Recipe Review - Crockpot Vegetarian Stuffed Peppers

Let me first say that this is not my own original recipe, rather one that we found from Corey at Family Fresh Meals. It has since become a staple at our house, along with many others from her, and is just too darn good not to share. We always make our version vegetarian and use specific ingredients that work in terms of preparation and flavor for us, so I have repeated that recipe here for convenience. It's perfectly delicious! Oh, and they make great leftovers, too. You should give it a try and visit Family Fresh Meals for lots of other fantastic recipes!

Corey's Crockpot Vegetarian Stuffed Bell Peppers 
Ingredients - 6 large bell peppers (we prefer the red/orange over green), 1 bag of meatless Quorn crumbles, 1 box Uncle Ben's Long Grain & Wild Rice Fast Cook Recipe (prepared), 2 cups vegetable stock, 1 - 15oz can diced tomatoes, 1 medium onion (chopped), 2 minced garlic cloves, 2 cups shredded cheddar/jack blend cheese, 1 egg, 1 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and some shredded Parmesan to serve.

1. Prepare the peppers by just removing the tops, then discarding the seeds and ribs from inside. Keep the tops for lunch scraps (or munch on immediately).
2. To make the filling, you literally just mix the meatless crumbles, prepared rice, 1/2 can tomatoes, onion, garlic, cheese, egg, salt, and pepper together.
3. Stuff the peppers. And by stuffing, I mean pack that stuff in there good because there is a lot of filling. I'm usually left with enough filling to fill another whole pepper, but since my crockpot can't handle more than 6, I just pack them full, then mound more filling on top of each pepper. It works out. I promise! I usually stuff the peppers outside of the crockpot and then put them in already stuffed, but you can put them in first if it's easier for you. Then, pour the rest of the diced tomatoes over the top, pour the stock around and on top of the peppers, put the lid on, and set your crockpot to high for 5-6 hours or low for 8 hours. Test them about an hour before they are done because sometimes they are ready to go sooner, especially if you like the peppers just a wee bit firmer. To serve, sprinkle with some Parmesan cheese. They are so moist, 'meaty', and delicious! You will love them!
*TIP* - Didn't I say they made good leftovers, too? Keep some cooking liquid with them for reheating and they stay super juicy. In fact, I've kept that cooking liquid (it is fabulous and I could practically drink it out of a straw right from the crockpot) just to douse buttered noodles or rice or to add flavor when skillet cooking eggs, mushrooms, etc. It's that good!

Leftover stuffed pepper with Parmesan cheese, Ritz crackers (to soak up more yummy goodness), and kiwi.

Wrap It Up

Last week was the first week of nice weather for us (finally), and there is nothing like pasta salad and veggie wraps to speak of spring or summer to me. As far back as I can recall, a regular staple meal for warm, lazy (or crazy) days, at home, but especially up at Hubbard Lake, consisted of a plethora of veggies and cheeses (meats if you please) all wrapped up and eaten with chips and/or pasta salad. No cooking required. Very little cleanup required, too, since most of the scraps get picked at and eaten or just tossed together for salad the next day. The best thing is that everyone can build their own and eat what they like, and it's fun!

Lay out your goodies, some knives and plates, assemble and enjoy! We normally just pull out whatever veggies are in the fridge and have plenty of choices, but I did notice on this day, I was missing zucchini and sprouts, two favorites of mine in these wraps. Alas. We still had peppers, cucumber, carrots, radish, olives, tomato, lettuce, avocado, egg, and a couple of cheeses, plus condiments (or salad dressing). They really are delicious!

It is also a major bonus to these yummy wraps that the kiddo loves to be involved in preparing what she's eating. What kid doesn't want to be able to pick and choose their favorites to build their meal around, right? This is one of those meals where everyone in the family really can have a say in what they have, for sure.

Recipe Review - Crockpot Black Bean Mexican Stew

I have a not so secret love affair with my slow cooker. I'm not ashamed to admit it. I am always on the hunt for fantastic new recipes, so when I have one that we love and use over and over, I want to share too! This Mexican stew can be served as is, over rice, with cornbread or warmed tortillas, or even with tortilla chips. Toppings are up to you too. We serve it with shredded cheddar, a bit of sour cream, and chunks of fresh avocado, but use what you like, and enjoy!

