Easy Roasted Sweet Potatoes

Hello and Happy Late Memorial Day! I hope everyone had a wonderful weekend. I know I did and I ate a ton! I wasn't sure what to show you guys but I decided on a healthy side dish, Roasted Sweet Potatoes. It is so simple and so good. The flavor of roasted veggies is amazing and gets they get a really nice sweet, caramelized flavor. You can do it with any veggie and this time I wanted to show you guys a Roasted Sweet Potato because there is so much nutrition in this potato.

look at that goodness!

Here is how you do it:

2 Large Sweet Potatoes, cut into any shape you like
EVOO
Salt and Pepper or Montreal Steak Seasoning to taste

Pre-heat your oven to 400. Cut your potatoes anyway you like, I did min in triangles. Season with salt and pepper or Montreal Steak seasoning which is my favorite. Toss potatoes with about 2-3 tbs of EVOO and roast in your oven for about 20-25 minutes or until they are browned around the edges. I leave mine so they are still slightly tender. Take out of oven and let cool.

Once cool enough, enjoy!

Smoky Guacamole

Greetings! How is everyone? I am so excited because of this heat wave we are having in the Midwest. It is actually suppose to be hotter than I thought, but it is going to make a great weekend. I am also excited about this weekend because its Memorial Day weekend which means good food. I am hoping to bring out the grill to do some grilling.

One problem I always have is coming up with sides. I don’t know why, but I can never think of anything and I always like to try something different besides potato salad. One thing that I really love is dips. I love chips and love dipping my chips in the dip. 

This one dip is so simple and amazing, and you guys are going to love it. Guacamole! This couldn’t be simpler. You pretty much throw everything into a bowl and mix. One thing that I tried this time was soaking my red onion in the lime and lemon juice. I saw this on Rachael Ray, of course lol, and thought the flavors of the guacamole were amazing. I added two small chipotle in adobo to the mix to make a smoke guacamole. This is optional you don’t have to do that if you don’t want to. The guacamole tastes great also without it.  I hope you guys try this this weekend and enjoy!

Here’s how you do it.

 

Ingredients/recipe

½ small red onion, finely chopped

Juice of 1 lemon

Juice of 1 lime

Salt

2 avocados

1 jalapeno, seeded and chopped

Cilantro- to taste

2 small chipotle in adobo from the can , finally chopped. (this is optional, do not through in the while can!)

2 cloves of garlic, finely chopped

First chop your onion and put in a small bowl, add the juice of the lemon and lime and salt. Let sit for ten minutes.

Put your chopped avocado, cilantro and garlic in another bowl.

Once the onion has been sitting in the juice for ten minutes add to your avocado mixture, mix and enjoy!

 

To help your guacamole from browning fast, cover with plastic wrap and put it directly on the guacamole. The juice from the lemon and lime will also help, but I find that keeping the plastic wrap on top helps too.

Enjoy!

Sloppy Joe Mac and Cheese

Hello! What a weekend! It was filed with a graduation, hiking, seeing friends, cake and just good times. The weather was amazing too! It was hot and sunny, I really couldn’t ask for a better birthday weekend.

I would like to say I baked a cake, but I had an amazing turtle ice cream cake filled with caramel, nuts, chocolate and of course ice cream. It was amazing.

I have such an amazing, simple dish, yet again from Rachael Ray, but I love her food, and a lot of her dishes are very satisfying, and easy. This is Sloppy Joe Mac and Cheese. It takes the flavors of sloppy joes and combines with cream mac and cheese. I made a few changes to make it a little “healthier,” but any way you try this it will be good. I hope you guys try this and enjoy!

 

Here’s how to do it.

 

Ingredients/recipe

adapted from Rachael Ray

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons red wine vinegar

3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce

One 15-ounce can tomato sauce

2 tablespoons EVOO

1 1/2 pounds ground beef (90-percent lean)

Salt and pepper

3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 red bell pepper, seeded and finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 cup beef broth

12 ounces whole wheat shells

2 cups shredded yellow 2 % Cheddar

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

Combine the brown sugar, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce and tomato sauce in a small bowl. Heat the EVOO in a large skillet medium-high heat. Add the beef and cook until well browned. Season with salt and lots of pepper. Add the garlic, bell peppers and onions and cook, stirring, for 5 minutes. Pour the tomato mixture over the beef, add the beef broth and stir until well combined. Simmer until thickened, 5 to 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, cook the macaroni in a large pot of salted boiling water, about 5 minutes. Drain and add to the sauce. Pour the mixture into a casserole dish and top with the cheese.

Bake until the casserole is bubbling and the top is browned.

This is a winner! I hope you guys try this and enjoy!

Classic-Updated Hawaiian Fruit Salad

Hello everyone! How has everyone's week been? Its almost Friday and almost the weekend (or it could be Friday or the weekend for all I know). I am excited about this weekend, I have a few things planned, but its also the big B-Day for me. Remember I'm still eternally 21.

