Cajun Sweet Potato Fries with BBQ Fry Sauce

Cajun Sweet Potato Fries
1 bag of frozen sweet potato fries
Rosemary olive oil
Creole seasoning (I use Tony Chachere's)

1. Preheat oven according to sweet potato bag instructions.
2. Line baking sheet with aluminum foil.
3. Spread out sweet potato fries in a single layer on baking sheet.
4. Drizzle rosemary olive oil on top of fries.
5. Sprinkle creole seasoning on top of fries.
6. Bake in oven according to package directions.
7. Take sweet potato fries out of oven halfway through baking time and flip.
8. You can add more seasoning at the time if desired.
9. Put fries back in oven and cook for remainder of cooking time.

Serve with BBQ fry sauce

BBQ Fry sauce

Homemade avocado mayo (Recipe below)
Sweet Baby Ray's BBQ sauce

1. Mix BBQ sauce with homemade mayo.  The proportion should be somewhere between 30-50% BBQ sauce.  Depends on your preferences.

Avocado Mayo
1 large egg yolk
1 T. water
1 T. lemon juice
1 tsp. honey dijon mustard
1 scant cup avocado oil (too much oil will make the emulsion break and not get thick)
kosher salt and pepper to taste

1.  Combine all ingredients and whip with an immersion blender.

HERE IS A VIDEO to show you how to mix it if you are nervous :)

Southwestern Quinoa Chicken Bowl

This is a yummy, easy, healthy, hodge podge mixture of food that is Dee-lish! This was the first time that Garrett ever tried Quinoa and he loved it! It's super good for you too. It is one of the few grains (maybe the only one?) that gives you all the essential amino acids of a protein like meat does! If it was truly "Southwestern" I probably should have thrown some beans in the mix but I don't like beans so sue me haha!

Southwestern Quinoa Chicken Bowl (Recipe from: Elizabeth Weight)

Quinoa (Cooked according to package directions. I cooked mine in chicken broth)

Chicken breasts, chopped (1 breast per person, season with Creole or Cajun seasoning)

Creamy Cilantro Dressing

Optional Mix-ins:

Tomatoes

Corn

Avocados

Beans

1. Cook Quinoa according to package directions but use chicken broth instead of water. (1/2 cup dry quinoa usually serves 2 people when its cooked)
2. Season and chop chicken into bite size pieces. Cook chicken breasts in pan or George Foreman grill.
3. Mix quinoa with desired add-in's and pour some creamy cilantro dressing on top.

Turkey Burger

One of my fav's because it's a burger but you don't feel guilty after you eat it!

Turkey Burgers (Recipe from: Elizabeth Weight)

1 lb. ground turkey

1/2 cup mango salsa (I think I actually used peach/pineapple this time because I couldn't find mango)

3/4 cup breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese (the dry kind you shake on pasta)

1/2 cup cilantro, finely chopped

1 egg

2 tsp. cajun seasoning

Frank's red hot sauce, dash (optional)

1/2 tsp. salt

1 tsp. lime juice

1/4 tsp. garlic powder

Pitas or Sandwich thins

Optional Toppings:

Baby spinach

Carrots, grated

Onions, sliced and sautéed in butter

Tomatoes, sliced or chopped

Avocados, sliced or mashed

Mustard

Spicy Mayo (Mayo mixed with hot sauce and lime juice)

1. Combine turkey, salsa, egg, bread crumbs, cilantro, lime juice, salt, garlic powder and Cajun seasoning in a bowl. Mix well
2. Form turkey into patties.
3. Then, prepare desired toppings. Grate carrots, chop tomatoes an avocados. Slice onions and saute them in some butter until golden brown.
4. Cook patties over medium heat until cooked through.
5. Assemble burgers with desired toppings on sandwich thin or in a pita.

Pasta Rosa

This is one of my favs! It's inspired from a dish from Carrabba's. It has a yummy creamy tomato sauce and fresh vegetables mixed in. In the recipe I say just "eyeball" it for the garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper because I make my own seasoning mix of that combo so I don't measure it out I just sprinkle some on, sorry I can't be more specific!

