turkey tacos for dummies

i love to cook and bake (especially bake...), but sometimes, after a long work day, it's hard to find enjoyment in spending two more hours cooking and cleaning in the kitchen.  i've been trying to find recipes that require minimal time in the kitchen while still making home-made and healthy meals.

 

today, i would like to share one of my favorite week day meals with you.

tadaaa!!!!!

 

black bean turkey tacos

one pound of ground turkey breast

olive oil

taco seasoning

one yellow onion

two bell peppers (i used red, but yellow or orange are yummy options as well!)

one can of black beans

[one] gather your ingredients

(always a bub-hub required first step)

[two] chop and dice your onion and peppers

[three] in a skillet, heat a small amount of olive oil in the pan, about a tablespoon or so.  when the oil is hot, add your onion and peppers, and cook for about 5 minutes.  next, add in the turkey meat and generously sprinkle with taco seasoning.  once the meat is cooked through, you can stir in the black beans.  keep stirring until everything is warmed through.

[four] get your toppings ready! i like to add guacamole and lots of salsa to mine.  right now, our favorite salsa is the central market "green chile salsa roja".

a.k.a. the bomb[dot]com.

[five] assemble your tacos! you can use tortillas, taco shells, or use lettuce to make taco salad.

[six] fill your tummy and clean your plate! :)

this is super easy to make and is one of our go-to meals. we probably have some variety of this once a week. it is full of lean protein and nutritious veggies and it's easy to change it up so there's no risk of burn out! it also freezes really well, so it's great to make a big batch, and split it up for a quick dinner during a busy work week.

 

enjoy! :)

 

 

christmas in july

i'm on a christmas kick.

for some reason,

95% of my pins from the last week revolve around christmas.

my bad.

i think 100degree weather and high humidity have me dreaming of cooler temperatures and santa's reindeer...153 days till christmas! :)

o. and most of these are sweets too.

my bad again.

these are so cute!

i'm a huge fan of peppermint, marshmallows and hot chocolate,

so i'm pretty sure me and these marshmallow stirring sticks are destined to be besties.

Source: bridgeywidgey.com via Sarah Grace on Pinterest

i'm not really sure if i'd be able to eat a cookie a cute as one of these,

but i probably would.

Source: bhg.com via Sarah Grace on Pinterest

peppermint whoopie pies anyone?

yes please! :)

mine probably wouldn't turn out quite as cute as these,

but i'm told treats that look "homemade" are charming.

Source: bhg.com via Sarah Grace on Pinterest

is it wrong that i don't have children and i still want to do this?

don't make fun,

but i still leave cookies for santa and carrots for his reindeer.

i feel terrible that i never thought about the elves.

i've got years of making up to do.

Source: unconfidentialcook.com via Sarah Grace on Pinterest

i've always wanted to make canned gifts,

and i think this might be my year.

peppermint stick hot chocolate in a cute jar.

yes please!

Source: myrecipes.com via Sarah Grace on Pinterest

i love advent calendars, and i love how interactive these are.

i've seen a few versions of these floating around on the internet,

but i love the scrapped look of this one.

Source: kimberlypetersen.typepad.com via Sarah Grace on Pinterest

am i the only one who is already excited for christmas?

i see many trips to hobby lobby in my near future!

sorry in advance, bub-hub! :)

linking up with michelle over at the vintage apple!

yummy roasted red potatoes

last week, a sweet lady at work brought in fresh rosemary she clipped from her garden, and i knew i had to use it! 

growing up, my mom had an herb garden in our backyard.

she had all sorts of fun plants and herbs growing, but one of my favorites was rosemary.

i think it was one of my favorites because she used it a lot in different recipes like focaccia bread or roasted potatoes. plus, being able to run out to the backyard and snip something from the garden makes it a little more special.

this recipe for roasted red potatoes is definitely a crowd pleaser. 

what you need:

2 small red potatoes per person

olive oil

fresh rosemary

salt and pepper

first, preheat the oven to 475degrees. (it drives the bub-hub nuts when i forget to preheat the oven...oops!)

second, wash and chop the potatoes.  

there's no need to peel the skins, just scrub the dirt off and cut out all of the bad sections. chop them pretty thin, and in small chunks. the thicker the chunks, the longer they will need to spend in the oven. once they are chopped, place in a baking dish or casserole pan.

third, drizzle a light layer of olive oil over the potatoes. it doesn't take much, there shouldn't been any puddles in the bottom of your pan. strip the rosemary from the stems and sprinkle on top.  add salt and pepper to taste.  toss everything together and spread the potatoes evenly in the pan.

fourth, stick them in the oven and bake for about 45 minutes. take them out every fifteen minutes or so and stir them around and scrape them off the bottom of the pan.  they should start to shrink up and turn brown around the edges. depending on how big your batch of potatoes is, the time may be shorter or longer. helpful right??

fifth, pull 'em out and eat 'em up!

enjoy! :)

we had these tonight along with some salad with balsamic vinaigrette and garlic & brown-sugar baked chicken.
perfect dinner for the bachelorette season finale! :)

p.s. i updated my blog header and finally have a blog button! :)

what do you think??

crowd pleasin' cherry cobbler

confession:

i have a gigantic sweet tooth.

it's quite the problem.

one of my fantastic college roomies was the ultimate baking queen.

i remember coming home from class and finding her in the kitchen, apron on, baking away.  the house always smelled amazing.

when she went on a cobbler kick, i took notes, and i'm so glad i did!

this is a super easy to throw together,

and a perfect dinner party crowd pleaser.

what you need:

1 box of Yellow Cake Mix

2 cans of Fruit Filling

1 stick of butter

pie dish, 9x13 pan...whatever you have in your cabinet

preheat your oven to 350degrees.

find a pie dish or 9x13 pan and pour your two cans of filling into the bottom.

 

cover the fruit filling with a thick layer of yellow cake mix. it should be about 3/4 inch thich, so depending on the size of your pan and your crust-loving preferences, you may or may not use the whole box.

melt the stick of butter in the microwave and drizzle over the top of the cake mix. 

bake for 25 minutes at 350degrees, or until bubbly and golden brown.

serve with a scoop (or 2) of ice cream.

eat and enjoy! :)

[and then go back for seconds]

told you it was easy.

xoxoxo,

sarah grace