YUMMY Sweet Potato Fries

So I'm not a big fan of sweet potatoes but when it comes to losing weight and being on a healthy diet, I know that they are great to eat. So Eric found this recipe to help make them easier to eat and I just LOVE these sweet potato fries. YUMMY! You've got to try this recipe and you don't have to feel guilty eating these fries...


Oven Baked Sweet Potato Fries
serves 4-6

A lot of people have mentioned that their fries didn’t come out crispy. Please note that cooking times are an estimation. Different ovens cook differently so you may need to increase the time to reach desired doneness. Ovens should also be regularly calibrated to ensure that the temperature inside the oven is the temperature on the dial.

1 - 1 1/2 lb sweet potatoes
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp paprika
1/4 tsp cinnamon

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil (preferably the easy release kind).

Peal the sweet potatoes. Cut into strips that are about 1/2 inch wide on each side.

Place the sweet potatoes into a resealable plastic bag. Add oil, salt, paprika and cinnamon. Seal the bag and shake well to thoroughly coat the fries. Spread the potatoes out onto the baking sheet in a single layer.

Cook for 25-30 minutes, turning every 10 minutes, until slightly browned. Transfer immediately to a paper towel lined plate and serve warm.

Taco Braid

walk your fingers under the ends to transfer to pan(cookie sheet,

unless you divide it to 2 then you can do two 9X13 pans.

This Braid you can fill with pizza stuff, or use just the plain rolls and spread cream cheese frosting and add pie filling, then after baking frost with frosting.

The 1st week of my marriage, Janae' took me to a Rhodes Rolls demonstration in Ogden and we learned lots of fun stuff to do with their rolls.

This Braid has been fun to play with and do whatever with.

But the Taco Braid is our family's favorite!

I made 2 tonight, I was in a hurry taking these pictures (sorry) and I baked it in a throw away pan so I could take it to someone for dinner. (That's also why I used more rolls too)

12 Texas Rhodes Rolls

1 lb ground beef

1 chopped onion

1 pkg. taco seasoning

1 can refried beans

8 0z shredded cheddar cheese

shredded lettuce

diced tomatoes

sour cream

guacamole

salsa

Spray pan & plastic wrap with Non-stick cooking spray & cover Rhodes Texas Rolls for 3 hours on counter. Or until thawed & raised

Brown 1 lb. ground beef & 1 chopped onion add 1 pkg taco seasoning

Spray counter with "Pam" and Roll Rhodes rolls into large rectangle.

Spread refried beans over dough, leaving 3 inches on sides for Braid.

Top beans with meat and onion

Top with shredded cheddar cheese.

Fold ends of dough over cheese and Braid sides, starting on ends and ending in the middle.

Put on pan and cover with plastic wrap sprayed with "Pam"

(optional~brush beaten egg over dough, makes it shiny and crusty on top)

Allow to double in size, at least 1/2 hour, depending on how warm your home is.

Bake @ 350 degrees for 30 min. or until brown

Top with shredded lettuce, diced tomatoes, sour cream & Guacamole. (salsa too if you like)

Chicken Fajitas

Last night we had the missionaries over for dinner and made fajitas (no, Rebecca we weren't copying you, just happened to be the same meal at the same time by chance, lol). This is a recipe that Eric and I LOVE!

Makes 8 Fajitas

Package of 10 tortillas (you can use flour, but we like the ones you need to heat up... like the ones I used at the girls' trip).

2 Chicken breasts sliced
3 peppers sliced (I like to use 1 green, 1 yellow and 1 red- it's prettier, lol!)
1 onion sliced

Marinade:
1/4 c. olive oil
2 Tablespoons of vinegar
4 teaspoons McCormick Grill Mates Garlic & Herb seasoning
(This is the main ingredient and there are two out there so make sure you get the one pictured since it is WAY better than the other one).

**FYI: This is the same marinade we use to grill chicken breasts over charcoal and they always turn out FABULOUS**

Slice chicken breasts in thin slices and marinade for at least 30 minutes. Slice up peppers and onion and marinade for 30 minutes. I like to marinade them separate so I can cook the chicken first without overcooking the peppers and onions.

In frying pan, cook up chicken (marinade and all)on med-high heat until no longer pink. Add peppers and cook until still lightly crisp.

