Sweet Potato Nachos

Last week, I posted a picture of the Sweet Potato Nachos that I made for dinner one night. I had a huge response to it and wanted to share the super simple recipe with you all. I got a general recipe from Nadine and then turned it into my own.

SWEET POTATO NACHOS
Servings: 4

Ingredients:

- 3 medium to large sweet potatoes
- 1 pound ground turkey or ground beef
- 1 taco seasoning packet (or make your own)
- 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
- 1 small to medium jalapeno
- 1 large tomato
- 1 large ripe avocado
- green onions
- olive oil
- salt and pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.

2. Peel and cut your sweet potatoes 1/8 inch rounds. Place your sweet potatoes on a cookie sheet and drizzle with olive oil. Toss to coat the sweet potatoes. You will have to make two or three batches of these to use all of the sweet potatoes. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes until they start to brown and crisp. Do not overcook. Turn and bake for another 10 to 12 minutes.

3. When you are on your second batch, brown your ground turkey or ground beef. Cook through and drain your meat. Add in your taco seasoning with 3/4 cup of water. Stir and cook until most of the moisture is gone.

4. Once your potatoes are done, add all of baked sweet potatoes to a cookie sheet (I used the same one after letting it cool down a bit). Your potatoes can and should overlap. Add your meat mixture and your cheese. If you don't have enough cheese, add more than indicated above or to how much you like. Bake at 350 degrees for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.

5. Plate your portion of the nachos and add on your tomatoes, avocado, green onions, jalapenos, hot sauce and any other taco/nacho items you love.

6. Enjoy!

Girl Chat - Summer Recipes

*This post contains affiliate links.

It's time for another round of Girl Chat and this time we are talking about our Favorite Summer Recipes. I can't wait to read everyone's recommendations as we are in desperate need of new dinner ideas.

ONE. One of my favorite Summer recipes is so simple. It doesn't even require a recipe really. I love grilling up sausages from either our local butcher or Whole Foods. I pair it with Sierra Nevada Spicy Brown Mustard. Then I take white corn and I shuck it, put butter on it and then crack pepper and garlic powder on the corn. I roll it up in aluminum foil and grill it for about 25 minutes on medium to medium high heat. I also love sauteing some onions to go with it.

TWO. 

Southwestern Chopped Salad

I recently found this recipe on Pinterest and it has become a new favorite. I love salads. Seriously, I eat them many times a week. But what I love about this salad, is you can add in any of your favorite toppings and it just tastes so good. I love the chili lime dressing that is listed at the bottom instead of ranch. I still use the salsa recipe, but then add in the chili lime dressing. It is flavorful, healthy and so tasty.

THREE. 

Citrus Salmon with Strawberry Avocado Salsa

I make this recipe all the time. The only difference is, I don't make it in the oven anymore. I grill it. I soak a cedar plank in water for an hour and then I put my salmon on the cedar plank. I put the plank on the grill at medium high heat and cook for approximately 12 to 15 minutes or until the salmon reaches 125 degrees. 

I love the combo of the salsa with the citrus salmon.

FOUR.

Sweet Potato Nachos

I love nachos, but I don't eat them that often. I had seen some recipes around for sweet potato nachos and decided to make my own, but with some tweaks to it. I think these are amazing and definitely a Summer favorite. Be sure to buy a mandolin though as it is the easiest way to get your sweet potatoes cut to the same size. I bought this one.

FIVE. 

Oreo Fluff

I found this recipe a few years ago and it is a huge hit. I bring it over to parties as a dessert. It is super easy to make and you can pair with fruit, more oreos or vanilla wafers which is my favorite pairing.

What are your favorite Summer recipes?

To link up - just grab our graphic, link up, and let's getting to chatting!  Make sure to stop by a few others linked up for an extra bit of girl chat!  

