Healthy 7 Layer Fourth of July Dip

July 2, 2017 Amanda Plott

It's the fourth of July weekend! While I'm spending it rather lazily at home as I recuperate from a few weeks of busy, busy, busy - I'm still finding the time to have fun and be festive! With an impromptu visit from my brother, I decided to toss together a quick 'snacky' meal that we could all graze on throughout the day at our leisure.

Naturally, my first inclination was a 7 layer dip. I think that's because it's one of those things that has something it in that everyone likes! It's one perfect montage or mashup of everything I love. Plus, it's perfectly light and cool for a hot summer day. And of course, since it's around the 4th of July, you just know I had to arrange this dip into the shape of the American flag to be all the more cute and festive!...

Skinny Late Night Summer Snack Ice Cream Bites (Sponsored)

May 22, 2017 Amanda Plott

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SnackSnapShare #SnackStories #CollectiveBias

It's hard to believe, but summer is coming, y'all! I should know too since my birthday falls on the first day of summer. As school is letting out and it's starting to get warmer and warmer out, I'm craving the good stuff. The cold stuff. The stuff that's going to chill me out in the dreaded Texas heat. Not only that, but I want something that's going to satisfy everyone's summer snack cravings. A little sweet. A little salty. And a whole lot of cold.

These Skinny Late Night Summer Snack Ice Cream Bites are a perfect fit. They cover the list of wants and needs with their variety of sweet, salty, crunchy and cold. There's seriously something for everyone in there and it's all good amazing stuff! I see these being great for late night summer snacking in their perfectly portioned 3-4 bites of ice cream heaven...

Baked Hush Puppies

April 28, 2017 Amanda Plott

I think the first (and some of the only) hush puppies I had through my life were at a popular fish fast food joint. You know the one. The one were you have to order 'extra crispy-crunchies'. They were always one of my favorites when I was younger, but you know... times have changed and so have my eating habits. Vastly. In fact, I honestly couldn't tell you the last time I ate at that place last.

Anyway! Earlier this year I was in charge of a 'fish fry' for the two first grade classes (and their families) at my daughter's school. The ironic part here is that I don't own a fryer (never have) and I don't eat fish (never will.) At the fish fry we had plenty of hush puppies to go around. Uuuuuhnnngggh... such a guilty pleasure. That got me thinking way back then... I should make some baked hush puppies!...

Pimento Cheese Deviled Eggs

March 5, 2017 Amanda Plott

I'm a southern girl, born and bred (even through I spent a lot of my youth moving around the continental United States.) Home is where the heart is and my heart is in Texas, so... I'm a southern girl. One thing we have in the south that tends to throw northerners off, is pimento cheese. I've actually got friends that have never heard of pimento cheese!

That always blows my mind. How does anyone not know what pimento cheese is? I practically grew up on the stuff! It's one of my favorite things around the Spring and Summer too. Just a plain ole' pimento cheese sandwich made on white bread that's so soft it sticks to the roof of your mouth like glue... Ooooh yeah. That's the stuff right there...

Skinny Juicy Lucy Meatballs

February 1, 2017 Amanda Plott

Remember when I made those fantastically cheesy Healthified Juicy Lucy Burgers? Yeah, well they now come in meatball form! And just in time for gameday too. For these meatballs, I took my favorite cocktail meatballs and those Juicy Lucy Burgers and fused them together to make one epic appetizer. They're easy to make, full of flavor, and what could be better than a gooey cheesy stuffed meatball?

Not a lot.

So just to be clear, these are not your average Italian style meatball. Oh, no. These are an americanized modge-podge if ever there was one. I do have a more traditional stuffed meatball if that's more of what you're looking for (also made in the crock pot along with a sauce.)...

Classic Cobb Salad

January 21, 2017 Amanda Plott

It's no secret that this week has been kicking my tail, though more so in a humorous way at this point. I couldn't even list out the amount of things that have gone wrong because it's almost been everything that I've been a part of or a hand in. I'm pushing past it though, and rocking it out now that it's the weekend.

Next week will be better because it just has to be.

Food has been my savior this week. There have been few disasters that I've had in the kitchen, with a flop of a recipe and a broken egg splat on my kitchen floor, but still nearly everything has come out tasting amazing. Even if it's not exactly what I had planned out on my menu...