‘Taste of Home Magazine’ Articles at Sweetnicks

Zesty Turkey Burgers

August 9, 2010 · Narrative

When it comes to ground turkey, I have a love/hate relationship with it. Mostly hate. It just has such a distinct taste that I can’t get past, and sometimes it seems like no matter how many condiments I add to it, I can’t disguise it enough. But knowing how healthy it is, I keep trying, in the hopes of finding a few more ground turkey recipes that I don’t mind. And such is the case with these Zesty Turkey Burgers.

I found the recipe in a recent issue of Taste of Home magazine, and with the ground turkey and oats, it’s pretty healthy stuff, and with the added addition of a ketchup glaze (although ketchup isn’t uber-healthy), it gives it enough of a kick in the taste buds that we’ll let it slide occasionally. I served these on whole wheat buns that were topped with a bit of mustard, ripe tomatoes, thinly sliced red onions, a few leaves of fresh spinach and half an avocado. It’s making my mouth water just thinking about it, but a lot of that has to do with the toppings. Toppings can make the most mundane thing seem sinful. Use fresh ingredients and you can really pack on the deliciousness, without the guilt.

Tomorrow … Summerfest!

Project 365
Photos #140 and 141, August 9, 2010

Today, Nick started a week of Boy Scout camp. We were in the car at 7:12 am. I can’t remember the last time I was in the car quite that early. I was a little apprehensive this morning, since I took a big gulp and this year, I signed him up for bus transportation, instead of driving him myself. It’s about 25 minutes one way, and he’s never been on a bus, alone, before. Letting go is not always easy, but I made it through the day, barely breathing, by exchanging emails during the day with another nervous mom.

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Hershey Kiss Good Fortunes

February 18, 2010 · Narrative

Yesterday was Ash Wednesday and the kick-off to Lent for Catholics. As such, we’re supposed to give something up during Lent. Something hard. I debated about just skipping it and not giving anything up. Then I debated about what to give up. A friend gave up Facebook. Very brave. Another gave up sugar. Equally brave and hard. I’ve decided … deep breath … to give up Diet Coke. I probably have an average of 2 cans a day. And not being a coffee or tea drinker, besides it being pretty much my Drink of Choice, it’s also my caffeine fix. Being a single mom, giving up a caffeine fix is going to be hard. But then again, that is the whole point of this, right? It’s supposed to be hard. More deep breaths. I didn’t decide what to give up until tonight, so the one I had at dinner was my last one. One last deep breath. It’s just a drink. Not a big deal. Really.

So Nick decided to give up talking back. A move I wholeheartedly endorse. Every once in awhile, the mouthiness resembles a 15-year-old’s. Coming from my 7-year-old son’s body. Not a fan. In fact, the first thing he said to me this morning was, “Mom, really, and here I thought you were going to be nice to me today. Guess I was wrong.” Because the mean mommy told him (nicely) to get moving because he was going to be late for car pool. All in favor of squashing the backtalk.

Even though Jamie, the kids’ babysitter, isn’t Catholic, she wanted to give up something too. I love that about her. She went back and forth between two things all night … either giving up putting off going to the gym (and in her defense, she goes several times a week, but she doesn’t think it’s enough) or giving up chocolate. When we got on the topic of chocolate, she said she really only eats it here, in the stuff that we bake. So you know what that means … that turned into me giving up baking with chocolate. I don’t know how I got dragged into that one, but I somehow ended up with an added challenge now. No baking with chocolate for Lent. Is she kidding me? Usually when I bake something, I save a few pieces for here, and the rest goes to neighbors, work, the kids’ school, and other various spots. For me it’s easy because I don’t have a terrible sweet tooth. If I did, it would be a problem. But, really, one bite to taste something and I’m pretty much done. Not so much with her. And I want to be supportive. So along with giving up my beloved Diet Coke, I’m giving up baking with chocolate. For her.

Now all that being said, you’ve got to love that tonight’s piece is titled with the words Hershey Kiss. We mutually agreed that since I had already planned to make a cute little fun dessert tonight with chocolate, it would be our last chocolate hurrah from now until Lent. And technically, it’s not baked, but what she’s giving up isn’t about a technicality, so I want to be fair.

