Stuffed Peppers

I'm very behind in blogging and so I don't remember exactly how I did these (sorry), but the general idea of a stuffed pepper was easy & pretty tasty and we'll definitely try them again. Ha, granted they'll be different next time based on what we have on hand :)  Have I mentioned I stink at following recipes?

Back in the day, I took a college drawing class, and we had to buy a green bell pepper and draw it for 10 weeks as it turned from green to red, then slowly wrinkled and quickly collapsed & decayed.  It was amazing and actually very beautiful to watch it age.  Even when it was rotten, the skins peeled back to reveal thousands of seeds ready to carry on and give birth to new life. 

Hehe, it's dorky but I've loved the shape and colors of peppers ever since.  So, I couldn't pass up a bag of 6 red bells from Costco while shopping the other day :)  I went ahead and made them all and we enjoyed them for dinner, and then the following day for lunch as leftovers. 

Ingredients:

• 6 red bell peppers
  (*sounds like a lot but I had a bag of them I wanted to use up!  If you only have 2 or so on hand, just use your judgement and make less of the stuffing, knowing there's no exact science to pepper-prepping)
• 1 can of diced tomatoes
• 3 stalks & leaves celery
• 1/2 red onion
• ~1/3 cup of diced sun dried tomatoes
• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat orzo
• 1 cup fresh baby spinach
• ~1/2 cup feta
• ~1/3 cup Italian bread crumbs
• extra virgin olive oil
• salt & pepper

Preparation:

Preheat the oven to 350.  Core and remove the insides of your bell peppers and cut the bottoms flat (removing as little as possible) so that the peppers will "sit up right" in a baking dish.  Dice up your veggies and saute until soft in olive oil.  Meanwhile, prepare your orzo (or other rice/pasta).  Fold the prepared pasta into the veggie mixture adding the bread crumbs, spinach and feta until you reach your desired consistency of pepper filling. 

Then, fill your peppers and fit them side by side in a baking dish. (cute!) Drizzle with olive oil and bake at 350 for ~20 mins until the peppers are softened.  *Hint, you may want to rub them in olive oil and season lightly with salt & pepper before filling & baking.  I didn't do this, but may try this next time just to give them a bit more flavor.  *Here are a couple of pics from the pepper process:

Sauteing the veggies & canned tomatoes in olive oil


adding whole wheat orzo, Italian bread crumbs, feta and fresh baby spinach

stuffed peppers, ready for some oven lovin'

*Drats, we pulled them out and ate them up before I got an "after the oven-lovin'" picture, but they looked basically the same, just a little more cooked through... next time kalamata olives, capers, the add-ins are endless!

Paula's Butterscotch Dip



Easy and good for a crowd with lots of 'dippers', Paula's Butterscotch Dip is a new fav of mine :)  We used marshmellows, pretzels, dried apricots, granny smith apples, red grapes, strawberries and Pirouette wafer cookis as our 'dippers.'

*Caution: I halved her recipe (hers is below) and still had tons left over, so consider that if you try it.

Ingredients:

• 2 (14-ounce) cans sweetened condensed milk
• 2 (12-ounce) bags butterscotch morsels
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 tablespoons white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 tablespoon vanilla flavoring

Preparation:

Combine all the ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, transfer to a bowl and serve with fresh fruit.

Orzo Salad with Roasted Garlic & Dijon Dressing

Another salad?  yes, but salads are good for you and this one has a bit of a kick with a pan roasted garlic & Dijon mustard dressing :)  Warning: the vinaigrette is strong, but we really enjoyed it.  We love easy salads like this during the week because they're flavorful, healthy and work well for lunch leftovers the next day.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup whole wheat orzo
• 1 cup chopped broccoli
• 1/2 cup shredded carrots
• 1/4 cup diced red onion
• 1 cup halved grape tomatoes
• 2 cups chopped fresh spinach or romaine
• 1/2 cup toasted pine nuts

For the vinaigrette:

• ~6 garlic cloves (recipe calls for 10, I used less.)
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 2T red wine vinegar (*could add lemon juice instead or in addition to)
• 1T Dijon mustard
• salt & pepper
• grated Parmesan cheese

Preparation:

For the vinaigrette:  In a small skillet, combine the garlic cloves and the oil. Over a low heat, caramelize the garlic until browned and soft, about 20 minutes. Transfer garlic cloves to a blender or food processor. Add the vinegar and mustard. Blend until smooth. With the motor running, slowly pour in the reserved garlic oil. Season with salt and pepper, to taste.

