Pringles Can Solar Hot Dog Cooker

Trouble was recently tasked with making something having to do with solar energy. After some indepth research googling around he decided to create a solar hot dog cooker made from a Pringles can. Honestly, I think he was drawn to the idea of eating an entire can of chips and a hot dog for homework. We found some super simple directions here and got to work.

I helped cut an opening in the can making two flaps for Trouble to fold back. Trouble taped some clear plastic over the window. Next he poked a hole in both ends of the can to hold a skewer. The hot dog gets loaded on the wooden skewer and inserted into the Pringles oven. 

Trouble found a sunny spot to cook the dog and let the sun do its thing.

After about 30 minutes Trouble noticed that the inside of the can had steamed up.

He checked the hot dog to make sure it was heated to his liking.

 Apparently it was the perfect temperature, that or he was hungry. He was so very proud to have used the sun to cook his lunch!

Roasted Beets

A wonderful friend brought back fresh veggies from the Texas Valley. Lucky for me, she shared! I got some beautiful beets. I love beets and I really love them roasted! They're good hot or cold, in a salad or all alone.

What you need:

• beets, I used 3 beets for 2 people
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• salt, to taste
• 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar 
•  pepper, to taste

What to do:

 Peel and cut beets into wedges.

Toss beets in olive oil and lightly salt.

Place beets on a cookie sheet or roasting pan. (You can see here that I decided to roast onion and sweet potatoes as well.)

Place beets in a 450 degree preheated oven for 25-30 minutes.  Stir beets around a bit after 15 minutes of cooking. Cooking time may vary a bit depending on the size of your beet wedges.

Immediately after taking beets out of the oven, toss them in balsamic vinegar.

Salt and pepper to taste.

I love leftover roasted beets in salads with feta! Try it. Also, don't throw those beet greens out. The greens and stems can be sauteed or roasted and are completely delicious. I made beet leaf chips by tossing the leaves in a little olive oil and salt and roasting them in the oven until they were crispy.

Jalapeno Pimento Cheese

 I recently went to a sweet little tea room with a bunch of girlfriends. I ordered a sandwich sampler plate and fell in love with their jalapeno pimento cheese. I've always loved pimento cheese and adding jalapenos made it even better. I knew I had to tackle making my own version of spicy pimento cheesiness.

What you need:

• 8 oz. shredded extra-sharp cheddar cheese
• 8 oz. cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 teaspoon garlic flakes or powder
• 1 teaspoon cut chives
• 1 jalapeno, minced
• 4 oz. jar diced pimentos, drained 
• salt and pepper, to taste

What you do:

Place all ingredients in a stand mixing bowl.

Mix until well combined.

 My favorite way to eat pimento cheese...in a grilled cheese!