Skinny 'Quick & Easy' Red Velvet Pancakes

February 1, 2018 Amanda Plott

Red Velvet is where it's at right now as we get closer and closer to Valentine's Day! And since it's been a while since I made a proper red velvet recipe, I thought there would be no better time than now. Being as I'm a busy momma in the morning, I figured these quick and easy red velvet pancakes would be perfect for anyone in the same boat as me.

Usually, I'm a big advocate of making things from scratch, but I know that's not always possible. I mean... there's a time and place for everything. And today, I thought I'd use one of my favorite boxed mixes to whip up these red beauties...

Butternut Squash Alfredo

January 30, 2018 Amanda Plott

I love pasta every bit as the next girl. But, there's always something about it that leaves me feeling a wee bit guilty. Maybe it's something to do with the fact that most pasta dishes are loaded with carbs and not usually the most veggie-forward meal option.

Now, I've made a skinny alfredo before that was loaded up with hidden veggies but I got my hands on a local butternut squash that needed some attention. That's when I decided to go ahead and make another version of 'alfredo' using my winter squash. And let's be honest. Today I'm using the term 'aflredo' pretty lightly...

Grandma's Old-Fashioned Chicken & Dumplings

December 28, 2017 Amanda Plott

This year my family and I decided to do something a little outside of our usual for Christmas and for the first time in as long as I can remember, we went out of town for the holiday. While it was a bit of an undertaking to pack up everything involved and schlep it all the way from Texas to Oklahoma, I would have to say that the venture was well worth it. Even with the 5-hour trip home taking nearly 8 hours.

We were visiting my Uncle Johnnie and my Aunt Mildred who lives there. This is where I should probably explain that he is really my mother's uncle and more of a grand or great uncle to me - however that title would actually work is beyond me! He and I always seem to reminisce about one particular thing, my Great Grandma, and her amazing simple old-fashioned southern cooking. The sort you really don't come across anymore...

Healthifed Tater Tot Casserole

November 21, 2017 Amanda Plott

Tater tot casserole. It's one of the great American classics. Almost all of us have eaten it before, mostly during our childhood years when it was one of those quick weeknight meals that the parents would put together at the end of a busy work week.

Well, that wasn't my first experience with it but I know for many of you it was. For me, it was something that I had made for my own family. At least... I'm pretty sure my mom never made it for us. She was much more about the Hamburger Helper and cans of La Choy back when I was in grade school...

Nordic Nut & Seed Bread

November 19, 2017 Amanda Plott

If you're like me, you've got a stockpile of random nuts in differing containers that take up half of your pantry. Especially around the holidays. Every cookie, every recipe, everything you cook has a different sort of nut - and none of the recipes use up only and completely one entire bag of nuts. So, you end up with nutty chaos raining down on you from the pantry.

Well folks, here you have it. Finally, a way to use up all and any of those nuts that you may have hanging around. Not just that, but this also gives you a chance to clean up those seeds that have gathered in there as well!...

Dexter's Breakfast

November 11, 2017 Amanda Plott

So, a few many years back now I was pretty much obsessed with the TV show Dexter. And... no. I don't mean the cartoon. I mean the show about the serial killer that posed as a blood splatter analyst. On the day that the show would air, I would always make 'Dexter's Breakfast' to keep the mood of my favorite show going on all day long.

The breakfast came about because the beginning credits of the show are scenes cut together of Dexter making breakfast in such a way that it looks like a real 'killer' of a breakfast. If you know what I mean by my clever pun there...