Spray a separate frying pan with cooking spray and heat up tortillas on med-low heat until no longer transparent and lightly browned.

Wrap fajita mixture in tortilla immediately as the tortilla tends to harden quickly.

Serve immediately with Spanish Rice (below) and salad or corn. Enjoy!

Quick Spanish Rice- Side Dish

This is a quick and easy recipe I found online and like to use it as a side dish to the fajitas (above). It is saucy so don't be surprised if it comes out "moist".

Serves 6-8

1 (15 ounce) can stewed tomatoes
1 1/2 cups chicken stock
1 1/4 cups rice
1 tablespoon butter or margarine
2 teaspoons chili powder
3/4 teaspoon oregano
1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon cumin

In medium saucepan, combine all ingredients (I usually mash tomatoes with potato masher or give them a quick spin in food processor).

Bring to a boil; reduce heat to low.

Cover and simmer 25 minutes or until rice is done. (Unless you like sticky, gooey rice, don't take off the lid and stir at all until it is done).

Garnish with green onions and/or cheddar cheese.

Italian Chicken on Rice

Serves 6-8

3 cups of cooked rice

2 chicken breasts cooked and shredded
1 8oz pkg of cream cheese
1 8oz container of sour cream
1 10oz can of cream chicken soup
1/2 pkg of dry Italian dressing mix

While rice is cooking, set out cream cheese to soften and boil 2 thawed chicken breasts for 20 minutes. Let cool and shred.

In a sauce pan on med-low heat, stir softened cream cheese until all lumps are gone. Add sour cream and cream of chicken soup. Stir until well mixed. Add 1/2 a package of Italian dressing mix (it is too strong if you add more than that, but if you like it strong go for it!). Add shredded chicken and heat through while stirring occasionally (tends to bubble and spurt if you just let it sit).

Serve over cooked rice and enjoy!

Asian Beef Stir-fry

8 oz uncooked Spaghetti
1 lb lean steak; sliced in 2 in strips, 1/8 in thick
1/8 tsp Red Pepper Flakes
3 cloves Garlic
1 Red Onion sliced
4 Celery Stalks, sliced
1/4 head cabbage or nappa cabbage, shredded
1/2 cup Soy Sauce

Prepare spaghetti according to directions on package; drain and set aside.
Lightly coat a large skillet or wok with cooking spray. Over medium-high heat, stir-fry red pepper flakes and garlic for one minute. Add the steak strips to the skillet, stir-fry just until no longer pink, about 2 minutes. Remove steak from skillet and set aside.
Lightly re-coat the skillet with cooking spray. Stir-fry onion and celery until tender, about 5 minutes. Add cabbage and cook until crisp-tender.
Return steak to skillet. Add Soy sauce; mix gently and heat through.

Mnisa's Sloppy Joes

Makes 6

Brown & Drain:
1 lb of ground hamburger or turkey meat

1/3 c. chopped onions

1/3 c. chopped celery

Add:

1 (10 oz) can tomato soup with a 1/3 can of water

2 T worcestershire sauce

2 T vinegar

2 tsp mustard

Simmer for 10-15 minutes or until thickened. Serve on buns.

My twist on Baked Ziti

1 (16 ounce) package dry ziti pasta
1 1/2 cups sour cream

1 pound lean ground beef
1 med. onion, chopped

4 oz can mushrooms

1 1/2 - 2 (28 ounce) jars onion & garlic spaghetti sauce
1 T Italian seasoning

2 cups mozzarella cheese

Optional Ingredients:

1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil

1 zucchini, chopped

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Bring a large pot of water & Tbl spoon of olive oil to a boil. Add pasta and cook for 8 to 10 minutes or until done; drain. Place noodles back in pot and add sour cream. Mix together until noodles are well coated.

While pasta is cooking, brown beef in a large skillet. Add onions and mushrooms (add zucchini if desired); saute until tender. Drain off fat and add spaghetti sauce, Italian seasoning and 1 cup of mozzarella cheese; simmer until cheese is melted.

Add meat/sauce mixture to pot of noodles and mix well until all noodles are well coated.

Place in a lightly greased large baking dish or cake pan. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese (and Parmesan cheese if desired). Sprinkle with fresh basil (optional).

Cover with foil and bake in preheated oven for about 30 minutes or until cheese and sauce are bubbly; serve.

