Jalapeno Poppers Recipe

When entertaining for The Big Game, you want something that isn't going to take a lot of time to prepare in the kitchen.  My jalapeno poppers do not require a lot of ingredients and are simple to make.  Now, I know what you are thinking, eating a whole jalapeno? I can't handle that!  But trust me, these are delicious and will be a hit with your guests!  Baking the pepper in the oven, paired with the cream cheese really tones down the spiciness!  Tip- If you want to make this recipe a little healthier, use turkey bacon.  Also, make sure you use plastic gloves when seeding the peppers (especially all of you who wear contacts, I made that mistake the first time I made these!)

1 8oz package of cream cheese 

1 cup of cheddar cheese

1 cup of mozzarella cheese

1/4 teaspoon of garlic powder

1 package of bacon (strips cut in half)

1 pound of jalapenos, halved and seeded

1.  Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  In a medium sized bowl combine the cheeses and garlic powder and stir until well combined.  Spoon about 1-2 tablespoons of the cheese on the pepper half.

2.  Take the bacon and wrap it around the pepper. 

3.  Place prepared peppers on a baking sheet and bake for about 10-13 minutes, or until the bacon is fully cooked.  

Perfect Artichoke Dip Recipe

For all you who are planning a party for The Big Game, you must make this this artichoke dip!  Every time I have made it people always ask for the recipe and I am always more than happy to give it out.  It's super creamy with a bit of a kick (you can make it as spicy or mild as you want though).  Serve it with warm pita for it to be a hit!

1 can (14 ounces) artichoke hearts, rinsed and drained, quartered

1 cup of low-fat mayonnaise

1/2 cup of parmesan-romano cheese

1 cup of mozzarella

1/4 teaspoon of onion powder

2 garlic cloves, minced, 

A few dashes of hot sauce

Paprika

Pita bread or crackers

1.  Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

2.  In a medium sized bowl combine the artichokes,  mayonnaise, cheeses, onion powder, garlic cloves and the hot sauce.  Add to a baking dish.  Sprinkle with the paprika for additional color.  

3.  Bake for 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned.  Serve with warm pita bread or crackers. 

Easy Sicilian Stuffed Tomatoes Recipe

I love stuffed tomatoes and this is probably one of the easiest ways to prepare them.  Baking the tomatoes make the tomatoes extra sweet and paring it with a constrasting bold goat cheese totally hits the spot!  Great for a side when having a dinner party or actually whenever!

4 large tomatoes, tops sliced off

1/2 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves of garlic, minced

1 teaspoon of dried oregano

3/4 cup of Italian Style Bread Crumbs

1 Handful of parsley, roughly chopped

1/4 crumbled goat cheese

Salt And Pepper

1.  Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  In a medium sized bowl, combine the onion, garlic and bread crumbs.  Stuff the breading in each tomato.  Add a few shakes of salt and pepper to each tomato. 

2.  Bake for about 15 minutes.  Take tomatoes out, and then crumble goat cheese on top.

Harvest Romaine Salad with Creamy Thyme Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

So despite me refusing to believe that summer is over, I broke down and decided to start concocting a few recipes that create the perfect balance between warm temperatures and fall, starting to creep in.  Blame it on my latest trip to Panera, I got inspired after having one their newest salads.  Well, here is my spin on it!

2 heads of romaine lettuce

1 cucumber sliced

1/4 of dried cherries

1/4 cup of crumbled goat cheese

5 slices of bacon cooked until crumbled, and then crumbled

3 spoonfuls of chopped candied pecans

1.  In a bowl, add the lettuce, cucumbers, dried cherries, cheese, bacon and pecans.  Serve with my Creamy Thyme Balsamic Vinaigrette, recipe is as follows.  

