Cream Cheese & Bacon Stuffed Jalapeños

Everything is better made at home right? Shhh, I'd like to keep my job though lol. We make these yummies at work for you to take and bake and I thought I'd make them for my family at home. Mr. and I ate about the whole pan, they're that addicting! I baked them for 25 minutes and they were good, the cheese didn't melt out and the jalapeños were just slightly crunchy. You can go 5 more minutes if you want them softer. Don't waste those baked on little cheesy crunchies either, mmm!

Cream Cheese & Bacon Stuffed Jalapeños

6 slices bacon
12 medium-large fresh Jalapeños
8 oz brick cream cheese, cold (can use less fat one)
1/2 C. or so, cheddar cheese, shredded

Cook bacon in a hot skillet until just crispy. Drain and let cool. Once cooled, diced up finely, set aside.
Cut jalapeños in lengthwise, cut out seeds and membrane (or be daring and keep some in if you want spicy!).
With a sharp, wet knife, cut cream cheese into 12 even slices. Add a slice to each jalapeño half. Top with a little cheddar and a sprinkle of bacon. Place on a lined baking sheet and bake 350' for 25 minutes. Best served warm.

cold cream cheese & a wet knife make it easy to slice

easy to "fill"! 

ready to bake

nom nom! It's like two treats in one!

 enjoy,

Homemade Vegetable Juice

This whole juicing thing has really taken off with me. I really got the juicer because my oldest wanted it for juicing but hasn't liked any of the ones I've made. So she sticks to her smoothies. I thought I'd make juice here and there, but it'd end up being another appliance on the shelf. Well, not so! My body has taken to juicing and actually craves it now!  I'll be busy with my day and get that scent of juicing in my mind and then I'll want some. We went to a juice bar the other week and I walked in and the aroma in there "was like MY kitchen!" when I juice. I even went out and bought a case of glass jars to keep my extras in I am loving it so much.

It's only been a few weeks but I have noticed a little difference already. I have notched my belt smaller! So it's been a bonus for me as I am not juicing to lose weight (well that and taking my walks more often have helped).

So, I was thinking of more recipes to try and I've been wanting that V8 juice lately. So I looked around online and found this one. I'm sticking with more green/veggie juices since I can't have too much of the fruit juices. This recipe came out fantastic! Everything compliments each other well. I love that it made me 3 servings so I can grab one out of the fridge tomorrow.

Homemade Vegetable Juice
pinterest

6-8 small tomatoes
8 carrots, peeled
4 celery stalks
1-2 handfuls spinach
1/2 bunch parsley
1/4 small onion
1/4 beet
1 clove garlic
1 jalapeno, seeded if desired
Salt to taste

Add the salt to the jar you're juice is juicing into to help better dissolve it. Juice all ingredients and serve (I like mine chilled). Makes about 3 pints.

enjoy,

Wink's Homemade Dog Food

Having a dog hasn't always been in our family future, I am more of a cat person, so I thought. We've been petless for 7 years since I had to put my last cat down, it was heartbreaking. We've always told the kids they can have a dog when they're grown lol. WELL, that all changed one day last November at the kid's race banquet when our friends brought one of their fosters with them to hang out. His name is Winks. He's a mix chihuahua (we think Chipuggle) and he's had eye trauma sometime before in his short 2 years so he only has use of his right eye, thus he's called Winks. Well Mr. took him as well as the kids, I was still hesitant but I LOVE the idea of a rescue pet. SO we decided to try out the 2 week foster to adopt with him. We loved him from the get go as well as he loved us! So he became ours. You can find him on Instagram as #MrWinks. :)

I got the idea of making his food from a friend online. I love the idea of making real food and not some processed dog food with who knows what. I've done a lot of reading and decided to combine some recipes to make mine. It's everything that you'd eat, chicken, veggies and brown rice. NO seasonings, they're not good for dogs. Winks loves it!! 

