Black Bean Stuffed Peppers

*Ingredients*

Black Bean Stuffed Peppers

·         2 small peppers- any kind you’d like

·         1/2 medium sized onion, diced

·         1 clove garlic, minced

·         1 TBSP olive oil

·         1, 15 oz can black beans, drained and rinsed

·         1/4 cup water

·         2 tsp cumin

·         2 tsp chili powder

·         1/2 tsp smoked paprika

·         1/2 tsp salt

·         pinch cayenne pepper for a little heat

·         1/2 cup sweet corn

·         1/2 cup shredded Colby Jack cheese, or any cheese you like

·         fresh cilantro, salsa, and sour cream for serving

1.   Preheat oven to 400°F. Cut a slit through the entire length of each of your peppers. Place them on a baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes, until the skins are softened and beginning to blister.

2.   Heat olive oil in a small saucepan set over medium heat. Add your onion and saute for 3 minutes, until beginning to soften and turn translucent.

3.   Add garlic and stir constantly for 30 seconds, until fragrant.

4.   Stir in your black beans along with the water.

5.   Add your cumin, chili powder, paprika, salt, and cayenne. Stir, cover the pot, reduce the heat to low and simmer the beans for at least 15 minutes, but up to 30 minutes.

6.   Stir in corn. Divide the bean mixture evenly among the two peppers and sprinkle with cheese.

7.   Broil for 3 minutes, until the cheese is melted and bubbling. Garnish with fresh cilantro, salsa, and sour cream if you’d like.

*Super Yummy* Note: this yielded A LOT of filling, could def make 4-5 peppers!*

Easy Chocolate Cream Pie Minis

*Ingredients*

Easy Chocolate Cream Pie Minis

1 envelope of Dream Whip Whipped Topping Mix

1& 1/3 cups of cold milk, divided

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

1 package (4 oz) Jell-o Instant Pudding, chocolate flavor

6 mini Graham Cracker Pie Crusts

Beat whipped topping mix with ¾ cup of the cold milk and vanilla in a large bowl with an electric mixer on high for 6 minutes. Until topping thickens and forms peaks

Add the remaining milk and pudding mix; beat on low until combined, then beat on high for 2 minutes; scraping bowl occasionally. Spoon into pie crusts.

Refrigerate for at least 2 ½ hours. Makes 6 mini pies. Top with cool whip.

*My husband's favorite*

Zucchini Parmesan

*Ingredients*

Zucchini Parmesan

3 large zucchini, sliced into 1/3 inch coins

1 tablespoon Extra Virgin Olive Oil

¾ cup Parmesan Cheese

½ cup Italian bread crumbs

Salt and pepper to taste

1 ½ cups spaghetti sauce

½ cup mozzarella cheese, grated

Preheat oven to 450.

Spray a large baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray. Blot the zucchini coins with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. Place zucchini in a medium bowl and drizzle with the EVOO, turning to coat each piece. In a separate bowl, combine half of the parmesan, bread crumbs, salt and pepper.

Dip each zucchini into the parmesan mixture, turning to coat and pressing the breading slightly to ensure that it sticks, Place breaded zucchini coins in one even layer on the prepared baking sheet, bake for 25 minutes or until browned and crisp.

Reduce the oven to 400 degrees. Coat the bottom of a small baking dish with the spaghetti sauce. Layer one third of the crisp zucchini coins over the spaghetti sauce, overlapping if necessary. Sprinkle zucchini layer with some sauce, some mozzarella and then some parmesan. Repeat the layer 1 time ending  with a sprinkling of the remaining cheese.

Bake for 15 minutes or until the cheese is melted and the sauce is bubbling. Cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.

*so good!* Cut in half if only serving for 2 :) *

Chicken Ala King

*Ingredients*

Chicken Ala King

¼ cup butter

1/3 cup all purpose flour

½ tsp salt

1 cup chicken broth

1 cup milk

2 cups of chicken, diced and cooked

After cooking the chicken, set aside. In a medium skillet, melt butter, over medium low heat. Then add flour and salt, whisk together and cook for 1 minute.  Next add chicken broth and milk. Whisk until it thickens. Add the cooked chicken and heat through. Serve over white rice.

