Grilled Veggie and Hummus Wraps

We used to have vegetarian recipes 2 to 3 times per week, when my kids were smaller and couldn't really complain about eating all vegetables for our main meal. I say "used to" because this practice has sadly become a thing of the past. I don't remember why we stopped eating more vegetarian selections, but I really wished we wouldn't have. Now, if I put anything out of the norm in front of them, the picky little buggers stage a revolt. I know if I would have been diligent about having vegetarian dinners in the regular rotation, then it wouldn't be such a struggle now. ::SIGH::

Needless to say, all three of my precious offspring poo-poo'd this dinner. Yeesh. The tears and hunger strike that was staged at my house on this particular night made dinner especially heinous. It really was a shame that my kids didn't like it, because my husband and I really loved these wraps. The recipe was really good, but in the interest of honest disclosure, I wanted to give you the low-down on what I like to call "the kid factor". Maybe your kids will be more open-minded??? Or maybe you don't have kids and don't care about catering to picky little eaters??? Either way, don't let "the kid factor" deter you from trying these wraps. They are very good, and as much complaining as my little darlings did about this dinner, it won't stop me from serving this meal again.

Grilled Veggie and Hummus Wraps
Adapted From: Cooking Light, April 2012

Ingredients:
2 large portobello mushroom caps, cleaned and stems removed
4 (1/2-inch-thick) slices red onion
1 red bell pepper, seeded and quartered
1 (12-ounce) eggplant, cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices
2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1/4 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
1/8 teaspoon kosher salt
1 (8-ounce) container plain hummus
4 (1.9-ounce) whole-grain flatbreads (such as Flatout Light)
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Directions:
Heat a large grill pan over medium-high heat. Brush mushrooms, onion, bell pepper, and eggplant with 1 tablespoon oil. Add mushrooms, onion and bell pepper to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until grill marks appear. Remove from pan. Add eggplant to pan; cook 3 minutes on each side or until grill marks appear. Remove from pan; coarsely chop vegetables. Combine vegetables, remaining 1 tablespoon oil, parsley, and salt; toss to combine.

Spread 1/4 cup hummus over each flatbread, leaving a 1/2-inch border around edges. Divide vegetables over each flatbread; top each serving with 2 tablespoons cheese. Roll up wraps, and cut diagonally in half.

Portobello, Broccoli,and Red-Pepper Melts

This is another Martha Stewart recipe that I found while exploring her website the other day. Truly, this was a fantastic open-faced sandwich...one of the best that we've tried. Martha sure knows her food, that's for sure! If you dig a hearty, vegetarian sandwich this dish is for you.

In other news...

You'll be happy to know that the husband found the camera battery charger and plugged it in. Hooray! The good news doesn't stop there...I also remembered to take a photo of our dinner last night with my iphone. Eureka! Why didn't I think of that before??? I don't know. Thankfully, my normal camera should be up and running the next time I have to take a blog pic. In the meantime, try this recipe and enjoy my shaky iphone photography skills.

Portobello, Broccoli, and Red-Pepper Melts
From: Everyday Food, March 2008

Ingredients:
1 small head broccoli, cut into small florets (stalk discarded)
1 tablespoon olive oil
Coarse salt and ground pepper
4 portobello mushrooms (stems removed), sliced 1/2 inch thick
2 red bell peppers (ribs and seeds removed), sliced 1/2 inch thick
1/4 cup light mayonnaise
1 small garlic clove, crushed through a press
4 thick slices country bread (or 1 loaf of French bread, cut horizontally)
4 ounces Gouda cheese, thinly sliced (or Gruyere, if you like)

Directions:
Heat broiler, with rack set 4 inches from heat. On a rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil, toss broccoli with oil; season with salt and pepper. Broil, tossing once or twice, until broccoli begins to char, 4 to 6 minutes.

Add mushrooms and bell peppers to sheet; season with salt and pepper, and toss to combine. Broil, tossing once or twice, until vegetables are tender, 8 to 10 minutes more; set aside.

Meanwhile, in a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and garlic; season with salt and pepper. Place bread on a work surface. Dividing evenly, spread with mayonnaise mixture, and top with vegetables, then cheese. Place on baking sheet, and broil until cheese is melted and lightly browned, 2 to 4 minutes.





The Result:
These were fantastic! Delicious and satisfying. I goofed and used Gruyere instead of Gouda cheese. Duh. Next time I should read the ingredients list a bit more carefully. Honestly, it didn't really matter; it was still an amazing veggie sandwich.

There were a lot of filling, so I decided to cut my French bread loaf in half horizontally, and hollow out (and discard) some of the bread in the middle. This allowed more room for the yummy, roasted veggies. I thought this would be more efficient than just doing the slices, and this method was reminiscent of the Eggplant Mozzarella Melts recipe that we LOVE. Then, when the cook time was over, I removed the long, loaf halves to a cutting board and just cut the portion sizes we needed (smaller pieces for the kids, etc.). It worked out perfectly, and now we have a new favorite Martha Stewart open-faced "melt" sandwich to make for dinner.

Cauliflower Crust Veggie Pizza

This recipe is another Pinterest find that my whole family l-o-v-e-d. I am always on the lookout for both new pizza ideas and new vegetarian meals, and this fit both requirements. My kids didn't even realize that all that they were eating was copious amounts of vegetables and cheese. Ha ha! I love sneaking in healthy foods when they are none the wiser. Score!

I made our pizza larger than the original directions indicated, so I adapted all the ingredient quantities to reflect in my recipe below.

Cauliflower Crust Veggie Pizza
Adapted From: Eat. Drink. Smile. website via Pinterest.com

Ingredients:
For crust:
1 head of chopped cauliflower florets, stalks discarded
cooking spray
3 eggs, beaten
3 cups low-fat cheese, shredded (I used a combo of sharp cheddar and mozzarella)
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp oregano
1 tsp of salt
1/2 tsp black pepper

For toppings:
1 tablespoon of olive oil
1 zucchini, cut into 1/2 inch diced pieces
1 bell pepper, cut into strips
1 onion, sliced thinly
1 package (6 oz.) of sliced button mushrooms
2 garlic cloves, minced
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 to 1 cup of jarred marinara sauce (depending on how saucy you like your pizza)
2 fresh tomatoes, sliced
2 cups of shredded mozzarella cheese
Parmesan cheese, grated for topping

Directions:
For crust:
In a food processor "rice" the raw cauliflower florets by pulsing several times. You may have to do a couple of batches, depending on the capacity of the food processor. Also, make sure to not pulse too much; otherwise the cauliflower will be more of a puree instead of small pieces that are "riced". One head of cauliflower should yield about 3 cups of "riced" cauliflower.

Place "riced" cauliflower in a microwave safe container and cook on high in the microwave for 8 minutes. Remove to a bowl and let the cooked cauliflower cool a bit.

Once cauliflower is cool enough to handle, mix in beaten eggs, spices, and 3 cups of cheese. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Combine thoroghly and set aside.

For toppings:
Heat olive oil on in a skillet over medium-high heat. Saute onions, zucchini, peppers, and mushrooms until browned and caramelized. Add garlic and saute for 1 additional minute. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Remove from heat and set aside.