Cook orzo pasta al dente.  Whisk vinaigrette ingredients together. Toss veggies and cooked pasta with dressing.

Huevos Rancheros

Huevos Rancheros are yummy and they're especially nice with fresh salsa & black been puree.  Layered in cute little ramekins and they look pretty for brunch (or Brinner in our case).  Here's the recipe I loosely followed... Huevos Rancheros with Black Bean Puree.

... and a peek inside

Roasted Red Pepper Soup

Mmm, Roasted Red Pepper soup :)  Use this recipe if you happen to have everything it calls for on hand, but also don't be scared to add/substitue veggies per your preference.  For instance, I added a couple stalks of celery, and lots of fresh basil before blitzing with an emersion blender (you can also use your blender or food processor).  We didn't have a potato on hand, and some reviewers suggested a splash of cream at the end, or butter.  The freeing thing is it's just soup - there are a thousand ways to make soup :)  *The mascarpone was lovely, though, and we ate way more croutons than pictured here!

Potato & Edamame Salad

We're always looking to incorporate more veggies into our meals so here's a simple roasted potato salad with edamame, tomatoes, feta, chives and a grainy mustard vinaigrette.

Ingredients:

• ~1lb bag of mixed baby potatoes (I bought a bag with purple, red & white fingerling)
• ~1/2 16oz bag of frozen edamame
• 1 pint mixed colorful plum & cherry tomatoes, I used red & yellow
• 1 bunch of fresh chives 
• ~1/2 cup of crumbled feta

For the vinaigrette:

• juice of 1 lemon, ~1/4 cup
• 1T grainy Dijon mustard
• 1 clove minced garlic
• ~1/2 cup olive oil
• salt & pepper

Preparation:

This recipe is really just a loose guideline.  Add anything you like to this salad of sorts (red pepper, garbanzo beans, crumbled bacon, etc - it could all be good).  I halved and roasted the potatoes in the oven at 400 until tender with slightly crispy skins (~15 mins, with olive oil and salt & pepper), prepared the frozen edamame per directions on the package, and tossed in the cut up veggies.  I whisked together the vinaigrette ingredients and tossed the salad all together. 

Tequila Lime Chicken

I have a hard time posting recipes when I don't really use them - that is to say, I'm sure the use of actual recipes would make our end results taste much better, as opposed to my fly by the seat of my pants approach - but life is busy, I don't always have a recipe in front of me, and I'm much more inclined to utilize a proven method of cooking rather than get too bogged down by an exact recipe (perhaps this is why I'm not a great baker)... *but then again, as the old saying goes, 'learn a recipe and enjoy a good dish, learn a method and eat well forever.' :)

Anyhoo, a few weeks ago we enjoyed some tequila lime chicken and (once again), I'm not sure how to post the recipe since I threw a bunch of ingredients in a bowl and marinated chicken in a baggie for ~45 mins before grilling. (thankfully marinades are pretty forgiving, I think!)

If you would like to see what's out there on the web regarding real legit tequila lime marinade recipes, feel free to click here. Otherwise, here's the jist of what I did... I'm sure it could be improved, so if you have ideas, I'd love to hear :)

Ingredients:

• ~3/4 cup of fresh lime juice
  
• zest from 1 lime
• ~1/2 cup tequila
• splash of orange juice
• diced pickled banana peppers + splash of juice from jar (b/c we had them and the juice is tangy/acidic... perfect for marinades) *try pickle juice, too - amazing!
  
