Stuffed Peppers


Polenta + Corn Stuffed Peppers

Ingredient list:

Tomato sauce: (alternatively you could use store bought red enchilada sauce)

5 celebrity or plum tomatoes quartered

1 red onion chopped roughly 

2 garlic cloves

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp sea salt

1 tsp black pepper

Peppers:

1 C of tomato or enchilada sauce 

2 pasilla peppers halved and seeds removed

1/4 C instant polenta

1 1/4 C water

1 tsp sea salt

1/2 C cheddar jack cheese

1 C frozen corn

1 tsp black pepper

Method:

Heat oven to 450

Combine tomatoes, onions, garlic and olive oil 

Spread vegetables on a baking sheet

Roast veggies for about 10-15 minutes until tomatoes start to release juices 

Remove from oven, put all veggies in a food processor and combine until smooth

Reduce heat to 400

Put 1/2 mixture (or enchilada sauce) in a square glass baking dish

Place pepper halves on sauce

In a small saucepan bring water  and salt to a boil

Stir in polenta, continue stirring until thickened

Add cheese, corn and pepper

Stir until cheese is melted 

Spoon mixture into peppers

Top with remaining sauce 

(I topped mine with red pepper flake but this is optional)

Bake for 15-20 minutes until heated through and peppers start to soften 

Top with salsa, gaucamole or sour cream (all optional)

Enjoy! 

Serves 2

Succulent Garden

When we first bought our house there was one project I was dreading, the huge rock wall. It had been neglected for years and was overgrown, and we’ll just a total mess. One weekend I just set my mind to getting it cleaned out and weeded and got about half of it done. I finished up the next weekend and was feeling so much better about it but it was still just a huge blah rock wall.


 We thought about what we could do with it and decided to just fill it up with different succulents. I am so happy we did that. One of my least favorite features of our house is now possibly my favorite. I think we have planted one of every succulent we could find at our local nurseries. There is nothing better to me than seeing all of our plants grow and bloom. 


I know there are a lot of places that will say to only water your succulents once a month and to never fertilize. Although it is important to keep the soil fairly dry so they don’t get root rot, I find that I need to spray my succulents about once per week in the summer here in Utah. I also use a cactus fertilizer I found from Miracle Grow {link below} twice a year.

When I plant my succulents I mix half of the native soil with half of a potting mix for tropical plants {link below}

When I plant them I’m very careful to not plant them too deep, just barely covering the roots and mounding the soil. I water any newly planted succulent every day for 2 weeks so the root system can develop really well and then reduce watering to once per week. 

If you are planting hen and chick plants you will have plenty of chicks to replant by the end of the year, they reproduce like crazy! When the chicks start to get big enough or if the space is starting to get crowded  I pull the chicks off gently and re plant them just about anywhere. You only need to pant to root just barely under the soil, you will be amazed at how quickly they root and start producing chicks of their own. We harvested hundreds last year and stuck them in any open spot we had. Succulents are really amazing and do not need a lot of space, you can plug them in anywhere you have a crack with just a small amount of soil and a large amount of sun!


I was happy to learn I could even have a cactus in our climate. I planted this prickly pear cactus last year and it survived the winter and is thriving! 


I planted sheets of succulents around my cactus that I found at Lowes. This stuff is great, it’s about 10 types of mini succulents all planted together. You can plant the entire sheet or you can cut it and fit it in spaces, I fit it in around big rocks also.


I have planted about 200 plants in my rock wall now and will keep going. Let me know if you have any questions, I would love to answer any I can. I really hope you plant some too, they make great indoor arrangements too. 


Happy succulent planting!


L O N D O N

For my birthday this year my husband surprised me with a trip to London. I had absolutely no idea! I had less than a week to wait for our trip, best surprise ever. That week went by in no time and before I knew it we were on our way to the airport. I realized midway to the airport that I forgot our camera, of course I forgot it, I always forget something. We spent a week in the city, here are some of my favorite iPhone photos of our trip. 



We got in mid-day our first day and spent it wondering around Abby Road. I love the Beatles so of course I was excited for this. Pretty roses and ivy everywhere only made me more happy. The rest of the night we wandered around the prettiest park.


Our second day we got our Oyster card and started getting familiar with the tube {mind the gap}. We went to the Tower of London and London Bridge. Getting to see the Crown Jewels was the highlight for me that day. Such pretty views of the city from the bridge, especially of the Shard.


The next day was spent wandering around  the Oxford & Picadilly Circus area. That includes getting lost for a couple of hours which I did not mind! Everywhere you look in London there is something amazing, I felt like I was in Harry Potter when I stumbled upon the Royal Courts of Justice.


The Tate modern art museum was next. I could have spent a few days there, I love art and especially modern art. You also get a beautiful view of St. Peter’s cathedral from Mellenium Bridge.


If I had to chose my favorite place in London I would have to say Hyde park. It was magical. We also walked through Green Park & Kensington Gardens.



We spent the rest of our time seeing the sites and eating and then eating some more. I loved London and hope I get to go back soon.

P.S. My curling iron refused to work so I had to do a braid everyday just in case you were wondering 😁

Summer Salad with Balsamic Dressing

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Ingredient List:

Dressing:

1/2 C Balsamic vinegar

1 tsp italian seasoning

1 garlic clove

1/2 tsp sea salt

1/2 tsp black pepper

1 tbsp agave or sugar

1/2 C extra

Salad:

2 C spinach

1 Cucumber cut into shoestrings

1/4 red onion sliced thinly

1/2 C blackberries

1/2 C strawberries sliced

Fresh cilantro chopped roughly

Method:

In a food processor combine vinegar, seasoning and garlic

Blend

Add olive oil, and blend again

Set aside

Combine all ingredients for salad and top with dressing immediately before serving

Enjoy!

