Happy Saturday!! I’m coming at you with a brand new recipe that screams summer and is perfect for weekend entertaining.
But first, a quick recap, because somehow July is almost over? I don’t know who’s with me on this one, but it’s been such a weird month. It somehow felt slow and completely packed at the same time, and honestly, I’m ready for August. I also just realized Mercury was in retrograde until a couple days ago, which explains a LOT. So glad that one’s behind us!
It feels crazy to say out loud, but we’re two months post book tour and I’ve been realizing that we need to get our life back in order. I’m itching to get back into organizing, and to finally tackle some home projects I’ve been putting off (guest rooms and garage to name a few!). It’s also been great to get back in the kitchen - we’ve got so many new recipes in the works for our Substack fam, so keep an eye out!
And ITALY! We leave for Puglia in just over a month, and the best part is we’re going with Via Rosa alongside so many of you who are coming. I can’t wait!!!
If you’ve been thinking about doing one of these with us, here’s your sign: we’re hosting another Via Rosa tour to Parma in March 2027. It’s one of our favorite places we’ve ever been, pure foodie and wine lover heaven. Some of my all-time favorite bites have happened there. There are still a few spots left, and I’d love nothing more than to go together.
Via Rosa is Elizabeth Minchilli’s company, and the reason we keep going back is simple: you know you’re getting something authentic and thoughtfully curated every time. Parma has so much history, so many incredible artisans, and a food scene that’s just unreal, and there’s no better way to take it all in than with local guides and once in a lifetime experiences.
Here’s a snapshot of my week, some local restaurants we’ve been loving, and of course - the recipe!
After hearing so many great things about Salted Butter Company in Pasadena, we finally had the chance to try this new bakery, and I’m so glad we did. We ordered the Salted Brown Butter Maple Latte (can you think of a better combo?), Good Vanilla Bean Latte, Apple Fritters (highly recommend), Earl Grey Morning Bun, and Blueberry Cheesecake Danish.
We headed up to Santa Barbara for a quick 1-night getaway to celebrate our 8-year wedding anniversary with Izzy & Luna. We ordered the Margherita and Butcher Shop (with pepperoni, fennel sausage, prosciutto) pizzas from Lucky Penny to our hotel room at Palihouse Santa Barbara. We also stopped off at one of our favorite sunset spots in town: Butterfly Beach.
We filmed a really exciting brand partnership this week that took us out to Malibu (more on this soon!). Here’s the dress I wore (love that it’s SO light and airy in this heat - I always size up in Doen) and a shot of the delicious Beach Sandwich I made!
On Thursday, I attended a really fun event with Summer Fridays where I had the chance to check out the new body butter balm and body fragrance mist that just launched (pink guava, vanilla, and pistachio - my fave!). Here’s the sequin dress I wore to the event. Arrived 2 hours before leaving and I’m so glad it did!
After my Summer Friday’s event, we headed to one of our favorite restaurants in LA: Mother Wolf! We ordered the Fiori di Zucca (Squash Blossoms), Peach & Burrata Salad, Pesto Gnochetti, and Carbonara.
If you like a Cobb Salad, then I know you’re going to love this version for summer. It has most of the hallmarks of the classic—hard-boiled eggs, juicy cherry tomatoes, creamy avocado, and crispy bacon—but with one upgrade that I simply cannot get enough of. LOBSTER! I mean, lobster seriously makes everything better in my book. If you’re hosting friends for lunch or going to a potluck, you need to make this salad. It’s dressed to impress but surprisingly easy to make. All you need to do is whip up a quick, creamy dressing, cook some bacon, prep the toppings (avocado, hard-boiled eggs, cherry tomatoes), and then assemble!
Traditionally a Cobb Salad includes some type of blue cheese but I omitted it for the sake of creating a lighter, summery version. The lobster meat has such a sweet, succulent flavor that deserves its own moment. (That said, the herb yogurt dressing will give you some of the creaminess that you’d normally get from the cheese!).
For this salad, you really want a firm, bright green avocado so that it holds its shape when you dice it. When choosing avocados in the grocery store, look for one that has no soft spots and feels a little underripe; although those aren’t the best ones for mashing, they’re perfect for this salad.
Yes! Most seafood counters and fish markets will have cooked lobster meat packaged and available for purchase. You’ll need about 3/4 pound to make this salad. Pick it apart for any pieces of shells before you assemble the salad!
Lump crab meat or cooked shrimp also work for this salad. Or you could even omit either for a more traditional cobb salad!
Yes! You can make the dressing up to 2 days in advance. Be sure to store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator. I’d wait to assemble the whole salad until you’re ready to serve it though so that the ingredients stay fresh.
Preheat the oven to 400℉. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil and set a wire rack inside the baking sheet. Arrange the bacon on the rack. Cook for 20 minutes until the fat has rendered and the bacon is crisp.
1 small shallot, roughly chopped (about 2 heaping tablespoons)
1 clove garlic, peeled and smashed
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ cup packed basil leaves
¼ cup roughly chopped fresh chives
¼ cup packed flat-leaf parsley leaves
3 tablespoons packed tarragon leaves
2 tablespoons packed dill
½ cup full-fat Greek yogurt
½ cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1 tablespoon water
12 ounces cooked lobster meat, roughly chopped
¼ cup finely chopped celery (tender inner stalks and leaves)
4 heads little gem lettuce, root removed, separated into leaves, and roughly chopped
8 strips thick cut bacon, cooked and chopped
3 hard-boiled eggs, roughly chopped
1 avocado, diced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
Chopped chives, for garnish
To make the dressing, add the shallots, garlic, salt, and herbs to the bowl of a food processor. Pulse until everything is finely chopped. Add the Greek yogurt, mayonnaise, lemon juice, and water and pulse until the dressing is smooth and creamy. Pour into a measuring cup and refrigerate until ready to use.
Add the lobster, celery, and 2 tablespoons of the prepared dressing to a small mixing bowl and stir to combine.
To assemble the salad, arrange the lettuce in the base of a large bowl. Top with the bacon, hard-boiled eggs, avocado, and cherry tomatoes. Mound the lobster salad in the center. Drizzle with the remaining dressing and garnish with chopped chives.
Thanks again for being part of our WTF To Make For Dinner community here on Substack. I’m so grateful for your support and excited about all of the deliciousness to come. Now it’s time to dig in!
xo,
Erin
Comments
Nothing yet. Say the first thing.
Sign in to join the conversation.