Cheese Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers

Cheese Stuffed Mini Bell Peppers

These are so yummy and work as an appetizer or side dish. I've done them with and without the turkey bacon and like them either way, or you could use regular bacon if you prefer.

-1 pack mini bell peppers, tops cut off, sliced in half and seeded
-1 wheel laughing cow cheese (we like the pepperjack or chipotle)
-1 pack turkey bacon, sliced in half (optional)

Spread cheese inside each pepper half. If desired, wrap each stuffed pepper in turkey bacon and secure with a toothpick. Bake peppers at 425 for 15-20 minutes or until peppers have softened and bacon is crisp and browned. Cool 5 minuteds and serve.

Asparagus and Brie Tart

Asparagus and Brie Tart

This tart is fairly simple yet super delicious and impressive. It can be sliced like a pizza and served as an appetizer or with a green salad for brunch or lunch. This is also very versatile. You can leave the egg out altogether for vegans and change up the cheese to fontina, ricotta or goat cheese depending on your preference.

-1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
-1 small wheel or wedge of brie with the rind cut off and cheese slliced
-1 egg, beaten
-1 bunch asparagus, trimmed

Cover a sheet pan in parchment. Place puff pastry on parchment and roll the dough out a little in each direction. Fold in each of the sides at about an inch to form a crust. Spread slices of brie inside of the crusts. Pour beaten egg over the crust and brush over edges. Lay asparagus over egg mixture. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Bake at 375 for 20 minutes, or until dough is puffed and golden. Cool 5 minutes and serve.

Homemade Ranch Dip

Homemade Ranch Dip

I always have all of these ingredients on hand and can therefore be minutes away from whipping up a veggie tray at any moment. If you would like to turn this into a ranch dressing simply whisk in milk or buttermilk until you reach the consistency you'd like.

-1/2 c mayo
-1/2 cup sour cream
-1 clove garlic, minced
-1 tsp sugar
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp pepper
-2 tsp white vinegar
-1 tsp dried parsley
-1 tsp dried chives
-1/2 tsp dried dill
-1/2 tsp dried oregano

Whisk together all ingredients. Chill at least 30 minutes (or up to 3 days) prior to serving.

Hummus

Hummus

I'm picky about the type of canned chickpeas that I'll use for hummus. I've used some brands that resulted in gritty hummus. I either recommend using Goya chickpeas straight out of the can, or if you're using another brand I recommend boiling them in their liquid for 10 minutes before starting to ensure that you are working with soft chickpeas. This hummus is a good blank slate, then you can customize by adding specialty ingredients like pesto, roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes, artichokes, jalapeno etc. as desired.

-1 clove garlic
-1 (15 oz) can chickpeas, drained with 1/4 cup of liquid reserved
-juice of 1/2 lemon
-1 Tbsp olive oil
-2 Tbsp tahini
-1/2 tsp cumin
-1/8 tsp cayenne
-1/2 tsp salt

Place the garlic in a blender or food processor and finely chop. Add remaining ingredients and puree for 1-2 minutes until smooth. Serve immediately, or chill until serving and return to room temperature before eating. For a pretty presentation drizzle some olive oil over your bowl of hummus and sprinkle with fresh parsley or ground paprika before serving.

Baked Tortilla Chips

Baked Tortilla Chips

These are so quick and easy to make, and are so much better for you than fried tortilla chips. I like to use whole wheat tortillas, but regular flour or corn tortillas would work. You can also season these with any spices that you like, maybe cumin, chili powder, garlic, lime, cayenne etc. I tend to just use salt and let the condiments I have with them do the seasoning. You can also do this same method with pita bread to use in more hearty dips like spinach artichoke and hummus, you might just need to increase the cooking time by a few minutes. I've heard that other people tend to spritz the tortillas with cooking spray or oil prior to baking, but I think they turn out great without the added step.

-tortillas sliced to the desired size (you can stack as many tortillas as you want in a pile and do this quickly with a pizza cutter)
-salt and/ or other desired seasonings

Place tortillas slices in a single layer on as many pans as necessary. Sprinkle with salt and/ or seasonings. Bake at 350 for 10-15 minutes. Enjoy right away or store in an air tight container for up to 2 days.

Jill's Salsa

Jill's Salsa

I've tried a lot of homemade salsa recipes over the years including my friend Alex's, or Crystin's, or the Pioneer Woman one.  Some with fresh tomatoes, some with canned, some hand chopped, some easily and quickly done in a food processor.  This is my friend Jill's recipe, it is my current favorite.  I think I prefer a chunky/ hand chopped salsa, but if I was in a hurry I'd throw all of these ingredients in a food processor and come out with a thinner, restaurant style salsa texture.  And yes, there really is sweet chili sauce in this salsa... weird and counterintuitive, but delicious.  It has inspired me to think outside of the box though, and I think next I'd like to try sriracha in a salsa, because sriracha is always a great addition.

