Winstead Wandering

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pan-fried romaine lettuce {a frugal side dish}

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Pan-fried lettuce…that sounds crazy, right? The idea that you’d take a vegetable traditionally served chilled, a vegetable that’s typically consumed along with an assortment of garnishments designed mostly to hide the flavor, and intentionally heat it, wilt it, and season it only with ingredients intended to enhance it’s natural flavor.

Pan-fried romaine lettuce is a fun and unique spin a boring salad. It's just as fast as gathering all the ingredients for a good salad, but it tastes so much better.

Well, call me crazy, because I love this stuff. It’s such a unique, quick, and inexpensive side dish. The romaine is seasoned only with the garlic-infused olive oil, salt, and pepper. It’s pan-fried at high heat, so the romaine gets hot and wilted without losing it’s natural crunch.

You could throw in any spices you like, but I prefer to keep it simple. I tend to crave crunchy, salty foods and, while I won’t try to pretend this lettuce is a substitute for potato chips, it does fill a little of that void.

Pan-fried romaine lettuce is a fun and unique spin a boring salad. It's just as fast as gathering all the ingredients for a good salad, but it tastes so much better.

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blueberry lemon pound cake with lemon glaze

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I don’t remember fully appreciating the culinary combination that is lemon and blueberries when I was younger. Sure, I loved a good glass of lemonade, and I never turned down a blueberry muffin. But neither flavor was my favorite, and I certainly didn’t willingly pair the two together.

That’s all changed. Now, I actively seek out foods that marry the lovely sweet-tart flavor of berries and the refreshing citrus zest of lemons. And if that food is also topped with a rich glaze flecked with ribbons of lemon zest? Well, then I have to make a pan. Or two.

A moist and sweet pound cake, dotted with blueberries and smothered with a rich lemon glaze. This lightened up version swaps some of the butter for Greek yogurt and calls for less sugar. You'd never know by the taste, though!The original version of this recipe called for more sugar and butter than I felt was necessary. I’ve been known to bring the butter when the recipe really calls for it, but in this case, I felt certain that the whole thing could be lightened up without sacrificing moistness or flavor.

Don’t get me wrong; this recipe is in no way light and healthy. It’s just lighter and healthier than the original version.To make it that way, I took out a stick of butter and used Greek yogurt instead. I also reduced the sugar by a half cup.

The pound cake, on it’s own, is buttery and moist and studded with juicy blueberries. It can hold it’s own as a stand alone treat. But when adding a glaze is an option, I always choose it. Which is why these little guys were finished off with a glaze of powdering sugar, lemon zest and juice, vanilla, and milk. The glaze is just rich enough to stand out against the moist cake, but not so decadent as to overpower it. They play well together.
A moist and sweet pound cake, dotted with blueberries and smothered with a rich lemon glaze. This lightened up version swaps some of the butter for Greek yogurt and calls for less sugar. You'd never know by the taste, though!

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how to make homemade tortilla chips

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I try not to buy a lot of snack foods, specifically chips.  When there’s a bag of tortilla chips in the house, I tend to make nachos. A lot of nachos.

When I want to satisfy my craving for something crunchy and salty, I whip up a batch of homemade tortilla chips.

homemade tortilla chips are so easy to make! They're the perfect crunchy, salty, snack for when you don't want to keep a bag of the store-bought version around.

One of my favorite things about these chips is how they can be customized to suit any mood or meal. You can switch out the savory spices for sweet ones to make dessert nachos. You can skip the spice and use Italian seasonings for a fun twist.

homemade tortilla chips are so easy to make! They're the perfect crunchy, salty, snack for when you don't want to keep a bag of the store-bought version around.

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no clean-up baked garlic green beans

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These baked garlic green beans are easy, healthy, and delicious. The best part? They only use a few ingredients and you don’t have to dirty any pans or bowls to make them.

Green beans are ranked right up with carrots and bell peppers as one of my favorite vegetables.

