Everybody’s favorite vlogger, Busvlogger’s James Moore, brings his delicious Meatloaf Burgers on the Grill to this week’s Foodie Friday. He has lots to say about those! Check it out.
One pan meals. We all talk about how much we LOVE an easy meal that uses one pan, but when it comes down to it… we forget how much we love them until its time to clean up dinner. Insert the sheet pan meal (ta-dah)!
I don’t know about you, but I hate unloading the dishwasher. So, as much as I’d like to say one pan meals are for easy after dinner clean up, it really means the less dishes that go in the dishwasher, the less that have to come back out and be put up. Mr. McKinney recently had surgery so I’m spending my summer taking care of 2 babies – a little one and a big one!
In the summer, we like to spend time on the grill, and vegetables are usually the side to anything we are doing. But, our grill went “kaput” over the winter months and we have yet to replace it. (that doesn’t mean we have not made multiple trips to look at grills…but that’s a different story. I guess if he can walk the aisles of Target with me, I can walk the aisles at Home Depot to look at grills.) With Mr. McKinney down and this not being the summer I learn how to operate the grill, we are back to old faithful….the oven. READ MORE
Keisha (Pittman) McKinney lives in South Arkansas with her husband and sweet Boxer, Bailey and….a new baby boy! Keisha is remembering what it’s like to plan ahead for shopping trips to “the city,” getting resourceful at her small town Walmart and creating online shopping personas everywhere. She blogs @bigpittstop about daily adventures, cooking escapades, #bigsisterchats, the social justice cases on her heart, and all that she is learning as a #boymom!
Each year that there is a World Cup tournament (men or women), we have made a tradition of cooking our way through the tournament. We find that it is a way to add new flavors and dishes to our repertoire in the kitchen. My girls and I pick a team for the day and then cook from that country. It has resulted in some of our most favorite family recipes. These are the recipes that we have tried for the 2018 FIFA World Cup. READ MORE
Rachel writes about homesteading, gardening, farming, food, and her life in northeastern Oklahoma.Rachel lives with her husband, 2 teenage daughters, 3 dogs, 30 chickens, 10 pigs, hundreds of cattle, thousands of bees, and one very cranky rabbit. When she’s hiding from all the chaos, she can be found blogging over at HoughFamilyHomestead.com.
Are you in the habit of reaching for seasoning spice blends when you trek through the market? Sometimes those blends can be quite expensive. Why not try making your own homemade versions? Most are quite simple and use ingredients you probably have on hand already.
In addition to being less expensive, homemade spice blends allow you to control the amount that you make. You already know you don’t need to allow your spices to sit around for ages in the spice cabinet, right?
Do you have aspirations for a home garden but not enough time, land, or whatever is needed to make it happen? It’s okay, because we have Plan B.
Plan B is buying locally what is farmed locally.
On Friday I ran around town and purchased groceries from here and there, all the while keeping my eyes peeled for local produce. Here’s a sample of what I found and I barely scratched the surface!
Walmart
I was happy to see that my local Walmart is calling out locally farmed produce. From cabbage to sweet potatoes to berries, I applaud this so stinkin’ much. Does your local Walmart have the same?
nwafoodie (Lyndi Fultz) is a hub for food happiness. Arkansas Women Blogger member Lyndi Fultz focuses on the simplicity of fresh ideas when it comes to the exploration of food, eating, and enjoying life. nwafoodie conveys a sense of joy, curiosity and wonder of all the touch points of eating coupled with a fun and upbeat tone, pulling readers into a welcoming foodie fold that has none of the usual snobbery. She blogs from the perspective of a small town foodie exploring her backyard, spreading the message that eating well is truly one of the most joyful pleasures of living.
Hummingbird Cake is the most requested recipe from Southern Living magazine. It was first submitted to the magazine in 1978 by Mrs. L. H.Wiggins of Greensboro, North Carolina and appeared in the February issue of that year. Mrs. Wiggins, who worked at the University of North Carolina in Greensboro at the time she sent the recipe in, passed away in 1995 at the age of 81.
