Perfect Vegetable Dip

I made this vegetable dip for a recent party when I did not have much to go from and I wanted use up what I had laying around.  It turned out to be utterly delicious. 

Throw the following items into your food processor

• 1 package of low fat cream cheese 
• 1/2 cup of low fat sour cream 
• 1/4 cup of low fat mayo 
• 1 bunch of chopped up green onions 
• 3 tbs of parsley 
• salt 
• pepper
• 3 tbs of olive oil 

Whiz it up in the food processor until it is nice and creamy.  Serve it up with some fresh veggies and you will have some happy party goers !!! 

Enjoy !!! 

Be creative with your pizza !!

Pizza is one of the most glorious meals one can have.  It can be amazingly healthy or it can be down and dirty if you want.  Whatever your fancy whatever your mood you can have whatever you like.  

I am a true fan of being completely creative with your pizza when you make it at home. 

The pizza on the left has pesto, chicken, tomato, Parmesan, mozzarella

The pizza on the Right has olive oil, prosciutto, mozzarella, tomato, salt and pepper. 

Enjoy !!! 


and be creative !!! thats all the fun of cooking and eating !!  

One of my most favorite meals...

This is one of my most favorite meals.  It is nutritionally sound, incredibly filling, and wonderfully satisfying.  It is simple baked salmon, baked kale, and steamed sweet potatoes.  

All you have to do is bake your salmon with a little lemon and old bay seasoning at 350 degrees for 30 minutes.  

Along with that clean up your kale and add it to a baking sheet.  Add some sesame oil and tamari and bake it up for about 15 minutes at 350.  So once you see that the salmon is halfway done slide the kale into the oven.  

Then place your sweet potatoes into the microwave for about 10-13 minutes and they will steam perfectly.  

Best BBQ Pizza

Adapted from: The Pioneer Woman 

I have always wanted to find a proper and delicious BBQ pizza recipe and I must announce to the world I have found it.  It is amazing and it's all thanks to Ree Drummond of The Pioneer Woman.  This pizza is well balanced and can be done anytime and anyplace.  It is so easy and such a versatile recipe.  


Start off by spreading your pizza dough all over your pizza pan.  Spread it out so it is even enough where it will cook evenly and turn crispy with just a few moments in the oven.  


Add some pizza sauce and some grilled chicken. 





















Then drizzle on some BBQ sauce and feta cheese. 

Then drizzle more BBQ sauce.  Why you ask??? Because it's delicious !!!

Then add some thinly sliced red onion and chopped tomatoes.  Then sprinkle on lots of cheese.  I used an Italian mixed blend of cheese and it was delicious. 

Bake it up at 450 degrees and enjoy !!!! You wont be unhappy.....it will be the best pizza ever !!

Enjoy !!!

Fresh Salsa

Adapted from: The Pioneer Woman 

I love fresh salsa at Mexican restaurants, when this recipe came out I knew I had to try it.  There is a tremendous difference between fresh salsa and bottled salsa.  Bottom-line it just tastes a hell of a lot better.    This recipe does make a hell of a lot of salsa so make it for your next party or gathering.  It is a wonderful treat.  

Begin by combining the following ingredients into your food processor.  Pulse it together until it is completely combined and resembles beautiful salsa. 

• 1 can Whole Tomatoes
• 2 cans Rotel diced Tomatoes And Green Chilies
• ¼ cups Chopped Onion
• 1 clove Garlic, Minced
• 1 whole Jalapeno
• ¼ teaspoons Sugar
• ¼ teaspoons Salt
• ¼ teaspoons Ground Cumin
• ½ cups Cilantro, (lots and lots of cilantro)
• ½ whole Lime Juice

Enjoy !!! 

steal cut oats, with so many options...

I'm almost positive I got this out of Martha Stewart magazine awhile back.  I love steel cut oats.  They are a beautiful thing and how a hearty oatmeal should taste.  This is a delicious way to cook them and is easy to prepare the night before so you or your family can have an incredibly nutritious filling breakfast.


Begin by soaking the following items in a bowl the night you intend to have it 

• 1/3 cup of steel cut oats 
• 2 tbs of pearl barley 
• 1 1/4 cup of water 
• 1/8 tsp salt 

Then microwave the mixture for about 6 minutes until the oats have completely absorbed the water.  Add in 1/4 tsp of cinnamon, 1/8 tsp of nutmeg, and mix it up !! 

