• 1T minced jalapeno
  
• dash of cayenne pepper (however much you like)
  
• dash of cumin
• handful of torn cilantro
  
• ~1tsp of kosher salt
• ~1tsp of pepper (again however much you like)
• 4 chicken breasts
  

Preparation:

Whisk ingredients together and pour over 4 chicken breasts. Marinate in a food storage bag or bowl for ~45 minutes. Grill at medium high heat until chicken is done. Let chicken rest, slice and serve with grilled onions, refried black beans, tomatoes, cilantro, avocado, cheese, sour cream, guac, tortillas, or whatever your heart desires :)

Black Bean Jicama Fruity Fruit Salsa

What to name this random concoction... I don't know, and I barely even remember what all's in here since I made this a few weeks ago and lots of life has happened since then :) The idea behind this salsa of sorts is really just to combine fresh seasonal southwest flavors, savory & sweet, to then pile high on grilled flank steak, chicken or tortilla chips - how can you go wrong. Mix in your own ideas/herbs, etc, and enjoy!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup jicama
  
• 1 mango
  
• 1 medium red onion
  
• 1/2 pint grape tomatoes
• 2 kiwis
• 1 can rinsed black beans
• juice & zest of one lime
• splash of red wine vinegar
  
• fresh cilantro
• 1 clove garlic
  
• olive oil
• cayenne or red pepper flakes
• cumin
• salt & pepper to taste
• *optional, lots of fresh avocado!
  

Preparation:

Dice, quarter, chop up in any 'ol way, the veggies & fruit of your choice. Dress with olive oil, lime juice, cumin, salt & pepper and any other spice/seasoning you choose, remembering the standard 3:1 ratio for dressings: (3 parts oil to 1 part acid/vinegar, in this case, lime juice or red wine vinegar + seasoning). *I would have added heaps of avocado, but I served a deconstructed guacamole the same night, but didn't get a picture before it got eaten :)

Andes Mint Chocolate Ganache Brownies

I was in the mood for some mint chocolate chip-tasting brownies the other day and googled a couple of recipes on my iphone. Unfortunately I didn't get around to actually making them for a few days, and by then I couldn't find the exact recipe I'd seen once before. So, this is an adaptation of a handful of recipes I saw online.

Feel free to try this one, or google your own and send me improvements/suggestions. Either way, these were pretty yummy, no complaints from the troops :)

Ingredients:

• 1 box of brownie mix, your choice
• 2 cups powdered sugar
• 1 stick and 6T butter
• 3T creme de menthe
• 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
• 1/2 bag of Andes Mint crumbles

Preparation:

Prepare your brownies according to package directions in a 13x9" pan. Allow to cool. Beat 1 stick of room temp butter with 2 cups powdered sugar and 3T creme de menthe for the mint layer. Gently melt 6T butter and 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips over a double boiler or in the microwave at 20 second intervals, stirring throughout, to create the chocolate ganache layer. Allow to cool. Chocolate ganache layer should be glossy and smooth. (Traditionally ganache is made with melted chocolate & heavy whipping cream, but butter works beautifully here.) Spread the mint layer over the brownies with a spatula. Pour and spread the chocolate ganache layer over the mint layer. Sprinkle with Andes Mint pieces. Refrigerate and cut into 2 x 2" squares. Enjoy!

Cooled & cut into 2 x 2" squares of minty delight.

Mixing the Cream de Menthe layer


Spread that goodness around


Save some for yourself, it's yummy


Melting chocolate chips & butter a bit at a time


Pour that glossy ganache over the mint


Sprinkle with Andes pieces
(these have set up & chilled here)


Cut & enjoy!
(I think they're easier to cut if they've chilled a few hours)


*Tip from Troy - we like them cold, so store in the fridge :)

Greek Gods Got it Right

Back in college I spent a summer at Oxford and fell in love with European yogurt. I'd eaten yogurt daily growing up, the standard lowfat Dannon kind (nothing wrong with that), I'd just never tasted anything so rich & creamy before that summer abroad. So, I came home on a hunt for yogurt - "real yogurt". I never really found anything as yummy as euro-yogurt, but I've recently discovered Greek yogurt and it's amazing. I think a cup of this goodness is one of the most delicious & satisfying breakfasts around, and I don't normally even eat breakfast - I'm a one cup of coffee kind of girl. If you enjoy easy, simple, rich & creamy deliciousness, don't miss the chance to toss some seasonal fruit & honey into Greek yogurt.

