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…

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!…

Burger Bites (Sponsored)

June 10, 2019 Amanda Plott

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

It’s finally here. We’re down to the finally 7 days before school lets out for the summer for my kiddo and I honestly thing that at this point, I’m more excited than she is. I just want to get through the next few days and have the freedom of summer ahead of us. That being said, I’m also in the throes of getting beach-bum ready. And that means watching what I’m eating and doing all the more.

With my focus on all that, and summer being the season of snacks around here, I decided to make some fun Burger Bites! These Burger Bites are so good too. Perfect for a snack sort of light summer friendly meal or quick appetizer. They start out with a burger meatball paired with all the burger classics; tomato, lettuce, pickle, cheese, and of course a tater tot!…

Skinny Classic Meatloaf

May 8, 2019 Amanda Plott

It’s been a hell of a long time since I made a meatloaf. I mean… a really really really long time. Almost 5-6 years or something? I’m not really sure why either. It’s a quick and easy part of dinner that can be tossed together in no time at all. Plus, it can be made to be pretty damn healthy too!

So, after discussing meatloaf with a group of friends last week, I decided that it was high time for me to make another meatloaf. This time though? We’re going old-school and classic with this loaf of meat…

Naked Beef Enchiladas

April 27, 2019 Amanda Plott

This certainly isn’t the first time that I’ve stripped my enchiladas down into their pure and naked forms. The last time I stuck with a veggie and cheese enchilada, but this time I wanted to make one that was more Tex-Mex inspired with a bunch of cheese and ground beef to pair with the staple red enchilada sauce.

Trust me when I say that you won’t miss the tortilla in these enchiladas. They are every bit as tasty and full of Tex-Mex flavor as any other enchilada you’ll come across. Plus, one of my favorite parts about these enchiladas is that you can make them well ahead of time to have prepared and ready to toss in the oven for dinner at a moments notice….

Healthified Taco Salad

April 4, 2019 Amanda Plott

This is a quick and easy salad to toss together for a weeknight meal that everyone in the family can enjoy! Yes, even the little ones. All in all I would say that the meal takes just at 30 minutes to prepare and cook in it's entirety. That's it!

Taco salad is one of those great ways to enjoy all the flavors of a taco without quite so much guilt as you would have if you scarfed down 3-4 regular tacos - shell and all. I've kept this recipe light and yet still very filling and satisfying...