Tag Archives: easy

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

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