baked sweet potato fries

These things are delicious!! I think I might even like them better than regular fries. I love the sweet I get from the potato and the salty I get from the ranch (because everyone knows how much I love ranch right? lol) Ketchup just wouldn't do. It MUST be ranch. MmmMm. Tony loves these things too, he's always asking me to make them. 
Every time I see photos of these recipes though, their fries are always orange...I can't tell if they just have different sweet potatoes or if they are using yams instead. I just stick to the one that's labeled "sweet potato" at the grocery store :)

Ingredients:

- 1 sweet potato, (about 5" long) peeled and cut into 1/4" fries

- 2 tsp olive oil

- about 1/2 a dry packet of Zesty Italian dressing, or to your taste preference

- few shakes of garlic powder 

Directions:

-Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

-In a medium bowl, toss sweet potatoes with olive oil, italian dressing powder and garlic powder. 

-Spread potatoes on a baking sheet or on top of a cooling rack. Avoid crowding so potatoes get crisp. Bake 15 minutes. Turn and bake an additional 10-15 minutes. Ovens may vary so keep an eye on them and be sure to cut all the potatoes the same size to ensure even cooking. 

marinated grilled asparagus

I had grilled asparagus a while back at one of the restaurants here in town and it was to die for. I decided to buy some asparagus for the first time and try grilling it myself. I've been trying to incorporate different kinds of veggies in my diet, and asparagus is loaded with vitamins. If only it didn't make your pee smell funny. lol! This marinade turned out really good.

Ingredients

• 1 pound asparagus
• 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice (I omitted just because I forgot lol)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
• 3 cloves garlic, minced 
• Cooking spray

Preparation

• Prepare grill.
• Snap off tough ends of asparagus. Combine all ingredients except cooking spray in a large zip-top plastic bag; seal and marinate for 30 minutes. Remove asparagus from bag, and discard marinade. Place asparagus on grill rack coated with cooking spray; grill 5 minutes on each side or until asparagus is done.

Just a tip for grilling: Instead of placing each individual asparagus on the grill rack, thread them onto bamboo (or metal) skewers to keep them from falling in between the holes. Some people recommend putting a skewer through the top and bottom, but when I tried this mine started to snap in half so I just threaded it through the bottom of each one. Should look like a little fence when you're done :) Or you could use a grill pan, I've resorted to this method the past few times, much easier.

red lobster cheddar bay biscuits

Now we don't have a Red Lobster up here, but who can forget their AMAZING biscuits. Well... These are ALMOST as good :). Thanks to Stephanie. I modified her recipe just a bit to lower the saltiness and strong oregano flavor.

Ingredients:
2 cups of buttermilk biscuit mix (like Bisquick or Jiffy mix)
1/2 a teaspoon of garlic powder
1 to 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheddar cheese.
2/3 cup of milk
2 tablespoons of butter
1/2-1 teaspoon of oregano (I probably used 1/2)
1 teaspoon of garlic powder

Directions:
1- Preheat the oven to 400.
2- Combine the biscuit mix, cheese, and garlic powder. Stir well.
3- Add the milk and stir. The mix should be thick, not sticky. You may need to use your hands to get the ingredients well combined.
4- Bake for 10 minutes of until lightly golden.
5- While baking, melt the butter in a small bowl and add the oregano and garlic salt.
6- Using a pastry brush, brush on the butter.
7- Return to the oven for about 5 minutes.

baked zucchini sticks

I found this recipe off of a Weight Watchers blogger.. crazy right?! These things are SOOO good. I made these tonight for dinner, and my husband actually said "I love these"...to vegetables. What has gone wrong with the world?! Anyway, these are a MUST TRY. Even if you don't like veggies. They remind me of french fries...but these are actually good for you :)

3 medium zucchini sliced into 3" x 1/2" sticks (I just use 1 large zucchini)

1 large egg white

1/3 cup seasoned bread crumbs

2 tbsp grated Pecorino Romano cheese (I used grated parmesan)

cooking spray

1/4 tsp garlic powder

salt

fresh pepper

Quick Marinara Sauce:

1 tsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, smashed

1 28 oz can crushed tomatoes

1 small bay leaf

1 tsp oregano

2 tbsp chopped fresh basil

salt and fresh pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 425°.
In a medium pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add garlic and saute until golden, being careful not to burn. Add crushed tomatoes, salt, pepper, oregano, basil and bay leaf. Stir and reduce heat to low. Cover and let simmer about 20 minutes.

In a small bowl, beat egg whites and season with salt and pepper. In a ziplock bag, place breadcrumbs, garlic powder and cheese and shake well. Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray and set aside.

Dip zucchini sticks into eggs then into bread crumb and cheese mixture, a few at a time and shake to coat. Place the breaded zucchini in a single layer and spray more cooking spray on top. Bake at 425° for about 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Serve with 1/2 cup marinara sauce for dipping. breadcrumbs, garlic powder and cheese and shake well.