This light spice cake filled with bananas, pineapple and pecans is typically made as a layer cake with a cream cheese-buttermilk icing. Bake From Scratch magazine’s May/June 2018 issue featured the flavors of Hummingbird Cake in 5 different ways: cookie bars, loaf, pie, layer cake and as a bundt cake. The cover of that issue was an immediate temptation and I knew I was going to give the bundt cake version a try. READ MORE
This post has been swimming around in my head for a long time, so I thought now would be a good time to get it out there. It’s really kind of funny, and won’t surprise anyone who knows me, that I don’t eat this meal. Yes, I’m sharing this recipe on my blog. And no, I don’t cook it or eat it myself. Crazy, right?!
This family favorite is Francena’s famous curried chicken. This is the meal that my husband’s mother loved to cook for him. This is also the first recipe of hers that he asked me to cook after she passed away…..and I couldn’t do it. I just don’t like the smell of curry!
READ MORE to find out how Rhonda solved her dilemma.
Rhonda Bramell is a blogger in Northwest Arkansas. She is the ringleader of a circus that includes her husband, three kids and a rambunctious Boston Terrier. Rhonda has been blogging at Bramell, Party of Five for eight years; her blog is a collection of stories about the real life joys and challenges of parenting.
Wow, here I am, writing a blog post! I’ve missed blogging so much, but when I became a new mom, I set unrealistic expectations for myself as a blogger and then felt I needed some distance from my blogging hobby. Fast forward 4.5 years and I have 2 little ones and suddenly blogging seems exciting again. Debbie has been a huge encourager and I’m excited to rekindle my love for writing and sharing!
I am thrilled to be sharing this recipe with you! Cooking is a true passion of mine- a way I connect with my family and friends on a daily basis. My favorite memories of life are centered around time in the kitchen with my parents, grandparents and friends. To me, the knowledge gained in the kitchen is a way to carry on my family legacy and I hope I’m passing the love of preparing food to my children. Filling bellies is filling hearts and a true joy!
When my assignment was handed: “Fresh From The Garden” I knew it was a perfect fit. We happen to have just finished a round of Whole30 at our house, so I have been immersed in All. The. Vegetables. Not to mention, farmers markets are all starting up and this is the perfect way to use up your farmer’s market finds!
We don’t always think of breakfast as the time to really get in all of our veggies, but this recipe is a satisfying way to start your day! I love this recipe because it’s so versatile- all you really must have are sweet potatoes and then everything else is interchangeable to suit your taste, your cupboard or the time of year in which it is prepared!
Sweet potato hash has become a true staple at our house. Ingredients can be prepped ahead of time and then thrown together in the morning…honestly we eat this for dinner a lot too! This hash carries you easily through to your next mealtime, and can be served as a side or a main course. It packs a punch in flavor, texture and nutrient profile. It is a win-win meal for sure!
Prep Sweet potatoes, bell pepper, onion, Brussel sprouts, and kale:
Sweet potato: shred on large holes of box grater or run through food processor. Another option would be to small dice). Place in a medium bowl, lightly salt and pepper, add about ½ teaspoon taco seasoning and 1T. Melted coconut oil (or oil of your choice), stir and set aside;
Small dice bell pepper and onion
Quarter Brussel sprouts
Remove stem/rib from kale and set aside. Rough chop kale leaves, small dice kale stems
Meanwhile, preheat large iron skillet and cook bacon and set aside leaving it slightly soft so it can finish with the hash at the end. Pour out remaining grease but do not wipe out pan.
To the iron skillet, over medium heat, add 1T ghee (or other oil), kale stems, onion, and red pepper (if your sweet potato is diced instead of shredded add now). Let soften for 3 minutes, lightly salt and pepper, add brussel sprouts and sweet potatoes. Continue to cook over medium to medium low heat, stirring with a spatula occasionally. Add about another ½ t. Taco seasoning near the end of cooking.
While hash cooks prepare raw ingredients:
Roughly chop arugula and divide evenly among bowls or plates. I like to use pasta bowls that are wide and shallow.
Mince chives
Halve or quarter cherry tomatoes
Slice avocado halves vertically
Chop jalapeno (or leave out according to preference)
After hash has been cooking approximately 10 min, rough chop bacon, and add bacon and kale to iron skillet.
In a separate skillet, prepare eggs according to personal preference. We eat ours fried over medium. Poached would also be great and if you insist, scrambled although the runny yoke really compliments the hash in my opinion! I alloted two eggs per adult and one egg per child….use your discretion here.
Assemble remaining ingredients: heaping serving of hash, top with tomatoes, avocado, and jalapeno, then the eggs, then a few tablespoons of salsa and topped with chives.
