Say it with Sprinkles: A baking blog filled with recipes & photos of sweet treats & savory eats.

NOoooooOoooooOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!

I think by now you can tell I’m a bit of a New England Patriots/Tom Brady fan, and by a “bit” of a fan, I mean I could care less about the team and feel like my heart is breaking right along with Tom’s.

I was so hopeful that history wouldn’t repeat itself and I wouldn’t end up once again typing on my computer as it short-circuits from the tears streaming from my eyes as I try to muster a congratulatory smirk in the general direction of all the Giants fans out there.  Hey, I never said I was a GOOD sport, per say…;p

Anyway, the one good thing that came out of the Super Bowl, and I mean aside from getting to stare at Tom Brady for several hours in tight, butt-hugging spandex, was the food!  I had some pretty awesome snacks lined up, and although they did nothing for the Patriots, at least I got to drown my anxiety in yummy treats like guacamole dip and baked sweet potato fries.  I know what you’re thinking, but game day snacks can be both delicious AND healthy, and you’ll never convince me that they have to be one or the other!  I know what you’re thinking again, and you’re about to throw this post in my face and say game day is over and you can’t use any of these recipes during the Super Bowl…but I assure you, you can eat this dip and these fries any dang time you want!  And also, there will be other games, duh!

Fresh Guacamole

Bursting with flavor and healthy ingredients, this guac is as perfect with veggies or crackers as it is with traditional tortilla chips!  I’m pretty heavy-handed with the garlic and lime juice because I love the bold flavors, but feel free to amp it up even more or tone it down if you prefer.

Ingredients:

* 3 avocados
* 1/4 cup salsa, or fresh-chopped tomato and jalapeno
* 1/8 finely chopped onion
* 2 cloves finely minced garlic
* 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro (optional)
* Juice from 1/4 of a lime
* Salt & pepper to taste
* Pinch of cumin

Directions:

Scoop out the “meat” of the avocado and mash into a bowl with a fork. Add in the salsa or fresh tomato and jalapeno, and onion. Stir in the garlic, cilantro, lime juice, salt, pepper, and cumin.

That’s it – simple! Enjoy with chips, crackers, veggies, whatever your little heart desires!

And now, on to the spuds!

 Martha Stewart’s Baked Sweet Potato Fries

These are slightly adapted from the baked fries on the Martha Stewart website here!  They’re more like a thick-cut steak fry than a thin, flimsy fry, in that they’re hunkier and  don’t get crispy all the way through.  Trust me, I don’t usually like fries, and won’t touch a regular potato “Jo-Jo”…and I think these are super delish!

Ingredients:

* 3 large sweet potatoes, cut into 1/2″ sections
* 3 egg whites
* salt, pepper, garlic, oregano, & basil to taste (I used Italian seasoning)

Directions:

Line a baking tray with parchment paper or a Silpat. Lay out cut sweet potatoes on a microwave safe plate, and microwave for 2 minutes. Flip and microwave another 2 minutes. Allow to cool while preparing the egg whites.

Separate 3 egg whites into a bowl and whisk until frothy. Once cool to the touch, dip each fry into the egg whites and allow to drain before arranging on lined pan in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt, pepper, garlic powder, oregano, and basil. Bake for about 15 minutes. Remove from oven and flip the fries. Bake another 10-15 minutes. Test for fork-tenderness, and crispiness, and bake an additional 5-10 minutes until brown and slightly crispy. Allow to cool before enjoying!

True, they’re not the most photogenic little fries around, but they sure are DELICIOUS!  They get the job done and are super healthy!

I snapped a few pics of the most important part of this whole Super Bowl thing.  Look at the concentration, the determination, the anxiety?! :

And of course for dessert, I suggest Tom Brady Martha Stewart’s coconut cupcakes & my awesome coconut buttercream frosting!!

Congratulations or whatever, I guess, New York Giants!…I still love you, Tom Brady!

