tex-mex inspired sweet potato shepherd’s pie

May19

Hey friends! How’s your weekend going? I’m off to work shortly for my last shift of the weekend, but wanted to share this recipe just in case anyone is in need of an idea for their Sunday-night dinner. This is the casserole recipe I highlighted on Thursday that I am slightly obsessed with. I ate it for 3 days straight, which saved me A LOT of time on the cooking front last week. Less cooking time=more study time, which is just what I needed!

I’m guessing shepherd’s pie probably isn’t a “new” recipe to you, but I switched this up a bit to include a tex-mex twist on the traditional recipe. Quite simply, all I did was make taco-seasoned meat (I used a reduced-sodium taco seasoning packet, but Kelly makes a great-sounding, healthier homemade version!), added-in steamed carrots, peas and corn, and then topped it off with homemade mashed sweet potatoes. Voila, a casserole was born in under 30 minutes.

My favorite thing about this casserole was the combination of sweet potatoes and taco meat. Honestly, I now understand why Mexican restaurants sell sweet potato fries. (I really never understood it in the past, I always thought chips and salsa were much more menu-appropriate!) However, the flavors and spices go so well together. I am hooked!

Tex-Mex Inspired Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie
Ingredients:
1lb. lean ground beef (I’m sure ground chicken or turkey would be excellent, too)
1/2 onion, diced
1 packet reduced-sodium taco seasoning (or homemade like Kelly’s)
1 cup steamed peas
1 cup steamed corn
1 cup chopped, steamed carrots
3 medium-sized sweet potatoes, chopped, steamed,and mashed
1/4 cup reduced-fat cheddar cheese for topping (or any cheese)

Directions:
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit (or 204 degrees Celsius) and spray a casserole dish with cooking spray. (I used a 12 x 9 pan.)
2) I prepared my vegetables first to get that step out of the way. I chopped up about 3 carrots, and then placed the carrots, peas, and corn in the vegetable steamer with a little bit of water. Then I chopped up the sweet potatoes and placed them to the side in a bowl with a little water, and covered it with plastic wrap. Lastly I chopped the 1/2 onion to add it to the taco-meat.

**Side note, how cute is this purple vegetable steamer my Mom got me for Christmas this past year? LOVE!!!

3) Next, using the stovetop, sauté the onion and then prepare your meat according to the taco-seasoning packet.

4) While your meat is cooking, steam the vegetables in the microwave. Then, steam the sweet potatoes. (I always steam my sweet potatoes by chopping them up, adding a little bit of water, covering them with plastic wrap and placing them in the microwave because I love how easy it is). Since I used about 3 large sweet potatoes, I cooked these on high-power for about 5-6 minutes. Once they seemed soft enough, I mashed them in a large mixing bowl, and added a bit of butter and cinnamon.

5) Finally, I layered the meat, the vegetables, and the sweet potatoes into the casserole dish, added shredded cheese to the top (Thanks to Brandon for shredding it!), and cooked it for about 15 minutes, or until slightly browned.

This was delicious, and it lasted for days! I’ll be making this again soon, I’m sure of it.

Are you a shepherd’s pie fan?
I am, but as I’ve grown older I much prefer it with sweet potatoes!
Ever order sweet potato fries at Mexican restaurants?
I will be now!

Three Things Thursday: A Balancing Act

May16

Hey friends, happy almost-weekend! We are in the home stretch and it sure does feel good! I’ve had a busy week of studying and work, so I am ready for a day or two of relaxing. I truly can’t believe I’ll be taking my final exams in 3 weeks. Where did this semester go? I am already starting to experience those familiar anxious feelings I vividly remember having near the end of every semester at Bryant University when completing my business degree. You know the nervous, heart palpitations, exhausted, anxious feelings, and the “how am I ever going to remember all of this stuff” thoughts? I fear those may become a daily occurrence around here, but I’m going to try my best to not let that happen.

