Jiffy Corn and Tater' Cakes

It's been a crazy, intense week for me, to say the least. 2015... definitely hasn't started off as well as I would've liked. I originally planned on the whole healthier eating resolution shtuff to have commenced by now, but it's literally freezing around these parts (and a salad doesn't exactly scream warm, cozy comfort food)!!! Like your skin will ACTUALLY start to freeze after 10 minutes outdoors (not even exaggerating, it was stated so on the news this very morn #coldhardMidwestfacts lol) Let's just keep it real folks... a salad is no where near as much fun or as yummy to consume in the winter as it is in the summer. When it's skin freezing degrees outside, you're not looking for refreshing cool eats! Stand outside for 5 minutes and you're plenty refreshed, and in desperate need for something warm that sticks to your ribs. The last thing I want is a cold plate of refreshing veggies when it feels like I'm in an icebox lol! So um yeah, even though I've made a few minor healthy changes, I'm holding off on crazy intense dietary commitments until this polar vortex jazz clears up! These fried beauts right here are anything, BUT "refreshing!" However, they are
freaking delicious, super simple, and perfect for polar vortex munchings. These cakes are a glorious hybrid between hush puppies and hash browns and will def stick to your ribs in all the right (and wrong) ways. Honestly, bikini readiness is really the last thing on my mind right now lol, however.... I did use 1% milk so booyah :)

 Whatcha Need'

2 cups shredded frozen hash browns (thawed)
1 box Jiffy Corn Bread Mix
1 cup shredded cheddar
2 eggs
2 TBS Melted Margarine or butter
1/4 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil (or oil of choice) for frying
1 small onion (shredded, finely chopped or grated, I used my cheese grater)
1 jalapeno pepper seeds and all or (about 1/4 cup chopped peppers from jar) opt

Additional spices seasoned to your preference: 1 tsp each minced garlic, lemon pepper, chili powder, and red pepper flakes

 In a medium sized frying pan heat oil on medium/high heat. Next, mix all the ingredients in a medium sized bowl until well combined (except for the oil your heating up in the pan). Line a plate with a few paper towels and set aside for when the fritters are done.

Test the oil to ensure that it is nice and hot by wetting your finger tips and sprinkling just a dash of water into the oil. If it's ready it will sizzle like crazy. Once the oil is ready to rock n' roll, using an average sized ice cream scoop or small ladle, dollop the batter carefully into the hot oil.

Try not to fidget with the fritters/batter too much when first placing them in the pan: you don't want to disturb them for about 3-4 minutes. At which point, they should be solidified as well as be good and crispy and ready for a flipping. Flip with caution, using a slotted spatula and cook about for 4 more minutes.

Carefully... remove the fritters from the frying pan, place them on the paper towel lined plate, and allow them to cool/drain off excess oil before enjoying their awesomeness! I served mine with a couple fried eggs and low-fat sour cream and ketchup, but these are SERIOUSLY delicious without anything and would accompany just about everything nicely. These gems are definitely worth breaking a few resolutions for :) Hope you dig these easy and filling fritters

(FYI: I was so excited to eat them that I didn't take a fancy final picture of them on the plate lol, Sorry :) but you get the gist)

Festive Cranberry Orange Salsa

Certain flavors just seem to scream seasonal joyousness and walk us down memory lane!!! In summertime it's all about that BBQ (no trouble lol), fruity umbrella drinks, a nice crisp salad, watermelon, corn on the cob, and just that laid-back, light, island vibe kind of food. Fall takes us back to the comfort food zone with apple cinnamon and pumpkin flavored everything, chili, noodleee cassaroles, chicken soups, stuffing, mounds of mashed potatoes, and pretty much all the hardy, fatty good stuff that we will worry about eating after the New Year (lol). Ahhh, and Christmas.... the time for pies and cookies galore, peppermint everything, cranberries, oranges, little pasteries, danishes and more. Christmas truly embodies sugar, spice, and everything nice sorta like my Cranberry Orange Salsa! :) It's sweet (but not cavity sweet) and would mesh well with just about anything, yet it's a tad bit naughty, spicey, and packing a little heat, which is a great alternative to the common sugary Christmas flavors! I oringinally served this up with wet turkey burritos (YUMS), but it's great with just a good bag of nacho chips and cheddar cheese too. This recipe will make enough to please a large crowd, (I got about 7pint sized jars worth), it's also super easy to make, quick, tasty, and it won't break the bank! #Winner)

My peppers were WAY hotter than anticipated, so I cut out a pepper and added another orange ;)

  Whatcha' Need:

3 Medium-Large Tomatoes (I used vine tomatoes, but roma, cherry, grape , plum or the sweeter varieties of tomatoes would be great in this salsa, adjust accordingly; if you use a smaller mato add more than three.)

