I look forward to Thanksgiving every year for one reason. It is not the turkey or the mashed potatoes. It isn’t even the pies and desserts, although those are great too. The reason I look forward to Thanksgiving is this awesome Sweet Potato Casserole! It is so delicious!!! We had a Thanksgiving feast this past Sunday with a group of our friends. I made this dish to share with everyone and it was a crowd pleaser!
Ingredients
4 cups sweet potato, cubed
1/2 cup white sugar
2 eggs, beaten
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter, softened
1/2 cup chopped pecans
Directions
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Put sweet potatoes in a medium saucepan with water to cover. Cook over medium high heat until tender; drain and mash. (or use canned yams and skip this step all together.)
In a large bowl, mix together the sweet potatoes, white sugar, eggs, cinnamon, salt, butter, milk and vanilla extract. Mix until smooth. Transfer to a 9×13 inch baking dish.
In medium bowl, mix the brown sugar and flour. Cut in the butter until the mixture is coarse. Stir in the pecans. Sprinkle the mixture over the sweet potato mixture.
Bake in the preheated oven 30 minutes, or until the topping is lightly brown.
Shrimp Scampi is one of those dishes that is really easy to make, yet taste so delicious that it seems as if it might be tricky. Here is a quick and easy recipe…
Prep time: less than 10 minutes
Cook time:5 minutes
Yield:Serves 4
Ingredients
1 pound large (16-20 count) raw shrimp, shelled and de-veined**
2 Tbsp olive oil
2-3 Tbsp butter
Salt
1 Tbsp minced garlic (or 3-4 garlic cloves)
1/3 teaspoon red pepper flakes (to taste)
1/2 cup white wine
2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
1 Tbsp lemon juice
**You can use frozen raw shrimp, just defrost them quickly (and safely) by putting the shrimp in a large bowl of salted ice water about 1 1/2 teaspoons of salt for every quart of water.
Directions
1 Heat a sauté pan on high heat then decrease to medium high heat. Swirl the butter and olive oil in the pan until the butter is melted. Stir in the garlic and red pepper flakes.
2 Sauté the garlic for just until it begins to brown at the edges.
3 Add the shrimp, and then the wine. Stir coating the shrimp with the butter, oil, and wine. Keep the shrimp in an even layer in the pan. Increase the heat to high and boil the wine for two to three minutes.
4 Turn the shrimp over to be sure to cook evenly on both sides. Continue to cook on high heat for another minute.
5 Remove the pan from the heat.
6 Sprinkle the shrimp with parsley, lemon juice, and black pepper.
7 Serve over your choice or pasta (my favorite is angel hair!)
While this isn’t my usual type of makeup Weekly Product Highlight it is a product I love and I want to highlight it 🙂
My Aero Press Coffee Maker
Are you a coffee drinker? Up until about 6 months ago, I would have said “Not me, no way, I never drink coffee!” Then I slowly started to drink coffee and it has all been down hill since then, haha, just kidding. I do enjoy drinking coffee now. I am not one to go to a drive-thru, so I needed to learn how to make my own coffee. I also didn’t want to get another appliance to take up room on my already limited kitchen counter space.
My husband suggested that I try out an Aero Press. I am not going to lie, I made several really bad cups of coffee before figuring out what worked best for my taste, after some trial and error, I have been loving my new coffee maker.
While I don’t think that it really tastes like white chocolate or peppermint, this Dunkin Donuts coffee is very good!!!!
If you don’t have a coffee maker already I definitely recommend this one. It takes up minimal space and is very easy to use. I have found that using a finely ground coffee works best, as well as adding a pinch of salt takes away the natural bitterness of some coffees. I like my coffee super strong, so I weigh out 26 grams of coffee grounds, then cover them with 185 degree water. I swirl the water/coffee ground mixture for 15 seconds. I then add 185 degree water up to almost the top of the press and let it rest for 45 seconds. During this time I put the filter into the cap and wet the filter with the 185 degree water. Once the 45 seconds is up, I put the cap on, flip the press over onto the top of my mug and slowly but consistently press the coffee out. When a rush of air is heard, that means that the good part of the coffee is in the mug. Discard the grounds and enjoy your cup of coffee. (I add 185 degree water to my mug to make a full 8 oz of coffee.)
While I got mine from Amazon, they can also be bought at Crate and Barrel and Kohls as well as other places that sell home goods.
