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I love roasted stuffed peppers, they are so easy to make and you can stuff them with just about anything.  My daughter fell in love with them too when I made Mexican Inspired Stuffed Peppers and asks for them frequently ever since.  Then there were the Stuffed Breakfast Peppers that I made a few months ago, have you tried them yet?  So good.  This time I decided to fill the peppers with some left over rice from this vegetable stir fry, and use what I had on hand in the fridge.  They turned out pretty dang good, not to toot my own horn.  I could never get a big head about being a good cook because my little boy hates most everything I make.

In fact after one look at these peppers he whined and asked if he could eat macaroni and cheese.  Hey now there’s an idea – stuffed mac n cheese peppers.  He would much rather eat boxed food, sometimes I make the mistake of saying something is “homemade”, then he usually changes his mind and doesn’t want it. Yes, that one keeps me humble and on my toes.  So if your up for some whining and complaining about why you never fix anything good, you might want to try these out

Rice And Sausage Roasted Stuffed Bell Peppers

Ingredients:
4 bell peppers
1/2 yellow onion chopped
2 carrots chopped
1/2 zucchini chopped
1 clove minced garlic
6 oz. ground pork hot sausage
1 1/2 cups of cooked rice
4 oz. cream cheese softened (I used fat free cream cheese)
8 slices of cheddar cheese or your favorite variety.
olive oil

Directions:
Step 1: Wash and cut peppers in half, take seeds out and veins by cutting out with a pairing knife or scrape seeds and veins out with a spoon. Put peppers in an oven safe dish and set aside.
Step 2: Chop the onions, carrots and zucchini small. In a medium size skillet saute the carrots and onions on medium in 1 tablespoon of olive oil until soft. Add the zucchini and garlic to the mixture and cook for about a minute. Transfer the vegetables to a medium size bowl and set aside.
Step 3:In the same skillet that the vegetables were cooked in cook the sausage until browned. Drain fat and add the sausage to the bowl with the vegetables.
Step 4: Add cooked rice to the sausage and vegetables and stir. Add the softened cream cheese to the the mixture and mix well.
Step 5: Turn oven onto Broil. Prepare peppers by drizzling olive oil on the then rubbing it on all sides. Roast peppers for 20 minutes turning over half way through the cooking time.
Step 6: After peppers have roasted partially fill the peppers up with the rice mixture pressing down the mixture and adding more until all peppers are filled.
Step 7: Turn oven down to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and cook the stuffed peppers for 15 minutes. Then pull out and put cheese on top and cook five minutes longer or until cheese is all melted. Take out and enjoy.
Serves: 4

Cooks Notes:
The sausage I used had plenty of seasoning in it so I didn’t need to add any. If you want to add some herbs to give yours more flavor, try fresh or dried thyme, or fresh parsley. Both would be delicious.

So how about you – any favorite ways you like to stuff a pepper?

~Suzanne

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Classic Eggplant Parmesan is breaded and deep fried to get it crispy and then smothered with marinara sauce and cheese, and it’s soooo good. This recipe is similar but the eggplant is baked crispy instead of fried but with all the same great taste, you won’t even miss the fat. Panko Italian bread crumbs help to give the crispiness to the eggplant, which you can now buy at your local grocery store in most places. Another step that adds to the crispiness is to cook the eggplant on a rack over a pan so the air circulates all around them, if you don’t have a rack to use then a cookie sheet will work too. I made this recipe two ways first like the photo shown above, then into a casserole shown after the jump!

I like it both ways but it really depends on personal taste, the casserole has a texture more like lasagna, while the individual servings are more crispy.  I was inspired to make this recipe from my friend Kristi who recently posted this recipe on her blog Mother Rimmy”s Cooking Light Done Right.  She is a fearless cook to me because tries out all sorts of healthy vegetables that some of us never even give a second thought about. Her recipes are flavor packed and always low-fat so go over and give her a shout out.