(I used chicken pieces this time)

Wink's Homemade Dog Food
1 batch should make 36 -1/4 cup size balls

4-5 C. cooked brown rice
2 plain whole chickens, about 4 lbs each
2 medium orange sweet potatoes (yams), chopped
8 whole carrots, chopped
16 oz frozen peas
2 small bunches fresh parsley leaves
2 small-medium bunches kale, stems removed
8 eggs
*I also now add an apple or two (peeled, quartered)

Roast chicken in 350' oven for about 1 hour 25 minutes or until juices run clear. As chickens are roasting, cook the rice (4 C. water & 2 C. rice) and let cool.

Peel and chop yams, and carrots, add to a large stock pot with about 1/2 cup water. Add in peas, kale and apple. Allow to boil then simmer until carrots and yams are tender, about 30 minutes. Transfer with a slotted spoon to remove any liquid to a food processor, add fresh parsley and pulse until pureed.

Cook scrambled eggs, plain.

Cool chicken, then pick apart and add meat to a large stand mixer. On medium speed, mix until chicken is shredded. Add in cooled rice, veggie puree and eggs . Using an ice cream scooper, scoop out portions onto a lined baking sheet. Flash freeze then place portions in a freezer safe container/baggie.

To use, keep a day or two worth in your fridge to thaw. I microwave thawed portions for 22 seconds, frozen for about 45 seconds. Feed to your furry baby.

Our dog is about 11 pounds and eats 1/2 C. - 3/4 C. of food a day.

enjoy,

Homemade Green Monster Juice

I acquired a used juicer for a great price from our local yard sale group on Facebook (check your area for one near you, they're great!) and decided to give it a try. This was my first ever juicing recipe and I have to say it was delicious and sweet  BUT strong of ginger so just use a teeny piece (I used about 1"! eek!). This make about 3 1/2 cups worth. Since I am diabetic I have to watch my sugars including those naturally found in fruits so I drank about 1 cup worth and left the rest for my oldest. I have a few more recipes I want to try so watch for those coming soon!

Homemade Green Monster Juice

2 apples

1/4 pineapple, peeled

2 handfuls spinach

1 banana

1/4" fresh ginger (more if you like)

1 mango, peeled, seeded

1 kiwi

Add to juicer and drink. Makes about 3 1/2 cups.

My container is too small, will use my big measuring cup for now on.

I heard placing a plastic bag in the compartment makes for easier cleanup. Sure does work! I also read that using that pulp in other recipes is great too.

enjoy,

Veggie Sandwich

A few weeks ago, I found a little health food store called Veer Market and they also have a deli sandwich menu. With gluten free sandwiches too!! I actually looked it up on an app called Find Me Gluten Free and it was just across the freeway from where I was at the mall. I ordered the Veer Veggie and they made it on Canyon Bakehouse gluten free bread which I am familiar with. I ate it when I got home and was pleasantly surprise how full they packed it! WOW have I missed a good deli sandwich like that!

Well I loved it so much and couldn't stop thinking about it, I decided to make it myself at home. I can find Canyon Bakehouse gluten free bread in a few stores nearby. It's one of the few GF breads I can eat fresh and not toasted. For this sandwich I did lightly toast mine.

So they used a chipotle mayo and lots of fresh veggies. I mixed a little gluten free chipotle/adobo into mayo. Just a little because I find it spicy.

Veggie Sandwich

Gluten Free sandwich bread (such as Canyon Bakehouse 7 Grain)

Mayo

Chipotle/adobo sauce (be sure it's gluten free!)

Lettuce

Alfalfa sprouts

Tomato, sliced

Red onion, sliced

English cucumber, peeled and sliced

Avocado, mashed

Salt and pepper to taste

 

Toast the bread if you like. Combine enough mayo with how ever much chipotle/adobo sauce you want. Assemble sandwich. I like to smear the mayo then add the lettuce, smashed avocado, sprouts, tomato, cucumber and onion with a little salt and pepper. 