Creamy Thyme Balsamic Vinaigrette Recipe

1/4 cup of extra virgin olive oil

1/4 cup of balsamic vinegar

1 1/2 tablespoons of no fat mayo

1/4 teaspoon of ground mustard

1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder

3 sprigs of thyme, minced

Salt and Ground Pepper to Taste

2.  In a small bowl, add the above ingredients and whisk until fully combined.  Drizzle dressing on top of the salad and then serve!

Bacon and Blue, Red Potatoes Recipe

I had a few of my guy friends over and they were hungry after helping to work on my car!  So, I wanted to treat them right by making them some din din.  Let's just say a steak paired with my Bacon and Blue, Red Potatoes were a huge hit!  If you don't like the taste of strong blue cheese, these may be right up your alley.  The  heavy cream makes for a creamier texture and helps to thin out the strong cheese flavor, leaving an irresistible rich flavor!

1 pound of red potatoes, scrubbed and cooked until tender
2 tablespoons of butter
1 onion sliced
1/4 cup of heavy cream
1/4 cup of blue cheese crumbles
5 Slices of bacon
Salt and Ground Pepper To Taste

1.  In a medium sized skillet cook the bacon until crispy.  I used turkey bacon, but I think it would have been better just to use the good stuff instead of trying to be healthy!  Cook until golden brown and crispy.  Place cooked bacon on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb excess grease.  Let cool and then crumble with your hands. 

2.  In the same skillet add the butter and allow it to melt.  Add the onion and cook for about 4 minutes.  Add in the heavy cream and blue cheese crumbles.  Cook until the sauce thickens. 

3.  Place the potatoes on a platter.  Sprinkle some Drizzle the onion and blue cheese sauce on top of the potatoes.  Add the bacon  and then serve.

Italian Meatball Sub Sandwich Recipe

Sometimes nothing quite hits the spot than homemade meatballs.  These are simple to make, and every time I make these with spaghetti I always get compliments!  I like to pair these sandwiches with a simple arugula salad to balance out the huge hoagies!  But make sure you make my FRESH tomato sauce and don't cheat by using jarred. 

For The Meatballs

1 lb. of ground beef ( I like to use the kind that is 97% fat free, trust me you won't be missing a thing, other than of course the fat)

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 tablespoons italian flat leaf parsley, chopped finely

1 egg

1/4 cup of parmesan romano cheese

1/4 cup of italian style breadcrumbs

Salt and Fresh Ground Pepper to taste

1 loaf of Italian Bread

4 slices of mozzarella cheese

1 1/2 cups of my Homemade Italian Tomato Sauce

1.  Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  In a medium bowl, combine all the ingredients and combine well with your hands.  Form meat into 1 1/2 inch meatballs and place on a baking sheet.

Homemade Italian Tomato Sauce Recipe

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves of garlic, minced

10 ripe tomatoes, diced

1/3 cup of white wine

1 teaspoon of chili pepper flakes

20 leaves of basil, cut into long strips

1 can of tomato paste

In a large pot, add the olive oil, onion and garlic.  Saute for a few minutes, or until the onions begin to get soft.  Stir in the tomatoes, wine, chili flakes and fresh basil.  Bring up to a boil and then turn down under low.  Cook for about 20 minutes, then add in the can of tomato paste to thicken.  Cook for about another 20 minutes and then serve.  If desired you can add up too a 1/4 cup of water to sauce for a less thick sauce.  

2.  Bake for about 20-25 minutes.  Half way through make sure you turn the meat balls with a spatula.  

3.  Slice the bread lengthwise.  Add about a half cup of sauce on the the bread.  Add the meatballs and then top with the remaining tomato sauce.  Add slice cheese and bake for about 5 minutes or until lightly toasted.  

Stoplight Pasta Recipe( Tomato, Sweet Corn and Zucchini Rigatoni Recipe)

I like the name of this pasta and your kids will too!  This is a light dish that is naturally slightly sweet-- just a perfect way to celebrate the flavors of summer.  Next time try to switching things up a bit by using what veggies you have on hand, including peas, spinach, peppers (of any color), yellow squash or yellow tomatoes.  

