White Lasagna!

I made two different lasagnas for Justin's mom's birthday dinner, one was traditional and one was White Lasagna. I liked both of them, but here's the recipe for the white one. The red one was very good with a more homemade red sauce, so if you want it, let me know. Easy Spinach Lasagna with White Sauce
Adapted from Juanita Peek on Allrecipes.com

Ingredients
1 (10 ounce) package frozen chopped spinach
29 ounces Alfredo-style pasta sauce
1/2 cup skim milk
1 (12 ounce) package oven ready lasagna noodles (no boil)
1 big spoon scoop ricotta

1 pint 4% large curd cottage cheese

1 egg
8 ounces shredded carrots
8 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced

(optional: broccoli, zucs, etc)

Couple splashes white wine

1/2 lb ground beef

1 lb Italian turkey sausage, casings removed
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (I used more)

Panko bread crumbs

Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Coat a 10x15 inch lasagna pan with cooking spray.

Brown the meats and drain.

Sautee carrots and mushrooms in a little olive oil and white wine. (Here is where you could also add in some broccoli or zucs to be sauteed.)

Place the spinach in a medium bowl. Microwave, uncovered, on high for 4 minutes. With my hand mixer, I blended ricotta, cottage heese and egg. Then I lightly mixed in the spinach.

Combine pasta sauce with milk in a medium bowl. Mix well.

Spread about 1/2 cup pasta sauce mixture evenly in the bottom of the dish. Place 3 uncooked noodles over the sauce. Spread half of the spinach mixture over the noodles. Sprinkle with half of the carrots and half of the mushrooms. Place 3 more noodles over the vegetable mixture. Pour 1 1/2 cups sauce over the noodles. Spread the remaining spinach mixture over the sauce, followed by layers of the remaining carrots and mushrooms. Also, layer in the meat throughout the dish. Place 3 more noodles over the vegetables. Pour remaining sauce evenly on top. Sprinkle with the mozzarella cheese. I sprinkled extra mozzarella in the layers, too. Spray a sheet of aluminum foil with cooking spray. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil, spray side down.
Bake for 50 to 60 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover, and spoon some sauce over the exposed top noodles. Turn the oven off, and place the uncovered dish back into the warm oven for 15 more minutes. Serve at once, or let rest until ready to serve. I actually baked this for 30 mins one night (then cooled and refrigerated it). Then the next day, I let it rest at room temp for an hour or two before baking it for about another 45-50 mins. I sprinkled panko bread crumbs on top before baking it the second day.

I used Classico roasted red pepper alfredo, but some reviewers made their own alfredo. I just didn't have the time and sometimes homemade alfredo can be more expensive than just the jar. Also, some people did half the spinach and half sauteed broccoli, also could add some sauteed zucs.

I think that's all the tweaks I made...

Ponytails and bread?

Look at Clara's first ponytail!
Here's a great recipe for breadmachine bread. http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Jos-Rosemary-Bread/Detail.aspx When I made this last week, I added just a tiny more water and put in a couple shakes of grated parmesan. I also subbed 1/2 a cup white whole wheat flour and then just 2 cups bread flour. I used the 1.5 lb loaf white bread setting with a medium crust. It was really tasty dipped in olive oil/balsamic vinegar/ground black pepper dipping sauce. Ours was soft and moist on the inside with just enough crust.

I'm making it again for a dinner tomorrow!

Time to grill!

Stuffed Border Burgers
We thoroughly enjoyed these turkey burgers, and if you try them, you just might like them, too!
Adapted from Southern Living Cookbook

1.5 lbs lean ground beef (I used ground turkey, and they were delicious)
1/2 c. finely chopped onion
1 (4.25 oz) can chopped ripe olives (I omitted for Justin's sake)
2 T ketchup
1 t. chili powder
1 t. fajita seasoning
1/2 t. salt
6 slices Pepper Jack cheese
6 onion rolls
Tex-Mex Sauce
Optional Toppings: lettuce, tomatoes, guacamole

Combine first 7 ingredients. Shape into 12 (4") patties. Break cheese slices to fit onto 6 of the patties. Top with remaining 6 patties, pressing to seal edges. Grill, covered with grill lid, over med-high heat 4-6 min on each side or until done. Serve on onion rolls with Tex-Mex Sauce and toppings.

