Category Archives: recipes

my favorite mashed potatoes

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Mike loves potatoes. Baked, fried, mashed … if a potato is somehow incorporated into a dish, odds are Mike will be a fan! I tease him that someday he needs to go to a restaurant and order a meal entirely made up of potato side dishes: “I’ll have a baked potato with a side of mashed potatoes and potato salad and some french fries for dessert.” You think I’m joking, but if Mike ordered such a meal he would enjoy every bite.

Which goes to say that I have experimented with many different recipes featuring potatoes. The tried-and-true classic, and perhaps my favorite way to eat a potato, is mashed. My mom makes the best mashed potatoes in the universe, so in my mind I can never compete with hers. But I’ve come up with a recipe that Mike really loves, so I wanted to share it with you. I’m a fan because: 1) it’s pretty quick; 2) it’s pretty simple; and 3) for mashed potatoes, it’s pretty healthy, featuring vitamin-rich potato skins, skim milk, fat-free sour-cream, and still plenty of flavor and a great creamy texture.

In the next couple of days I’ll post a recipe for my great-grandma Rahn’s stuffed chicken breasts, which I made the other night alongside these mashed potatoes for a truly delish meal.

my favorite mashed potatoes

-2 lbs of your favorite potatoes {I used regular old russets but am also a fan of yukon golds}
-1/4 cup butter, softened
-1/4 cup skim milk
-2 tbsp fat-free sour cream
-2 tsp chopped garlic {or, in a pinch, you might use garlic powder}
-2 tsp dried basil
-salt & pepper to taste

1. Cube the potatoes {leave the skin on} and bring a pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Once the water is boiling, carefully drop the potatoes in, and cook until tender, which for me usually takes about 15-20 minutes.

2. Drain the water from the potatoes and dump them into a bowl or back into the pot. Mash them to desired texture {I use a potato masher and like to leave them a little lumpy}

3. Add the milk and sour cream and mix well. Season with garlic, basil, salt and pepper. Enjoy!

I’ve also found some potential recipes for using up leftover mashed potatoes that I am planning to try soon … I will keep you posted!

Happy cooking & yummy eating!
-Dallas

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Time: 30 mins
Cost: $3.00

blueberry pie

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Looking for a quick, easy, and antioxidant-filled summer dessert? Try this blueberry pie! I had never made a blueberry pie before so I was a little anxious about how it would turn out, but all I did was throw the ingredients together in a pie crust and pop it in the oven.

I modified the recipe from this one I found on Food.com and served mine with whipped cream.

Blueberry Pie

-1 pie crust {I used a premade shortbread pie crust but I think a graham cracker crust would be nice, too}
-1/4 cup sugar
-2 tbsp flour
-2 {overflowing} cups blueberries
-1 tsp lemon juice
-pinch of salt
-whipped cream {if desired; I used the Kroger-brand fat-free kind}

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Pour blueberries into a strainer and rinse them. Pat dry with a paper towel and pour them into a large bowl.

2. Add the flour and toss to coat the blueberries. Then add the sugar, lemon juice, and salt. Mix well, being careful not to mash the blueberries.

3. Pour the berry mixture into the pie crust.

4. Bake for 45-60 minutes, or until the blueberries start to bubble.

5. Top with whipped cream if desired.

YUM!

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Time spent: 10 minutes prep, 45-60 minutes baking
Money spent: $6.00

cool off with these summer drinks

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Wow, summertime in the Midwest sure is H-O-T! It can get warm where I’m from in California, but I’m having a bit of a hard time getting used to the humidity of Indiana summers. I am grateful to air conditioning and electric fans for getting me through the hot afternoons we are having! {And local friends tell me it’s only going to get hotter in July & August…}

When it is hot out, it is especially easy to get dehydrated, which can make you feel lethargic, irritable, and headachy. I’ve been guzzling the cold water, and I’ve come up with two quick and easy recipes that have been keeping me hydrated and cool even on the hottest of summer days. I’m excited to share them with you!

