Entrees

Caramelized Vidalia Onion & Sausage Galette

 (All posts may contain affiliate links or sponsored content. Please see my disclosure policy)

It’s my favorite time of the year……..Vidalia Onion season! Do you know what makes Vidalia Onions so sweet? The low amount of sulfur in the soil of which they are grown, combined with growing conditions and weather! And, fun fact, Vidalia Onions are grown in 20 South Georgia counties! Shuman Farms RealSweet Onions have been bringing onions to us for over 35 years.

Whenever you see the RealSweet® bag at your local grocery store, rest assured in knowing that you are receiving only the highest quality of onions. Each bag is checked by hand for quality and weight accuracy before shipping. Once packaged, these sweet onions are loaded onto trucks and shipped to your local grocer. The Vidalia growing region may only be in Southeast GA, but Vidalias are available all over the country! Be on the lookout for these onions on your next trip to the grocery store, and taste the RealSweet difference! 

I was so excited to create a new recipe with these gorgeous Shuman Farms RealSweet Onions. This Caramelized Vidalia Onion & Sausage Galette is packed full of sweet onion flavor in every bite. The sausage helps to give it a savory note and the Dijon mustard gives it that yummy flavor that keeps you coming back for just one more bite. This galette is not only delicious, but super easy to prepare. Serve as a main dish with a salad, or it would also make a wonderful appetizer!

Caramelized Vidalia Onion & Sausage Galette

Ingredients: 

8 oz. breakfast sausage

1 pre-made pie crust

6-8 ounces Gruyère cheese

5 medium Vidalia onions, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons Dijon Mustard

2 tablespoons butter

5 sprigs fresh thyme

Salt/Pepper to taste

Egg White to brush on crust

 

Instructions: 

In a large skillet, brown the sausage. Take out of pan and set aside.

In the same skillet that you used to cook the sausage, add butter. Then, add in the onions, salt/pepper and thyme. Cook stirring frequently. You want the onions to be caramelized and a golden brown. It will take around 15-20 minutes.

While onions are caramelizing, grate the Gruyère cheese.

After onions have cooked down, add cooked sausage back in.

Add in Dijon mustard, and mix together.

Roll out premade pie crust on a non-stick baking sheet or pizza pan.

Place the sausage and onion mixture into the center of the pie crust.

Gently fold the edges of the dough over the filling. Make sure to pleat the dough about every 2 inches.

Sprinkle the grated Gruyère cheese over the top of the filling.

Use an egg white wash to brush over the crust. This will result in a golden brown crust.

Place on baking sheet and bake at 400 degrees until crust is golden brown, around 25-30 minutes.

Serve and enjoy! You can sprinkle extra thyme on top if you desire.

 

 

Toasted Cheeseburger Sliders

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Is there anything better than a cheeseburger? These Toasted Cheeseburger Sliders are the perfect size, and who can eat just one? They are super easy to prepare, and would be the perfect addition to your summer barbecues!

Toasted Cheeseburger Sliders

Ingredients:

  • 8oz Ground Beef (cooked & crumbled)
  • 8 Slices Cheddar Cheese 
  • 1 Tbs Melted Butter
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Pepper
  • 1 Teaspoon Sesame Seeds 
  • Sweet Hawaiian Dinner Rolls

Instructions:

  1. Slice the sweet Hawaiian rolls in half.
  2. Lay the bottom half of the rolls into an 8×8 baking dish. 
  3. Place 4 slices of cheddar cheese on top of the sliders. 
  4. Top with the ground beef.
  5. Sprinkle with salt & pepper.
  6. Place 4 slices of cheddar cheese on top. 
  7. Place the top half of the dinner rolls on top.
  8. Coat with melted butter.
  9. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  10. Place in the toaster oven (or conventional oven) for 6-8 minutes.

Five Back to School Recipes with Healthy Family Project!

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For many parts of the country, school is back in session! Healthy lunches and dinners can sometimes be challenging as we are learning to balance schedules, extra-curricular activities and more. I am here to help make your life easier! While this post is sponsored by Healthy Family Project, all opinions and the recipes are my own.

Is school back in session yet for your kiddos? We went back around 2 weeks ago, and I can’t believe how quickly that time is already flying by. My oldest son Drew is a junior in high school, and Brady, our 10-year-old is in fifth grade. Since I have 2 very active boys, you can imagine that they are always hungry!

