Comfort Food Special - Stuffed Bell Peppers

I love entertaining...especially for these girls. They're really good at making you feel like all the effort you put into making a meal for 10+ was more than worth it, so I had fun having them over this past Thursday. Food is a big part of all of our lives and we believe you should be able to enjoy it with others that share the same love for tasty goodness. This is a huge reason why I love these ladies so much.

While catching up over glasses of wine and All Green Guacamole, I finished up our dinner for the evening - Stuffed Bell Peppers. This recipe was derived from my favorite cookbook, Best of Home Cooking, which can be bought for only $12.99 on Amazon here: http://www.amazon.com/Americas-Family-Favorites-Best-Cooking/dp/1445405687/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1329697272&sr=8-2

"This tasty cafeteria classic is the best use of leftover rice ever invented. You have to love a recipe where you get your meat, vegetable and starch all in one delicious package." (Serves 6-8)

For the sauce...
1 T olive oil
1 onion, sliced thin
1 c. beef broth
2 1/2 c. prepared marinara sauce
1 T balsamic vinegar
1/4 t red pepper flakes

Add the olive oil to a saucepan and lightly brown the onions with a large pinch of salt over med-high heat. Remove half, reserve for the stuffing. Stir in the rest of the sauce ingredients ans bring to a simmer. Pour the sauce into the bottom of a large deep casserole dish. Preheat oven to 375.

For the peppers...
1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 lb Italian pork sausage, casings removed
2 c. cooked rice
1 c. grated 'real' parmesan
1/4 c. chopped Italian parsley
4 cloves garlic, finely minced
1 can (10 oz) diced tomatoes
2 t salt
1 t fresh ground pepper
Pinch of cayenne
4 large red peppers (or green if you prefer)

Add all the filling ingredients to a mixing bowl, along with the reserved onions, and stir with a fork, or your hands, until the mixture is combined. Tips: You can cook a small piece of the filling to test the seasoning. Use brown rice to make this dish even healthier.

Cut the peppers in half lengthwise. Use a spoon to remove the stem, seeds and white membrane from each pepper. Fill with the stuffing and place in the casserole dish. Additional cheese can be rated over the top if desired.

Cover with foil and bake for 45 mins. Remove foil and bake for another 20-30 mins, or until the peppers are very tender. Exact cooking time will depend on size, shape and thickness of the peppers. Best to let rest for 10 mins before serving. Serve with the sauce spooned over the top.


Dessert was courtesy of Folgers Coffee & Smucker's... Raspberry Fudge Mocha Mousse Trifle.

I had come across this recipe over the holidays and waited for just the right group to make it for. It's a huge success with my husband and little one too. I promise you won't be disappointed. You can find it here: http://www.folgers.com/coffee-dessert-recipes/raspberry-fudge-mocha-mousse-trifle.aspx

Enjoy...we sure did. Thanks for visiting!

AK

Roasted Chicken Tacos & (Mock) Deep Fried Ice Cream

We gathered at Teresa's house for some fun food and girl time. Funny enough we discussed the appropriate age that all women should probably take their bellybutton piercings. Apparently not all of us agereed on 27. What do you all think? :)

We also had a reader reach out and ask us to review her idea for a new app she's putting together. Here is what we were asked:

"For me, I think the problem with being healthy is motivation. It's an abstract, overwhelming goal. I think the best way to counter this is to have concrete, winnable games and small victories.
So, this app will makes living healthy, and fitness into a RPG game, where users earn points, and "level up' as they achieve their goals. Every time they eat something healthy like vegetables, they earn points. Every time they complete a workout, they earn points. Each level will present different challenges.

The challenges will follow a certain structure. First will come changing your environment such as getting rid of junk food. Then, reducing stress, as stress leads to eating comfort food. Then concrete goals like keeping track of everything you eat, or taking the stairs for a week. Small, concrete goals rather than abstract ones like "be healthy" or "exercise more".

The whole point is to create a holistic framework/game so people will rely less on willpower, and more on fun, achievement, and changing our environment."

We were excited to hear about this app and all agreed that, although there are so many food, health/exercise apps out there, that this one made it seem easier to achieve your goals in a more reasonable fashion. It is currently in the beginning phases and will be sure to pass along the info as soon as it goes live. Thanks for reaching out to us Christine :)

Teresa always has something new for us to try. Last week we pressed our own homemade corn tortillas for our chicken tacos with her tortilla press. Simply made of water, corn meal, and a little bit of corn starch (for texture). Have fun and experiment with the amounts until you achieve a desired texture (should be pliable and a little tacky). Fry in a small amt of vegetable oil.

She served a roasted chicken with a huge assortment of toppings including:

Beans
Guacamole
Jalapenos
Limes
Cabbage
Cotija Cheese (a crumbly Mexican style cheese)
Salsa
Red Onions

Man I know there were more but I'll let you personalize it to your own taste.

Dessert was Deep Fried Ice Cream that was everything but deep fried. If you didn't already know you roll a scoop in crushed up corn flakes and top with whatever you'd like. We had ours with strawberries and mint leaves. Though these are typically used as a garnish, it was really great to incorporate it into a bite.

Don't forget to follow our blog so you don't miss out on any of the great recipes or fun discussions. Thanks for visiting!

AK

Nelle's Famous Pulled Pork Sammies!

As a group of girls who appreciate an amazing menu, we cannot continue to keep this delicious bite a secret any longer. Danielle has been making these for us for years now. They're a big hit at the wedding showers & NYE parties we've celebrated, and we never have any left-overs...unless we mean to of course :)

PULLED PORK SANDWICHES

1 pre-packaged porkloin
1 tsp garlic salt
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper
1 Tbsp worcestershire sauce
1 Tbsp liquid smoke
1 14 oz bottle ketchup
1 cup brown sugar

Danielle says, "I usually make 2 batches of sauce. I cook the pork in 1 batch of sauce for about 6 hours. Then I pour out 1/2 the sauce with all the fat that cooked off and add the new batch of sauce. The meat should fall apart by itself. If not gently pull it apart with forks."

Serve on wheat buns (or rolls to achieve the "slider" effect). These are flavorful enough not to have to add anything but if you want, add a spoonfull of coleslaw either right on top or as a side.

I, myself, have now made these twice just in the last week for 2 different groups of friends & family. 2nds and 3rds were enjoyed whole heartedly, and not just by myself.

ENJOY (we promise you will)!

AK