Apricot Glazed Ham

Another easy and delicious meal, and for the leftovers try these tasty little ham and cheese sliders from the girlwhoateeverything http://thegirlwhoateeverything.blogspot.com/2010/04/ham-and-cheese-sliders.html

1/2 c. brown sugar
1/4 c. apricot jam
1 t. dry mustard
7-10 lb. precooked, sliced ham

Place ham sliced side down on a tin foiled jelly roll pan or any pan with a lip. Combine sugar, jam, mustard and cover ham leaving a little to add later. Cover ham with tin foil and cook at 275 for 14 minutes per pound. Add left over glaze last 20 minutes of cooking.

Baked Sweet Potato Fries

I am in love with these sweet potato fries! They're super easy, and the part I love the most is they're really healthy and Parker loves them! He loves getting to dip them in ketchup, and I love that he's eating a vegetable and doesn't even know it. Actually I can't complain, for the most part Parker eats really well. He's stubborn at times, but his mother is more stubborn:) Anyway it's always nice when they're excited to eat something that's actually good for them. This recipe comes from ourbestbites.com where they also give a tutorial about cutting the potatoes to get them the perfect fry size and they also have a recipe for dipping sauce that I have yet to try, so if you get the chance to try it let me know. Find this recipe at http://www.ourbestbites.com/2009/01/baked-sweet-potato-fries.html

1 lb peeled sweet potatoes cut into 1/4" match-sticks

2 T extra virgin olive oil

1/2 t cumin

1/2 t oregano

1/2 t coriander (I didn't have any of this and they still tasted great)

1 t kosher salt

1 t parsley

1/8 tsp black pepper

Preheat oven to 425. In a large ziploc bag combine olive oil and seasonings. Add sweet potatoes and squish until all fries are coated with olive oil. Place fries on baking sheet in a single layer allowing all fries to touch pan. Cook for 15 minutes, flip and then cook for another 15-20 minutes until browned.

Sausage and Vegetable Skillet

This is another super easy, yet really flavorful, quick all in one skillet meal. I've been all about easy lately. I'm not really sure what I do all day, but life has felt so busy lately. Between the holidays, birthdays, weddings, church callings, anniversaries, and a little one who's got more energy than any of us know what to do with, the last thing I want to do is come home and whip up a whole big meal. So hopefully I can find lots of easy recipes because that's all I have patience for over the next couple of months.

1 lb bulk pork sausage (I used half regular and half spicy)
1 medium onion, minced
1 t. minced garlic
1 14.5 oz. can diced tomatoes
3 1/2 c. chicken broth
1 t. basil
12 oz. penne pasta
2 c. chopped spinach

Cook sausage, onion, and garlic until sausage is no longer pink. Add tomatoes, broth, basil, and pasta and cook uncovered for 12-15 minutes or until pasta is cooked al dente. Stir in spinach and cook for another minute until spinach is wilted and enjoy!!

Easy Taco Soup

So I know most everyone probably has a recipe for taco soup, but I had never even tried it until a few years ago when a friend of mine brought it to work, and this is her recipe. I have since tried different ones, but still come back to this one. This recipe is so quick and easy, but if you have a better one or just have a suggestion let me know!


1 lb ground beef
1 pkg. taco seasoning
2 14.5 oz can tomatoes with green chilis
1 15 oz can corn, including juice
2 15 oz can light red kidney beans, drained
Fritos, cheese, sour cream, or any other toppings you like

Brown hamburger and drain grease. Stir in taco seasoning. Add remaining ingredients (except toppings, obviously:) Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat and allow to simmer for about 20 minutes. This is no spicier then tacos, but if your sensitive you can stir in a tablespoon of sugar before your covering. Serve with Fritos, cheese, and sour cream if you like.