BANANA BLUEBERRY COCONUT BREAD

This moist and tender quick bread is chalk full of bananas, juicy blueberries, and coconut. It’s topped with coconut glaze, coconut flakes, and chopped pecans. Super easy to make and it doesn’t require a mixer!

      

I love combining banana and blueberries, and I love it even more with coconut. This quick bread has them all! It’s moist (sorry if you don’t like that word), tender, and delicious! The bread is a perfect combination of ripe bananas, succulent blueberries, and sweetened coconut flakes. To add extra goodness, it is topped with more coconut goodness and chopped pecans. 

Making it is a cinch. It requires minimal prep time, is easy to make, and entirely hand mixed. Use overripe bananas and fresh sweet blueberries, if at all possible for best results.

SAUTÉED GARLICKY WATERCRESS WITH BACON

Watercress simply sautéed with garlic and topped off with crispy bacon crumbles is a delicious combination. With the health benefits of watercress and the indulgence of bacon, this simple side dish has the best of both worlds.

      

Did you know that watercress is a superfood? In fact, it tops the CDC’s list of the most nutrient-dense superfood. If you like the vegetable but were not aware of its nutritional value, now there is a reason to love and embrace it even more.

Watercress is in the cruciferous vegetable family and has over 15 essential vitamins and minerals. It is a vitamin K powerhouse and is packed with vitamins C & E as well as iron and calcium. In fact, it has more calcium than milk!

SUCCULENT SHRIMP COCKTAIL

Succulent and snappy shrimp cocktail never gets old. These colossal shrimp cocktails are ideal for a special occasion or anytime you want to splurge. I have a few simple tips for obtaining perfect results every time!

      

I can’t believe that Mother’s Day weekend is here! How did this happen? We will also be celebrating my husband’s birthday. Because of social distancing, our daughter won’t be able to visit. However, we will make the most of it at home...just my husband, my son, and me. This means there will be a whole lot of grazing going on.

PORK BÁNH MÌ BURGER WITH HONEY SRIRACHA MAYO

Hoisin flavored ground pork patty on a brioche with sweet and spicy Sriracha mayo is a killer twist on bánh mì. With pickled carrots and daikon, cucumber slices, bean sprouts, and greens for toppings, this sandwich is packed with flavor, freshness, and crunch.

      

When your picky-as-a-two-year-old husband can’t gush enough over a sandwich, you know you have a winner. This twist on the Vietnamese bánh mì skyrocketed to the top of my husband’s list of favorite blog recipes. I can see why. This sandwich has got it all!

TURKEY TACO MAC AND CHEESE

This turkey taco mac is a satisfying family dinner made easy. With ground turkey, packaged shredded cheese, and a few pantry items, it is a simple one-pot meal everyone will love.

      

These days cooking from what is available in the house is essential now that I can’t run the store anytime I’m out of an ingredient. This pasta maximizes a package of ground turkey and turns it into a hearty meal that feeds a family. Utilizing canned sauces, packaged taco seasoning, and shredded cheese makes this taco mac an ideal (mostly) pantry meal.

Things I like about this dish: one-pot, budget-friendly, easy to make, quick, kid-friendly, and comforting.

Are you in?

HONEY GLAZED FRIED WONTON CHIPS

These fried wontons, sweetened with a honey glaze and garnished with sesame seeds are sticky, crispy and crunchy. They are great as snacks or as a sweet finish to any meal.

      

My husband, my kids, and I used to frequent this one Chinese buffet nearby. It had a large selection of food, was tasty and reasonably priced. The one thing that kept me coming back was the all-you-can-eat crab legs. I always reloaded on seconds and thirds. Over the years, the restaurant quality declined and we stopped going. 

These wonton chips are inspired by another item I enjoyed on the restaurant’s menu, the sweetened fried wontons. I love the simplicity, crunch and subtle sweetness. The wontons were simply fried, and I suspect they are sweetened with sugar based syrup. 

My version of the wontons are honey glazed and garnished with sesame seeds. They are crispy, sweet, sticky, and delicious!

SALMON POTATO AND GREEN BEAN SALAD WITH SHICHIMI TOGARASHI DRESSING

Keep frozen salmon in the freezer for a fabulous seafood dish without making a special trip to the store. This oven steamed salmon, green bean and potato salad is light and healthy. With shichimi togarashi dressing, it has a nice punch of Asian flavor and heat.

      

I always have frozen salmon in the freezer. My son and I like it for quick and easy dinners. My go-to method of preparing salmon is to simply pan-sear with a sprinkling of shichimi togarashi seasoning. Serve with rice and steamed broccoli, it’s a simple and healthy meal.

This salad has flaky salmon, crispy green beans, tender potatoes, and hard boiled eggs. It is highlighted with a robust and spicy shichimi togarashi dressing. If you are not familiar with this spice or where to get it, try the spice aisle of your local grocery store. It should also be available at Walmart Supercenters (this post is not sponsored by Walmart. It’s where I get my seasoning). If all else fails, you can also find it online.

FRIED FLATBREAD PIZZA ROLLS

Homemade flatbread is easy to make and great for pizza rolls. These pepperoni and hamburger pizza rolls are deep fried for crispy crunchy goodness!

      

I’ll admit these pizza rolls might look a little rustic, but they are perfectly tasty! They are filled with pepperoni, cooked ground beef, store bought pizza sauce, and shredded cheese. Deep frying makes them golden and crispy! So good piping all by themselves or dipped in warm pizza sauce or  marinara.

The flat bread is an easy, no yeast recipe that comes together in about 5 minutes. The ingredients are hand mixed in a bowl and allowed to rest for 30 minutes prior to use.