Stuffed Peppers

• This was fun and something different! This is a recipe that I replaced the rice with quinoa- loved it! Will also enjoyed the leftovers for lunch the next day!
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• 6 green bell peppers
• salt to taste
• 1 pound ground beef
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 (14.5 ounce) can whole peeled tomatoes, chopped
• 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1/2 cup uncooked rice ( I used Quinoa)
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans condensed tomato soup
• water as needed

Directions

1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cut the tops off the peppers, and remove the seeds. Cook peppers in boiling water for 5 minutes; drain. Sprinkle salt inside each pepper, and set aside.
2. In a large skillet, saute beef and onions for 5 minutes, or until beef is browned. Drain off excess fat, and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the tomatoes, rice, 1/2 cup water and Worcestershire sauce. Cover, and simmer for 15 minutes, or until rice is tender. Remove from heat, and stir in the cheese.
3. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (175 degrees C). Stuff each pepper with the beef and rice mixture, and place peppers open side up in a baking dish. In a medium bowl, combine tomato soup with just enough water to make the soup a gravy consistency. Pour over the peppers.
4. Bake covered for 25 to 35 minutes, until heated through and cheese is melted and bubbly.

Quinoa Black Bean Salad

Will and I have loved cooking with Quinoa! I am not the biggest fan of rice so I have been replacing it with these little nuggets packed with protein! This is a basic start to a refreshing salad that you can really add anything to! I followed this recipe and adding chickpeas. Next time I will add more avocado!

1 C uncooked quinoa (see below)

1 Can black beans (drained and rinsed)

1 C roma tomato diced

1 large cucumber sliced (I used the mini cucumbers at Costco)

1 red bell pepper diced

1/4 purple onion diced

2 + limes (for juice) to taste

1 C frozen corn

1 avocado diced (optional)

1/2 bunch cilantro - rinsed and finely chopped

I added these few things for dressing

red wine vinegar/apple cider vinegar (to taste)

olive oil (2 tlb)

pinch of pepper

pinch of course salt

Cook quinoa according to directions. While quinoa is cooking dice your vegetables. Once quinoa is cooked add frozen corn 1st to start the immediate cooling process for the quinoa, then add all the remaining veggies and dressing (lime, vinager, oil s&p) :) and place in fridge until chilled. Serve alone or with healthy tortilla chips.

Roasted Garlic New Potatoes

This was my first time roasting whole garlic cloves. I couldn't believe how much the garlic flavor infused into the potatoes! I will definitely use this method again, maybe try other veggies!

• 20 whole Small To Medium New Potatoes
• 5 whole Heads Of Garlic, Or More To Taste (up To 7 Heads)
• ⅓ cups (to 1/2 Cup) Olive Oil
• ⅓ cups (to 1/2 Cup) Dry White Wine
• Kosher Salt To Taste
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper, To Taste

Preparation Instructions

Quarter new potatoes and set on a large rimmed baking sheet. Lop off the very top of each garlic head and arrange throughout the potatoes. Drizzle olive oil over the tops of the garlic and all over potatoes; do the same with the wine.

Generously season the potatoes and garlic with salt and pepper. Toss potatoes to coat. Cover tightly with aluminum foil and bake at 375 degrees for 45 minutes. Remove foil and continue baking for 20 to 30 minutes until nice and golden.

Father's day Banana Cake

This is Will's first father's Day! He is so excited to become a daddy. I decided to make him a banana cake with insane cinnamon chocolate frosting. It was very rich with way too much frosting (fine by me!) However, I didn't even use all of the frosting and Will still had to scrape some off. The texture of the frosting with amazing.

Preheat oven to 350, and place a rack in the middle.

2 and 1/3 cups of All Purpose flour (I used unbleached)
1 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup dark brown sugar, firmly packed (I only had light brown and used that; it was fine)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
3 large eggs
1 cup mashed banana (mashed by hand)
2/3 cup milk (I used whole)
1 tbsp. dark rum (I didn't have this on hand but the cake was still great; if you don't love the flavor of rum I wouldn't hesitate to leave it out altogether!)

Butter the bottom and sides of two 9" cake pans. Line the bottom with a parchment or wax paper disk, and then butter the disk.

Combine well the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl; set aside.

Combine the butter, sugars, and vanilla in the bowl of a mixer using the paddle attachment. Beat on medium speed until light in color and texture, about 3 to 4 minutes. Beat the eggs into that, one at a time, beating well after each addition.

In a separate bowl, mix together the banana, milk, and rum (if you're using it), until blended.

On low speed, in the mixer bowl, add 1/3 of the flour mixture. Stopping as needed to scrape down the beaters and bowl, add in the banana mixture alternately, beginning and ending with the flour. Then, increase the speed to medium and beat the batter nonstop for 3 minutes. Divide the batter evenly between the two pans and smooth the tops. Bake on the middle rack of your oven until the cakes are, as Chef Malgieri instructs us, "well risen and deep golden, and feel firm when pressed in the center with a fingertip, 25 to 30 minutes."

Fluffy Light-Chocolate & Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting

This recipe makes at least enough to frost an entire cake--top, middle, and sides--or to frost 24 cupcakes.

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup vegetable shortening
4 oz. of cream cheese, softened to room temperature
1 cup and 2 Tbsp. heavy cream
1/2 tsp. salt
2 tsp. vanilla
2 lbs. of confectioners' sugar, sifted (approximately 8 or more cups)
1 tsp. ground cinnamon (my favorite is Penzey's brand Vietnamese Cassia; it's pretty strong)
3 Tbsp. cocoa (Dutch process or regular, whichever you prefer; I use Dutch)

In a bowl, lightly mix the cinnamon and cocoa powder into the sifted confectioner's sugar with a fork or whisk. Set aside.

In a large mixer bowl, beat the butter and shortening on medium speed until light and creamy.
Add the sugar gradually to the shortening, and continue creaming until well blended. Add in the cream cheese, salt, and the vanilla, still mixing at medium speed at this point.

Pour 6 oz. of the heavy cream slowly and gradually into the bowl. Increase the speed to high and beat until the entire mixture is light and fluffy, at least a couple of minutes. Stop every now and then to scrape the bowl and the beaters.

Reserve the remaining 2 oz. of cream to use just in case the frosting seems too thick to you, or too dry. Add it in at your own discretion. Frosting too thin? Add in a bit more confectioners' sugar. Be sure to refrigerate, or freeze, any leftover frosting.

When your cake is cooled . . . frost it, slice it, eat it. Go bananas, if you feel like it.