SMASHED Potatoes

So I have been talking about them long enough, here is a super awesome easy side if you need something easy and cheap. I call 'em SMASHED potatoes. When I told Hubby, he got so excited (I promise you he acts 6 or 12 half the time, depends on the day) because he got to smash something. This is a fun dish to do with little ones (or those who act like little ones at heart) or even after your have had a stressful day. What you do in your own home is your own business, I don't need to see and I won't judge, lol.

Alright here is what you are going to need:
Red Potatoes, about 1-2 per person. Maybe 3 if you are really hungry.
Olive Oil
Salt and Pepper
Any bake potato fixings you like.
Set your oven to 350

So start off boiling your potatoes. You do not want them over done to where you can mash them, but you want them done enough to where you can slide a knife or fork in and out of it easily.

As always, drizzle your pan with a little olive oil

Easiness of moving the fork in and out of the potatoe

So once your potatoes tender, then place them on your oiled up pan. You don't want them cramped and right next to each other. It's ok to give them a little breathin' room, trust me they will appreciate it in the long run.

I Crush, I mean SMASH, you!

 Now here is the fun part! Take your potato masher and SMASH them once in each direction. You want them to crack open for you and succumb to your power of the SMASH. (Can you tell we had fun making this side?)

 Next drizzle a little olive oil over your newly smashed potatoes.

 Now add some salt, pepper, maybe some chopped green onion. Don't add cheese if you want to do that yet. After you have seasoned to your hearts desire, go ahead and place your Smashed beauties into the oven at 350 for about 10-12 minutes. You just want them to firm/crisp up a little, so don't go crazy.

So after they are done you can add your other fixings to them. Hubby hates sour cream so we usually don't buy it (I know he is weird). If you want to add some cheese and you want it a little melted. Take out your potatoes about 3 minutes early and put it on them and put back for the remaining time. Well as always Live, Laugh, Love!!!

Yummy Spaghetti Carbonara

Ok before you run for the hills because you think Spaghetti Carbonara is to difficult and you should only eat it when you go eat out. Trust me it's not. It's a very very very simple pasta dish. A true Carbonara is just pasta, bacon, eggs, and cheese. There are some variations here and there, you will see a slight variation or two in mine also. It's quick, simple, and Del-i-cious!

Before we get started, just to let you know a few things. As always I tell you to make this recipe your own. I had to improvise what I normally use. In the ingredient list I will tell you I use peas, but last night, where I thought we had peas, alas we apparently ate them all. So we substituted spinach with it. Last time I made this dish I had pork chops on the side, but Hubby requested chicken in the dish. Just another great example of making this dish your own!

Ok your grocery list:

• Spaghetti
• 2 Eggs
• Parmesan
• Bacon (sliced or cubed)
• Peas
• Olive Oil

See simple so far right? Ok start with cooking your spaghetti. Now while you have your water boiling and the pasta is cooking, start on the bacon.

Boiling the spaghetti

Before we go on, just to let you know I LOVE bacon. Can't get enough of it. And before you ask, yes I have tried chocolate covered bacon. It was ok, the place we got it from served us more a sliver of bacon drowned in chocolate. Maybe again, but I am not going to rush to be the first in line. But Bacon for breakfast, ahh it's heaven. lol.

So get your bacon, I used about 6-8 half strips. Took the stack and make sliced is and started cooking it in a large sauce pan. Yes a large sauce pan, use the biggest one you have. Your dish will start and end here, so get a biggin'.

Yummy, yummy, yummy bacon

For us after the bacon was close, then we added the chopped chicken. ( We made a whole chicken over the weekend, so e just used cooked chicken meat. If you are using raw, then add it in with the bacon in the beginning)

Bacon with the chicken

Then after the bacon is cooked, we added our spinach. For you add the peas. Just use your imagination and pretend that my chopped spinach is peas. As that sautes, put it on low heat and check on your pasta. If your pasta is done, drain it, and reserve about half a cup of pasta water. Then add the pasta to the pan. Let it soak up all that bacon flavor, yummmmm.

*Jedi Wave* This dish has peas in it

As that is mixed up, in a separate bowl, add 1/2 cup to 1 cup of Parmesan and mix thoroughly with 2 eggs. Make sure that there are no lumps. Once it is mixed up, add it to the pasta in the pan.

Get rid of all the clumps

Adding the two eggs

This should be your final result

Mix it all together! *Note: I accidentally made to much pasta* Now remember, keep it on low and you don't want to cook for too long. Just a few minutes, because you don't want the cheese and egg to become Ala scramble cheese eggs amongst the pasta. If you think it is stiff, then add a little pasta water, little by little, to loosen it up.

YUMMMYYYYY!

Voila! Multi Bene! You have yourself a simple quick pasta dish, all under thirty minutes! Now sprinkle some more parm, get a glass of vino, and let the special person/family/friend tell you how much of an amazing cook you are. Live, Laugh, and Love! Enjoy!