Tex-Mex Sauce
1/2 c. sour cream
1/3 c. ketchup
1 (4.5 oz) can chopped green chiles
1 T. minced fresh cilantro

Delicious and Easy Soup!

Chunky Soup

Adapted from Mrs. Evelyn Fawcett,

originally passed down from her Nana

1 1/2-2 lb Sweet Italian Sausage

& Ground Turkey (or beef)

1 onion chopped

1/2 cup celery

1/2 cup green pepper

2 t salt

2 T sugar

pepper

paprika

1-2 t. Italian seasoning

28 oz. canned diced tomatoes

2 small cans tomato paste

2 c. chopped carrots

6-8 cups hot water (boiling preferably)

2 beef bouillon cubes

chopped parsley

1 head of cabbage

Directions:
Start water to boiling. While water is heating, saute first four ingredients in butter in a dutch oven. Drain grease. Add remaining ingredients to the browned meat mixture. Simmer 1 hour uncovered. Add approx. 5 cups coarsely chopped cabbage, or a little over 1/2 the head. Simmer covered for 1 hour. Add water if too thick. Serve with rolls.

Note: In the picture above, I used one can of tomatoes with jalapenos and one can of tomatoes with celery. I did not buy the whole stalk of celery since I knew I would waste the unused portion. I don't like cooked carrots, but they are good in this soup! I just used two large carrots. I loved the Sweet Italian Sausage! If you eat very little meat, just use 1 lb meat. If you eat an average amount, then 1 1/2 lbs. will suit you. If you (or your hubby) love meat, 2 lbs. is tasty.

This soup will feed a large family, or you can freeze the leftovers.

We'll be eating this for days with 2 lbs of meat in there!

Grilled Buffalo Chicken

Do you remember the Caesar and BBQ Chicken I recommended?

Well, here's another easy one. It's sooo tasty!

Justin's Spinach and Spring Mix

and my Romaine and Spinach

Grilled Buffalo Chicken

Adapted from Betty Crocker
2 tablespoons butter or margarine, melted
1/4 cup original cayenne pepper sauce or red pepper sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1/2 teaspoon celery seed
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 package (1 lb) chicken breast tenders (not breaded)
1/2 cup blue cheese or ranch dressing

1.In medium bowl, mix butter, pepper sauce, honey, celery seed and salt. Remove 2 tablespoons sauce mixture; set aside. Add chicken to remaining sauce mixture; stir to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes but no longer than 2 hours.
2.Meanwhile, soak ten 10- to 12-inch wooden skewers in water 30 minutes.
3.Brush grill rack with vegetable oil. Heat coals or gas grill for direct heat. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Thread each chicken tender on a skewer.
4.Cover and grill chicken over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, turning once and brushing frequently with reserved sauce mixture, until no longer pink in center. Discard any remaining sauce mixture. Serve chicken with blue cheese or ranch dressing and salad.

Impress your friends kinda recipe

I'm posting this recipe cause a friend has asked for it. I want you to PLEASE TRY THIS!!!

Two Thanksgivings ago, my dad and some of his brothers came into town. One evening, we had this meal. It was a real winner. Then I served it to a family from church one Sunday afternoon, and again it was a winner--even for one of the sons who doesn't normally like grits. (I'm not sure why, cause his mom's grits are pretty good.) Seriously, this recipe might not sound amazing, but when you take your first bite, you will be in heaven. And your friends will think you're the best cook ever!

Sausage and Peppers over Smoked Gouda Grits

both recipes and picture from Southern Living

Grits

6 c. low sodium chicken broth

2 c. milk

1 t. salt

1/2 t. white pepper

2 c. uncooked quick-cooking grits

1 2/3 c. shredded smoked Gouda cheese

3 T. unsalted butter

Bring first 4 ingredients to a boil in a medium saucepan, and and gradually whisk in grits. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer, stirring occassionally, 5-10 min or until thickened and not too soupy. Add cheese and butter, stirring until melted. Yield: 6-8 servings.

