Roasted Tomato Soup

October 15, 2018 Amanda Plott

There is one thing for sure, no one is ever too old to enjoy tomato soup! One of my best memories growing up, had to have been the simple and easy dinner my mom would make on cold Fall or winter days… and that was a grilled cheese and tomato soup. Of course, even though you won’t grow out of tomato soup, your tastes do change. So today, I’ve elevated the classic and my favorite.

I’ve made plenty of tomato soup in the past, but I saw a rather ingenious hack not so long ago about making it by easily and with fresh tomatoes! No other cooking is involved other than that! Roasting the tomatoes also gives a smoky depth of flavor, that you otherwise wouldn’t have too…

Sailor Stew

October 7, 2018 Amanda Plott

I’ve made this stew a couple of times before, and mostly just for testing purposes. Sometimes it takes more than one run to get these things just right. But, I can honestly say that I haven’t minded the process with this one!

The first time I made it, I did so in the Instant Pot. It turned out well enough, but I really wanted this to be a stew that everyone could cook. Not just those with a pressure cooker. I also ended up adding in some potatoes and carrots to make this a more veggie-ful dish. Those veggies, along with the beans in there, really makes this a hearty meal all on it’s own…

Chicken & Roasted Poblano Pumpkin Soup

September 26, 2018 Amanda Plott

Tis’ the season, pumpkin season! It’s officially Autumn now, which means… pumpkins galore. Hopefully, my little family will be taking out yearly venture out to the pumpkin patch farm here soon enough. That’s usually where we go to pick out our pumpkins and enjoy a local farm along with all it has to offer.

To celebrate, and bring Fall in I decided to make a soup. Soup is basically a hug in a bowl, so consider this Chicken & Roasted Poblano Pumpkin Soup a nice WARM hug in a bowl. The heat of the poblano peppers and the warmth of the pumpkin and cinnamon really work well together to make one perfectly Fall inspired meal…

Dark Chocolate Crunch Bars

September 24, 2018 Amanda Plott

As we’re getting closer and closer to Halloween (my favorite holiday), I’m playing more and more with candies and chocolates of all kinds this year! While I’ve made a few candies in the past, it’s usually something that I try and steer clear of. Why? Well, candy making scares my pants off!

The notion of making candies just sounds overwhelming to me, but in all honesty, these dark chocolate crunch ‘bars’ are sooo easy to make and only require three ingredients to make! That’s right. Only three ingredients and about ten minutes of your time. It doesn’t get much more simple than that when it comes to homemade chocolates, does it?…

Spooky 'Monster' Tacos

September 20, 2018 Amanda Plott

Cooler weather is coming… Halloween is coming! And being as it is my most favorite holiday, I’ve got to have some fun with it. I’ll be honest in saying that these are my standard, average, run-of-the-mill tacos that I make using extra lean ground beef and just a few other notable swaps along the way.

This time of year though? I like to make them a little spooky! With a few dollops of Greek yogurt, plain Jane tacos turn into MONSTER tacos! Mauahahaha. I’m so in love with Halloween that I made these tacos whilst in the middle of a horrible back spasm. Tacos are awesome as they are. But, cute tacos always win.

Crock Pot Pumpkin Spice Oatmeal (Instant Pot too!)

September 13, 2018 Amanda Plott

Originally when I made this oatmeal, I had pretty recently posted a Skinny Baked Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal, but these two oatmeals are pretty far apart in the realms of texture and preparation. Plus, I’ve added in new instructions so this oatmeal can be made in an instant pot (pressure cooker) in under thirty minutes!

As usual, I've been running around like a crazy woman and I really needed a pick-me-up this morning to help boost me through the day. Back when I first made this recipe in 2013, my dear little girl had been sick for well over a week and only the day before was diagnosed with both a sinus infection and bacterial pneumonia. That was a tough time!…