It's been a hot minute since I posted a take-out fake-out, and it's about time that I made one that was more of a breakfast or dessert. Now that pumpkin spice season is over, it's all about sugar cookies, gingerbread, and eggnog. So... here we go!
The idea for this Gingerbread Loaf comes straight from Starbucks. Let's face it, they have some of the most indulgent and tasty breakfast treats that you'll come across. But, when you're trying to save a buck or a few pounds, those numbers are scary and staggering...
Tater tot casserole. It's one of the great American classics. Almost all of us have eaten it before, mostly during our childhood years when it was one of those quick weeknight meals that the parents would put together at the end of a busy work week.
Well, that wasn't my first experience with it but I know for many of you it was. For me, it was something that I had made for my own family. At least... I'm pretty sure my mom never made it for us. She was much more about the Hamburger Helper and cans of La Choy back when I was in grade school...
If you're like me, you've got a stockpile of random nuts in differing containers that take up half of your pantry. Especially around the holidays. Every cookie, every recipe, everything you cook has a different sort of nut - and none of the recipes use up only and completely one entire bag of nuts. So, you end up with nutty chaos raining down on you from the pantry.
Well folks, here you have it. Finally, a way to use up all and any of those nuts that you may have hanging around. Not just that, but this also gives you a chance to clean up those seeds that have gathered in there as well!...
We're getting into that time of year when winter squash and hearty vegetables are in season, and one of my favorite ways to use them up is a good soup! This soup is full of the bounties of a Fall harvest.
It's completely vegetarian and as filling as they come. Plus, it's completely guilt-free and feeds a crowd a pretty hefty sized bowl of soup...
A fresh local butternut squash means Fall is finally here! I love it when I start to get my hands on winter squash. They are easily one of the most tasty and versatile foods out there. Anywhere from stuffing them, to roasting them, to mashing them as a puree. I'm sold. Hook, line, and sinker.
Not only are these tostadas easy to make, they're also a meal you can make off of one baking sheet; making it a perfect weeknight go-to for any busy family. And believe you me... I've been one busy gal! Friday really tested my limits and put me through the ringer. I ran around like a crazy person getting my daughter into her doctor and off to get an x-ray on her little footsie. So, I knew dinner was going to have to be supremely quick and hassle free...
So, this salad today is actually somewhat inspired by my dad who is having some health issues at the moment. We're not entirely sure what's going on, but he's been told to eat better for the time being until his next round of testing. One thing he was told to do was to 'stay away from white stuff', which clearly isn't something I stuck to here because I have to have cheese in my life. I literally think I might explode if I didn't have at least a bit of cheese every day.
What can I say? I've got to be honest here! I'm one that believes strongly in that you can enjoy everything as part of a healthy diet as long as it's in moderation. (Except of course if it's something you've been warned of by a professional.)
A few days back now, my dad and aunt were chatting at me on Facebook about how my dad is now eating more healthy and that he had tried quinoa. He wasn't a huge fan. So, I gave him some suggestions and got to thinking that some quinoa sounded really good actually. And here we are with this lovely Kale & Apple Quinoa Salad!...
