Simple Yet Gourmet

I have always loved Sweet Potatoes (AKA yams).  Growing up we really only ate them for Thanksgiving but these days I make them pretty frequently for my family. They are the perfect side for grilled steaks or chicken.  I love that they not only taste delicious but are also packed full of fiber and vitamins A and C.  My only issue? They take forever to bake in the oven. Besides needing to plan ahead, it really heats up the kitchen which is fine in the winter but not so much in the Summer. That’s why I love making these in the Air Fryer! It takes half the time to cook and leaves my kitchen cool. Can’t beat that!

Being an true Idahoan, I love my potatoes.  These were no exception.  However, they are different than any potatoes I've ever made before both in taste and preparation.  I mean, who ever heard of cooking mashed potatoes in the microwave?  It works though, and it made one less pan for me to wash.  Woot woot! I loved the combination of Swiss and Parmesan cheese in these potatoes and the broiling adds a really nice touch.  Try these sometime when you feel like changing up the ol' mashed potato routine.  They might just become a new favorite!

So this recipe is supposedly a copy-cat of Rodizo Grill.  I've never been there so I couldn't say for sure but I can tell you that these were delicious!  I absolutely love grilled pineapple and with this glaze they were even better.  These are a perfect side dish for any BBQ.  They go great with chicken, hamburgers, etc.  Even Brynlee who claimed she didn't like pineapple told me these were yummy.  So there you go. If I can get my 5 year old's seal of approval they must be good!

Up until I was introduced to the delicious Red Berry Risotto Kirsti posted about a year ago, I was unfamiliar with Risotto.  I fell in love with the creamy texture of the rice so when I came across this recipe I knew I needed to try it out.  Unlike the Red Berry Risotto, this dish is a savory side dish that is wonderful with just about any kind of meat.  The lemon flavor combined with the creamy texture makes this dish nearly irresistible. One of my new favorite sides! Lemon Risotto modified from Giada's Kitchen 5 cups chicken broth 1/2 cup freshly squeezed lemon juice (from 2-3 lemons) 3 Tablespoons butter 1 1/2 cups Arborio rice 1/2 cup dry white wine 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese, plus 2 tablespoons 1/4 cup cream cheese salt and pepper to taste 2 Tablespoons chopped flat leaf parsley In a medium saucepan, bring the broth and 1/4 cup lemon juice to a simmer.  Cover the broth and keep hot over low heat. In a medium, heavy saucepan, m...

This treasure was found on http://www.mysisterskitchen2009.blogspot.com/ . When I saw it a couple of weeks ago I knew it was a recipe that needed to be tried. You do need to plan ahead, the chicken needs time to marinate, but only 30 minutes. I marinated mine for 3 hours because I like my meat a little strong. I cut my chicken into strips instead of chucks, thought it would be easier to eat. One last change, I toasted my buns on the griddle using a little olive oil, which really added to the sandwich. For veggies we had avocado, lettuce and tomatoes . This was a great alternative to hamburgers as we start the summer grilling season!