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Recipe: Herbed Pull-Apart Rolls

January 5, 2010 · Narrative

With a main course like Cioppino (fish stew) for our Christmas Eve dinner, I wanted to make sure to have a bread on the table, in case anyone wanted to go dipping. I totally get what Rachael Ray means when she says bread is like an extra utensil at their dinner table … have liquid, will dip. When I spied this recipe for Herbed Pull-Apart Bread, I knew it would be perfect.

The recipe comes from Taste of Home magazine. For some unknown reason, I stopped subscribing to the magazine a few years ago, but rediscovered it this last Spring. To be quite honest, there’s something perfectly comforting about a recipe from Taste of Home; they’re all a bit down-home and old-fashioned – recipes that make you feel good from the inside out. It’s a feeling I quite like.

Although the recipe looks fiddly, it really couldn’t be easier. After all, it starts with refrigerated bread dough. My only sticking point is that the recipe calls for one can of refrigerated bread dough, but given how many circles they have shown in their pictured Christmas tree, it was more than one can. Luckily I had purchased two at the store, because I couldn’t remember how many the recipe needed.

After I rolled up all the pieces and formed the shape on the pan, I showed Nick and asked him what it looked like.

“A Christmas tree!” came the answer. Phew!

When the bread was out of the oven and peacefully cooling on the counter, someone Uncle Tim who shall remain nameless, swiped the top (the star!) of the tree.

Of course now that Christmas has passed, you could make this in any old shape you want … or not. Simple spiraled herbed bread rolls in a basket would be just as pretty and tasty, and a welcome addition to any dinner table. I can think of endless possibilities with this recipe, using it as a base and then mixing and matching the “inside” ingredients … a pepperoni and mozzarella version, perhaps one with sun-dried tomatoes and artichoke hearts, another one with feta cheese and Kalamata olives. This one will definitely be appearing on our table again.

Project 365
January 5, 2010

This is one of those ingenious, smack-your-forehead, why-didn’t-I-think-of-this ideas. I actually spied this on a photo blog, of all places (I think it was this one). Madeline loves yogurt. I love that Madeline loves yogurt, but if you have a young ‘un, particularly one that is a messy eater (it can’t be just her!) but is fiercely independent and doesn’t want help, you’ll love this. When she’s eating yogurt, she makes an insane mess. You’d be surprised at how many places the yogurt can actually end up. Solution? Poke a straw through the top of the yogurt container without opening it. Yup, even grown-up yogurt. Sucks through like a dream. No muss, no fuss. Isn’t that the best? Life is certainly looking different after using this ingenious little tip.

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Cheeseburger Pasta

November 17, 2009 · Narrative

What if you could have a cheeseburger without, well, the guilt of having a cheeseburger? How does Cheeseburger Pasta sound? I don’t know about you, but it sounds right up my alley. With Cheeseburger Soup as one of my favorite tummy-warming soups, is it any wonder that Cheeseburger Pasta sounds good?

A friend of ours currently has her entire kitchen gutted. Like no appliances, no counters, no running water. A renovation is keeping her out of the kitchen for a good three weeks, and although eating dinner out can be fun sometimes, it gets old quickly, so I took the opportunity to invite them over for dinner. Any excuse to try out a new recipe, right?

When I spied a recipe for Cheeseburger Pasta in a recent issue of Healthy Cooking magazine (from the folks at Taste of Home), I thought it would be perfect for the dinner. Simple, kid-friendly, relatively healthy and vegetables to boot. What’s more, it’s a perfect all-in-one, quick meal for a crazy weeknight. Adding a bowl of fresh fruit alongside it, dinner was done.

I’m a sucker for cheese. Whether it’s in a recipe or just by itself, it is a definite weakness. It didn’t help that there was melted Cheddar in this one. Gooey. Melted. Sharp. Cheddar.

When Nick saw the platter of the pasta on the table, he asked what it was.

“Cheeseburger Pasta. Doesn’t that sound good?”

He shrugged. Luckily shrugging aside, he dug in. Both kids did.

One of the things I like most about this dish is that with the cheese, you expect it to be heavy. And it’s not. It’s just right. Cheese, beef, tomatoes and pasta in every bite. A dish that’s an all-around-the-table pleaser. Dig in.

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