Fast and convenient, the AeroPress Coffee and Espresso Maker makes one of the best cups of coffee you’ll ever taste. This innovative uses the ideal water temperature and gentle air pressure brewing to produce coffee and espresso that has rich flavor with lower acidity and without bitterness. It makes 1 to 4 cups of coffee or espresso (enough for 1 or 2 mugs), features a micro filtered for grit free coffee, and takes just 1 minute to make coffee (actualpress time takes only 20 seconds).
To brew a double espresso or 10-ounce cup of coffee:
Place a microfilter in the bottom cap of the AeroPress chamber and twist the cap tightly closed.
Place two scoops of ground coffee from the included AeroPress scoop into the chamber.
Stand the chamber on a sturdy mug, then proceed to pour hot water into the top of the chamber (175 degrees F is optimal).
Stir the water and coffee with the included paddle for about 10 seconds.
Insert the plunger into the chamber and gently press down about a quarter of an inch and continue to maintain that pressure for 20 to 30 seconds (gentle pressure is the key to easy AeroPressing).
This will result in a double espresso. To make an Americano, simply top off the mug with hot water, or add hot milk for a creamy latte. The AeroPress can press from 1 to 4 scoops, and each scoop from the included AeroPress scoop makes the equivalent of a single espresso or 5 ounces of American coffee. Fill the chamber with hot water to the number corresponding to the number of scoops.
You can also make a full carafe of coffee using the AeroPress in less time than it takes to brew a pot of drip coffee. Two 3-scoop or 4-scoop pressing, topped off with hot water, will fill most vacuum carafes.
The AeroPress is the result of several years of applied research by inventor/engineer Alan Adler, who conducted numerous brewing experiments, measuring the brew with laboratory instruments. The experiments demonstrated that proper temperature, total immersion and rapid filtering were key to flavor excellence. He then designed and tested dozens of brewers before settling on the AeroPress design. Adler’s best-known invention is the Aerobie flying ring which set the Guinness World record for the world’s farthest throw (1,333 feet).
● 1 tsp salt
● 1 tsp black pepper
● 2 1/2 lbs boneless beef chuck roast, cut into 1″ cubes
● 1/2 cup red wine *optional*
● 1 cup beef broth
● 3 Tbsp tomato paste
● 1 yellow onion, diced
● 2 cups sliced mushrooms
● 3 carrots, chopped
● 1 tsp dried rosemary
● 1 tsp dried thyme
● 2 whole bay leaves
● 1/3 cup fresh Italian parsley, minced
● 3-4 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
● 1 healthy pinch of red pepper flakes
*you can add diced potatoes too*
Directions:
1. Cut beef into 1-inch pieces and season with salt and pepper. Place in slow cooker.
2. In a small bowl whisk tomato paste into the beef broth. Pour over beef along with the wine.
3. Add carrots, onion and mushrooms along with garlic and remaining seasonings.
4. Give the ingredients a good stir, cover and cook on low 4-6 hours or on high 2-3 hours. It’s done when the meat is cooked through and the veggies are tender. Remove bay leaves before serving. Garnish with fresh parsley if desired.
I am going to be honest… I have had a really hard time with eating right this week. Obviously making the transition from stay at home mom to working mom has been (and will be) a work in progress. I have been getting up early to exercise and always make my lunch the night before to bring into work. Since I have been using my crock pot to have dinner ready as soon as I get home from work, it has also been a lot easier to prevent myself from unnecessary after work snacking. If I plan out and control my meals, I have usually been successful. I know that I cannot be successful 100% of the time. I do want to be successful 100% of the time, but let’s be honest, it isn’t realistic. I have been letting myself have one or two “treats/cheats” a week, and for the most part I have been really good at sticking to my healthy eating plan.
So what is my problem this week?! Halloween candy is my kryptonite. Who am I kidding, candy in general is my weakness. I love kitkats and twix, and reeses pieces and pb cups, oh and don’t forget about skittles…
While I haven’t purchased any Halloween candy myself, we have gone to a few different Halloween activities where my kids have gotten candy. They have been kind enough to share it with me.
As you may remember, I am a “food addict”. As with all addictions, it all starts with the first piece…if I can just resist that first piece…why can’t I just resist that first piece?! It really is all about that first piece! Once I have eaten one, it just tastes so good, and it leads to another and then another. See what I mean, addict. Then comes the feelings of regret and guilt…does that happen to you too? I seriously hate it!
So, what am I going to do about this?
Well, for now, I am going to forgive myself for messing up this week, and I am making a conscious decision to make the right food choices in the upcoming week.
