Zucchini and Sausage Stuffed Peppers

These Zucchini and Sausage Stuffed Peppers were so flavorful and delicious.  I topped them with shredded cheddar cheese at the end of the baking time and it was definitely a plus.   Stuffed peppers seem so difficult to make at first but they really are easy and look impressive.  They are great served with rice, potatoes or quinoa.  Also, I did make only 2 stuffed peppers and used the leftover stuffing mixture to make a sort of mini meatloaf.   I used a small loaf pan and topped it with some barbecue sauce.  I baked it for an hour too and it came out great.  Enjoy!

Zucchini and Sausage Stuffed Peppers

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

4 peppers, tops cut off and seeds removed

1 pound hot Italian sausage

1 egg

½ cup onion, finely diced (about ½ onion)

1 cup zucchini, shredded (about 1 medium sized zucchini)

1 roma tomato, diced

¼ cup breadcrumbs

¼ cup parmesan cheese

1 teaspoon parsley, dried (or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley)

1 teaspoon black pepper

½ teaspoon salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a bowl, mix sausage, egg, onion, zucchini, tomato, breadcrumbs, parmesan, parsley, pepper and salt.

Fill peppers with sausage mixture.

Place stuffed peppers in a baking dish.

Bake uncovered for 1 hour or until fully cooked through.

Optional:  Top stuffed peppers with your favorite cheese and bake for additional 5 to 10 minutes until cheese is melted.

Serves 4.

Turkey Chili

Sorry I have been so busy lately and have not had enough time to blog my recipes.   I started a review class a couple nights a week that is work-related to obtain a certification, which is great, but it only reminds me I am not a young college student anymore.  Working all day and then having to take an evening class for another 3 hours is exhausting!  Also the class material is not easy, mostly math and sciences - another reminder that I'm rusty on the material.  The passing statistics on the certification exam is not great, less than 50% pass and in 2010 it was 39% passing of those who took it!  How crazy is that?  Anyway I'm sidetracking...back to this turkey chili, which is awesome.  It took me less than an hour to prep and cook, so not only is this an easy recipe - it is delicious!  I love that I will have plenty of leftovers for work lunches and you can also freeze any leftovers.  I served this turkey chili with cheddar cheese, that I grated myself, sliced avocados, plain greek yogurt and sliced scallions.   I also had jalapeno cheddar bread from the farmers market this week and it went really well with the turkey chili.  

In addition, for a separate meal, you can make a pasta with the turkey chili and add the same toppings.  Enjoy!

Turkey Chili

Printable Recipe 

Ingredients

1 to 2 tablespoons vegetable oil

1 onion, diced (yellow or red)

2 large bell peppers, diced (or 8 to 12 baby peppers)

2 or 3 cloves garlic, minced

1 pound ground turkey
4 or 6 ounce can diced fire-roasted green chiles
15 ounce can pinto beans, rinsed and drained (or kidney beans/black beans)

11 ounce can mexicorn, drained (or whole kernel corn)

28 ounce can crushed tomatoes

15 ounce can diced tomatoes

1 tablespoon tomato paste

1 teaspoon cumin

2 tablespoons chili powder

salt and pepper

Optional Toppings

shredded cheddar cheese

plain greek yogurt or sour cream

avocado, sliced or diced

scallions, sliced

cilantro, chopped

tortilla or corn chips

Directions

Heat vegetable oil in a large pot over medium–high heat.  Add diced onions, bell peppers and garlic.  Sauté for about 5 minutes.

Add in turkey and break up with wooden spoon.  Season with salt and pepper.  Cook turkey until no longer pink, about 3 to 5 minutes. (Note: I added in a little cumin and chili powder to season the turkey.)

Stir in green chiles, pinto beans and corn.  

Pour in diced tomatoes and crushed tomatoes.  Stir in tomato paste.

Stir in cumin and chili powder.

Reduce heat to low.  Cover and simmer for 30 minutes.  Continue to stir occasionally.

Serve in bowls with your favorite toppings.  (Serves 6 to 8)

Sloppy Joes

Don't buy the canned stuff when you can make it yourself!  These Sloppy Joes are so easy to make.  You can substitute ground turkey or chicken if you don't want to use beef too.  I served these Sloppy Joes in wraps instead of the typical buns.  I topped them with shredded cheddar cheese and some spring lettuce mix.  They are filling and perfect for a quick weeknight dinner.  Enjoy!

 Yum!

Sloppy Joes

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound ground beef

1 carrot, diced

½ onion, diced

¾ cup ketchup

3 teaspoons brown sugar

1 teaspoon garlic, granulated or powder

1 teaspoon dijon mustard

salt and pepper

Directions

In a medium pan over medium-high heat, add ground beef, onion and carrot.  Cook until beef is browned.  Drain liquids (fat). 

Stir in ketchup, brown sugar, garlic and mustard.

Reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes.

Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serves 4 to 6.

Ham and Swiss Omelet

This was probably the best omelet I have ever made!  I actually watched a youtube video to see how an omelet is properly made.  Click here to see the video I watched.  I didn't follow the exact recipe for her omelet, but used what I had already.  I followed her technique on how to cook the omelet.  It really was easier than I thought it would be.  I love that you can eat an omelet for any meal since it is so filling.  I made it for lunch this weekend and it was so good.  Enjoy!

