Baked Rosemary Potatoes

WARNING: If you try this recipe, you may become addicted.
Baked Rosemary Potatoes are the perfect compliment to Turkey Meatloaf and are super easy to make.
(And I will share that recipe on Saturday-don’t you worry.)

Please, unfasten your seat belts.
Your tummy needs some more room.

Here’s what you’ll need:

1/4 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil (I always avoid the “I-get-around” Olive Oil, personally…)
1 tsp Garlic Salt
1/2 tsp Paprika
1 tsp Sea Salt
1/8 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper
2 Sprigs of Fresh Rosemary
6-8 Red Potatoes

Ziplock Bag
9 x 12 Casserole Dish
Preheat your oven to 350 degrees, please…

Pour the 1/4 C of olive oil into a ziplock bag.

Add the 1 tsp Garlic Salt and the 1/2 tsp Paprika to the ziplock bag.

Next, add the 1 tsp Sea Salt and the 1/8 tsp Fresh Ground Pepper to the ziplock bag.

By now, this is what will be staring right back at you from the bottom of your ziplock bag. Inhale it’s yummy odor…

Cut your potatoes into bite sized pieces. Add them to the ziplock bag and zip it shut.

Gently shake the bag, keeping a hand on the ‘zippy’ part. I don’t care what they claim, the bag will sometimes unzip at the most inopportune time.
Thoroughly coat the potatoes with the olive oil & spice mixture.

I lightly sprayed no-stick onto the bottom of my 9 x 12 casserole dish before dumping the potatoes in. Spread the potatoes evenly in the dish.

Pull the leaves from your fresh rosemary stems and distribute evenly over the potatoes.
Bake these little yummy dudes at 350 degrees, uncovered, for 35-40 minutes or until tender.

So yummy, so easy…
So good as a leftover the next day because you made WAY too much for two people.
I hope you enjoy-I know I did. Come back Saturday for the Turkey Meatloaf Recipe!

The Best BBQ Whole Wheat Pizza

Every once in a blue moon, I like to share recipes with you.
But only if the finished products are mouth watering and approved heartily by Biceps.
Trust me, he keeps asking me to make another one.
And another one….

And another one and another one…

Here’s what you’ll need for the whole wheat crust:
1 1/4 C White Flour
1 Package of Active Yeast
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 TBS Dried Basil
1 C Water
2 TBS Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 3/4 C Whole Wheat Flour
1 Hungry Tummy

Dump your white flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the 1/2 Tsp Salt.
(If you want to add garlic salt to your crust, cut the 1/2 Tsp Salt down to 1/4 Tsp.)

Add your 1 TBS of basil.

Make sure you tear open your package of yeast with your teeth so that when you photograph it, it looks like a wild animal got ahold of it.
Add your package of yeast.

Mix your dry ingredients together with a wooden spoon.
Place your 1 C water into the microwave for a minute to warm it up.

Add the 2 TBS of extra virgin olive oil to your water and whisk it for a second or two.
Add your water/oil mixture to your dry ingredients.

Stir until all the dry ingredients are mixed in and the dough is very sticky.

Stir in as much of your whole flour as you can with a wooden spoon, until the dough becomes too stiff.

Knead your dough by hand, adding the remaining whole wheat flour.

Cover the dough with your bowl and let sit for 10 minutes. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees at this time.

The Tasty Components:
1 C BBQ Sauce
1/2 Red Onion, sliced into fancy rings
2 C Mozzarella Cheese
1 small can of mushrooms, drained
6 Slices turkey bacon (or I suppose you can use ‘real’ bacon, too.)

If you have a cast iron skillet, I recommend using it for this application.
If you don’t, that’s sad. You should.

Spray your skillet lightly with a no stick spray and cook your little bacon on a low heat, turning once. Don’t cook it too long-you want the bacon to be a bit chewy.
Drain the bacon on a paper towel and let cool. Cut your bacon into bite size pieces once you can handle it without burning your little fingers.

Throw your onion slices right into that bacon goodness and cook on a low heat, caramelizing them.

Back to the dough! Press your dough out as far as you can by hand.

Roll out the rest of your dough until it’s big enough to cover your pizza pan. Spray your pizza pan with no stick spray and transfer your dough onto it.

Cook your pizza dough at 425 for 10 minutes.
Fasten your seat belts. Two beautiful worlds are about to collide.

Once your dough is done with it’s ‘pre-cook’, spoon a thin layer of your BBQ sauce onto the dough. Save any extra for a dipping sauce later on.

Add your bacon pieces, mushrooms and caramelized onions.

Smother it with cheese. I mean it, really smother it. Don’t be stingy.

Cook the entire pizza for 10-12 minutes at 425.
If you stick a finger right into the center of the pizza and that dang thing is hot all of the way through, it’s done.

This is so good. It’s 9 in the morning and I am getting hungry just thinking about this pizza…..
I might just have to change our dinner plans.

Stingy ‘Green Cleanin’

When ‘being green’ was still attributed to Kermit the Frog, out of necessity, I came upon these homemade cleansers that cost pennies on the dollar.
And I have a theory, if I can eat it, then I can clean with it. This theory doesn’t work all that well when I come to vacuums…

“Ocean breeze will make you clean.” Name that Kermit movie and you’ll get a star.

If you have hair on your head like I have hair on my head, you need this recipe.

Green Drain Cleaner:
1/2 Cup Baking Soda
1/2 Cup White Vinegar
Boiling Water
Pour Baking Soda down the drain. Add white vinegar and cover the drain, if possible. Let set for 5 minutes. Pour the boiling water down the drain.

We are dusty people. We like to leave the doors open for fresh air, but then regret it when we wipe our fingers along the coffee table, leaving a stripe behind. You win some, you loose some.
This recipe has restored life to most of our vintage finds, too!

Green Furniture Polish and Cleaner:
3 Cups Olive Oil
1 Cup White Vinegar
Mix together in a jar and pour onto a soft cloth. Remix every so often by shaking the jar again.

If you restore old homes, or parts of old homes, this recipe is a must. I have removed years of gross crap off of fixtures, fireplaces and doorknobs.

Green Brass Cleaner:
Lemon Juice
Baking Soda
Make a paste the consistency of toothpaste. Rub onto brass with a soft cloth. Rinse with water and dry.

Lime and gunk will magically disappear. I use this on all of my faucets and chrome baking tins.

Green Chrome and Stainless Steel Cleanser:
1 Cup Vinegar
1/2 Cup Water
Mix in a recycled spray bottle. Spray solution on the chrome/stainless steel and let sit for a minute. Wipe off with damp sponge and dry with a soft cloth.

I know we don’t like to talk about toilets. Or their bowls. Or the funk that grows inside. But, you gotta clean it. Why not do it green style?

Green Toilet Bowl Cleaner:
Baking Soda
Vinegar
Sprinkle baking soda into toilet bowl. Add vinegar. Scrub ‘er down with a toilet brush.