Serve on it’s own or with crusty bread (like the Sylvan bread you see in the picture) or biscuits!
Thanks so much for taking a peek at this recipe. I can’t wait to hear what you added to your hash recipe. I hope you love this meal as much as we do at our house!
Ingredients
3c. Sweet potatoes (about 1 medium potato)
1 red bell pepper
¼ red onion
2c brussel sprouts
3-4c. Kale
4-6 strips of bacon
4-6 eggs
2c. Arugula
2T. Chives
1c. Cherry tomatoes
1 avocado
½ jalapeno
1/2c. Salsa (I used an avocado tomatillo salsa but you can use any salsa)
Salt and pepper to taste
Taco seasoning (I used this one)
2T ghee
1T coconut oil
(oil options are totally flexible- use whatever high quality oil you have on hand from butter to olive oil and everything in between).
When I create recipes, I often have an overall idea in my head, but it doesn’t quite come together until after I take a walk through the grocery store or market (or let’s get real- when I discover what is already available in my pantry because planning ahead is not my forte).To create this hash recipe, we paid a visit to the Bentonville Farmers’ Market on Saturday where we found beautiful greens, sweet potatoes, chives, and local bacon! I had already picked up fresh eggs from my favorite backyard farmer and then I filled in with grocery store finds.
Knowing where your food comes from makes it even better in my book. Being able to meet the farmers who grow, pick, and prepare the food we buy just adds that much more love and care into what we feed our families. I grew up with a large family garden, in the summer almost everything we ate came from that soil! Knowing my grandparents so thoughtfully prepared the garden plan and cared for the food we ate, while also encouraging all of us to get our hands dirty instilled a value of food and provided a wealth of knowledge I didn’t realize I had obtained until well into adulthood.
*Disclaimer: I’m the world’s worst measurer- these measurements are flexible and approximate according to number of people you’re serving and your personal preferences. This recipe served 2 adults and 2 children for us.
Arkansas native, Katie Stilwell Bloodworth is an Airbnb Superhost, co-owner of La Petite Fleur Clothier, and multi-tasker extraordinaire. Passionate about people and relationships, Katie also volunteers with the Walnut Farm Montessori School, the Ronald McDonald House, and First United Methodist Bentonville. She attributes her drive and leadership skills to coming from a long line of first born daughters, as well as her unforgettable experiences serving Kappa Kappa Gamma through college and the years following. She loves spending time with her supportive husband and adorable kids, having a trip on the calendar, and she’s sorry about being perpetually late. Katie firmly believes in the power of a homemade meal, the importance of grace and do-overs, and that there are better things in life than a clean house.
Strawberries! What a wonderful berry indeed. Strawberries have certainly been a family favorite for years and years. We look forward to when local farmer’s markets start up and we’re able to buy some from our local growers. I took a quick trip to a local friend’s homestead to see how she’s getting her strawberries growing this year. She says that strawberries grow really great in containers but that they do just fine if you plant them in the ground. READ MORE
Ami Lee is a busy mom and wife who blogs about plant-based recipes, body positivity, and family. She was inspired to go vegan after she was diagnosed with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and chronicles the failures and successes as she goes.
Strawberry season is here! We love to go to a local farm and pick gallons at a time. Some we snack on, some we slice and freeze for later, and some end up in delicious recipes. We make strawberry balsamic chicken salads, strawberry smoothies and other delights, but my favorites are the sweet treats. One of our Mother’s Day traditions is to go pick berries together (usually the Saturday before), so I wanted to create something that we could enjoy for brunch on the special day. Making brunch with a toddler requires some planning, and recipes that you throw in the oven are ideal. That’s where the chocolate covered strawberry baked French toast comes in. It comes together easily and bakes for 40 minutes, giving you time to get ready, set the table and welcome you guests to a warm sweet breakfast right out of the oven. READ MORE
Brittney Lee is a native Arkansan with a love for bright lights and big city. She often escapes her 20-acre home south of Fort Smith to shop, eat, and catch a concert in the big city. She blogs about her life, her family, her faith, her adventures, and her country home at RazorbackBritt.com.
Ami Lee is a busy mom and wife who blogs about plant-based recipes, body positivity, and family. She was inspired to go vegan after she was diagnosed with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever and chronicles the failures and successes as she goes.