4 Navel Oranges

2 cups whole fresh cranberries

2-3 Medium Jalapenos with seeds (for a milder salsa, discard seeds or use green bell peppers instead) 

1 Large White or Yellow Onion

1 cup pineapple orange juice (or just orange juice, pineapple juice, or even a cranberry blend juice would be tasty as well)

2 tsps lime juice

2 tsp salt

1 tsp garlic or 2 cloves minced

1 tsp chili powder

1tsp red pepper flakes

Start by rinsing off all the produce. Next, place the cranberries into a blender, food processer, or similar fine chopping device if you have one. You could also chop them all by hand as well, but that is a bit time consuming for my liking, so I recomend just pulsing them in the blender on low. Next, coarsely chop the jalapenos and toss them and all the spicey seeds in the blender with the crushed cranberries. Pulse on low until well blended, between pulsing stir the mixture w/ a spoon a few times just to ensure no massive chunks of peppers or seeds are sneaking around the blades that will possibly kick you or your loved ones in the throat later (a little kick is good, but you don't want that heat to feel like a roundhouse kick to the throat from Chuck Norris type of unpleasant heat ;)

Next peel the oranges. Then cut them in half and slice them going against the grain of the orange into bite sized pieces. You want the oranges and all its yummy counterparts to fit comfortably on a tortilla chip. Small enough to get all the yummy stuff in one bite, but not super fine either to where you can't tell what's what.

Orange peels can be used for a variety of neat things so save them peels.

 Next peel and chop the onion and combine all the ingredients into a large sauce pan OR mix all ingredients in a large bowl, cover, chill, and serve as is, like a refreshing pico de gallo. 

For salsa~  combine all ingredients and cook on meduim/low for about 20-30 minutes just to slighlty cook down and soften the fruits and veggies a bit and to allow the flavors to really mingle. Stir frequently throughout heating and season to desired taste. 

I canned some of my salsa because it made way more than I had originally anticipated lol, but if you are making this for a large gathering or potluck, pour the salsa into a large festive dish, cover it with plastic wrap or fitted lid, and allow it to chill for about 2hours before serving. It goes great with cheddar cheese and tortilla chips, but it would also be great with a good cheesy cracker or some cream cheese and triscuits (OR almost ANYTHING/EVERYTHING really lol). I hope you enjoy this fun and easy twist on two classic holiday flavors. Next winter gathering you attend or throw, serve up this spunky salsa and pleasantly surprise guests with a yummy & festive, but refreshing appetizer, that's so simple to make and far from boring! <3 Happy Holidays Lovlies <3  

Easy Cheesy Cornflake Carrot Broccoli Casserole

I dig simplicity. Like way deep kinda dig, especially when it comes to cooking or other tasks that can become rather mundane when done so frequently. No getting around the fact that we all gotta eat.Unfortunately, quite often we spend hours preparing these luxurious and lavish meals that are devoured in just mere minutes (bummer huh lol). However, a good meal doesn't always need to be some over the top, ultra time-consuming production to be yummy! Personally, I'm one of those people that when I notice flour or a 3 page ingredient list I start heavily reconsidering whether that recipe is truly worth all that complicated effort?!? I'm a life is too short/ain't nobody got time for all that fuss type of gal! Not to sound lazy, but seriously, is it really worth it on a busy weeknight to bust out flour, dirty 15 dishes, and make some completely elaborate concoction when you're tired and just want something in your belly?? Not so much! Good food with some nutritional value doesn't have to be some big all day extravaganza. AND it shouldn't break thee ol' bank either. When I'm border line HANGRY, I just want something cheap,quick, and easy, no fussin' if I mustn't type of grub ;) !

So here's an easy, breezy dish I'm mixing up that will take mere minutes of prep time and less than an hour to be in your belly. Purrrrfect for those nights when you don't feel like doing a darn thing, yet still need something warm and semi-nutritious to serve your loved ones. Plus +++ it only requires a handful of ingredients and minimal dirtying of dishes (HECK YEAH). Cheap, yummy, lazy weeknight dinner cheesy veggie side dish winner. (say that 10 times all fast like lol)

What ya' need:
1 bag frozen carrots (or fresh baby carrots if you'd prefer)
1/2 bag frozen broccoli
1 can condensed cream of cheddar soup
1 can milk
2 cups Cornflakes (any brand will do)
1 stick butter or margarine
Optional Seasonings~ red pepper flakes, lemon pepper, and Italian Seasoning Blend (approx 1 teaspoon + of each)

Allow veggies to semi-thaw or defrost a bit in the microwave depending on your level of urgency. I put mine in the mixing bowl I intended to use the night before and by afternoon they were good to go, but you could easily defrost them in the micro for a few minutes or on the counter top in a pinch. Having the veggies thawed just speeds up the cooking time and when your hangry, that is a def plus factor!

In a medium sized mixing bowl combine veggies, cheddar soup, milk and seasonings.

 Pour veggie mixture into an 8x8 greased baking dish

Then top with cornflakes.

Place butter in a microwave safe cup/dish and microwave approximately 30 seconds or until melted and evenly pour over cornflake-topped veggies.

Place in a preheated oven @ 375 degrees for 30-40 minutes uncovered and WHALA!! You now have an excellent and super easy side dish that would go great with pork chops or chicken breasts. This yummy little side dish is especially, great for a night when time is not your pal or minimal effort is desired. Easy, delicious and semi-nutritious. 

The sweet, crunchy cornflake topping really adds a nice little layer of texture and the warm cheesy veggies make you feel like you are eating something nutritionally sound that doesn't taste like an old shoe lol! Easy, quick, delicious, and semi-nutritious can't beat that with a big stick. Hope this super simple side dish eases your weeknight woes without compromising in quality! :) P.s. This would also be great with carrots and cauliflower if broccoli isn't your Fam's bag. Chow for now my lovelies!

(Furthermore.... OPPS :) I was so hungry that I forgot to take a fancy finished product pic, but it was way yummy and looked lovely before it was devoured, dang hangry blonde moment hehe).