Sweet stuffed peppers recipe

I'm a big fan of the standard stuffed pepper recipe - stuffed with meat, cheese, onion, tomato and the like.  I'm an even bigger fan of a sweeter side dish variety.  These mini sweet peppers are stuffed to the brim with goat cheese, corn, dried apricots and basil, and are a fun and delicious finger food!

Ingredients

1/2 cup dried apricots, diced
3/4 cup sweet corn
2 Tablespoons basil, chopped
8 ounces soft goat cheese
12-18 mini sweet peppers

Directions

Wash and bake peppers on lined cookie sheet for 10 minutes at 350 degrees.

Place peppers on plate and allow to cool to room temperature.

While cooking, heat corn in frying pan until gently charred.

Combine diced apricots, corn, basil and goat cheese and season with salt and pepper.

Cut a slit in the side of each pepper and use a spoon to scrape out seeds with a spoon.

Fill each pepper with goat cheese mixture.

Return stuffed peppers to oven and bake until goat cheese is warm and soft.

They're quick and easy, and a great twist on your normal stuffed pepper!

Carrot Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

A carrot cake is one of my all-time favorite desserts.  It's sweet, crunchy, warm topped with a creamy cream cheese frosting - what's not to love?

Every year for the last 5 years or so, a family friend has brought us a carrot cake for Christmas.  I look forward to it every year, as she makes the best one I've ever had.  This year, husband's mom asked if there was anything I wanted them to bring from home when they came for Christmas (assuming I'd request BBQ...again).  I (half-jokingly) said "Please tell Debbie to make me a carrot cake!  The clan decided to not disappoint the brand new mamma, so Debbie baked a cake and the Alfords drove it to Boston!  What love.

This Easter, I was asked to bring a carrot cake to dinner.  I knew just who to call for a recipe.  Debbie was kind enough to share her recipe with me - and agreed to let me share it with all of you!



Ingredients

Cake
2 cups sugar
1/2 tsp baking soda
2 cups self-rising flour
2 tsp cinnamon
1 Tbsp vanilla
1.5 cups vegetable oil
3 eggs
3 cups grated carrots
1 cup roughly chopped pecans (toasted optional)

Icing
1 stick butter, softened to room temperature
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1 box (1 lb) powdered sugar
2 tsp vanilla extract
2-3 Tbsp milk (add a little at a time to get the right consistency)
Optional: 1/4 cup roughly chopped pecans (or more if desired)

Directions

Cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Cut wax paper to fit bottom of 2 round cake pans.  Grease pan & place wax paper in bottom.
Mix sugar, baking soda, flour & cinnamon in large bowl or mixer.
Make a well in the dry ingredients.  Add oil.  Add eggs 1 at a time.
Add vanilla, nuts and carrots and mix well.
Pour batter evenly into pans.
Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, testing for doneness with toothpick.
Cool in pan on rack for 10 minutes.  Flip layers onto cooling rack.

Cream Cheese Icing
Mix wet ingredients (except milk) together until smooth.
Add powdered sugar.
Add milk a little at a time until you reach desired consistency.
Optional: Stir in pecans, or sprinkle on top

Once cake has cooled, ice between the layers, top and sides of cake.

Optional: sprinkle top or around the rim with chopped pecans or grated carrots.

Enjoy!

Quick and delicious cornbread recipe - half homemade!

Last week, I made our last stock pot full of chili (check out my recipe here!) of the season.  Husband has been craving it lately, and I decided that since i snowed the day before, it would still be acceptable.  I split the pot between us and my friend Robyn, who had a baby a few weeks after us!

In our house, cornbread is basically a requirement when enjoying chili.  With a newborn, I'm looking for faster ways to do things, so I decided to "soup up" some boxed mix.  It turned out SO well, you won't make yours from scratch anymore.  Gotta love half-homemade!  I added canned corn, cheese and sour cream - the best of the best. 

It sweet, soft, and tastes homemade!  

Ingredients

Box of cornbread mix (for 8x8 or 9x9 pan)

Ingredients to prepare boxed cornbread as directed

1 cup canned corn, drained and chopped

1/4 cup sour cream

1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese

Directions

Prepare boxed cornbread as directed.

Add corn (drained and chopped), sour cream, and shredded cheese, and mix.

Grease 8x8 or 9x9 pan, and pour mix in.  Bake as directed on box, or until toothpick comes out clean when inserted.

While cooking, play with baby.

Enjoy!

Easy Cranberry-Raspberry Margarita

I'm not a drinker.  I don't like wine, beer, or any of the "regulars" most people would go for, so I maybe have 3 drinks a year.

