Roasted Kale Pesto

I’m not 100% on the raw kale bandwagon. I feel like my age & blog means I’m supposed to like it, but I do not enjoy it raw. I think it is a texture thing – and maybe the amount of chewing required for something that doesn’t taste like, I don’t know, bacon. I’ll finely dice and cook it into soups or whatever.

It is a great choice for a woodsy tasting pesto! It won’t make you think you’re eating peak-of-summer-basil, but it is good, and you can feeeeel good about it. I first mixed it into gnocchi then I added some with penne to pack for a work lunch.
The Three Bite Rule - Kale Pesto

Roasted Kale Pesto

Ingredients:

1 bunch kale
olive oil
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 tablespoons grated Parmesan
2 tablespoons ricotta
1/4 cup toasted nuts
salt and pepper

Directions:

Roast the kale in a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper.
Add the kale into the food processor, with the garlic, parmesan, ricotta, nuts, salt & pepper.
The Three Bite Rule - Kale Pesto
Blend while streaming in olive oil.
Refrigerate until serving.
The Three Bite Rule - Kale PestoEnjoy!

Toss with hot pasta or add a dollop onto chicken or pork chops, or spread onto a panini! Yum! It doesn’t get perfectly smooth like basil pesto does, but it is really good. Throw in any fresh spinach you have or arugula.
The Three Bite Rule - Kale Pesto

#grilledcheeseplease Pancetta & Cheddah in Truffle Butter

More #grilledcheeseplease continues! I was inspired by a pear-picking-party back in October. My bestie made a grilled cheese with tellagio cheese, pancetta, pear, and truffle butter. Ohh yeah. I made a variation with what happened I had around: pancetta; 2 cheeses; and truffle oil into butter.

The Three Bite Rule - Pancetta & Truffle Butter Grilled Cheese

Pancetta & Cheddar Grilled Cheese in Truffle Butter

Ingredients:

2 slices of French bread
3 tablespoons diced pancetta
1-2 slices white cheddar
1-2 slices gouda (not smoked gouda)
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon truffle oil

Directions:

Pan fry the diced pancetta until crisp, then drain on paper towel.
Slice the french bread into thick slices.
Assemble the grilled cheese with cheese, pancetta, and more cheese.
The Three Bite Rule - Pancetta & Truffle Butter Grilled Cheese
Whip the butter and truffle oil together and spread half onto the outside, and lay into a medium pan or a griddle on medium heat. Cook for 4 minutes.
Spread the rest of the truffle oil onto the top half.
Flip and cook for another 3-4 minutes.
Slice & enjoy!

The Three Bite Rule - Pancetta & Truffle Butter Grilled Cheese
This grilled cheese is a testament to a few ingredients packing tons of flavor. This isn’t as dainty a grilled cheese as it appears! I’ll be back after Thanksgiving with the opposite of turkey…in case you need that.

Fall Fettuccine

Fettuccine with alfredo, sage, and butternut squash. This felt like a the dinner equivalent of warm socks and a cozy blanket on a brisk evening. I roasted the butternut squash and infused the sage into the alfredo sauce.  It was so fast, and SO addicting! Psssst. It was so fast also because I roasted the squash in advance, and used jarred alfredo sauce. Both made life easier and got dinner on the table ohh-so-fast.

The Three Bite Rule - Fall Fettuccine

Fall Fettuccine

Ingredients:

2 cups butternut squash, chopped into small cubes
2 cups alfredo sauce (use a jar, I won’t tell)
4-6 sage leaves (3 to cook in the sauce & 2-3 chopped)
1/2 pound of fettuccine pasta

Directions:

Roast the butternut squash in a drizzle of olive oil, salt, and pepper at 400-degrees for 20 minutes, flipping once.
Bring salted water to a boil in a large pot for the pasta.
Warm the alfredo sauce in a large pot over low heat and drop in 1/2 the sage leaves. Cook for 5-10 minutes, stirring often, then remove the wilty sage.
The Three Bite Rule - Fall Fettuccine
Cook the fettuccine to al dente.
Drain the pasta and toss in the sauce.
Mix in the remaining chopped sage and the squash.
The Three Bite Rule - Fall Fettuccine
Enjoy!

This is such a great weeknight meal. I’d totally serve this to a dinner party, my toddler, or anyone. Somehow this week was brought to you by the herb sage. I love it in small amounts but feel like it has serious flavor. Here’s a good use if you bought some for Thanksgiving and need a very different feeling meal before or after turkey day!

