Baked Sweet Potato Wedges

While I would like to take full credit for this recipe, I'm afraid that I cannot.  This is from the queen herself, Paula Deen.  She is definitely a woman after my own heart.  As a fellow southern woman, I appreciate her respect for a good stick of butter. 

I don't know about you but I love sweet potatoes.  The only problem is that I eat them only at Thanksgiving and while I'm eating them I always think to myself, "Now WHY don't I eat these at any other time of year?"  This recipe is so stupid easy that I wish Paula would change the name to Sweet Potatoes For Dummies.  I mean even I can cook these babies!  Enjoy!

1/2 cup, plus 2 T butter (all hail butter!)
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
4 sweet potatoes, scrubbed and cut lengthwise into wedges
2 tsp salt
2 tsp freshly ground black pepper

Preheat oven to 400.

In a large saucepan over med-high heat, melt butter.  Remove the pot from the heat and stir in the cinnamon.  Add the potato wedges to teh butter and toss to coat.  Season the potatoes with salt and pepper.

Spread the potatoes in an even layer on a baking sheet.  Roast potatoes, stirring occasionally, until tender (about 20-25 min).

Cool Striped Dessert

What's great about this recipe is that you can alter it into different variations and never get bored of this yummy dessert.  It's so simple, yet very tasty!  This is one of our summertime absolute favorites.  Change the pudding flavor and the cookie crust and you've got a variation of this dessert all your own!

35 Oreo sandwich cookies, finely crushed (about 3 cups)
     (for different variations try nilla wafers, graham crackers, or ginger snaps)
6 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 pkg (8oz) Cream Cheese, softened
1/4 c sugar
2T cold milk
1 tub (12oz) Cool Whip, thawed & divided
3 1/4 c cold milk
2 pkgs (4 svg size each) Jell-0 Chocolate Flavor Instant Pudding & Pie Filling

Mix crushed cookies and butter in med bowl.  Press firmly into bottom of 13x9 baking dish, refrigerate 10 min.
Beat cream cheese, sugar and 2T milk in med bowl with wire whisk 2 min or until blended well.  Spread over crust.
Pour 3 1/4 cups milk into large bowl.  Add dry pudding mixes.  Beat with wire whisk 2 min and spread over cream cheese layer.  Let stand 5 min or until thickened.  Drop remaining whipped topping by spoonfuls over pudding layer & spread evenly to cover pudding.
Refrigerate at least 4 hours.  Cut into 24 squares.  Store in refrigerator.

Shrimp Noodle Bowl

There's nothing like curling up on the couch with a warm bowl of noodles while watching your favorite show on T.V.   This is so easy to make and full of flavor to boot.  I know it will become one of your favorites, just as it has become mine!

Serves 4

2 pkg Ramen Noodles (any flavor)
1 T vegetable oil
1 lb raw, peeled and deveined 36-40 count shrimp, thawed
1 T drained roasted garlic
1 lb. frozen broccoli stir fry veggies (carrots, onions & red peppers)
1/2 c teriyaki marinade and sauce
2 T Szechuan stir-fry and marinade sauce
1 tsp Asian sesame oil
1/3 c dry roasted peanuts (optional)

Cook Ramen Noodles according to directions but do not add seasoning packet, drain well.
Heat oil in 12" skillet until hot but not smoking.  Add shrimp and cook 2-3 minutes or until they
turn opaque, stirring constantly.  Transfer shrimp to medium bowl.
To the same skillet, add garlic; cook 30 seconds, stirring.  Add veggies and sauces; cook 4-5 minutes
or until veggies are heated through.  Stir in sesame oil, shrimp and any juices in bowl and drained noodles; heat through.  Sprinkle with peanuts.

Cheesy Pepperoni Roll Ups

1 pkg frozen large crescent rolls
1/2 lb. pepper jack cheese, shredded
4 oz pepperoni, finely chopped

Top each flattened crescent roll triangle with about 1 T cheese and 1 rounded tsp pepperoni. Roll up and seal the seams by pinching. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake 350 for 16-20 minutes or until golden brown. Serve warm & refrigerate leftovers.

Spicy Sausage Super Bowl Soup

Try saying that 10 times fast! I realize that soup is probably not a typical super bowl offering but serve this instead of chili and wait for the compliments! You probably won't get away with just serving this one time a year either once your hubby gets a taste. It's quite different from the usual boring soups. Pair this with cheesy pepperoni roll ups and you've got a hit any time of the year.


1 lb. Italian sausage
1 can Italian stewed tomatoes
1 8oz can tomato sauce
1/4 c. chicken broth, beef broth or wine
1/4 c. chopped onion
1 c. Italian veggies (I use a frozen bag of squash and zucchini)
3/4 c. Red, green and yellow pepper strips (I use a bag of frozen pepper strips)
3 tsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. minced parsley flakes
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/8 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper

In a large skillet, cook sausage over medium heat until no longer pink. Meanwhile in a crock pot, combine the remaining ingredients. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and allow to simmer 10 minutes minimum. Drain sausage; add to soup and continue heating until ready to serve.