Sausage & Peppers

1 (19 oz) package sweet Italian sausage (can use turkey Ital. saus.)

3 red, yellow, or green bell peppers, cut into strips

1 large sweet onion, cut in half and thinly sliced

2 garlic cloves, minced

1 to 2 t. Italian seasoning

1 t. salt

1/2 t. garlic powder

1/2 t. pepper

Garnish: shredded Parmesan cheese

Remove sausage casings and discard (or use ground Italian sausage). Cook sausage and next 7 ingredients in a large skillet over medium-high heat, stirring until sausage crumbles and is no longer pink and veggies are tender. Serve over the cheese grits. Garnish, if desired. Yield:4-6 servings.

I feel like a recipe millionaire...

So, who woulda known that there are blogs dedicated solely to RECIPES!??! If you know me well, you will know that I LOVE to read cookbooks, especially ones with pictures, but any cookbook will do. :) I have found over the past few months that these blogs that I've stumbled upon hold a wealth of tried-and-true recipes! I've had a few that turned out fine, but I have definitely had some that are make-for-friends worthy. One of the great things about recipes from blogs is that the blogger can you tell you their take on the recipe and what they did to adapt it.

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My hubby is a lover of all asian-style foods. I enjoy Thai peanutty dishes. This meal below ranks in my top 10, if I have one of those. Justin even requested it to be on a monthly rotation.

Thai Chicken Peanut Noodles

originally from blog Picky Palate,

but I found it on the blog Sisters' Cafe

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Ingredients:

1lb whole wheat thin spaghetti noodles

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1 garlic clove, peeled

1 (1 inch) piece of fresh ginger, peeled OR 1 heaping teaspoon of refrigerated ground ginger (it's moist, kinda like a paste)

½ Cup smooth peanut butter

2 Tablespoons sesame oil

¼ Cup soy sauce (I used reduced sodium)
2 Tablespoons brown sugar

1 Tablespoon rice vinegar

1 scant teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes

1 Cup hot water

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2 Tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

½ Cup finely chopped white onion

½ Cup finely chopped red or orange bell pepper

2½ - 3 Cups cooked, shredded chicken breast (I used 4 grilled breasts.)

¼ Cup finely chopped cilantro leaves (I DID NOT use cilantro.)

1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste

¼ Cup dry roasted peanuts, chopped (I used honey roasted and DID NOT chop.)

2 Tablespoons sesame seeds (I DID NOT choose to add these.)

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*Note: I had this meal planned for my week, so Justin grilled extra chicken one night when we had bbq chicken. I marinated the chicken I'd planned for this dish in Italian dressing. Altogether, I used grilled chicken for this dish.

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Directions:

1. I made the Spicy Peanut Sauce that you'll find below.

2. In my small food processor, I chopped garlic and the refrigerated already ground ginger (not dry ground ginger). Then I added peanut butter, sesame oil, soy sauce, brown sugar, vinegar and red pepper flakes. Pulse until well combined and slowly add hot water. Set aside in a bowl.

3. Start a pot of water boiling for the pasta. Add pasta whenever it's ready.

4. While pasta is boiling, I used my food processor/chopper to chop onion and red bell. Then place olive oil in hot skillet over medium heat. Saute onion and bell pepper for 5 minutes or until softened. Stir in chicken breast, cilantro (I didn't use cilantro), and salt. Stir until heated through. Add peanut sauce to skillet. Stir until heated through. Turn off heat. Add drained pasta. Toss to coat and garnish with peanuts and sesame seeds, if desired.

5. Sauce tends to pool at the bottom, so when serving, dig deep with your serving spoon.

Makes 6 servings.

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* Another Note: I didn't find this spicy at all. If you want it spicier, add whatever heat you like, OR serve the sauce below over the dish. We loved this sauce drizzled on each of our servings. It's got some kick.

Spicy Peanut Sauce:
1 Tb peanut butter
2 1/2 Tb canola oil
3 1/2 Tb soy sauce (I used reduced sodium.)
2 T sugar
2 tsp vinegar
1/2 tsp sesame oil
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
1 Tb green onion, minced (I didn't have green onions this week, since this sauce was a last minute addition to my meal.)
2 Tb cilantro, chopped (I DID NOT use cilantro.)

