Sausage stuffed Zucchini

I couldn't decide on any recipes this morning when I was planning my grocery trip. I decided to be inspired by the farmer's market. I found these exciting looking zucchini squash which had a name I cannot remember. I asked the guy at the market what should I do with these? He said one lady stuffed them with sausage and baked them. Aaaah, inspiration. Here is how I did mine, but maybe you will find inspiration and do your own take. Enjoy.

1. Cut top off squash and hollow out the insides. Throw away the seeds, and keep some of the flesh in a separate bowl.

2. Cook hollowed out squash in the oven at 350 in 1/4 inch of water for about 15-20 minutes.

2. I chopped up really good mushrooms, wala wala onion, and the squash I pulled out. I added all of these to some really good sausage.

3. Saute this mix, and fill the squash when it comes out of the oven. Cook for another 20 minutes.

This would also be good with some bread crumbs and Parmesan cheese mixed in. I think next time I would add some celery too for a little crunch. It was really good, and the sausage flavored the zucchini very nicely.

Crock Pot Apple Pork Chops

I just tried this recipe tonight, and I am in Heaven!!! This is just so easy, and makes your house smell so yummy it will drive you crazy! I got this from the Paramount Ward Cookbook from Christina Herrmann. Enjoy!

Crock Pot Apple Pork Chops

1 1/2 lb. boneless pork loin chops (about 6)
4 medium golden delicious apples, peeled and sliced
3 Tbsp. brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt

Lightly spray slow cooker with cooking spray. Place pork in slow cooker. Cover with apples. Combine brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt and sprinkle over apples. Cover; cook on LOW 6 to 8 hours.

Potato Poppers

I have been waiting to try this new recipe for a long time. I finally got the opportunity last night at my friend's baby shower. They are a mini version of twice baked potatoes. They are delicious!!! The only pain is scooping out the potato from each little half. I think it was worth it. Enjoy. Sky Blue Potatoes (from Real Simple Magazine)

24 new red potatoes, halved lengthwise
2 teaspoons extra-virgin olive oil
1 1/2 cups sour cream
1 cup crumbled blue cheese
1/2 cup crumbled cooked bacon, plus more for garnish
1/3 cup chopped flat-leaf parsley, plus more for garnish
1/4 red onion, finely chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400. In a medium bowl, toss the potatoes with the olive oil. Place cut side down on a baking sheet and bake until the skins are crisp, about 30 minutes; let cool.

2. Scoop out the center of each potato half and place in a medium bowl. Stir in the sour cream, blue cheese, bacon, parsley and onion. Fill each potato skin with the sour cream mixture and top with more crumbled bacon and parsley.

Southwestern Salad with Corn and Avocado

I have been craving salad lately, really yummy salad. This salad has a great homemade dressing and tastes great with tortilla chips and black beans. I made a few changes, so this picture is not quite accurate. Obviously, I switched out the beans, and I don't like raw onions in my salad. I have a little corn and onion saute I have perfected, so I used that in this recipe. Enjoy. Southwestern Salad with Corn and Avocado

1 head romaine lettuce, cut into bit size pieces
1 15 oz. can black beans, drained and rinsed (or pinto)
2 ears of corn, kernels cut off the cob
2 avocados, chopped
1/2 red onion, thinly sliced (or 1 onion, diced)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro torn into small pieces
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
1/4 cup fresh lime juice
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
salt and pepper
tortilla chips

1. In a large bowl combine the lettuce, beans, corn avocados, ion, and cilantro.

2. OPTIONAL - I took the corn and diced onion and sauteed them over some olive oil for a few minutes to soften the onion. You can also add some minced garlic for even more flavor. Then add to the salad mix.

3. In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, lime juice, cumin, 3/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Drizzle over the salad and toss. Serve with the tortilla chips.

Coconut Pineapple Chicken with Black Beans

First of all, sorry about the bad picture. I just wanted you to have some idea of what this looks like. This actually is a picture of a picture. This picture has mango which I changed to pineapple, and I added brown rice which was delicious with the sauce. Also, I changed 4 ingredients in the recipe, so now I can claim this as my own and change the name to pineapple. This recipe has a unique twist with the mint flavor. I really loved it! Very fresh tasting, but rich as well. Enjoy.

Coconut Pineapple Chicken with Black Beans

2 Tablespoon olive oil

1 lb. boneless chicken breast, but into strips

1/2 cup chicken broth

1 cup coconut milk

1 can pineapple chunks (or fresh is great!)

