Friday, October 7, 2011

Spaghetti and Jalapeno Popper Zucchini!



TGIF everyone! Thought you all would like a little laugh! This was too funny NOT to share!!!

Today has been such a wonderfully fun day. I had prepped a crock pot for some mushroom-beef spaghetti sauce last night and placed it in the cooker. I then headed off for a great workout of hill repeats on the treadmill while watching Julie and Julia. That movie is so cute. I have yet to finish it, so please don't ruin the ending for me. I could have done hill repeats for the whole length of the movie (which happens to be slightly over 2 hours), but I had plans to meet a friend at a pumpkin patch, so I had to cut my workout AND the movie short. After cleaning up, I headed to our mall to meet Starr. When we saw what they considered a "pumpkin patch", we quickly left and headed to a different one. The one at the mall was in the parking lot and didn't have that "pumpkin patch feel". It was more kid oriented, and if you all know how much I *begin sarcastic tone here* just adore kids.....well yeah, we headed off to one off in the wineries.

We wound up at Peltzer Winery for their annual pumpkin patch farm. This was more like it. A huge open field with different types of pumpkins, squash, a corn maze, and even a petting farm! It was so beautiful out and we had a blast (pictures to come soon!!!! :) )

After looking around, I found 2 pieces that I wanted to get.....a little mini pumpkin and an acorn squash!


You can not see how small my little pumpkin is. It is soooooo cute!!!! :)


After our pumpkin patch escapades, I headed home and started up the oven. I had finally gotten the stuff to make my jalapeno popper zucchini after I was oh so upset when I tried to make it last weekend and found half my ingredients had gone bad! :( That was total sadness. So here I was, going to give it one more shot! :)

Jalapeno Popper Zucchini


INGREDIENTS:


1 large zucchini, sliced
1 jalapeno (seeded, if you can't handle the heat) ~I left the seeds in since I love the kick!!!
4 slices of bacon (I used low-sodium turkey bacon)
4 oz cream cheese
1 cup Panko crumbs
1 egg, mixed (for dipping)

DIRECTIONS:

-Preheat oven to 350 degrees
-Cook bacon according to package (I nuked it in the microwave since you want it to be really crispy)
-Slice zucchini in 1/4 inch slices
-Chop jalapeno into small pieces
    *Wash your hands after this step to avoid burning your eye balls! ;)
-Place cream cheese into a bowl and add jalapeno
-Crumble bacon into small pieces into bowl with cream cheese and jalapeno

-Mix bacon and jalapenos into cream cheese (if cream cheese is not soft enough, place in microwave for 30 seconds. This should make it so you can mix it easily.....and it IS ok to place in microwave WITH the jalapeno and bacon in the bowl already!)

-Line cookie sheet with parchment paper
-Take zucchini slices (one at a time) and place in egg wash
-Scoop a spoonful of cream cheese mixture on top of zucchini slice
-Place in bowl with Panko crumbs and sprinkle them all around the zucchini slice
-Place slices on parchment paper

-Place in oven and bake for 16 minutes
-Remove from oven and let cool


These are super delicious and it's hard to eat just a few.......but then again, anything with cream cheese and bacon HAS to be good, right???? :D


Since I had my oven on, I decided to bake up some cookies. Not just any cookies though. I have my triathlon on Sunday and wanted to make some recovery cookies for the girls and me for after the race. I was trying to think of something unique, that has never been made before. I finally came up with a cookie concoction and decided to bake it.

BUT..........
You're just going to have to wait until Sunday for that recipe!!!! ;) Hehehehehe! Gotta tease ya.....and let me tell you, they are SUPER delish!!!!!


Shortly after I was done baking, the hubs came home from work. The spaghetti sauce had been cookin' all day and sure did smell yummy. When I usually make him spaghetti, I cook the noodles, heat up a jar of Ragu sauce, and make some toast in the toaster. Tonight was going to be different. I decided to get a little fancy for him! :) <3 Instead of making toast in the toaster, I buttered some bread, sprinkled some garlic salt on it, then sprinkled some Italian seasonings and parmesan cheese. The bread was placed on parchment paper on a cookie sheet and placed in the oven at 350 degrees for about 12 minutes. I served the toast with the spaghetti and I was told the meal was "adequate". 

Major Sadness......

Oh well, what can I do??? He said that the toast was too fancy for him and the sauce was too thin. I am still learning and what he said WAS true. The sauce wasn't so much sauce as it was meat and mushrooms with some tomatoes. He likes a thicker sauce, and this definitely was no thick sauce. I took what he said and just told myself that next time I would add more tomato sauce and paste. I will give you the original recipe in case you like a thinner sauce! :)

Beefy and Mushroomy Spaghetti Sauce
(as adapted from Taste of Home)

INGREDIENTS:

1 lb lean ground beef (90% fat)
1/2 lb sliced fresh mushrooms
1 small onion, chopped
2 cans (14.5oz each) diced tomatoes, undrained
1 can (12oz) tomato paste (next time I will double this and make it 2 cans)
1 can (8oz) tomato sauce (same with the sauce....next time will use 2 cans)
1 cup reduced-sodium beef broth
1 TBSP brown sugar
2 TBSP dried parsley flakes
1 tsp dried basil
1 tsp dried oregano
1 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper

DIRECTIONS:

-In a large skillet, cook the beef, mushrooms, and onion until meat is browned

-Add beef, mushrooms, and onion to 3 quart slow cooker
-Stir in remaining ingredients
-Cover and cook on low for 8-10 hours

-Serve over cooked noodles 
-Top with parmesan or mozzarella cheese, if you would like
-Enjoy!!!! :)


I am super excited about my triathlon on Sunday. We will be camping on the lake where I will do the swim portion of the race. This will also be our first trip out with our "new" motor home!!!! I can not wait! It is going to be a blast!!!! I will have plenty of pictures to share with you on Sunday (if I get a chance to get online.....)!!!!


Now, just one more thing before I go......

Day 16: What I Ate

This was our Thanksgiving breakfast 2010 out in good ol' Ocotillo!!!! That is right, we started the day off with bacon wrapped filets! We sure do know how to eat while out in the desert! We have our very own Chef Boyardee, Ryan, grillin' them up for us with his special marinade and extra thick peppered bacon! Mmmmmmm!!!!!! 

Well all my fellow readers (whom I love oh so very much! <3 ), I am off to do some dishes and then get my bum back on that treadmill for some more fun!!!!! Hope you all have a WONDERFUL and SAFE Friday night! I will be up early to hit the work-stead and then off to Lake Cahuilla we go!!!!! Wooooo!!!! So sadly, you won't hear from me tomorrow, but hopefully Sunday! Don't miss me too much!!! ;) JK!!!!

With lots of love!!!!
<3
Amy





PS: Here is one more quick laugh.....gotta love that Betty White!

No comments:

Post a Comment