Low Fat Eggplant Parmesan

Ingredients:
1-2 large eggplants
8 oz. package of Italian Style Panko bread crumbs
6 egg whites
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese
1 cup Parmesan or Agiaso cheese
2-3 cups marinara sauce store baught or my recipe

Marinara Sauce:
3 T. olive oil
2 garlic cloves pressed
1 1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 28 oz. can of crushed tomatoes
1 4 oz. can of tomato sauce

Directions for breading eggplant:
Step 1: Wash and slice eggplant about 1/4 inch slices. Preheat oven to 400 F degrees.
Step 2: Put egg whites into a medium size bowl and whisk with 1T. water, put the bread crumbs in another medium size bowl. Set the eggplant, egg whites and bread crumbs up in assembly line style with the rack over the pan so each eggplant can be set on the rack.
Step 3: Dip 1 eggplant slice into the egg whites then into bread crumbs turning over to coat well and set on the rack or cookie sheet.Step 4: When all slices are ready bake for 15 minutes, then turn over and bake 10 to 15 minutes longer until crisp and browned on both sides.
Step 5: If planning to serve the eggplant individual style then plate them and pour sauce on top and add cheese, put plates back in the oven to melt cheese or just let the sauce melt it.
Step 6: Making eggplant casserole is very simple get a casserole dish 11×7 or whatever you have. Spread about 1/2 cup marinara sauce on the bottom then a layer of eggplant, then 1 cup sauce and 1 cup of cheese and repeat ending with cheese on top.

Directions for Marinara Sauce:
Step 1: In medium large saucepan heat oil on medium high heat then add the garlic and oregano and stir for about 1 minutes then add the crushed tomatoes and tomato sauce.
Step 2: Let sauce come to a boil then simmer until your ready to use.

Cooks Notes:
I used 1 large eggplant for a family of 4 but 2 people are kids who aren’t big eaters, I had leftovers. If serving more people then use 2 large eggplants and probably a 9X13 in. casserole dish.

Linked to Tasty Tuesday

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Destri and I must be on the same wave length – two chocolate chip cookie recipes back to back!  I have a heart healthy version for you today, so really we’re just making sure you have options . I saw the recipe for these cookies back in the Summer time from a great food blogger Frieda Loves Bread and wanted to try it ever since. With walnuts and oats, I was a little leery as to how my family would like them.  I finally got around to making them, and had I known how good they were I would have done it a lot sooner!  I have to say, pecans are my favorite nuts so I wondered how much I would like these cookies, guess what?…I love them and am making them again for sure. Even the nut hating kids couldn’t tell they were made from walnuts.

These cookies are full of flavor, chewy not hard and the chocolate chips make them extra special.  So if you want to feel good about eating a cookie (or two, or three), and a healthy treat to serve your family, give these a try.

Heart Healthy Walnut Chocolate Chip Oat Cookies

This recipe interested me for a few reasons 1) they are not made with regular flour and my mom is gluten free (some people are still allergic to the type of gluten in oats, but my mom is not) so I like to find recipes she can have, 2) they have no cholesterol 3) walnuts are the most healthy nut 4) oats are full of fiber and are heart healthy as well.

Ingredients:
2 cups of walnuts
3 T. canola oil
1/2 cup water
1 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
1/2 tsp. salt
1 1/2 cup of oat flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. cinnamon
2 cups oatmeal
1 1/2 cups mini chocolate chips

Directions:
Step 1: Put the walnuts in a food processor and process until they are chopped fine. Add the canola oil and process until it begins to look like peanut butter. Transfer walnut butter to a mixing bowl.
Step 2: In a small saucepan whisk together brown sugar and water and heat to a boil. Pour over walnut butter, add vanilla and stir.
Step 3: Whisk together oat flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Stir into walnut mixture. Cool for 10 min.
Step 4: Fold in rolled oats, then chocolate chips. Shape cookies into 2” balls or use 2 T. cookie scoop, 2” apart on lightly greased baking sheet or put on parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
Step 5: Bake at 350ºF for 8-10 minutes and cool on baking sheet for 3 minutes. Transfer to wire rack to completely cool.

Check out the nutritional info.here, there is actually nutrients in these cookies!

