diningwithskyler)

The post Lemon Brown Butter Sage Orzo with Summer Squash appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

Just to cap off this entire rant, these fried green tomatoes are crunchy, crispy, tangy and a little smoky. I used a smoked paprika in the batter and dipping sauce to bring another element of flavor. Also, mine are air-fried! So I only used a fraction of the oil that’s used when frying. An air-fryer is a small convection oven that swirls hot air around your food, which results in crispness. You still need to use oil to get the “fry” and not the “dry” but the results are honestly sometimes BETTER than real frying since the oil doesn’t quickly make the breading soggy.

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Skyler Bouchard Oppenheim (@diningwithskyler)

What are green tomatoes?

For this purpose, we are talking about tomatoes that aren’t fully ripe. Yep. You know when you eat a fruit that’s not fully ripe, it tends to be a bit sour, tangy and not as sweet? Then, when it’s ripe, it’s sweet and luscious? Well, the same thing pertains to tomatoes, which are fruits.

Where can I find green tomatoes? 

Farmers markets or farmers market focused grocery stores tend to have them. If you’re in Philadelphia, check out Iovine Brother’s Produce – that’s where I got mine! They always have the most amazing produce in stock. I would also look at Whole Foods, Sprouts, Trader Joe’s or your local produce spot.

Why would I eat fried green tomatoes? Can I make them gluten-free or vegan?

They are SUCH a crowd pleaser! Also, if you use flax egg, they can be vegan as well. If you use gluten-free Panko, they can be gluten-free! Make your substitutes as necessary!

What is the sauce? Any other sauce recommendations?

The dipping sauce in the recipe is a super easy and simple take on a remoulade (the traditional dipping sauce served with fried green tomatoes.) Mine is a smoky paprika version. If you don’t vibe with that, you could serve with a simple sriracha aioli. You could also serve with hot sauce if you love hot sauce. Or, go with a simple mayo ketchup blend. Also….RANCH.

The post Air-Fried Green Tomatoes with a Smoky Paprika Remoulade appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

Aaaaand that poll paved the way for this recipe! To put it simply: this is a lemony pesto. We’ve got lots and lots and lots of basil with lemon zest and lemon juice. Instead of pine nuts, we are (obvi) using pistachios. Then, we are adding both Parmesan and Pecorino Romano cheeses to add salt and umami elements. And you can’t forget the highest of the highest quality extra virgin olive oil!!! I love California Extra Virgin Olive Oil for this (and for every salad, tbh.) I’m saying “we” because if you’ve made it this far in the blog post, I’m just assuming that we are making it together.

Before we get started, I want to point out the format of this blog post so there’s no confusion. Below, you will find 2 recipes. One is for the pesto (which you can serve on anything, tbh – don’t sleep on pesto eggs with this lemony pistachio pesto!) and the other is for the pasta salad, which is so f*$#1293084ing good…”I can’t even.” Oh ALSO, you can serve this hot! It doesn’t have to be a cold pasta dish. I’m a *huge* fan of this pesto hot, cold, lukewarm, etc. This is a very passionate paragraph because I have a lot to say and I love this pasta salad!!!!

By the way, if you’re vegan, skip the mozz and it’s still just as delicious. And if you’re gluten-free, use your favorite gluten-free pasta!

And as (almost) always, here’s a mini video Instagram reel showing you how to make this dish

The post Lemony Pistachio Pesto Pasta Salad appeared first on Dining with Skyler.

I tested this recipe 5 times and after much self deliberation, I’ve decided that a scoop or two of vanilla ice cream and a drizzle of honey is just as much an integral part of the recipe as the blueberry filling or the cornbread topping. When I say vanilla honey ice cream, I’m referring to your favorite vanilla ice cream with a generous drizzle of your favorite honey on top, or swirled in. The ice cream adds yet another layer of flavor to the dessert and brings a creamy coolness to this otherwise tart, buttery, hot dish. So, if you’re making my recipe, you gotta serve it with a scoop. If you want to take it to the next level, top it with honeycomb ice cream. The one from Van Leeuwen is PERFECT for this. If you’re dairy free, add a scoop of creamy cashew vanilla ice cream on top with a drizzle of honey. No matter what ice cream you go with, let it semi-melt into the cobbler before serving and the cornbread soaks up all that delicious ice cream to create a buttery cornbread vanilla spongecakey vibe that is unmatchable. Just trust me on this. Unless this sounds like something you would absolutely hate…then listen to yourself. You’re feeding you, not me.

If you’re gluten-free you can still 100% make this recipe. I tested it with the gluten-free cornbread mix from Bob’s Red Mill and it was great. I will put the measurements for using that in the notes at the bottom of the recipe.

Not into blueberries? Use cherries instead or a blend of your favorite berries!

 

View this post on Instagram

 

A post shared by Skyler Bouchard Oppenheim (@diningwithskyler)

The post Blueberry Cornbread Cobbler with Honey Vanilla Ice Cream appeared first on Dining with Skyler.