Fruit and Veggie Muffins

These muffins are a great way to incorporate more fruits and veggies into a food that's perfect to snack on! Recipe courtesy of $5 dinners (see the button in the sidebar!).

Fruit and Veggie Muffins

1 cup flour*
3 Tbsp. canola oil**
1/3 cup sugar
2 eggs***
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 cup mashed or grated fruit or veggie

Healthy tips!
*use 1/2 cup white flour and 1/2 cup wheat flour
**use half oil and half applesauce
***substitute mashed bananas for eggs if you want to eat the batter raw

Preheat oven to 350. Whisk together eggs, oil, sugar, and mashed fruit or veggie. Mix in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Pour into muffin cups.
Mini-muffins: bake 8-10 minutes.
Regular muffins: bake 15-20 minutes.
Tops will turn golden brown.

Make a double batch and freeze the extras! Mini-muffins thaw in just a few minutes of sitting out, or in the microwave (10 seconds). Some fruit/veggie ideas to try: mashed banana, grated apple, peeled and grated zucchini, mashed blueberries. Or, double the recipe and try carrot + raisin, squash + apple, banana + strawberry...

BBQ Potato Wedges

This one is a little bit more than 5 things, but it's so perfect with grilled meat!

Barbecued Potato Wedges

2 lbs. small red potatoes, cut into wedges
2 Tbsp. butter, melted
1 Tbsp. honey

Seasonings (use whatever you have, but I like these)
3 tsp. chili powder (I use about half that--these are spicy!!)
1/2 tsp. salt
1/4 tsp. garlic powder
1/4 tsp. pepper

Place potato wedges on large cookie sheet sprayed with pam or covered in aluminum foil. Drizzle with butter and honey. Sprinkle with seasonings. Toss to coat. Bake uncovered at 450 for 25-30 minutes, turning once.

Sweet Pasta Salad

This pasta salad is the perfect side dish for any picnic or meal. It's one of my mom's best. Happy birthday, Mom! I love you.

Sweet Pasta Salad

2 12 oz. packages rainbow Rotini
4 stalk celery, thinly sliced
1/2 red onion, sliced
2 cups mayo/salad dressing
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup rice vinegar

Boil rotini till barely tender (don't overcook!) Drain. Whisk together mayo, sugar, and rice vinegar. Add veggies to pasta, stir in sauce. Chill.

Best served chilled. Make sure you don't overcook the pasta or the entire salad will get mushy.

Easiest Ever Bean Dip

This bean dip is super quick to make and tastes great every time! Perfect for dipping chips or making nachos.

Bean Dip

1 pkg cream cheese
1 can chili with beans

Place cream cheese in a microwavable container and heat until soft. Stir in chili. Microwave until warm.

Not the best looking, but oh so tasty!

P.S. this recipe is honoring my best friend's birthday--Linds, ever wonder how many pounds of this we ate back in high school?!