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Unicorn Party

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With a newly turned 4 year old and 2 year old girls we are living in a world of unicorns and rainbows and I am not sad about that at all! My 4 year old has been saying she wanted a unicorn and rainbow party this year and boy was it so much fun to plan! My girls have birthdays that are two weeks apart so with COVID-19 still a concern we still enjoyed a day full of magic with family celebrating both of their birthdays!

The most fun was making the rainbow pizzas! Pizza is enjoyed by all our family and was at the top of Addy’s birthday menu! After searching Pinterest I discovered that shredded mozzarella in a zip lock bag shaken with a few drops of food coloring will quickly change it to the desired color! This was a great spin on cheese pizza!

Unicorn Cheese Pizza

I still had some of the colored cheese left over and ended up mixing the colors and adding desired toppings of meat for the guys! The colors still held up! with the colors being mixed it gave is more of a speckled or also tie-dyed effect. One of the pizzas I made was a rainbow veggie pizza for the adults that was also colorful!

Another neat touch was our “unicorn punch”. Sadly I forgot to take a picture but just made regular lemonade then froze ice cubes in batches with a drop or two of food coloring and made different trays of different colors that I added right at party time.

I got the girls to help me with an easy take home favor of chocolate dipped Oreos with a unicorn chocolate on top. I melted the white chocolate in small batches and to make it more “unicorny” I added a couple of drops of food coloring and gently swirled, not completely incorporating, then dipped the Oreo 3/4 the way in so it had marbled effect. Before the chocolate hardened I had already made unicorn chocolates from a silicon mold that were set that I popped out and added to the top of the Oreo.

Chocolate dipped Oreo

It was certainly a magical day! In a world filled with an ongoing virus that has completely disrupted all of our little one’s lives it was nice to celebrate them in a magical way, with lots of sugar and food coloring! I hope my girls hang onto their magical world of rainbows and unicorns! Happy Birthday!

Tomato Pie

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Calling ALL Tomato Lovers!

Nothing says summer like the taste of fresh vegetables. I personally wish I had room (and ability and time) for a large backyard garden that I could peruse for mealtimes. That being said, I gratefully accept all tomatoes! You can not beat the deliciousness and simplicity of a BLT with mozzarella, fresh basil, a little mayo, on homemade white bread. Tomatoes are so versatile. You can slice and eat on a sandwich or make the most delicious sauces. However, at the top of my list is Tomato Pie.

Don’t let the name fool you. I feel like this amazing side star needs a more robust name as it certainly is a show stopper! You start with a store bought deep dish pie crust, fill it with the juiciest and freshest tomatoes, then top with a gooey, melty, cheese topping. Simply put, it is amazing!

Tomato Pie makes me wish for summer and that says a lot for a southern girl! Seeing my counter lined with fresh and plump tomato beauties makes breaking out into a sweat walking to the mailbox worth it!   

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Tomato Pie

A delicious summer side dish with fresh tomatoes and a cheesy top!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Servings: 4 people
Author: The Food Practitioner

Ingredients

  • 2 large fresh tomatoes
  • 1 deep dish pie crust baked until lightly brown
  • 1/2 cup fresh chopped basil
  • 1 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
  • 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
  • 1/2 cup chopped greeen onions
  • salt and pepper to taste

Instructions

  • Peel and slice tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and place in a colander to drain.
  • Assemble to cheese topping by mixing cheddar cheese, mozzarella cheese, mayonnaise, and green onions.
  • Place tomatoes in cooked deep dish pie shell and sprinkle with fresh basil.
  • Spread the cheese mixture over the tomatoes and basil.
  • Cook at 375 degrees Fahrenheit until cheese melts and turns a little brown, about 20 minutes.

Notes

I have used different cheeses or what I had on hand such as Pepper Jack or Parmesan cheese, which are both tasty!
There are also other vegetables you can add such as zucchini, squash, and onions that also gives a great flavor. If using these vegetables I would saute first until cooked through and soft before adding them to the pie shell.
Let cooked pie rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing.  

Savory Sweet Potato Quesadillas

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In an effort to remain healthy my parents, brother, and sister-in-law have gotten to where they do not eat meat during the week. Although my husband is not in favor of jumping on this bandwagon I have started trying more meatless meals especially when cooking for my family. I have made these sweet potato and black bean quesadillas a few times and I have to say they are delicious! My meat loving husband is also a fan! Don’t be fooled by the sweet potato name as theses quesadillas have a Mexican inspired flare that is far from sweet!

Print Recipe

Savory Sweet Potato Quesadillas

Savory Sweet Potatoes make a delicious meatless Quesadilla
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American, Mexican

Ingredients

  • 3 Sweet Potatoes peeled and cut into chunks
  • 1 pkg Taco Seasoning
  • 1/2 can black beans drained
  • 2 cups shredded Cheddar Cheese
  • 1 lime juiced
  • 5-6 soft tortillas

Instructions

  • Place cubed sweet potatoes on a baking sheet with a generous drizzle of olive oil and sprinkle them with the pack of taco seasoning.
  • Roast at 400 degrees for about 45 minutes or until the potatoes are fork tender. You will need to stir a couple of times while cooking to prevent burning.
  • Once potatoes are soft place them in a bowl and mash them with a fork or potato masher until smooth.
  • Stir in the lime juice and salt and pepper if needed.
  • Cover half of the tortilla with a layer of mashed sweet potatoes, top with a spoonful of black beans, and a generous handful of cheddar cheese.
  • Fold over half of the tortilla and grill on the stove or griddle until the outside is lightly brown and the cheese is melted.

Notes

These are great plain or enjoy with your  favorite Mexican toppings such as salsa, avocado, sour cream, or cilantro. 

    

Nursing tip: I love how these sweet potatoes are transformed into a savory dish. In the ER we also find new uses for standard equipment such as; a syringe and IV tip with the needle removed make an excellent ear or wound irrigation tool. Also, one of my favorites is a nasal cannula connected to a bag of saline can be placed on the top of the nose near the eyes if both eyes need to be flushed to remove a chemical.