Table Notes | No. 1
Sheet Pan Fajitas, Rosemary Palomitas, and Constance Preorders
Since moving the picnic series over to Substack, I’m excited to dig a little deeper into how we’ve been embracing these longer days and summer schedules. My girls are at day camps and daycare, and work hasn’t exactly let up, but we’ve managed to stretch the day a little longer—just enough to linger outside, invite neighbors over for dinner, or slow down a Tuesday evening with a meal that feels like something more.
Lately, I’ve been leaning on a dinner that works just as well for the four of us as it does for a table full of friends: sheet pan fajitas. I make some version of this meal year-round, and I always come back to it for the same reasons—it’s fast, colorful, satisfying, and easily scaled depending on how many people we’re feeding.
We had friends over recently and did the full spread: chips and guacamole to start, black beans and cilantro-lime rice on the side, and a big tray of chicken and vegetables straight from the oven. It all gets piled into warm tortillas and topped however you like. We mixed up a pitcher of rosemary palomitas and let the kids run around while the adults chatted around the island. It was simple and satisfying—the kind of night that reminds me why I love hosting, even in this full season of life.
My Go-To Sheet Pan Fajitas
This recipe is adapted from Serena Wolf’s Dude Diet Dinnertime recipe, Choose Your Own Adventure Fajita Bowls.
Ingredients
1.5–2 lbs thinly sliced boneless chicken breasts, steak, or shrimp - or a combo of all three!
3 bell peppers (use a mix of colors), sliced
1 red onion, sliced
2 tbsp olive oil
Taco or Fajita seasoning (I keep a jar of homemade taco seasoning in my pantry: mix together 1 tbsp chili powder, 1/4 tsp garlic powder, 1/4 tsp onion powder, 1/4 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, 1/4 dried oregano, 1 1/2 tsp ground cumin, 1/2 tsp paprika, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper)
Tortillas, warmed
Optional Toppings
Sliced avocado or guacamole
Sour cream or Greek yogurt
Salsa or pico de gallo
Shredded cheese
Lime wedges
Instructions
Preheat broiler to high. Position an oven rack about 6 inches from heat source. Line a large baking sheet (or two) with aluminum foil.
Add bell peppers and onion to the prepared baking sheet. Drizzle with 1 1/2 tbsp oil, sprinkle with seasoning and toss to coat. Broil for roughly 8-10 minutes, stirring once halfway through the cooking time.
On your thinly sliced meat or shrimp, drizzle with remaining 1 tbsp of oil and seasoning, toss to coat. Add the meat or shrimp in an even layer on top of the veggies. Broil the chicken for about 5 minutes, until cooked through; steak for 3-4 minutes, until th desired degree of doneness; and shrimp for 3-4 minutes, until just opaque.
Serve with warm tortillas and all your favorite toppings.
Sides That Stretch the Meal
Cilantro-Lime Rice: Cook white rice, then toss with a drizzle of olive oil, chopped cilantro, lime juice, and salt.
Black Beans: Simmer canned black beans with a bit of garlic powder, cumin, and salt. Add a handful of fresh chopped cilantro if you have it.
Chips + Guac + Salsa: No notes—just always say yes to this trio.
Rosemary Palomitas
This is my go-to summer cocktail: tart, refreshing, and just a little herbal. It's what I reach for when I want something that feels like a twist on a classic margarita. The recipe for a pitcher can be found here at The Defined Dish.
For one drink:
2 oz tequila
2 oz fresh grapefruit juice
1 oz lime juice
1 oz rosemary simple syrup (see below)
Champagne or Sparkling water to top off each glass
Salt for the rim (I personally skip this!)
Shake the tequila, juices, and syrup over ice, strain into a salt-rimmed glass, and top with sparkling water. Garnish with rosemary or a wedge of grapefruit.
Rosemary Simple Syrup:
Simmer 1 cup sugar and 1 cup water with two sprigs of fresh rosemary until the sugar is dissolved. Let it steep for 10–15 minutes before straining.
There’s something grounding about sitting down to a meal that doesn’t ask too much of you, especially in the thick of summer. This kind of dinner—easy, flexible, and shared—is my favorite way to gather. It’s also a good reminder that hospitality doesn’t have to be elaborate to be memorable.
If you’re starting to think about fall gatherings or refreshing your table, our best-selling Constance placemats and napkins are available now for preorder. They’ll be a mainstay in September’s Tabletop Capsule and are my go-to for setting a table that feels both elevated and unfussy. The preorder will be shipping late October / early November in time for Thanksgiving.
Next week, I’ll share our other summertime staple: burgers, the way we do them, and why I always serve them with kettle chips.