Stuffed Green Peppers

My sister, Sarah, made these stuffed peppers several years back and I immediately fell in love with them! We were all up north visiting my parents together and she so kindly offered to prepare dinner...I knew it would be delicious, as she is a wonderful cook! My kids absolutely love the meat and rice mixture and will often make a meal out of that alone :) My VERY picky husband even loves them! My sister served them with mashed potatoes and corn, which is what I've done ever since--definitely great comfort food!

Stuffed Green Peppers

2 cups water
1 cup uncooked white rice
3 large green bell peppers, halved and seeded
1 1/2 - 2 pounds lean ground beef
1 onion, diced
garlic powder to taste
salt to taste
ground black pepper to taste
1 large jar of your favorite spaghetti sauce
2 cups finely shredded mozzarella cheese

Directions:

In a medium saucepan, bring water to a boil. Add rice and stir. Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.

While rice is cooking, preheat oven to 350 degrees F and begin to brown meat in a large saucepan, over medium heat. While meat is browning, place green peppers in a large pot, with enough water to cover. Boil peppers for approximately 15 minutes. Once meat is browned and drained (and while peppers are boiling), add onion, cooked rice, garlic powder, salt and pepper to the large saucepan with the meat; simmer for 8-10 minutes.

Remove peppers from the water and set aside in a 9x13 inch baking dish. Spoon the meat mixture onto each half of the green peppers. Bake in the preheated oven for 35 minutes or until mixture begins to turn golden brown.

Sprinkle mozzarella cheese over the top of each stuffed pepper. Return to the oven and bake until cheese is lightly browned, about 5 to 10 minutes.

Adapted from Allrecipes

Cheesy Microwave Cauliflower

Okay, so not a very "original" name for this quick side dish, but it's one of those sides that everyone always seems to enjoy, so I thought I'd post it :) It is so easy to throw together and cooks in the microwave...BONUS! To be completely honest, I never exactly measure the ingredients, so I'm just going to give you the approximate measurements and you can play around with it to your liking.
(It tastes better than it probably looks!)

Cheesy Microwave Cauliflower

One large head of cauliflower
3/4-1 cup mayo (or Miracle Whip...I tend to prefer the sweetness of Miracle Whip)
3 Tablespoons of mustard (you can adjust the amount if you aren't much of a mustard fan or increase it if you are especially fond of mustard!)
5-6 slices American Cheese

Wash cauliflower, remove leaves and some of the bottom core, if it's especially bulky at the bottom. Place cauliflower in a microwave-safe dish (preferably with a lid, but you can always use wax paper, too!) and add approximately 1/2 cup of water. Combine mustard and mayo in a small bowl and spread generously over the cauliflower. Microwave, covered, for approximately 15 minutes or until desired tenderness is achieved. When cauliflower is done cooking, leave in microwave, remove cover, place American cheese slices all over to cover entire head of cauliflower and allow to sit in microwave for a few minutes until cheese melts.

Chicken Francese, Buttery Garlic Potatoes and Garlic Green Beans

Today is my husband's 30th birthday...now I no longer have to listen to all of his little digs about my age! We're only about 8 months apart, but I happen to be the older one, so he's always teasing me--especially because he knew I had a rough time with turning 30 :) Having two small kids and no babysitter makes it a bit rough to plan an evening out, so I decided that I would plan a nice, romantic fondue dinner for tonight (after the kids go to bed) and I made this meal last night in honor of his birthday. The chicken recipe is from Donna (My Tasty Treasures) blog and as usual, this recipe was fantastic! It reminded me a lot of a lemon chicken recipe that I have made in the past, but it did slightly vary and I really enjoyed it for a "change of pace". I was extremely "iffy" about the potatoes--I kept looking at the recipe and knew that the ingredients sounded wonderful, but never before have I made potatoes in the microwave...other than when I just start baked potatoes in the microwave, but they inevitably end up in the oven to crisp up a bit. I thought the flavor was outstanding and I didn't mind in the least bit that they weren't prepared in the oven--they would be perfect for a quick weeknight meal! The green beans weren't really a formal recipe...I just kind of played with them until I got them right!

Chicken Francese

4 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 1 1/2 lbs)
All-purpose flour, for dredging
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 large eggs (I only used 2 and had plenty left)
3 tablespoons water
1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lemon with rind, cut in thin rounds
1/2 cup dry white wine
1 cup chicken broth
1/2 lemon, juiced
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup flat chopped leaf parsley (I forgot to get some, so I used dried)

Directions:

Pound your chicken breasts till they are about ¼ inch thick. Put some flour in a shallow platter, season with a fair amount of salt and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. In a wide bowl, beat the eggs with 3 tablespoons of water to make an egg wash. heat the oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet.