Nutrition Information:
Calories 132.7
Calories from Fat 63 47%
Total Fat 7.0 g 10%
Cholesterol 0.0 mg
Potassium 113.8 mg 3%
Saturated Fat 0.6 g 3%
Sodium 123.3 mg 5%
Magnesium 37.5 mg 1%
Monounsaturated Fat 1.6 g 8%
Total Carbohydrate 16.1 g 5%
Polyunsaturated Fat 4.2 g 21%
Dietary Fiber 1.6 g 6%
Trans Fat 0.0 g 0%
Sugars 7.5 g 30% (Use Splenda, sugar is cut down to 4.9g)
Protein 2.8 g 5%

Linked to Tasty Tuesday

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I have had this recipe for pudding chocolate chip cookies forever, it’s the best.  Like don’t make a batch while home alone kind of good.  They are soft, chewy, and the vanilla pudding adds a little depth and yummy-ness.  Well, I whipped out the recipe the other day, went to the store to get everything, only to return home to find that I had bought cheese cake pudding instead of vanilla.  I made them anyway  (really how can you go wrong with cheese cake) and oh.my.word.  What a happy mistake that was. Seriously, you must try – then come back and tell me they aren’t the best chocolate chip cookies you’ve ever had.  Then tell me you ate half the batch in one sitting too. It’ll make me feel better .

Cream Cheese (cheese cake) Pudding Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup of softened butter
1/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 large box cheese cake instant pudding (just the mix – do not prepare)
2 1/4 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
dark chocolate chips – or semi-sweet if you prefer

•  Cream the sugars and butter in a large bowl.
• Mix in the egg, vanilla, and pudding.
• Slowly add the flour and baking soda, and the chips last. Mix just until well combined.

Roll into 1 inch balls and place on a cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 7 to 10 minutes. You do not want to over cook these! Then place on a rack to cool.

Hope everyone is having a great Monday, I had a Valentine’s Day door hanger thingy for you today, but can’t the pics off my camera. So wish me luck and hopefully it will be up tomorrow!

Destri

Linked to the fabulous Skip To My Lou and delicious Tasty Tuesday

I wanted to share with you this recipe for Jewish Biscotti that I made from Food and Thrift food blog, which by the way has full pictures of each step in the process of making them.  Biscotti is a great cookie for dipping into hot chocolate  because they are not too sweet and have great crunch and once dipped they sort of melt in your mouth.  Orange and almond compliment each other wonderfully, while the chocolate and crunch of this cookie really satisfy. I made these wonderful cookies with my Christmas goodies that I gave away, but these would be perfect for any gift giving time of the year.  Who wouldn’t love to receive a mug full of these cookies wrapped up pretty in some cellophane with a beautiful bow?  If you are not totally baked out from Christmas then give these cookies a try.

Orange Almond Mandelbrot
(originally adapted by, Orange Walnut Mandelbrot)
from: Rosie’s Bakery, by Judy Rosenberg
Ingredients:
2 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
4 Tablespoons, (1/2 stick unsalted butter. at room temperature)
1/4 cup vegetable oil
3/4 cup sugar
1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract
Grated orange zest, of 1 orange
2 large eggs
1 cup of sliced toasted almonds

Directions:
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: In a medium size bowl, mix baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Using an electric mixer, on medium-high speed, cream the butter, oil, sugar, vanilla, and orange zest together in a medium size mixing bowl, until light and fluffy. Stop the machine twice, during the process to scrape the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Step 3: Add the eggs, one at a time on medium speed, mixing until each egg is partially incorporated, about 5 seconds. Scrape the bowl, after each addition.
Step 4: Using the rubber spatula, mix in half the flour mixture by hand. Then blend with the electric mixer on low speed for several seconds. Add the remaining flour mixture and mix on low speed until the dough is smooth, about 5 seconds. Add the nuts with a few more turns. of the mixer.
Step 5: Turn the dough out unto a work surface, and divide it in half. Dough will be somewhat sticky…that’s why you need extra flour added unto the work surface. Form a strip about 3 inches wide, and 11 inches long, with both of the portions, and set it on to the baking sheet. Form a strip about 3 inches wide, and 11 inches long, with both of the portions, and set it on to the baking sheet.
Step 6: Bake the dough strips at 350 degrees F. for 20 to 25 minutes, until golden, and firm to the touch.
Turn the oven down to 275 degrees F. Cut the biscotti, using a serrated knife, about half to 3/4 inch slices, slightly diagonal. Arrange the slices standing up, about 1/2 inch apart, and bake until crisp, golden,about 20 minutes. Turn the oven off, and leave the biscotti in for an additional 15 minutes longer. Then, remove from the oven, and let them cool on the baking sheets.
Step 7: After the cookies have cooled you are ready to dip in melted chocolate. I used dark chocolate 60% cocoa Ghirardelli chocolate chips. Melt about 1 cup of the chips in a microwave safe dish. Melt on high 2-3 minutes stirring every 30 seconds until chocolate is melted. Some microwaves will take less time others more time so make sure you just keep stirring for 30 second intervals so you do not burn the chocolate. Once the chocolate is melted just dip the biscotti and set on wax paper to dry. If you want to drizzle the chocolate over the biscotti that would be wonderful too.