Pictured here is a little bowl of ridiculously rich & creamy heaven: Greek yogurt, strawberries, blueberries & Ben Wheeler peaches with North Texas honey. I like Fage or The Greek Gods with honey varieties, and I add in an additional drizzle of my own local honey for good measure (which may help with allergies!)

Don't have a heart attack when you check out the nutritional info - this yogurt is rich & creamy for a reason, it's loaded in fat :) but research shows full fats (healthy fats) help you lose weight, increase muscle tone and replenish bodies with protein after working out, plus they offer vitamin D, calcium and acidophilus, so how can you go wrong? A quick search on google also suggests that full-fat dairy may help with fertility. interesting! Always knew I liked the real full-fat versions (in moderation of course) of pretty much all foods :)

Lemon Blueberry Scones

This is my favorite scone recipe! Crumbly & buttery, you can very the add-ins (chocolate chips, dried cranberries & orange zest, etc) and I enjoy this version with lavender honey compound butter, softened butter with the addition of honey & fresh lavender flowers or leaves. Everything's better with butter :) Here's the recipe as seen in Baking Illustrated.

The most traditional sweet biscuit–like texture is obtained by using both butter and heavy cream. If you prefer a cake-like texture or want the scones to stay fresher longer, try the Cakey Scones variation (below). The easiest and most reliable approach to mixing the butter into the dry ingredients is to use a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Resist the urge to eat the scones hot out of the oven. Letting them cool for at least 10 minutes firms them up and improves their texture.

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (10 ounces) unbleached all-purpose flour, preferably a lower-protein brand, such as Gold Medal or Pillsbury
• 1 Tbsp baking powder
• 3 Tbsp sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 5 Tbsp cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/4-inch cubes
• 1/2 cup currants
• 1 cup heavy cream
  

Preparation:

1. Adjust an oven rack to the middle position and heat the oven to 425°F (220°C).

2. Place the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt in a large bowl or the workbowl of a food processor fitted with the metal blade. Whisk together or process with six 1-second pulses.

3. If making by hand, use two knives, a pastry blender, or your fingertips and quickly cut in the butter until the mixture resembles coarse meal with a few slightly larger butter lumps. If using a food processor, remove the cover and distribute the butter evenly over the dry ingredients. Cover and process with twelve 1-second pulses. Add the currants and quickly mix in or pulse one more time. Transfer the dough to a large bowl.

4. Stir in the heavy cream with a rubber spatula or fork until the dough begins to form, about 30 seconds.

5. Transfer the dough and all dry flour bits to a countertop and knead the dough by hand just until it comes together into a rough, slightly sticky ball, 5 to 10 seconds. Press the dough into an 8-inch cake pan, then turn the dough out onto a lightly floured work-surface. With a sharp knife or bench scraper, cut the dough into 8 wedges. Place the wedges on an ungreased baking sheet. (The baking sheet can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 2 hours before baking.)

6. Bake until the scone tops are light brown, 12 to 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Yield: Makes 8

Parsley Dipping Sauce & Marinade

I sort of cringe when people take a recipe and alter it like I did here and then recommend it... oh well, it turned out pretty tasty and I would recommend it :) I have tons of parsley these days and saw a yummy parsley marinade & dipping sauce for beef & pineapple pops. Fresh & easy, I used the marinade on chicken and will definitely try it as it was intended with beef & pineapple soon. Check out Giada's video demo.

loads of parsley... hmm, what to do with all this.

here's the marinade working its magic

after our first bite, yum, yes I think I'll post this :)

mmm, Bruschetta

Bruschetta is one of my favorite bites - easy and adaptable, you can make it out of anything, any time of year, even smoked pulled pork and herbs & tomatoes from the backyard like I did :) Plus, bread does this magical thing when it gets all warm & toasty... mmm, bruschetta.