Salt and pepper

2 cans of black beans, rinsed (I only used one can for my family)

2 Tablespoons fresh lime juice

2-3 Tablespoons of chopped mint

1-2 cups of cooked rice

1. In a large skillet, heat the oil over high heat. Add the chicken and cook, turning one, until browned, about 5 minutes. Add the chicken broth, lower the heat and simmer for 5 minutes, scraping up any browned bit; cook through and transfer to a plate.

2. Add the coconut milk to the skillet, increase the heat and boil to reduce by half, about 4 minutes. Stir in pineapple and chicken and cook until warmed through. Season with salt and pepper.

3. Meanwhile in a medium saucepan, simmer the black beans over low heat. Stir in the lime juice and about 2 Tablespoons of mint.

4. Serve Chicken and Beans with rice and top with remaining mint if desired.

Pomegranate

Did you know that foods go in and out of style? They absolutely do. Right now Pomegranate is the HOT new ingredient. I think the pomegranate has always been underestimated as a fruit and I am glad to see it coming out of its shell, or peel, skin, whatever. I'm sure the reason it has been overlooked because it is such a pain to get those little bits of fruit out. Totally worth it, little bits of crunchy, delicious fruit with a little zing. Here are two new products that I really like. The first is Pomegranate Lemonade. Yummy!!! This is blueberry Pomegranate trail mix crunch from Costco. It is really yummy, and gluten free!

Eggnog

I love the stuff! What can I say? Creamy and delicious! I know there are a lot of haters out there, and frankly I just don't understand it. But, I don't understand how anybody could eat olives or black licorice. So, each to his own. I found this recipe last year and it was pretty good. The good news, no eggs involved. So, give it a try and see what you think.

Mock Eggnog

2 quarts cold milk
1 package (3.4 0z) instant French vanilla or vanilla pudding mix
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/8 teaspoon salt, optional
1 cup heavy whipping cream

1. In a mixing bowl, beat milk and pudding mix on low speed for 2 minutes. Beat in the sugar, nutmeg, vanilla and salt.

2. In another bowl beat cream until thickened about 3 min. Stir into pudding mixture. Refrigerate until serving. Sprinkle with additional nutmeg.

I love Fish

What can I say? My family is still in shock that this is my new motto in my life. I only started eating fish when I met Jeremy. Well, I did like shrimp and crab and calamari before that. So... maybe I tricked my family all along. Anyway, we tried two great restaurants that specialize in fish. I am very excited about both of them and hope you will be too!

Fresh Off The Hook

"It's a little slice of Seattle mixed with a dash of San Francisco and a pinch of Alaska tossed together with some Key West for an amazing seafood experience... right here in Boise, Idaho!"

This was on their website and I have to agree! This is the cutest little restaurant with great atmosphere and delicious food. We both got the fish and chips and seriously up to par considering the last amazing fish I had was in Hawaii. The fish was so fresh! They had so many good things I wanted to try and we are definitely going back. Also, they bring out a little scoop of sherbet for everyone at the table instead of a mint. It was perfect!

Fujiyama

This was a great sushi recommendation we got from a couple of people. It is located in the same strip mall as Fresh off the hook. Really good sushi, also very fresh. The service was very good here too. Best sushi we have found yet in Boise. Enjoy!

Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple Soup

Yummy, this soup is delicious and perfect for Fall. I got this from Real Simple Magazine. Enjoy.

Roasted Sweet Potato and Apple Soup

3 lbs. sweet potatoes
1 Tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
1 celery stalk, sliced
1 apple (Granny Smith or Empire)
Salt and Black Pepper

Heat oven to 400 degrees. Prick the potatoes with a fork, place on a baking sheet, and roast until tender, about an hour.

Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion, celery, and apple and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft, 10 to 12 minutes.

Halve the potatoes, scoop out the flesh, and add to the saucepan. Add 6 cups water, 2 teaspoons salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook until heated through, 8 to 10 minutes.

Puree the soup in the saucepan using a handheld immersion blender, or working in batches, a standard blender.

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

Now that the kids are back in school I feel the need to be back on a schedule again, and that includes making dinner each night. I have been having some trouble getting back into this routine after basically abandoning cooking this summer. If you are having the same problem here is the easiest recipe on the planet. Seriously.

Crock Pot Salsa Chicken

Put your chicken pieces in the crock pot. Pour any jar of salsa over chicken. Cook in crock pot.

That's it. Fabulous! The best part is you can choose really yummy salsas to put on this and change it up. Serve over some rice and it is the perfect meal. Enjoy.

Bring on the Ribs!

These are so delicious, and could not be easier. You do need a cooler day since your oven will be on so long. The best part is that country style ribs are usually the cheapest. Enjoy!