Pasta Rosa (Recipe from: Elizabeth Weight)

1 box bowtie pasta

1 jar pasta sauce (your favorite; I like Prego Roasted Garlic & Herb)

1 cup heavy whipping cream

1/2 tsp. salt

2 chicken breasts, cut into bite size pieces

1 bunch broccoli, cut into small florets

1 T. olive oil

1/2 bag frozen peas

1 tsp. dried basil

1 tsp. dried oregano

1. Cook pasta according to package directions. After the pasta is done cooking (because I use the same pot). Drain the pasta in a colander then heat the tomato sauce over low heat with 1 cup heavy whipping cream and 1/2 tsp. salt in the pot. Make sure to mix it.
2. Meanwhile, chop broccoli and chicken into bite size pieces.
3. Season chicken with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper (just eyeball it).
4. Either saute or "George Foreman" your chicken to cook it.
5. Pour 1 T. olive oil into large frying pan.
6. Saute broccoli over medium heat until it starts to brown a little bit.
7. Then, add about 1 cup water (or enough to just cover the bottom of the pan). Season broccoli with garlic powder, onion powder, salt and pepper (just eyeball it). Then sprinkle 1 tsp. dried basil and 1 tsp. oregano. Cover and reduce heat to medium low. Stir occasionally.
8. Cook broccoli for 5 minutes then add peas and cook for an additional 2 minutes, covered. Stir occasionally. When done, drain remaining water.
9. In the same bowl, combine the cooked pasta, chicken chunks, vegetables and creamy tomato sauce and mix it all together.

Cranberry Orange Rolls

These are the yummiest rolls ever. My sister in law Elizabeth makes them each Christmas and they make my mouth water just thinking about them. You can make them cinnamon roll style or crescent style.

*Give yourself about 2.5 hours from start to finish*

Cranberry-Orange Rolls (Recipe from Elizabeth Weight)

Rolls
2 tablespoons dry yeast
1 tablespoon sugar
½ cup warm water
1 1/3 cup scalded milk
1/3-1/2 cup shortening
2 ½ teaspoons salt
¼ cup sugar
2 eggs, slightly beaten
4-6 cups unsifted bread flour (I usually use about 5)

Filling
¼ cup softened butter
½ cup sugar
Juice of one orange
Zest of one orange
1/3 cup fresh cranberries

Icing2 cups powdered sugar
Juice of one orange
Zest of one orange
Dash of salt

1. To make rolls, dissolve yeast and 1 tablespoon sugar in ½ cup warm water.
2. Scald milk and add shortening to it while hot, then cool the mixture. Once the mixture has cooled, add it and add the remaining ingredients to the yeast mixture.
3.  Mix well until dough develops a slight sheen (dough should be pliable and fairly soft). The dough should form a ball so if you need to add more flour do so in small increments. I use a kitchenaid mixer on speed 4 and knead (using the kneading attachment) the ingredients for about 2 minutes. The dough ball should not be too sticky and should have a slight sheen to it. The dough will still stick to the bottom of the bowl and if you poke it with your finger it will pull apart from the dough but wont totally stick to your finger.  You may have some dough residue on your finger though.  Cover and let dough rise until it doubles.
4. While dough is rising, prepare the filling. Combine all ingredients in a food processor and pulse until the cranberries are chopped but not pureed.
5. Divide dough in half. Take one half and roll the dough out on a floured surface into a circle and coat the surface with the cranberry filling. Then cut dough into 16 equal sections, like a pie. Roll up each triangular section, starting at the wide ends to make crescents.
6. Place rolls on two generously greased cookie sheets, and cover. Allow to rise until dough looks puffy and light (about 30 min).
7. Bake for 12 minutes at 400 degrees. While they are baking, prepare the icing.
8. Mix together powdered sugar, juice, zest, and a dash of salt. Generously drizzle icing over rolls as soon as they are removed from the oven or just before serving.

Steak Fajitas

Steak Fajitas (Recipe from: Elizabeth Weight)
Steak (Your choice; I like to use a thin cut of NY strip steak because its tender but it's more expensive; flank steak would be good too)
Seasoning for Steak: chili powder, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, pepper, cumin, cayenne pepper
1 Onion
1 Red Bell Pepper
1 T. vegetable oil
Handful of Cilantro
1-2 limes (if they are big limes you probably only want one)
Tortillas
Toppings (tomatoes, sour cream, cheese, etc.)

1. Season steak with generous amounts of freshly ground salt & pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, cumin, chili powder and cayenne pepper (easy on the cayenne pepper and chili powder unless you like spicy!).
2. Cook steak until desired doneness. (I usually cook the steak whole then slice it into strips once it is cooked)
3. Slice onion and pepper. I like to season my onions and peppers with some salt, pepper, garlic and onion powder too. Sauté onion and pepper in vegetable oil until onions are lightly golden brown.
4. Chop about a handful of cilantro.
5. Combine steak, onion, and red pepper in a serving dish. Juice 1-2 limes over mixture. Throw in desired amount of cilantro.
6. Mix and serve in tortillas with toppings.