Crockpot Black Bean Mexican Stew
Ingredients - 2-15oz cans black beans (rinsed and drained), 2-4.5oz cans chopped green chilies, 1-14.5oz Mexican stewed tomatoes, 1-14.5oz diced tomatoes, 1-11oz can corn (drained), 4 sliced green onions (optional), 2-3Tbsp chili powder, 1 tsp cumin, 1/2 tsp minced garlic, 1-15oz can vegetable broth, plus optional topping ingredients like shredded cheese and sour cream

This is where it gets really easy! All you need to do is dump all your ingredients into your crock pot and mix it up. Cook on high 4-5 hours, then low until serving. As mentioned above, we like to serve ours with shredded cheddar, sour cream, and avocado by the bowl with warm buttered corn tortillas. Whatever way you serve it, I hope you love it!
Another great thing about recipes like this is that kids can help. I opened the cans and my 4-year-old did the rest. Don't mind the giant mess on the counter. It was that simple, and around here, if the kiddo helps out with dinner, she is always more eager to eat.

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Cups for Dinner (or Lunch)

I love when you can throw a concoction of things together to come up with something easy, simple, and super yummy. I make rice with broccoli and cheese often, but was trying to come up with a way to make it a little more fun (and lunchbox friendly). I've seen everything under the sun made in muffin tins as of late, so I figured, why not this? It turns out that these work great as muffin tin ingredients, too! I packed up leftovers for hubby's lunch, and he ate them cold. At home, I warmed ours back up, and it worked like a charm. Yum!

Cheesy Broccoli Rice Cups
Ingredients - 1 1/2 c instant rice or rice of your choice (uncooked), 1 1/2 c vegetable broth, 1-12 oz bag frozen chopped broccoli (thawed and drained), 1 1/3 c shredded sharp cheddar, 1/3 c bottled Ranch dressing, 2 eggs, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, 1/4 tsp garlic powder.

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Cook your rice according to package directions, using the broth rather than water, and let cool slightly. I used instant because it was quick and easy, but use whatever rice you like. Mix the rice with all the other ingredients, reserving 1/3 c of the cheddar, until blended. Scoop the rice mixture into 12 lightly greased muffin tin cups. Sprinkle the remaining cheddar on top of each one. Bake for 25-30 minutes until heated through and cheese is nice and browned. Use a spatula to gently loosen and lift each one out of the cups, and enjoy hot as a main with salad, a side dish, or let cool and pack it up for lunch! I'm sure you could substitute any veggie (as long as it wasn't too watery) and/or different cheese, probably even use quinoa rather than rice, and still have these turn out great. I would love to try a cauliflower and a smoked cheese variation next.

Vanilla Greek yogurt with Trader Joe's dried blueberries, celery, grape tomatoes, cucumber, mandarin orange, leftover cheesy broccoli rice cups, and ranch dressing.

In this lunch...
 

Recipe Review - Fresh Broccoli Cream Soup

Post holidays, I'm looking for something simple, fresh, warm, and delicious. This creamy, vegetarian soup one hits the spot for me. Hope it does for you too!

Fresh Broccoli Cream Soup 
Ingredients - 4 c chopped fresh broccoli florets, 1 c chopped celery, 1 c chopped carrots, 1/2 onion, chopped, 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, 6 Tbsp all purpose flour, 3 c vegetable broth, 2 c whole milk, 1 tsp dry parsley (or 1 Tbsp fresh), 1/2 tsp onion powder, 1/2 tsp garlic powder, 1 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper.

Boil 2 cups of water. Add the broccoli, celery, and carrots. Boil for 3-5 minutes. Drain and set aside.
In the same pot, saute the onion in butter until tender. Whisk in the flour to form a smooth paste. Gradually whisk in the milk and broth. Bring the mixture to a boil, stirring for 1 minute.
Add the vegetables, and the remaining ingredients, to the pot. Reduce heat, and simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes until the vegetables are tender.
Serve with shredded cheese on top.

Pass the Pea Salad Please

This mama has strep throat .. boo.. Afraid, the kiddo might have it too.. bigger boo.. This has led to a very unmotivated mama to provide anything other than your minimal sustenance. Today, in a total slump, I went to my trusty Momables file. Eureka.. not only did they come through for something different today, it tasted super to me too, so I made some more for mama. We made their 'Under the Sea' pasta recipe with some edits based on what we had on hand. That's one of the things I love about it.. gives you ideas, and you can copy or tweak, but the idea is planted! Thanks Momables! Ooh, and look for a full review and giveaway of Momables coming soon! And, since I'm in the thanking mood, thanks to Biting the Hand that Feeds You for the delicious Chococones in this lunch. I'm ashamed to say I ate nearly the whole box. Yum!