My therapist (who I've been seeing for postpartum depression) told me that I should find some kind of alcoholic drink that I like from time to time to help calm me down when I'm anxious.  I didn't even know where to start, since I have almost zero experience, so she sent me to the store to buy a bottle of Skinnygirl Margarita.

I tried it straight (since it has everything you'd need in one bottle), but it was way too strong for me.  Travis and I have been making sparkling berry drinks (using juice and tonic water), so we had some Raspberry Cranberry juice in the refrigerator.  I decided to add a little of the juice to the margarita, and bam!  I'm in love.

It's sweet, sour, and diluted enough that I can both "complete my homework" AND enjoy it.

Here's what you need...

3 oz Skinnygirl Margarita
3 oz juice (I used Raspberry Cranberry juice)
Ice

Just pour the two over ice, swirl, and enjoy!

It'll be perfect for a warm summer day...if we ever get one of those here in Boston!

Enjoy!

Easy Crock-Pot Beef Roast

A tender beef roast is one of my favorite comfort foods.  I remember being SO excited when my mom would bring out a roast with carrots and potatoes!  My brother and I ate as many of the carrots as we could - my poor parents probably never got any.  I guess that's the plight of the parent...if your kids are excited about eating carrots...you let them eat all the carrots.

This past weekend, we made a roast while Travis' parents were in town.  Now that I'm involved in the cookin', it's important for the preparation to be quick (since we have Owen).  That's why the Crock-Pot is your best friend.

This roast takes about 10 minutes to prep (it's all "open and dump") and 5 hours to cook.  Can't get much easier than that!

Ingredients

Beef roast
1 pound baby carrots
18 ounces sliced mushrooms
Large onion, chopped
Large red pepper, chopped
2 pouches Lipton dry onion soup mix
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup (10.5 ounces)
1 can Cream of Onion soup (10.5 ounces)
1-2 cans water (use empty soup cans), depending on how much you need
Salt & Pepper


Directions

Place beef roast in bottom of Crock-Pot.
Add carrots, sliced mushrooms, chopped onion, and chopped red pepper.
Add Cream of Mushroom and Cream of Onion Soups.
Sprinkle in 2 pouches of dry onion soup mix, salt and pepper.
Pour in 1-2 cans of water, depending on how much liquid you need.  (Start with one and see if more is needed later.)
Cook on high for 5 hours or until beef is cooked through.
If serving directly from Crock-Pot, cut beef into slices and return to pot.


We served ours with half a baked potato (it's yummy to spoon over the potato!) and broccoli!

Enjoy!

Monte Cristo Recipe

Brunch is one of my favorite meals of the day.  Sausage and Cheese Casserole, cinnamon and nutmeg pancakes, or a yummy Monte Cristo sandwich.  Today I'm going to share our recipe for the delicious Monte Cristo!

It's really the epitome of "brunch" - it's a ham and cheese sandwich, dipped in egg and cooked like french toast.  Perfect.  We especially love to make these when using up leftover ham. Use honey mustard to kick the dish up a notch!

Ingredients

Oatmeal bread
Ham
Swiss cheese
Honey mustard
Eggs
Milk
Maple syrup
Powdered sugar (optional)
Jam (optional)


Directions

Make your sandwich: ham, Swiss cheese and honey mustard.  (You could even add a little mayo if you wanted!)

Whisk together eggs and milk (1 egg per sandwich + generous splash of milk).

Spray frying pan with Pam cooking spray and turn burner on low/medium.

Dip each side of sandwich in egg/milk mixture and place in frying pan.

Cook for 4-6 minutes (or until side is browned) on each side.

Serve immediately with maple syrup, powdered sugar and fruit or jam.

Enjoy!

Roasted Cabbage and Carrots

Last month, while we were in North Carolina visiting our families, Travis' mom made us one of the most yummy side dishes...cabbage and carrots with a splash of lemon and garlic.  You  need to try it.  Seriously.

This is on our regular rotation of meals now - it's healthy, cheep and delicious - perfect!




Ingredients

1/2 head of cabbage
6 oz shredded carrots
1.5-2 Tablespoons olive oil
Lemon juice (1 Tablespoon + extra)
Garlic powder
Salt

Directions

Chop cabbage, separate leaves and discard hard white pieces.

Place into a Pyrex dish with carrots.

Toss in olive oil, 1 Tablespoon lemon juice, garlic powder and salt.

Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done.

Add another splash of lemon juice and serve!

You won't be disappointed!

Peanut Butter Cheesecake with Chocolate Chips

A few weeks ago, I shared a recipe for Chocolate Chip Cheesecake we made while in NC.  There were a bunch of friends coming over that night, so one cheesecake wouldn't do - we needed two.  What a great excuse to make a Peanut Butter Cheesecake!