Hey friends!  Now that Santa’s sleigh has left the roof, we can safely start thinking about New Year’s Eve, and more specifically the best food to party with.  I have been dying to try all of these recipes and I can’t think of a better reason than the New Year.  Now I just need to throw a party – care to come?  We can all bring our favorite appetizers and eat until our eyeballs pop out .  Here’s the ones I will be bringing – link up the party food you’ll bring along in the comments!

I found all of these recipes via Pinterest and pinned them to my Feast For The Eyes pinboard.  I had a hard time choosing just four, but you can jump over to check out the other recipes I can’t wait to try.  As always if you would like an invite, let me know in the comments and I will pull your email and send you one!

From left to right:

1. Buffalo Chicken Bites from What’s Cookin Chicago
2. Chicken, Bacon, and Cream Cheese Mini Taquitos from Mommy I’m Hungry
3. Chili’s Copycat Salsa from Six Sister’s Stuff
4. Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeno Chicken Bites from Salad In A Jar

Okay, now it’s your turn!  Leave a link of your favorite New Year’s Eve party food recipes in the comments – then I can pin it.

~Destri

The other day I had promised a breakfast casserole that you could make the night before to bake on Christmas morning.  It’s the perfect idea, you just pop it in when everyone wakes up and by the time the presents have been opened you have breakfast on the table without missing any of the action.  Well, I had found a recipe I wanted to try, and lets just say it was a good thing I made it before I posted it!  I wasn’t a fan.  I decided I couldn’t just leave you hangin’, so I scoured the internet for tested and well received recipes that can be made up the night before.  The pull-aparts are not made the night before but looked easy enough and had great reviews.  I liked the suggestion of adding sausage gravy.

1. Sausage and Cheese Breakfast Casserole from You Made That?
2. Bacon Cheese Pull-Aparts from Pillsbury
3. Easy Egg Casserole from Jimmy Dean (make night before instructions at bottom of recipe)
4. Overnight Blueberry French Toast from Chef In Training

Now I would love for you to link up any of your favorite recipes for breakfast casseroles.  Or just type one up!

Today I am working to check off one more thing on my week before Christmas list – going through old toys to make room for new ones.  The kids are helping, wish me luck!

~Destri

This is by far the best caramel popcorn I have ever had – soft, chewy, and just so so good.  Too good.  Don’t make this alone, or you’re bound to eat the entire batch to yourself and I can’t be held responsible!  Last year my sister whipped this up for a night of family Amazing Race watching and I didn’t wander too far from the bowl until it was gone. I was able to snag the recipe from her and I think the most surprising ingredient was marshmallows, who’da thought?  Oh, and no candy thermometer, I don’t know what it is with recipes that involve that little contraption, but they are always a disaster for me!

We made a batch into popcorn balls thinking they would make the perfect Christmas gift for my kids to make for their friends and our neighbors.

I just mixed it up and while it was still warm had the kids roll the popcorn into balls and then into the candy of their choice. It was perfect because it only took about 15 minutes for them to do, which is about the amount of time I can expect from my 3 and 4 year old’s attention span . Spray a little cooking oil on their hands before they roll and it cleans up easily.

I have to say, the caramel popcorn with the crushed candy canes was my favorite – delish.

Enjoy!