Momables-style tuna pasta, homemade pea salad (recipe to follow), apple, chow mein noodles, corn flakes, Colby jack cheese, and chococones.

Okay, so for most people when they are sick, it's chicken noodle soup and jello. Okay, so those are good too, but for me, it's often pea salad. It reminds me of comfort and family because we have it at every holiday there is. My occasion? Friday. And it sounded good. Sweet peas, tart apples, crisp celery, creamy mayo, and a poop-ton of pepper! Drool..

Grandma's Peppery Pea Salad

Ingredients - 2 cans petite sweet peas (yes it has to be the petite or early peas), 2 stalks celery (dice how you want to.. I do it small), 3/4 - 1 granny smith apple (peeled, cored, and diced how you like), mayo* (the real stuff), and lots of pepper. My grandma always added finely chopped pecans to hers, but I prefer it without. If you add them, do about 1/3 cup.

Mix the peas, celery, apple, and pecans (if using) in a bowl. Add mayo. Now, the mayo really is an eyeballing sort of ingredient to add. You want to put enough in that the mixture really does look 'wet', because it does tighten up a bit overnight. I'd say I add just about 1/2 cup, but start with a little less and add to taste. Dump in your pepper, and stir.  You want to see the pepper in there. The kick of spice from the pepper really brings this all together. Cover and chill overnight, or at least for a few hours. Yum!

In this lunch...

Recipe Review - Roasted Vegetable & Gruyere Frittata

Okay, I'm a sucker for anything with roasted vegetables, and when you add that to some seriously fantastic cheese and deliver them in a vessel like a quiche or frittata, I'm done for. And this one has it all! Roasted, seasoned veggies, nutty Gruyere cheese, and creamy eggs ... seriously, delicious. I'm sure you could easily alter the veggies to any of your favorites without any trouble, and whatever you do, don't skimp on the cheese. I had never tried a frittata before having been paranoid that the whole thing would cement itself into my pan indefinitely. I stuck with quiche that had a crust between my precious Calphalon Anodized Cookware and those pesky eggs, but this turned out just as I had envisioned.. minus the whole pan nightmare. It came out just like butter. This recipe is adapted from one I saw on Barefoot Contessa.

Roasted Vegetable & Gruyere Frittata 

Ingredients - 1 red bell pepper, 1 yellow bell pepper, 1 small red onion, 2 small zucchini (all veggies in 1" or so chunks), 1/4 c olive oil, 1 - 1-1/2 tsp salt (divided), 1 tsp pepper (divided), 2 cloves garlic (minced), 12 large eggs (can get away with 10), 1 c half and half, 1/4 c grated Parmesan, 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, 1/3 c scallions (chopped), 1/2-3/4 c shredded/grated gruyere cheese (we used the larger amount)

Toss veggies with olive oil, 1/2-3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper. Put on a sheet pan in a 425 degree oven for 15 minutes. Add the garlic, toss, and continue to roast for another 15 minutes. Take out, and turn down the oven to 350 degrees. While these are roasting, mix the eggs, half and half, Parmesan, 1/2-3/4 tsp salt, and 1/2 tsp pepper in a bowl. Set aside.

In a 10 inch ovenproof skillet, saute the green onions in butter over medium-low for 1 minute. Add the roasted veggies and toss. Pour the egg mixture over the veggies, and cook 2-3 minutes over medium-low without stirring. I kept staring at it, tempted to jostle the pan around, but refrain. It will all be okay! Transfer the pan to the oven and bake for 20-30 minutes, until puffed and up and set in the center. And, man oh man, does that thing puff up! Sprinkle with the Gruyere and put back in the oven for a few minutes to melt the cheese. Slice and serve hot!

Before the cheese was added.. bubbling, puffy, savory deliciousness already!

I should say, of course, that we did not eat the frittata in its entirety on the first night. It reheated fantastic, and was delicious cold. I just could not help myself from picking at it later that night.. so, so good!