-5-6 roma tomatoes, seeded and diced
-1/2 green pepper, diced
-1/2 yellow pepper, diced
-juice and zest of 1 lime
-1/2 red onion, diced
-1 clove garlic, minced
-3 Tbsp cilantro, chopped
-1 can Original diced tomatoes and chiles (Rotel), drained
-1 Tbsp sugar
-1 tsp salt
-2 Tbsp sweet chili sauce

Stir all ingredients together and refrigerate a few hours before serving to allow the flavors to combine.

Goat Cheese Stuffed, Bacon Wrapped Dates

I've made these Bacon Wrapped, Goat Cheese Stuffed Dates a few times now, and had them several times when friends made them also.  Initially, Jeremy and I did not expect to like these.  Man, were we wrong!  These have quickly become our favorite appetizer.  The sweet, salty, cheesy combination is to die for!  These get devoured at every party I have seen them served at.  People can't stop, they can't eat just one.  Please make these, you will thank me, and then maybe curse me after you eat too many.  They are a simple, no fuss, elegant, crowd pleasing recipe to have in your arsenal.

Mac and Cheese Cups

This recipe is from the book Bread & Wine.  I've posted the recipe as it is in the book, but here are the few changes that I made;

-used whole wheat pasta
-after trying to melt the cheese, whisking till smooth and failing with a gloppy mess, I just tossed the melted butter and shredded cheese with the pasta and this worked well, and even skipped a whole step
-I made mini macs for appetizers as the book directs, but I also made some in muffin tins as a side dish for dinner... those I baked at 350 for 25 minutes

Everyone really liked these.  Most mac and cheese recipes that I've followed over the years call for ground mustard in them, which is a nice touch.  But, I will never do that again.  The dijon in this recipe added a new depth and complexity to mac and cheese that I will incorporate into every future mac and cheese I make.

Mini Mac & Cheese

Ingredients to Serve 8

1/2 pound elbow macaroni (or 4 cups cooked)
2 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
2 tablespoons butter, plus more for pan
1 tablespoon dijon
2 dashes Tabasco
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
Smoked paprika

Directions

In a pot of boiling water, cook the macaroni to just al dente, which is just a touch firmer than how you’d like to eat it. About 5 minutes. Drain.

On medium-low heat, warm butter and cheddar cheese, whisk till smooth.

Add Dijon, Tabasco, egg yolk, whisk again.

Add macaroni and mix until well coated with cheese.

Brush mini muffin pan with melted butter, then sprinkle grated parmesan into each cup.

Spoon into muffin pans, making them slightly rounded and packing them gently. Top with grated Parmesan.

Bake at 425 for 12 to 14 minutes, until bubbling and golden on top. After removing from oven, sprinkle with smoked paprika.

Let cool at least 10 minutes before serving, because they will set as they cool. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables

Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables

I made these to serve as a side to a Vietnamese Shrimp Noodle Soup.  I'm not sure if it's that I'm pregnant and everything pickled tastes delicious, or if these are just one of the best things that I've ever eaten, but let's just say that I ate an entire batch in 1 day and am kinda thankful that Jeremy doesn't like cauliflower so I didn't have to share them.  I'm pretty sure I'll be making these again soon, and not just on nights when I cook Vietnamese food.  In fact, they should be a staple to have around my fridge.  They are a great combination of spicy and sweet, but they are pretty spicy, so reduce the red pepper flakes if you don't like a lot of heat.  This batch filled up two large canning jars for me, so halve or double the recipe as needed.

-2 c sugar
-3 c white vinegar
-3 tsp salt
-2 tsp red pepper flakes
-2 tsp black pepper
-6 cloves garlic, sliced
-1 small head cauliflower, cut into bite sized florets
-1 cucumber, sliced
-2 carrots, sliced

Bring sugar, vinegar, salt, red pepper flakes, black pepper, and garlic to a boil on the stove.  Layer the vegetables in desired canning jars.  Pour the hot brine over the vegetables and seal jars with lids.  Once jars are room temperature place them in the fridge.  These were ready to eat within a few hours, but could stay in the fridge longer based on your preference.

Sausage Balls

I made these sausage balls for our brunch at church tomorrow.  They turned out great, but who can go wrong with sausage, cheese, and carbs?  This is the most basic recipe, which was great cause I had a bunch of food to make for the brunch and a family reunion tomorrow.  Next time I think I'd try this a little more complicated Martha Stewart version, and maybe use turkey sausage instead of pork to reduce a little of the fat.

Smoked Salmon Cucumber Cups

I made these smoked salmon cucumber cups for a ladies brunch at church.  I thought they were great, and easy to throw together.  I did add 1/4 tsp sugar, 1/8 tsp salt, and 1/8 tsp pepper to the filling.

Pesto White Bean Dip

Pesto White Bean Dip

I used leftover Spinach Artichoke Pesto that I had on hand to make this dip, but any variety pesto would be great here.  Serve with pita chips and/ or cut veggies.

