Red, White & Blueberries Caprese (With Balsamic Reduction)

July 3, 2019 Amanda Plott

I thought I would squeeze one more festive dish in ahead of the 4th of July for everyone. This one is light and fresh and sure to impress with how simple it is and how amazing it tastes! With just a handful of ingredients and a few minutes of hands on time, you’ll have a beautiful and patriotic caprese salad for all to enjoy.

Caprese salads have been some of my favorites for many many years now. They’re refreshing and notoriously simple. Which means they’re easy to make! Besides, who doesn’t love tomatoes, fresh mozzarella and basil? No one that I know of!…

Sparkler Dogs

July 1, 2019 Amanda Plott

The 4th of July is already a pretty big holiday. But, it’s also right there in close to my mom’s birthday and is yet another one’s favorite holiday in the family. So, for us? It’s go big or go bigger. There isn’t much room in between for anything else. I’m not sure when or where, but I saw the idea for these ‘sparkler dogs’ a while back now and have been meaning to make my riff on them for at least a year or two.

Originally, they were pretty plain, plain, plain. So I decided to up the ante a little bit with throwing some 'Everything’ seasoning at them and using some of my other favorites to make them a little more health conscious…

White Cheddar Beer Cheese

June 29, 2019 Amanda Plott

It’s about to be America’s birthday and I figured it was time to celebrate with some beer. And cheese. To be pretty honest, I don’t think that I’ve ever had beer cheese. I’ve had wine infused cheese and cheese fondue with beer in it, but… that’s about the extent of it. Beer isn’t my personal favorite when it comes to choice of beverages.

Either way! Beer and cheese are pretty much staples of any American household. And beer cheese? Well, that’s about as American as it gets. It seems like Kentucky is the heart, soul, and birthplace of beer cheese. And this beer cheese here is a standard and traditional way to make beer cheese…

Lightened-Up S'more Chocolate Chip Cookies

June 27, 2019 Amanda Plott

The other day we had some sort of freak cold front roll through here in June and let me just tell you that the 69 degree weather that day had me inspired to turn my oven on for one of the FEW times during the summer. I ended up making chili and these absolutely delicious Lightened-Up S'more Chocolate Chip Cookies.

What’s a s’more cookie? Well, it’s everything that you love about a s’more… put into a cookie! Not just any cookie though. The base chocolate chip cookie here is pretty damn good all on it’s own. But, add on the graham, chocolate chunks, and marshmallows and you’ve got one heavenly cookie…

The Best Chili (Instant Pot, Slow Cooker, and Stove Friendly!)

June 25, 2019 Amanda Plott

I was thinking about this just the other day, about how always in summer here in Texas we end up with a few ‘chilly’ days. Okay, by chilly I mean that it’s not even 70 degrees here today. Which, if you know anything about Texas summers, you know that it’s full of 100+ degree days and a plethora of issues that go along with that.

Today though? We had a storm roll through and as I sit here, it’s a ripe old 69 degrees and thundering outside. You better believe that I’m content with that and with allowing my air conditioner the much needed rest. Even so. I’m going to make use of the weather and enjoy some chili!…

Rainbow Unicorn Poptarts

June 12, 2019 Amanda Plott

It’s ‘fantasy’ week here in my house as part of our themed summer weeks. And to kick thoughts off, I thought I would start us off with some Rainbow Unicorn Poptarts! These poptarts aren’t your usually run-of-the-mill poptarts. I mean, obviously… look at them!

They sort of give a new meaning to ‘eat the rainbow’, don’t they?

Even though my kid isn’t the biggest fan (at all) of poptarts, I figured with some rainbow inspiration, maybe she would give them another chance, right? Right?!…