Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapenos

When Sierra, a friend from work, told me she made Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapenos for dinner I was intrigued. Since I tend to make more sweets than actual meals, I thought it would be great to post her recipe here! She was sweet enough to put together the recipe and snap some pictures.

Take it away Sierra!

If you are looking for something with a little extra spice stuffed jalapenos are the way to go! They are super easy to make a great appetizer or side. For the freshest and best deals visit your farmers market. Not only are you helping your community the produce is fantastic, these jalapenos were larger than any of the ones I had found at the grocery store.

Bacon Wrapped Stuffed Jalapenos

Fresh jalapenos (buy in twos)
¼ cup white onion, minced
Shredded cheese (Sharp Cheddar and Monterey Jack are great choices but any cheese will do.)
Bacon Slices
Aluminum Foil

Begin by rinsing your jalapenos and slicing open, the long way. Use the blunt side of a spoon to scrape out all the seeds and white meat on the inside. If you like a bit of heat, slice off some white meat and leave it to the side for the filling.

Once you have hollowed out the jalapenos, take the smaller ½ of the jalapeno and chop finely. Then mince the white onion.

In a medium bowl, combine the cheese, onion, and minced jalapenos. If you like your jalapenos with a bit of a kick, add the minced white meat of the jalapeno into your filling.

Now it’s bacon time! Take the bacon slices and cut them in half, each slice will produce two mini slices.

Next, stuff the jalapenos with the filling.

Take one slice bacon and wrap the stuffed jalapenos. If the peppers are large you may need to use an extra mini slice.

Place the aluminum foil on the grill. Heat grill on low, if you have a gas grill or if using charcoal place on the side with indirect heat. These treats are generally ready in about 10-15 minutes. Serve with ranch or blue cheese dressing.

Great side dish with grilled chicken. These peppers are wonderful, and super easy to make even on a week night!

Thanks for sharing your great recipe, Sierra! :)

Banana Bread

Bananas. I can’t think of another fruit that when it gets old, it’s okay. I get on kicks where I eat a banana every day and then I just forget about them and that happened last week. So what is a girl to do?!?! Make banana bread!

When I was back home for my mom’s retirement party I borrowed a cookbook from my mother-in-law. It’s one of those cookbooks put together for a fundraiser and consists of everyone BEST recipes. It’s almost like going to the world’s best pot luck except you just have the recipes and can’t taste test anything.

As soon as I noticed the browning bananas I went to the cookbook. I found the winner on page 1 of the bread section. The only issue was it called for 3 medium bananas and I only had 2. I decided to add in 1/3 cup of unsweetened applesauce to hopefully keep the consistency. I also added in ½ teaspoon of vanilla because let’s face it, vanilla can’t hurt anything. I think next time I could even do a whole teaspoon.

I was very pleased with the finished product! Bread rose up great, good crust, and moist. And I did eat it for breakfast for a number of days! Funny…not in the mood for a healthy banana but banana bread…heck yes!

Banana Bread
Adapted from National Society Daughters of the American Revolution, Jen Miner

1 ¾ cup flour
1 ¼ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
½ tsp baking soda
2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup margarine
2 large eggs
2 tbsp milk
½ tsp vanilla extract
3 bananas OR 2 bananas and 1/3 cup unsweetened apple sauce

Preheat oven to 350.

Shift together flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
In bowl, beat together sugar and margarine until light, scraping sides often. Add eggs, milk, and vanilla beating until smooth.

Add flour mixture, bananas, and applesauce to butter mixture, lightly mixing until smooth.

Pour into lightly greased loaf pan and bake for 60-65 minutes.

(Could do as muffins; 12 muffin tins, lightly greased, bake at 350 for 20 minutes.)

Oh and, after enjoying my breakfast of banana bread, this was the gorgeous sky view on my way to work!

Thanks for stopping by!

Lemon Smiles – Lemon Cupcakes

You know how parents say they feel old when their kids graduate. Well, the opposite is true for kids when their parents retire. Thanks mom for making me feel old. Just kiddin’!

My mom is retiring from teaching after 40 years. Here is a great article done by the local paper on her career.

