Roasted Cauliflower

When I was growing up I never ate cauliflower, not because I didn’t like it but because my parents never served it to me. Now when it came to my kids I used to serve it mixed together with carrots and broccoli, which is called California blend. But usually what was left in the bowl that no one wanted to eat was the cauliflower.

I first made cauliflower this way many years ago when I first join Weight Watcher. I never thought of roasting vegetables before. It just makes them taste so much better.

Some people call this recipe cauliflower popcorn or even cauliflower poppers. I just call it, Yummy! What makes it even better is that it is 0 points per serving!

Roasted Cauliflower

1 head of uncooked cauliflower

1 tablespoon Mrs. Dash

1/2 teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 400⁰F. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil, spray with cooking spray. Set aside.

Wash cauliflower and cut into bit size pieces. 

 Place on to prepared baking sheet; sprinkle Mrs. Dash and salt over cauliflower.

Bake for 40 minutes in preheated oven; stirring every 10 minutes.   ½ cup Point value 0

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Sweet Potato Soufflé

This is the only way that my daughter Brandy will eat sweet potatoes. She has been asking me to post this recipe for some time. She says that if I don’t hurry up and post it on my blog that she is going to post it on her blog first.

Sometimes a great recipe can come at a sad time in your life. That is how I acquired this recipe many years ago. I went back east to my dad’s funeral. He died suddenly from a heart attack over ten years ago. The day of the funeral the ladies of the church provided lunch for the family, and this was one of the dishes. I loved it so much I knew that I just had to have the recipe. My stepmom Gen gave me a cookbook that many of the church ladies had provided the recipes for and this recipe was in there.
Even though it was a sad day that I first tasted this dish, I have since then served it at many happy days in my life.

Sweet Potato Soufflé
3 cups cooked, mashed sweet potatoes
½ cup butter, melted
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
½ cup milk
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon salt
Topping
1 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup flour
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/3 cup butter, melted

In large bowl mix together sweet potatoes, butter, sugar, eggs, milk, vanilla and salt. Pour into a greased casserole dish. Set aside.
In a medium bowl mix together brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, pecans and butter until well combined. Sprinkle over sweet potato mixture. Bake at 375⁰ for 30 to 35 minutes.Pin It

Easy Pasta Salad

This is an easy pasta salad that I have been making for years. I have never had a recipe before, I have always just threw everything together. This time however I decided to measure out the ingredients as I added them and to write them down as I went. This is what I came up with.

My family doesn’t like celery in their salads so I add celery seeds instead so that way I can still have the flavor of the celery. I also like to use the juice from the pickle jar, I think it gives the salad more flavor.
The best thing about pasta salad is that I think it taste even better the next day!

Easy Pasta Salad

16 oz. dried salad pasta or macaroni
3 hard-boiled eggs, chopped
1 cup diced dill pickles
1 small red onion, diced
1 to 1 ½ cups mayonnaise
¼ cup vinegar or pickle juice
2 tablespoons sugar
½ teaspoon pepper
½ teaspoon celery seeds
Salt to taste

Cook pasta according to the package direction, drain and cool pasta.
In a large bowl combine cooled pasta, chopped eggs, diced pickles, diced onions, mayonnaise, pickle juice, sugar, pepper, celery seeds and salt to taste. Refrigerate until ready to serve.Pin It

Inside -Out Mashed Potatoes

When the girls were young this was the favorite way to eat mashed potatoes. You can add more or less of the sour cream and butter if you like the choice is yours, but make sure you leave the skins on and a few lumps.

Inside -Out Mashed Potatoes
6 medium potatoes; dices leaving skins on
3 garlic cloves
1/3 cup sour cream
¼ cup butter
¼ cup milk
Salt and pepper to taste

In a large pot add potatoes and garlic cloves; cover with water and add 1 teaspoon salt. Bring to a boil; reduce to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Drain and return potatoes and garlic to pot add sour cream, butter and milk; mash with a potato masher; do not over mash, leaving some lumps; add salt and pepper to taste.Pin It

Rice Pilaf

Yes I know you can buy the kind in the box, but why should you when you can make it cheaper. I always have these ingredients in my pantry.

