Classic Stuffed Peppers

Sometimes comfort food is in order and for me, stuffed peppers are one of those comfort foods I love. They remind me of my mom, who made them fairly regularly growing up. And even though when I was little I wanted "stuffed peppers without the pepper" (aka, meatballs) which Mom was good enough to oblige this one menu request, I eventually grew to love the pepper part too. Now I make these and serve them up with lots of mashed potatoes and a salad for a hearty, comforting delicious dinner. I love the seasoning, the extra texture from the rice and frankly, the satisfying look of a pepper just overstuffed and overflowing with a delicious filling.

Bacon Wrapped BBQ Chicken Tenders

I know, I had you at bacon. Really, do I have to tell you how delicious these chicken strips are? Tender, flavorful and just so good--after all, bacon makes everything better. Not only was this a delicious dinner on a cold, gray day (will this winter ever end?), but it took all of 3 minutes to put together and 20 minutes to cook. Bacony goodness in record time. I'm always up for wrapping food in bacon and I'm glad my Secret Recipe Club match had this idea on her menu as well.

Oven Chicken Fajitas

These fajitas have changed my whole perspective. I actually have several cast iron skillets--even the flat ones like you get fajitas on at a restaurant--but I never get that smoky flavor or the perfectly soften vegetables. Somehow my veggies always end up soggy and the chicken just so-so. Well that's all changes and I'll never bother making skillet fajitas again. Seriously, no need to stand by the stove willing the excess water to cook off. Just chop the veggies, slice the chicken and season them up. Toss it all in the oven and behold--amazing fajitas. Dave was totally on board and said these fajitas were better than one of our favorite Mexican restaurants. Oh, and I totally made this while Logan slept in the carrier. I kept asking him to help, but he just yawned and snuggled in for a nap. He's not yet useful in the kitchen.

Pork Chops with Garlic and Lemon Sauce

You guys, I made an awesome dinner the other night. Seriously, we were both super satisfied with these amazing pork chops. Oodles of flavor and on the table in about 20 minutes.Seriously, what more could you ask for? The pork chops are delicious and tender, and the sauce has a good balance of lemon and garlic to offer something a little different and bright. What I enjoy of these stove top pork chops is how easy it is to keep them juicy and moist, which can sometimes be tricky when you're working with them on the grill--they can get dry so quickly. So in addition to a delicious chop, you also get a lovely sauce with this recipe. By the way, that sauce was pretty tasty when it made it's way to my baked potato, too.

Vegetarian Lasagna with Swiss Chard

Wanna hear a secret?  Come here.  Closer.  Shh....don't tell anyone, but lasagna isn't really that hard to make.  I know, right?  Everyone makes such a big deal about it.  Should you boil the noodles first and burn your fingers?  Or buy the "oven-ready" noodles and get a funny texture?  Wanna know what I do?  Neither.  I use regular, plain lasagna noodles, but I don't boil them before I bake up my casserole.  And every time, they come out perfectly, tender and able to hold together layers of cheese and sauce, and this time some Swiss chard.  The method for this lasagna is the same I've been using for years, with the addition of some sauteed Swiss chard, which can be completely eliminated or replaced with spinach, kale, or whatever you fancy.  The result is a cheesy, creamy, filling lasagna that is perfect for a crowd.  The Swiss chard adds a bit of freshness and a different flavor element that's a bit spicy and a touch of spring.

Philly Chicken Sandwiches

There's something about peppers and onions that just makes a meal that much better.  And there is no shortage of the tasty veggies in this dish, with the addition of sliced mushrooms to season up the chicken and make an overflowing sandwich full of flavor to make a hearty lunch or quick and easy dinner.  Toss it all in the crock pot, let it do it's thing of cooking everything down into a tender, delicious messy goodness and there you have it.  Pile up on top of toasted buns with some melted provolone and dinner is done.  The chicken is tender and seasoned to give a hint of traditional Philly cheesesteak flavor.  We wanted to have these for dinner, but ended up cooking them the next morning for a perfect lunch after a busy day around the house.  I'm looking forward to the leftovers if I can get to them before Dave.

Loaded Baked Sweet Potatoes

Much as I love to bake and cook, when I come home from work, the last thing I want to do is hurry to put together a complicated dinner.  If it's not already finished in the crock pot, the next best thing (besides leftovers), is a recipe that can be pulled together with a few ingredients and quickly.  Ideally it'd be hearty and healthy, but beggars can't always be choosers.  Unless they're begging for this recipe.  I was thrilled with this recipe.  Loaded baked potatoes in general make me happy--stuffed with all kinds of cheese, veggies, seasoning and other fixings, and this sweet potato version takes that all to a new level.  We love sweet potatoes and have gotten an abundance from our CSA this winter, so finding new ways to enjoy them is always a plus.  Lots of veggie and hearty black beans seasoned up with a little spiced up sour cream, salsa, and cheese, this dish is the perfect meal for a hurried weeknight, but it also makes an awesome lunch.  I made the whole batch and saved the leftover filling to shove into newly baked sweet potatoes the next couple of days.  Besides being completely delicious, these loaded baked sweet potatoes are hearty and healthy for anyone looking to keep calories in check.  Load up on all the fiber and protein in one amazing dish.

Baked Tacos

Holy. Crap.  We will never make tacos the "old"way again.  These were amazing.  The ground beef isn't just seasoned with taco mix, but refried beans and tomato sauce add a creamy texture.  Piled into shells and topped with cheese, these tacos then get baked up to perfection where the cheese gets melty and gooey and the shells soften just enough that they don't completely crack open on the first bite, letting all the taco fixin's inside plop out onto your plate.  Not only delicious, but these tacos would be perfect to make for a party taco bar--prefill the tacos with meat and cheese, then let guests gussy up their portable dish with taco sauce, sour cream, lettuce, tomato, onions, olives--whatever you fancy.

Whiskey BBQ Sliders

What's not to love about a burger, in miniature form no less, smothered in onions, jalapenos and BBQ sauce laced with booze?  These are some simple and delicious burgers.  I've actually made them twice in the last few weeks, they are that good (and it had nothing to do with the fact that I forgot to take pictures after the first time around).  I love that they are small, so you really get a nice sauce to burger ratio--I'm not sure they would be the same as a large burger.  There is a spicy heat to the sauce from the jalapenos, but the onions provide some sweetness and the whiskey is a nice background of smoky kick that indicates there is something special about these tiny sandwiches.  I love "stuff" on my burgers, but I ate these guys straight up, no frills.  That awesome.

Pulled Pork and BBQ Pork Sandwiches

Dave and I love barbeque.  Specifically, I love the vinegary barbeque flavor of North Carolina pulled pork.  Sandwiches are always a big with us, so when I saw a recipe showing me how to use my crock pot to roast a pork shoulder for the purpose of making my own pulled pork sandwiches, I was smitten.  I'll share with you a few other recipes from this flexible pulled pork over time, but this sandwich was the first one that caught our eyes.  Juicy, flavorful pork just falls apart and begs to be paired with a tangy sauce and piled high on a toasted bun.  If you're having a low key New Year's gathering but still want to serve the traditional pork meal for luck, this is a great alternative to a big sit down roast with trimmings.

Pittsburgh Kielbasa

Oh, it's a thing.  A real thing that's just yummy and delicious that you really need to experience and enjoy all it's flavor glory.  I have a coworker who, knowing I am from Pittsburgh, asked me if I "do that thing with the kielbasa and beer and sauerkraut in the slow cooker" because he could eat the whole thing if his Pittsburgh friends would let him.  I responded with a resounding yes, and for a couple of weeks it's all I could think about making.  But I resisted.  Because of Dave.  See, Dave doesn't like sauerkraut.  He likes kielbasa.  He loves beer.  But despite his eastern Pennsylvania roots and both of his parents growing up with, and loving, sauerkraut, he won't eat it.  Finally, I said screw it and decided I'd make a dinner that Ernie, Madaline and I could enjoy and Dave would just have to fend for himself.  The sauerkraut is tempered with sweetness from the addition of brown sugar, so it's not as intense of a pickled flavor.  A good beer goes a long way to the depth of flavor and you can serve this piled high on sub rolls or just mixed up in a bowl, whatever your fancy.  And it's definitely a tailgate or game day food, especially when the Steelers are playing.

Cincinnati-Style Buffalo Chicken Chili

It's October, fall, and football season, so that means it's acceptable to serve chili again!  And this chili is unique and delicious, blending buffalo chicken  flavors and a Cincinnati-style serving.  Cincinnati-style means serves over pasta and topped with cheese.  It's really tasty and the different texture turns your chili into a stew while the pasta doesn't compete with the chili flavors the way tortilla chips sometimes can.  Serve any kind of chili this way and you'll suddenly have a wonderful new twist on the same-old chili recipe.

For the last year, Secret Recipe Club has been a wonderful blogging-family that I've enjoyed being a part of.  I've met many wonderful people through their blogs, tried many new recipes I otherwise would never have attempted, and have looked forward to seeing the delicious recipes my fellow Group B members put out each month.  So I was understandably saddened and shocked to learn that Daniel from The Haggis and The Herring passed suddenly last month.  Daniel was a kind man who took a lot of time to visit each members post in the blog hop and always had something positive, sweet or helpful to share for each of us.  It was an honor to know Daniel and I was moved by his wife Meredith's touching eulogy which she graciously shared with the online community.  By way of tribute, today is a special Secret Recipe Club reveal featuring recipes from The Haggis and The Herring.  I hope you'll take the opportunity to check out the blog hop below to see how many bloggers Daniel inspired and the beautiful and delicious dishes he and Meredith created for their family and friends.

Sausage Stuffed Zucchini Boats

As the zucchini harvest slows and these last few days of summer make you want to spend more time savoring the fun of summer rather than cooking up elaborate meals, this recipe will be a special treat before we switch into fall-mode with back to school, activities and cooler weather.  There is a lot of flexibility in the flavor of these zucchini boats, depending on what kind of sausage you use.  Of course, Italian sausage would be fine, but to lighten them up, use a chicken sausage which can come in a variety of flavors.  The tomato, basil, and mozzarella chicken sausage from Casual Gourmet that I used was delicious and played well with the rest of the veggies and added cheese.  As a full meal or just a side dish, these zucchini boats are delicious and easy.

Last month a friend shared a link to this Skinny Taste recipe for another friend, Erica.  After Erica comment how good these were, I jumped on board to try them myself.  I used my own marinara sauce, but you could use jarred or your own version.  And I had some huge zucchini (one green and one yellow), so I only needed two of them to get to 31 ounces, which was fine because that made four boats that I was serving as the main meal for dinner. (Yeah, Dave had pizza.  Sigh.)  Gina at Skinny Taste recommends cutting the sausage out of the casing, and then crumbling and cooking it.  I couldn't separate the casing, so I just diced my sausage and it was fine.  I also cooked the veggies with the sausage, rather than removing the sausage from the pan.  These were pretty easy to put together and the stuffing cooked up quick, although the cheese in my sausage just melted and cooked out, so it created more of a sauce than another flavor of sausage might.  But since the boats are topped with additional cheese anyway, it was no big deal.  Leftovers were still delicious, so you can make this one night and enjoy another lingering summer evening dinner later.

Bean & Cheese Burritos with Crock Pot Refried Beans

Lovely refried beans from scratch, made in the crock pot no less, and a delicious bean and cheese burrito perfect for lunch.  Easy, delicious, and wholesome, knowing everything that's going into these recipes, what's not to love?  Super filling and full of flavor, this a is a great recipe.  You can make it in two parts, starting the beans a head of time and either freezing or refrigerating them until you are ready to make the burritos.  Or make just the beans and use them for some other fun recipe, like a warm bean dip or as a side for enchiladas or some other fun dish.

Through a weird twist of fate, I was again assigned to Heather from Fit Mama Real Food for this month's Secret Recipe Club.  Since I posted Heather's hummus in May, she has welcomed her beautifully adorable Hunter.  But before he came along, Heather loaded her freezer full of quick meals for her and her husband to help keep them fed and happy while caring for their new little bundle.  While I thought about going back to some of Heather's recipes that caught my eye last time I spun through her blog for Secret Recipe Club, I stopped at Heather's post on stocking her freezer because she posted a refried beans recipe.  Not only that, but she posted something to do with the great big quantity of beans (freezer burritos!) and I knew Dave and I would love these.  You know our devotion to Mexican food and I thought these burritos would be perfect lunches for me to take to work or easy for Dave to grab and heat up when he has a busy day working from home.  So it's a two-for-one post thanks to Heather's perfect bean recipe and her excellent way to consume those beans!  I thought these were perfect as is, but definitely adapt the burritos to your liking (maybe a little less beans and toss in some shredded chicken). 

Chicken Parmesan Meatloaf

Remember when I made Buffalo Chicken and Blue Cheese Meatloaf and was so excited because meatloaf could have a personality?  Yeah, I guess meatloaf has some sort of food schizophrenia because this meatloaf is also awesome and had a totally different personality!  When did this happen?  And is meatloaf ok with it?  I hope it's not having an identity crisis, because frankly I'm excited by the many faces of meatloaf, namely the face that makes them all tasty.  This was a great version of chicken parm--lots of flavor and cheesy, saucy goodness.  And it's not fried, so it's definitely better for you than the traditional route, especially if you opt for a reduced fat or fat free cheese.

I'd pinned this recipe a while back and since I'd realized that my meal plan for the week included some variation of Mexican nearly every night, I decided it was a good time to branch out.  Dave loved the idea since he's a big fan of the original version and he enjoyed this as well.  The recipe comes from Joelen at What's Cookin' Chicago, which has lots of yummy dishes you should probably check out.  The only adjustment I would make is maybe to mix some mozzarella cheese in with the ground chicken since we like things cheesy where I live.  But otherwise, this was perfect and delicious and yummy paired with a side of pasta and a salad.