Trying Something New

I had a chance to try something new last night! I was finally patient enough to make some caramelized onions! I have seen it done in elapsed time on the Food Network, Michael Chiarello's Easy Entertaining, but never mad the time to make it. It took me about 45min!

You see I am on a new food plan. I refuse to call it a diet because I will sike myself out. I am trying a low glycemic food plan where  I am eating all kinds of superfoods like sweet potatoes, nuts, and olive oil. I have been on this plan for about two and a half weeks now. My goal is 50 pounds by Thanksgiving!

This is what I had last night! It was pretty good considering I added no salt, sugar, or butter! Broccoli seasoned with pepper and Ms. Dash. sirloin steak top with my delicious caramelized onions that was cooked in olive oil, and cubed sweet potatoes with some yummy spices.

 

My yummy spices for these cubed sweet potatoes consisted of my Homegoods smoked paprika ( I use this in everything), cumin, and dried sage. It was really good. I also cooked it in extra virgin olive oil so that added to the flavor too!

Sweets For My Sweets...

Today in my Seven Days of Valentines I prepared my family a delicious meal with love. In Sandra Lee fashion, I kept it smart, simple and semi-homemade! On the menu was a whole baked chicken with potatoes, carrots, bell pepper, and onion. This dish was served with a side of rolls and caeser salad with a twist. For dessert I whipped up some brownies sprinkled with powdered sugar.

As much as I love cooking I never really get a chance to cook from scratch or as homemade fresh as I would like to. My ideal dinner would start at the market and end at the dinner table all in one day. But thanks to things like bagged lettuce, frozen rolls, and boxed brownie mix I am able to get as close to it as possible.

Whole Baked Chicken

I start by seasoning the chicken and cutting up my vegetables. In a matter of five minutes its in the oven and ready to serve after about 45min.



Bake and Serve Dinner Rolls

These rolls are a big hit with my kids and my husband. They are frozen dough balls that you pop into a muffin pan 3 hours before you put them in the oven. I take them out as soon as I get home.

Caeser Salad With a Twist

I buy the romaine hearts in a bag from Publix. They come as two, which one heart makes one salad. I add fancy shredded parmesan cheese, feta cheese, bacon bits, and croutons.

Brownies Sprinkled With Powdered
Sugar

I used decadent boxed brownie mix with walnuts by Duncan Hines. Instead of water (which the recipe calls for) I always use milk. Its just something I adopted from my grandmother. I use the cake like recipe. I top it off by sprinkling powdered sugar over the top of them.

So this was just another small gesture of love for my family! They loved it and they loved me for especially the dessert!