Cowboy Mashed Potatoes Recipe

This unique and delicious side dish is perfect for weeknights, Sunday dinner, or any holiday! The mixture of veggies and cheese inside the mashed potatoes makes it so flavorful.


Cowboy Mashed Potatoes

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Crab and Mushroom Topped Baked Salmon Recipe

As much as I love fish and seafood, I don't cook it often at home and I'm not really sure why. With a recipe like this one, I should never have an excuse to not make salmon. It's delicious!

Last Wednesday, we had a big snowstorm and my step-mom decided to stay the night at my place instead of driving. I love that she was there to try this new recipe with me. She really liked that the salmon didn't taste fishy and loved the flavors in the topping! I love mushrooms and crab just as much as salmon, so the meal was a complete winner for me! It's fast enough to make during the week, and would also be great for Sunday dinner. Enjoy!

 

Crab and Mushroom Topped Baked Salmon
2 servings

What you need:
2 salmon fillets (skinless)
2 tablespoons olive oil plus additional for baking dish
4 ounces white mushrooms, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tablespoons flour
4 tablespoons mayo
1- 6 ounce can of crab, drained
4 green onions, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
salt and pepper

Directions:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Grease a glass baking dish with some olive oil.

In a skillet, heat 2 tablespoons olive oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Saute until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes. Add the flour, stir and cook for one minute. Then stir in the mayo, crab, green onions, parsley, salt and pepper. Remove from heat. 

Season the salmon fillets with some salt and pepper. Place salmon in the baking dish and top each salmon fillet with the crab and mushroom mixture. Bake for 25 minutes, or until salmon flakes easily with a fork. 

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On the blog... one year ago: Benne Wafers (Sesame Seed Cookies)

Two years ago: Blackberry Scones with Lime Glaze

Book Review: Stealing Jenny by Ellen Gable

Book Summary:
After three heartbreaking miscarriages, Tom and Jenny Callahan are happily anticipating the birth of their sixth child. A neighbor, however, is secretly hatching a sinister plot which will find Jenny and her unborn baby fighting for their lives. 

My thoughts:
I'm always a little hesitant to start a book I received as a kindle freebie. More times than not, they've been mediocre. That wasn't the case with this book. I was pleasantly surprised!

This story could be in the headlines of a local newspaper or crime tv show. Mentally unstable woman kidnaps pregnant woman to steal her baby. What the crazy lady doesn't know is that the pregnancy is high risk, and both mother and baby could die if they don't make it to the hospital in time. Talk about intense. The story goes between Jenny's family and how their coping, the crazy kidnapper's thoughts as well as what the mother, Jenny is going through.

This gripping novel has you turning the pages in anticipation to see what happens next. It's well written with good editing. It's labeled within the Christian Fiction genre, which isn't something I usually read, but it's easy to look past that aspect because the story has a great flow. I also liked the detail the author put into the kidnapping and what happened after. It made the story so much more real. So worth the read. I was not disappointed.

I rate this book 4 out of 5 stars.

Homemade Cherry Chip Muffins Recipe

Breakfast is so easy when you give these homemade Cherry Chip Muffins a try! Also great for the lunch box or snack and ready in less than 30 minutes! So light and fluffy with cherry chips in every bite!

Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Rice Skillet Recipe

This easy dinner idea is delicious and one you'll want to add to your menu plan! Ready in less than 30 minutes which makes it perfect for a simple and affordable weeknight meal!

Cheesy Ham and Broccoli Rice Skillet

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Glazed Carrots and Pineapple Recipe

How the heck is it the week of Easter already?? I haven't done any Easter basket shopping yet. This Mama better get busy! Luckily, I don't have to cook. We are going to brunch at my Dad and Step-Mom's house, which is always delicious! Can't wait to grub!

Today's recipe is a perfect Easter side! I've always loved my carrots with some sort of sweet glaze, and the pineapple adds that perfect sweet touch to this dish! It's also really quick to make, which is super convenient when you have lots of other things cooking for the holiday. Not much effort, but a delicious side! That's my kind of food!

 

Glazed Carrots and Pineapple (click here to print recipe)

What you need:
2 cups baby carrots
1- 20 ounce can pineapple chunks or tidbits
4 teaspoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1 tablespoon butter
black pepper

Directions:
Boil the carrots in a medium saucepan until crisp tender. Pour the carrots into a strainer and drain.

Combine a small amount of the pineapple juice from the can and the cornstarch until mixed well. Pour the rest of the pineapple juice into the saucepan. Add cinnamon, brown sugar, butter and black pepper. Bring to a boil, add the cornstarch mixture and cook and stir for 3 minutes or until thickened. Stir in the carrots and pineapple, heat through. 