 

I teach part-time at Brady’s school, so meal planning and preparation are very important to me! The last thing that I want to think about each night is what to make for dinner, or what to pack in the boy’s school lunches for the next day. The meals and snacks that I prepare for my family, must not only be quick and easy, but they must also be healthy. I love to add lots of fresh fruits and veggies to every meal or snack to ensure that our family is getting the nutrients that we need.

With the kids heading back to school, life is about to get a lot busier for all of us! Whether you are taking the kids back and forth to school, or all the extra-curricular activities that they have, here are 4 easy and healthy dinner and lunch recipes to help your school year get off on the right track. I am also including an extra bonus dessert recipe because some days you need dessert!

Sausage and Avocado Cream Cheese Zucchini Boats

Quick and easy dinner ideas are a must for our busy family! These Sausage and Avocado Cream Cheese Zucchini Boats are sure to be a new fave that your family will ask for again and again!

Ingredients:

4-6 zucchini washed and halved

1 tub of ¡Yo Quiero! Brands Avocado Cream Cheese (you can use any variety, but I used the Spinach Bacon)

16oz. shredded mozzarella cheese

1lb. Italian roll sausage

salt/pepper for taste

1 small RealSweet Onion, chopped

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Scoop out the center of each of the halved zucchinis to make a “boat”.

Place in a greased baking pan.

In the meantime, cook the Italian roll sausage on medium heat and add the RealSweet Onions. Cook until done. Add salt/pepper to taste.

Combine cooked sausage and onions with the tub of ¡Yo Quiero! Brands Avocado Cream Cheese

Spread sausage mixture into each zucchini boat and top with the shredded mozzarella cheese.

Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until zucchini are tender and the cheese is bubbly.

Serve and enjoy!

 

 

Guacamole and Caramelized Onion Patty Melts

Some evenings call for a quick, yet comforting meal! These Guacamole and Caramelized Onion Patty Melts are sure to give you the comfort factor that you crave yet are very easy to prepare and oh-so delicious! Add other veggies or toppings as your family prefers. The possibilities are endless!

Ingredients:

16 oz. Ground Turkey or Ground Beef (I used half of each to cut down on the fat content)

Slices of Monterrey Jack Cheese

3-4 RealSweet Vidalia Onions sliced

salt/pepper to taste

8-10 slices of your favorite bread

Butter spread

¡Yo Quiero! Brands Guacamole

Instructions:

Place sliced RealSweet Vidalia Onions in a skillet to caramelize. Cook until golden brown.

While onions are cooking, form the Ground Beef/Turkey mixture into patties.

Place Hamburger/Turkey Patties on a griddle or in a skillet to cook. Cook each patty through.

Place caramelized onions in a bowl to cool down.

In the meantime, butter one side of each bread slice then place the buttered side down of the bread on the skillet to get golden brown.

Add cooked hamburger patties to bread slices and top with caramelized onions, cheese and ¡Yo Quiero! Brands Guacamole. Turn sandwich over to continue cooking and to become golden brown.

Serve with your favorite veggies and enjoy!

 

Chicken Meatballs with Zucchini Noodles

One of my favorite time-savers for getting dinner on the table during a busy week is by utilizing my slow cooker. I can throw something in before I leave for school in the morning, and we will have delicious and easy dinner later that evening! I particularly love the pre-cooked chicken meatballs from Costco. I throw them in the slow cooker with a jar of our favorite marinara sauce, and voila dinner is almost ready! I serve them over Pero Family Zucchini Noodles that you cook in the microwave for just a few minutes. This meal is a family favorite and filled with veggies and protein!

Ingredients:

1 package of pre-cooked chicken meatballs (I buy the Amylu brand from Costco, but you can use whatever meatballs that you prefer or have on hand)

1 jar of your favorite marinara sauce

2 containers of Pero Family Zucchini Noodles

 

Instructions:

Place the package of chicken meatballs in the slow cooker.

Pour the jar of marinara sauce over the meatballs,

Cook on low for 4-6 hours.

Before you are ready to serve cook the zucchini noodles in the microwave until done.

Serve the chicken meatballs over the zucchini noodles and add extra sauce and grated parmesan cheese.

This meal couldn’t be easier to prepare and is so delicious! I can almost guarantee that there will be no leftovers!

Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad

I don’t know about you, but Chicken Salad is one of our family’s favorite go-to lunches. There are so many different varieties of fruits or veggies that can be added to make it your own. This Mandarin Orange Chicken Salad is sweet yet savory, and every bite is a pop in your mouth that keeps you coming back for more. This is the perfect lunch idea for every member of your family!