Whisk sauce ingredients together without cooking.

Mmm... Even my dad liked this recipe over Christmas!

Spicy Shepherd’s Pie

1lb. lean ground turkey (or beef)
1 onion, chopped
1 can black beans, drained
1 can diced tomatoes with chiles
1 can corn
1/2 can olives, sliced (I didn't add these)
1/4 cup taco seasoning (or 1 packet)
1/2- 1 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups mashed potatoes (I made real ones)
1 cup grated cheddar cheese

Brown ground beef with onion; add all ingredients except potatoes and cheese. Simmer for 2-3 minutes. Pour into a 9x13” pan. Top with 1/2 cup cheese. Spread mashed potatoes over the cheese and meat mixture. Top with remaining cheese. Bake at 350 for about 25-30 minutes or till hot and bubbly. Serves 6-8.

Want a Quick Homemade Dinner?

Quick and Easy Stromboli Dinner:

1 tube (11 oz) refrig crusty French loaf
3/4 to 1 c. shredded mozzarella
3/4 to 1 c. shredded cheddar
1/4 lb. thinly sliced deli salami
1/4 lb. thinly sliced deli ham
1/4 c. chopped roasted red peppers, or 1 jar (2 oz) pimientos, drained
1 T. butter, melted
2 to 3 T shredded Parmesan

Preheat oven to 375. Unroll the dough and pat into a 14"x12" rectangle. Sprinkle with mozz. and chedd. cheese to within 1/2" of edges; top with meat and red peppers. Roll up jelly-roll style, starting with a short side; seal seam and tuck ends under. Place seam side down on an ungreased baking sheet. Brush with butter; sprinkle with Parm. Bake at 375 for 25-30 min or until golden brown. Slice with serrated knife. 4 servings

ps. Serve with marinara sauce and add crushed red pepper flakes to the boli if you like it a little spicier.

Pretzels... Healthy vs. Not-So-Healthy

Ok, so if you've been a faithful reader of my family chronicles, you'll have noticed that I like to cook with healthy ingredients. And... if you know ME, you'll know that I love foods that taste scrumptious. I've posted some recipes that are both tasty and healthier. Well, I'm going to break that trend for today. You've seen in the pictures above that Izzy and I attempted to make some soft pretzels on Monday while Uncle Jordan was here finishing up some school work in between his college classes. I thought that the cheddar whole wheat healthy soft pretzels that we made were good, maybe just fine, but they were good with the spicy mustard. HOWEVER... I still wanted to see if I could make Auntie Anne's style pretzels. I went out and bought the bread flour yesterday, made the second kind of pretzels with my girls today, and I was in not-so-healthy heaven this afternoon! So was Izzy. I like making tasty healthy meals, but I think I'm just going to stick to a not-so-healthy recipe for soft pretzels. ;) Maybe this could be a once-a-year special recipe for a birthday or a Christmas day afternoon snack.

Clara and "Baby" were in on the action today:

Cool picture, huh?

Mmmmmmm, here they are: (On the left-cinnamon sugar, On the right-garlic parmesan)

Soft Pretzels
Serves: 8-12, Prep. Time: 2:00
1 1/2 tsp. active dry yeast 1/2 tsp. brown sugar 1 dash salt 1 1/2 cups 110 degree water 4 cups bread flour 1 Tbls. baking soda 1/4 cup warm water 1 cup melted real butter toppings (see Notes, below)

*This is the original recipe. I halved it, and I got 5 pretzels out of it.

-Combine first 4 ingredients; allow to rest for 5 minutes.-Stir flour to mixture and knead for 5 minutes.-Place dough in a lightly greased bowl, cover with a damp towel, and allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour.-Divide dough into 8-12 equal-size pieces; roll each piece into a rope; shape each rope into a pretzel.-In a shallow dish, stir baking soda into warm water; dip pretzels into mixture (or brush mixture over pretzels); lay coated pretzel onto a lightly greased cookie sheet.-Bake in a 450 degree oven for 8 minutes, or until golden brown.-Brush melted butter onto hot pretzels.

