Tyler loves sweet potatoes. He would eat them at every meal if I let him. He went through a beans phase, and now it's sweet potatoes. I'd prefer to "steam bake" them, but I often don't remember in time, so I just microwave them for a few minutes after slitting them. I intentionally choose longer, skinnier ones that will cook faster and feed him for two meals. I also add a … [Read more...]
How to Freeze Pizza Dough
Last weekend, I went on a frenzy in the kitchen. Batch cooking, cooking, bread making...so while I had the bread machine out, I decided to go ahead and run another dough cycle for pizza dough. I would then freeze the unbaked crusts in these little mini-deep dish pie plates...for when we need a quick dinner to the table. Plus, I recently bought some … [Read more...]
Corn and Sausage Casserole – Vintage Recipe (with a modern twist!)
So we're just going to jump right into this one. So I can show you were we went from vintage to modern! But first.... The Alternate Title: Upside Down Cast Iron Skillet Pizza Chop the green peppers. Do the same to the onions. Brown a pound of sausage in a cast iron skillet. Set aside on a plate. (Drain off any juices if you like.) (But keep a … [Read more...]
Heat ‘N Sweet Chili
Ever since I scored that fabulous deal all those cans of tomatoes and diced tomatoes with green chilies, I can't seem to stop making chili! After making the Spicy Southern Chili, I thought another chili with some kick was in order...but this time with a little sweetness added in as well. Sweetness...in the form of maple syrup. I give you my Heat 'n Sweet Chili! For a … [Read more...]
Homemade Baked Beans Recipe
We are going through a bit of a beans phase. Ryan is still learning to like them. (And these sweeter beans were a great start). Charlie has always loved beans. Tyler can't get enough of beans. How to Make Baked Beans From Scratch! Add the molasses. The ketchup. The sweet chili sauce. The worcestershire sauce. And some … [Read more...]
Mexican Bean Tostadas – How to Make Tostadas
So it occurred to me at about 5 pm on Sunday (when the Super Bowl had not started yet...somehow in my head the game was supposed to be in the afternoon), that we needed to eat dinner. And while all the appetizers that I had out would have probably sufficed, I still wanted to have something "dinner-ish" to serve to the guys! (We'd hoped to have friends over...but that … [Read more...]
How to Cook Turkey Bacon
Bacon...bacon...bacon. Too bad it's so bad for you! Because it tastes soooooo gooood. We don't eat a lot of bacon, but when we do I try to use turkey bacon. Lean, lean, lean turkey bacon. But the problem with the "lean-ness" is that it doesn't release much fat to cook itself, like pork bacon does. I've tried cooking turkey bacon in the microwave on … [Read more...]
Spicy Southern Chili with Bread Bowls
It's been years since I've had chili in a bread bowl. Maybe even a decade worth of years. I'd forgotten how amazingly delicious the bottom of the bread bowl tastes, after it's had time to soak up all the chili juices. A perfect warm your tummy meal! First up. The Chili Bread Bowls Made with, yes, chili powder in the dough! The dough has a lovely orange … [Read more...]
Mango Avocado Salsa with Sweet Lime Vinaigrette
When I was in Texas over the holidays, I went rummaging through my mom's refrigerator trying to come up with a fun appetizer for a family dinner we were having. I found a mango that I was going to use in a fruit salad, but when I cut into it and discovered it was tangy and not-so-sweet, I decided we needed to add more bold flavors, to help hide the tangy mango! I ended up … [Read more...]
5 Ways to Make Meatballs
Up next in the "5 Ways" series...meatballs! These are another versatile food that do really well with "mixing and matching!" Here are a few options for your meatballs... 1. Herbed Meatballs 2. Spinach Meatballs 3. Asian or Sweet and Sour Meatballs 4. BBQ Meatballs in the Slow Cooker 5. Meatball Subs OK...here's a question for you! How many eggs do you … [Read more...]