Ham and Swiss Omelet

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

3 eggs

2 tablespoons water or milk

2 slices ham, diced

¼ cup shredded swiss cheese

1 tablespoon butter

pinch of salt

pinch of black pepper

Directions

In a bowl, whisk together eggs, water, salt and black pepper.

In a small non-stick skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat.

Add egg mixture to skillet and allow to cook for 1 minute.  

Lift edges of omelet with a spatula to allow uncooked egg mixture to flow underneath.  Allow to cook additional 2 to 3 minutes, until almost set.

Flip omelet over and top with ham and cheese.  Allow to cook for 1 minute.

Carefully using spatula, roll omelet into thirds (French style) or fold omelet in half.

Serve immediately.

Cheesy Lasagna

I made this Cheesy Lasagna for my sister-in-law's baby shower this weekend.  I went with an Italian theme and it seemed like everyone enjoyed the food.  My mom even called me after the shower and told me how good the lasagna was!  If my mom likes it, then it must be good right?  I noticed it was the first thing to be eaten by the guests too.  This Cheesy Lasagna is actually quite simple to make ahead of time.  I did use my homemade tomato sauce, but you can substitute store bought sauce.  I was able to make this cheesy lasagna two days earlier and reheat it in the oven before serving.  I personally think this lasagna was even better after reheating.  Now I wish I made an extra lasagna for myself! Thank you to my cousins Stephanie and Cathy from Petite Therapy for the photos from the baby shower.  They really make this cheesy lasagna look extra delicious!

Cheesy Lasagna

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 box (9 ounces) Barilla lasagna sheets (no boiling required)

2 eggs

15 ounces ricotta cheese

4 cups shredded mozzarella (or Italian mix) cheese

1 cup parmesan cheese, grated

6 cups homemade tomato sauce (or your favorite store bought marinara sauce)

Directions

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.  Grease a 13x9 inch baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

In a bowl, beat eggs and stir in ricotta, 2 cups mozzarella and ½ cup parmesan.

Spread 1 cup of tomato sauce on bottom of baking dish.

First layer 4 uncooked lasagna sheets, 1/3 of ricotta mixture 1 cup of mozzarella and 1 cup of tomato sauce.

Second layer 4 uncooked lasagna sheets, 1/3 of ricotta mixture and 1 ½ cups of tomato sauce.

Third layer 4 uncooked lasagna sheets, remaining ricotta mixture, and 1 cup of tomato sauce.

Last layer 4 uncooked lasagna sheets, remaining tomato sauce, 1 cup of mozzarella and ½ cup parmesan cheese.

Cover baking dish with foil and bake for 50 to 60 minutes.  Uncover and continue baking until cheese is melted, about 5 minutes.

Let stand at least 15 minutes before cutting.

*If making ahead of time, reheat by baking at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes and be sure to cover with foil.  Uncover in the last 5 minutes.

Salmon Teriyaki

I love this dish; it is one of my favorite ways to prepare salmon.  I serve it over plain white rice and it is delicious.  The rice soaks up the teriyaki sauce and gives the rice great flavor.  How simple is that?  This is a recipe that you can make on a weeknight since it doesn't take long to marinate the salmon and it cooks quickly.  I made the rice and salmon teriyaki all in under an hour.  I love this dish and I hope you will too.  Enjoy! 

Salmon Teriyaki

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 pound boneless salmon fillets (I used Trader Joe’s Wild Alaskan Sockeye Salmon.)

½ cup soy sauce (I used low sodium.)

1/8 cup honey

1 tablespoon lemon juice

½ teaspoon ginger, minced

1 or 2 garlic cloves, minced

Directions

In an 8x8 inch baking dish, whisk together soy sauce, honey, lemon juice, ginger, and garlic.

Place salmon fillets, skin side up, in baking dish to marinate in sauce for at least 15 minutes and up to 30 minutes.  Cover with plastic wrap.

Preheat oven to broiler setting (usually at 500 degrees F.)

Lightly oil a baking sheet.

Place salmon, skin side down, on baking sheet.  Broil for 10 to 15 minutes.

Brush salmon a few times with the leftover marinade.  

If the salmon separates into flakes, it's done.  Remove the skin while the fish is hot.

Serves 2.

Spinach and Kale Roll

This is probably the most easy dish you could make, and it is perfect as a vegetarian appetizer or main dish too.  You only need 2 ingredients basically - frozen puff pastry and Trader Joe's spinach and kale greek yogurt dip.  If you don't have eggs, you could omit the egg wash but it gives it a nice color when baking.  I love Trader Joe's obviously, and their spinach and kale greek yogurt dip is awesome.  I usually like to eat the dip with Trader Joe's Whole Wheat Lavash Chips!  But you will love this spinach and kale roll instead, enjoy!

Spinach and Kale Roll

Printable Recipe

Ingredients

1 sheet frozen puff pastry, defrosted

16 ounces spinach and kale greek yogurt dip (from Trader Joe’s)

1 egg, beaten

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

Unfold puff pastry sheet and lay puff pastry sheet flat.

Spread spinach and kale greek yogurt dip on the puff pastry sheet.

Roll the dough and place seam side down onto parchment lined baking sheet.

 

Brush with beaten egg.

Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, until slightly browned.

Let stand at least 5 minutes before slicing.