Broiled Parmesan Tomatoes

YUM!  I really could eat these everyday.  Quick, easy, delicious and healthy. WIN WIN WIN WIN  This is perfect as a snack and also works great as a side dish to many meals. 

 

Ingredients:

• 3 medium/large tomatoes, sliced
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small garlic clove, minced
• salt and pepper, to taste
• 2 tablespoons parmesan cheese, grated

 

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler.
2. Place tomatoes on a lightly sprayed cookie sheet.
3. In a small bowl whisk together oil and garlic.
4. Brush garlic oil onto each tomato slice and sprinkle with salt and pepper.
5. Sprinkle tomatoes evenly with cheese and broil for about 3 minutes or until cheese is bubbly.

 

Crock Pot Baked Beans

Confession, I always buy Bushs Home Style Baked Beans, ALWAYS.  When they are heating up I add a little bit of molasses, brown sugar and yellow mustard for a little extra kick and our family loves them.  However, they can be a little pricey...  We had a friend coming over to smoke a brisket and baked beans were an obvious pairing.  However, since he was spending so much time smoking the brisket, I thought it was only fair to make homemade baked beans.  These were PERFECTION!!!!!  I don't know if I should be impressed or disgusted with the fact that 4 1/2 of us scarfed down about 3/4 of the batch.  At least I know everyone loved them as much as me!

Ingredients:

• 1 bag navy beans, soaked and boiled until softened
• 1 cup water from boiled beans
• 1/2 package uncooked bacon, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups ketchup
• 1 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 1 large sweet onion, diced
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• 2 tablespoons A-1
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire

Directions:

Soak beans overnight as directed on package in a large pot.

Bring beans to a boil for about 15 minutes or until tender.

Drain beans and place into a lightly greased crockpot with onions.

In a large mixing bowl whisk together all remaining ingredients and pour over beans.

Cook on low for 8-10 hours or high for 6-8 hours.

Easy Homemade Rice Pilaf

My little guy loves rice pilaf.  Seriously, he eats so much of it.  I have always just bought the boxed kind or the ready rice and I figured it couldn't be to hard to make.  I was right and best of all I can get rid of so many preservatives.  This was delicious and I will be making this as a regular side dish.

 

 Ingredients:

• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup white rice
• 1/2 cup orzo
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
• 1/2 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon parsley flakes
• 1/4 teaspoon paprika

Directions:  In a large skillet melt butter over medium heat and add rice and orzo.  Saute until rice gets a little brown and stir in all remaining ingredients.  Bring to a boil, cover and reduce heat.  Let simmer on low for around 18 minutes.  Fluff and serve!

Balsamic Mustard Roasted Brussel Sprouts

Obviously when my husband found out I was pregnant, he was thrilled.  Mainly because we were going to have a beautiful baby however, he was also super excited about pregnancy cravings.  Lets just say he was a little disappointed when my first and only craving was brussel sprouts.  Yes, you read that right, BRUSSEL SPROUTS.  This recipe is super simple and full of flavor.  Great side dish for any meal!

 

Ingredients:

• 3 cups brussel sprouts, sliced
• 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 tablespoon white balsamic
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large bowl mix Dijon, oil, balsamic, salt and pepper until well blended.  Toss with sprouts and place on a foil lined baking sheet.  Bake for 20 minutes and serve.

Garlic Ranch Mashed Potatoes

These definitely reminded me of the fake potatoes and I loved it.  As I was making dinner the other night I realized I didn't have the gravy I was planning on using.  After a little pantry digging I created this masterpiece!  My little guy was in heaven and literally packed it mouth until his cheeks were puffy.  My husband was dying to smoosh his cheeks!

 

Ingredients:

• 5 medium/small russet potatoes, peeled and cubed
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled
• 1/3 cup milk
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 package ranch dressing mix

 

Directions:  Boil potatoes and garlic until potatoes are soft.  Drain and return to pot.  Add butter, milk, dressing mix and mix with electric mixer until creamy.  ( I usually use a masher however, I needed to thoroughly mix the garlic cloves.)