* Mine will be a little bit darker in color because I used homemade chicken stock and it tends to be darker than canned.*

Cream Cheese Rippled Pumpkin Bread

Cream Cheese Rippled Pumpkin Bread

Cream Cheese Filling:

8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature

1/2 cup granulated white sugar

2 large eggs

1 1/2 tablespoons all purpose flour

Pumpkin Bread:

1 cup toasted pecans or walnuts (optional)

3 1/2 cups all purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

4 large eggs

2 cups granulated white sugar

1 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1– 15 ounce can pure pumpkin

1/2 cup water

1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and flour two 9″x5″ pans.

For the Cream Cheese Filling: Beat the cream cheese just until smooth in a stand mixer or food processor. Add the sugar and process just until smooth and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, processing just until incorporated. Do not over process. Stir in the flour. Set aside.

For the Pumpkin Bread: Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl and set aside. In another large bowl, whisk together the eggs until lightly beaten. Whisk in the sugar and melted butter, then stir in the pumpkin, water, vanilla extract, and (optionally) nuts.

Stir the flour mixture into the pumpkin mixture, being careful not to overmix. A few streaks of flour are fine. Divide the batter in half. Take one half and divide it between the two pans. Pour half of the cream cheese filling into each pan, then top with the remaining half of batter. Smooth the tops and bake an hour, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Cool pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes, then turn out and cool loaves to room temperature.

*yummy! I obviously didn't use nuts... *

Four Cheese Lasagna

*Ingredients*

Four Cheese Lasagna

1 lb ground beef

1 onion

1 (8 oz) package of Neufchatel cheese, softened

1 cup cottage cheese

1 (8oz) package of shredded mozzarella cheese, divided

½ cup parmesan cheese, divided

1 egg, beaten

1 (24 oz) jar of spaghetti sauce

1 (14.5 oz) can of diced tomatoes, drained

½ teaspoon dried oregano

12 lasagna noodles, cooked

Preheat oven to 350.

Brown the meat with the onion in a large skillet. Meanwhile, mix together the Neufchatel cheese, cottage cheese and 1 ½ cups of mozzarella cheese, ¼ cup of parmesan cheese and egg until well blended.

Drain the meat and onion, return to skillet. Stir in spaghetti sauce, tomatoes and oregano. Simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Spoon 1 cup of meat sauce onto the bottom of a 9x13 baking dish; top with 3 lasagna noodles, 1 cup of the cheese mixture, 1 cup of the meat sauce mixture. Repeat these layers twice more. Then top with remaining noodles, meat sauce, mozzarella, and Parmesan. Cover with foil. (Spray foil with non-stick spray before covering so that the cheese doesn’t stick to it.)

Bake for 40 minutes, then uncover and cook for an additional 10 minutes. Let stand for 10 minutes before eating. Enjoy J

*A HUH MAZZZ ING*

PF Chang's Lettuce Wraps Copy Cat

*Ingredients*

P.F. Chang’s Lettuce Wraps (serves 2-3)

1lb ground chicken breast

1/2 medium onion, minced

salt & pepper, a dash of each

2 large cloves garlic, minced

1 inch knob fresh ginger, peeled & minced

1 Tablespoon sesame oil

2 1/2 Tablespoons soy sauce

1/2 Tablespoon water

1 Tablespoon natural peanut butter

1/2 Tablespoon honey

1 Tablespoons + 1 teaspoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce (or more if you like it hotter)

dash of fresh pepper

3 green onions, chopped

1/2-8oz can sliced water chestnuts, drained & chopped

1/4 cup peanuts, chopped

10-12 large outer lettuce leaves, rinsed and patted dry

Directions:

1. Heat a large, non-stick skillet on high. Add chicken, onion, salt & pepper, and cook until chicken is nearly done, stirring often to break up the meat. Add in minced garlic and ginger, and continue cooking until chicken is no longer pink.

 2. Meanwhile, in a microwave safe bowl, combine sesame oil, soy sauce, water, peanut butter, honey, rice vinegar, chili garlic sauce and pepper. Microwave for 20 seconds, then stir until smooth. Add into the skillet and stir to combine.

3 Add green onion and water chestnuts into the skillet then cook for 1-2 minutes until the onions are soft and the water chestnuts are heated through.

 4. Sprinkle with chopped peanuts, and serve with cold lettuce leaves.

*AMAZING! Taste just like the real things!* This is a keeper!*