Danielle / Sparkles and Lattes - Bloglovin' - Pinterest - Instagram
Emily / A Little Bit of Emily - Bloglovin' - Pinterest - Instagram
Lindsay / Lindsay's Sweet World - Pinterest - Facebook - Instagram - Twitter
Lizzie / This Happy Life -  Bloglovin' - Pinterest - Facebook - Instagram
Sierra / Beautifully Candid - Bloglovin' - Pinterest - Instagram - Twitter

Girl Chat - Favorite Fall Recipes

It is time for our monthly Girl Chat and this month we are sharing our favorite fall recipe(s). I am going to share a few of my recipes that I have featured and made from my blog, but also a couple that I love to make that others have shared on their blogs.

Butternut Squash Soup with Pears and Bacon

Butternut Squash Soup

I found this recipe in a local grocery store magazine. This is a family favorite and we always add a bit more bacon to it because why not?! This soup is easy to make and is amazing as leftovers.

Sweet Potato Nachos

Nachos

I know I just posted this last week, but these are so good. They are perfect for a weeknight meal or even for tailgating or while watching college or NFL football. We will be making these often.,

Autumn Penne Pasta with Brussels Sprouts in a Light Ragu

SkinnyTaste

I found this recipe a few years ago and I always make it in the fall. It combines turkey and sausage with a lighter ragu and then you add in brussels sprouts and it is so good, hearty, but light.

Stuffed Shells

Stuffed Shells

These stuffed shells are so good, hearty and perfect for a little date night. I make these year round, but I love them during the Fall. I love making them on a Sunday and settling in with these, a veggie and a big glass of wine while watching football.

To link up - just grab our graphic, link up, and let's getting to chatting!  Make sure to stop by a few others linked up for an extra bit of girl chat! 

Danielle / Sparkles and Lattes - Bloglovin' - Pinterest - Instagram
Emily / A Little Bit of Emily - Bloglovin' - Pinterest - Instagram
Lindsay / Lindsay's Sweet World - Pinterest - Facebook - Instagram - Twitter
Lizzie / This Happy Life -  Bloglovin' - Pinterest - Facebook - Instagram
Sierra / Beautifully Candid - Bloglovin' - Pinterest - Instagram - Twitter

Friday Favorites

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

Hello All! I wrote this earlier this week, so hopefully everything is still the same or applies. Ha. Right now I should be recovering from nose surgery. I should be knee deep in a good show or sleeping. Sleeping will probably win. But anyways, I have some favorites and happenings below for you to enjoy.

ONE. Surgery. Obviously that is number one this week. Thank you for all the love and sweet messages I got here and on IG. I love this community. Yesterday at 11:30 am, I was wheeled into the operating room to change the inside of my nose forever. Well hopefully forever. I hope I will be able to workout again without gasping for air. I hope to be able to sleep with my mouth shut. I hope to just get more oxygen in general.

So thank you for all your thoughts, prayers and well wishes.

TWO. Someone posted on IG this weekend the cutest cardigan and I HAD to have it. I said it was for my birthday and treated myself. I bought it on Sunday when they had 25% off all new arrivals. So I paid $37.46 for this cardigan and then I scooped up this henley tank to go with it. I see myself wearing this a lot this Fall.

 AE Stripped Cardigan

AE Destroyed Henley

THREE. I was gifted the white Native Jefferson shoes I posted about a few weeks ago. And I LOVE them. They are comfy, cute and now I match my little ladies now. You can use these in the garden, for camping, just to wear around and even for travel. Kait wore them for most of her Italy trip.

Native Women's Jefferson Shoes

We just got the girls these two this weekend. They were 30% off at a local boutique. I couldn't pass it up. And of course they had to wear them for their first day of school on Monday.

Native Mary Jane Shoes

Native Jefferson Toddler Shoes

FOUR. I finally finished The Woman in the Window and I loved it. It was really good. I found it to be a bit slow in the beginning, but I loved watching the story develop and unfold. I thought I knew what had happened, but then the twist came and then bam another twist right after that. I would recommend this book. Now I am reading Dead Girl Running and then The Woman in Cabin 10.