Frosted Pumpkin Squares

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
2 cups sugar
4 eggs
beat sugar & eggs for 2 minutes at medium speed

2 cups pumpkin (libby's small can)
1 cup oil
Beat in pumpkin & oil for 1 minute at medium speed

Add dry ingredients and beat for 1 minute at low speed:
2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
2 tsp. soda
1 tsp salt
Grease Jelly Roll pan
Pour batter in pan and Bake 25-30 min
(set out cream cheese & butter to soften for frosting)

Frosting
Beat together:
2 1/4 cups powdered sugar
3/4 cup cream cheese, softened
6 TBSP Butter, softened
1 1/2 tsp. vanilla
Spread on cooled cake, can sprinkle with chopped nuts

This is a jelly roll pan (cookie sheet) So it serves tons!
Plan on sharing several plates with friends and having leftovers for your own family

Spaghetti with Mnisa's "Homemade" sauce

This is a hard one to write a recipe for since I've always just thrown it together, but I'll give it a shot...

Serves 6

Boil:

6 qt water

1 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 med. pkg of spaghetti noodles

Brown:

1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
1/2 cup chopped onion

2 teaspoons fresh minced garlic (or 1 Tbl spoon garlic powder)

2-3 teaspoons season salt

1 (4.5 ounce) can mushrooms, drained

Drain meat and then add:
2-3 (8 ounce) cans Hunts flavored tomato sauce (depends on how saucy vs. meaty you like it)
2 Tablespoons of Italian seasoning (or according to your preferred taste)

Dash of pepper

Let simmer on low until sauce thickens (about 10-15 minutes). Sometimes I add additional garlic powder and italian or basil seasoning once it has simmered. Just taste it and see what it needs more of.

Optional Add-ins I've used:

Chopped zucchini (chopped into very small pieces)

Olives (1 4 oz. can of sliced)

shredded cheese (to place on top after dished out)

Snickerdoodles (One of my all-time favorite cookies)

1 cup shortening
1 1/2 cups white sugar
2 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla
2 3/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
2 tablespoons white sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Grease cookie sheets.

Cream together the shortening and sugar. Add eggs one at a time, mixing after each. Sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar and salt; stir into the creamed mixture until well blended.

In a small shallow bowl, stir together the 2 tablespoons of sugar with the cinnamon. Roll the dough into walnut sized balls and roll the balls in the sugar mixture. Place cookies 2 inches apart on the prepared cookie sheet. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Cookies should be slightly golden at the edges. Remove to cool on wire racks.

Oatmeal Cookies

3/4 cup shortening
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 egg
1/4 cup water
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
3 cups rolled oats

1 cup raisins

Other optional add-ins:
1 cup chocolate or butterscotch chips

1 cup coconut

1 cup walnuts

Or,

(1 cup each of Raisins, chocolate chips and coconut are a favorite combination)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease cookie sheets.

Cream together the shortening, brown sugar and white sugar. Stir in the egg, water and vanilla. Combine the flour, salt, baking soda and cinnamon, stir into the creamed mixture. Finally, stir in the rolled oats. Drop by rounded spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheets.

Bake for 12 to 15 minutes in the preheated oven. Cool on baking sheets for a couple of minutes before removing to cool on wire racks.

Fiesta Tacos

Serves 6

3 cups of cooked rice

1 lb ground beef

1 pkg taco seasoning

1/4 c. finely chopped onion (optional)

16 oz can of corn (drained)

1 1/2 cups of salsa

1 cup cheese

Optional Ingredients:

(I think any of these would be yummy to add but don't because of my kids)

Black beans

Olives

Green Chilies

Start by precooking your rice. Brown beef with the chopped onion and taco seasoning (no liquid needed w/ seasoning). Drain beef and return to frying pan. Add corn and rice. Stir in salsa until all the mixture is moistened. Add more salsa if desired (I like mine moist). Heat through. Top with cheese if desired.

This can be served up various ways. Mine and Eric's favorite way to eat it is in a bowl with tortilla chips to scoop it up (see 1st picture).

For my kids I make it into a taco quesadilla by sprinkling cheese on a tortilla, then spooning on the taco meat, top with some more cheese and then microwave for 30 seconds to melt the cheese (the cheese holds the quesadilla together). I then slice it into 1/4 pieces using a pizza cutter....or you can simply roll it up in a warm tortilla and enjoy that way (see 2nd picture).