Country-Style Ribs Baked in Barbecue Sauce

After 4 hours of cooking, these ribs become fall-apart tender and deeply infused with the flavor of barbecue sauce. During the final hour, the ribs are cooked uncovered to thicken the sauce and give them a shiny glaze.

Position a rack in the center of the oven. Preheat the oven to 300.

Arrange in 13 x 9 baking dish:

4 lbs. country-style ribs

Whisk together in bowl:

1 1/2 cups barbecue sauce
1 cup orange juice

Pour the sauce over the ribs and turn them to coat completely with the sauce. Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake for 3 hours. Uncover, increase the oven temperature to 350 and bake the ribs for 1 hour more, turning them once after 30 minutes. Spoon off the fat from the sauce and serve the ribs with the sauce.

Chicken with Tomato Saute

Have you been wondering what to do with all of those cherry or grape tomatoes from your garden? Well, here is the perfect recipe for you. This is a one pot meal from Real Simple magazine. It was really delicious. Enjoy.

1 1/2 lbs. small chicken cutlets. (8-12)

Kosher salt and pepper

2 Tablespoons olive oil

1 1/2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes

1/4 cup dry white wine (I used cooking wine, I won't get into that debate!)

4 scallions (green onions)

2 Tablespoon fresh tarragon leaves, chopped (I used 2 teaspoons dried tarragon)

Season the chicken with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper.

Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in 2 batches, cook the chicken until browned and cooked through, 2 to 3 minutes per side; transfer to plates.

Add the tomatoes to the skillet and cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until they begin to burst, 2 to 3 minutes.

Add the wine and simmer until the liquid is reduced by half, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the scallions and tarragon and add chicken back into the pan. Serve.

Kind of a Restaruant Review

I just want to tell you about two places I dined at recently that were really delicious. These are Boise restaurants, and I think you should try them! They both have links on the right. Here are my thoughts.

Cazba

This is a Greek and Mediterranean restaurant in downtown Boise. It is located on 8th street where there is a whole strip of good places to eat. We took a stroll one night hoping to find a new good place to eat, and we did! I love the atmosphere in this restaurant, and it looks to be family owned which is usually a bonus. The Feta cheese and Hummus, to die for! I have never had such creamy delicious feta cheese. Jeremy got a really great salad, and I got the sample appetizer platter. Everything was delicious. We also went back a couple of weeks later and got some gyros there. The lamb was amazing and the chicken had the most delicious spices. Enjoy!

The Stuffed Olive

I have been anxious to try this place for awhile, and I was very impressed! This is located in Eagle in the Albertsons shopping area. This is a quaint little place with good atmosphere too. Everything we got here was delicious. We tried the tri tip dip sandwich and the reuben. Also, the corn chowder was amazing and good salad too. I can't wait to go back. They have lots of pasta dishes and salads too. I was just drooling over everybodys plates. Enjoy!

Boise Co-Op

So after living in Boise for over a year, I finally made it to the much talked about Boise Co-op. I have to say I was disappointed. I think maybe I built the place up too much in my mind. If you love organic foods and must have them, this is the place for you. I did stock up on some good thai, indian, and mexican cooking sauces and ingredients. I am just not huge into eating everything organic. Besides, the Co-Op is too far away to go regularly, and you have to pay $65.00 to join and get the "good" prices.

Two of the reasons I went to the Co-Op were for bulk spices and good produce. They were there, but I prefer these two closer options. I always forget the name of this place, but the store that looks like a barn just barely up the road from Wal-mart on Fairview. You can get really good and cheap organic local produce there. Also, they have adorable little shopping carts for your kids and the couple who owns it are always so sweet and cute to my little beasts who touch everything. And, I have to give a shout out to Winco for their bulk foods section. I can't believe the deals you can get on spices, pasta, and grains. It is really great if you just need a teaspoon of one certain spice for a recipe. It will cost you maybe 7 cents. Isn't that crazy? Let me know if you have any favorite place to grocery shop here in town.

I'm so excited....

For the two new food blogs I added on the right. I just wanted to let you know I might not be posting some recipes for awhile because I am busy trying new recipes from the Daily Bite and Jen's Food Blog. Check them out!

Spinach Strawberry Salad

I always seem to get on a salad kick when summer goes into full gear. This is one of my favorites, although it requires a little work. I love a great homemade dressing and a little bit of crunch. Throw in a some chicken and you have a fabulous meal. Enjoy.