Ingredients:

3-4 cups of cooked chicken breast (I used a rotisserie chicken for the convenience factor)

3 celery stalks, diced

5-6 Bee Sweet Citrus Mandarins, peeled and segmented

3-4 green onions, diced

Celery salt for taste

Pepper for taste

1/3 cup stone ground Dijon mustard

½ cup avocado oil mayonnaise

Instructions:

Combine chicken breast, diced celery, green onions, mayonnaise, and mustard in a large bowl.

Add celery salt and pepper for taste.

Gently fold in the mandarin oranges.

Serve with your favorite bread as a sandwich or topped high on your favorite crackers! This is such a refreshing and healthy lunch for yourself or the kiddos!

Caramel Apple Galette

Had a rough week? Sometimes a special dessert for the family is in order! This Caramel Apple Galette couldn’t be easier to prepare, and every bite is packed full of delicious Jazz Apples! The sweet apples with the caramel drizzle are the perfect pairing. Add some vanilla ice cream for an even more decadent dessert!

Ingredients:

1 premade pie crust (the roll out variety)

3-4 Jazz Apples, peeled and sliced into ¼ inch pieces

Jar of your favorite caramel sauce

1-2 Tbsp. of sugar

½ teaspoon cinnamon

Dash of salt

Egg Wash: 1 large egg

Dusting Sugar for crust

Optional: Vanilla Ice Cream

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Roll out the pie crust into a pie pan or glass baking dish

In a bowl, mix the apples, cinnamon, and salt

Place apples into the rolled-out pie crust.

Gently fold the edge of the dough over the apples.

Brush the crust with the egg wash.

Sprinkle dusting sugar on the crust to give it a nice sheen as it bakes.

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until crust is golden brown and filling is bubbly.

Drizzle with your favorite caramel sauce

Serve with your favorite vanilla ice cream and enjoy!

 

 

Are you familiar with the Power Your Lunchbox program? If not, I highly suggest that you check it out! I am honored to be a part of a campaign that helps empower families as they get ready for the back-to-school season. The Power Your Lunchbox program, in partnership with Healthy Family Project has so many tips and recipes to offer as they help to support accessibility to fresh produce in schools through the Foundation for Fresh Produce. The back-to-school campaign has raised over $180,000 for charitable organizations that promote health over the years. Isn’t that amazing?

A big THANK YOU to the sponsors who have helped to make this campaign a huge success! Jazz Apple, Bee Sweet Citrus, Pero Family Farms, Nature Fresh Farms, RealSweet Onions, Crispy Green, ¡Yo Quiero!

 

 

Big Mac Salad

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If you love a Big Mac Sandwich, but not all of the calories, then you will thoroughly enjoy this recipe for Big Mac Salad. It has all the yummy flavors without the guilt! My entire family loves this one! Try it and let me know what you think!

Ingredients 

  • 8oz Lettuce 
  • 1lb Browned Ground Beef
  • 1 Cup Diced Tomatoes 
  • 1/2 Cup Shredded Cheddar Cheese 
  • 1/2 Cup Pickles 
  • 1 Onion (Diced)
  • 1Tbs Sesame Seeds 
  • Thousand Island Dressing 

Instructions

  1. In a large mixing bowl, combine lettuce, cheese, pickles, onions, tomatoes, & ground beef.
  2. Sprinkle with sesame seeds.
  3. Drizzle with thousand island dressing & enjoy. 

Sweet Onion Baked Chicken with RealSweet Onions + Breast Cancer Awareness Month

This post is sponsored by RealSweet Onions. All comments and opinions are my own.

Cancer.

It’s a word that we hope to never hear for ourselves or for those that we love.

When my best friend was diagnosed with breast cancer several years ago, I remember feeling scared and overwhelmed for her. We have known each other for well over 20 years, and she has been that friend to whom I can tell anything. In fact, we joke that we are Lucy and Ethel, and share such a special bond. She had listened to me through some difficult times in my life, and now it was my turn to do so. I knew that the challenges and difficulties that she would be faced with along her road to recovery would be difficult, but I would be there for her every step of the way.

It is hard to know how to respond to a friend with cancer; how do you help them; how do you talk to them about the situation? The most important thing that you can do for that friend or family member is by just being there for them. Find meaningful ways to help them along their journey. A card, flowers, a meal, whatever you can do to let that friend know that you are there for them during the darkest days of their life. Treat your friend with normalcy. Their diagnosis does not change the person that they are, and most certainly not your friendship.

