Sweet Potato Hash Skillet

    I don't know how many times I've already said it, but I love sweet potatoes! This is a hearty dish and it's perfect for a big breakfast or even brunch! I used turkey sausage and sweet potatoes to try and lighten it up a bit but you can totally make this with regular breakfast sausage and baking potatoes. The secret is a sprinkle of paprika and baking the eggs at the end. I'm sure it'd be great if you cooked the eggs separately, but doesn't it look good?!

Sweet Potato Hash Skillet

Ingredients:

- 1 pound of breakfast sausage, cooked and drained

- 1 tablespoon olive oil

- 2 large sweet potatoes, peeled and chopped

- 1/2 of an onion, chopped

- 1/2 of a green pepper, chopped

- 1/2 teaspoon of paprika

- salt and pepper to taste

- 4 large eggs

    Preheat oven to 400 degrees. In a large cast iron skillet, heat the olive oil over medium high heat. Sauté the onion and green pepper for a minute and then add in the sweet potato. Cook, stirring often, until the sweet potato starts to become tender, maybe 5 minutes. The cook time will depend on how big you cut the potato. Once tender, sprinkle with paprika, salt, and pepper. Next, mix in the cooked sausage. Make 4 small wells in the mixture and crack each egg into them. Bake for about 3 minutes, or longer if you like your eggs well done.

Bridget's Cabbage Soup

    I could go on and on about the benefits of adding cabbage to your diet! I did find this article that says it all! I can remember my mom making cabbage soup growing up. She'd call it her garbage soup! I love how much you could play with this recipe. I've added everything from rice and pasta, to chickpeas, green beans, and black beans. The best part for me is that it's filling. I can eat a lot of it and it's ok because it's not terrible for you. This is a base recipe, feel free to play around with it!

Bridget's Cabbage Soup

Ingredients:

- 2 tablespoons of olive oil

- 1 small onion, chopped

- 2 carrots, chopped

- 2 celery ribs, chopped

- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic (3-4 cloves)

- 4 cups of water

- 4 cups of chicken broth

- 3 large bay leaves

- salt and pepper to taste

- 1/2 teaspoon of white pepper

- 1/2 of a small head of cabbage, chopped into bite sized pieces

- 1 (14 oz) can of petite diced tomatoes (do not drain)

- 1 (14 oz) can of garbanzo beans (drained and rinsed)

    Start by heating the olive oil in a large stock pot over medium high heat. Once hot, add in the onions, carrots, and celery. Sauté for 2 or 3 minutes, until the vegetables start to soften and then add in the garlic. Once the garlic is very fragrant, add the water, chicken stock, bay leaves, salt, pepper, and white pepper. Bring to a boil and then add the cabbage, tomatoes, and garbanzo beans. Let simmer for about 30 minutes or until the cabbage is nice and tender. Don't be afraid of adding more salt, there's a lot of liquid and it needs to be seasoned.

Whipped Buttercream Frosting

    I love cake. It's even better when it's covered with fluffy buttercream! I've been making this frosting for a long time now and it is my favorite. It's not healthy, but it tastes great! My secret is whipping the butter and shortening for several minutes with an electric mixer before incorporating the powdered sugar into the mix. Make sure it gets nice and fluffy before you start to add anything else. If you're looking for a frosting that is perfect for piping, you just found it. I made my friend Lauren a cupcake wedding dress for her bridal shower a few weeks ago and last week, I whipped some up for my Easter bunny cake!

Whipped Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

- 1 cup of salted butter, at room temperature

- 3/4 cup of vegetable shortening

- 4 cups of sifted confectioners sugar

- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

- 2 or 3 tablespoons of heavy cream or half and half

    In the bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter and shortening. With the whisk attachment, whip for 4 to 5 minutes. Stop about a minute into mixing and scrape down the sides of the bowl.  Once the butter and shortening mixture is light and fluffy, slowly add in the confectioners sugar. Once combined, add the vanilla. Then, add in the cream one tablespoon at a time until you get your desired consistency. Frost your cake and enjoy.

Fresh Orange Bunt Cake

    If there's one thing we know in Florida, it's oranges! I am SOOOO in love with this cake recipe!  The whole apartment still smells like orange goodness. Nothing compares to the smell of freshly zested oranges. You won't need an electric mixer for this one, just make sure to sift the dry ingredients to make it easier to whisk together.

Fresh Orange Bunt Cake

Ingredients:

For the cake-

- 1 and 1/2 cup of flour

- 1/2 teaspoon of salt

- 1 and 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder

- 1/2 cup of sugar

- 3/4 cup of fresh squeezed orange juice

- 3 tablespoons of orange zest

- 1/2 cup of vegetable oil

- 2 eggs

- 3 tablespoons milk or cream

- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

For the icing-

- 1 tablespoon of orange zest

- 1 tablespoon of fresh squeezed orange juice

- 1 and 1/2 tablespoon of milk

- 1/2 teaspoon of vanilla extract

    Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, baking powder, and sugar. In a separate bowl, whisk together the orange juice, zest, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Next, gently whisk in the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix. Pour into a greased bunt pan and bake for 30 minutes. Once baked, let completely cool. Whisk together the icing ingredients and pour over the top of the cake. Slice and enjoy!