Married | Mother | Millennial
Happy 3 days before Jamaican Independence Day everyone! This Friday, August 6th, is Jamaica’s 59th anniversary of independence. It is only right to celebrate with everything Jamaica. From the clothes we wear to the food we eat, Jamaicans take pride in our culture to another level. If you know any Jamaicans then you know I’m not lying LOL. In honor of Jamaican Independence Day I’m sharing 3 Jamaican Recipe Favorites for all of you looking for ways to celebrate through delicious food.
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Christmas is a few days away which means ham is likely to be on your menu. Whether it’s a dinner for one or four, ham is a Christmas dish favorite. One of my favorite things about ham is the dishes you can make with the leftovers. From soups to sandwiches the options are endless. One of my favorite sandwiches is a classic Monte Cristo stacked with fresh slices of ham and turkey too! This sweet and savory sandwich is guaranteed to be a meal anyone in your home will love.
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Hello September and hello comfort food season! If you’re anything like me you’ve been waiting for fall to get here since the beginning of summer. I’m not joking either. I may be slightly addicted to fall and the holiday season. So when I say I’ve been counting down I definitely mean it! One of my favorite parts of fall is the comfort food. This is the time everyone pulls out their favorite homemade soups, traditional family recipes, and the recipes we enjoy without looking at the calorie count. This Cajun Chicken and Shrimp Alfredo recipe is one of those “don’t count the calories or fat” type of recipes. But that’s how you know it tastes delicious, right?Read More
Caribbean food is my favorite food. Specially authentic Belizean and Jamaican foods. I would say my biased lies in the fact that I’m Belizean on my mother’s side and Jamaican on my father’s side. But if you’ve ever eaten a traditional Belizean or Jamaican dish you more than likely agree with me. One of my favorite sides to prepare with my authentic Jamaican dishes is Jamaican steamed cabbage. It pairs perfectly with most Jamaican dishes if I’m honest.
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Happy national chili month! I know, who knew this even existed, but there’s a national day for everything and everyone these days. This is one I will celebrate proudly because it involves me eating. Ha! This homemade crockpot chili is one of my all time favorite go to recipes for my family. Especially during fall and winter. Chili is one of the crowd pleasing comfort foods you can’t ever go wrong making. There’s something about a tomato based red sauce that is hearty and filling. Not only is this easy to make but it’s a crockpot recipe. Which means we are officially back in the season of dinner cooking while we live the hustle and bustle of our everyday lives. Yes!Read More
I shared a homemade spaghetti sauce recipe two weeks ago on the blog. Since then a few people have asked me if I ever make meatballs for my homemade sauce instead of breaking the meat up in the sauce. The answer is, yes! I don’t do it often for preference and time purposes in my family. However, there’s nothing like a homemade meatball and spaghetti sauce to hit the Italian comfort food spot. I’m not Italian and don’t claim to make authentic Italian meatballs, but I do make delicious meatballs from scratch that people will love. Read More
Back to school season is here and parents all over are rejoicing. Well, most parents. I’m one of the thousands of new moms who sent my kindergartener to school for the first time. It’s been over two weeks and I’m still adjusting to my new normal. With that said I’m quickly learning the importance of easy and quick dinner recipes. It seems like the days are flying by and there enough hours in the day. One of my family’s favorite meals is spaghetti. Then again, who doesn’t love a good hearty spaghetti meal? A lot of people think buying the pre-made spaghetti in jars is the only way to enjoy a quick spaghetti meal. But here I’m sharing a flavorful and healthier homemade spaghetti sauce recipe that’ll stop you from ever buying the pre-made stuff again.
One of the reasons I prefer making my own homemade spaghetti sauce is because I can control everything in it. From the amount of salt to the herbs and spices. I consistently make mine using ground turkey for a hearty meat sauce. I crumble my ground turkey in it because it saves time instead of making meatballs. (Be on the lookout for a homemade meatball recipe next week) However, although mine is always made with ground turkey this recipe can be made for vegans and vegetarians. Just eliminate the meat and everything else is perfect for your own homemade spaghetti sauce.
This sauce is the perfect sauce to freeze for future meals. Most of us don’t like cooking every night if we don’t have to so meals that can be frozen ahead of time are ideal. You will also figure out what your favorite seasoning combinations are in your sauce. Some people will prefer to smoked paprika to regular paprika or more Italian seasoning than others. The ingredient list I give you here is the ideal for my family and our own taste. I also give you the basics so you can adjust your homemade spaghetti sauce to your own liking. As I say in most of my recipe posts: add as much spices as you’d like. You only need to go light on your salt and sugar. Everything else is fair game and will keep your meal tasting delicious. Let’s go ahead and get started on this homemade spaghetti sauce!
Heat a large pot on medium high heat. Add your tablespoon of olive oil to the pot and sauté your diced onions, garlic and green peppers for about 2-3 minutes.
Add your Italian seasoning, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and chopped parsley to the sautéed vegetables. Mix well for another minute or two.
Push your sautéed vegetables to the side and add your ground meat to the center of the pot. Brown and break your meat up into small pieces. (Use a potato masher to make your life easier)
Add your sugar, salt, and pepper to the meat and veggie mixture. Mix together then add your carton on tomato sauce to the mixture. Mix until everything is well combined.
Turn the heat down to a simmer, cover your pot, and let the sauce cook down for 10-15 minutes. (This will be a great time to cook and drain your pasta)
Adjust your homemade spaghetti sauce with salt and/or pepper to your desired taste and enjoy!
How many of you hated brussel sprouts when you were younger? *raises hand* I’m pretty sure I hated 99% of vegetables as a child. Which is funny considering how much I love 90% of vegetables as an adult. I’m not kidding when I say I made roasted brussel sprouts and mushrooms for a snack the other day. Who am I? Lol. One of my friends posted a status about her love of brussel sprouts a while ago. It dawned on me I haven’t tried brussel sprouts since I was little and I hated them. Her status convinced me to give them another try and I’m so happy I did. These honey roasted garlic brussel sprouts are currently one of my favorite veggie snacks.Read More
When we begin a new week we at the very least can look forward to taco Tuesday. Who doesn’t love tacos or an entire day dedicated to said tacos? Exactly. But what if we can extend taco Tuesday leftovers into quesadilla Wednesday or Thursday? (Although any day is quesadilla day.) I know it doesn’t have the same ring to it, but I promise it’s equally as delicious. You will still get all the same delicious ingredients as your tacos but on a larger and cheesier scale. Sounds like a winning situation, right? Read More
Now that it is officially summertime this means my household is enjoying lighter and healthier dinner options. We love fish here at the Jamieson household. Actually, we love seafood in general. This move to the south has been glorious to our stomachs too. One of my favorite go to fish recipes for the girls and I is this Baked Lemon Cod. My husband isn’t much of a cod fan, but that’s ok, more fish for us. Ha!Read More