Lavender Latte (Hot or Iced)

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Learn how to make a lavender latte (hot or iced) with this simple recipe that’s easy to customize to your liking.

After moving back to KC last summer, one of my good friends introduced me to her favorite drink at our neighborhood coffee shop — an iced lavender latte — and it was love at first sip. ♡

I’ve long been a fan of pairing lavender with earl grey tea to make a London fog latte. But this was the first time I had ever tasted lavender paired with espresso. And when out for a morning stroll around the neighborhood with our iced lattes on a hot summer’s day, that extra hint of delicate floral flavor in my coffee was just delightful. Loved it!

The cost of those extra pumps of syrup at the coffee shop have a way of adding up quickly, though. So last summer, I got into the routine of making small batches of homemade lavender syrup so that we could make our own lavender lattes here at home. And now nearly a year later, a hot or iced lavender latte continues to be one of my favorite ways to begin the day. They’re easy to make and customize with your favorite type of milk and espresso, and taste equally delicious hot or iced. So whenever you feel like giving your latte a floral twist, let’s simmer up a quick batch of lavender syrup and make some lavender lattes together!

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Lavender Syrup

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Homemade lavender syrup is easy to make with 3 ingredients and can be used in everything from lattes to cocktails, lemonade, baked goods and more.

This has been the year of lavender syrup here in our house. ♡

Ever since I fell in love with our neighborhood coffee shop’s lavender iced latte last summer — and then pivoted to making my own here at home for a fraction of the cost (recipe coming tomorrow!) — steeping a quick batch of homemade lavender simple syrup has become a regular part of our weekly routine. And over time, we’ve come to find that it’s useful for so many other delicious treats beyond coffee too!

You can use lavender syrup to add a hint of floral flavor to your favorite cocktails. (I’m especially partial to a lavender gin fizz or lavender mojito.) You can add a splash to a refreshing glass of lemonade, iced tea, or sparkling water. You can whisk lavender syrup with powdered sugar to form a lavender glaze, or whip it with heavy cream to make lavender whipped cream. Or you can customize the syrup with different sweeteners or play around with infusing rose, mint, vanilla, or lemon into the syrup too. The possibilities are endless and so much fun!

Most of the time, we keep things simple here in our house with a basic 3-ingredient lavender simple syrup made with dried lavender buds, sugar and water, which won’t steer you wrong. But I’ve included lots of different ideas and tips below to help craft whatever version of this syrup you may love best.

So grab some culinary-grade dried lavender and let’s make a quick batch together. I promise you can find many delicious ways to put it to good use!

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Blueberry Cake

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This blueberry cake recipe is easy to make and bursting with fresh blueberries.

Blueberry season calls for my favorite blueberry cake! ♡

I first shared this blueberry cake recipe here ten years ago. And now, over a decade later, it still continues to be a favorite tradition of ours each spring when blueberry season rolls back around. It’s loaded up with a full two pints of fresh blueberries, which add a burst of vibrant sweetness to each bite. Then when mixed with a simple vanilla white cake batter, baked up in a bundt pan, and drizzled lightly with a sweet glaze, this cake is downright lovely through and through. Always such a beautiful cake for springtime!

In the years since I first shared this recipe, I’ve come to love adding a hint of lemon to brighten up the cake batter and glaze. And while I love this cake with fresh blueberries, I’ve also updated the notes below with instructions on how to make it using frozen blueberries too if that’s what you have on hand.

This recipe is always a winner in our house, so I hope you enjoy it as much as we do!

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Ravioli Lasagna

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This ravioli lasagna recipe is super-easy to make with 8 ingredients and only 15 minutes of hands-on prep time.

Say hello to one of my longtime favorite shortcut recipes — ravioli lasagna. ♡

We’re all big lasagna fans here in our house. But let’s be real, layering up a pan of classic lasagna is a labor of love, and one that rarely seems to fit into my schedule in this season of life with two little ones. Ravioli lasagna, however, couldn’t be easier!

Simply sauté a big pan of Italian sausage, onion and garlic and combine with your favorite marinara to make a quick meat sauce. (Or you can skip the sausage and keep this recipe vegetarian.) Layer the sauce in a baking dish with frozen tortellini (no need to thaw), ricotta and lots of mozzarella. Pop the pan in the oven and bake until the mix is hot and bubbly. Then top with extra Parmesan and fresh basil and dive on in. The ravioli swap magically provides all of the textures and flavors we all love in traditional lasagna without all of the work. And when layered with all of these classic ingredients tastes absolutely delicious.

