Breakfast Tostadas

September 18, 2017 Amanda Plott

Good morning, beautiful.

This is another oldie but goodie that I decided needed to get a bit of an update. The pictures were old and out of date and my cooking style has changed tremendously. It's the process of the ever evolving home cook.

Originally when I made these tostadas, my grandmother is visiting me from Oregon coast. She usually comes down once a year for a good 4-6 weeks to indulge in the Texas heat. What can I say? She's a born and raised Texan that is now denied the sun except for a single week out of the year when a few rays manage to peek through the ever looming clouds in the sky there on the Oregon coast.

Don't get me wrong. I love Oregon. And further more... I love rain.

At any rate, one of my grandmother's favorite things to eat are tostadas...

Southwest Dinner Salad

August 24, 2017 Amanda Plott

Thank you Farm Rich for sponsoring this post. All thoughts are my own. Visit your local grocery store to pick up NEW Farm Rich snacks and your family favorites!

I can hardly believe that yesterday was the first day of my daughter going to second grade! Time just flies these days, even more so when it's time for back-to-school. It's a chaotic and unforgiving time of the year for any parent. That's why I'm all about simple meal solutions right now. And with it still hovering around 100 degrees F. here in Austin Texas right now, you know I'm opting for a nice big, cool, crunchy, veggie loaded salad.

This Southwest Dinner salad is no joke. It's big. It's hearty. And it's loaded up with plenty of goodness. It's really so sooo good...

Vegan Lentil Taco Salad Bowls

August 11, 2017 Amanda Plott

A couple of weekends ago we went to the local water park for some fun in the sun. And while there we all got hungry and one of the options that I saw floating around the park was a taco salad. I'm not about to lie. It looked like heaven in a tortilla shell, but I know all too well that most salads out there pack just as much (if not more) calories and junk in them than the other options on the menu.

That being said, it really put me in the mood for a good taco salad. But, I wanted to do it my way...

Healthy 7 Layer Fourth of July Dip

July 2, 2017 Amanda Plott

It's the fourth of July weekend! While I'm spending it rather lazily at home as I recuperate from a few weeks of busy, busy, busy - I'm still finding the time to have fun and be festive! With an impromptu visit from my brother, I decided to toss together a quick 'snacky' meal that we could all graze on throughout the day at our leisure.

Naturally, my first inclination was a 7 layer dip. I think that's because it's one of those things that has something it in that everyone likes! It's one perfect montage or mashup of everything I love. Plus, it's perfectly light and cool for a hot summer day. And of course, since it's around the 4th of July, you just know I had to arrange this dip into the shape of the American flag to be all the more cute and festive!...

Mexican Street Corn Pasta Salad

May 11, 2017 Amanda Plott

It never fails. Whenever it starts to get warmer out, I start to think of pasta salad. I guess that's because it's the perfect sort of weather for picnics and backyard BBQs. Today is no different. The weather here in Austin Texas has been absolutely beautiful for the past couple of weeks. It's nice and cool in the mornings and evenings and the middle of the day is pleasantly warm.

When I got some fresh local corn, mayonnaise, queso fresco, and cilantro this past week, I knew exactly what I wanted to do with it; Mexican Street Corn. Not just that though, I wanted to turn it into a pasta salad that could be hearty enough for a meal and light enough still to also be used as a side dish...

Protein Packed Migas

May 5, 2017 Amanda Plott

Happy Cinco De Mayo! As per the usual, I'm more than excited about Cinco De Mayo. Why? Because Mexican food and Tex-Mex are my all time favorites. I could seriously eat Mexican all day every day for the rest of my days and be completely fine and happy with it. Honestly though, I've never really ordered Migas from anywhere before. So, this was definitely a journey for me today.

I've heard a lot about Migas and how good it is, and I'm not really sure why I never got it. I guess because my visits to Mexican style restaurants is reserved for dinner time usually. Either way, I got my hot little hands on some local organic eggs, cheese, and tortilla chips this week. What could be more perfect to make Migas with that all that?...