Zero-calorie Iced Tea

1. Steep a bag of your favorite tea in hot water. This recipe works particularly well with fruity teas — two current favorites of mine are Trader Joe’s Mango Black Tea and Lipton’s Blueberry-Acai Green Tea.

2. Fill a large drinking glass with ice cubes. {Don’t skimp on the ice — I typically use half a tray!}

3. Once the tea has steeped for 3 minutes or so, pour it into your ice-filled glass and enjoy!

Ice Water with Cucumber Slices

This recipe comes courtesy of my grandma, who declares it “the most refreshing drink around on a hot day.”

1. Rinse and peel a cucumber and cut it into thin slices.

2. Fill a large drinking glass or pitcher with ice cubes and water.

3. Drop the cucumber slices into the ice water and let it sit for 2 or 3 minutes until drinking.

*This recipe is also great with lemon or lime slices, but there’s something about cucumber that I think is the most refreshing of all.

And there you have it! Hope these recipes help you stay hydrated, healthy and cool this summer. What are some of your favorite summer drinks?

Always,
Dallas

turkey enchiladas

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Sorry I’ve been MIA the past week … I strained my hand from overuse of the computer, so I had to take some time completely computer-free. (It’s crazy how much I use the computer in my daily life — writing, blogging, checking email — I didn’t know what to do with myself without it!)

My hands are feeling better, and today I have another delicious & healthy recipe to share with you, courtesy of my amazing mom!

Ingredients:

  • 1 package ground turkey meat
  • 1 yellow onion
  • 1 package of whole wheat tortillas
  • 1 can enchilada sauce (I like the La Victoria brand, mild)
  • a few handfuls of shredded cheese

1. Brown the ground turkey in a pan on medium heat. While the turkey is cooking, dice the onion.

2. Drain the fat from the turkey. Add the onion and cook for 2-3 minutes more.

3. Open can of enchilada sauce and pour about 1/3 of the can into a glass baking dish (I used a 10 x 13 size) so it covers the bottom.

4. Hold one tortilla in your hand. Scoop in some of the ground turkey mixture, a spoonful of enchilada sauce, and a bit of shredded cheese. Roll the tortilla closed and place in the baking dish. Repeat until all the ground turkey is gone. (I usually make 5-6 enchiladas.)

5. Pour the remaining enchilada sauce over the enchiladas and spread with a spoon until all parts of the tortilla are covered. Sprinkle with cheese.

6. Bake for 15-20 minutes in an oven set to 350 degrees.

And there you go! I served mine with green beans and a fresh garden salad. This recipe served my whole family with two extra enchiladas left over for lunch the next day! Yummy, healthy, easy and inexpensive — what more can you ask for in a meal?

Happy eating!
-Dallas

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Cost: $15.00
Time: 30-40 minutes (including bake time)

garlic, tomato & olive oil pasta

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One thing I love about being home in California is getting to eat my mom’s delicious cooking! Last night she taught me how to make a super quick, inexpensive and easy pasta dish that I immediately knew I had to share with you!

Ingredients:

– 1 box angel hair pasta
– 2 tbsp minced garlic
– 3 roma tomatoes, cut into pieces
– 1/4 cup olive oil
– 1 package chicken breasts
– feta cheese to taste

1. Cut up the chicken breasts into chunks and saute in some olive oil until cooked all the way through.

2. Bring a pot of water to a boil. Cook angel hair pasta for approx. 3 minutes. {Be very careful not to overcook angel hair pasta!}

3. Coat bottom of a pan in olive oil and saute the minced garlic while pasta is cooking.

4. Drain pasta and dump it into the garlic and olive oil mixture. Stir until all the pasta is coated. Add the tomatoes and chicken and mix well.

5. Top with feta cheese if desired.

Ta da! Could not be easier, faster, or tastier! What are some of your favorite quick & healthy recipes?