Dredge both sides of chicken in flour mixture, and then dip them in the egg wash. Let it coat completely. When the oil is nice and hot, add the cutlets and fry for 2 minutes on each side. Until golden, turning once. Remove cutelts to a large platter in a single layer to keep warm.

Toss the lemon slices into the pan and cook for 1 to 2 minutes. Until fragrant. Add the wine, broth, and lemon juice, and simmer for 5 minutes to reduce the sauce slightly. Roll the butter in some flour and add to the skillet, this will thicken the sauce. Stir to incorporate and dissolve the flour. Reduce the heat to medium-low and returnt he chicken to the pan; place the lemon slices on top of the cutlets. Simmer gently for 2 minutes to heat the chicken through. Season with salt and pepper and garnish with chopped parsley before serving.



Buttery Garlic Potatoes

6 small red potatoes, quartered
1/4 cup butter, melted
1 teaspoon seasoned salt
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes
1 teaspoon minced garlic

Directions:

Place the potatoes in a 2-qt. microwave-safe dish. In a small bowl, combine the butter, seasoned salt, paprika, parsley and garlic; pour over potatoes and toss to coat.

Microwave, uncovered, on high for 8-10 minutes or until potatoes are tender, stirring frequently.

Source: Taste of Home



Garlic Green Beans

1 pound fresh, washed, trimmed green beans
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 - 3/4 cup finely chopped vidalia onion
2 garlic cloves, minced (I tend to use a bit more garlic when I cook! We can never have too much garlic!!!)
Sea salt and ground black pepper, to taste

Directions:

Steam green beans to desired tenderness (approximately 10-12 minutes). While beans are steaming, add oil and butter to a skillet on medium-high. When butter melts, add garlic and onion and saute until onion becomes tender. Add cooked beans to the skillet and stir to coat. Season with sea salt and pepper.

Pan Fried Asparagus

Yep, it's ANOTHER asparagus recipe! I can't help it...I could eat asparagus with every meal and am always on the lookout for different ways to prepare it. Never before have I pan fried it, but was it ever delicious! I'm pretty excited, too, because my parents had given us a Foodsaver, which we just got around to using for the first time, the other night. I intend to stock up on asparagus over the summer and freeze it, so I have it readily available year round :) By the way...if you don't have a Foodsaver, it's truly wonderful!!!

Pan Fried Asparagus

1/4 cup butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 pound fresh asparagus spears, trimmed (I didn't trim mine as nicely as I should have!)

Directions:

Melt the butter in a skillet over medium high heat. Stir in the olive oil, salt and pepper. Cook garlic in butter for a minute, but do not brown. Add asparagus and cook for about 10 minutes, turning to ensure even cooking.

Source: Erin N.

Grilled Corn on the Cob

Bi-color corn is so wonderful and everyone seems to have it on sale now! I've never tried making corn on the grill before, but it was definitely a welcome change...it tasted much more like the corn you get at the fair! You can easily alter the seasonings, according to your preferences--I think it would be delicious with a little Parmesan cheese sprinkled on each piece of corn (in addition to the butter, salt and pepper) or with an "herb butter". We look forward to trying different variations over the summer :)

Grilled Corn on the Cob

6 ears corn
6 tablespoons butter, softened
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate.

Peel back corn husks and remove silk. Place 1 tablespoon butter, salt and pepper on each piece of corn. Close husks.

Wrap each ear of corn tightly in aluminum foil. Place on the prepared grill. Cook approximately 30 minutes, turning occasionally, until corn is tender.

NOTE: I did feel as if the corn could use a little extra salt before serving!

Source: Allrecipes

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan

Roasted Asparagus with Parmesan

2 bunches (1 1/2 pounds) asparagus
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and fresh ground pepper
1/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. Trim the tough ends from the asparagus. On a rimmed baking sheet, toss the asparagus with the olive oil; season with salt and pepper. Spread in an even layer. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese.

Roast until the asparagus is tender and the cheese is melted, 10 to 15 minutes. Serve immediately.

Source: Everyday Food: Great Food Fast

Sweet and Sour Chicken and Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce

Tonight was definitely one of those nights where I was trying to throw together a dinner, using ingredients that were about to expire/go bad. I saw this recipe on my sister's blog (Delectable Dining) and have been dying to try it! I had a package of boneless skinless chicken breasts in the fridge that were marked "sell by March 24th", so I figured it would be the perfect opportunity to try it out. My family just loves Chinese food and I think I prefer this recipe to any sweet and sour chicken I've ever had out. I also desperately needed to use a bunch of asparagus, so I resorted to using a recipe I had previously tried and had yet to post. I can't say as I would necessarily serve these two dishes together again, but I did enjoy them independently!