(I loved that quote!) Source
Now that I’m 4 years older (and wiser, I like to think Winking smile ) this time around back in school, my goal is to continue to maintain balance throughout my days, even while studying and during finals. During my years at Bryant, I was terrible at keeping a balance within my life. If I had an exam, I would lock myself in the library and simply study for days and days. I look back now and cringe because I know I wasn’t eating properly or sleeping enough, which are both very important factors in preparing for exams! Now that I understand the importance of taking study breaks, fueling properly, getting enough sleep, continuing to exercise, and just ‘living’ in general, it’s very important to me that I keep-up with a good balance. That’s my goal and I’m sticking to it!

Anyway, to help me achieve my goal, I thought I’d turn ‘Three Things Thursday’ into three things that have helped me maintain a balance each week until finals are over. So, here it goes! This week:

1) I cooked a casserole:
I attribute this week’s balancing act success to a great meal I made on Tuesday night: Taco-Inspired Sweet Potato Shepherd’s Pie.

I always seem to forget about casseroles and their benefits. Most of them create meals you can eat for multiple days that are perfect for leftovers and reheating, they taste better as the days go on, and for the most part they can be relatively inexpensive to make. This was simple and delicious, a major hit in this household! I’ll post the recipe soon : –)

2) I squeezed in exercise when I could:
I don’t know about you, but exercise is my outlet. It clears my head, makes me feel ‘up’ when I’m down, and is just something I enjoy. Although I consider myself to be a 100% morning exerciser, my new schedule with work and studying just doesn’t allow me the time I used to have to work-out when I want to most mornings, but that’s okay. I am listening to my body, sleeping later when I know I need to, and just fitting in exercise when I can. It surprised me, but I’ve really enjoyed all of the evening runs I’ve taken. I’ve seen some beautiful sunsets!

3)I made time to laugh..and eat ice-cream:
When I’m stressed, I really have to remind myself to take a chill-pill, and then I talk to my twin sister. Last year she made a career change and went back to school for a nursing degree, so she’s gone through all of the classes I’ve taken and had the similar stresses I’m having now. She lets me vent and our conversations always end with a smile. Plus, the pictures we send each other never cease to make me laugh, either!

(We really miss each other…but her dogs always help cheer us up!)

Oh, and a soft-serve cone always helps too : – )

What’s your favorite casserole to make?
What are your tips for maintaining a balance in your life when you get too busy?
If you’re a student or you’ve been a student, what did you do to stay healthy during finals?
I always try to get 8 hours of sleep per night during exams, stay hydrated, and eat nutritious meals. Your brain needs lots of fuel for all of that knowledge!

The best part of my weekend

May14

Hey there, how was your weekend? I feel like I’m still recovering from mine, but in a good way. I’ve come to the conclusion that because I did so many different things, my weekend felt longer. Strange, but true! And longer weekends=happy Meredith! Although I was utterly exhausted on Sunday night after a very busy Mother’s Day shift at work, Friday and Saturday were full of rest, exercise, ice-cream, good food and good friends. Can’t beat that!

Here’s a few of my favorite things from the weekend:

-A skinny Cappuccino to start Saturday off right:

-Ice-cream in a waffle cone for lunch:

…because sometimes you just need ice-cream for lunch! Who’s with me?
One scoop cookie dough and one scoop gold rush. I think this was the greatest lunch I’ve ever eaten. I have no regrets!

-Shopping purchases from Saturday, when Brandon bought me the greatest oven mitt EVER invented:

Don’t worry, we didn’t buy Brandon one. He was just being a good sport and trying it on for me : – )

-Some Saturday studying, but studying is always a little easier when it’s on the ocean:

-Saturday night attire for dinner with the girls:

That’s probably the most uncomfortable skirt I own, but I still love it!

-Mother’s Day 5.2K race on Sunday morning with my friend Kristy:

It was a fun race with great energy and a lot of people, which surprised me for a Sunday! I loved that it honored all of the Mom’s out there. Plus, I got a PR so I was quite excited!

-Part of my Sunday post-race brunch:

Note to self, I REALLY need to start making muesli parfaits. This was delicious!