Till Friday,
Dallas

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Cost: about $15.00
Time: 10 minutes

brown sugar, cinnamon & apple cookies

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Last week I posted about my new Brown Sugar Bear and how it rejuvenated my previously hard-packed brown sugar. {yay!}

Today I used my newly softened brown sugar to make cookies based on a recipe that came on the packaging of the Brown Sugar Bear. Here is the original recipe:

– 1 cup butter or margarine, softened
– 1 cup brown sugar, packed
– 2 cups flour
– 1 egg
– 1 tsp vanilla
– 1 tsp baking soda
– 1/8 tsp salt
– nuts to taste {I used slivered almonds}

I made a couple modifications:
– I added 1 tsp cinnamon
– I substituted 1/3 cup applesauce for the egg

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Cream butter through sugar. Beat in egg and vanilla. {I used no sugar added granny smith applesauce instead of the egg}

3. Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt. Add to the sugar mixture. Mix well.

4. Drop by teaspoonfuls onto a greased cookie sheet.

5. Bake for 6-8 minutes until golden-brown.

They turned out delicious! Smelled divine while they were baking and tasted even better, especially warm from the oven. And they could not have been easier to make.

Have a Wonderful Wednesday!
-Dallas

blueberry / blackberry / raspberry muffins

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Have you ever bought some delicious-looking berries at the grocery store … only to get home, bite into them and discover they’re sour or mushy or tasteless? {sad face} It’s always so disappointing.

I bought some blackberries this week and they were extremely tart. I hate to waste food, so didn’t like the option of throwing them out. I figured I would just suffer through the sourness. But then I had an idea: baking fruit is a great way to bring out its sweetness!

So I made these delicious blackberry muffins. {yum}

I think this recipe would work great for all kinds of berry varieties — blueberries, raspberries, strawberries, or a mixture. Hope you enjoy! ❤

Very Berry Muffins

-1/3 cup butter or margarine
-2 eggs
-1/2 cup sugar
-1/2 cup milk
-1 & 1/2 cups flour
-1/2 tsp. baking soda
-1 tsp baking powder
-1/2 tsp. salt
-1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
-1/2 tsp. cinnamon
-berries of your choice variety & amount {I used a few handfuls of blackberries}

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Soften butter {I microwaved mine for 20 seconds} and cream butter through sugar. Add eggs and beat well.

3. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

4. Add about half of the flour mixture to the butter mixture. Beat well. Then add the milk and beat well, and finally stir in the rest of the flour mixture.

5. Mix in vanilla extract and cinnamon.

6. Rinse the berries and add them to the batter. I like to mix them in enough that they are beginning to come apart a little.

6. Spoon the mixture into a greased muffin tin.

7. Bake for about 20 minutes, until they are beautifully golden and a fork inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Hooray! The blackberries have been magically sweetened!

Perfect on-the-go breakfast, afternoon coffee-break snack, or homemade-with-love surprise for someone special.

Hope you have a delicious and lovely day! Happy Friday!

Dallas ❤

tilapia w/pineapple salsa {yum!}

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I really enjoy cooking, and I’m always looking for healthy, quick and easy recipes to make when I get home from a tiring day of teaching. I made this tonight for the first time and it is definitely a keeper! The sweetness of the pineapple complemented the fish so nicely. This recipe was perfect for these warm summer days we’ve been having in Indiana lately!

Best of all: it couldn’t have been easier! All I had to do was pop the fish in the oven for fifteen minutes, and while it was baking I chopped up some pineapple, tomatoes, and cilantro for the salsa.

Here’s the recipe:

1 cup diced fresh pineapple

1/3 cup diced Roma tomatoes

2 tbsp. chopped fresh cilantro

1 tbsp. fresh lime juice

1 lb tilapia fillets

1 tbsp. olive oil

Chili powder & garlic powder

1. Drizzle some olive oil into a glass baking pan to thinly coat the bottom. Place the tilapia fillets in the pan. Brush fillets with olive oil, and sprinkle with chili powder and garlic powder to taste. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 15 minutes or so. When the tilapia is done, it should flake easily with a fork.

2. For pineapple salsa: in a medium bowl, combine pineapple, tomatoes, cilantro and lime juice, and mix well. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

3. When fish is done, top with pineapple salsa and remaining lime juice, if desired. Viola! An easy, healthy, delicious dinner!

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Cost: $10.00

Time: 20 minutes