Over the years my mom collected MANY coffee mugs and for some reason mom didn’t want to take them all home. Weird – who wouldn’t want 75 coffee mugs in their kitchen!?!?! So, on her last day at school, one of the teachers created tags that said “I got mugged at Cheryl’s Retirement Party” and each person took one home. I jokingly told mom that every time I see her I will bring her a mug, just to start the collection over. I still might…

My mom also has a collection of 70’s style smiley face items. Thus the theme of yellow smiley faces.

My mom didn’t want a huge party so instead we tried to make her final week extra special…

Monday – Candy Bouquet was delivered.
Tuesday – My sister and nephew surprised her by visiting school.
Wednesday – Flowers delivered.
Thursday – “Old Lady Kit” including hair net, TV guide, pill box and other items old ladies use.
Friday – A new book with money to buy even more books!

Then, this past weekend, a smaller group of us got together for dinner (not a very good picture of the group, opps). We ate at the local Mexican restaurant and then to my parent’s house for dessert. That’s where I come in! I wanted to keep the smiley face theme going so I made and decorated lemon cupcakes.

I used a lemon box mix and then used my new FAVORITE frosting recipe and a tube of Wilton Cake Icing for the faces. My mother-in-law gave me the idea to make one with glasses for my mom. These were so much fun to make! The cake and frosting combo was perfect!

What You Need:
Box Cake Mix (Make as directed)
1 batch of frosting (See below)
1 tube Wilton Cake Icing in desired color

FROSTING:
1/2 cup butter; at room temperature
1/2 cup shortening (I used butter flavored)
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar (sift after measuring)
2-3 Tbsp. milk
food coloring, if desired

In a large bowl beat butter and shortening together until smooth and creamy. Mix in vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Add powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) until combined, then add milk (1 tbsp at a time, you might not need all 3) & mix until smooth and spreading consistency. Add food coloring, if desired. (I like Wilton’s icing gel.) Spread over cooled cupcakes.

Congrats again to my wonderful mother!

Thanks for stopping by!

Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake - Guest Post

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I was back in Nebraska this past weekend; thank goodness my Aunt Vicki was baking! She put together this recipe and my Uncle John took the pictures. My Aunt is such a gooooood cook; deviled eggs, apple pie, potato salad, just to name a few of my favs. She is also a technology guru so we really get our nerd on by talking about food and computers.

I hope to have some other foodie friends help me with posts in the near future too!

Take it away Vicki…. :)

I like blueberries, June seems to be the month where their price matches my budget. I eat them on everything; morning cereal, lunch salad, mixed fruit salad for dinner. I usually make blueberry muffins, but this year I wanted something different, off to the computer to search for blueberry recipes. Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake combines two of my favorite.

This recipe is quick to mix up and baking time was just right in my oven. If serving as a dessert you could sprinkle with powder sugar or a dollop of whip cream with lemon zest; for breakfast add fresh fruit and almonds or walnuts.

Blueberry Lemon Bundt Cake
From: http://www.grouprecipes.com/

1-1/2 cups fresh blueberries
2 tablespoons flour
1 lemon cake mix
1 cup sour cream
4 large eggs

Grease and flour Bundt pan

Sprinkle flour over blueberries (This keeps blueberries from sinking to the bottom of cake.)

Combine dry cake mix and sour cream

Add eggs one at a time beating at low speed

Beat at medium speed until smooth

Fold in blueberries

Bake at 350 for 45 minutes

Cool on rack for 15 minutes

Remove from pan.

Another big thanks to my Aunt Vicki and Uncle John!  Love you guys! :)

Thanks for stopping by!

Double Toffee Coffee Cake

My first big girl job was in a bank and I loved it! Not only did I get to count and organize money, chat with some of the most interesting people, but I worked with some of the sweetest people I’ve ever met. One, in particular, was Darlene. She treated every customer like they were the only one and she was the same with co-workers. She was always positive, and even though she was a little quiet, she would crack the best jokes at the perfect time. She worked at that location for many years and we all joked that she could never retire because the branch would just have to close.