For pizza:
Spray large rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Press cauliflower mixture into prepared baking sheet, using your hands or the back of a spoon. Make sure there are no holes or thin spots in the pressed crust. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes.

At the end of the cook time, remove from oven and spray top of crust with cooking spray.

Switch the oven over to broil on "high". Return cauliflower back to the oven, by placing on the top rack closest to the broiler. Broil on high for 2-5 minutes, or until crust is slightly browned. Remove from oven.

Top pizza crust with marinara sauce by spreading with a spoon or a spatula. Top sauce with cooked vegetables. Sprinkle cheese over veggies and sauce. Place fresh tomato slices on top of cheese layer. Return sheet pan to the top rack of the oven and broil until cheese is melted, slightly browned, and bubbly. Remove the pizza from the oven. Sprinkle grated Parmesan cheese over the entire pizza. Cut it into squares and serve immediately.





The Result:
As you have probably guessed, I found my camera again. Hooray! I had to do quite a bit of digging through some moving boxes, but I'm so happy I finally found it. I can now start taking blog pics again...this is really good news.

This was soooo yummy! Seriously delicious; as I said, we all really loved it. The original website mentions that this will not be the same texture or taste as traditional pizza crust, which I found to be true. It wasn't firm enough to pick up and eat with our hands, but it was totally fine to just eat it with a fork. With that said, it was still pretty darn fantastic and it will be something I wiggle into our regular pizza rotation. Yum!!!!

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich

I love when I find a phenomenal grilled cheese recipe! As the title promises, this sandwich had all the yummy goodness of jalapeno poppers, plus a little extra. This was soooo tasty; and because I removed the seeds, stem, and ribs from the peppers, it was not that spicy either. My 5 year old declared it was the best grilled cheese ever!

The original website that this recipe was published on had shaky directions. So, I'm just going to adapt the recipe from that and tell you what I did below. Enjoy!

Jalapeno Popper Grilled Cheese Sandwich
Adapted From: closetcooking.com via Pinterest

Ingredients:
8 slices of sour dough bread
1 stick of butter, softened
8-10 large jalapenos, seeds, stems, and ribs removed; cut in halves
1 package of cream cheese, softened
1 (8oz) bar sharp cheddar cheese, sliced
1 bag of your favorite tortilla chips

Directions:
Preheat broiler. Place jalapeno halves on a baking sheet, cut side down. Place baking sheet on the top rack of the oven, close to the heating element. Broil peppers for 8-14 minutes, or until skin turns black and charred. Place peppers in a gallon zip top bag and seal. Let stand for 5-10 minutes, or until peppers are cool enough to be handled. Peel peppers, discard the plastic-like skin. Set aside peppers.

Spread cream cheese on both inside halves of the bread. Top both sides with crushed tortilla chips. On one side, place cheddar cheese slices over the chips and cream cheese. On the other side, place 4-5 pepper strips on top of the chips/cream cheese. Assemble the sandwich. Butter the top slice of bread. Warm a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Place sandwich, butter side down into skillet. While sandwich is cooking, butter the other side of the sandwich bread (the naked slice should be facing up in the skillet). Flip once bottom slice is golden browned and cheese is melted. Remove from skillet once other side is golden browned. Assemble and repeat cooking with additional sandwiches. Cut in half and serve immediately.

NOTE: Recipe should yield 4 grilled cheese sandwiches.



The Result:
Fantastic and pretty easy to put together. Hooray for yummy grilled cheese sandwiches!

South Beach Stuffed Peppers

I found this SBD recipe on my friend, Claire's blog. It was really tasty and something my whole family enjoyed. Can I say that I am so happy that low-fat cheese is not off limits on SBD, because we are cheese fiends at my house. I swear cheese makes almost everything taste better. I think SBD should be renamed the "Cheese Lovers Diet", because all the fantastic recipes that I have tried have had cheese in them. Okay,okay...maybe it's because I am just picking the recipes with cheese in them. Anyway, this is another SBD keeper!

South Beach Stuffed Peppers
From Food.com, via the Cooking Claire blog

Ingredients:
4 bell peppers
olive oil
1 lb ground turkey
1 stalk celery, chopped with top
1 -2 garlic clove, minced
1 small onion, chopped
1 tablespoon minced fresh parsley
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 teaspoon Spike All Purpose Seasoning (for zest)
28 ounces ground peeled tomatoes
1/2 cup shredded cheese (or more)

Directions:
Wash the peppers, cut the tops off, and place in oiled glass dish. Cover and microwave the peppers for 5 minutes.

Saute the veggies and ground turkey with a dollop of olive oil. (I chop up the usable remainders of the pepper tops as well). Add the tomatoes and cook for 3-4 minutes to evaporate some of the liquid.

Stuff the peppers and top with cheese. Bake at 350 for 10 minutes or until the peppers are soft and the cheese is toasted.

Add Ins: You could add cooked rice or stir in extra cheese to the mixture before baking.



The Result:
Darn it! I forgot to put the celery in the meat mixture. Ugh. I bought it especially for this recipe, too. I hate it when I do stuff like that!

These peppers were really yummy, and easy to make. I only made three actual peppers, and just served my kids the filling with a side of green beans. They wouldn't eat the pepper anyway, so I didn't want to waste it. I didn't have Spike All Purpose Seasoning, so I just improvised and sprinkled a little Lawry's Seasoned Salt and some Tony Chachere's in it. I think you could probably substitute almost any seasoning mix and it would be fine. Again, this was a hit with my family and a great new take on stuffed peppers.

Creamy Corn Soup with Chicken and Roasted Chiles

I let the husband choose the second official cookbook for my cooking project. We are huge Rick Bayless fans at my house, so it was no surprise when he picked Everyday Mexican. Since I have tried many recipes (with great success) out of this book already, I challenged myself by picking three dishes that we normally would have automatically passed over for this week. This soup was one of them. I don't know why, but corn soup is not something I think about making at home. Processed forms of corn are so prevalent in our food system, I automatically dismiss actual corn as part of our meal. (Read or watch anything by Michael Pollan and you will understand where I am coming from; current corn production/processing is pretty much the devil.) I think I have become a little prejudiced against corn. Since I knew in my heart Rick Bayless would not steer my wrong, I set aside my issues with corn and made this soup. At first, I will admit, I was luke-warm about it. However, the more I ate of it, the more I absolutely loved it. It really took me a few bites to understand and fully appreciate this soup. As expected, it was hearty, subtle, and delicious. We all had seconds...which is a definite seal of approval around our table.

Creamy Corn Soup with Chicken and Roasted Chiles
Adapted From: the Everyday Mexican cookbook, by: Rick Bayless

Ingredients:
2 large fresh pasilla chiles or poblano chiles
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small white onion, sliced 1/4-inch thick
2 cloves garlic, peeled
3 cups corn kernels, frozen
1-2 tablespoon corn starch
1 quart milk
2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, or about 3/4 pound leftover chicken
Salt and pepper to taste
Cilantro for garnish

Directions:
Roast the chiles directly on the open flame of a stovetop or under a broiler until charred and blackened all over, 5-10 minutes depending on method. Transfer to a bowl and cover with a kitchen towel until cool enough to handle.