-And finally, the best part of my weekend:
I purchased my flights home for late June through July!!!!! Boston and Maine, here I come! I.am.ecstatic!

Source
The countdown to home begins : –)
All-in-all, a lovely weekend. I just wish I could have spent it with my Mom. Next year I hope!

What was the best part of your weekend?
Do you ever eat ice-cream for lunch?
I do it from time-to-time and it always makes me happy, so I think it’s perfectly acceptable!

Mother’s Day (and birthday!) wishes

May12

Hey there! I hope you’re having a fantastic weekend. It’s already Mother’s Day here in Australia, so I’d like to wish a Happy Mother’s Day to all of the wonderful Mom’s out there. You have the hardest jobs in the world, and are all truly an inspiration to me. Since I can’t physically be with all of the special Mother’s I know today, I ‘m sending you all my love in this post!

A Happy Mother’s Day to my beautiful Mom…

My beautiful Nana…

My beautiful Mem…

Brandon’s beautiful Mom Sue…

My beautiful Grammie who is looking down on us…
All of my Aunts, cousins, friends, and the other lovely Mom’s I know…
…and to my beautiful sister, the best doggy-mommy I know!

Besides just Mother’s Day, today also marks my Dad’s birthday. He and my Mom are celebrating in Boston all weekend and I wish I could be there more than anything. You don’t look a day over 40 Dad : –) Love you!

(Fun fact: My Dad is a twin too! They are both over 6’6 and even though they are turning 67 today (!!!), they are still best friends. Twins run in our family and it’s the best!)

Hope you have a special rest of your weekend!

How are you celebrating Mother’s Day?
Do twins run in your family? Please share!

Friday favorites-australia edition

May10

Hey friends, happy Friday! I started the day off by waking up at the awful hour of 5 a.m. to finish studying for 3 hours before FINALLY completing an anatomy quiz I’ve been preparing for all week. (Professors who think that it’s possible to complete 20 questions about the bones, muscles, and systems of the human body in 20 minutes are NOT my friends today!) It was not fun but I did well in the end so the extra studying was worth it! To celebrate, I headed to the spin class that I love but don’t usually get to go to given the random 9:15 a.m. class-time. I followed it up with a short jog to cool-down. It felt great to sweat, as always.

Side-note: Thank you all for the kind comments about my new job. The first week went well, and I’m really enjoying it!

Anyway, since it’s Friday and I haven’t done an “Australia Favorites”( or “favourites” as it’s spelled here) post in far too long, I figured I’d share some of my newest favorites down-under today.

1) Koala ice-cube trays: I don’t know about you, but I’ve always loved fun-shaped ice-cubes. These koala shapes took my love to a whole new level! I found these in Sydney and had to have them. They were TOTALLY worth the $14 in my opinion…totally. And while we’re on the subject of ice-cubes, coffee ice-cubes just may be the best invention ever. Brandon and I have been freezing our left-over coffee into ice-cubes at night and it makes our glasses of iced-coffee last so much longer. Genius!

2) Sugar Free and fruity alcoholic beverages: I don’t drink that often, but when I do I like to enjoy the taste of what I drink! I am a big fan of twisted teas and hard lemonades back home, so I was hoping to find something similar over here for a treat every now and then. I was introduced to these “Sugar Free Cruisers” by a friend and I’m really enjoying them. They come in a variety of different flavors and they don’t leave an acidic feeling in my stomach like many other fruity drinks do. Right now, I’m loving the mixed berry.

3) Veggie Burgers and sweet potato fries: I have lost count of the number of nights that I’ve consumed packaged veggie burgers and sweet potato fries in the last month, but I’m okay with that. These are an easy, healthy option when I’m in a time-crunch or don’t feel like cooking and it’s much more affordable and healthier than the fast-food alternative. Plus, if I can’t have my Morningstar Farms Black Bean Burgers, then I’ll take these!

