• potatoes without the oven…YES I promise

    I just can’t stand turning on the oven in the summer.  It is just too hot here in Texas.  I mean the heat index today was like 110 degrees or something crazy like that.  Thank you Jesus that I work inside!! Even though it is summer… Even though it is summer The Hubby still wants his meat and potato dinners.  I am a fan of meat and potatoes, but it is so hot outside.  Can you hear the whine in my voice?  Yes, I am whining.  Since it is so hot outside I just can’t stand turning on my oven, especially to bake a potato…so it is time for the…

  • Sweet & Spicy = AMAZNG BBQ Sauce

    I have a secret dream.  One that I have never told anyone…EVER!  I dream of winning a BBQ sauce competition. Really? Yes, for reals.  I have a recurring dream (or maybe its a nightmare) that I win a BBQ sauce competition at the Houston Rodeo.  After having that dream for so long, I now have a desire to make BBQ sauce.  I know it sounds weird…and let’s be honest I am a little different, but any chance I get to make my own BBQ sauce I jump on it. Fancy or Simple? Well I have done both.   A simple BBQ Sauce and a Peach BBQ sauce (that would be the…

  • maple loving good

    Pork chops are a go to dinner for The Hubby and I.  I just love how versatile it is and how EASY it is to prepare. The other white meat… Those commercials always made me laugh so hard.  This one still makes me laugh…I don’t know that I have ever danced in excitement over pork…but these people do!  I will say though after having these pork chops, I might have done a little booty shake out of shear enjoyment…I’m just saying maybe I did. I LOVE versatility One of the best things about pork is it’s versatility.  You can grill them, roast them, marinate them, dry rub them, top with sauces, eat…

  • couscous like never before

    A coucous salad is a must have for me in the summer.  Anytime I go to a restaurant that has a couscous side dish option it is always at the top of my list, only behind mac-n-cheese. Why Couscous? First, couscous is little pasta balls.  They have a delicious texture and can mixed with a variety of flavors making it a perfect ingredient for almost anything. Couscous is also delicious warm or cold.  I served this salad warm the first night and then ate it cold for lunch the next 2 days and it was DELICIOUS either way!! Veggies AGAIN? Yesterday I posted a new favorite grilled recipe…Grilled Veggies.  Now…

  • Grilled Vegetables like never before

    We love to grill here in the sparkles n sprouts house.  As I am sure you have seen we grill everything from burgers, to pork to fish….but these grilled veggies are a new favorite. Grilled Vegetables, Really? OK, I know what your asking.  Veggies are really a favorite?  YES, these veggies are loaded with so much flavor they are a new favorite for sure. Not only are they loaded with flavor but they are also not so bad for you either.  It doesn’t get much better than that. Loaded with flavor, Really? Yes!  That is the short answer…these veggies are loaded with TONS & TONS of flavor. So where does…

  • it’s a nacho weekend

    I LOVE NACHOS!  There you go, I admit it.  They are one of my favorite items to order and make when I am craving tex-mex. Now a nacho is not just a nacho, there are tons of varieties of nachos you can have but this one is a favorite for sure. meat or NO meat? Now if you were to ask The Hubby he would say meat, and his choice would be seasoned ground beef.  Honey (my mom) would say meat, and her choice would be beef fajita meat.  My nephew is a no meat kinda toddler, and me…well I am up for any of the above. One of my…

  • creamy, cheesy goodness

    I cannot even begin to tell you how much I LOVE a creamy mac-n-cheese.   I am not a picky mac-n-cheese eater.  I will throw down the blue box or a homemade pot of cheese and noodles anytime, anywhere and be so HAPPY! Noodles, noodles and more noodles… Now there are a ton of noodles you can choose from for your mac-n-cheese.  You can use the traditional macaroni, or a corkscrew noodle like fusilli, or a even a penne.  I typically use a short cut pasta, I just feel it makes for a better cheese to noodle ratio, but use a long pasta if you would like. As much as…

  • a S’more isn’t just for camping…

    S’mores are a favorite of mine.  I love the combo of graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows…it is summer in a  bite. NO campfire needed… One of the hardest parts of having s’more is they are traditionally cooked over a campfire, or at least a flame of some sort, but the beauty of these s’mores is that you don’t need a fire of any kind. It is COOKIE time! Getting the fun started… Every good s’more is loaded with graham crackers, chocolate and marshmallows and now they are mixed into a cookie.  This chocolate chip cookie recipe is balanced perfectly with white sugar and brown sugar.  There is also the perfect amount of butter and salt making…

  • Happy 4th of July!

    This 4th of July weekend is when we celebrate the Freedom we have here in the USA.   Thank you to all those who have served, will serve and the families of those.  We are so blessed to be living in this great country and I am so thankful for the freedom we have. For a FREE Printable version click here Have a wonderful day of celebrating with your friends and family…and remember to make it sparkle!  MJ

  • honey butter corny, corn, corn

    It is summer and that means it is time for CORN! It doesn’t matter how… I don’t know about your family but my family eats corn anyway we can. We love boiled corn, corn on the corn, kernel corn, creamed corn and of course popcorn…but my favorite is grilled corn for sure. Grilling makes it even better… Grilling corn on its own, without anything special is amazing…but when you add in some honey butter it becomes even better.  I also love how easy grilling corn is.  You can throw it on when you put your protein on and it will be done in no time, and you don’t have to heat…