FIVE. The air quality has been awful around here lately. One city over from where I work, it was at a level 316 which is considered hazardous. It has been hovering between 100 and 178 where I live and where I work for the last couple weeks. We have fires everywhere surrounding us and I feel like when they start to get one under control, another pops up. It gets to the point where kids are not allowed to go outside and then they get cooped up which makes it stressful all around. Plus I am sick of breathing in this stuff. We have ash on our cars daily lately too.

The whole point of this is not to feel sorry for us (ok maybe just a bit), but to express the need for controlling our campfires, to put out our man made fires correctly, to not throw your cigarette butts out of the window, to pay attention to the fire danger level where you live and travel to and just be conscious.

SIX. I didn't do a weekend update this week since it was TBB week and then I did some thoughts and confessions on Wednesday. So I thought I would give a mini update here.

On Friday, I went out with my friend Heather for my birthday. Well first I had a sushi date with Rory and then met up with Heather. We went to our favorite wine spot and had some rose while chatting. Then we moved the party to Death and Taxes for a cocktail before going to the pizza place next door and ordering a slice. Everything was perfect and it was so much fun catching up with her. Especially since it has been since late April since we have seen each other.

Saturday we ran some errands and then made Joanne Gaines chocolate chip cookies in honor of National Chocolate Chip Cookie Day. They came out beautifully and tasted sooo good. I love the hint of sea salt in there. Plus they are so chewy and soft.

I made sweet potato nachos for dinner and caught up on some recordings.

Sunday morning our plans had changed, so we decided to head to Truckee for breakfast, some shopping around town and just to get out of the smoke.

We headed back to our house for naps and then some time outside in their Jeeps before the smoke got too bad. I made spaghetti with salad and bread for dinner and then gave the girls a bath. It was a nice, easy and pretty relaxing weekend.

I am linking up with April, A Little Bit of Everything, Meet @ the Barre and Cup of Tea.

Have a great weekend!

Weekending

Wow what a weekend. I am sad to see it go, but I am not sad to see that traffic go. I am referring to Burning Man. I am sure you have all heard of it at one point or another, but it is very close to where I live. So the week prior people start piling into Reno. They stay at a major casino, they shop at Trader Joes and Whole Foods and they cause major traffic jams. A bunch of them head out on Sunday, but the traffic still lingers through the week. The best part is come Sunday and Monday they are all back in Reno and you get to see the dirty cars, the crazy aftermath of a drug induced week and so many art pieces. I would go to Burning Man alone for the art. Fun fact, I never have been to Burning Man.

Anyways, back to our weekend. Friday after work, we grabbed some lunch and then I dropped Rory off at his haircut appointment. I took the opportunity to head to the mall and see if I could find anything. I wasn't able to, but I was able to shop without any littles with me. So nice. After Rory's appointment, I picked him up and then we headed to Lululemon to use a gift card from my birthday and to Old Navy. We had to buy a ton of outfits for the girls to use at daycare for potty training. Yep they start that next week!

We were going to go to Trader Joes, but the parking lot was insane from all the Burners in town. And Whole Foods was even worse. Ugh. And forget about going to Costco this week either. So we headed to the grocery store near our house for dinner that night and supplies for the beach the next day. Then we picked up the girls and headed home. I made Sweet Potato Nachos and they were a huge hit. So good. After putting the girls to bed, we watched The Sinner and then headed to bed ourselves.

Saturday morning we got up and I headed out for coffee and pastries while the girls and Rory got ready. We quickly ate our croissants and headed to Lake Tahoe. We spent four glorious hours there people watching, eating, sunbathing, building sand castles and enjoying one of our last weekends up there this summer.