Notes: For salted pretzels, sprinkle with pretzel salt or Kosher salt. For cinnamon-sugar pretzels, stir 2 Tbls. honey into the melted butter before brushing on pretzels, then sprinkle with a mixture of 1/2 cup granulated sugar and 1 tsp. ground cinnamon. For Parmesan pretzels, sprinkle with a mixture of 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese and 1 tsp. garlic salt; serve with marinara sauce.

Bacon & Bread & Make Believe

Ok, so I found a great recipe and a helpful cooking tip!

I was making this good chicken for dinner last night, and I found a tip that I have to share. I don't like to cook bacon, cause I hate getting splashed with grease. I needed bacon for this chicken dish, and the author explained how to get great bacon that is flat and not all shriveled. Line a baking sheet with foil, then place a cookie cooling rack on top of the foil lined sheet. Lay the bacon on the cooling rack, and bake at 400 for 10-15 minutes, depends on how crisp you want it. It doesn't splatter much at all in the oven cause the grease is dripping down into the foil lined pan, and you don't have to watch it or flip it. Best of all, it tastes exactly the same but is totally flat! Try it.
I also made some potatoes from that same blog, and if my brother-in-law wants second helpings, then I know it's good. PHEW. I made them with low-fat ingredients since it's not exactly a low-fat dish.

One more thing, you have to try this bread from this blog! I don't like to try breads that take a long time to make, but this one was EASY. It took time, but it wasn't hard at all. It's supposed to be a copy cat of the bread from Macaroni Grill, and it's the only time that I like rosemary--usually, it's too strong for my tastes.

Bread from Macaroni Grill

1 Tbsp. Dry Yeast (you'll need two packets of yeast)
1 Tbsp. Sugar

1 cup warm water (105 - 115 degrees)
2 ½ cups white flour, divided
1 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. rosemary, chopped (I used about a tablespoon of dried rosemary, and it worked great.)
1 Tbsp. olive oil
2 Tbsp. butter or margarine
Coarsely ground salt

Put the yeast, water and sugar into a blender. Mix it until it is frothy. (I used a hand blender that I bought for making Izzy's babyfood awhile back.) Turn the oven onto 200°. (You just need to warm it up; you’re not baking yet.)

To the mixing bowl of yeast mixture, add two cups of the flour, salt, and half of your chopped rosemary. Keep the other half cup of flour close at hand. Knead the dough for a few minutes. Add the rest of the flour as needed to get the dough to the right consistency (soft and stretchy without being overly sticky). I only needed a little bit more flour, like a small handful. Turn the oven off.

Lift the dough out of the mixing bowl. Add the olive oil to a bowl and swirl it around. Roll the dough in the olive oil so it is well coated and let it sit in the bowl. Cover the bowl with a dish towel and place it in the oven (the oven should be off by now, if you missed that step). Leave the door cracked so it isn’t too hot in there.Let the dough rise for about an hour. It should be approximately doubled in size.

Take dough out of oven, turn oven back on to 200 F. Punch the dough down and knead it again. Divide it into two equal sized lumps and let it sit for about 5-10 minutes. (Don't just make one loaf--it's easier to cut the two smaller loaves in the end.) Turn oven off again. Prepare your baking pan. I use a ceramic stone, but a cookie sheet will work. If the surface is not naturally non-stick, spray it with the cooking spray, or use parchment paper. Shape the dough into two oval-shaped loaves and arrange on the pan. Melt the butter or margarine. Use a brush to paint the surface of the loaves with butter. Use all of the butter. The loaves will be quite saturated when you’re done. Take the rest of the chopped rosemary and sprinkle it over the loaves. Pat it down gently to set it into the dough. Return the loaves to the oven. Don’t turn it on yet. Let the dough rise again, for about 45 minutes.

Remove the loaves and preheat the oven to 450°. Sprinkle a little bit of coarse salt over the loaves (see my pic--I used sea salt). Return the dough to the oven. Bake for 20-25 minutes until light brown--mine only needed 15 minutes till it was brown, so adjust time according to your oven. Makes two loaves. Best enjoyed dipped in a mixture of olive oil, balsamic vinegar and garlic. We didn't have any left over after dinner with 5 adults and 4 kids. Well, there were 6 kids, but 2 weren't eating bread... ;)

After dinner, Cora, Mary Grace, and Dorn taught Izzy how to "play" with her fake food. It was pretty cute. She just hadn't figured it out, even when I would try to play with her.