Feel free to use whatever flavor of ravioli and marinara sauce that you love best. And if you’d like to toss in some extra veggies or greens, by all means, go for it. This recipe is incredibly flexible and reliable. So the next time you’re at the store, pop a few bags of frozen ravioli in your cart and let’s make a big pan of “lasagna” together!

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Lemony Chicken Stew

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This one-pot lemony chicken stew recipe is simmered with hearty vegetables in a creamy lemon-herb broth. Easy to make and always so comforting and flavorful.

After the past few years living in the blissfully temperate Mediterranean, I have to admit it’s been a bit of an adjustment returning to the roller coaster that is spring weather here in the Midwest. In the past week alone, we’ve swung from summery temps to blustery cold winds to heavy thunderstorms to a sprinkling of snow flurries this morning…with a weekend in the 70s forecasted ahead. (Lol, naturally.) But while I’m very much eager for warm weather to return, I’m happy to soak up at least one more day of snuggles in front of the fire with this little cuddle bug. And I’ve gathered up the ingredients to make one more round of this cozy chicken stew for dinner. ♡

This lemony chicken stew is made with a simple mix of tender chicken thighs and rustic-cut veggies, all simmered together until tender in a creamy garlic-herb broth and brightened up with a generous splash of fresh lemon juice. We love serving this stew in warm bowls with big hunks of crusty bread for dipping, but it would also be delicious ladled over egg noodles or rice if you prefer. And while I find it’s easiest to just simmer everything together in a big pot on the stovetop (ready in under 1 hour), you’re welcome to cook this one in the pressure cooker or slow cooker too.

It’s one of those classic comfort foods that always hits the spot. So if you’re looking for a good meal to warm you up through and through, round up some chicken and veggies and let’s make a big pot of stew together!

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Colcannon Soup (Potato Kale Soup)

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This Irish-inspired colcannon soup is easy to make with creamy potatoes, kale and cheddar cheese.

The last time I made colcannon (traditional Irish mashed potatoes with kale), the thought occurred to me while gathering the ingredients that they would also be perfect in a soup!

So…here we are. ♡

I’m pretty sure this isn’t a traditional soup in Ireland, so I make no claims for authenticity here. But the traditional ingredients in colcannon (potatoes, kale, garlic, bay leaves, cream) form a fantastic base for a potato soup. And when simmered with extra leeks in veggie broth, partially blended until thick and creamy, and topped with a vibrant sprinkling of chopped scallions, this simple soup was just as delicious as I had imagined. So cozy and flavorful!

I decided to take a bit of extra inspiration from the Irish and add in a big handful of shredded cheddar make it extra cheesy, but the soup is plenty flavorful without the cheese if you’d like to leave it out. You could also add in some bacon or sausage here for extra protein if you’d like. Or if you prefer cabbage instead of kale for the greens in your colcannon, chopped green or Savoy cabbage would be wonderful in this soup as well.

Let’s make some colcannon soup!

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Colcannon

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This Irish kale colcannon recipe is perfectly buttery and fluffy and easy to make with a handful of basic ingredients.

St. Patrick’s Day is just around the corner and I vote we celebrate with some homemade colcannon. ♡

We love making these classic Irish mashed potatoes anytime during the year that we happen to have some leftover kale and scallions in the fridge. But I recently learned that colcannon is traditionally served in Ireland on Halloween, when little trinkets are often hidden inside to predict your future for the coming year. Fortune-telling mashed potatoes…so fun!

Well whether you decide to make colcannon on Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day, or any other time of the year, these Irish mashed potatoes are always a great idea. They are traditionally made with either sautéed kale or cabbage and lots of scallions, which add a vibrant pop of green color as well as extra nutrients, flavor and texture to classic mashed potatoes. I also always love adding cream cheese to mashed potatoes for an extra pop of tang, plenty of garlic and bay leaf for seasoning, and a generous sprinkling of extra scallions on top. They’re the perfect side dish to complement a range of entrées and the perfect greens-filled comfort food as we move into spring.

Let’s make some colcannon!

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