In the meantime, heat the oil over medium heat in a 3-quart saucepan and add the garlic and onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and golden. Transfer to a food processor along with the corn, cornstarch, and 1 1/2 cups of the milk.(I used an immersion blender and pureed it right in the pot.) Process into a purée and transfer back to the saucepan, straining out the corn kernel skins if desired.(I did not strain my corn kernel skins out of our soup, I wanted a heartier texture.) Bring to a simmer, whisking frequently.

When the chile is cooled somewhat, rub off the blackened skins, pull out the stem and seeds, and rinse to complete the job. Cut into 1/4-inch strips or pieces, then stir into the simmering soup along with the chicken and remaining milk. Simmer until the chicken is cooked through, if necessary, stirring as you go. Serve with sprinkled cilantro.



The Result:
As I said this was delicious, and fairly easy to put together. I used some pre-cooked chicken breasts, so I did not need to cook the chicken in the soup. I couldn't find poblanos, so I used pasilla chiles as a substitution that worked out just fine. Also, see my notes (in italics) in the cooking directions for a couple of minor changes I made to the original directions. My only real issue I had was that I needed more cornstarch than the original ingredients indicated. I think I probably used about 3 tablespoons of corn starch to get the texture I was going for. I would recommend starting with 1 tablespoon of corn starch and then adding more as you go, until you get the desired result for your soup. The chiles were not spicy, but gave the soup a great roasted flavor. Thanks Rick Bayless for another keeper to add to our repertoire.

Creamy Orzo with Chicken, Mushrooms, & Red Peppers

Oh man, I am a sucker for a creamy pasta dish and this one hit all the right spots. This recipe was literally like crack for me; striking in exactly all of my weak spots for creamy, savory, cheesy, mushroomy, and carb-ladened. I could not stop taking bites (even after I was already full). This dish is definitely on the decadent side, but I tried to lighten it up with low-fat cream cheese (yeah..."tried" is the operative word in that sentence). However, sometimes indulgence is necessary and you just gotta go for it. Needless to say, my whole family thought this dish was fantastic; even my ever-so-persnickity 4 1/2 year old boy. Let me tell you, when a child--whom we normally have to beg--eats dinner gleefully, and without a peep of complaint...now that is a recipe's true seal of approval!

Creamy Orzo with Chicken, Mushrooms, & Red Peppers
Adapted From: Food and Wine Quick From Scratch Pasta Cookbook via My Kitchen Cafe blog

Ingredients:
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 average-sized chicken breasts (about 1 to 1 ½ pounds), cut into chunks
2 red bell peppers, cut into ½-inch pieces
8 ounces white button mushrooms, quartered
1 teaspoon dried thyme
3 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 pound orzo pasta
8 ounces low-fat cream cheese, softened
1 cup reserved pasta water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
½ cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
3 tablespoons chopped fresh flat leaf parsley or fresh basil
Squeeze of fresh lemon juice (from 1 lemon)

Directions:
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the orzo and cook according to package directions until tender. When the orzo is ready, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water (ladling it into a small bowl is my method) and then drain the orzo and set aside.

While the orzo cooks, in a large nonstick skillet, heat the olive oil over medium heat. Season the chicken with salt and pepper. Add the chicken to the hot oil and brown on all sides. When nicely browned (but not all the way cooked through), add the peppers, mushrooms and thyme. Stir and let cook for about 5 minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and the mushrooms and peppers have softened and browned and most of the liquid has evaporated. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 1 minute.

In the skillet over medium heat, add the softened cream cheese (if you forgot to let the cream cheese soften at room temperature, no worries! Pop it in the microwave for one minute on 40% power) in bite sized chunks and stir so that the cream cheese melts and coats the chicken and vegetables. Add the reserved pasta water and bring to a simmer. Add ½ teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper. Stir. Add the orzo, Parmesan, lemon juice and fresh parsley. Stir to combine and heat through. Garnish with additional Parmesan and parsley (or basil).

*Note: this pasta is best served immediately as it tends to get less creamy as it sits at room temperature – so serve warm right as it finishes cooking!

(Incidentally, it heated up just fine the next day in the microwave on low power.)

*Serves 4



The Result:
Sooooooo worth the splurge!

Quick Chile Relleno Casserole

I am a little behind on some dinner updates, and I almost completely forgot about posting this recipe. Oops! I am going to attribute my forgetfulness to being forced to keep up with my three crazy kids all the time. It drains me. Luckily, I looked on my camera for last night's dinner and found the photos I saved from this dish. I am really glad that I didn't totally space it; since this casserole was really good, and something that I want to make again. I swear, I used to have such a great memory!!! I am hoping that someday my mommy-brain will go away and I will return back to my normal,lucid self (i.e. pre-kids). Maybe when they all go off to college???? Fingers crossed.

My friend, Claire recently made this dish and I felt that I had to try it. My instincts were correct; this was a fantastic and easy version of Chile Rellenos. I only varied Claire's adapted version slightly, with yummy results. A mixed greens salad rounded out this meal.

Quick Chile Relleno Casserole
Adapted From: Quick Chile Relleno Casserole on Food.com via Cooking Claire

Ingredients:
6 whole Anaheim chiles
4 ounces 2% reduced-fat monterey jack cheese, sliced
2 eggs
1/2 cup of egg whites
1/3 cup fat-free milk
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 cup 2% reduced-fat shredded cheddar cheese

Directions:
Roast chiles under the broiler or over gas flame until skin is charred. Place chiles in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at least 10 minutes. Remove skins from chiles while trying to keep chiles intact. Cut a slit in each chile, remove seeds, and stuff with sliced cheese.

Coat an 11x7 baking dish with nonstick spray. Place chiles in prepared dish.

Beat eggs with whisk or electric mixer until thick and foamy. Add milk, flour, and baking powder and beat until smooth. Pour mixture over chiles. Top with cheddar cheese.

Bake, uncovered, in a 375F oven for about 30 minutes or until casserole is puffed and appears set when gently shaken.



The Result:
If you love Chile Rellenos, but don't want to fuss with the labor-intensive, original version, then this casserole is for you. The flavors are great and it is definitely more healthful. Yum!

Jen's Turkey & Roasted Red Pepper Melt with Pesto Mayo

There is a cafe at my gym where I eat lunch with the kids at least once or twice a week. All their food is yummy and healthy, with the calorie content posted on the menu. I borrowed this idea from my favorite gym cafe sandwich and tweaked it a bit. I always seem to have turkey on hand, so this sandwich is fast and simple to assemble. Dare I say it is quickly becoming my busy night go-to dinner plan!

Jen's Turkey & Roasted Red Pepper Melt with Pesto Mayo

Ingredients:
For sandwich:
olive oil
1/4 of a large red onion, sliced thin
1 cup of baby spinach
1 jar of roasted red peppers, blotted dry & cut into strips
1/2 lb. of lean, white deli turkey meat (nitrate/nitrite free)
4 slices of provolone cheese
4 sandwich thins, any shape
pesto mayo (see below)

For Pesto Mayo:
1/2 cup of mayo
1 Tablespoon of lemon juice
1 garlic clove, minced
2-3 Tablespoons of pesto (adjust to suit your tastes)
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Combine mayo, lemon juice, garlic, and pesto in a small bowl. Mix well and add salt and pepper to taste. Set aside.

