Creamy mashed potatoes topped with cheddar cheese broccoli

Having a hard day? Try some creamy mashed potatoes topped with cheddar cheese broccoli to help de-stress and enjoy a delicious dish of comfort food. 

Ingredients:

1 head of broccoli
1 1/4 cup shredded cheddar cheese
1 tsp. minced garlic
2 large golden potato
2 Tbs. butter
2 Tbs sour cream
**milk, as needed, to make more creamy**
Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

1. Peel potato until all skin has been removed, then chop up into small pieces (about 1 inch chunks)
2. Place potatoes into a deep pot. Next, fill up the pot with water until it is slightly covering the potatos. Boil on high for about 10 mins. or until the potato is tender.
3. While the potato cooks, start chopping up the head of broccoli into individual florets and grate the cheese.
4. Once potatoes are close to being done, heat up a saute pan and add olive oil and garlic.  Saute on high for about 20 seconds, then add the broccoli (turn down to med) and continue to cook until tender.
5. After about 10-20 mins. the potatoes will be close to done. Once tender, drain potatoes and mash until smooth. To make them creamy, add butter and sour cream along with salt and pepper for flavor.
6. Right before you serve, put the cheese on the broccoli and let it melt until ready.
7. Finally, plate mashed potatoes, add broccoli on top and enjoy! 




Who ever thought that cheddar cheese broccoli could be so delicious! This recipe is so simple and delicious, anyone can try it. I first thought of this one night when I got home from school and was craving so many different flavors and textures but didn't know what I wanted to eat. I knew Dana would be coming home and wanting something to eat right away, so I thought why not make her favorite mashed potatoes. Personally, I am not a HUGE mashed potato fan like she is, so I wanted something that I would favor as well. I am definitely a green type of girl, for I love most vegetables, including broccoli. However, my ultimate weakness is cheese. I have no idea why I crave it as much as I do, but there is no way I can part with it, no matter how hard I try. So, after my whole thought process, I decided to combine my love for broccoli and cheese along with Dana's love for mashed potatoes. This resulted in one of my favorite hearty dishes. Granted this probably has a million calories and isn't considered on a health track, however, it is satisfying and worth the occasional splurge. Sometimes, the most simple dishes could soon become the favorite in the family. So, if you are a lover of creamy, light, flavor packed mashed potatoes, along with salty, cheddar cheese goodness with a hint of vegetables, then this dish is for you! I hope you enjoy it just as much as I did :) 

Crispy Chicken Tenders

Bring out the child in you by feasting on the best finger food in the world, fresh crispy chicken nuggets. 

**recipe adapted from gluten free cooking About.com

Ingredients:

1 package of chicken tenders (cut up into smaller bite size pieces) 

1/2 cup gluten free flour blend (Bisquick)

1/2 teaspoon of salt

1 teaspoon of fresh ground pepper

A pinch of of garlic salt

1 large egg and 1 tablespoon of olive oil, whisked together

1 cup crushed gluten-free rice chex

1/2 cup of vegetable oil for frying

Method:

1. Take the chicken tenders out of the package and cut into smaller pieces. Place the pieces in between two sheets of plastic wrap and gently pound until lightly flattened. 

2.  Next, set up the three stations in which you will bread the chicken nuggets. First is the gluten free flour in which you will completely cover the chicken piece. Second is the egg wash which is the egg and olive oil mixed together. The third step is coating the chicken in the crushed up rice Chex. 

*** Your fingers will get messy, but that is half the fun!**

3. Place the freshly coated chicken on a baking sheet in prep for the frying processes. 

4. Place 1/2 cup of vegetable oil in the frying pan or enough so it is 1 inch from the bottom. 

5. To test if the oil is ready throw in an extra piece of crushed up Chex to see if it bubbles. If it bubbles then the oil is ready. 

6. Gently slip in the chicken nugget into the oil. But be careful  not to splash it everywhere! It will take roughly 3-4 mins. per side but make sure you watch it. These chicken nuggets burn easily. 

7. Take out the nuggets and enjoy!!!

Who doesn't love chicken nuggets!!! Dana came home from work one night and demanded we made chicken nuggets for dinner. I was more than thrilled with this demand however, I was unsure how it would work considering they had to be gluten-free. Dana found a recipe that appeared to be simple, fast and looked like a lot of fun to make. I will say that if you are willing to get your hands dirty and don't mind getting up and close with your food, this is the perfect recipe. Before the end of this process you hands will be covered in egg and Chex cereal, along with oil residue from the frying process. Regardless of the intense mess, it is a lot of fun and great for building memories. You will never know how much you missed chicken nuggets until you try these. So next time you are pondering what to have for dinner, embrace the inner child in you and make some delicious chicken nuggets.