Cooking Basic

For any french fry lover out there this is a must try! These wedges are sweet with a zing of spice. This recipe serves four but can easily be adjusted for any number of guests.

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 Pounds (2-3 medium) sweet potatoes
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 Teaspoon chili powder
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Cut each potato lengthwise into 8 wedges; halve long wedges crosswise. On a large rimmed baking sheet line with wax or parchment paper, toss potatoes with oil, sugar, chili powder, 1 teaspoon coarse salt and 1/4 teaspoon ground pepper, until coated. Arrange wedges, cut side down.

Roast potatoes until browned and tender, 15-20 minutes. Season with additional salt if desired and serve.

This is probably one of the easiest and deliciously fast dips ever! It only requires 2 ingredients and about 2 minutes of your time. My friend Vanessa gave me this recipe. It’s best served with any raw veggie or potato chips.

Ingredients

• 16 Ounces sour cream
• 1 packet of Hidden Valley Ranch Salad Dressing mix

Directions

Gently stir together the ranch mix and the sour cream. It’s as easy as that!

So what do you do when you have left-over spaghetti from the night before? You make spaghetti sandwiches! Yeow!

Ingredients

• Any amount of left over spaghetti with sauce
• 4 Slices of bread
• Mozzarella cheese (Sliced or shredded-your pick)
• Butter
• Garlic Salt

Directions

First pre-heat your oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter each slice of bread on one side. Sprinkle on garlic salt to buttered side of bread. If you are a garlic person put on a few extra dashes. Bake bread for 10 minutes buttered side up on a cookie sheet. Meanwhile heat up the left-over spaghetti and sauce till warm to touch. Once the garliced slices of bread are ready, remove them from the oven.  Flip them buttered sides down and spread on a thin layer of spaghetti sauce. Next top with spaghetti and chesse. Finish sandwich with the other slice of bread. Bake for 20 minutes or until top is light brown and cheese is melted. Cool and enjoy!

This recipe is a great spin on the all-time favorite grilled cheese. I found this recipe in Sunset magazine.

Ingredients

• 2 Slices multi-grain bread
• 1 Tsp. Grey Poupon Mustard
• 6 Slices shaved chicken breast
• 2 Tomato slices-thinly cut
• 1 Slice of cheddar cheese
• 2 Tsp. butter, softened

Directions

Spread 1 of the bread slices with mustard; top with chicken, tomatoes and cheese. Cover with remaining bread slice. Spread outside of sandwhich with butter. Cook in a skillet on medium heat for 3 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Cool slighty, cut in half and enjoy!

Impromptu deserts can be the best.  This recipe came from two people who love to watch Food Network…yes one of them is me. This is the perfect, simple, cheap and fancy treat.

Ingredients

• 15 Ounce can of Bartlett pears in heavy syrup
• 1/2 Cup frozen red raspberries
• 6 Scoops French Vanilla Ice Cream
• Cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon of sugar

Directions

Start by heating the pears in a pot over medium-low heat. Add 1/4 teaspoon of sugar and stir until warm. Meanwhile heat the 1/2 cup of frozen red raspberries over medium heat in a sauce pan. Add 1/4 teaspoon of sugar and stir until warm and most of the raspberries have broken down to a sauce. Once the pears and raspberries are ready scoop 3 scoops of ice cream per serving. Add two pear halves, top with red raspberries and sprinkle cinnamon over each dish. Serves two.

This is a very easy treat to make. The Popsicle sticks can be found at many local grocery or craft stores. Hope you enjoy this sweet and salty dessert!

Ingredients

• 8 Ounces semisweet chocolate chips
• 6 Popsicle sticks
• 2 Bananas, peeled and cut crosswise into thirds
• 1/4 Cup coarsely chopped salted peanuts

Directions

Place chocolate in a heatproof bowl set over (not in) a pan of gently simmering water. Stir until melted. Line  a baking sheet with waxed paper. Insert a popsicle stick in one end of each banana piece. Dip banana, one piece at a time, in chocolate, spooning on additional chocolate to cover.

Sprinkle each banana with peanuts and set on baking sheet lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate until chocolate is firm, 20 minutes, or up to 3 days.

These vegetable fajitas are not only fast to make but light on the budget. I often use yellow peppers as well depending on what is fresh at the grocery store. A friend turned me on to Sam The Cooking Guy for this recipe. I look forward to trying some of his other recipes in the future and sharing them with you.

Ingredients

• 1 Green pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 Red pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 Zucchini, thinly sliced
• 1/2 Large red onion, thinly sliced
• 1/2 Teaspoon each cumin, garlic powder, oregano & cayenne
• Sour cream
• Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
• 2 Tablespoons olive oil
• Tortillas

Directions

Heat olive oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add both peppers and saute for 5 minutes until they begin to soften, next add onion and continue for another 5 minutes making sure to mix well. Then add zucchini, saute all for around 2 minutes, then add 3 tablespoons water and cover pan with a lid for 2 minutes. You want everything soft. Remove lid, add herbs and mix well. Turn down heat, and warm your tortillas. Place a little sour cream, some vegetables and a little cheese in each cooked tortilla and roll up.

This is the easiest sauce I know how to make and it dresses up the already fancy filet mignon. If you are in the Phoenix area I suggest checking out the bacon wrapped filet mignon found at your local Fry’s grocery store.

Ingredients

• 1 Cup of red wine
• 2 Tablespoons cold cut-up butter

Directions

Place 1 cup red wine in a small saucepan; boil until reduced to 1/4, 8-10 minutes. remove from heat; add 2 tablespoons cold cut-up butter, and swirl pan until butter is melted and sauce is thickened, about 1 minute. Drizzle over filet mignon or beef cut of your choice.

I typically serve this dish with steak but it can also be used for fajitas, topped on chicken or just a side dish on it’s own. I love making this dish because it not only uses fresh ingredients but it is extremely easy and basic.

Ingredients

• 2 Bell peppers, red, yellow or both
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1/2 Small red onion, diced
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

Remove seeds and ribs from peppers; cut lengthwise into strips and halve crosswise.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add bell peppers and onion; season with salt and pepper as desired. Cook, stirring occasionally, until peppers are just tender, about 10 minutes.

This great recipe serves two but can easily be adjusted to serve more. I love making this dish and serving it with a filet mignon or steak of your choice.

Ingredients

• 3 Plum tomatoes, halved lengthwise
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 1 Teaspoon fresh thyme leaves or 1/4 teaspoon dried
• Coarse salt and ground pepper

Directions

Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place tomatoes on a rimmed baking sheet, cut side up. Drizzle with oil, and sprinkle with thyme leaves.; season with salt and pepper as desired.

Roast until tomatoes begin to collapse, about 90 minutes.