Travis' mom, Jenny, loves peanut butter more than anything (except dogwood trees...and, you know, us), so this was her favorite by far.  It's smooth, full of PB taste and has a sweetened sour cream topping...and chocolate chips to finish it off.  You really can't get much better than that!  This recipe was adapted from Southern Living too, so you know it's a goodie.



Ingredients
1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs
1/3 cup white sugar
1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
1/3 cup butter, melted
2 (8 ounce) packages of cream cheese, softened
1 cup firmly packed light brown sugar
3 large eggs
1/2 + 3/4 cup sour cream
1 1/3 cups creamy peanut butter (we used Jiff)
2 teaspoons granulated sugar
Chocolate curls (or chocolate chips)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350.  Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter and cocoa.  Press into bottom and up the sides of a 9" springform pan.  Set crust aside.

Beat cream cheese and 1 cup brown sugar at medium speed with a heavy-duty electric stand mixer until blended.  Add 3 eggs, 1 at a time, beating just until yellow disappears after each addition.  Beat in 1/2 cup sour cream just until blended.  Beat in peanut butter until blended.

Pour filling into prepared crust.  Bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes or until center is almost set.

Remove from oven.  Spread Sour Cream Topping over center of cheesecake, leaving a 2" boarder around the edge.  Bake at 350 degrees for 1 more minute.  Remove from oven; gently run a knife around the edge of cheesecake to loosen.  Cool completely on a wire rack.

Cover and chill 8 to 12 hours.  Remove sides of pan.  Top with chocolate curls (or mini chocolate chips).

Enjoy!

Chocolate Chip Cheesecake

Last week, while we were back in NC visiting family (before my new job started), Travis' mom made two cheesecakes.  "Two???" you may ask?  Yep.  Because one just isn't enough.  :)  The first I'll share with you is a chocolate chip cheesecake.

Travis picked chocolate chip months ago, when he won a spur of the moment trivia game his mom sent him and his sister.  We were sitting on the couch when he got the email with instructions.  The first one to email her back with the correct answers to her questions would get to pick the cheesecake of their choice the next time they were home.  Travis just happened to be sitting at his computer when she sent the email, so poor Sarah didn't have a chance.

This cheesecake is quick to whip up and delicious.  Fluffy cheesecake loaded with mini chocolate chips...it's pretty perfect!  This is adapted from a recipe Jenny found online somewhere, but I'm not sure who to credit.
Remember...when in doubt...add more chocolate chips.

Ingredients

1.5 cups graham cracker crumbs

1/3 cup white sugar

1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/3 cup butter, melted

3 (8 ounce) packages cream cheese

1 (14 ounce) can sweetened condensed milk

3 eggs

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1.25 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips

2 teaspoon all-purpose flour

Directions

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.  Mix graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter and cocoa.  Press into bottom and sides of a 9" springform pan.  Set crust aside.

Beat cream cheese until smooth.  Gradually add sweetened condensed milk; beat well.  Add vanilla and eggs, and beat on medium speed until smooth.  Toss 2/3 cup miniature chocolate chips with 2 teaspoons flour to coat (this keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the cake).  Mix into cheese mixture.  Pour into prepared crust.  Sprinkle top with remaining chocolate chips.

Bake at 300 degrees F for 1 hour.  Turn off oven (do not open the oven door) and leave the cake in the oven to cool for another hour.  Remove from oven and cool completely.  Refrigerate before removing sides of pan.  Keep cake refrigerated until time to serve.

Enjoy!

Cream Chicken Over Toast

Cream chicken over toast...it's one of my ultimate comfort foods and fondest childhood dishes.  I remember being so excited about seeing this on the stove cooking when I was growing up.  There's just something great about a creamy sauce over toast, isn't there?

Now, it's exciting to see that this is also quite easy to make...AND that it's a perfect dish when you have leftover chicken!  It's the perfect way to finish off a roasted or rotisserie chicken, and should be one of your go-to recipes after Thanksgiving.  (You'll thank me when you're on day 6 of turkey sandwiches.)

Ingredients
3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
3 Tablespoons flour
2 cups + 2-4 Tablespoons milk
1 Tablespoon Worcheshire sauce (optional)
3 cups chopped chicken
Salt & Pepper
Toasted bread

Directions
Melt butter in a medium pan over low heat.  Add 3 Tablespoons flour and mix until combined and bubbling.

Pour in 2 cups milk and stir over low-medium heat until mixture thickens (about 10 minutes).  Add 1 Tablespoon Worcestershire sauce (optional).  If too thick, add a few more Tablespoons of milk to reach your desired sauce.

Add 3 cups chopped chicken and simmer over low heat for another 10 minutes.

Serve over warm, toasted bread or biscuits.

Enjoy!