Super Healthy Version: Use ground turkey in place of beef, brown rice in place of white rice and top with lowfat cheese. Eat with wheat tortillas or whole grain tortilla chips (or bake a wheat tortilla to make your own chips).

Pumpkin Cookies

2 1/2 cups Flour

1 tsp Baking Soda

1 tsp Baking Powder

1 tsp Cinnamon

1/2 tsp Nutmeg

1/2 tsp Salt

1 1/2 cups Sugar

1 Stick butter (1/2 c.)

1 cup Pumpkin Puree (I like the already seasoned vs. plain puree)

1 large Egg

1 tsp Vanilla

14-16 oz bag of Chocolate Chips

Mix together Flour, Soda, Powder, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Salt in a bowl. In a separate bowl blend butter (should be at room temp), egg and vanilla. Once mixed together add pumpkin puree and sugar. Add dry ingredients 1 cup at a time until all is well blended together. Complete by adding chocolate chips.

Spoon on to a greased baking sheet. Bake at 350 degrees for 14-17 minutes. Cool on a wire rack.

*I like using the already flavored/spiced pumpkin puree versus the plain because it adds more flavor in the end. I still put in the spices it asks for plus some pumpkin pie seasoning (about 1/2 tsp). You can use homemade pumpkin puree by cutting your pumpkin in half, scooping out the insides, and then puting them face down on a baking sheet at 425 degrees for about an hour. After they cool, the skins come off very easily. Then take the pumpkin and puree them in a blender. Add pumkin spice if desired. Just make sure that you use the right kind of pumpkins, sweet ones like New England or Baby Pam

**With my oven the cookies bake at 14 minutes or less so it is best to bake them starting with the shortest time. You can tell when they are over baked because the color of the cookie is dark brown vs. orange and the edges are even darker. You want them to be nice and orange like in the picture.

***I wanted to try and take a pretty picture like Karin always does and Eric laughed at me the whole time. So word of advice, when photographing your food- do it without an audience, lol!

Pumpkin Pancakes

The thing I love best about the fall is all the yummy food to make with pumpkin! I never had much of pumpkin anything (except pie at Thanksgiving), and then last year I tried pumpkin cookies, pancakes, muffins, cake- I went on a pumpkin craze!!!

Serves 6

2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon ground allspice
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups milk
1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 tablespoons vinegar

In a separate bowl, mix together the milk, pumpkin, egg, oil and vinegar. Combine the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, allspice, cinnamon, ginger and salt, stir into the pumpkin mixture just enough to combine.

Heat a lightly oiled griddle or frying pan over medium high heat. Pour or scoop the batter onto the griddle, using approximately 1/4 cup for each pancake. Brown on both sides and serve hot. Serve with butter, syrup or cool whip. I am not a fan of butter at all so I like to put a tad of syrup and cool whip.

Crockpot Southwestern Chicken

Crockpot Southwestern Chicken

1 small bag frozen corn

1 can black beans (I added a can of drained green chiles)

2 large frozen boneless skinless chicken breasts

1 16-oz jar medium salsa, such as Pace medium picante sauce

shredded cheddar cheese

tortilla chips

sour cream

chopped cilantro

diced avocado

Pour bag of frozen corn in bottom of crockpot. Place frozen chicken breasts on top of corn and cover with rinsed and drained black beans and jar of medium salsa. Cook on high for 1 hour, and then on low for 4 hours. Shred chicken with forks. Serve with tortilla chips and add toppings to individual servings.**It is very important that you use MEDIUM salsa in this. Mild simply isn't flavorful enough. Be sure to serve with tortilla chips, and not tortillas. The salty crunchy chips make this so good!

Tater Tot Casserole

This is one of Eric's favorite recipes. I learned how to cook this from my Rick's College roommate Mariette.

Serves 4

1/2 lb ground beef

1/8- 1/4 cup of chopped onion

6.5 oz can mushrooms

10.5 oz can Cream of Mushroom soup

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

Tater Tots (enough to cover the casserole)

Brown beef with chopped onions and mushrooms. Drain. Mix in soup (no extra liquid required). Place in casserole dish and layer with tater tots. Cook according to tater tot directions. Top with cheese and cook an additional 3-5 minutes until the cheese melts.

Serve with corn or green beans.