You can even add almonds and honey....There are so many options you won't get bored....











Enjoy !!!

Happy 4th !!! Celebrate with a Fakeout and BBQ Sandwiches and Sweet Slaw

Adapted from: My Baking Addiction 


I love meals that seem like they are cooked for hours and days and would be a perfect summer treat, but the trick is to have them in the middle of the winter.  I made this meal back in February and it was perfect for the middle of winter.  Not that it wouldn't be great for dinner tonight, but there was something about that winter night that my husband and I shared this meal and had a moment where we felt Spring was sooner than we thought.


You ask how BBQ sandwiches happen? Well it  all goes down in your crockpot!!  The night before your planning to have this glorious meal place the following items into your crockpot

• 2.5 lb beef chuck roast 
• 1 cup of water
• 1 tbs and 1 1/2 tsp of white vinegar 
• 2 tbs of brown sugar 
• 2 tbs of honey 
• 1 tsp of dry mustard 
• 2 tbs of Worcestershire sauce 
• 1 1/2 cups of low sodium ketchup 
• 1 tsp of salt 
• 1/4 tsp of pepper 
• 1/8 tsp of cayenne pepper 
• 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes
• 2 cloves of minced garlic 

Put the cover on and place it in the fridge until the morning. 

The next morning place it on to cook for 8 to 10 hours on low.  When it's done it will look a little something like this deliciousness.

This looked and smelled so good our puppy Marty seemed to be quite intrigued with what my husband was doing.

I also prepared some sweet slaw to add with the meal.  It is so easy and perfect you won't believe it.  In a large bowl combine the following ingredients. 

• 1 bag of coleslaw mix
• 1 diced small onion
• 2/3 cup of reduced fat mayo
• 2 tbs of olive oil
• 3 tbs of sugar
• 1 tbs of white vinegar, possibly more to taste
• 1/4 tsp salt 
• 1/2 tbs of poppy seeds 

Enjoy !!!

basil artichoke spread

I adore basil.  If I could put it in just about everything and get away with it I would.  If I could wear it as a perfume I would.  It smells unbelievably amazing this time of year.  It is in full abundance during the summer as well.  


So I say bring on the recipes full of basil.  I just made fresh pesto yesterday and froze a little in ice cube trays for later use.  I had enough basil to have dinner that night and now have about 3 cups of pesto frozen in my freezer.  


This spread is good enough in a sandwich with cheese and veggies.  Or you can use it as dip for fresh veggies.  It is good enough to eat with a spoon. 


Get your food processor out and add in the following items: 

• 1 can of artichokes 
• 1/4 cup of fresh basil ( I think I used 1/2 cup because I love it so much) 
• 2 tbs of reduced fat mayo 
• 1 tbs of lemon juice 
• 1/4 tsp of red pepper flakes
• salt 
• pepper 

Pulse it until you can't pulse it any longer and it looks like a thickened spread or dip. 

Enjoy !!!

Proscitto, onion, and mushroom topped polenta

Adapted from: Week of Menus 


Fontina, basil, mushrooms, onions, butter, and milk how can you go wrong??? It is a thing of beauty and one of the most satisfying meals I have made in a long time.  With a little baked asparagus and a hearty salad this is a meal I could have any day of the week. 


You start off by cooking up one onion sliced, 2 cups of sliced mushrooms, 3 tbs of olive oil, salt and pepper.  Cook those until the mushrooms are softened and the onions become translucent. 


















Then bring 3 cups of milk to boil with 2 tbs of butter and some salt/pepper.  Then once it begins to boil whisk in 1 cup of cornmeal.   Keep whisking until the polenta begins to take shape.  



Then slice up 5 slices of thin Prosciutto and set aside.

Then pour your polenta into an 8 x 8 baking pan.  

Then pour all of your cooking onions and mushrooms on top of that. 

Then piles slices of fontina cheese over the mushrooms and onions.  Bake that in a 375 degree oven for 20 minutes.  

Then slice it up into fourths, plate it up with some baked asparagus and you will be one happy camper !!!  

Enjoy !!!