 

Brown Sugar Glazed Carrots

I bought a huge bag of baby carrots from Costco last weekend and I have been pondering many ways to use them up.  My husband hates veggies unless they are covered in ranch so I thought by adding sugar he just might eat them up.  However, he was still not impressed.  HAHA I guess I didn't add enough sugar.  Logan and I both loved them and I will definitely be making these again.

Ingredients:

• 3 cups baby carrots
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• water
• cayenne pepper, optional ( I love a little spice)

Directions:  Melt butter over medium/high heat and add carrots.  Saute carrots for about 5 minutes or until they start to get a little darker and add brown sugar.  When sugar dissolves add enough water until the carrots are about 1/2 covered.  Let simmer and stir frequently until water is gone and  you are left with a glaze!

Orange, Strawberry, Beet and Spinach Salad

I seriously can not get enough of Beets lately.  I literally eat them straight out of the can, don't judge me.  After roasting some fresh Beets, I threw this amazing delicious and beautiful salad together.  I have no second opinion because as much as my hubby loves me, I know he doesn't love me enough to eat spinach! 

Ingredients:

• 1 roasted beet, sliced*
• 1 navel orange, peeled and sliced
• 4 strawberries, sliced
• 1 cup spinach

Dressing:

• 1 tablespoon balsamic
• 1/2 tablespoon olive oil
• dash of mustard powder
• dash of sugar
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:  In a small bowl add all dressing ingredients and whisk together.  Add all salad ingredients to a medium bowl and toss with dressing and serve!

* Roasted Beets:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Wash and scrub beets and trim off the stems.  Place beets in foil with a little bit of olive oil.  Wrap and bake on cookie sheet/pan for 60 minutes.

Oven Cheddar Ranch Potatoes

These were absolutely AMAZING.  I am having so much fun working my way through my families recipes.  The original recipe called for 1 envelope dry onion soup mix in which I didn't have, so I used a ranch packet and added some cheddar cheese for good measure!  DELICIOUS!

Ingredients:

• 3 small russet potatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 cup butter, thinly sliced
• 1 envelope ranch dressing mix
• 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Place potatoes into a foil lined baking dish.  Top with ranch, butter, then cheese and wrap edges adding additional foil if needed to cover.  Bake for 45 minutes.

Strawberry Orange Mint Salad

I cannot even begin to describe how amazingly delicious this salad is. This was served at a picnic this summer and I am so surprised it took me this long to remember it.  I have no idea if this is the recipe that was used, but it tastes just as I remember!  This is a must try recipe perfect for any type of gathering.

Ingredients

• 1 navel orange, peeled and sliced
• 1 cup strawberries, hulled and sliced
• 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar, honey, or agave nectar
• 1/2 teaspoon mint, fresh or dried

Directions: Mix all ingredients together in a bowl and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.

 

Crock Pot Scalloped Potatoes

I came across this recipe a while back and have been wanting to try it.  I am so glad I did because it is such a time and space saver that tastes fantastic.  The potatoes are perfectly cooked and the sauce is thick and creamy.  I made a couple changes and will be making this many times to come.

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs small red potatoes, sliced ( I peeled half of them)
• 1 1/2 cups sour cream
• 2 cup cheddar cheese, shredded
• 1 can cream of mushroom
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• paprika, for garnish
• chives, for garnish

Directions:  Thinly slice potatoes and set aside.  In a large bowl mix sour cream, cream of mushroom, Worcestershire, pepper, and garlic powder.  Add in potatoes and mix until all potatoes are thoroughly coated.  Lay half of the potatoes in a lightly greased crock pot and sprinkle with 1 cup cheese and repeat with remaining potatoes and cheese.  Cook on low for 8 hours or high for 8 hours. Stir flour in for the last hour.  Top with paprika and chives before serving.

Twice Baked Potatoes

I have only ever had a twice baked potato at The Keg, for some reason I have been to intimidated to make them.  They were so simple and I could have eaten all of them.  I will be making these again for sure.  I am posting the recipe for 4 large potatoes, even though I only made 3 small ones.