 Chocolate milk face

 The girls bathing suits are from Hannah Anderson

We headed out around 2 pm and the girls napped the whole way home. We tried to continue the naps when we got home, but no such luck. After a quick shower and the girls baths, I went back to the store for dinner items and then we hung out at home most of the evening. We played outside a bit, but it was almost 100 degrees Saturday. I made spaghetti for dinner and the rest of the evening was spent relaxing after being in the sun all day.

Sunday morning we headed to breakfast and then to the park. We were at the park for 30 minutes and then both girls pooped. We only had one pull up in the car (total fail), so we changed Avery since hers looked more like diarrhea. But then 5 minutes later Sutton was climbing on some bars and poop came out the back of her pull up. Seriously this hasn't happened since they were little and in diapers. Ugh. We had to clean her up as much as we could and clean the bars off. Gross. We headed home and gave them another bath since it went up her back part way. Sooooo gross.

After the poop incident, we made them lunch, relaxed a bit and then put them down for a nap. Once again, I headed to the store (I usually only shop once or twice a week) for groceries for the week and then to Target to grab a few items. I also had to pick up softball equipment for Rory since I was in the area and got to see one of our dear friends for a brief moment.

When I got home the girls were sleeping and Rory took Walter to the doggy park. I settled in for some Devil Wears Prada and folded the mounds of laundry we had. After the girls woke up, I got them ready and once Rory got home, we took them to the Discovery Museum where they played for almost two hours.

 I didn't have to climb in the cloud to save them this time!

After the Discovery Museum, we headed to Home Depot and then home to make dinner and get ready for the week. I made the girls mac n cheese and started making pizzas for Rory and I. After the girls went down we ate dinner and then finished chores around the house.

How was your weekend?

I am linking up with Biana from B Loved Boston.

What's Up Wednesday

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

Has anyone else felt like they are falling behind? I know I have felt that way. I am behind on blog reading. I am behind on household chores. I am behind on my reading. And I am just behind. Hopefully things level out soon.

Anyways, onto this month's What's Up Wednesday...

Save

WHAT WE ARE EATING THIS WEEK...
Sunday: We went out to sushi for Father's Day.
Monday: BLTA's with fries.
Tuesday: Coconut Lime Veggies with Brown Rice
Wednesday: Homemade pizza and salad.
Thursday: Sweet potato nachos
Friday: Take out because I am getting my hair done in the evening.
Saturday: I am going out to dinner with a friend that I haven't seen since last year. Rory and the girls will have take-out or something like grilled sausages at home.

WHAT I'M REMINISCING ABOUT... Vacations past. Seeing my friends more.

WHAT I'M LOVING... We went to the beach for the first time this year last weekend and it was just what my soul needed.

WHAT WE'VE BEEN UP TO...I am pretty much doing the same thing I have the last three, almost four months. We have been going on walks, getting outdoors, working from home, cooking a lot, and seeing friends and family a little bit.

The girls went back to school on June 1st and they have been loving it. 

We also went to Graeagle at the beginning of this month.

We celebrated Father's Day.

And we went to the beach for the first time all year. We have been up to Tahoe several times, but we haven't been to the beach nor in the water until last weekend. It was really cold, but so worth it!

WHAT I'M DREADING... I am sort of dreading going back into work. We have been out for so long that I am so used to working from home and living this life now. It will definitely be an adjustment and I am sure Walter won't be that thrilled.

WHAT I'M WORKING ON... Well, I recently starting running again. I am not sure how often I will run, but I know that I want to try to do it a little more. I started off with just running about 100 yards and then have been working my way up from there. I am only at 3 mile runs at a time, but it feels good to get back out there. 

I am also trying to get ahead on my blog posts, so I can enjoy Summer a bit more.

WHAT I'M EXCITED ABOUT... Rory starting his new job as a mortgage loan originator. It is officially Summer. And things are slowly getting back to normal.

WHAT I'M WATCHING/READING... Once again, I read a bunch of book this last month. That post is coming on Monday, so stay tuned.

