Baked Jalapeno and Habanero Poppers

This is my recipe that has been based of off Emeril's recipe.

Ingredients

• 12 fresh jalapeno peppers and/or habanero peppers, halved lengthwise, stems, seeds and membranes removed
• 6 ounces Neufchatel cheese, softened (or cream cheese)
• 1 1/2 cups shredded Monterey Jack, Sharp Cheddar, or Mozzarella cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne
• 8 teaspoons of other seasonings to your liking mixed together (I used a mixture of powdered garlic, salt, pepper, paprika, parsley, thyme, oregano...)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 1 cup panko crumbs
• 1/2 cup Almond flour (or all purpose flour)

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.

In a bowl, cream together the Neufchatel cheese, shredded cheese, cumin, and cayenne.

In a small bowl, beat together the eggs, milk, and 2teaspoons other seasonings to taste. In a shallow dish, combine the panko crumbs and remaining 4 teaspoons of other seasonings. In a third dish, combine the flour and remaining 2 teaspoons of other seasonings. Spread 1 tablespoon of the cheese mixture into the middle of each jalapeno half. One at a time, dredge in the flour, dip into the egg mixture, then dredge in the panko crumbs, pressing to coat. If necessary, repeat the process. Place the coated peppers, cut side up, on the prepared baking sheet and bake until the filling is runny and the crust is golden, about 30-35 minutes.

Remove from the oven and serve immediately with cold beer.

Strawberry Brown Sugar Butter

Ingredients:
4 tablespoons butter or margarine, softened
1-2 strawberries, chopped and mashed
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Directions:
Soften butter
Add strawberries and brown sugar
Mash together with a fork or spoon until mixed

Serve on toast, pancakes, waffles, English muffins and more.

Oatmeal pancakes

This is my personal recipe.  Please feel free to share.


This recipe makes about 20 4-inch pancakes.  If you don't eat all of them on the day you make them, they can be frozen!  Just cool the pancakes and then put into a freezer bag.  Then pop in the freezer.  Reheat them in the microwave or toaster.


Ingredients:
1 cup flour (I used all purpose)
1 cup old fashioned oats (Quaker)
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup 1% milk
1/2 cup fat free vanilla yogurt (I used Stoneyfield french vanilla)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/4 cup vegetable oil
2 large eggs, lightly beaten


Directions:
1.  Place oats into a food processor and blend until smooth
2.  Combine oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
3.  Add milk, yogurt, vanilla extract, vegetable oil, and eggs to dry ingredients.
4.  Combine all ingredients until smooth.
5.  Lightly grease/butter a skillet over medium heat..
6.  Pour batter into skillet and brown cake on both sides.
7.  Serve piping hot with your choice of toppings!


Yields:  Approximately 20 4-inch pancakes


I topped mine with Strawberry Brown Sugar Butter, fresh strawberries, and real maple syrup.

Butternut Squash and vegetable soup

This soup is a work in progress as it's on the stove when I'm typing this.

Update: The soup is done and eaten. The changes I've made are in green.

Ingredients

• 5 tablespoons of unsalted butter
• 1/2 large Vidalia or sweet onion, cubed
• 1 celery stalk, diced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced Next time I will use 4 or 5.
• 1 medium potato, skin on, cubed Next time I will peel them.
• 3 carrots, diced
• 2 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and cubed
• salt
• pepper
• cinnamon
• ginger
• 48 oz chicken stock, divided
• Fresh chopped parsley

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large soup pot.
2. Add diced onion and celery, sprinkle with salt and pepper, saute 1 minute.
3. Add garlic, saute 1 minute.
4. Add potato and carrot, sprinkle with salt and pepper, saute 5 minutes (or while you cut up the squash).
5. Add butternut squash, sprinkle with salt, pepper, cinnamon, and ginger, saute 5 minutes.
6. Cover with chicken stock (Don't use all 48 oz of it, you might need some more for later. Also remember that the veggies will releases some juices, too.)
7. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, cover, and simmer for 40 minutes.
8. Strain liquid and reserve.
9. Blend until smooth, adding reserved liquid as needed.
10. Return to hot stove, add more spices, salt, and pepper to taste.
11. Stir in fresh parsley
12. Serve piping hot with a drizzle of olive oil and a sprinkle of cinnamon.

Tonight's dinner

Tonight's dinner is brought to you by my imagination. I hope it's good or we will be eating leftover homemade beef vegetable soup and grilled cheese again.

I don't know where the idea came from except from the fact that the "ethnic" aisle and the pasta aisle are one over from each other at the local grocery store. Or maybe I've had too many glasses of wine Reese's cups. So I'm making a taco lasagna.

**I've made some edits since we've eaten this.**

Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground meat (I used turkey that already had taco seasoning added)
• If your meat isn't pre-taco-seasoned you will need a packet of taco seasoning. (Typically found in the spice aisle)
• Some onion, diced.
• 1/2 can corn, drained
• 1/2 can refried beans
• 1-2 cups of cheese
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 8 soft tortillas, cut in half down the middle

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Spray 9x9 baking dish with cooking spray or oil.
2. Brown meat with onion until cooked through.
3. Place 4 tortilla halves in greased dish with flat sides against the side of the dish.
4. Spread 1/2 of the refried beans onto tortillas.
5. Layer 1/2 of the meat, 1/2 of the corn, and 1/3 of the cheese on top of the beans.
6. Dollop 1/2 of sour cream on top.
7. Top with 4 more tortilla halves and repeat layering and dolloping.
8. Put remaining tortilla halves on top to fully cover.
9. Top with desired amount of cheese. (I also sprinkled some Wahoo! Chili seasoning on mine.)
10. Cover with foil. Place into 350 degree F oven and bake for 10 minutes.
11. Remove foil and bake for 5 more minutes.
12. Let stand for a few moments before cutting and serving.

Some variation ideas:

• Add black beans.
• Add cooked rice.
• Add diced tomato or Corn, Black Bean Salsa.
• Top with broken up tortilla chips.

Don't throw away your remaining corn or refried beans. Make some Spanish rice with corn added and serve up with refried beans with cheese on top.