French Bread

June 15, 2020 Amanda Plott

I’ve been doing a lot of baking lately. Especially now that I got ALL NEW appliances in my kitchen finally! I’ve been waiting to do it for years and years now and I finally was able to do so. Between that, limiting trips to the store, and having my hands on a handy-dandy bread maker, I’ve been a bread making fool!

This French Bread is simple. It’s as standard as bread comes and is made with just a handful of pantry staple ingredients. Flour, oil, salt, sugar, yeast, that’s pretty much all there is to it. I have to say, even if you don’t have a bread machine, this bread is still pretty easy to make and will easily rival any fresh bakery bread…

Oatmeal Cream Pies

April 30, 2020 Amanda Plott

There’s something to be said about the state of things right now. On one hand, our world is in chaos, and on the other… we’re all being forced to slow down. To take time to enjoy the little things that we’ve all been far too busy to enjoy. Right now is a time for reflection, family, and… baking! There’s nothing that’s more comforting than a warm, fresh baked, homemade cookie. And one of my favorite cookie treats from my childhood was for sure Oatmeal Cream Pies.

These Oatmeal Cream Pies are made from scratch with some pantry and fridge staples. They’re straight forward and easy to make while also being delicious and made just a bit better-for-you with a few simple swaps…

Healthified Restaurant Style Salsa

April 28, 2020 Amanda Plott

This is an old one, but a good one. This Blender Salsa is tried and true and was one of the very first recipes that I ever posted here way back in 2013! It’s been a good long time since I made this salsa, and being as I managed to get my hands on a bunch of canned tomatoes… and a lot of us are surviving on pantry staples, I thought there was no better time than now to make this Healthified Restaurant Style Salsa again.

Originally I came up with this Healthified Restaurant Style Salsa for a family member who wanted one similar to what you’ll find at a chain restaurant that’s known for it’s peppery name…

Chickpea Tikka Masala

April 2, 2020 Amanda Plott

Let’s face it, we’re all suddenly a lot more influenced by a ‘beans and rice’ diet. Pantry cooking can be tricky, but it can also save time, money, and still be pretty damn healthy for you. This Chickpea Tikka Masala is a one pot dish that cooks up in just about 30 minutes. It’s gluten free, vegan, and vegetarian. Plus, like I said, one pan to cook it all means less mess to clean up in the end.

Chickpeas are a favorite among my family as it is. Seriously… there’s a few of us that would eat the things straight of the can if someone would let us. So, I try to use them as much as I can. And they work out really well in vegetarian dishes…

Strawberry Champagne Vinaigrette

February 1, 2020 Amanda Plott

With Valentine’s Day on the horizon, I thought it would be fun (and delicious) to make a pink salad dressing. Not just any dressing though, something lightened up and perfect as we come into the end of the cold winter months. Maybe using spring inspired flavors will inspire the warmer weather!

So what makes the dressing pink? Strawberries of course! Strawberries are the base of this vinaigrette, and to be honest, they’re the secret to this dressing as well. The large amount of strawberries used here is what keeps this vinaigrette lightened up and low in calories…

Air-Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Wings

January 15, 2020 Amanda Plott

Game day is getting closer and closer and I’m over here getting ready with some of my favorite kinds of food; game day bites! I am SO excited to share these Air-Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Wings. I have tried more than a few times in the past to make CRISPY buffalo cauliflower, but for one reason or another it has never, NOT ONCE, turned out well for me.

Finally, I’ve cracked the code with the use of a new handy dandy kitchen gadget called… the air-fryer! I never had any intention of having a fryer of any kind in my home, but then the air-fryer became a thing and well… that all changed…