#grilledcheeseplease Sweet Potato & Sage Grilled Cheese

The grilled cheese series continues! This grilled cheese has some legit Thanksgiving flavors. They’re healthy, cheap, and quite filling. Win. Win. Win. This is what you need on Black Friday! Forget that 3am shopping shenanigans. Mash up some of those leftover sweet potatoes, chop the sage from the stuffing, and pillage those cheese plate leftovers!

The Three Bite Rule - Sweet Potato Grilled Cheese

Sweet Potato & Sage Grilled Cheese

Ingredients:

2 slices sourdough bread
1/4 of a sweet potato, cooked and fork mashed
2 slices sharp white cheddar cheese
~3 leaves of sage, chopped chiffonade
2 teaspoons butter

Directions:

Assemble the ingredients and heat a large pan to medium-low heat with a tablespoon or two of olive oil.
The Three Bite Rule - Sweet Potato Grilled Cheese
Layer the sandwich with a slice of bread, 1/2 the cheese, the sweet potato, and sage, then the rest of the cheese and the other slice of bread.
Spread a little butter on the bread and turn the sandwich into the pan. Cover and cook for ~3 minutes. Spread the remaining butter onto the other slice of the bread.
Flip and cook for another ~3 minutes.
The Three Bite Rule - Sweet Potato Grilled Cheese
I love the sweetness of the sweet potato with the sharp cheddar and the sourdough bread. My sage plant is going strong so this came locally!

Blogaversary: turning 7!

The Three Bite Rule is 7 years old. I cannot believe it. Sevvvvven. Happy blogaversary! When this timing rolls around it feels like a good time to stop, reflect, and look forward….moreso than January even does. I share some stats/superlatives and …. wait for it…the new goals for the year.

Thanks for sticking around, popping over, and for the love. I do this for fun and I’m still glad to be doing it. I have taken breaks and tweaked along the way but I’m glad to share ideas, what I’m eating, and be part of a food community. Stay tuned for year 8! I’m not out of new recipes yet!

balloons

Superlatives!

My personal fav post: these crockpot meatballs were so unbelievably good, and I totally need to make them again. ‘Tis the season for the comfort foods! They were easy, and also are my favorite because I made ’em for the little one’s 2nd birthday dinner. He loves pasta & meatballs!
The Three Bite Rule - Crockpot Meatballs
Best Burger: you know what, this gouda, bacon & peach burger was just so good it inspired a full category to win.
The Three Bite Rule - Burger with Smoked Gouda & Peach Relish

Most on-trend food: grain bowls. Give me all the foods that coordinate, on a bed of hearty grains, with a fun drizzle on top and I’ll be ohh-so-happy. This chicken sausage, apple, arugula and honey mustard hit all the flavors and textures.  See other winners like: Italian Grain Bowls, Falafel Grain Bowls, and Burrito Bowls.
The Three Bite Rule - Sausage, Arugula, and Rice Bowl

Best photo: this Cast-Iron Skillet Pizza in garlic oil was the picture of crispy perfection – and the crunchy crust was what it is all about. 
The Three Bite Rule - Cast Iron Skillet Pizza

Most loved food insta: Build a Better Charcuterie post about a cheese board was a hit
The Three Bite Rule - Build A Better Charcuterie Board

peanut butter, nutella, and banana smoothie continues to top the charts, for several years. I made a healthier version, but to no avail , the favorite is the original.

The 2018 goals:

I’ve repeated some for several years which was what my gut told me I wanted to do, but 2 years was too long to think it’d get me to do it…I’m looking at you ‘cook more fish’! I love a monthly look to hold my self accountable. I have a mid-month pop up reminder on my phone and the recap prepping is another nudge to see if they’ve happened.

Year of the _____:
I got such ahhh-mazing ideas on social media. I loved them all. I’m drawn to a year of candles (thanks Sarah!)! They’re a budget-friendly treat, I have definite scent preferences, they can be a nod to seasonal decor, annnd I have a passionate disdain for cheap ones I can’t seem to smell! I was interested in shoes, bags, etc, but thought they might be categories of wanting a few good ones versus 12 affordable ones 
Grocery store re-invention:
grabbing something and using it unexpectedly
Cook more appetizers/snacks:
plusapps for dinner are also SO FUN
Taking time to blog thoughtfully:
that means daylight- when possible; more attention to get a variety of shots; striving for more style
Journal the cute moments of my little one: I did a little gratitude journal when the baby blues hit me and I needed to look for the good. Now I just want to remember when he says funny things.  
What I’m reading:
What I’m watching: