Broccoli Tots

Broccoli Tots

Julia   

This recipe was one I had wished I had doubled or tripled when we sat down to dinner.  They were tasty little poppers, and E loved them almost as much as Frog Prince and I did. 

We used them atop our tater tot hotdish recipe, and munched on them as a snack. 

Broccoli Tots – Adapted from Skinny Taste

Ingredients

• 2 C broccoli (fresh) or 12 oz broccoli (frozen)
• 1 egg
• 1 T minced onion
• 1/2 C shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
• 1/2 C whole wheat panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 tsp. pepper
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning

Directions

Bring a pot of water to a boil.  Add in broccoli and boil for 1-2 minutes.  Drain and rinse with cold water.  Then, chop the broccoli into small pieces. 

Add 1 egg , 1 Tminced onion and 1/2 C shredded cheese to a large bowl.  Mix in the broccoli, 1/2 C panko and spices (salt, pepper and Italian seasoning).

Spoon 1 T of mixture into your hand and shape into a tater-tot.  Place on a lightly greased cookie sheet. 

Bake at 400 for 18-20 minutes.   Ideally, you’ll want to flip these over once during cooking, but I didn’t and they still tasted great. 

Serve warm.  Enjoy!

Zucchini, Ham and Rice Casserole

Zucchini, Ham and Rice Casserole

Julia   

We have a few abnormally large zucchini fruits from our garden.  Oops!  It’s been hard to keep out the garden with our 7.5 month old Little Chef this summer, but we’ve sure tried. 

When we do get out there to harvest, we often find overgrown zucchini.  This recipe was perfect for using them up! 

Zucchini, Ham and Rice Casserole – Adapted from Roxana’s Home Baking

Ingredients

• 3 eggs
• 1/2 C ham, diced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, diced
• 1 large zucchini, shredded
• 1/2 tsp. minced garlic
• 2 C cottage cheese
• 3/4 C minute brown rice, uncooked
• 6 slices cheddar cheese
• salt and pepper, to taste

Directions

Begin by combining the shredded zucchini, diced bell pepper, minced garlic, eggs, salt and pepper in a large bowl.  Stir well. 

Add in the diced ham, 2 C cottage cheese and 3/4 C minute rice.  Stir to combine.

 

Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 9x13 glass baking dish.  Top with 6 slices of cheddar cheese. 

Bake at 350 for 40-45 minutes, until cooked through.  Serve warm.  Enjoy!

Fireman’s Chicken BBQ

Fireman’s Chicken BBQ

Julia   

As we wrap up summer, this most excellent chicken BBQ recipe warrants firing up the grill at least one more time. 

My husband grew up in Upstate New York and this recipe was a summer staple for his family.  We recently made it and enjoyed it very much. 

Fireman’s Chicken BBQ

Ingredients

• 2 C vinegar
• 1/2 C olive oil
• 1 egg
• 2 tsp. salt
• 1 T poultry seasoning
• 1 tsp. pepper
• 6-8 chicken breasts or 10-12 wings or legs
• 10 small red potatoes

Directions

Begin by combining the egg (lightly beaten), 2 C vinegar, 1/2 C olive oil, 2 tsp. salt, 1 tsp. pepper and 1 T poultry seasoning in a large bowl.  Add in the chicken.  Marinade in the refrigerator for 2-6 hours in a covered container. 

Meanwhile, wash and quarter the red potatoes.  Season generously with salt, pepper and olive oil and place in a foil-lined grill basket. 

Remove the chicken from the marinade, piece by piece, and grill the chicken over medium heat for 10-15 minutes, turning 2-3 times.  Cook until internal temperature of the chicken reaches 180 degrees. 

Cook the potatoes over medium heat too, for 15ish minutes until tender and crispy. 

Serve together with sweet corn and enjoy!

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

Julia   

Baked oatmeal is one of our favorite ways to start the day.  Especially with a little one around these days, this quick, filling and delicious breakfast gets made once a week.

There are many recipes for baked oatmeal out there – most are filled with butter or oil and are high in sugar.  For this recipe, we went to our traditional baked oatmeal base that we’ve used in our favorites like Berry Baked Oatmeal or Zucchini Bread Baked Oatmeal.  This base is rich in flavor and has no oil or butter.  Applesauce does the trick, adding more fantastic fruit to your morning breakfast. 