Print Recipe for Summer Salad with Balsamic Dressing

Asparagus Casserole

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Asparagus Casserole

Ingredient List:

5 hard boiled eggs halved lengthwise

2 bunches asparagus trimmed

2 tbsp butter

1 white onion chopped

3 tsp salt divided

1 tsp paprika

1 dash cayenne pepper

3 tbsp flour

3 tsp dijon mustard

2 C whole milk

1 C butter crackers smashed roughly

1 1/2 C shredded swiss cheese

Freshly ground black pepper

Method:

In a medium pot bring water to a boil

Add asparagus and boil for about 3 minutes until cooked through but still firm

Place asparagus in an ice bath when done cooking, once cool place on a plate covered with paper towels to dry

In the same pot melt butter

Add onion, 1 tsp salt, paprika and cayenne pepper and cook until translucent about 5 minutes

Add flour and stir until combined

Add mustard and stir until combined

Stir in milk, bring to a boil with stirring

Reduce heat and simmer until sauce is thickened about 5 minutes

In an 8” square pan pour 1 C sauce

Add half of the cooked, dried asparagus

Top with boiled egg halves

Sprinkle cracker crumbles over eggs

Place the remaining sauce over crackers

Place the remaining asparagus over sauce

Sprinkle 1 tsp salt over asparagus

Sprinkle with swiss cheese

Sprinkle with remaining salt and pepper

Bake for 25-30 minutes until bubbling

Turn oven on broil, broil for 3 minutes until browning

Enjoy!

 

Print Asparagues Casserole Recipe

Easy Fried Rice

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Easy Fried Rice

Ingredient List:

1 tbsp butter divided

2 eggs

1 C frozen peas

2 carrots peeled and chopped

1/2 white onion chopped

1 C mushrooms chopped finely (I used rehydrated oyster mushrooms)

2 C cooked rice (I used Uncle Ben’s

Basmati microwave rice)

2 tbsp soy sauce

3 green onions chopped

1 tsp sesame oil

Method:

In a large skillet heat 1/3 tbsp butter over medium heat

Scramble both eggs

Remove from skillet and set aside

Add 1/3 tbsp butter to skillet

Add peas, carrots, onion and mushrooms

Cook for 3-4 minutes until softened

Add remaining butter and turn heat up to medium high

Add rice (you do not need to microwave first)

Cook over medium high stirring constantly for 2-3 minutes until cooked through

Add soy sauce, stir

Add sesame oil, stir

Add egg back to rice and green onion

Mix thoroughly and serve immediately

Enjoy!

Print Easy Fried Rice Recipe

Roasted Veggies

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Roasted Veggies

Ingredient List:

3-4 C Mushrooms (I used Baby Bella) cleaned

1 C cherry tomatoes

1 head of cauliflower (I used green) cut into florets

1 red onion sliced into 1/4” rounds

6 gloves of garlic peeled

1 tbsp fresh oregano chopped

1 tsp thyme

1 tsp basil

1 tsp sea salt

2 tbsp olive oil (I used spicy olive oil from Rocky Mountain Olive Oil)

Method:

Heat oven to 400

Prepare a baking sheet

in a large bowl combine all veggies

Drizzle olive oil

Add all spices

Combine with your hands

Pour mixture onto baking sheet

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Bake for 25 minutes

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Enjoy!

Print Roasted Veggies Recipe

{healthier} Mozzarella Sticks

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Healthier Mozzarella Sticks

Ingredient List:

12 mozzarella cheese sticks cut in half

1 C Italian panko

1 C whole wheat bread crumbs

1 tbsp parsley

1 tsp red pepper flake (optional)

3 eggs lightly beaten

1 tbsp almond milk

Method:

In a medium bowl lightly beat eggs and milk

In a separate bowl combine bread crumbs and panko

Dip each of the cheese sticks in the egg mixture, then into the bread mixture

Repeat

Place on a baking sheet lined with wax paper

Place in freezer for a minimum of 30 minutes (cheese needs to be frozen)

Remove from freezer

Bake at 400 for 4 minutes, remove and flip sticks over

Bake for another 4 minutes until golden brown

Enjoy!

(if you do not freeze before baking they will melt!)

Print Mozarella Stick Recipe

{dairy free} Shrimp Rissoto

  
Ingredient list:

1 lb of de-veined, peeled + cooked shrimp

2 tbsp olive oil divided 

2 garlic cloves minced

1 white onion

2 tomatoes chopped (I used vine ripened)

1 tsp sea salt

3 C seafood or fish stock

2 lemons (juice)

2 C mushrooms 

1 bunch asparagus chopped into 1″ pieces 

1 C Aroborio rice

1/2 C almond/soy or flax milk

1 tsp ground black pepper

1 tsp coriander 

1 tsp thyme

Stallions to top if wanted

Method:

In a small pot heat oil over medium heat

Add garlic

Cook until fragrant 

Add tomatoes and cook for a few minutes 

Add seafood stock

Reduce heat and keep simmering 

Add onion and cook until translucent 

Add mushrooms and asparagus and cook an additional 2-3 minutes

Add salt, pepper, coriander + thyme

Add the rice and cook until golden brown

Add 1/2 C seafood stalk mixture every few minutes until completely absorbed stirring continuously. Continue this process for about 20 minutes until rice is softened 

Add shrimp and milk and stir until milk is completely absorbed 

Top with chopped scallions 

Enjoy!!