#ketchupproblems

4) Blue Ribbon 3-in 1 Light Ice-Cream: I remember enjoying Neapolitan ice-cream (chocolate/vanilla/strawberry flavor) as a child, but I don’t ever remember seeing it made with other flavor combinations…until I moved to Australia that is. This.is.awesome. Light vanilla/caramel/honeycomb ice-cream, all-in-one. I am hooked!

5) Sun-shields for cars: Nearly everyone I see parked around town or at the University has a sun-shield for their car, except for me. It’s important because it saves the interior of the car from fading and keeps it cooled off from the constant glare of the sun. I’ve been waiting to find the perfect one, and I think I found it:

Hehehe…just kidding! I laughed SO hard when I saw that.

6) The “cooler” weather: It’s autumn here now which means the humidity is gone. Bring on the scarves and sweaters! I had been dying to wear the new scarf and bracelet Brandon’s brother and sister-in-law had given me for Christmas. I finally had the chance!

7) Outdoor stair work-outs and outdoor exercise in general: To me, it never gets old exercising outside since I was only able to do it about 4 or 5 months out of the year in New England. Where we are now, exercising outdoors is even better with the cooler weather. Just look at these stairs!

8) Weet-Bix Bites: My favorite cereal just got even better with a brand new flavor. This combination is made with wholegrain wheat, oats, chunky shredded coconut, and golden syrup. I’m literally shipping boxes to America when we move home…I have an addiction!

9) Sunrises and sunsets: I’ll always love them, especially in Australia. Look at the pink skies I saw one night on my ride home from class!

10) Seeing these little boys: I know they aren’t in Australia, but seeing my nephews ALWAYS puts a smile on my face. I hope they make you smile, too!

Have a great Friday!

What are you up to this weekend?
On Sunday, I’m planning on running in a Mother’s Day 5K with some friends. Since I can’t be with my Mom, I’ll run it in her honor : – ) Love you, Mom!

do-able for any dinner party: Crock-Pot Fruit & Pork

May8

Hey friends and happy Wednesday! Is the week flying by or is it just me? I am losing track of the days, but that’s okay since it means we are that much closer to the weekend : – ) It’s dinnertime here in Australia, which made me realize that I still hadn’t posted the crock-pot recipe I mentioned in a post last week. This recipe originated from my Mom’s recipe book (I’m not positive where she got it from but it sure is a good one!), and since she knows my love of crock-pot meals, she always shares her recipes with me. This particular recipe was quite a hit when she made it for my grandparents, so she photocopied it for me and I’ve just been waiting for the right time to make it!

Whenever I am seriously stumped for dinner ideas, I typically turn to crock-pot recipes, which is exactly what I did last week. I absolutely LOVE entertaining and holding dinner parties, but I certainly don’t love the cost of them. That’s one reason why I love crock-pot meals. You can turn simple, inexpensive ingredients into a special, gourmet-tasting dinner. Honestly I can’t imagine not using my crock-pot. My top five favorite things about crock-pot cooking are:

1) Set it and forget it:
Who has time to stand around waiting for a meal in the oven for hours upon end? I don’t think many of us! I love the flexibility of this machine- just throw your ingredients in the crock-pot in the morning, set it to low, and let it cook all day. Then your dinner is ready when you walk in the door!

2) Easy clean-up: One-pot clean up? Yes please, I’ll do the dishes tonight.

3) Leftovers, leftovers, leftovers: I love having leftovers for lunches all week. Plus, as the meal sits, the flavors tend to intensify. Yum!

4) The aroma it creates: Coming home to the smell of a delicious simmering dinner just makes me smile. Plus, your guests will get even hungrier once they walk through the door!

5) Simple ingredients=sensational meals

While I’m professing my love of crockpots, I’ll confess that I have been dying for a new one, particularly a girly one. Here’s my top 3:

(Mom if you’re reading, there’s a Christmas present idea!)

Anyway, back to this recipe. I’ve been wanting to share this because it’s super simple to prepare and definitely do-able for any dinner party. Plus, it will feed quite a few people. This fed five active and hungry girls, and I had so much left over it could have easily served at least four more!