Thankfully, my best friend is cancer free today. She is one of the strongest people that I know. She went through, chemotherapy, radiation, a double mastectomy, and even cancer in her thyroid. I know that these times were challenging for her, but she faced them with such dignity, strength, and grace. I am so thankful that we have many years of friendship ahead of us! I am also thankful for companies that help to bring awareness and support the fight against breast cancer.

Shuman Farms, RealSweet Onions are making a huge impact in the fight against breast cancer. Not only have they donated over $110,000 since 2009, but for the past 13 years, during the month of October, their entire line of onions goes pink in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. You can look for their special pink bags at your local grocery store. In addition, the stickers that you will see on the onions are also pink to show their support for a cause that has touched so many of their lives too. In addition to supporting and donating to the fight against breast cancer, RealSweet Onions also likes to educate their consumers on how to eat a nutritious diet filled with fruits and veggies to help fight diseases like cancer.

Did you know that sweet onions are filled with an excellent source of cancer-fighting antioxidants like quercetin and allicin? Quercetin is a natural antioxidant found in sweet onions that helps zinc get to the center of your body’s cells, where it can then aid in preventing viruses from reproducing. Bring on the sweet onions!

I was so honored when asked to partner with RealSweet Onions, and to create a recipe with their delicious onions! Sweet Onion Baked Chicken couldn’t be easier to prepare, and it is sure to be a new favorite that your family will ask for again and again. If you love French Onion Soup, then you will love this dish! It tastes just like French Onion Soup with the addition of the chicken. Sop up all the juices in the pan with a nice crusty loaf of bread and you are all set! My three guys loved it, and there were no leftovers!

Sweet Onion Baked Chicken

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons butter

2 pounds sweet onions, thinly sliced

1 tablespoon minced garlic

½ tablespoon Bragg Liquid Aminos

¾ teaspoon fresh thyme, finely chopped

3-4 large boneless, skinless chicken breasts

1 bag of shredded mozzarella, provolone cheese blend

1/2 cup beef broth

Salt/pepper to taste

 

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Melt the butter in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat.

Add the onions and cook until tender and soft. You will want them to be almost caramelized and a light brown color. Add the Bragg Liquid Aminos. Stir and continue cooking for several minutes.

Add the garlic and thyme. Cook for another minute.

While the onions continue to cook, add the chicken breasts in a baking dish. Season with salt/pepper to taste.

Place the cooked onions in the baking dish with the chicken. Divide them evenly between the chicken breasts.

Pour the beef broth around the chicken.

Sprinkle the shredded cheese evenly on the top of the chicken and onions.

Bake at 350 degrees until chicken is cooked through and the cheese is melted and starting to get golden brown.

Serve and enjoy!

Italian Turkey Sausage and Veggie Sheet Pan Dinner

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One of my absolute easy, quick, and delicious dinners is a Sheet Pan Meal. You just throw everything on the pan, put it in the oven, and dinner is served! This recipe for Italian Turkey Sausage and Veggie Sheet Pan Dinner is packed full of flavor in every bite! I love that you can really customize it and use whatever veggies that you have in the fridge at the moment. This is a great meal too if you are watching your calories and doing a program like Weight Watchers.

Ingredients: 

1 package of Butterball Italian Turkey Sausage (you could use regular Italian Sausage as well, but these have less fat) I personally have to use 2 packs of sausages when I make this meal as my boys like to eat. 🙂

Chopped up Veggies (use whatever you have on hand. I used broccoli, peppers, onions, potatoes, tomatoes, and zucchini.

Drizzle of olive oil to coat everything

Salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place all ingredients on a sheet pan and drizzle with olive oil making sure all the veggies and sausages are coated.

Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.

Cook at 350 degrees for around 20 minutes or until sausages and veggies are cooked through.

Enjoy!

Lemon Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

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Sheet Pan Dinners are my life these days. I love how they allow me to get a quick and healthy dinner on the table in no time at all. This Sheet Pan recipe for Lemon Chicken is a new fave! Every bit is packed full of delicious flavor that your entire family is sure to love!