Recipe Review - Favorite Red Soups for Fall

Autumn Equinox. It's officially fall. I love fall. Just to be clear, I'm not fond of what follows, but the aromas, colors, and activities this time of year cannot be beat. We made a couple of our favorite red soups over the weekend, and prepared some upcoming fall themed crafts that should be a lot of fun for the coming weeks. Hopefully, you can enjoy one or both of these soups sometime in your Autumn celebrations too.

Triple Red Soup 

Ingredients - 1 red pepper, (chopped), 1 onion (chopped), 1 clove garlic (crushed), 2 Tbsp olive oil, 14oz can diced tomatoes, 4c vegetable stock, 6 Tbsp quick cooking long grain rice, 2 Tbsp Worcestershire, 14oz can kidney beans (rinsed,drained), 1 tsp oregano, 1 tsp sugar, salt, pepper, parsley & shredded cheddar to serve

Heat pepper, onion, and garlic in oil; cover & cook 5 minutes on low. Add all remaining ingredients, other than parsley and cheddar. Bring to boil. Stir and simmer, covered, for 15 minutes. Garnish with parsley and cheddar. Serve w/ crusty bread!

Italian Cheese Ravioli Stew 

Ingredients - 2c chopped carrots, 1c chopped onion, 2 Tbsp olive oil, 2 - 15oz cans vegetable broth, 2 - 15 oz Italian diced tomatoes, 1 - 15oz can Cannelloni beans (rinsed/drained), 2 tsp dry basil, 10oz refrigerated cheese ravioli

Heat olive oil, and saute carrots and onion for 5 minutes. Add the rest of the ingredients, except the ravioli. Cover and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Return to boil Add ravioli, and cook the additional time to cook the ravioli, typically 7-9 minutes. You can also make this in the slow cooker on low for ~6 hours, but eliminate the oil. Increase heat to high, and add ravioli. Cook additional 8 minutes. Serve with Parmesan cheese and garlic toast.

Roald Dahl Day

"And above all, watch with glittering eyes the whole world around you because the greatest secrets are always hidden in the most unlikely places. Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."
   -- Roald Dahl

I just love Dahl's writing! From the classics like Charlie and the Chocolate Factory to the hilarious Revolting Rhymes & Dirty Beasts and everything in between, I can't get enough. So, for Roald Dahl Day, I had to do a lunch AND dinner inspired by some of my favorite works. Be sure to visit  Lunches Fit For a Kid  and Bent On Better Lunches for more Dahl-icious ideas!

Wormy spaghetti complete w/ gummy worm (The Twits), chicken (Fantastic Mr. Fox), sharp cheddar cheese letters, peach slices (James & The Giant Peach), peas (The Witches), and cashews, butterscotch, and chocolate chips (Charlie & The Chocolate Factory) all in our giraffe bento box (The Giraffe and the Pelly and Me)

One of my personal favorites by Roald Dahl is The Witches. Witches from all over the world are attending their annual meeting, and their meal of choice is split pea soup. As a kid, I loved my mom's split pea soup, but I haven't eaten ham in a long, long time, so I really had to get the right recipe to capture that smoky flavor without the use of meat. I'm happy to say that the recipe I made, which was adapted from Taste of Home, was absolutely fabulous. No one missed the meat one bit!

Vegetarian Split Pea Soup 

Ingredients - 4 cups vegetable broth, 2 cups water, 2 cups dried green split peas (rinsed), 1 medium onion, chopped, 1 cup chopped carrot, 1 cup chopped celery, 2 minced garlic cloves, 1/2 tsp dry marjoram, 1/2 tsp dry basil, 3/8 tsp cumin, 3/4 tsp salt, 1/4 tsp pepper, sour cream (optional)

In a stock pot, mix the first 10 ingredients. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 1 hour, stirring occasionally. Add the salt and pepper and simmer another 10 minutes. You can serve as is at that point, or you can puree. It really depends on your preference. I used my immersion blender for the task of pureeing and achieved a silky smooth split pea soup.

You can also cook this soup in a crock pot on low for 2-3 hours. Add-ins can make your soup really unique too. Croutons with a sprinkle of sharp cheddar cheese is one favorite!

We served ours last night with crusty bread and sour cream. Absolutely fantastic! I would make this again and again!

 And our project for today was a peach! The most fun was ripping up pin, orange, and yellow construction paper into bits. Then the bits were glued down, and the shape cut out when it was all dry. Add a stem and leaf, and tada!

 

In this lunch...