-1 clove garlic
-1 (15 oz) can white beans (I used cannelini beans), drained
-juice of 1/2 lemon
-1/2 tsp salt

Place garlic in food processor, and process until finely chopped.  Add remaining ingredients, and process until well mixed.  Chill until serving, and serve at room temperature.

Spinach Artichoke Pesto

Spinach Artichoke Pesto

I think this is my favorite pesto that I've ever made.  I enjoyed it tossed with pasta for an easy vegetarian dinner, you could even add quartered artichokes or some spinach leaves in with the pasta toss.  I think this would also be amazing as an appetizer spread on crostini, or served with pita chips for dipping.  Noah took one bite and said "I love it!".  I love it when I can get him to really enjoy veggies, like the spinach in this.

-1/3 c walnuts, toasted
-1 can artichokes, drained
-1 clove garlic
-zest of 1 lemon
-3 Tbsp lemon juice 
-1/2 c shredded parmesan
-1/2 tsp salt
-1/4 tsp pepper
-1/8-1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
-1/4 tsp nutmeg
-1/4 c olive oil
-1/2 lb baby spinach

Place the garlic clove in a food processor and process until finely minced.  Add remaining ingredients and process until well mixed.  Serve as you like, this will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

White Bean Dip

I made this Spicy White Bean Dip.  I still can't decide how I feel about it, but the people I served it to liked it.  I think I'd just rather have hummus.  It was interesting, good, a unique twist on hummus, but didn't wow me.  I did reduce the olive oil by half, and next time I think I'd add at least an extra Tbsp of sriracha sauce because it was a little mild to me for a dip that has "spicy" in the title.

Buffalo Cauliflower Bites

I made these Buffalo Cauliflower bites.  They were great!  I used one head of cauliflower and cut the recipe (breading and sauce) in half.  I used the Louisiana hot sauce that I had on hand and thought they were perfect for me, but fairly spicy.  These would be a great appetizer or side dish, especially for a health conscious game day menu.

Baked Mozzarella Sticks

I found myself with a bag of string cheese that my two year old refused to eat and after seeing an idea on pinterest to use egg roll wrappers and turn them into baked mozzarella sticks I was inspired.

These were just ok... didn't quite satisfy my fried mozzarella stick craving, but for less calories and ease of preparation a good, healthy, substitute.

I followed this method.

Baked Chicken Taquitos

I made these  Creamy Chicken Taquitos.  The changes I made were to;

-add 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and 1/4 tsp cayenne to the filling

-omit the onion powder

-add some sauteed fresh spinach to the filling

-use whole wheat corn tortillas

-use neufatchel cream cheese

-increase cumin to 1 tsp

-used the regular salsa I had on hand

-used all cheddar cheese because that's what I had

We loved these and they turned out great, we will definitely be eating them again.

Baked Crab Rangoon

I made this baked crab rangoon.  The two changes I made were to add 1tsp Sriarcha sauce to the filling, and place the wonton wrappers in a mini muffin pan, stuffed with filling and baked for 20 minutes at 350.  These were good, nowhere near as decadent as the takeout version, but good and healthy enough to enjoy whenever I'd like.

Sweet and Spicy Quick Pickles

Sweet and Spicy Quick Pickles

A few friends and I attended a pickling class at a local grocery store a few weeks ago.  This recipe is an original recipe by the lady who taught the class, but since I don't know her name, we'll refer to her as unknown Rouse's chef.  This brine recipe could be used for any type of quick pickle (cucumbers, squash, watermelon rind...), but I particularly loved the squash pickles that we sampled in the class.  As we learned, cucumbers need to be pretreated/ soaked with salt or lime before pickling to draw the moisture out and enable them to be crunchy.  The squash however, can just be dropped in the jar and covered with hot brine.  Since these pickles are heat sealed (rather than properly canned and boiled) they should be stored in fridge and not at room temperature.  Our instructor ensured us that these would remain good in the fridge for several months.  

-2 c rice vinegar
- c apple cider vinegar
-1 c sugar
-1/2 Tbsp red pepper flakes
-1 tsp mustard seed
-1 Tbsp pickling salt (or Kosher salt, but that may effect color over time)
-prepared/ cleaned vegetables and jars (I used 5 smallish squash, washed, and sliced lengthwise)

Combine rice vinegar- salt in pot.  Bring to a boil.  Place vegetables in clean jars.  Pour hot brine over vegetables and place lids on jars.  Allow to cool to room temperature and jars should seal themselves.  Allow to sit at least 3 days prior to sampling for flavors to fully develop.

Whole Wheat Rosemary Sea Salt Soft Pretzels

I made these rosemary sea salt soft pretzels.  I used 2 cups of whole wheat flour in place of 2 cups of the all-purpose flour.  I thought they turned out delicious, but I do need a little more practice rolling my pretzel dough out more thin so that my pretzels aren't quite so knot-like.  For a first attempt I think these were great though, even with the whole wheat flour.  I decided to skip the cheddar sauce in the recipe and served these with spicy mustard to make them a little lighter, but I'm sure the cheddar sauce would be amazing!