We tried our hand at a garden for the first time this year. Some things turned our good, others not so much. One thing that took off was our jalapeno plants. Dan picked about 20 peppers and I decided to whip up a mixture to stuff it with. Now, keep in mind that I have gained a ton of weight back this summer, so I made all of these with lower fat ingredients. Enjoy!
About 20 small to medium jalapeno peppers
4 oz. "Neufchâtel" cream cheese
1/4 cup reduced fat sharp cheddar cheese
1 2oz jar pimentos
15 slices turkey bacon, separated
toothpicks
Crisp 5 slices on bacon in pan or oven and crumble. Slice one side of the peppers and take seeds out, being careful not to separate both sides of the peppers (it is alright if you do, it just makes in more difficult later). Blanch peppers for 2-3 minutes. (Boil in water and immediately place in cold water to stop cooking process). I do this to take a bit of the heat from the jalapenos. If you like them hotter, skip the blanching step, but make sure to rinse the peppers thoroughly. Mix cream cheese, pimentos with juice from jar, cheese, and crumbled bacon. Stuff each pepper with cheese mixture so that the pepper can be closed. Wrap each pepper with 1/2 slice of bacon, using a toothpick to keep in place. Wrap 4-5 peppers in aluminum foil, well sprayed with cooking spray. Grill over medium heat 10-15 minutes, or until bacon crisp.
Cream Cheese Goodness
So, I have been concocting cream cheese recipes for a Philly Cream cheese recipe contest I found. Tonight I made Sauteed Chicken with Curry Pecan Cream Cheese Sauce. It was pretty yummy. I plan on writing up the recipe soon, once I figure out the right amount of everything. I have been on vacation the past few but am back now, full of new recipes to try out. Stay tuned.....
Michigan Burger take 1
So, as stupid as it sounds, I am trying to perfect a signature burger for an entry in a competition. That is what food network does.... makes you think you can play with the big dogs. I want to preface this with the fact that I realize I am not in the same league (or even close) as those people, but I believe in challenging myself, so here I go... I decided to make this burger in ode to Michigan, my home state. I instantly thought of apples and Vernor's ginger ale. I am not going to post the recipe, not because it is a big secret, but because I was not super happy with the results. The idea was to have a pork burger (made from ground pork, shredded apples, and panko bread crumbs), topped with provolone, bacon, spinach, apple and onion chutney (made with apples and onions sauteed with butter, ginger ale, and brown sugar), and ginger ale reduction mayonnaise (made with reduced Vernors, mayo, and green onions) on top of a toasted bun. The bread I chose was not great, and the pork needed a ton more flavor. I was happy with the way it looked, and the best thing I can say is that it didn't taste bad.... just not as good as I wanted. As you can probably guess there was a bit more work than the average burger for it to taste just okay..... Stay tuned for more burger ideas... hopefully better than this one!
Frozen Lemonade Pie
I forgot to post this recipe when I made it for the 4th of July. It was a perfect light sweet dessert for a warm summer day. It is a really strong flavor, so you could cut the lemonade down a bit for a more subtle flavor. I found this recipe on Food Network site from the Neely's. I think the measurements are off a bit. I doubled the recipe and had a ton of filling left. So if anything, double the crust and make 2 pies out of the original recipe. Hope you enjoy as much as we did.
Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumb
1/4 cup sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
2 cups heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate (do not thaw)
Topping:
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries (I used blackberries)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press firmly on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes; cool completely.
Filling: In a cold medium bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, stir together the condensed milk and frozen lemonade. Gently fold the lemonade mixture into the whipped cream. Pour the filling into the crust; freeze overnight.
Topping: Toss the berries in a medium bowl with the sugar and lemon juice. Set aside until ready to serve.
Let the pie come to room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting. Top each slice with berries.
Crust:
2 cups graham cracker crumb
1/4 cup sugar
7 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Filling:
2 cups heavy cream
1 14-ounce can sweetened condensed milk, chilled
1 6-ounce can frozen lemonade concentrate (do not thaw)
Topping:
1 cup blueberries
1 cup raspberries (I used blackberries)
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Crust: In a medium bowl, combine the graham cracker crumbs, sugar and melted butter. Press firmly on the bottom and up the sides of a 9-inch pie plate. Bake for 7 minutes; cool completely.