Spinach Strawberry Salad

1 pkg baby leaf spinach
basket of fresh strawberries, sliced
3/4 cup candied pecans*
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Mix dressing in blender:

3/4 teaspoon poppy seeds
1/3 teaspoon dry mustard
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup oil
1/3 cup apple cider vinegar

*Candied pecans
In nonstick pan, heat 1/3 cup sugar and the 3/4 cup pecans over medium heat, stirring often, until sugar begins to melt. Stir constantly until pecans are coated. Watch carefully so they don't burn! Remove from heat. Spread out on wax paper to cool.

I love Indian Food

I love to go out for Indian Food. My love began when we lived in Alexandria, Virginia. We had a few amazing places we frequented. Thank goodness we found a couple of really good places in Salt Lake too. Boise seems to be lacking, but I am still on the hunt. I think I found Pataks brand in Salt Lake, but luckily I can get it here too! Pataks is my favorite for some decent Indian cooking, well if you want to call it cooking. You just cook the meat, add the jar of sauce, and put it all over rice. Soooo delicious! You can get it at whole food stores and I get mine here at the World Market store. Enjoy!

Beef and Orange Stir-Fry

I made this last night, and it was pretty good. I really liked the actual orange chunks in there instead of just the hint of orange flavor. It tasted kind of fresh and summery even though it was a beef dish. Enjoy.

Beef and Orange Stir-Fry

3 oranges
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 1/2 lbs. trimmed boneless sirloin or rib-eye steak, cut into 1/2- inch thick strips
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
1 to 2 Tablespoons canola oil
6 scallions, green parts only, cut into 1-inch lengths
White Rice for serving

1. Into a small bowl, finely grate the zest and squeeze the juice from 1 orange. Add the garlic and soy sauce.

2. With a sharp paring knife, peel the remaining 2 oranges. Slice the oranges crosswise 1/2 inch thick, then halve the slices; push out and discard any seeds. (I didn't understand any of this, so I just tried to cut nice chunks like in the picture.)

3. In a medium bowl, toss the meat with the cornstarch until coated. Heat 1 Tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over high heat. Working in batches (adding more oil if needed), brown the beef on all sides, 3 to 5 minutes; transfer to a plate.

4. Pour the juice mixture into the skillet, and boil until syrupy, about 1 minute. Return the beef to the skillet; add the orange slices and scallions. Toss until coated and heated through Serve hot, with shite rice.

Tip: When cutting the beef into strips, slice against the grain (across the striated fibers); the result will be meat that is much more tender.

Serves 4

Chicken BLT Wraps

I love a good BLT. This is a fun, summer take on the original. Nothing too complicated, but the lime juice mayo is really good. Also, I think the whole wheat tortillas DO taste good with this, and I like to use the pre-cooked bacon from Costco. Enjoy.

Chicken BLT Wraps

8 slices of bacon
1/4 cup mayo with lime juice
4 (10-12 inch) whole wheat flour tortillas
3/4 pound smoked boneless chicken breast, skinned and shredded (about 2 cups)
1 large tomato, cut into 8 slices
8 lettuce leaves
1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced (optional)

Cook bacon according to package directions; drain on paper towels and set aside.

Spread mayo over tortillas. top each with 2 slices of bacon, one quarter of chicken, 2 slices of tomato, 2 slices of leaves, and one quarter of red onion.

Fold in tortilla sides; roll up and cut in half.

Turkey Burger

To be honest, this is the first turkey burger I have ever made. So, maybe there are better recipes out there. But, this one was pretty good and I thought I would pass along as we go full swing into grilling season. Just remember, turkey is turkey. It can never be pork or beef. I tried turkey bacon after watching an interview with Nicole Kidman where she said she makes her kids breakfast every morning and they have eggs, pancakes, and turkey bacon. She said they loved it! After trying the turkey bacon I realized for sure every single word she said in the interview could not have been true. Turkey bacon is not good, and kids do not like it, and you do not make breakfast every morning for your children. Anyway, take this for what it is, a really decent turkey burger. Enjoy.


Turkey Burger

1 1/2 lbs. ground turkey (preferably 93 percent lean)
1/2 cup finely grated Gruyere cheese
4 scallions, thinly sliced
1/4 cup dried breadcrumbs
1/4 cup Dijon mustard
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and ground pepper
4 hamburger buns

1. Heat the grill to high. In a medium bowl, use a fork to gently combine the turkey with the Gruyere, scallions, breadcrumbs, Dijon mustard, and garlic; season generously with salt and pepper. Dividing the mixture evenly, gently form the mixture in to four 1-inch-thick patties.

2. Lightly oil the grill. Place the patties on the hottest part of the grill; sear until browned, 1 to 2 minutes per side. Move the patties to the cooler part of the grill; continue grilling until cooked through, 5 to 10 minutes per side.