Southwest Grilled Pork Tenderloin Salad

July 13, 2016 Amanda Plott

I've been challenged again this year! They say that the best cooks know how to utilize any ingredients placed in front of them. I'd like to think that my handy skills with creating 'pantry' meals from my kitchen aids me in this.

Today I put my chops to the test in this Chopped At Home Challenge with Sargento®! My goal was to create a recipe within the theme of 'grilling' using all of the secret “basket” ingredients; pork tenderloin, cherry/grape tomatoes, broccoli, and Sargento Chef Blends 4 State Cheddar. Of course, looking at the last three ingredients my mind instantly went to a chef or cobb salad. But, what to do with the pork? Being from Texas, my first thought was grilled pork with a spicy seasoned kick. The spice is what kicked this off into a twist on a southwest salad...

Italian 'Sub' Salad

June 15, 2016 Amanda Plott

One of my favorite 'sub' sandwiches is an Italian or a 'Grinder'. It's usually loaded with Italian meats such as salami and pepperoni, provolone cheese, and plenty of vegetables including tomatoes, olives, pepper rings and lettuce. Yum! It's a powerhouse of bold flavors with lots of zest and zing! Flavor, flavor, flavor.

So, today I decided to turn that favorite sandwich of mine into a salad. Why? Mostly because we're getting into the high end of the heat index here in Texas now and I don't even feel like toasting bread for fear of adding heat to the house. Yes, I'm absolutely serious about that...

5 Ingredient Skinny Summer Vegetable Dip

June 8, 2016 Amanda Plott

It's getting warm here in Texas, though I'll be the first one to say that so far we've had a perfectly mild summer. Usually by now we are well into 100+ degrees days, and so far we've barely broken past the 90's. No, that's not a complaint either! It's these perfect summer days that I love to spend out in my backyard entertaining. Whether that means my little family or the whole lot of us.

No matter who's around, it's always about 'what to eat' and this 5 Ingredient Skinner Summer Vegetable Dip is the perfect spread! I've loaded this dip up with bell pepper, jalapeño (for taste - not heat), sweet summer corn, and olives! I know, bare with me, it might sound like a rather creative and interesting combination... and it is! It's completely amazing and full of flavor. You'll fall in love from the first taste...

Healthified Chili Cheese Dog Bake

June 2, 2016 Amanda Plott

For me, this week has been full of a lot of the 'American' greats; pizza, taco night, BLT sandwiches, and now this awesome Chili Cheese Dog Bake. After all, nothing says classic American like a chili cheese dog, except maybe an apple pie!

This is definitely one of those easy-peasy weeknight meals that you can throw together and have ready in 30 minutes or less; leaving you with a tasty, economical, filling and rather guilt-free dinner. Yeah, it sort of hits all the marks there. You're welcome!...

Veggie & Hummus Pinwheels

May 31, 2016 Amanda Plott

Last week I made my own homemade 5 Ingredient Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, and I made a pretty tasty wrap using it. Since the wrap got a really good response over on Facebook, I decided that I would go ahead and post my actual recipe for it. The only change that I've made is making the wrap into pinwheels so that it could be served as either an appetizer or a fun little 'snackable' lunch option. Plus, let's face it... they are so bright and colorful this way!

These little wheels of awesome are packed with plenty of fresh vegetables and lots of flavor. The secret is in the hummus spread, and of course you can't go wrong with adding feta cheese to anything in my opinion...

Skinny Pizza Bite Dippers

May 3, 2016 Amanda Plott

It's no secret that pizza (in one form or another), is in my weekly rotation. When you have a little one, it sort of has to be a staple on the menu. Today I wanted to step outside the box a bit, using up a few of my favorite versatile ingredients that I almost always have on hand.

Cheese is definitely an integral part of my eating habits. It's one of those things that I couldn't see myself living without. I've also found that wonton wrappers are a perfect vehicle for many different sorts of finger foods and small bite meals; which is exactly what this is. These little bites are perfect for dipping, dunking, and enjoying for a guilt-free bite of amazingness...