Heat grill pan on medium high. Rub both top and bottom pieces of sandwich thins with a few drops of olive oil, on both sides of the bread. Assemble sandwich ingredients by spreading a small amount of pesto mayo on both sides of the bread. Next, layer the bottom half of the sandwich with red onion and spinach leaves. On the top half layer provolone slices, roasted red pepper strips, and turkey. Press both halves of the sandwich together. Place sandwich on grill pan, then press it by weighing it down with a sandwich press or another heavy pan. Grill for 3 minutes and flip the sandwich over, making sure to press the reverse side. Grill for another 3 minutes. Remove sandwich to a cutting board, cut on a diagonal (it's prettier that way), and serve.

Jen's Notes:
The pesto mayo makes enough for leftovers. I like to slather it on a veggie burger for lunch, or make a yummy breakfast sandwich by substituting scrambled eggs for the turkey in this recipe. Either way, it is freakin' awesome!



The Result:
This is such an easy dinner and a total crowd-pleaser. Both my husband and son love this sandwich. I served our melts with a cheater-baked (i.e. microwaved) potato and a side salad. Yum! As I said before, this meal was great busy-night food!

Jen's Chicken, Bean, and Veggie Quesadillas

Every Friday night, I try and make a "fun" family-friendly dinner. Most Friday night's we have a living room picnic, the meal choice needs to be relatively easy to eat and semi mess-free. The whole idea is to make dinner less of a chore (i.e. less fighting to get a 4 year old to eat, and more time relaxing and enjoying each others company). In the past, Friday night usually meant pizza night; but as much as I love pizza, I am getting a little burnt out on it. Therefore, I have been trying to come up with fun family dinners that do not revolve around homemade pizza, but still fit the picnic/family-friendly criteria. I decided to concoct these quesadillas, and they worked out great. My family loved them, and they set the tone perfectly for fun Friday night dinner!

Jen's Chicken, Bean, and Veggie Quesadillas

Ingredients:
2 Tablespoon of canola oil, divided
2 uncooked chicken breasts, cubed
1/2 onion, sliced thin
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
1 can of kidney beans, rinsed and drained (black or pinto beans would also work)
3 cups of baby spinach
a few splashes of lime juice
Lawry's Seasoned Salt to taste
1 can of El Pato sauce
salt and pepper to taste
4 Tablespoons of butter, divided
8 whole wheat tortillas
1 cup of manchego cheese (Jack or cheddar would also work well)
guacamole, to top as a garnish

Directions:
In a medium sized bowl, place cubed chicken and sprinkle with Lawry's Seasoned Salt to taste. Cover chicken with one can of El Pato sauce and mix to combine. Set aside and let chicken marinate while other ingredients cook.

Coat a large cast iron skillet with 1 Tablespoon of canola oil, heat pan over medium-high heat, and saute peppers and onions until browned. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Add beans, salt and pepper to taste, and a few splashes of lime juice and cook for another minute or two. Wilt in baby spinach and remove veggie mixture from heat. Spoon veggies into a large bowl and set aside.

Wipe out the cast iron skillet and add the other Tablespoon of canola oil. Add chicken to pan, reserving the El Pato sauce in the marinating bowl. Cook chicken thoroughly and until slightly browned. When chicken is almost finished cooking, add the El Pato sauce to the pan and reduce it by half. Add the veggie mixture back to the pan, mix to combine, and heat through. When finished, add the chicken mixture back to the veggie bowl and set aside.

Wipe out the cast iron skillet again, and return to the stove top. Heat the cast iron skillet over medium heat and melt one Tablespoon of butter into the pan. Once butter is melted, place one wheat tortilla into the pan. Quickly spoon 1/4 of the chicken/veggie mixture onto the tortilla and sprinkle with 1/4 cup of the cheese. Top quesadilla with the other wheat tortilla, so filling is sandwiched between the tortillas. After 1-2 minutes, or until bottom tortilla is nicely browned, flip quesadilla over with a spatula and cook on the other side for 1-2 minutes. Remove from pan and cut into 4 wedges. Repeat with other tortillas & filling, making 4 quesadillas. Serve quesadilla wedges with a spoonful of guacamole.



The Result:
These were so yummy! The manchego cheese was really good on our quesadillas, so try and get it if you can find it. It is nice because a little goes a long way. Instead of making guacamole, I served our quesadillas with sliced, marinated avocado (avocado slices with a splash of lemon juice, lime juice, salt and pepper). These were easy and delicious...perfect Friday night fare!

Stuffed Rice, Bean, and Cheese Poblanos

I was debating on if I should post this recipe or not. While we were eating dinner, I thought it was good. Hearty, satisfying, flavorful...but not fantastic. However, the more I think about this dish, the more I realize I am looking forward to the leftovers. I guess I really did like it; although, it took me a little while to come to that full conclusion. This version is vegetarian; but the husband and I agreed that this would be fantastic with chorizo added, as well. We served our stuffed poblanos with some zucchini sauteed with onions and red wine. It was quite a tasty meal!

Stuffed Rice, Bean, and Cheese Poblanos
Adapted From: Cooking Light Fresh Food Fast, Oxmoor House, APRIL 2009

Ingredients:
4 poblano peppers, seeded and halved
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 can of vegetarian refried beans
1/4 of white onion, diced
2 garlic cloves minced
1 cup of salsa of your choice, divided
1/3 cup of fat-free milk
4 green onions, diced
1 (8.8-ounce) pouch microwaveable cooked brown rice
1-2 Tablespoon of lime juice
1 cup Jack cheese, shredded
Chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish (optional)
salt to taste
cooking spray

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cook rice according to package directions in the microwave. Once cooked, add rice to a bowl and season with salt, half of green onions, and lime juice. Stir to combine and set aside.

In a small sauce pan, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Add onions and saute until translucent. Add garlic and cook for an additional 30 seconds. Add beans, milk, and a 1/2 cup of salsa. Turn heat down to medium-low, and stir until combined and heated through. Remove from heat and set aside.

Grease a 9 x 13 pan with cooking spray. Place halved poblanos in the bottom of the dish. Fill each poblano as follows: rice, beans, remaining salsa, and then top with the cheese. Bake for 30-45 minutes, or until poblanos are soft (it may take a little longer, depending on your oven.) Once cooked, remove from oven and sprinkle with fresh cilantro and green onions. Serve and enjoy!



The Result:
This was pretty simple to put together, with solid Mexican-inspired flavors. Overall, this was a good weeknight dinner choice!

Lasagna Rolls with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Greetings! I found this recipe in one of my favorite resources, Cooking Light's Everyday Favorites cookbook. It was much less labor-intensive than regular lasagna and much more healthful. The sauce reminded me of a yummy twist on a classic romesco sauce. It was very flavorful and balanced, without being too heavy or overpowering. Yum! Easy to put together, satisfying, and mighty tasty. What more can you ask for??? I love finding "keeper" vegetarian recipes, and this one fits the criteria. My whole family loved it!

Lasagna Rolls with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
Adapted From: Paulette Mitchell, Cooking Light, APRIL 2004 (published in Cooking Light's Everyday Favorites cookbook).

