My Great-Grandma's "Red Beans"

April 26, 2017 Amanda Plott

This is another oldie but goodie that I just had to rework the pictures for since they totally don't do these Red Beans justice anymore. Plus, I thought I'd add in the instructions for how to cook these old fashioned beans in the crock pot!

Today is bittersweet just like it was when I originally posted this recipe.. My grandma is heading home to Oregon soon after her extended stay of about a month. While she was staying here with me we got to talking with my mom about things that my great-grandmother use to cook for the family. I'm always looking for inspiration, and my family is one of the first places I go.

One of her most requested dishes was something she called 'red beans', but I should warn you... they aren't actually red beans (kidney beans) like one might think. They are pinto beans! I think she may have called them 'red beans' because they turn a sort of redish color after they cook all day long...

Naked Cheese & Spinach Enchiladas

April 21, 2017 Amanda Plott

It's getting hot in here. So take off all your clothes! Okay, well maybe not. But that's what the enchiladas in my house did. These enchiladas have no clothes on! Can you believe it? Tortilla-less enchiladas. Shame, shame! Naughty enchiladas. Actually, they aren't naughty at all! Some people call these 'zucchini boats' or stuffed zucchini, but I'm taking it a step further and just flat out calling them as they are. Naked.

Even though they are naked, they are ooey gooey cheesy and so very wonderful. I'm not mad at all that these guys are nude. The truth is, when I got my hands on some local zucchini and yellow squash this week, I knew this is exactly what I wanted to do with them with Cinco de Mayo just around the corner!...

Parmesan Pork Chop Sheet Pan Dinner (Sponsored)

April 17, 2017 Amanda Plott

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

I don't know about the rest of you, but my life is still in chaos with Easter now being over and the summer fast approaching. Sometimes all I can do is a quick throw-together dinner that's in, out and done. That's why lately, I've been really geared towards 'sheet pan' dinners. The idea of a sheet pan dinner is simple, you toss dinner onto a sheet pan and bake it in the oven until it's one. No fuss. No Mess. One pan dinner.

Now that's what I'm taking about.

This Parmesan Pork Chop Sheet Pan Dinner couldn't be any more easy to prepare (really you're just chopping up veggies here.) Nor could it be any quicker to cook with merely 30-45 minutes of bake time. It's absolutely perfect for those busy weeknights!...

Edamame & Avocado Power Sandwich

April 14, 2017 Amanda Plott

This post is sponsored by Soyfoods Association of North America in conjunction with Blog Meets Brand and I have been compensated for my participation. All opinions are my own.

Did y'all know that April is National Soy Foods Month? There's probably not a girl out there that love soy anymore than I do either. I could turn around and be a vegetarian tomorrow if I really wanted to. And trust me, I have threatened myself with doing that very thing. For over a year now, I've strived to create at LEAST one vegetarian family dinner a week. Though generally it turns into more like two or three dinners a week.

Eating meatless meals a few times a week can not only be better for you, it can also save you a lot of money at the grocery store. I'm talking... I can easily shave $50 off my weekly grocery bill for a small family of three...

Healthified BBQ Chicken Pizza

March 31, 2017 Amanda Plott

I don't know about you, but it's been a super busy week here for me! Somewhere between getting ready for my weekend trip out of town and my grandmother coming in, I managed to whip up this fabulous BBQ Chicken Pizza. Hey, a girls gotta eat too ya know! While I knew that this pizza was going to be delish, I didn't think it would be quite as amazing as it ended up being.

Basically this BBQ pizza is a great way to use up any leftover chicken that you might have. I happened to have some on hand from a night or two before and instantly knew what I wanted to do with it. Shred it, toss in some BBQ sauce and let the fun begin!...

Deli Snack Box

March 28, 2017 Amanda Plott

As if you couldn't tell, I'm a snacker, y'all. I love snacky little plates and boxes that give me a variety of things to enjoy so that I don't get bored with what I'm eating. Whether is actually a snack or a lighter meal is always debatable since we all need and want different things as snacks and meals. Me? I like BIG snacks or small meals. And this Deli Snack Box is just that!

So, I'm calling this a 'snack' box because it would really be good as a pre or post workout 'fill me up', but honestly it's nearly filling enough to take the place of a lighter on-the-go meal. It's somewhere between snack and meal, which is exactly where I wanted to be today...