I love that they have a crisp crunch and fresh flavor of their own, but that they’re easily enhanced by whatever seasonings you add to them.

These baked garlic green beans are easy, healthy, and delicious. The best part? They only use a few ingredients and you don't have to dirty any pans or bowls to make them.

These no clean-up baked garlic green beans hit all the right notes. The prep and clean-up couldn’t be easier. The beans are tossed with seasonings right on a foil-covered baking sheet, so you have no bowls or pans to wash.

The beans are coated with olive oil, garlic, salt, and pepper; just a few classic flavors to bring out the fresh snap of the green beans without taking over.

These baked garlic green beans are easy, healthy, and delicious. The best part? They only use a few ingredients and you don't have to dirty any pans or bowls to make them.

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quick and easy cinnamon roll bread

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Sweet quick bread is topped with rich brown sugar cinnamon swirl & drizzled with sweet powdered sugar icing; classic cinnamon roll flavors without the work. Cinnamon roll bread is a quicker, lighter, healthier alternative to traditional cinnamon rolls. No yeast required- it's so easy! It’s no secret that I love an easy take on a classic cinnamon roll. My cinnamon roll bars with cream cheese frosting are one of my favorite treats. They’re dense and chewy and smothered in a decadent amount of fluffy frosting. Sometimes, though, I want something a little lighter, both in calories and in texture. When I do, I make this cinnamon roll bread. It’s a light bread with a touch of cinnamon and a rich brown sugar cinnamon swirl. Instead of traditional cream cheese frosting, it’s topped with a powdered sugar glaze. While I wouldn’t try to classify this bread as healthy, it is much lighter than most alternatives. The bread itself contains no butter or oil; it uses plain Greek yogurt and just a half cup of sugar. The ribbon of rich cinnamon and brown sugar adds just the right level of sweetness without overpowering the subtle flavor of the bread. And then- because, let’s be real, we can’t call it cinnamon roll anything without frosting- the whole thing is drizzled with a powdered sugar glaze. Cinnamon roll bread is a quicker, lighter, healthier alternative to traditional cinnamon rolls. No yeast required- it's so easy! [Read more…]

10 Simple & Tasty Mother’s Day Brunch Recipes + a Blog Hop

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Welcome to our April Blog Hop!

This month we are focusing on all things Mother’s Day…it’s only a couple of weeks away! Get ready for some great ideas, inspiration and how -tos as you move along through the blog hop.

It's possible to treat your favorite mom on Mother's Day even if you aren't a pro in the kitchen. These recipes are tasty and simple and tasty and sure to please | winstead wandering

You may just be starting, or may have come from Anna International on our Living with Style Blog Hop. If you get off track at any time, the full lineup below will help you move along from blog to blog so you make sure to see and learn from all of the articles featured here today.

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freezer-friendly oven-fried chicken chimichangas

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flavorful chicken and melted cheese wrapped in a crispy oven-fried tortilla- all of the crunchy deliciousness without the soggy calories | winstead wandering

I think I went to one of the only high schools in the country that still has an off-campus lunch period.

Every day, my friends and I had 35 glorious minutes of freedom. No cafeteria food for us. Sometimes we’d head to someone’s house, or to McDonald’s (hello, dollar menu), or to DQ.

Or sometimes, if we were feeling particularly gastronomically-courageous, we would walk to the little cinder block convenience store on Main Street. They served everything from chimichangas and burritos to pizza sticks and sausage pockets. Their smorgasbord of fried food was the type only teenagers can eat and live to tell about; remembering the way the smell would cling to my clothes still makes me cringe.

Hungry?

These oven-fried chimichangas are everything you wish you could get from your local hole-in-the-wall, but without the lingering smell and the quadruple-digit calorie count.

They’re baked instead of fried, so they’re much healthier than the version you might be used to. Before baking, the tops are brushed with butter and sprinkled with salt to achieve a delightfully crisp and crunchy outer shell while maintaining a melty inside.