Ingredients:
❏ 1 pound boneless, skinless chicken breasts
❏ 1/2 tsp. of minced garlic
❏ 1/2 tsp. of dried rosemary
❏ 1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
❏ pinch of kosher salt
❏ 1/4 tsp. of freshly ground black pepper
Directions:
1. Spray crockpot with cooking spray.
2. Combine all ingredients and cook on low for 4-6 hours.
3. Flip chicken about halfway through.
4. Turn crockpot to low and fork shred chicken, allowing to cook for another 30 minutes.
5. Serve with cous cous, rice, or quinoa to complete the meal… and don’t forget the veggies!
Ingredients
❏ 2 pork tenderloin
❏ ¼ cup low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos
❏ 1 Tbsp yellow mustard
❏ 2 Tbsps maple syrup
❏ 2 Tbsps olive oil
❏ 1 ½ tsp garlic powder
❏ ½ small onion diced
Directions:
1. Place tenderloin in the slow cooker.
2. Mix all other ingredients and pour over the pork.
3. Cook on low for 6 hours.
4. Serve with brown rice or couscous and a veggie of your choice
I love God, I love my family, and I LOVE food. So, that being said, it is only natural for me to order a box called “Love with Food“. If you’d like to try it out for yourself, I have a referral code you can use to get your first box for 40% off. That’s a great deal! Here is the code http://lovewithfood.com/invite?m=e&ref=2ReL
What is “Love With Food” you ask? It “helps you discover new organic or all-natural snacks delivered to your door every month. Our subscription membership starts as low as $7.99/month. Every month, Love With Food members will receive a curated box of unique, hard-to-find tasty snacks which varies based on seasonal themes.”
For every box sold, they donate a meal to several food banks such as the Feeding America Network and Share Our Strength – No Kid Hungry. Help end child hunger one meal at a time! Click Here to LEARN MORE
My kids get very excited about the box every month and we enjoy each trying a bit of everything in the box. The Luna Protein Chocolate Salted Caramel bar and the Original Crackers by Beecher’s Handmade Cheese were the favorites in this months box.
Serve the chicken shredded on a roll as a sandwich with some delicious coleslaw, or for an even healthier option skip the bread and serve the chicken over lettuce as a delicious salad topper.
Crock Pot Buffalo Ranch Chicken
Serves 4-6
Ingredients
● 4 chicken breasts
● 1 medium onion, sliced
● ½ teaspoon each: dried parsley, dried dill, dried chives, garlic powder, onion powder
● sea salt and pepper, to taste
● 4 peppers, tops cut off and seeds cleaned out
● ½ cup hot sauce* (I use Frank’s RedHot Hot Sauce)
*This can be spicy for some. Want it mild? Use a little less hot sauce!
Instructions
1. Put chicken, spices, hot sauce in crockpot.
2. Cook for 4 hours on high or 8 hours on low.
3. Shred and serve on your choice of sandwich thin, lettuce wrap, stuffed in a pre boiled bell pepper, stuffed in a baked sweet potato or over salad greens.
*Make a ranch sauce to go on sandwiches. ½ cup plain greek yogurt and ½ teaspoon of each: dried parsley, dried dill, dried chives, garlic powder, onion powder. This also cuts the spice!!
Have you ever heard of “dump cake” before? I had never heard of it until I had some for the first time a few years ago for Christmas dinner dessert. And let me tell you, it was delicious and love at first bite! It’s as simple as dumping everything into a baking dish and topping it with a yellow cake mix and butter…lots of butter 🙂
It may not look super pretty once it is on the plate, but it sure is super yummy! It is also absolutely delicious with some vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream or cool whip on top too. I can’t wait to have it again!
Ingredients
1 can (21 Oz.) Cherry Pie Filling
1 can (15 Oz.) Crushed Pineapple
1 box (about 18 Oz.) Yellow Cake Mix
1 stick melted Butter
Dump cherry pie filling and crushed pineapple into 9×13 baking dish. Stir together.
Sprinkle cake mix over the top of the fruit. Pour melted butter over the surface of the cake mix.
Bake at 350 degrees for 35ish minutes.
Some other varieties you can make…
Substitute the Yellow Cake Mix for a spice cake mix and the pineapples and cherries for some apple pie filling and it will make a delicious apple crisp like dessert.
Substitute the pineapples and cherries for 3 cans of peaches and you have a peach cobbler.
Substitute the Yellow Cake Mix for a spice cake mix and the pineapples and cherries for some pumpkin pie filling, add some walnuts or pecans and you have a yummy pumpkin cobbler.
Ingredients
Looking Joli Good 