Yes, she took off her pants for the evening.

This morning, she is in a different red shirt (the previous one has a snowman and this one has a butterfly on it). Yes, I do like red and do dress my child in clean clothes--even if she doesn't wear pants when guests come over. Anyhow, I know she understood what the kids were teaching her, cause she played with her corn on the cob and even fed a spoonful of corn on the cob (how do you get a spoonful of that?) to Lamby, of course!

Spaghetti Squash!

Baked Spaghetti Squash with Ground Turkey and Veggies

I thought this was sooo good! Here's a pic of the baked casserole before I put the last layer of cheese on it.
1 spaghetti squash, halved and seeded
1 pound ground turkey with Italian seasoning
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
1 (smaller-sized) red onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, chopped
1 (14.5 ounce) can Rotel (diced tomatoes and green chiles)
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1 teaspoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon dried basil
1/2 teaspoon seasoned salt
1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
2 1/4 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese

Directions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place squash on a baking sheet, and bake 40 minutes, or until tender. Remove from heat, cool, and shred pulp with a fork (that's the fun part!). Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Lightly grease a casserole dish. In a skillet over medium heat, brown the ground turkey with green pepper, red pepper, red onion, and garlic. Drain and return to skillet. Mix the shredded squash and tomatoes into the skillet, and season with oregano, basil, Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Cook and stir until heated through. Remove skillet from heat, and mix in 2 cups cheese until melted. Transfer to the prepared casserole dish. Bake 25 minutes in the preheated oven. Sprinkle with remaining cheese, and continue baking 5 minutes, until cheese is melted.

Notes: If you don't like spicy, use Italian diced tomatoes instead of the Rotel. If your husband doesn't like too many veggies, then use a little less bell peppers. :) Otherwise, even my picky husband thought the dinner was good. It was fun hearing him say that he liked it, even though he thought there were too many peppers. I mean, Justin liked SPAGHETTI SQUASH!!! YAY!

Breaking the fast

I woke up extra early this morning before church, so I made baked oatmeal. My mom sent me a recipe that got me thinking about oatmeal, and I changed it around a bit to fit my calories and tastes. Very yummy!

Ingredients: 2 cups uncooked quick-cooking oats, 1/3 to 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar, 1/2 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries, 1 t. baking powder, 1 t. cinnamon, 1/4 t. freshly grated nutmeg (anymore would be too strong, in my opinion), 1 pinch salt, 1 1/2 cups fat-free or 1% milk, 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce (optional), 1 T. pure vanilla extract, 1 1/2 T. melted butter, 2 egg whites -- beaten well (or I used 1/4 c. egg substitute)

Preheat oven to 375 deg. Combine first 7 ingredients in medium bowl. Combine the milk, applesauce, butter, vanilla, and egg. Beat well. Pour mixture into an 8 inch square baking dish coated with Pam. Bake at 375 for 25 minutes or so until oatmeal is set. Serve hot with milk poured over it. Or garnish with yogurt and/or fruit. Store leftovers in the fridge and heat in the microwave. Yield: 4 servings.

To cook or not to cook...

Ok, so last night I wasn't in the mood to cook, and Justin said we could go out (even though he doesn't partucularly like to since he goes to such nice restaurants almost everday for lunch with his customers). Poppy was traveling, so we asked Grammy to meet our little pumpkins and us at Hopps for soup and salad. Tonight I'm making the meal scheduled for last night, healthier stuffed peppers. We're going to eat this dinner a little early before bundling up and heading to Butler High's football game. We're excited to see Colin (a junior from our church) make some tackles!