Ingredients:

Lasagna:
1/2 box uncooked whole wheat lasagna noodles (use at least 8 whole noodles minimum)
4 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup finely chopped onion
1 (8-ounce) package presliced mushrooms (I used crimini)
1 (6-ounce) package fresh baby spinach
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese
1/2 cup part-skim ricotta cheese
1/4 cup minced fresh basil, divided
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper

Sauce:
1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 (14.5-ounce) can diced tomatoes, undrained
1 (7-ounce) bottle roasted red bell peppers, undrained
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper
Parmesan cheese, grated (optional, for topping)

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

To prepare lasagna, cook noodles according to package directions, omitting salt and fat. Drain and rinse under cold water. Drain.

Heat oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, mushrooms, spinach, and 3 garlic cloves; sauté 5 minutes or until onion and mushrooms are tender. Remove from heat, and stir in cheeses, 2 tablespoons basil, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon crushed red pepper.

To prepare sauce, place vinegar and remaining ingredients in a blender; process until smooth.

Place cooked noodles on flat surface; spread 1/4 cup cheese mixture over each noodle. Roll up noodles, jelly-roll fashion, starting with short side. Place the rolls, seam sides down, in a shallow 2-quart casserole dish. Pour the sauce over the lasagna rolls. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan cheese to taste (optional) and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until all ingredients are warmed through. Top with 2 Tablespoons of remaining basil. Serve and enjoy!

Nutritional Information:
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 2 rolls)
Calories: 393 (27% from fat)
Fat:11.7g (sat 4.3g,mono 3.6g,poly 1.5g)
Protein:19.3g
Carbohydrate:58.3g
Fiber:5.9g
Cholesterol:20mg
Iron:3.8mg
Sodium:924mg
Calcium:253mg

NOTE: The nutritional info is not calculated considering the whole wheat noodles and Parmesan cheese. Those were my changes, and not part of the original recipe. If you use these options, the calorie count/nutritional info posted here will not be accurate.



The Result:
This dish was great!!! It was everything I love about a good pasta dish; full of flavor, satisfying, and comforting. I ended up having another half serving, which is something I rarely do these days. It was so good, I just couldn't help myself!!! Best of all, I was surprised at how easy it came together.

The original directions suggest microwave cooking for the final steps, but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. In my experience, pasta gets a little rubbery from the microwave. I just wasn't comfortable with finishing my yummy dish in that manner. (The microwave is for reheating in my house...not cooking.) Instead, I amended the directions for a short cook time in the oven. It turned out great, and I didn't have to worry about botching it up with rubbery pasta.

I ended up making more than the 4 servings, since I cooked a half a box of lasagna noodles. I think my portions ended up working out to about 6-8 servings (of 2 rolls for each person). I am actually glad it happened that way, since I now have lots of leftovers to freeze and/or eat for lunches this week. This is a vegetarian winner!!!

Jen's Pepperoni and Veggie Calzones

I randomly picked up a package of pepperoni at the store the other day, which is weird. I don't think I have ever purchased pepperoni to have at home. It is just not something I normally use as an ingredient. Why I decided to buy it, I have no idea. If I was pregnant, I would chalk it up to a craving or something...but alas, pregnancy is not a viable excuse for the spontaneous pepperoni purchase. Anyway, I decided to concoct some sort of veggie/pepperoni calzone for tonight's meal. I think I am going to make my quick pizza dough recipe and the filling and go from there. I am really not sure how this is all going to work, but I have a basic idea of how I want to accomplish my calzone making. Wish me luck!

Jen's Pepperoni and Veggie Calzones
1 batch of Quick Homemade Whole Wheat Pizza Crust (or your favorite pizza dough)
cornmeal for coating the pan
cooking spray
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
pepperoni slices (I used 4-5 slices per calzone to cut back on calories and fat)
2 cloves of minced garlic
1 onion, sliced
1 green pepper, sliced into strips
1 (6 oz.) package of sliced button mushrooms
1 can of sliced black olives
1/2 jar of marinara sauce
tomato paste
dried oregano
dried basil
dried thyme
red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
1/2 cup of part skim ricotta mixed with pesto (I am using leftovers)
1/4 cup of mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup mozzarella cheese, shredded
1/2 cup of Parmesan or Pecorino Romano cheese

Directions:
Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

Make dough according to recipe directions and divide up into 4 balls. Set aside. Coat sheet pan with cooking spray and cornmeal and set aside.

In a large skillet, heat olive oil over medium-high heat. Saute onions, peppers, and mushrooms until cooked. Add minced garlic,oregano, basil, thyme, and red pepper flakes to taste, and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes. Add in tomato paste and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add marinara sauce, black olives, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce mixture until thick and veggies are well coated in tomato sauce. Remove from heat and set aside.

Roll out dough balls into 4 individual circles, about 8 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Mix the ricotta/pesto with the mascarpone until creamy and smooth. Once dough is rolled out, spread ricotta mixture on half of the circle. Add pepperoni slices to taste,over the ricotta. Spread 1 or 2 Tablespoons full of veggie mixture over the pepperoni slices. Sprinkle some of each cheese over the top of veggie mixture. Fold top of the dough in half (the part without the toppings), creating a stuffed pocket of filling. Crimp ends of calzone with tines of fork to close dough. Cut 2-3 vent slats in top of folded calzone. Carefully move the calzones to the prepared sheet pan with a spatula, and bake for 15-20 minutes or until dough is cooked and slightly browned. Serve and enjoy!

Jen's Notes:
All measurements are approximate. My recipe is more of a 'game plan' than precise directions.





The Result:
As the guy from the 80's TV show, The A-Team used to say, "I love it when a plan comes together." These turned out awesome!!! The dough turned out perfectly...crisp and very calzoneish. I ended up amending the flour amounts from the original recipe; using a total of 2 cups whole wheat flour and only 1/2 cup of AP flour. I wanted the dough to be less springy and more shell-like. It turned out great, and it will be a change I keep for this calzone recipe. The only other change I made was to add a 1/4 cup of mascarpone cheese to the ricotta/pesto mix to smooth it out. When I thawed the ricotta the texture was a little grainy, but the additional cheese fixed that problem. These were probably the best homemade calzone I have attempted thus far and my whole family loved them. I am excited to have one leftover for lunch today. Also, I plan on having some of the ingredients that I still have leftover morph into tonight's dinner; another one of my experimental concoctions. Hooray!!!

Smoked Gouda, Spinach, & Pepper Omelet Sandwiches

We are doing a kinda "breakfast for dinner" type thing this evening. I found these sandwiches on the Cooking Light (myrecipes.com) website, and I thought they would help fill my vegetarian requirement for the week quite nicely. The original recipe calls for smoked mozzarella, but I don't have any on hand. Instead, I think I will substitute smoked Gouda; which should give me a similar flavor. Steamed veggies and baked potatoes will round out our meal. I love breakfast for dinner, so I am looking forward to these easy and nutritious egg sandwiches.

