Happy almost Easter! I survived having the kiddos home on Spring break last week and also hosted four of my daughter’s nine-year-old friends for her birthday sleepover. It never fails to surprise me at how rambunctious and LOUD a small group of young girls can …
Guess what?!?!? I have baby chicks! Yes, for real. Live, adorable, fluffy baby chicks! These fluffy little ladies are the start of my backyard egg layers that will provide entertainment, enjoyment, and nutritious delicious eggs for my family. The breeds are a variety of mostly brown egg …
Happy hump day! I’m in a midweek scurry to get things yet to be accomplished off my to-do list. I’ve had a winter project list that’s been in dire need of completion now that spring is merely a few weeks away (or so I’m hoping). Paint the guestroom, help hubby build a coat rack and entryway hooks, build a frame for a large painting, finish my son’s scrapbook that should have been done two years ago (turns out I hate scrapping so it kept getting put off)…. It feels so GOOD to get things done and checked off the list. This week has therefore been a week for easy meals so I’m making pizza tonight with this quick and awesome pizza sauce and therefore I’ve been calling it pizza awesome sauce!
This sauce is super fast to put together using dry spices, smoked salt, tomato paste and fire roasted diced tomatoes. Toss it all in a blender and puree. Then use it as a pizza sauce, or a dipping sauce for other fun munchies, in your scrambled eggs, or whatever else you want some awesome sauce to spice up your life with.
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It’s raining!!! Now I know that may not be all that exciting for most of you but when it’s February in Minnesota, rain is a very welcomed thing. It means the snow is melting and Spring is soon to show her beautiful face. It was SUCH a …
I dream of sipping warm sumptuous soup in the long winter months. It’s so soothing and extremely good for you. I was recently reading an article (well, more like 4 or 5) and apparently “souping” is a thing. Like the “juicing” craze that happened a few …
Why has it taken three weeks to recover from the holiday season?? I’m guessing it has something to do with a full two months of busy-ness leading to I-just-want-to-do-nothing syndrome. I’m still trying to catch my breath. The outdoor temperatures here in Minnesota were comparable to Antarctica last week (that’s really true, we were colder than Antarctica at least one day last week) and thus, we’ve been feeling a little stir crazy. At least school is back in session so things are getting back to normal with both routine and our meals. January has been the perfect time to rejuvenate both mind and body. My hubby and I have started the T25 workout series and I feel pretty good about it. We’ve also re-focused on eating more mindfully as the holiday indulgences and less physical activity do tend catch up with us. This Mediterranean chicken spaghetti squash bake is one of those delicious eating pleasures that serves to bring back more veggies and less grains to the table as well as being a warming winter weather food.
As I was dreaming about making my ricotta spinach artichoke dip one more time, I thought it just might make a really tasty pasta sauce. So I went with that idea and instead of pasta, used a spaghetti squash. To add more yumminess and a Mediterranean flair, I added kalamata olives, grilled chicken, and a combination of herbs to make chicken spaghetti squash bake into a complete meal. Fresh out of the oven, this dish is a creamy (mostly) clean eating comfort food!
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This bowl of cheesy awesomeness…Chile con Queso was my go-to appetizer for no less than three gatherings this holiday season among family and friends. It is the ideal blend of creaminess and spice with a little sneaky veggie value thrown in for good measure. Sautéing a combination …
Venison is a meat I grew up eating which harnesses a unique field to table flavor. It also carries a heaping dose of nostalgia. My dad used to take me ice fishing when I was young with my brother and sister. We would play endless rounds of card games …
Who can resist the cuteness of a little Brussels sprout?? They look and taste sort of like a mini cabbage but my kids need a little convincing of their virtuous qualities. Call it a baby cabbage and they’re at least partially sold… call it baby anything and they suddenly think it’s adorable and irresistible like in this Brussels sprouts sauté.
Overcooked veggies are awful so these little guys are a quick easy Brussels sprouts sauté that comes together with a warm and pretty salad presentation. This sauté begins with a sliced shallot and pancetta (or diced bacon) to brown and caramelize the shallots to a beautiful tasty treat. The rest of the prep work is done while the shallots caramelize and the Brussels sprouts are added to the final five minutes of the sauté so they come out just warmed but not soggy. With just a hint of sweetness from dried cranberries (or a spoonful of cranberry sauce), even my kids will FINALLY eat these little sprouts!
I can’t wait to go camping this weekend!!! I am normally excited for camping adventures but this weekend is bound to be full of shenanigans as we’re meeting up with some extended family that we haven’t seen in quite some time. My apologies to the …