Filling: In a cold medium bowl, whip the cream until stiff peaks form. In another bowl, stir together the condensed milk and frozen lemonade. Gently fold the lemonade mixture into the whipped cream. Pour the filling into the crust; freeze overnight.
Topping: Toss the berries in a medium bowl with the sugar and lemon juice. Set aside until ready to serve.
Let the pie come to room temperature for 10 minutes before cutting. Top each slice with berries.
Chicken and Black Bean Empandas
My husband had his 30th birthday Friday and I decided to make a Mexican/Spanish themed menu instead of the staple bbq for his party. I have to say, it all was pretty good, but the biggest hit of the night were the empanadas. They were super yummy. They were a little time consuming since I was making a big batch, but not difficult and well worth it. Everyone's favorite. It is a Paula Dean recipe I found in a recent magazine. Thanks Paula!!
Empanadas
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts
1 can black beans, drained but not rinsed
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 pkg refrigerated pie crust
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Chipotle Dipping Sauce
1 cup mayonaise
1 cup whole buttermilk
1 pkg buttermilk salad dressing mix
1-2 tsp adobo sauce from chipotle peppers
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine chicken, beans, Mexican cheese, cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Place pie crust on flour surface and cut into rounds, using a 3 inch cookie cutter. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture in the center of each round. Fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges together with a fork to seal. Brush each with beaten egg using a party brush. Bake 17-18 minutes or until golden brown (mine took longer). For dip, mix mayo, buttermilk, dressing mix, and adobo sauce. Chill for at least 1 hour. Serve with warm empanadas.
Empanadas
1 1/2 cups chopped cooked chicken breasts
1 can black beans, drained but not rinsed
1 cup shredded Mexican blend cheese
3 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 pkg refrigerated pie crust
1 large egg, lightly beaten
Chipotle Dipping Sauce
1 cup mayonaise
1 cup whole buttermilk
1 pkg buttermilk salad dressing mix
1-2 tsp adobo sauce from chipotle peppers
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 2 baking sheets with nonstick cooking spray. In large bowl, combine chicken, beans, Mexican cheese, cream cheese, salt, and pepper. Place pie crust on flour surface and cut into rounds, using a 3 inch cookie cutter. Place 1 heaping tablespoon of the chicken mixture in the center of each round. Fold the dough over the filling, pressing the edges together with a fork to seal. Brush each with beaten egg using a party brush. Bake 17-18 minutes or until golden brown (mine took longer). For dip, mix mayo, buttermilk, dressing mix, and adobo sauce. Chill for at least 1 hour. Serve with warm empanadas.
Stuffed Strawberries
So, 4th of July is one of our favorites, and I love cooking for it. I usually make some sort of staple fruit salad, but this year I tried a recipe from Paula Dean. I have to admit, they are yummy. Mine didn't look as good as this picture from her site, but they tasted pretty darn good.
20 medium strawberries.
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla)
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Slice the tops off of the strawberries so that they sit flat on serving tray cut side down. Slice the strawberries in a criss-cross cut careful to not cut all the way through the berry. Fan out the wedges, taking care not to break the sides. Mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and almond extract until smooth. Fill the strawberries with cream cheese mixture using a pastry bag or teaspoon. Top with chopped pecans. Cover and refrigerate until use.
8 oz. cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup powdered sugar
1/4 teaspoon almond extract (or vanilla)
3/4 cup chopped pecans
Slice the tops off of the strawberries so that they sit flat on serving tray cut side down. Slice the strawberries in a criss-cross cut careful to not cut all the way through the berry. Fan out the wedges, taking care not to break the sides. Mix the cream cheese, powdered sugar, and almond extract until smooth. Fill the strawberries with cream cheese mixture using a pastry bag or teaspoon. Top with chopped pecans. Cover and refrigerate until use.
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