1 package of rigatoni

1 large (or two regular sized) zucchini, cubed

1/2 pint of grape tomatoes

1 can of sweet corn

2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil

8 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 cup of water from the boiled pasta

3 tablespoons of lemon juice

1/4 cup of a balsamic vinaigrette

1/2 cup of parmesan romano cheese

Salt and pepper to taste

1.  Preheat your oven to 450 degrees.  In a large pot of boiling water cook pasta according the directions on the package (about 10 minutes).  Make sure to reserve 1 1/2 cups of water.  While the water is heating up, start preparing your zucchini and place on a cookie sheet, in addition to the tomatoes and sweet corn.  

2.  Drizzle olive oil on top of vegetables.  Add thyme, salt and pepper.  Bake for 20 minutes or grill for about 15 minutes.

3.  In a large bowl combine the pasta, cooking water, vegetables, lemon juice, vinaigrette and cheese.  Toss until will combined.  Top with any additional cheese then serve.  

Marinated Mozzarella Grilled Cheese Recipe

Whoever said that grilled cheese was only for kids?!  So move over, here is a gourmet grilled cheese for adults, that even the kids will love.  It's perfect for a snack or for a light lunch paired with soup or salad.  I read somewhere that using mayo instead of butter, cuts down on your fat intake, but still leaves the sandwich grilled to perfection.  I love that this recipe looks fancy without putting forth a whole lot of time or effort.  

4 slices of sourdough bread

5 oz of marinated mozzarella cheese (I used Cappiello marinated Mozzarella Braid) sliced into 8 pieces

1 tomato sliced

4 tablespoons of fat-free mayonnaise

1.  On both sides of the bread spread mayonnaise all over it.  Place 4 slices of mozzarella on one slice of bread.  Add two tomato slices on top of the cheese and then cover with another piece of bread.  

2.  On a griddle or large skillet grill the sandwich on medium heat until the cheese is completely melted, turning once. 

3.  Transfer the sandwich to a separate plate and then cut diagonally.  

Traditional Macaroni and Cheese Recipe

What shouts Americana more than a cheesy macaroni and cheese?!  If you are looking for just a good, tasty macaroni and cheese that everyone is going to love, then this is your recipe.  I actually found 50% reduced fat cheddar cheese and I didn't miss a thing due to the sweetness from the basil, smokiness of the chili powder and the light zing of hot pepper sauce.   

1 package of large elbow macaroni

2 tablespoons of butter

1 yellow onion diced

2 tablespoons of flour

1 1/2 cups of milk

1 tablespoon of dijon mustard

4 leaves of basil shredded

Several dashes of chili powder

Several dashes of hot sauce

1/4 teaspoon of white pepper

8 oz of extra sharp white cheddar, shredded (about 2 cups)

2 oz of mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1/2 cup)

Salt to taste

2 tablespoons of breadcrumbs

1.  In a large pot add several cups of water to a boil and then add macaroni.  Cook according to the directions on the box, or until al dente.  

2. While the pasta is cooking, you are to start making the cheese sauce. In another large pot, melt the butter under medium heat and then add the onions.  Cook for about 5 minutes or until the onion is soft. 

3.  Add the flour and stir so it is fully covering the onions.  Remove from heat and add milk and stir until everything is fully incorporated.  Add the pot back to the stovetop under medium heat and continue to stir until the mixture begins to thicken.  

4.  At this time add in the mustard, basil, chili powder, hot sauce and pepper.  Remove from heat and then add in the cooked pasta and then the cheeses.  Stir until all the cheese is melted.  Add salt to taste.

5.  Set your oven to broil.  Spoon pasta mixture into a 9x9 inch square pan.  Sprinkle the bread crumbs on top and place on top shelf of the oven for about 5 minutes, or until the breadcrumbs are toasted.