Sweet and Sour Chicken

Chicken Ingredients
3-4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 cup cornstarch
2 eggs, beaten
1/4 cup canola oil

Directions:

Cut boneless chicken breasts into chunks. Season with salt and pepper.
Dip chicken in cornstarch and then in egg. Fry in a little oil until brown but not cooked through. Place in a single layer in a baking dish. Mix sauce ingredients (below) together and pour over chicken.

Sauce Ingredients
¾ cup sugar
4 tablespoons ketchup
½ cup vinegar
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon garlic salt

Directions

Bake for one hour at 325 degrees. Turn chicken every 15 minutes. If you like extra sauce, make another batch of sauce and bring it to a boil on the stove top. Stir constantly and let cook over medium heat until thickened and reduced - about 6-8 minutes.

Source: Delectable Dining

Baked Asparagus with Balsamic Butter Sauce

1 bunch fresh asparagus, trimmed
cooking spray
salt and pepper to taste
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon balsamic vinegar

Directions:

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Arrange the asparagus on a baking sheet. Coat with cooking spray, and season with salt and pepper. Bake asparagus 12 minutes in the preheated oven, or until tender. Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Remove from heat, and stir in soy sauce and balsamic vinegar. Pour over the baked asparagus to serve.

Source: Allrecipes

"The Smoked Sausage Dish"

It seems like everyone in our "neck of the woods" has been sick the past few weeks! My husband started with it last week and sure enough, so kindly passed it on to the kids and I---yeah...not fun! I'm kind of used to being the "caregiver" (both at home and with my occupation), but my husband has taken over this weekend and "babied" me a bit. (I hate to admit it, but it's kind of refreshing for a change!) Earlier today, I had the most bizarre craving--especially seeing as how NOTHING has sounded good the past couple of days! I nonchalantly mentioned to my husband that the "smoked sausage dish" sounded kind of good and to my surprise, he picked up all of the ingredients while he was out with my son this afternoon. (Can you say "brownie points?!?) All kidding aside...this is a dish that my Mom used to make when we were growing up and it was never really given an "official" name--we refer to it as "the smoked sausage dish" and everyone in my family knows exactly what we're talking about :) I remember growing up, my Mom used to saute all of the ingredients in a pan, which probably wasn't the most healthy, but more recently, she and my Dad began grilling it and personally, I LOVE it that way! I think I've made it pretty clear, just how picky my husband is, but he would honestly eat this once a week, if I made it--I think it's safe to say that it's one of his top three favorite recipes that I make! While I wish I could take credit for the delicious dinner we had tonight, it was all my husband's doing! I couldn't resist sharing the recipe, though, as it's a family favorite!

"The Smoked Sausage Dish"

2 packages smoked sausage (we prefer beef!)
2 large green peppers
2 large onions
2-3 tablespoons minced garlic

Directions:

Cut smoked sausage into 2-3 inch chunks and place into lightly greased outdoor grill pan. Cut peppers and onions into bite-sized pieces/chunks and add to pan. Sprinkle 2-3 tablespoons minced garlic on mixture and toss to coat. Grill on medium fire until vegetables are tender.

***We recommend serving over mashed potatoes!!!***

Source: Adele Fine

Rosemary Asparagus

Asparagus is probably one of my favorite vegetables and I was really excited when my husband picked some up the other night. Yet again, I came across this recipe in my new cookbook--you can expect to see quite a few more to come, as I marked COUNTLESS recipes as I was flipping through it! I served the asparagus with my Teriyaki Chicken and it paired quite well with it. This is a very quick/easy recipe!

Rosemary Asparagus

1/2 cup chicken or vegetable broth
1 to 2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary or 1 to 2 teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
1 garlic clove, halved
1 bay leaf
1 pound fresh asparagus, trimmed
1/3 cup chopped onion
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley

Directions:

In a large skillet, combine the broth, rosemary, garlic and bay leaf. Add asparagus and onion. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 3-5 minutes or until asparagus is crisp-tender. Discard bay leaf. Garnish with parsley.

Source: The Taste of Home Cookbook (New Revised Edition)

Herbed Corn

I'm forever looking for ways to spruce up my veggies! I used to almost exclusively use canned vegetables, but now try to buy frozen as much as possible--not only are they healthier, but they taste MUCH better! This recipe is extremely easy and yet again, can be made with ingredients that you most likely have on hand! (You may want to half the recipe if you're making it for a family of 4-5 and cut back or even omit the salt altogether).

Herbed Corn

12 cups frozen corn
1 cup water
1/2 cup butter or margarine, cubed
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon dill weed
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/4 teaspoon dried thyme

Directions:

In a large saucepan, bring corn and water to a boil. Reduce heat; cover and simmer for 4-6 minutes or until corn is tender. Drain; stir in remaining ingredients.

Source: Taste of Home Annual Recipes 2003