We have been watching Schitt's Creek, 13 Reasons Why season 4 (is anyone else watching it? This season is weird.), Top Chef, Million Dollar Listing LA, Dirty John season 2, The Bold Type and a few others. We need some show recommendations, so please send them my way.

Speaking of Schitt's Creek, I bought a Rose Apothecary Shirt on Etsy and I had to share it. If you love Schitt's Creek, then you know.

WHAT I'M LISTENING TO... silence.

WHAT I'M WEARING... I have been living in shorts, sandals, my converse and dresses. It will definitely be weird when I do go back into the office and I have to wear business casual attire. Here are some of my recent favorites.

Billabong Road Trippin Chambray Shorts

Billabong La Jupe Shorts

AE Henley Tank Top (I have this tank in 3 colors now and I wear them all weekly)

WHAT I'M DOING THIS WEEKEND... We are going to be spending it at home mostly. I do have a dinner out with a friend Saturday evening and maybe sneak another beach day in Sunday?!

WHAT I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT MONTH... July doesn't bring anything unusual, but I am looking forward to more beach days and more friend time.

WHAT ELSE IS NEW...Not much

Amazon Prime Purchases - January

*This post contains affiliate links. When you click a link, it is no cost to you and I make a small commission (pennies) from it. Thank you for supporting Sparkles and Lattes.

I didn't buy much on Prime this month. The bulk of it was birthday gifts for my niece and party favors for the girls birthday party. So what did we buy?

linking up with Tanya

Glow in the Dark Stress Balls

I bought these for the girls party favor bags. The kids had so much fun with them. And fun fact, they stick to the ceiling or wall and roll down for hours of fun!

Kerastase Moisture Mask

I got this because it was on mega sale and I was out of my purple hair mask. Plus my hairstylist said the purple mask is too much on my extensions and would be better off using a different mask and purple shampoo.

Folex Carpet Cleaner

This is a repurchase for me. This stuff is amazing. I spray it on clothes, the carpet, chair cushions, etc. and it always gets everything out. Sometimes I spray and leave it and other times I use my fingers or a soft rag to get the stains out.

4 Foot Floor Puzzle

I got this for my niece. She is really into puzzles and this one was large and had amazing reviews.

Small Brush Teeth Cleaners

I grabbed these for Avery since she got her orthodontia expander put in. She has been getting food stuck in her expander and these help clean it out. Plus it is perfect for using between teeth when floss won't work.

Affresh Washing Machine Tabs

This is my fourth repurchase of this item. I love these for cleaning out my washing machine. And with my new washer, I am using them on the first of every month or after I wash my dogs items.

Tom's Kids Toothpaste

This is another repurchase. The girls love this toothpaste and I love that it comes in a three pack for the price of one to two tubes.

Bob's Red Mill Pancake Mix

This is our favorite packaged pancake mix. I have bought this many times from Amazon. I think it said six times. I can't find it in the store anymore, so I order it online. It is the best!

Mermaid Night Light Kit

This was another gift for my niece. She loves mermaids and she was able to make her own night light. It was a huge hit with her!

60 Pack Mochi Valentines

I bought these for the girls classes for Valentine's Day. They love mochi toys and these ones have 60 of them with a heart shaped container and a card. Such a good deal!

All in One Food Chopper and Slicer

I recently bought this to make my life easier for chopping veggies and slicing potatoes. I make a lot of soups and sweet potato nachos and I wanted a new slicer and chopper. This one comes with 8 attachments and gets amazing reviews. Plus it is an extra $5 off right now.

12 Pack of Chokers

My girls are obsessed with these chokers. They got one at a birthday party and wear them all the time. So I grabbed a 12 pack for their birthday party. And now all the girls wear them.

The Pink Stuff

Nadine recommended this a few months ago and I finally purchased it. I tried it on some smudges that just wouldn't come off and it wiped them right away. I really want to try it on my faucets to see if it removes the hard water.

And that's it for my Prime Purchases in January. What did you buy?