Here's my latest version:

Ingredients:

• 1 baguette
• a cup of fresh grape tomatoes, sliced
• fresh basil
• fresh parsley
• garlic, minced
• 1/2 red onion, sliced
• 3/4 cup pulled pork or any kind of prosciutto, pancetta or salami
• 1/2 cup feta
• handful of diced kalamata olives
  
• olive oil
  

Preparation:

Heat oven to 425. Slice a baguette lengthwise in half. Drizzle with olive oil and season with garlic salt & pepper. Heat in the oven for ~8 minutes until golden brown and toasty. (Alternatively, grill your bread.) Meanwhile, in a saute pan, soften sliced red onion, garlic, tomatoes, olives, pulled pork (or ham, salami, any other yummy meat) in olive oil. Toss in a bowl with fresh basil, parsley and feta. Top toasted bread and enjoy!

Peanut Butter Brownies

Who doesn't love peanut butter & brownies? Why not combine the two? I had a hankering for these two flavors and did a quick search to see what I could make of my boxed brownie mix. voila! I liked them... crumbly & buttery :) Troy likes a fudgier brownie, but no complaints from me... try them out if you're looking for a pb & brownie fix.

Cake Balls!

I bet if you enjoy baking you know Bakerella and her fabulous Cake Balls. (I have to confess, every time I say cake balls I giggle and exclaim, "cake balls!" what a great name.) I've had so much fun making various versions of these yummy truffle-like desserts lately: red velvet with cream cheese, strawberry with cream cheese, and just yesterday for work, white cake with white icing dyed minty green for st. patty's day. I'm including my first red velvet batch here.... try these, they're to die for!

Bakerella's Cake Balls Recipe (my notes in blue)

Ingredients:

• 1 box red velvet cake mix (cook as directed on box for 13 X 9 cake)
• 1 can cream cheese frosting (16 oz.)
• 1 package chocolate bark, regular or white chocolate (I used both!)
  
• wax paper (I used parchment paper)
  

Preparation:


1. After cake is cooked and cooled completely, crumble into large bowl.
2. Mix thoroughly with 1 can cream cheese frosting. (It may be easier to use fingers to mix together, but be warned it will get messy.) (I used a spatula to combine, worked great.)
3. Roll mixture into quarter size balls and lay on cookie sheet. (Should make 45-50. You can get even more if you use a mini ice cream scooper, but I like to hand roll them.) (Note, I got 32 golf-ball sized cake balls out of this recipe 3 different times... I like them a bit larger, nice cake to chocolate bark ratio.)
4. Chill for several hours. (You can speed this up by putting in the freezer.)
5. Melt chocolate in microwave per directions on package.
6. Roll balls in chocolate and lay on wax paper until firm. (Use a spoon to dip and roll in chocolate and then tap off extra.) (Don't worry if they look a little messy on the parchment/wax paper... once they're set, they look so pretty! Drizzle white chocolate over in a criss-cross pattern for nice effect, as well.)

I also only melt a few pieces of chocolate bark at a time because it starts to cool and thicken. It’s easier to work with when it’s hot. (Very true... I used a small glass bowl to heat mine in the microwave... easier than a double boiler. And, the inexpensive "almond/chocolate" bark is the way to go! I tried a "nicer" ghirardelli dark chocolate first and didn't get nearly the same melting/glossy effect.)

red velvet cake, crumbled & mixed into
cream cheese frosting & rolled into balls

dipped and all gussied up...
this was my firstn ttempt, so mine are a little messy

into cellophane baggies as little gifts


and now, up close & personal, so yummy.

We prefer these cool, so I rec keeping them in the fridge - I've been able to serve them even a few days after making them, as they stay fresh & moist & pretty on a platter under plastic wrap... if they last that long... *hope you enjoy these!