For three people:

3 bell peppers, 1/2 lb. ground Italian flavor turkey, 1 small onion (chopped), 1 c.cooked brown rice, some garlic, 8 oz tomato sauce--I buy no salt added (divided), 1 T. Worcestershire sauce, salt/pepper to taste, a small handful shredded Cheddar cheese

Cut tops off bell peppers and remove seeds. Brown meat in skillet with onion and garlic. Drain. Add 1/2 c. tomato sauce, rice, Worcestershire, salt and pepper. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. Stir in cheese. Stuff each pepper with turkey mixture; stand upright in greased baking dish. Don't let sides of peppers touch each other. Pour remaining sauce over peppers. Cover dish tightly w/ foil. Bake at 350 for 50 mins. Uncover and bake 10 minutes longer.

Optional ideas: top w/ grated parmesan before serving, add mushrooms or zucs to meat mixture, parboil peppers first if you like them a bit mushier, serve extra rice on the side, etc.

Fun with Food

Yesterday morning, Izzy and I got dinner in the crockpot and healthy bread baking in the bread machine. Here are a few pics of our fun...

Proof that Izzy enjoyed her peanut butter & jelly on whole wheat bread:

BBQ!

Our church had a bazaar on Saturday to raise money for a unique school here in Charlotte serving the inner-city. Our friend, Steve, and Justin were in charge of cooking the BBQ all night Friday into Saturday morning. Izzy, Clara, and I went out to eat with Grammy and Poppy on Friday evening, and then we stopped by the church to see the guys hard at work. We didn't realize that we were pulling up to a regular little party! A bunch of people from church were just spending time hanging out around the big smoker. Izzy had a blast and [happily] stayed up till we left at 10:40pm! Justin's bro-in-law, Calvin, and a friend from church, Jeremy, stayed all night to help out, too.



Izzy & sweet Lucy



Calvin (bro in law), Justin, and Doug (Justin's dad)

The Pork

Yes, Steve & Justin were up all night... pretty tired at this point on Saturday afternoon! Justin hasn't stayed up that long since his college days, and he definitely could feel it. ;)

The guys want to do a BBQ in the Spring with two smokers to raise more $ for Brookstone School!

Random "recipe"

Last night, Justin and I tried something new and different... I cut up some chicken breasts into 1 inch pieces and stuck them in a bag with caesar dressing. The chicken marinated for about 1 or 2 hours, and then I strung them on skewers. Justin grilled the skewers and basted them in BBQ sauce the whole time. Strange combo but delicious!!!

Mmmm Another Tasty Tuesday!

Here are two easy meals for families! The spaghetti recipe is good for make ahead. We think it's even better as leftovers and just heated up.

A good stand-by (if you have Rice Krispies):
Crispy Ranch Chicken
Prep: 10 min, Bake: 20-25 min, Serves: 4

2 c crispy rice cereal
1/2 c grated Parmesan
1 oz. envelope ranch salad dressing mix
2 egg whites, beaten
4 chicken breasts or 8 thighs (skinless, boneless)

Preheat oven to 350. Spray a large baking pan with cooking spray. Combine the rice cereal, Parmesan and ranch dressing mix in a large bowl.

Place beaten egg whites in a medium bowl. Dip each chicken breast in egg whites and then in the cereal mixture to coat evenly. (Sometimes, after laying the chicken on the sheet, I sprinkle more of the cereal mixture on the meat.)

Arrange the coated chicken on the baking sheet. Drizzle 1/4 c melted butter over chicken, and then bake until golden and juices run clear, about 20-25 mins. Serve hot.

Spaghetti Pizza Bake
Serves: 4, Cook time: About 1 hr total

8 oz. spaghetti
16 oz. spaghetti sauce
1 egg
1/4 c. milk
1/4 t. dried basil
1/4 t. salt
1 t. dried oregano
1/4 t. garlic salt
20-30 pieces pepperoni slices
1 lb. browned meat (ground beef or we use hot Italian sausage), drained
2. c mozzarella

Cook spaghetti al dente.

In a bowl, beat egg, milk, 1/2 c. mozz. cheese, salt, garlic salt. Stir in spaghetti.

Spread in 9x13. Bake @ 425 for 15 minutes. Reduce temp. to 350. Spread meat, sauce herbs, and then remaining mozz. cheese. Top with pepperoni in rows. Bake for 25-30 mins. Cut in squares to serve.

I will post some "fancier" recipes next for serving to guests. :)