Quick Easy Green Bean Fries

So I have been on this healthy kick lately, trying to watch my portions and what not. Hubby and I already eat pretty healthy but I have been focusing on working out and eating portions. So I thought of this dish my mom makes every now and it's delicious! I call it green bean fries. It's quick and they come out crisp like a french fry. I make these for little ones I watch every now and then and for parties, and everyone eats them up!

So it is simple. Go to your store and get some fresh stem green beans. About one handful of green beans is enough for one serving for one person. After you wash them go ahead and snap the ends off. Just the tips. Why you may ask, I have no clue, I always did this with my mom and I have always done it since. After you have done this go set your oven to broil, if possible do low broil.

Next take some olive oil and drizzle and spread on a cookie sheet. Then spread out your green beans on this pan and lightly drizzle olive oil over the green beans. Also sprinkle with salt, pepper, and maybe some garlic powder if you wish (I always do!)

With your hands mix up the green beans with the oil and spices that you picked. Once it is all mixed up place it closest to the flame. NOTE: this dish will cook very quickly, so don't just put it in and walk away. This dish should not take more than 12 minutes to cook, and I have had it done in 8 minutes.

The green beans all mixed up

Your green beans should be done in 8-10 minutes. They should be kind of crisp to the bite, just be careful because you do not want it to burn. Let it cool for a couple of minutes and you have your self a great healthy side dish. If you want to do burgers but don't want to temp yourself with potatoes, this is a great option! Enjoy and Live, Laugh, Love!!

I love me some Sausage and Peppers

So with Hubby still in California, I needed a little pick me up and I also wanted to make something that I could eat left overs for a little while. I knew it! Sausage and Bell Peppers, it is my favorite Italian Comfort meal from my childhood. I kid you not, every weekend I came home from college (which was about once a month) I begged my mom to make it for me at least once.

The great thing about this dish is it is quick and easy to make and has loads of vegetables in it, so it's pretty healthy depending on your meat to veggie ratio. Also the great thing about this dish is you can make it what you want.

Let's get started. Here is what you need to get

-2-3 Bell Peppers, colored ones are great, but the green ones do just fine
-1 medium yellow onion
-garlic, lots of garlic
- Italian Sausage, I like the raw or cased stuff(just take the meat and crumple out of the casing, but you can also used smoked. It cooks a little faster but both are great.
- A base for your mixture to go over, Rice is a great choice, we also use orzo. Some kind of small grain is great and Rice is cheap so it works great.
- Mushrooms are optional, Hubby loves mushrooms in his.
- Olive Oil

My supplies

So first step is to get your base started cooking. So start to prep your rice, I decided to use tortellini for this meal. Helpful tip, when you are boiling Tortellini or Ravioli when it floats to the top, it is almost or already ready.

My spinach Tortellini

Now put a little olive oil in your pan and let it heat up. Then dice or slice your onion. You can make it as chunky or diced as you want. My mother prefers larger chunks, Hubby likes to dice it, Me I like it right down the middle of the two extremes. Then also dice your garlic cloves and saute them together. Saute is not an art form, it is just a fancy word for grill in a sauce pan and let it brown and just keep stirring. Don't be afraid of big or fancy terms. It's going to be delicious and you won't die.

 Now here is the trick. Once your onion starts to soften then add your chopped bell pepper and mushrooms. I recommend chopping the pepper the same size of the onion. But this is your dish, make it how you want!

 Now saute this all together. You are going to start looking for the onion to caramelize(lightly browned and will sweeten up). Also a small note, it is ok to add a little bit more olive oil here and there if you noticed it is sticking to the pan. Once you notice the bell pepper softening and the onion caramelize, then you add the sausage. Now I am going to tell you a secret of mine. I love me some sausage, I might even have a secret love affair with it. It's delicious and amazing, I just feel bad for all my friends who keep kosher. I love me some pig! hehe

This is the kind of sausage you want to buy, especially on a budget. Now you can get the raw stuff in casing but then you have to take it out of the casing and its more expensive. I still use it, but only when I am looking for a certain kind. Smoked kind is also great. My mom prefers that. Take your sausage and either slice for the smoked or crumble it into chunks if you get the Italian stuff. Italian's, what can I say know their sausage ;)

Now when you sausage is done and cooked through then everything else should be done also. Don't forget to season you dish with a little rosemary, garlic powder, basil, more garlic powder, or what ever you prefer! Drain your pasta or butter up your rice and just serve the sausage and peppers over your base.

I love mine with a little Parm on top!

And there you go, it's quick, simple, and delicious and if you count your bowl, you really only dirtied three dishes. I hope you enjoy and don't forget to comment and let me know if you have questions! Live, Laugh, Love!

<3 Stephanie