This post is of my own personal review, we discuss this bread often in a facebook group for being gluten free.

I make this at least a few times a week as long as the sprouts are fresh. I shared this one ^ on Instagram before.

enjoy,

Veggie Burgers

Here is another great vegan recipe I found for our daughter who is trying Vegan. I've been making her recipes that will last throughout the week so she always has something and it's less stress on me to make her a separate meal. Being vegan is hard! Kudos to any of you out there! Hey if anyone has favorite vegan recipes you'd like to share with me I'd love to see them!

I had seen this Bean and Zucchini burger recipe on pinterest before (that ahh-mazing photo!) and decided to give it a go. It's a pretty simple recipe and although I did not make this gluten free (I was afraid if I did, I'd eat all of her burgers lol) you certainly could. I also just realized her recipe calls for kidney beans, I don't know where I got garbanzo beans from, but that's what I bought. They worked great!

I had forgotten to get zucchini at the store but I had frozen shredded in the freezer already so I thawed that and used it. I also added in some shredded carrot and more seasonings. Let me tell you, these smelled amazing while cooking, I kept sticking my nose into the pan, lol.

Veggie Burgers

adapted from Vegan Sandra 

30 oz can garbanzo beans, drained
1 white onion, finely diced
2-3 medium zucchini, diced or shredded
1 large carrot, shredded
3 tsp curry powder
1 TBL chopped garlic
salt and pepper to taste
3 tsp vegetable stock powder (I crumbled 1 GF veggie bouillon cube)
3/4 cup wheat flour (OR gluten free flour)
oil for frying

 Drain and rinse the beans, put them to a bigger bowl and mash them with a potato smasher. Add onions, zucchini carrot, along with curry powder, garlic, salt and pepper, vegetable stock powder and whole-wheat flour. Mix carefully with your hands or with a fork. Shape into desired sized patties (I used my burger shaper and got 7 regular sized patties). Heat about 2 TBL of oil in a large skillet and fry them until crispy on both sides (about 6 mins/side). Keep warm in oven as you cook the rest.

load these up on your favorite buns or lettuce wraps with your favorite accompaniments

these patties develop a crispy exterior with a soft center.

enjoy,

Asian Noodle Salad

Since my oldest recently exclaimed that she wants to try Vegan, I've been searching online for recipes we can all enjoy. I have seen PW's recipe many times before but it came up on pinterest under the vegan tag so I finally thought I'd try it. WHY did I wait so long?? This salad is good!! It reminds me of a soba noodle salad I loved that we sold in the deli back in the day. I made ths recipe to be gluten free friendly too, which was not difficult at all. I have found the new Barilla gluten free pastas to be very good and they held up lovely in this salad. Also be sure to get a very large container so you can easily toss this together.

Asian Noodle Salad

Salad Ingredients:
1 pound package Fettuccine Noodles, Cooked, Rinsed, And Cooled (gluten free spaghetti pasta)
1 small head Sliced Napa Cabbage
1 small head Sliced Purple Cabbage
1/2 bag Baby Spinach
1 whole Red Bell Pepper, Sliced Thin
1 whole Yellow Bell Pepper, Sliced Thin
1 whole Orange Bell Pepper, Thinly Sliced
1 bag Bean Sprouts
Cilantro, Chopped, To Taste
3 whole Scallions, Sliced 3 whole Cucumbers Peeled And Sliced
1 Cup Roasted Peanuts

Dressing:
1 whole Lime, Juiced
8 Tablespoons Olive Oil
8 Tablespoons Soy Sauce (gluten free Tamari)
2 Tablespoons Sesame Oil
1/3 cup Brown Sugar
3 Tablespoons Fresh Ginger Grated
2 cloves Garlic, Chopped
1/2 tsp Sambal Oelek

Combine all the salad ingredients together in a large bowl. Combine the dressing ingredients together and toss with the salad. Enjoy this salad cold from the fridge.

 enjoy,