Crockpot Pork Tenderloin with Dried Fruit and Butternut Squash
Ingredients:
1 (approx. 3-pound) lean boneless pork tenderloin
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp. grated, peeled fresh ginger
3/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup dried apricots
1/2 cup pitted dried plums (or prunes)
4 cups cubed and peeled butternut squash
1/2 cup water

Directions:
1) Assemble your crock-pot and spray interior with cooking spray. Then turn on high. Chop your butternut squash and set aside. Then, cut the pork roast into chunks, about 1-2 inches thick, and set aside (You could also just cut the pork in half crosswise, but I liked having it in portion-sized chunks so that I was able to serve it onto dinner plates right out of the crock-pot without having to slice it afterwards!)

*FYI: Do yourself a favor and buy pork tenderloin. I had to cut all of the fat off of this pork roast and it took me ages!*

2) Combine the brown sugar, ginger, salt, cinnamon, and black pepper in a small mixing bowl, and rub the pork evenly with the mixture.

3) Place the pork in the crock-pot and arrange the dried apricots, dried prunes(or plums), and butternut squash around the pork. Then add the water.

4) Cover the crockpot and cook on high for 1 hour. Then reduce the heat to low and cook it for about 6-7 hours, until the pork, fruit, and squash are all tender. Serve and enjoy!

I served this alongside of roasted vegetables and Naan bread, which was the perfect pair for dipping into the “sauce” that creates in the crockpot around the dish. The girls loved it, I hope you do too! Have a great Wednesday : – )

Do you like to cook with crock-pots?
What do you think of the pink options? I am in love!

From Challenges Come Changes

May6

Hey there, how was your weekend? Mine was a busy one and quite a different one actually, full of challenges and a big change: I started a part-time job! To say I am happy about this is an understatement, since the last six months have been REALLY different for me. Besides quitting my full-time job, moving to a new country and becoming a student again, I wasn’t able to start working right away in Australia due to the Visa I was granted last year. The lack of an income stream is something that I certainly wasn’t used to…when you’re used to having your own money, it’s just plain hard not having it! I’ve had a job (sometimes even two or three jobs at once) ever since I was 14 years old, so I’m simply not used to not-working. I love having my own money and financial freedom, and I genuinely enjoy working, so not even having the option to work was extremely challenging.

Anyway, my student visa was FINALLY approved, so after many tears and a lot of stress (is it just me, or are money problems the worst cause of stress ever? Please tell me I’m not alone!), I applied for a few jobs, was hired, and began over the weekend. I’m working at a Café/Gelato shop right on the ocean, about five minutes from our condo. I’m so excited to be in a bright and happy environment serving gelato and coffee, two of my most favorite things!

.
On the downside, while I was very excited to be hired, I was also VERY nervous. So nervous in fact, that all weekend I was referring to my favorite quote to help get me through my shifts:

I don’t know about you, but when I get nervous, I rely on feel-good mantras, inspirational quotes, support from my family and friends, and longggg talks with my Mom (Love you, Mom!).

Given that I’ve had many different jobs in all sorts of different industries, I whole-heartedly believe it doesn’t matter what the job description is, who you are, or how old you are; being the new girl is really scary. And being the new girl in a foreign country? It’s even scarier. I was worried about wearing the right thing, saying the right thing, doing the right thing, understanding customers… my list goes on and on.

So after two shifts in, I’m focusing on the positive. I did it, I’m doing it, and I won’t be new forever. After all, I’ve had my share of “new things” this year:
-I was the new girl at school (Uni), and I survived.

-I was the new girl at boot-camp and the gym, and I survived (and made some great friends, too!)

-And now I’m the new girl at work, but I know I’ll survive.
I’m confident all of the challenges I’ve faced this year are going to change me for the better.

So tell me, have you ever been “the new girl?” How do you cope with your nerves?
If you’re a student, do you have any tips for balancing school and work?

What Meredith Makes