Rice Pilaf


2 Tablespoons butter
1 cup rice
Dried spaghetti; broken into small pieces, about a 1/2 cup
3 cups water
3 teaspoons granulated chicken bouillon


In a skillet brown rice and broken pasta in butter;

 add water and granulated chicken bouillon bring to a boil;

(I think this bouillion gives the best flavor.)

Cover and reduce to medium-low and simmer for 20-25 minutes or until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes.Pin It

String Beans with Garlic and Mushroom

Brandy first made this dish for me on Mother's Day. I loved it then and I love it now. String beans were never cooked like this when I was young. I know most people call them green beans but where I'm from we call them string beans or snap beans. My family alway cooked the life out of a vegetable. Then we would chop them up. I never knew what a tender vegetable was only mushy over cooked ones.

String Beans with Garlic and Mushroom

2 pounds string beans
2 cups mushroom; sliced
3 cloves garlic; minced
3 tablespoon butter
Salt and pepper to taste

Cook string beans in a large pot of boiling salted water; until tender; about 10 minutes. Meanwhile:

In a large skillet melt butter; add garlic and mushrooms sauté until tender.

Drain string beans and add to mushroom in skillet; stir until well combine; adding salt and pepper to taste.

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Parmesan Crusted Baked Potatoes

This is so yummy and simple to make. I first saw this recipe in a Taste of Home magazine, and then again on my favorite website all recipes. I only changed the recipe a little; I added more cheese and garlic powder.The recipe is easy to double if you’re cooking for more people. I have used fresh grated parmesan cheese and the powder from the green can.

Parmesan Crusted Baked Potatoes

6 tablespoons butter, melted
1/2  cup grated parmesan cheese
1/2  teaspoon garlic powder
8 medium red potatoes, sliced lengthwise
Pour butter in to a 13x9 inch baking dish; sprinkle cheese over butter; place potatoes cut side down on top of cheese.

 Bake in a 400⁰F; for 40 to 45 minutes or until potatoes are tender.

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Orzo with Parmesan and Basil

Tonight’s Christmas Eve, and it seems like I have been in the kitchen all day. I made a German Chocolate cake for Richard’s belated birthday as well as for Christmas. For lunch we had Potato Ham and Cheese soup. Therefore, I made a simple Christmas Eve supper. We had Pork chops, or should I say pork steaks, courtesy of my brother Robert and his Christmas gift this year, Orzo with Parmesan and Basil, Richard’s request, Broccoli casserole, because I wanted to try something new, I combined a few recipes that I found on all recipes and Buttery Parmesan Knots. And before I go to bed I have to put together the Up Side- Down Apple French Toast for breakfast tomorrow.

Orzo with Parmesan and Basil


2 tablespoon butter
1 clove garlic, minced
1 cup uncooked orzo pasta
1 (14.5oz.) can chicken broth
1 teaspoon dried basil
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste


Melt butter in skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in orzo and sauté until lightly browned.


Stir in chicken stock and basil and bring to a boil. Cover; reduce heat and simmer until orzo is tender and liquid is absorbed, about 15-20 minutes.


Mix in Parmesan cheese; Season with salt and pepper; to taste.

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Easy Spanish Rice

This is the easiest version of Spanish Rice that I make. I love the flavor of Knorr's Caldo de Tomate (Tomato Bouillon with Chicken). I have found this bouillon at Costco and in the Mexican aisle at the grocery store. I also use Knorr's Chicken Flavor in my recipes.

Easy Spanish Rice


1 cup rice (not instant)
2 tablespoons oil
2 cups water
1 to 1 1/2 tablespoons Knorr's Tomato Bouillon with Chicken

In medium skillet brown rice in oil; add remaining ingredients and bring to a boil; cover; reduce heat and simmer 20 minute, or until liquid is absorbed and rice is tender.

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