Paige's Picks

My dear friend Paige is such a creative cook and she recently sent me links and a couple pics to some of her favorite recipes (thanks Paige!!) - just adding them here is making my mouth water... try them out & let us know what you think! :)

Eggs Florentine

Raspberry Filled Crepes

Black Bean Chili
(*As pictured above... Paige says she makes this once a week & tops with cilantro, cheddar & sour cream. Yum.)

Cheddar Dill Cornbread
(a perfect compliment to the aforementioned chili)

Chicken Souvlaki with Grilled Pita

Slow-Cooked Scrambled Eggs

Buttermilk Cheddar Biscuits

Eggplant Gratin

*And, a few of Paige's own!

Taco Soup

Taco Soup

• 1 lb. lean, grass fed ground beef
• 1 onion, diced
• 1- 16oz can of Rotel
• 3- 16oz cans of black beans
• 1-16oz can of corn, undrained
• 1-4 1/2 oz can of green chiles
• 1-15 oz can tomato sauce
• 1 1/2 cups of water
• 1 pkg of taco seasoning
• 1 pkg of dry Ranch dressing mix

Cook beef and onion until tender and drain. Combine beef mixture with all other ingredients in stock pot. Bring to a boil and then simmer for 15 mins. Makes 3 1/2 quarts.

Thin Mint Sugar Cookies

Thin Mint Sugar Cookies

Cut a roll of sugar cookie dough (store bought) into 1/4" slices. Place a Girl Scout Thin Mint Cookie or Keebler Grasshopper if Thin Mints aren't available and sandwich between two slices of sugar cookie dough. (Make a Thin Mint sandwich, basically.) Baste the top of the "sandwiches" with a little egg wash and top with chopped pecans. Bake at 375 degrees for 8-10 minutes. Sinfully delicious!

A recipe from a Baylor Women's Alumni Party:

Praline Coffee

• 3 cups of hot brewed coffee
• 3/4 cup of half & half
• 3/4 cup brown sugar, packed
• 2 T butter
• 3/4 cup maple syrup
• dollop of whipped cream

Heat coffee, half & half, brown sugar and butter over medium heat, stirring constantly until thoroughly heated (do not boil). Remove from heat and serve with whipped cream, if desired.

*Paige, you're awesome for sharing your favorite recipes with me - keep them coming & happy eating!

Fruity Crumbles

I really do love Ina Garten - her recipes are so classic & reliable. This fruit crumble dessert is one I'll definitely make again because I love its versatility and flexibility for any season, no matter the fruit you have on hand. Plus, you can make these individual crumbles ahead of time and bake them off for dinner or even a couple days after you've assembled them. Yay leftovers :)

Ingredients

For the Fruit:nocoupons

• 2 pounds firm, ripe peaches (6 to 8 peaches)
• 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 cup fresh blueberries (1/2 pint)

For the crumble:nocoupons

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 pound (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, diced

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Immerse the peaches in boiling water for 30 seconds to 1 minute, until their skins peel off easily. Place them immediately in cold water. Peel the peaches, slice them into thick wedges, and place them in a large bowl. Add the lemon zest, lemon juice, granulated sugar, and flour. Toss well. Gently mix in the blueberries. Allow the mixture to sit for 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture into ramekins or custard cups.

For the topping, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, and the butter in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the butter is the size of peas. Rub the mixture with your fingertips until it's in big crumbles, then sprinkle evenly over the fruit. Place the ramekins on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper and bake for 40 to 45 minutes, until the tops are browned and crisp and the juices are bubbly. Serve warm or at room temperature.

If you want to make these early, store the unbaked crumbles in the refrigerator and bake before dinner.

Here's what mine looked like:

Blanching beauties

Ice bath to chill these girlies down

Making the crumble

Tossing the fruit in all kinds of yumminess...
(for the fruit, I actually used nectarines, a granny smith apple, some strawberries & blackberries b/c that's what I had on hand)

Assembly line

Warm & bubbly and dressed up with a little ice cream

I like how the fruit bubbled up & dripped down the ramekins.
- will definitely make these again :)