I am not sure about my cake this year, but hopefully I will figure out what I want for it by this weekend. Last year I had a whoopie pie cake, which I really should share with you guys but today I wanted to share a classic recipe, kind of updated. It is tired and true Hawaiian fruit salad, but I updated it. I learned this from a co-worker and I really wanted to share it with you.

Here is how you do it:

Ingredients/recipe

1 can mandarin oranges 
1 can crushed pineapple 
1 bag shredded coconut-or add to taste
1 bag miniature marshmallows
1 8oz tube of Cool Whip
1 3.4 oz Vanilla Pudding
1 8oz Cream Cheese-room temperature
1/2 cup of chopped walnuts, pecans or almonds

Drain mandarin oranges and pineapple.

While the fruit is draining, in a mixing bowl whip your cream cheese until fluffy and stir in your cool whip. It should be a light, creamy mixture.

 In a large bowl, combine pineapple, mandarin oranges, and coconut. Add miniature marshmallows and mix well. Put in refrigerator and let cool and marinate for a few hours (I find you get the best flavor this way).

I hope you guys try this, it is great for parties and with Memorial Day right around the corner it would amazing for that.

Have a wonderful weekend and enjoy!

Chicken Souvlaki & Tzatziki Sauce

Hello. So I wasn’t sure what I should talk about today because I had two things in mind. I guess one thing that I did want to talk about is things that stay in the dark will come to the light. I always pray that I can see things that I don’t see behind my back and when the time is right I find out what people are really saying or talking about. 

I know this isn’t my normal post to complain, but it is sad that the world is still like this. You put trust into people but you find out the truth later. I am a pretty optimistic person so I just try to let it roll off one shoulder and go to the next.  You move on, but learn from this. 

Anyways, let’s get out to food! I made this dish a few weeks ago and thought it was super simple and wanted to share. It’s a 30 minute meal from Everyday from Rachael Ray and has really nice flavors. It reminded me of a chicken gyro because of the Tzatziki sauce. I also used pita bread instead of the naan bread and it still tasted great.  This one is a winner and I hope you guys like it.

 

 

 

Here is how to do it:

Ingredients/recipe

Adapted from: Rachael Ray

Ingredients/recipe

1 ½ pounds of chicken breast

Salt and pepper

 2 lemons

3 garlic cloves chopped

A pinch of dried oregano

½ a cup Evoo

1 cup of Greek yogurt

1 ts ground coriander (optional)

½ ts ground cumin

½ cup feta crumbles or to taste

½ a cucumber grated and drained

1 tbs of mint leaves

Parsley

Toppings: Tomatoes, red onions and sweet peppers all opitional.

Place the cucumber in a strainer, sprinkle with salt and let sit for 20 minutes. Press out the liquid.

In a large, resealable plastic bag, combine the EVOO, half the lemon juice, three-quarters of the garlic, the parsley and oregano. Season the chicken with salt and pepper, drop into the bag and marinate for 10 minutes while you preheat the broiler. 

Scatter the chicken across a broiler pan and broil, turning once, until charred and cooked through, about 10-12 minutes. 

In a food processor, blender or just chop by hand like I did, purée the drained cucumber, the yogurt, the remaining lemon juice and garlic, the mint, coriander and cumin; season with pepper. 

Pile the chicken onto the pita bread, top with tomatoes, red onions, and sweet peppers, Tzatziki sauce and enjoy!

Buffalo Chicken Wraps

Hello! This is going to sound strange, but doesn’t a new pair of socks feel so good?! I know this is totally strange, but I love new socks. They are more comfy because you are breaking them in. Yeah I went there today.

So I hope everyone enjoyed Mondays post, my Cupcake of theMonth. I’m so excited about them I want to make them again. 

I am moving on today though and giving you guys Buffalo Chicken Wraps. These are so simple, and healthy. I cut out the cheese, but if you really love blue cheese, you can add a little bit. I also put in avocado to take place for the creamy ranch sauce. 

A little messy but so good

Look at all the veggies!

Here’s how you do it:

Ingredients/recipe

1 Grilled Chicken Breast, or chicken Boca patty

Lettuce or bagged dry broccoli cole slaw

Cucumber, 4-5 slices depending on how thick you cut them

Tomato, about 2 slices

Avocado, I used about 3 slices, ¼ of the avocado

Red Hots Buffalo sauce (zero Calories!)

 Lavash Wraps or 100 calorie wrap

Cook your chicken, whichever chicken you choose. Cut your tomato into slices along with the cucumber and avocado. This will be a very stuffed wrap, don’t worry just grab a fork.

When your chicken is done, pour a little of your buffalo sauce into a small dish and dunk your chicken breast in there. 

Build your wrap anyway you like, I start with the veggies and place the chicken on top. Roll your wrap up and enjoy!