(Notice anything different about these photos? Like maybe that they’re a million times better than any that I’ve ever taken? That’s because they were taken by my oh-so-talented sister-in-law, Ashley.)

flavorful chicken and melted cheese wrapped in a crispy oven-fried tortilla- all of the crunchy deliciousness without the soggy calories | winstead wandering

oven-fried chicken chimichangas
adapted from Big Oven

2/3 cup salsa (green or red both taste great; sometimes I use a combination of both)
1 tsp cumin
1/2 tsp dried Oregano
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp ground black pepper
1/4 tsp red pepper flakes (depending on the heat of your salsa, or your personal preference, you might want to omit this)
1/4 cup diced onion
1 1/2 cups cooked chicken, shredded or diced
1 cup shredded cheese (I usually use cheddar because that’s what I have; use your favorite)
6 medium flour tortillas
1 tbs butter, melted
kosher salt
garnish(es) of choice: sour cream, guacamole, salsa, cheese, tomatoes, etc.

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3 easy, tasty breakfasts under 300 calories

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3 delicious breakfast recipes under 300 calories | winstead wandering

It’s three months into the new year. Maybe your weight loss resolutions aren’t going as well as planned. Or maybe they are, but you’re growing tired of the same boring, low-calorie options. Here are three winstead wandering-approved recipes to break you out of your breakfast rut without busting your resolutions.

egg sandwich from a cup of jo

3 delicious breakfast recipes under 300 calories | winstead wandering

This recipe is touted as “the best egg sandwich you’ll ever have. While I have to disagree (the breakfast sandwiches J. and I make, my mom’s recipe, are hands-down the best ever) this is likely the best for under 300 calories. The recipe is actually written by Deb of Smitten Kitchen, so you know right off that it’s a winner.

3 delicious breakfast recipes under 300 calories | winstead wandering

The recipe basically has you beat an egg and and pour it into a pan. You cook the egg a little, like a crepe, pile cheese in the middle, and wrap the egg up around the cheese. When you put the egg-wrapped cheese on a toasted English muffin, you have a delicious treasure chest of hot egg and gooey cheese, all wrapped up in a 270 calorie* package.

*calories are based on using a whole wheat English muffin and a slice of American cheese

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homemade strawberry sauce

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your spring and summer won't be complete without this three-ingredient homemade strawberry sauce | winstead wandering

The days are longer, the temperature is warmer, and the local Piggly Wiggly has some beautiful produce.

Because it’s Spring, y’all.

What better way to welcome the season than with a batch- or four- of this sweet homemade strawberry sauce?

My favorite way to enjoy this sauce is in a glass of cold lemonade. The strawberry and lemonade combo? Red Robin has nothing on me.

In addition to the lemonade, strawberry sauce adds a sweet freshness to cheesecake, ice cream, or waffles or pancakes.

Or you can just enjoy it right off the spoon.

your spring and summer won't be complete without this three-ingredient homemade strawberry sauce | winstead wandering

homemade strawberry sauce

2 cups sliced or diced strawberries
1/4 cup sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

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march’s most popular posts

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recipes, frugal tips, personal stuff: the top posts of march | winstead wandering

Um, where did March go?

Between the whirlwind of the end of one term and the start of another, a week out of state for spring break, and all of the final decision-making before construction of our house is complete in a couple weeks, I feel like I barely blinked and the month is gone.

I did manage to write some posts in the midst of the craziness, though. Here are the most-viewed posts of March:

5. cinnamon roll bars

the delicious richness of a cinnamon loaded with cream cheese frosting is combined with the ease of a box cake mix. the result is a must-try | winstead wandering

This is a recipe I posted a couple months back. The fact that it’s still getting a lot of hits is a testament to how ridiculously tasty it is.

4. how to maximize your wardrobe on a budget

some unique tips for making the most of your wardrobe, even when you're on a budget | winstead wandering

Have a budget? Want to be clothed? Check out this post.

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