Sugar Cookies with Frosting (the only way to eat sugar cookies)

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Man! I had a great weekend! My mom, sister, and almost 1 year old nephew came to visit. We did some shopping, eating, and movie watching. You can’t beat quality time with your mom and sis – love ‘em. We also got a lot of playtime in with my little nephew. His new thing is to drop something (usually on purpose) and say Uh-OH! He also makes the sweetest ambulance sound and giggles all the time. There is just something about a baby’s laughter – just warms the heart.

My nephew will turn 1 on July 2nd. My sister found the coolest cake to make for his big day. Here is what it looks like. We picked up all the supplies this weekend so she is ready to go. She is a million times craftier than me so I know it’s going to look awesome. I’ll share pictures after the party.

To help her out with snacks I’m going to make and decorate sugar cookies to go along with the cake. Last week I practiced my royal icing transfers and it went pretty good. Here is the outcome of trial run #1.

Today I tested a sugar cookie and frosting recipe. Plus I had these cool sprinkles I haaaaaad to use.  This is the winner!  The finished product was a soft, chewy cookie, with just the right sweetness in the frosting.  It is one of the best sugar cookie and frosting combo I've had!  The recipe makes about 4 dozen cookies and frosting was the perfect amount. They are drop and lightly flatten cookies so no rolling out necessary!

Luckily I will off load these cookies tomorrow at work so they won’t be in the house long.  And I better go to the gym because I've already had 2 too many.  Me, cookies, and frosting are a VERY dangerous combination......I’m sure I’m not the only one to put leftover frosting on graham crackers and if you haven’t you should try it! Yummmm.

Here are the recipes…

Sugar Cookies with Frosting
Adapted From: Recipe Girl

Cookies:
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
2 cups granulated sugar
4 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
5 cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp baking soda
½ cup sugar – used for flattening cookies before baking

Frosting:
1/2 cup butter; at room temperature
1/2 cup shortening (I used butter flavored)
1 tsp vanilla extract
½ tsp almond extract
pinch of salt
4 cups powdered sugar (sift after measuring)
2-3 Tbsp. milk
food coloring, if desired

Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, mixing after each egg. Add in vanilla.

In a separate bowl whisk together flour, salt, and baking soda. Add to wet ingredients and mix just until combined.

If too sticky, place cookie dough in the refrigerator to firm up a bit. (I put in the frig while I cleaned up the counter.) Then use cookie scooper or tablespoon to drop dough onto cookie sheet. Using a drinking glass, dip bottom in bowl with sugar, and lightly flatten cookie with cup. This puts a nice sugary topping on the cookie.

Bake at 350 degrees for 8-12 min, until light golden brown. Cool completely before frosting.

Frosting:
In a large bowl beat butter and shortening together until smooth and creamy. Mix in vanilla, almond extract, and salt. Add powdered sugar (1 cup at a time) until combined, then add milk (1 tbsp at a time, you might not need all 3) & mix until smooth and spreading consistency. Add food coloring, if desired. (I like Wilton’s icing gel.) Spread over cooled cookies and enjoy!

Thanks for stopping by! Happy Baking!! :)

Glazed Donut Muffins

I love a good donut. Working in an office only makes this love stronger. We all know what I’m talking about……you get to work happy with your healthy breakfast choices and then you get the email….

    From: Skinny Employee
    Subject: Donuts by the coffee maker! Enjoy!

No message, subject line says it all. And there goes my healthy day because I don’t think I have ever passed up a donut especially a free one. :)

From the moment I saw this recipe from Sweet Peas Kitchen I began salivating. I mean a donut and a muffin, with glaze….yes please!

Side note: Is it donuts or doughnuts?? I wasn’t sure so I did a little digging. Turns out it can be either way. Here is a funny article. I personally like donut; it looks less fancy.

I was really pleased with these muffins, but they were rather large. Next time I would use normal cupcake liners instead of the dishes, you would also get more than 12 that way. However, they do look super cute in these. The cute dishes were part of the grab bags I ordered from Bake It Pretty awhile back. Check out their site. I might also poke a couple holes in each so the glaze goes into the cupcake. If you try that let me know the result!

Here is the recipe…

Glazed Donut Muffins
From: Sweet Peas Kitchen

Muffins:
1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon cinnamon
3/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup milk

Glaze:
3 tablespoons butter; melted
1 cup confectioners’ sugar; sifted
3/4 teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons hot water

Directions:
Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line 12 muffin cups with muffin liners or spray with nonstick cooking spray.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, vegetable oil, and sugars till smooth. Beat in eggs, one at a time. With the mixer on low speed, baking powder, baking soda, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt and vanilla until just combined. Stir the flour into the butter mixture alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour and making sure everything is thoroughly combined.