Ingredients:

• 4 large russet potatoes
• Olive oil
• 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream (for a lighter version substitute with Greek Yogurt)
• 1/2 cup milk
• 2 Tbsp softened butter
• 1 Tsp paprika
• 1 Tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 cup chopped chives
• 4 strips cooked bacon, crumbled

 Directions:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Scrub the potatoes under running water until clean.  Pierce each potato with fork all around for ventilation.  Rub potatoes with olive oil.  Place on the middle rack of oven and bake for an hour.  Allow the potatoes to cool and reduce oven heat to 350 degrees.  Slice each potato across lengthwise about 1/3 from the top. Use a spoon to scoop out the insides leaving about 1/4 inch of potato inside.  In a large mixing bowl add sour cream, milk, cheese, butter, paprika, garlic, chives and bacon.  Beat with hand mixture until desired consistency.  Spoon the potato mixture back into the skins and bake for another 15-20 minutes. 

Cayenne and Cinnamon Roasted Sweet Potatoes

So I had a sweet potato lying around the other day and I decided to roast it up!  My friend Stef always roasts hers with cinnamon and they smell and taste delicious.  I love a little kick so I added cayenne and they were fantastic.

Ingredients:

• 1 large sweet potato, cubed
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 pinch cayenne (add more if you like)

Directions:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a large Ziploc bag add potatoes, oil, cinnamon and cayenne pepper.  Shake until evenly coated and spread onto lightly greased roasting pan or cookie sheet.  Roast for about 25-35 minutes or until golden brown!

Sweet Potato Fluff

 Before

After

So when I started this recipe I was intending to make twice baked sweet potatoes and I failed.  The skins totally fell apart so I just added the filling into my corningware and went with it.  My husband is not a fan of sweet potatoes unless they are loaded with sugar so I added a little goodness on top!  I thought they looked like little pumpkins before baking so I left it alone.  After being baked it looked ridiculous but tasted scrumptious.  HUSBAND APPROVED 

 

Ingredients:

• 1 sweet potato
• 1/4 cup applesauce ( I totally used 1 jar of apple baby food )
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Topping Ingredients:

• 1 tablespoon softened butter
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon flour
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Directions:  Preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake sweet potato for one hour or until soft. Remove skin from potato when cool enough to touch. In mixing bowl add applesauce, butter, egg, vanilla, and sweet potato.  Mix until smooth and pour into greased baking dish. In separate bowl add all topping ingredients and mix with a fork until crumbly or roll in a ball like above.  If you make a crumble just sprinkle over the top of potatoes.  Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees.

Apple Pistachio Spinach Salad

So my husband and I have been juicing for a while now and we always have tons of spinach in the house.  I decided to actually eat it this time and came up with this delight.  This was surprisingly easy and really delicious.  Side note, every time I say I juice I feel like I am telling people I am on steroids. 
Ingredients:

• 3 handfuls of spinach
• 1 gala apple, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup pistachios
• 1 tablespoon white balsamic
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon dry mustard
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions:  Add balsamic, olive oil, maple syrup, mustard, and salt and pepper to mixing bowl and whisk together.  In salad bowl add spinach and top with apples and pistachios.  Pour dressing over salad and give a quick toss.

Easy Scalloped Potatoes

I have tried many recipes for scalloped potatoes and I always love them.  This recipe was by far the easiest and it tastes just as delicious.  I will give away my secret TILLAMOOK cheese!!!!  Tillamook Extra Sharp White Cheddar Cheese is a girls best friend!  If you have never tried this cheese you HAVE TOO!  When I was preggo my favorite snack was an English Muffin with pb&j topped with this cheese.  I know you are thinking only a pregnant woman would like this however, a non preggo co-worker made it for me and I fell in love.  Maybe I will do a blog post on it for fun. 

Ingredients:

• 4 Yukon gold potatoes, thinly sliced ( blanch in boiling water for 3-5 minutes to shorten baking time)
• 2 cups Tillamook Extra Sharp White Cheddar Cheese, grated (if you do not have Tillamook I know Cracker Barrel makes one too!)
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
• 1/4 teaspoon salt, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika, or to taste
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, or to taste
• cooking spray

Directions:  Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Spray 9 by 9 baking dish with non stick spray.  In a bowl combine cream, milk, and all seasonings and whisk together.  Cover the bottom of the baking dish with 1/2 of the potatoes overlapping slightly.  Pour half the cream over them and top with 1/2 the cheese and repeat the layers ending with cheese.  Sprinkle with a little extra pepper and paprika.  Bake for 30 minutes covered then 30 minutes uncovered. 