Simple Soft Caramel Popcorn

Ingredients:

1 cup butter

1 cup light brown sugar (you can use any brown sugar, it will just come out darker)

25 large marshmallows

1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)

2 bags microwave popcorn – I like Pop-Secret Homestyle, but whatever your favorite is will be great

• pop the popcorn according to the packaging instructions and then pour into a bowl and take out any of the un-popped kernels.  I did this by pouring into one bowl and then into another.  The kernels should drop to the bottom of the first bowl
• in a large pot heat the butter over medium-low until melted
• add the brown sugar and let cook for about 30 seconds, continuously stirring.  It won’t be dissolved but that’s okay – cook it too long and it will crystallize
• add marshmallows and stir until melted and combined
• stir in vanilla
• pour over the popcorn and gently stir it up

This is really good served warm, but still great once cooled too. It stays nice and soft.

For a neighbor gift I think it would be fun to make it up when you know they are home, add it to a fun festive bowl and deliver right after dinner time.  For my kids friends we just put the popcorn balls into cellophane bags and added ribbon.  I will show you the finished product tomorrow along with the jingle bell bracelets we made to go with the popcorn.

~Destri

I thought I would share with you some of the simple things I do for the holidays that doesn’t take much, but makes my table look like I put some thought in preparing but didn’t go over the top. At Thanksgiving I always have extra cranberries, since they are used to floating in water I grab my bubble glass bowls and toss them in with a floating candle. This year I had a bag of “bad apples”,you know the type they looked great but had zero taste. I didn’t have the heart to just throw them out so I made them the star in these candle holders for my bowls. All I did was cut them the same size as my tea candles and slice the bottom flat so they don’t topple over and that’s it. I thought these apple had a much better life as candle holders then for slicing .
I have a ton of cheap glass balls that I don’t put on my Christmas tree because well, I have a ton of other ornaments now. Some of these are old.. like 18 years and some are newer but they always get displayed in some sort of way at Christmas. I found this basket somewhere and bought it because I have a love for baskets. I like that the balls are shinny while the basket is old looking and they usually wouldn’t be paired together.
Last but not least, I love things from nature so we collect pine cones from places we visit, (yep cheap collection, but beautiful) and I always have some on display in the fall and winter. Some of these pine cones are from Florida, some from the West, and one or two are from a tree that the astronauts took some pine cones up into space. But most of my pine cones are from right here in my area. Many times I toss in some apples and or oranges that I stud with cloves, add few drops of peppermint oil on the cones and this centerpiece not only looks festive it smells wonderful. I love that these ideas didn’t cost a thing other than what I was already going to use or that I already have. So get creative and pull things from your home or area that mean something to you. I have found that a big display of one type of thing looks better than lots of little displays, the simpler the better.

One of my favorite parts of this holiday season is the fresh cranberries available. I’m not sure how I developed a slightly sour fetish for these tiny red berries. Don’t get me wrong I have the biggest sweet tooth ever but I also love tart and sweet together, kind of like salty and sweet that has become the latest food craze. My family is not quite as crazy about my sour tooth, they much rather eat sweet all the time but what fun is that? I love a good eyebrow raising, taste bud salivating foodie experience like these little cranberries can deliver. So my hope is that there are others out there like me that can’t seem to satisfy that sour tooth sometimes.  This recipe is really a classic with a twist, by  using tangerines instead of oranges you still get that citrus flavor but in a slightly different taste.  Since citrus season is almost upon us you could probably use any type of citrus you may have on hand like lime or lemon, just remember they are quite a bit more tart so they may require more sugar to even out the tartness from the cranberries.

Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose-flour
1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
3/4 tsp. salt
1 cup granulated sugar
zest of one tangerine or orange
1/4 cup or 1/2 stick of unsalted butter melted
1 egg
3/4 cup of fresh tangerine juice or orange juice
2 cups fresh cranberries

Directions:
Step 1: Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 4 mini loaf pans with cooking spray.
Step 2: In medium size mixing bowl mix together all dry ingredients including sugar and zest and make a well in the middle.
Step 3: Mix together wet ingredients then add to the dry ingredient and mix together just until moistened then stir in cranberries.
Step 4: Divide evenly into the four pans and bake for 35-40 minutes. Let cool in pan for 10 to 15 minutes then turn our if desired.

Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
2 T. tangerine or orange juice

Mix well and pour over the loaves and let dry.

Here are some other cranberry recipes you might be interested in trying:
Cranberry Salsa
Cran-raspberry dessert
Cran-raspberry and apple hand pies
Cranapple sauce for Turkey Day