Smoked Gouda, Spinach, & Pepper Omelet Sandwiches
Adapted From: Michele Powers, Cooking Light, JULY 2005; myrecipes.com

Ingredients:
2 tablespoons fat-free milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
6 large egg whites
3 large eggs
Dash of hot pepper sauce
Cooking spray
1 cup finely diced red bell pepper
3/4 cup onion, diced
4 sourdough English muffins, split
1/2 cup (2 ounces) shredded smoked Gouda cheese
1 1/2 cups bagged baby spinach leaves

Directions:
Preheat broiler.

Combine first 6 ingredients in a large bowl, stirring with a whisk until combined; set aside.

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Coat pan with cooking spray. Add bell pepper and onion; saute 4 minutes or until tender. Reduce heat to medium. Pour egg mixture into pan; let egg mixture set slightly. Tilt pan; carefully lift edges of omelet with a spatula to allow uncooked portion to flow underneath cooked portion. Cook 3 minutes. Wrap handle of pan with foil; place pan under broiler. Broil 1 minute or until set and lightly browned.

Arrange muffin halves in a single layer on a baking sheet. Sprinkle muffin halves evenly with cheese, and broil 1 minute or until cheese begins to brown.

Divide omelet into 4 portions; place 1 portion on bottom half of each muffin. Top evenly with spinach leaves; top with remaining muffin halves.

Nutritional Information:
Yield: 4 servings (serving size: 1 sandwich)
Calories:295 (28% from fat)
Fat:9g (sat 3.6g,mono 1.6g,poly 1.1g)
Protein:19g
Carbohydrate:33.8g
Fiber:2.4g
Cholesterol:168mg
Iron:2.7mg
Sodium:686mg
Calcium:173mg





The Result:
These were good, but nothing spectacular. They were filling and yummy, but not anything truly noteworthy...pretty much just an egg and veggie sandwich. They would still make a great breakfast; but I felt these sandwiches were just a little to lackluster to be featured as the star of dinner. The husband did have one good note to mention: the cheese needed to be a little more flavorful. Maybe a smoked provolone would have been a better cheese choice. The Gouda was fine, but just a little too subtle for our taste buds. I think a sharper, more pungent flavor would have amped up these sammies a bit. I don't think I will make them again for our main meal, but they will be appearing on our breakfast table in the future.

UPDATE:
I had the leftover omelet yesterday for lunch on a wheat sandwich thin, with spinach leaves and 2 Tablespoons of red pepper hummus (I skipped the cheese all together). This version was much better than the original, and one I would consider making again for a lunch or dinner. I swear, I think hummus makes everything better!!!

Jen's Italian Meatloaf, Garlic Mashed Potatoes, and Broccoli

It was the husband's birthday yesterday, so I decided to make him a dinner that he really enjoyed. This Italian meatloaf was a hit the first time around, so I thought I would make it again. I had to skip a couple ingredients, since I did not realize I was short-handed until I started cooking. The version I made last night did not incorporate green peppers or sun dried tomatoes. I must say, it was still good, but the original recipe was much better (in my humble opinion). The husband still really liked his birthday dinner, so it was really not a huge issue. Next time, I will just make sure I have everything on hand before I start cooking! I made steamed broccoli and garlic mashed potatoes to go with our meatloaf. Then, after dinner we went to my In Law's for birthday dessert. All in all, I think the hubs enjoyed his special day.

Jen's Italian Meatloaf

This is such a homey and comforting dinner! I love meatloaf!!!

PW's Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

I haven't professed my love for Pioneer Woman lately, but tonight is the night. Oh man! I seriously think Pioneer Woman is one of the best cooks ever. I love her so much I am willing to put her on the pedestal with the likes of Giada, Ina, and Rick (de Laurentiis, Garten, and Bayless). That, dear readers, is serious l-o-v-e! All of the recipes that I have tried from PW have been great, and tonight's dish was no exception. I have been wanting to try this recipe since I saw it on her website about a month ago. I am always on the lookout for good vegetarian meals, but for one reason or another, it kept getting pushed back. This pasta dish was so fan-freakin'-tastic...I am sorry I ever put it off! How silly of me!!!

The family and I had a busy day and a huge lunch, so I wanted something that wasn't going to sit in our stomachs like a ton of lead bricks. This pasta was the perfect choice! It was substantial and flavorful without being too heavy. Luckily, it was exactly what I had in mind!!!

I had to take a few liberties with the ingredients list; based on what I had on hand. I am happy to report that even with my changes, this recipe was still a total winner! (See my notes below for changes.) I made some quick salads to go with our pasta, and that was it. So simple and good! Really, I could go on raving, but you get the idea. Since I made some significant changes, I am going to post the link to PW's original recipe and post my adaptation.

Here is the original:

PW's Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce

Here is my adaptation:

PW's Pasta with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce (Jen's Version)

Ingredients:
2 jars of roasted red peppers, drained and blotted dry on a towel
4 tablespoons pine nuts, divided
1 medium onion, finely diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 cup fat free half and half
1/3 cup of evaporated non-fat powdered milk
Fresh basil, chopped
Fresh Parmesan, shaved or grated
1 package of bow tie pasta

Directions:
Drain liquid from jar of peppers. Remove peppers to a clean kitchen towel and blot dry. Place dry peppers in food processor. Lightly toast all the pine nuts in a dry skillet. Once nuts are toasted, place 2 Tablespoons of the toasted nuts in the food processor with the red peppers. Puree peppers with pine nuts. Set aside.

Cook pasta according to package directions.

In a skillet or pot over medium heat, drizzle in olive oil. Add diced onions and garlic and cook until soft. Pour in pepper puree and stir together. Add salt to taste. Let simmer on low for a few minutes, so mixture is thick.

In a separate small bowl, whisk together fat free half and half with evaporated non-fat milk, making sure there are no little lumps. Pour the half and half mixture into the red pepper mixture and stir to combine. Taste and add more salt, if necessary. Add cooked pasta, then stir together. Place pasta into a bowl, top with chopped basil and plenty of shaved Parmesan. Top with remaining 2 Tablespoons of toasted pine nuts sprinkled on top. Enjoy!!!

Jen's Notes:
If you compare the two recipes, you will see that I had to improvise on a couple ingredients. No fresh parsley for one. Thank goodness I still had some fresh basil! The basil was great. Then, I didn't have heavy cream; BUT I remembered a trick. I read somewhere that you could combine skim milk and dry evaporated non-fat milk for a similar effect to heavy cream. I was low on skim milk, so I went with our fat-free half and half instead. I just kept adding the dry milk until I got the consistency I wanted. Skim milk and/or fat-free half & half are pretty watery on their own, therefore my concoction needed to be thickened. The dry milk beefed it up nicely...so problem solved. It worked like a charm, and it was a lot healthier than heavy cream would have been!!!!



The Result:
If you haven't guessed this already...we thought this dish was AWESOME!

Grilled Red Pepper Relish and Goat Cheese Sandwiches, Easy Yellow Rice and Black Beans

This is one of my favorite easy dinners. There is no cooking involved for the sandwiches themselves, only grilling (or toasting) of the bread. I usually like to make these babies in the summertime, since the red pepper relish and goat cheese combo is actually very refreshing. We haven't had these for a few months, so I thought tonight would be a good time to serve them again. We have a late afternoon errand to run, so I need something fast and no-fuss. Also, I like to start the week with a vegetarian offering. It just makes fitting in two other vegetarian meals later in the week a lot easier. I think I will serve these sandwiches with a saffron yellow rice and black bean dish. My friend, Claire turned me on to the saffron yellow rice and black beans, with chicken added in. Since I am keeping tonight's meal vegetarian, I think I will just make the rice and black beans, sans chicken. Super simple and darn tasty! The yellow rice isn't the healthiest (it has MSG in it) but I love it anyway. When black beans are added, at least the nutrition level is bumped up a notch. I think that is gonna do it for our dinner. It is just what I need...simple, fast, and yummy!