Peach Caprese Salad

This recipe comes from my amazing sister Victoria.  The first time I tasted this mind blowing concoction was at my baby shower.  I'm not going to lie, I thought I was going to hate this and was so surprised that it became one of my all time favorite salads.

Ingredients:

• 1 package mozzarella balls or 1/2 of a mozzarella block cubed.
• 1 package cherry tomatoes cut in half or 2-3 small vine tomatoes diced
• 3 peaches or nectarines, sliced or diced
• fresh basil leaves, to taste
• olive oil, to taste
• white balsamic, to taste ( I usually use about 2-3 tablespoons)
• salt and pepper, to taste ( I usually use about 1/4 cup)

Directions: 

1. Combine mozzarella, tomatoes, and peaches in a large bowl. 
2. Chop basil and toss into salad.   
3. Mix desired amounts of olive oil, white balsamic, salt and pepper into a mason jar and shake until combined. 
4. Pour over salad and toss. 
5. Let sit for about an hour before serving. 

Mexican Rice

As much as I love to cook I have always been afraid to make any homemade Mexican food.  My Grandma made the most amazing Mexican food EVER.  So many memories of playing with all my cousins and watching her cook.  I will never forget the smell of her kitchen.  Nothing will ever compare to her food but this recipe was tastsy none the less.  It is so easy and I dont think I will ever buy the packaged kind again.  It also makes the house smell so amazing!!

Ingredients:

• 2 cups long grain white rice
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 small white onion
• 4 cloves garlic minced
• 1 teaspoon Cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon Turmeric
• 1/2 teaspoon Paprika or Cayenne Pepper
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 can whole tomatoes
• 1 can diced tomatoes with green chilies
• 1 can green chilies

Directions:  In a large skillet heat oil and sautee onion and garlic until onions are starting to get soft.  Add rice and stir constantly for about 2-3 minutes.  Add all the spices, chilies, and tomatoes and stir until well blened.  Add chicken broth and bring to a boil.  Reduce heat to low and cover for about 20 minutes or until rice is soft. 

Zucchini Bake

I have so much Zucchini so I am trying lots of recipes to use it up.  This was easy and great.  The recipe I found online called for parmesan cheese however, I only had mozzarella so I changed it up.  I am going to post the original recipe because it would have been so much better with parmesan. 

Ingredients:

• 2 large Zucchini cut
• 1/2 cup italian bread crumbs
• 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

Directions:  Spray baking dish with olive oil and preheat oven to 350 degrees.  Layer zucchini, breadcrumbs, and cheese.  Repeat until all zucchini is gone.  Layer with cheese and bread crumbs.  Bake for 20 minutes uncovered.

Spicy Mac N Cheese

I make this recipe every year for Thanksgiving and Christmas and it is always a hit.  Its creamy, spicy, and delicious.  Really easy to make and I usually only have to go to the store for pepper jack cheese.
Ingredients:

• 1/2 pound elbow macaroni
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 1 dash cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tablespoon pepper
• 2 cups grated pepper jack cheese
• 1 cup grated cheddar cheese
• 1 can green chilies
• paprika

Directions:  Boil macaroni in large pot until cooked.  In saucepan melt butter over medium heat and stir in flour.  Let sit for a minute and add all of cold milk stirring with a whisk.  Season with pepper, cayenne, and add chilies.  Add cheese sauce to drained macaroni and stir together in large pot.  Add to baking dish and top with cheddar cheese and add paprika for color.  Bake at 350 degrees until cheese is melted.
Cookers Note:  You can also microwave to melt the cheese however I like it a little crisp.

Uncle Ben's Ready Rice

Uncle Ben's Ready Rice is fast and amazing.  My favorite kind is the Rice Pilaf with Orzo pasta pictured above.  They have 14 different flavors and two come in Family size.  These are great when cooking for two or for cooking dinner with limited time.  You just squeeze the bag to separate rice, tear a slit to vent, and cook on high for 90 seconds.  They also have five flavors in whole grain!!