This banana bread baked oatmeal got great reviews and tasted just like a slice of banana bread.  Yum, yum!  Consider topping it with your favorite banana bread add-ins, like chocolate chips. 

Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

Ingredients

• 3 C old fashioned oats
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1/3 C brown sugar
• 1/2 C unsweetened applesauce
• 1-2 medium overripe bananas, mashed
• 1 C milk
• 1/2 tsp. vanilla
• 1 egg

Directions 

Begin by mixing 3 C oats, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1/4 tsp. salt and 1/3 C brown sugar together in a medium bowl.  Add in applesauce and mashed banana.  Stir well. 

Pour in 1 C milk, and 1 egg, and a 1/2 tsp. full of vanilla. 

Pour the mixture into a lightly greased 9x9 baking dish. 

Bake at 350 for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Cool for 5 minutes before serving. 

Serve warm with yogurt or milk and any toppings you would enjoy, or just eat as a piece, as you would cake! 

Crockpot Stuffed Bell Peppers

Crockpot Stuffed Bell Peppers

Julia   

Crockpot meals are a favorite of ours around here.  As a working wife, it is a treat to be able to come home and not have to start cooking dinner!  The house smells amazing and dinner is just about ready.  I love that. 

We are always looking for new crockpot ideas, and this stuffed bell pepper recipe uses some of our fall favorites (wild rice!) in a new way. 

The result was a meal we’ll definitely make again and again. 

Crockpot Stuffed Bell Peppers – Adapted from Family Fresh Meals

Ingredients

• 5-6 medium bell peppers
• 1 C cooked wild rice
• 1/2 lb. ground Italian turkey sausage, browned
• 1 can diced tomatoes, drained
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. minced onion
• 1/4 tsp. minced garlic
• salt and pepper
• 1 C shredded Colby Jack or Monterrey Jack Cheese
• 1 C chicken broth

Directions

In a large bowl, mix together 1 C cooked wild rice, browned Italian sausage, 3/4 of the can of rinsed and drained diced tomatoes, onion, garlic, salt and pepper.  Mix in 1 egg and 3/4 C of cheese. 

Stir well. 

Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds from the inside. 

Using a cookie scoop, fill the bell peppers with the rice mixture.  Top with remaining tomatoes.

Place the peppers into a lightly greased crockpot, arranged in a single layer over the bottom of the crockpot.  Pour over 1 C chicken broth. 

Cover and cook on low for 8 hours.  Roughly 15 minutes before serving, top with the remaining 1/4 C cheese.  Or, if you forget, just top with cheese before serving. 

Serve warm.

Enjoy!

Breakfast Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Breakfast Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Julia   

Earlier this week, Frog Prince and I celebrated our 7th wedding anniversary.  For our special day, I decided to make us a new breakfast to enjoy together before we headed off to work. 

Not only was it easy to make, but it was delicious and the leftovers warmed up well! 

And, it looked kind of fancy too. 

Breakfast Stuffed Portabella Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 4 portabella mushrooms
• 4 eggs
• Olive oil spray
• 1/4 C diced bell pepper
• 1/4 C diced zucchini {optional}
• 2 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled
• 4 slices of cheddar cheese
• 1 medium Roma tomato
• salt & pepper

Directions

Begin by removing the stems from the mushrooms and carefully using a spoon to scoop out the gills of the mushrooms.  Then, wash the mushrooms and pat them dry.  Place them on a lightly greased cookie sheet, with the cap-side down.  Season them with a pinch of salt and pepper, and if desired, garlic. 

Roast the caps at 425 for 10-12 minutes.  You may wish to flip the mushrooms over once during that time frame; I typically do not, but I know folks who do. 

Carefully spoon the liquid out of the mushrooms after roasting.  If you are prepping the night before, stop here and place the roasted mushrooms in the refrigerator over night.  If you are making them right away, reduce your oven temperature to 375. 

Place diced bell pepper and optional zucchini into the center of each mushroom.  Add the crumbled bacon. 

Top each mushroom with an egg and a slice of cheese.  Season with salt and pepper, as needed.  Slice up the Roma tomato and place slices onto the lightly greased cookie sheet to roast. 

Bake the mushrooms for 15-20 minutes, until the eggs are set and the cheese is melted and slightly browned. 

Top each egg with 1-2 slices of roasted tomato, as desired. 

Serve warm, alongside hash browns. 

Enjoy!