Recipe adapted from: The Best of Country Cooking 2003

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On the blog... one year ago: Wild Rice Pancakes

Two years ago: Taco Dip

This recipe is shared at these blogs: Inside BruCrew Life, Kathe with an E, Table for Seven, Memories by the Mile, Feeding Big, Love Bakes Good Cakes, Living Better Together, The Best Blog Recipes, The Better Baker, The NY Melrose Family, 

Easter Giveaway for a Kitchen Aid Mixer Plus Great Easter Brunch Recipes!

With Easter right around the corner I asked some of my Bloggy friends to participate with me in a Giveaway for a Kitchen Aid Mixer! It's our way to say Thank You to all our awesome followers.

Meet our Bloggers!
Mary Ellen from That's My Home and Recipes, Food and Cooking
Linda from Food Storage Moms
Sarah from The Magical Slow Cooker
Rebecca from The Cookie Rookie
Lucy, Jamie and Kerry from Coffee with us 3
Jamie from Love Bakes Good Cakes
Sheena from Hot Eats and Cool Reads
Sandra from A Dash of Sanity
Becca from It's Yummi
Debbie from Kneaded Creations
Serena from Serena Bakes Simply From Scratch

Wanda Ann from Memories By the Mile
Be sure to visit the blogs above, this is a great group of Food Bloggers if you haven't met them before stop by their blogs and say hello!

Mixer color subject to availability. Giveaway is open from April 10th - 18th. U.S. residents only over 18 years of age. Terms and conditions are contained in the Rafflecopter lower section as indicated. Please enter today! The winner will be announced at 1 PM EST April 19th. Please check to see if you won. The winner will have 48 hours to contact us or we will pick another winner. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Come see what we're serving for Easter Brunch....

Oatmeal, Zucchini and Pecan Muffins Recipe

It finally feels like springtime here in Minnesota! The birds are outside chirping every morning, the snow is almost melted and over the weekend we had the highest temp since last October. We walked to the park and got some much needed fresh air! I love spring days! It's my favorite time of the year!

Today's recipe is for some Oatmeal, Zucchini and Pecan Muffins!! These muffins aren't too sweet, which I like and they taste SO good with some butter on top! Great for breakfast or an afternoon snack and even better with some coffee or tea!! Enjoy and have a fabulous week!!

 

Oatmeal, Zucchini and Pecan Muffins (click here to print recipe)
18 muffins (or 12 regular muffins, and 12 mini muffins)

What you need:
2 1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 cup oatmeal
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 1/2 cups sugar
2 cups shredded zucchini
4 eggs
3/4 cup oil
1/2 cup pecans, chopped

Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.

In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, oatmeal, cinnamon and sugar until well combined. In a separate bowl, beat together the zucchini, eggs and oil. Combine the wet and dry ingredients, and mix until moist. Stir in pecans. Scoop batter into paper lined muffin tins, filling 3/4 full. Bake for 25 minutes. (Bake the mini muffins for 20 minutes)

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On the blog... one year ago: Egg McMuffin Breakfast Casserole

Two years ago: Bacon and Apple Grilled Cheese

This recipe is shared at these blogs: Mandy's Recipe Box, Kathe with an E, Memories by the Mile, Table for Seven, Inside BruCrew Life, The Better Baker, Love Bakes Good Cakes, Living Better Together, The Best Blog Recipes, 

Ground Beef Dirty Rice Recipe

Are you a lover of soul food?? I sure am! There is a huge lack anything soul food here in central Minnesota, so I've been slowly learning to make some soul food recipes, hoping they turn out as authentic as possible!

I was browsing through "Come Home to Supper" the new cookbook from Southern Plate's Christy Jordan and came across her recipe for dirty rice. 

I happened to have all the ingredients on hand, and gave the recipe a try. It turned out wonderful!! The leftovers were even better than when it was freshly made and the seasoning measurements I used had the perfect amount of spiciness. This is something I will make again and again. 

I love food, but I also love essential oils! Check out my Young Living page here for everything oils!

 

Dirty Rice

What you need:

1 tablespoon bacon grease or olive oil

1 pound ground beef

1 rib celery, sliced

1/2 bell pepper, diced

2 tablespoons garlic, minced

1 small onion, diced

4 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped

2 tablespoons creole seasoning

5 cups cooked rice

Directions:

Heat the bacon grease or oil in a large skillet. Add the ground beef, celery, bell pepper, garlic, and onion and cook, crumbling the ground beef while stirring until ground beef is cooked through and vegetables are tender. Add the parsley and creole seasoning, stirring to combine. Then add the cooked rice, stir and saute for 5 minutes until heated through. 

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On the blog... one year ago: Book Review Heads in Beds by Jacob Tomsky

Two years ago: Creamy Pineapple Pudding 

This recipe was featured at: Table for Seven

This recipe is shared at these blogs: Living Better Together, Love Bakes Good Cakes, The Better Baker, Mandy's Recipe Box, Kathe with an E, Memories by the Mile, Table for Seven, Inside BruCrew Life,