Cats are crazy little anomalies that we hate to love, but love nonetheless.  Look into those big, round, unflinching, always-watching eyes of theirs and I’ll bet you’ll find a hint of pity along with that dash of indifference and hearty helping of mystery.  We know nothing about them.  But they know things.  Things about us.  Things about us and life that we may never fully understand.  They’ve got it figured out better than any of us, so it’s no wonder that if we pay attention,  they can teach us a lot about life.  Next time they’re strung out on catnip, or curled up cozy on your lap, stop and think about how they’ve managed to get everything they could possibly ever want in life…something most of us are still trying to figure out!

Here are a few observations I’ve made watching my fuzzy little bundle of  big, blue-eyed joy, Bailey (above), for the last 6 years! =)

   10 Life lesson I’ve learned from my cat

1.  Always make sure you enter the room first.

There’s something to be said for making a grand entrance.  You see someone  walking at a normal pace.  You are probably walking at a normal pace.  But heck if you’re going to let anyone get through that door first, so just before they enter, make sure you speed up, and not only get through first, but also cut them off in the process.  Bonus points if you trip them.  WIN.

2.  Location, location, location.  

What used to be someone else’s favorite chair/blanket/box/suitcase/pair of pants/laundry basket/clean clothing is now covered in fur.  And your furry body.  As far as ownership rules are concerned, it’s yours now.  Done and done.

3.  The squeaky mouse gets the cheese.

Say you need or want something you can’t just take.  This doesn’t happen often if you’re playing your cards right, but say you need the door opened so you can leave.  You don’t have opposable thumbs, not your fault.  One strategy would be crying at the door, but the smarter approach might be to tear up the carpet instead.  You’ll for sure get thrown out of the room.  SUCCESS!

4.  Keep your eye on the prize.

Friendly engagements and social interactions are completely unnecessary unless you want something from someone.  Namely food.  Or attention.  Or free room & board for the remainder of your furry life? – Nah.

5.  Sometimes rest is exhausting.

Even the feline-requisite 13-16 hours of sleep a day is often not enough.  Napping is tiring, after all.  Dial it back a little there, fella, you’ve had a hard day.

6.  Always have a plan B.

If you are upset and physical aggression (plan A) just doesn’t seem to be cutting it, passive aggressive actions to property (plan B) should convey your message much more accurately.  Why simply claw someone’s arm to death when you can claw their favorite chair and leave a message that will never heal instead?

7.  Make them work for it (AKA Play hard to get)

You’re really not playing here, because you could care less if someone even exists unless you want food, but the key here is to make them think you’re doing them a favor by letting them scratch your ears.  In other words, make  them work to give you what you want.  They owe you, big time.  Now you can really stick it to them by puking all over the clean floor.

8.  Only agree to learn something new as long as you can use it against someone later.

They love you already because you’re aloof and defiant, and do nothing you’re instructed to, it’s true.  You don’t give a rat’s bum if you please anyone but yourself and seem to only derive greater power from enraged, disappointed scolding, but given the chance to learn something new, take it.  Even if it means lowering yourself to the level of getting a treat for sitting up like a dog.  Once you’ve got that trick up your sleeve, you’re golden – use it to get whatever you want, whenever you want it.

9.  Say it with a single look.

You want to conserve as much energy as possible since you’ve only slept for about 13 hours on a given day, so you can’t be bothered to communicate with anyone in an extended fashion.  Opening your trap is so much work, and even if you did, a yawn would probably be the only thing to come out anyway.  Tell them you’re annoyed that you have to hear/see/smell/acknowledge them with a single look.  Make it a doozy.

10. And finally…The one you can’t have is obviously the best one.  

Sometimes you get the bird.  As soon as you do, you no longer want the bird.  Sometimes you just can’t get that d*mn bird.  That’s the bird you want the most.  You’ll sit for hours waiting for a glimpse of that bird.  That’s likely also the bird that would peck your eyes out, given the chance.  You’re probably  going to start writing an angsty, love-sick song about that bird right now.

Love from my cat! xoxo

…He’s gonna go take a nap now.