With only a little butter and milk instead of cream, this Bacon Alfredo with Gouda is less guilt inducing than it may seem! (Includes gluten-free version!) I found the original recipe for this dish at Cassie Craves. It sounded scrumptious, but my conscience required that I lighten it up if I wanted to make it myself. The result is still rich and delicious, and you wouldn't know it was a healthier version! When I say this recipe is healthier, the "-er" is really important. It's ... continue reading...
BLTA Sandwich with Spicy Mayo
This BLTA sandwich with spicy mayo is a super simple and fun dinner. Serve it up with homemade or frozen fries, and you'll feel like you're having dinner at your favorite diner. I can't really hear "BLT" without thinking of the 80s commercial for the McDLT. Do you remember this "keep the hot side hot and the cool side cool" commercial? That song has stuck with me over all these years. Honestly, how could anyone forget this? As it turns out, there was another McDLT commercial that I ... continue reading...
Bonus Recipe: 3-Minute Avocado Fudge
Recently, I found a recipe for 3-Ingredient Avocado Fudge at Heather's Dish. I knew I had to try it just based on the name. Heather specifically recommended against trying to make this in the microwave, and I took that as a challenge. I usually limit my microwave use to heating leftovers and not actually cooking, but I do think melting chocolate is one of its strengths. I mean, Alton Brown says it's OK, and who's going to argue with that guy? So, I set out to prove that I could in fact make ... continue reading...
Easy Weekly Dinner Menu #8 – No thank you, Daylight Savings Time.
How is the time change working out for you? I feel like I have been shorted an hour in the day, and I'm none too pleased. We're supposed to be gaining daylight, but I see it as losing nighttime, which is precious. The kids still wake up plenty early, like 6ish, but I've been running late with bedtime all week. I'm usually in the kitchen cooking round two of dinner by 7:30, but this week it has been more like 8, so The Pants and I are not eating until at least 8:30. Of course I don't want to be ... continue reading...
Chewy Yogurt Pizza Crust Recipe
You will love to sink your teeth into this chewy yogurt pizza crust! Do you like making pizza at home? I sure do! I love that I have total control over what goes in it and can put the exact amount of sauce, toppings, and cheese that I want. There has been a lot of talk going around about 2-Ingredient Pizza Dough, and I was excited to give it a try. I read many comments warning me not to use a 1:1 ratio of flour and yogurt, so I modified the measurements. I don't use self-rising flour, ... continue reading...
One Bowl Chocolate Cake Recipe and My Cake Decorating Attempts
This One Bowl Chocolate Cake Recipe is very easy, and the cake is moist and delicious! I wouldn't say I'm a good cake decorator. Here are examples of my personal best cakes, made for The Tall One's first birthday. I don't think anyone thought they came from a professional bakery. For our anniversary last week, I was ready to show off my amateur cake decorating skills again. I have been looking forward to using a number stencil idea I found on Pinterest. Her photo looks way better than ... continue reading...
Easy Weekly Dinner Menu #7 – Happy Anniversary to Us
Have you ever looked at my photos and asked yourself, "Why doesn't she use plain white plates like everyone else?" The dishes you see here were our wedding china (more like wedding stoneware since we're not that fancy). This week, The Pants and I celebrated our 16th wedding anniversary, and these dishes have been with us since the beginning. SIXTEEN YEARS. That's a lot of years. Much like us, these dishes are starting to show some signs of wear, but they are special and familiar. I ... continue reading...
Thai Green Curry Skillet
If you love Thai Green Curry and skillet dinners, this easy recipe will be one of your new favorites! Did you grow up eating international food? I was raised in Mississippi in the 80s and 90s, and I think Chinese buffets, hibachi grills, and Tex-Mex restaurants were about the extent of my non-American food experience. Once I got to California after college, I got a taste of authentic Chinese and Mexican food and loved it. I also expanded my horizons with Moroccan, Japanese, ... continue reading...
Creamy Turkey Spaghetti with Spinach
Take spaghetti night to a new level with this creamy, easy turkey spaghetti with spinach! If any recipe ever needed an overhaul, it was this Creamy Turkey Spaghetti. This was an early recipe of mine, and I have been trying to figure out what to do with it for a couple months. Not wanting to delete it completely, I decided to just spruce it up. I'm sure you will like this revised version. The original recipe lacked pizazz, and the photo was horrible. (I took it down, but just trust me on this ... continue reading...
Spinach Strawberry Salad with Kiwi and Chicken
This healthy and delicious Spinach Strawberry Salad is a dinner adults and kids will both love! I love the flavor combination of this salad: Sweet berries, tart kiwi, and savory chicken. It's very healthy too! There is only a very small amount of oil in the dressing, and it's loaded with vitamins, fiber, and protein. Do you like eating salads for dinner? I usually think I want something that will stick to my ribs more, but then when I'm eating a salad like this one, I love it. There is ... continue reading...
Apple Cinnamon Sparkler Cocktail Recipe
I am pleased to bring you a tasty apple cinnamon sparkler cocktail this week. You know how sometimes you buy an exotic liqueur for a specific cocktail, then you don't like it that much and are left with 700 ml of some random schnapps? Well, that has happened to me lots of times, but this recipe managed to transform two of those orphans into one delicious drink. The apple and cinnamon shine and make the bourbon go down smoothly. ... continue reading...
Avocado Rice with Lime
With a simple shortcut, you can have this avocado rice ready for the dinner table in about five minutes! It took me a while to get used to the switch, but I am finally used to eating brown rice instead of white. Not only am I used to it, I would even say I prefer the chewy texture and nutty flavor of brown rice in most cases. The only thing I don't like about it is the fact that it takes 40+ minutes to cook. I did finally get a rice cooker a few months ago, which makes perfect ... continue reading...