It was hard to cut this because it was so filled with so many veggies.

Chocolate Peanut Butter Reese’s Cupcakes-Cupcake of the Month

Well its early in the month, but I am so excited about these cupcakes! I am starting something new for each month and doing a cupcake of the month. I’ve made these last month, actually two months ago for the March Birthdays at my job. It’s also a special month because I turn 21…again lol. Not that I am much older than that, but 21 is a good age because I am able to have a nice beverage. 

I know I normally preach about eating healthy, but I always say everything in moderation. These might go a little over the top, but these are really good, and I hope you guys try these. I took an element from a lot of my favorite blogs and made them into one. These are my Chocolate Peanut Butter Reese’s Cupcakes. These are a doctored up chocolate cake mix, with a Reese’s cup inside and a swirled chocolate and peanut butter frosting. 

If you do not have frosting tips to swirl the frosting, this is what I would do:  Frost the cupcakes with the peanut butter frosting and then make a chocolate ganache. 

Here’s how to do it.

Ingredients/Recipe

Adapted from A Bitchin' Kitchen

Reese's cup inside inspired by Our Best Bites

 

1 box cake mix (I use Devil's Food Cake)

1 box (3.5 ounces) instant chocolate pudding

2 cups sour cream

3 large eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup water

24 Mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups plus about 12 extra for garnish

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Put cupcake liners in two cupcake pans. 

In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine cake mix, pudding, sour cream, eggs, oil and water on medium speed, until well combined. Fill each cupcake liner about 1/3 full with cupcake batter. Top with an unwrapped mini Reese’s Peanut Butter Cup and top  with batter making sure the Reese's cup is covered (I but my Reese's cup upside down) and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick cups out clean.

While the cupcakes are baking, make the frosting. 

When the cupcakes our cool, frost the cupcakes and garnish with the left over Mini Reese's Peanut Butter Cups.

Frosting recipes follow.

 

Peanut Butter Frosting 

From Ina Garten

1 cup confectioners' sugar

1 cup creamy peanut butter

5 tablespoons unsalted butter, at room temperature

3/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon kosher salt

1/3 cup heavy cream

Place the confectioners' sugar, peanut butter, butter, vanilla, and salt in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on medium-low speed until creamy, scraping down the bowl with a rubber spatula as you work. Add the cream and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and smooth. 

Chocolate frosting

From Our Best Bites

1/2 c. melted butter
1/3 c. unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 c. evaporated milk
1 lb. powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Beat together the frosting ingredients on high speed until light and fluffy

I also learned how to swirl the cupcakes from Our Best Bites and they have a great tutorial here. I had a little problem with the swirling of the frosting, but that was my fault.

Thank you to my favorite blogs that inspired this cupcake. I hope you guys try these they are so good.

 

Enjoy!

Spinach and Artichoke Tuna Melts

Hello! How is everyone this beautiful day! Well beautiful where I live. The sun is shining and its warm! I love it. I have the windows open and I am soaking this weather up before it cools off again. 

Is anyone doing anything for Cinco de Mayo? I a working, but we are giving a pot luck so I am trying to decide what to bring. I’ve been thinking of a veggie stroganoff, because I can make it in the crockpot, but I am still unsure.  I need something inexpensive but delicious. I know I am going to make a yellow cake so I am super excited about that. I will show that to you guys when I make it.

Today I have a super simple and healthy lunch or dinner. I saw this on the Rachael Ray show and was really happy when I had the ingredients to make it. This is a spinach and artichoke tuna Sammie! It has great flavors with the spinach and the artichokes plus the salt from the capers…yum! I actually made this open face to save a few calories. 

Here is how you do it:

Ingredients/Recipe

Adapted from Rachael Ray

3 cans tuna drained and flaked

1 can artichoke hearts in water (14 ounces), drained well and chopped

1 box thawed frozen chopped spinach (10 ounces) , drained well and pulled apart

Juice of 1 1/2 lemons

1/2 red onion, finely chopped

2 ribs celery hearts, finely chopped

1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped

3 tablespoons capers, drained

TS of garlic powder

Pepper

4 whole wheat ciabatta rolls (I found mine at Wal-mart with a bakery)

2-3 TBS of EVOO

Slice of Mozzarella cheese

Tomato, for topping

Heat your broiler.

First, heat your spinach in the microwave, drain and pull it apart. Next drain and flake your tuna, place the spinach and tuna in a bowl. Drain your artichokes and chop them, add them to the bowl. Next add your capers, onion, celery, pepper and garlic powder.  Next add your lemon juice and EVOO and mix well.

Place the mixture on a ciabatta role, top with a slice of tomato and a slice of mozzarella cheese. Stick it under the boiler and toast the bread and melt the cheese, about 4-5 minutes. Take out and enjoy!

I really hope you guys try these they are so good! It’s like spinach and artichoke dip without the guilt! 

Have a great day and enjoy!