Lemon Chicken Sheet Pan Dinner

Ingredients: 

  • 1Lb Red Potatoes Cut Into 1inch Pieces
  • Avocado Oil Cooking Spray
  • 1 Teaspoon Salt
  • 1 Teaspoon Pepper
  • 2Lbs Thin Asparagus Cut Into 1-2inch Pieces
  • 1 1/2 Lbs Chicken Breasts Cut Into Cubes
  • 1 Tablespoon Garlic 
  • 1 Lemon 

Instructions:

  1. Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Spread the red potatoes out on a sheetpan. Spray the potatoes with avocado cooking spray then sprinkle with garlic, salt & pepper to your liking. Place in the oven for 15 minutes.
  3. While potatoes are baking, toss asparagus & chicken into a mixing bowl. Squeeze half of a lemon into the bowl and then sprinkle the rest of the garlic, salt & pepper into the bowl. 
  4. Toss to coat, then transfer to the sheet pan with the potatoes. 
  5. Place the sheet pan back in the oven for 15-20 minutes or until chicken is fully cooked.
  6. While the Sheet pan is in the oven, slice up the second half of the lemon into cubes. 
  7. Once sheet pan is fully cooked, remove from oven and place the cubed lemon pieces onto the sheet pan. You can squeeze the lemons before eating for extra flavor!

Cinnamon Roll Snowmen

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Need a fun yet festive breakfast idea for the holidays? These Cinnamon Roll Snowmen are the perfect treat and couldn’t be easier to prepare!

Ingredients

● 1 can Pillsbury Grands Cinnabon Cinnamon Rolls, 17.5 oz

● 1 can Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, 12.4 oz

● Candy Eyeballs

● Milk Chocolate Chips

● Small Pretzel Sticks

● Candy Corn

● Blueberries

 

Directions

1. Open the can of Pillsbury Grands Cinnamon Rolls, and remove one roll. Begin unrolling the roll until it is slightly smaller than the other rolls in the can. Using a knife, cut the extra portion off, and roll it up and place it in the pan beside the newly sized roll. (There are 5 rolls in the can, so you could repeat this process with another roll, so that you have 3 large rolls, 2 medium sized rolls, and 2 tiny rolls formed from the portion you removed. Or you can cut and resize all 5 rolls, reserving the small portion that was removed to be used as the “head” of the snowman) Open the can of Pillsbury Cinnamon Rolls, and place in a separate pan. Bake both pans of cinnamon rolls per package instructions.

2. Once the cinnamon rolls are cooked, remove one large roll, and place at the bottom center of a plate. Place one of the slightly smaller rolls you resized right about the large roll. Place one of the rolls from the other pan (the 12.4 oz can) above the middle roll. Ice each roll with the icing provided.

3. Stick pretzel sticks into the middle roll at an angle to form arms. Place the candy eyeballs on the top small roll, and stick a candy corn right below the eyes to be the nose. Make a mouth out of milk chocolate chips, and place 3 blueberry “buttons” down the middle of the middle roll.

Serve immediately and enjoy!

Christmas Cinnamon Roll Waffles

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If you need a quick yet delicious breakfast idea for Christmas morning, these Christmas Cinnamon Roll Waffles are sure to be your new favorite tradition! And, you can actually make these year round not just on Christmas morning! 

Ingredients 

  • 1 Can Cinnamon Rolls
  • Icing (included)
  • Christmas Sprinkles
  • Waffle Iron
  • Cooking Spray

Instructions

  1. Heat waffle iron. If yours let’s you choose the temperature, I suggest medium heat.
  2. Spritz with cooking spray. 
  3. Place once cinnamon roll in each section of the waffle iron. 
  4. Close waffle iron and cook for 2 minutes.
  5. Remove from waffle iron and ice.
  6. Be festive and add as many (or little) sprinkles as you wish.
  7. Serve & enjoy! 

15+ Hearty Fall Soup Recipes

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 Sopa de Albondigas by A Taste for Travel
Double Roux Gumbo by Simply Happenings
Chipotle Shrimp Chowder by Keto Cooking Wins
Roasted Cauliflower Soup with Chili Oil by Tasting Page
Cream Cheese Ham and Potato Soup by Thrifty Frugal Mom
French Chestnut Soup by A Hedgehog in the Kitchen
Mushroom and Chickpea Minestrone by Seven Roses
Shrimp and Corn Soup by Baked Broiled and Basted
Chunky Cheddar Bacon Potato Soup by Chef Not Required
Mussel Chowder by Bacon is Magic
Tuscan Bean Sausage Soup by This Farm Girl Cooks
Cheesy Baked Potato Soup by My Gluten Free Kitchen
Cheesy Corn Soup by Adventures of a DIY Mom
Sausage Tortellini Soup by Cook at Home Mom
Shepherd’s Pie Soup by Spend with Pennies