Grilled Red Pepper Relish and Goat Cheese Sandwiches

Here is what I am doing for the yellow rice side dish...

Easy Yellow Rice and Black Beans

Ingredients:
1 package of saffron yellow rice mix (I use Mahatma brand)
1 (15 ounce) can of black beans, rinsed and drained
Salt and pepper to taste
Creole seasoning to taste (optional)

Directions:
Make rice according to package directions. Stir in black beans and heat through. Season with salt, pepper, and Creole seasoning and mix thoroughly. Serve immediately.

Jen's Italian Meatloaf Surprise

I haven't made one of my "surprise" recipes in quite awhile! For those of you just tuning in, let me explain what a "surprise" dish encompasses. You see, I lead a rich fantasy life. Sometimes, I like to play mad scientist in my kitchen. I like to forage in my pantry and freezer and find items that need to be used and/or look interesting. Usually, I am inspired and I can concoct a dinner idea around whatever I find. There is no actual recipe, and I am not sure how it is going to turn out. I have a rough idea of what I want, but I never know how I am going to get there. The fun of a "surprise" recipe is not fully knowing where it is going, even as you start cooking. It is all just beakers, and Bunsen Burners, and smoking vials of formula in my kitchen, until POOF...dinner. Can you hear that???? I am even working on my evil, ghoulish, mad scientist-type laugh....MOOO-WHOOOO HA! HA! HA!

Tonight is such a night where I feel like experimenting on my family. I originally had a salmon recipe slotted for our evening meal, but for some reason, I just don't feel like making it. I switched around my menu plan and went to check out what I have on hand. I settled on a meatloaf of sorts; I thought that Italian meatloaf sounded good. I have a couple standard meatloaf versions that I make regularly, but I wanted something a little different. I actually want this dish to taste more like my stuffed peppers than my regular meatloaf. I am also going to make some roasted potatoes, and roasted asparagus to go with my masterpiece. I will give you a rough blueprint of what I am doing, but I will probably re-write the recipe after dinner (i.e. write down what I actually end up doing). I will make sure to post a review and photo to let you know how it all goes down, too. Wish me luck! MOOO-WHOOOO HA! HA! HA!

Jen's Italian Meatloaf Surprise

Ingredients:

Sauce:
1/2 onion, diced
3-4 cloves garlic, minced
1 green pepper, diced
5 sun dried tomatoes, drained and minced
1 small can of plain tomato sauce (no salt added)
1-2 Tablespoons of tomato paste
salt and pepper to taste
1 tsp. red pepper flakes
1 tsp. dried Italian seasoning
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. of dried or fresh basil
1 small can of water (just use tomato sauce can)
2 Tablespoons of canola oil


Meat mixture:
1 egg
seasoned bread crumbs, Italian-style
1/2 cup of instant white rice
salt and pepper to taste
dried Italian Seasoning to taste (if needed)
dried oregano to taste (if needed)
1 lb. of ground beef
1/3 cup of Pecorino Romano cheese, grated
1 15 oz. can of drained diced tomatoes (no salt added) for topping

Directions:
Saute onions and green peppers in a skillet with canola oil over medium heat. Add garlic and season with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, and red pepper flakes,sun dried tomatoes, and tomato paste. Add small can of tomato sauce and water. Simmer until water evaporates. Turn off heat and set aside to cool slightly.

Mix all other ingredients (excluding marinara sauce that you just made and can of diced tomatoes)into a large bowl. Using a large spoon, combine 1-2 heaping spoonfuls of marinara sauce into the meat mixture. If meat mixture is too 'wet',add additional bread crumbs or rice as needed. Season mixture with additional spices, salt and pepper if needed.

Form into a loaf shape on a sheet pan. Pour and cover loaf with marinara sauce. Then add whole can of drained diced tomatoes on top of marinara sauce. Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 1/2 hour. Uncover and cook for an additional 1/2 hour.

Jen's Notes:
All quantities are approximate. The roasted potatoes and asparagus will be roasted on a sheet pan in the oven along with the meatloaf. I think I will cook the potatoes and asparagus with some salt, pepper, and olive oil; then roast for the last 1/2 hour of cooking at the same temp as the meatloaf. If they need additional crisping, I will turn probably take the meatloaf out to rest and crank up the oven temp (or broil) for 10-15 minutes to finish the job. After they come out, I will sprinkle it all with some Pecorino Romano cheese and call it good!



The Result:
I am really pleased with how this turned out! This was freakin' awesome. The husband said that this was his new, favorite meatloaf. It was exactly what I wanted...I love it when that happens. I need to start cooking more "off the cuff", because I certainly enjoy it more than following a set recipe. It is just more relaxing. I love being creative and responding to the food as it cooks. I think you can taste the difference, sometimes. That is what home cookin' is all about! I loved this whole meal, so we will certainly put it into rotation. I love it when a surprise dish becomes a family favorite! This is a keeper, for sure.

Jen's Stuffed Peppers

I am re-posting this recipe, because I am not crazy about my original photo. It is a little ugly, so I thought I would try again. Hopefully, I will have better photographic results this time around.

This recipe is another family favorite that was passed down from my grandma, on my dad's side. It is serious comfort food in our house...we love it. My little boy is sick, so I thought a homey meal would be good for our dinner tonight. It is very simple to put together, and I made it even easier by adapting it for the slow cooker. I am not sure what or if we are going to have a side item with this meal. The husband really likes baked potatoes with it, so I may indulge him. This dish was one of my favorites as a child, and I hope to pass that sentimentality off to my son. I love recreating meals that I grew up with, for my family!

Jen's Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients:
2 green bell peppers, seeded and halved
1 medium onion, diced
1 lb. of ground beef
1/2 cup of instant white rice
1 egg
salt and pepper to taste (very important...don't skimp!)
1 large can of tomato juice, undiluted
1 teaspoon of dried minced onion (optional)
1 clove minced garlic (optional)

Directions:
1) Cut peppers in half to form cups and remove ribs and seeds. Set pepper halves aside. I always cut the peppers in half vertically, but it does not matter.

2) In a slow cooker insert pot or a large stock pot mix hamburger, diced onion, rice, egg, salt, and pepper WITH YOUR CLEAN HANDS (I don't know why, but it tastes much better if you hand mix it).

3) Take a palm full of meat mixture and press into pepper cups, packing firmly. Arrange filled pepper cups at the bottom of slow cooker or stock pot.

4) Take any leftover meat and form into meatballs, and place in between pepper cups (if no space is left just sit meatballs on top of pepper cups).

5) Sprinkle garlic, minced dried onion, and additional salt and pepper (if needed) on tops of meatballs and pepper cups.