Spoon batter into cups, filling the cups, and smooth tops. Divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups. Bake until muffin tops are a pale golden and springy to the touch, 15 to 17 minutes, rotating halfway through baking time. Cool muffins in muffin tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack and cool 10 minutes before glazing.

To make the glaze, in a medium bowl mix together the melted butter, confectioners’ sugar, vanilla and water. Whisk until smooth.
When muffins have cooled slightly, dip the muffin crown into the glaze and allow the glaze to set. Once set, dip a second time and allow to harden then serve. Best served right away.

Thanks for stopping by! Let me know what you think below…

Ranch Cheddar Turkey Burgers

I love Fridays! I feel like it’s my most productive work day; I like to tie up all loose ends before starting the weekend. I’m sure my boss appreciates that too.  :) I was out of town last weekend so I have big plans to catch up on laundry, clean the house from top to bottom, and begin my quest to master sugar cookie decorating. Notice the order….my reward for cleaning is making cookies. I think that will keep me motivated, I hope. But tonight, I blog and catch up on my DVR’d shows, and fold laundry.

I love a good hamburger now and then, but other than that I’m not a huge beef eater. I’m more of a turkey and chicken kinda gal. Usually if a recipe calls for ground beef it’s easy to use ground turkey and the difference is minimal, but burgers are another story. I’ve tried recipes and was just disappointed.

But this recipe is a winner!

The finished product is a moist and flavorful turkey burger! My husband is a BIG beef eater and even he loves these! I love how these cook up too; the cheese stays a little gooey but also crisps up on the surface. Add a bun and lettuce and you’re good to go! I’ve made them with cheddar cheese and mozzarella and both were yummy…I think you’re safe using whatever you have on hand. The recipe calls for ¼ cup green onion, but I like it without the onion.

Give these bad boys a whirl!

Ranch Cheddar Turkey Burgers
Spark Recipes, from SEESKO

1 lb lean ground turkey (I use the 99% fat free ground turkey.)
1 (1 ounce) envelope dry ranch dressing mix
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, or whatever you have on hand

In a large bowl, combine ground turkey, dry ranch mix, and cheese. (Using your hands works really good.) Form into 6 patties. Cook in a skillet, grill pan, or on the grill for approximately 6-7 per side or until no pink. Serve on a bun with lettuce and tomato.  Suprer easy!

Thanks for stopping by! Happy weekend!

Pre-Workout Shakes

I wish I was a runner, but I’m just not. I do envy runners and their endurance and figure so in honor of National Running Day I thought I should share a couple Pre-Workout Shake recipes. Then I think I’ll put in my Jillian Michaels DVD and blast some FAT….or something like that.

For those of you that hate running, today is also Go Barefoot Day and Flip a Coin Day. I wonder if Hallmark sells cards for any of these…I hope not…or if they do, they better be 99 cent’ers.

This recipe is from Tosca Reno’s ‘The Eat-Clean Diet Stripped’ book. If you don’t know of Tosca or the Eat Clean Diet you should check out her books and website. It’s a great lifestyle; not a diet, just more eating the right things and eating them at the right times. I enjoy reading about nutrition and foods effect on the body and she breaks it down so it’s easy to understand. I also really like cookies though so she helps me somewhat balance. :)

Pre-Workout Pineapple Blast Shake
Tosca Reno’s ‘The Eat-Clean Diet Stripped’

Ingredients
4 ice cubes
1 cup water
1 scoop vanilla whey protein powder
½ cup pineapple chunks

Process all ingredients in a blender until mixed thoroughly and serve.

Ultra Chocolate Oatmeal Shake
Tosca Reno’s ‘The Eat-Clean Diet Stripped’

Ingredients
½ cup precooked plain oatmeal
1 scoop chocolate protein powder
½ cup skim or almond milk

Process all of the ingredients in a blender until mixed thoroughly and serve.

Happy running!  Thanks for stopping by!