6) Pour entire large can of tomato juice on top of meatballs and pepper cups. All ingredients should be submerged, or close to submerged.

7) Cover and cook in slow cooker on high for 2-3 hours OR low for 4-5 hours. When finished, let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

***************************OR****************************

Alternate method for stove top preparation: Place large stock pot on stove top and cook on high for 1 hour, with lid partially on (liquid should be boiling). Check periodically for evaporation...add more tomato juice if liquid evaporates by more than half). Let cool and serve.

Jen's Notes:
I use the same pot that I am going to cook this dish in for the mixing bowl. This way, I don't dirty an extra bowl and it is much easier to clean up.

This recipe can easily be adjusted for increased quantity (i.e. more people) by doubling all ingredients.



The Result:
I think this photo is slightly better than the original post. I wanted to show my stuffed peppers in all of their glory...simmering away in the slow cooker. This meal was so good, it was everything I had anticipated. Homey, yummy, comfort food. I added quite a bit of rice this time, so the meatballs were very firm. I had less than one pound of ground beef to use, so I stretched it by adding the additional rice. The husband said he actually preferred the firmer texture, so I may keep the larger quantity of rice (which I did not measure exactly) in the recipe. Also, I added 1/2 of a jar of leftover marinara and some already-diced tomatoes. I needed to use them up, so I just threw 'em in for good measure. It certainly added an extra chunky component that was very nice. I did end up pairing this dish with some baked (microwaved) potatoes. I really didn't mind the extra starch, but it definitely made the whole meal more filling than usual. This was an awesome stick-to-your-ribs family dinner!

Vegetable Strata

I checked out The Red Hat Society Cookbook at the library, excited to try all the yummy, home-cooked, tried-and-true recipes that these ladies put together. I thought to myself, who better to try a cookbook from than a bunch of sassy moms, grandmas, and divas that run around town wearing big red hats and causing a ruckus. These are my kind of ladies! When ever I have spotted a group of them out and about, they are always laughing loudly...usually at a restaurant. A bunch of women who love eat and enjoy life with their pals...sign me up! I seriously can see myself become a red-hatter sometime in the future...maybe about 20 years or so. I have already started shopping for the perfect over-the-top red hat...and let me tell you, I want a big one!

Needless to say, I have high hopes for this cookbook. Also, I have heard really good things about it. I flagged a bunch of recipes, and this Strata is the first one that I am trying out. The ingredients looked really yummy, and it looks like a good vegetarian recipe to get my feet wet. Certainly not boring. I was really looking forward to making and eating this dish...past tense. Now, I am not so sure.

Sadly, I have run into some snags. Through a series of false starts, I have been stumbling through this recipe. Now, most of the problems have been my fault. This dish takes a long time to make (rather a long time to sit and rest, then to actually bake). I did not read the recipe very thoroughly. Then, I forgot about it all together. I remembered that this was supposed to be our dinner earlier today; around noonish. Oops! See...totally my fault for being a bubble-brain!!! After assembly, this strata is supposed to sit for at least 5-6 hours, better if overnight. Then, it has to rest at room temperature for another 30 minutes and then bake for an additional hour. Ugh! I did not get the thing assembled until about 1:30pm!!!! Since we have dinner plans for the next two nights, I can't put it off another day. If I did, we would not get around to it until Sunday night. By then, the whole thing may be ruined if it sat around for another three stinkin' days. Also, I made the whole darn thing. It is ready to go and resting in my fridge as I type this. If I scrap it now, I have to make a new-from-scratch meal for tonight!!!! Double Ugh. I really don't think I have a choice.

My decision is to wing it.

I am only going to let it rest for about 3 hours and then see what happens. Depending on what time it is, I will probably pull it from the fridge and just bake it (not letting it come to room temp). Or I may let it sit out for half of the recommended time. I am not sure. Either way, I am nervous about the results. I really don't want this dish to be totally screwed up. There are a lot of my favorite ingredients in it, and the dish itself is very promising. I am hoping that it will all be okay. Keep your fingers crossed for me!


Vegetable Strata

Ingredients:
1 Tablespoon of olive oil
2 Tablespoons of butter
1 cup chopped red onion
1 green bell pepper, chopped
1 red bell pepper, chopped
8 ounces of sliced mushrooms
1 cup of seeded and diced Roma tomatoes
Salt and pepper to taste
1 large loaf of stale Italian bread, cubed (8-9 cups)
1/2 cup plus 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
9-10 large eggs, beaten
2-3 cups of milk
2-3 Tablespoons of Dijon mustard

Instructions:
In a large skillet heat olive oil and butter over medium-high heat. Melt the butter in the oil and add the onions and peppers. Saute until tender and caramelized. Add the mushrooms and the tomatoes and heat through. Season with salt and pepper and set aside to cool.

In the bottom of a greased 9 x 13 casserole dish, place a layer of bread cubes. Distribute half of the cooled veggie mixture over cubes. Sprinkle 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese over the veggies. Add the remaining bread cubes over the top. Add the remaining vegetables over the cubes again. Top with another 1/2 cup of Parmesan cheese. Top that with the cheddar cheese.

In a large bowl, combine eggs, milk, mustard, salt, pepper. Whisk with a hand mixer until frothy. Pour over the bread mixture in casserole dish. Make sure that all bread is covered and egg mixture is distributed evenly. Cover with plastic wrap, refrigerate, and let sit for 5-6 hours minimum or overnight.

When ready to bake, remove dish from fridge and let come to room temperature for 20-30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and bake for 45-60 minutes or until golden and puffy. Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

Jen's Notes:
Okay, I did make some changes. I used a regular onion instead of red. I added 2 cloves of minced garlic to the sauteed veggies, because I just can't help myself. I used canned, drained diced tomatoes. I used 10 eggs, 1 cup of milk, a 1 cup of heavy cream...only because everything is better with heavy cream. (The cookbook notes do say that if you want a firmer strata use 2 cups of milk.) I used a combo of mild cheddar cheese, mozzarella, and Parmesan because that is what I had on hand. I used some Dijon mustard along with some whole-grain mustard, because I like the flavor combo and the texture of the rough, whole mustard. Lastly, I toasted my bread cubes in the oven first. My bread was pretty fresh, and toasting makes it dry so the liquids will absorb better. I already shared my time-table issue, so I won't get into that again. I will let you know how this all turns out.





The Result:
I am so relieved! This was AWESOME! Seriously, fan-freakin'-tastic! We loved this dish, and I am happy to say that I was unnecessarily worried. It turned out perfect, despite my lack of following directions. Actually, I don't think I will change a thing when I make this dish again. I think the directions overstated things, as it was. My strata rested for about 2 1/2 to 3 hours tops, and it was just fine! Better than fine....perfectly cooked and delicious, as a matter of fact. I did pull it out of the fridge during the last 1/2 hour of resting and I let it come to room temp before baking. Then, I did let it rest for 5-10 minutes after it came out of the oven. This made it way easier to cut and portion. Overall, this recipe is a keeper. It was delicious! This is a great vegetarian choice, as it was filling and satisfying. The flavors blended perfectly, and the mustard gave it a tiny little twang that was complex, but not overwhelming...just savory. Yum! I can't wait to have leftovers for lunch today!!!