Chocolate Cupcakes

I came across this recipe on Nomadic Nom Nom's blog, and thought it too good to be true. I was completely wrong. My cupcakes turned out delicious and tasty- I couldn't even tell they were made with pumpkin puree.

You'll need: 
1 box chocolate cake mix (I used Devil's Food)
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
(If you want to make muffins instead of cupcakes- you could add chocolate chips.)
Cupcake liners


Seriously, that's it. No egg, no oil, nothing else. Just 2 ingredients (and chocolate chips if you want). How simple is that? Even better- they're only 50 calories each!


Mix the box cake mix and the pumpkin puree together- I highly recommend using a mixer for about 2 minutes on medium speed to get it nice and fluffy, otherwise its too dense and sticky. You can fill the cupcake liners to the top, because they hardly rise.


Bake at 350 degrees for about 20-25 minutes, check with a toothpick, and let cool.

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"Cooking done with care is simply an act of love."
-Craig Claiborne, Kitchen Primer

Spicy Italian Sausage Stuffed Peppers

I saw some sweet red peppers in the grocery store the other day and they were too beautiful and bright to pass up. So, I came up with this recipe to make with them-


I chose to serve them with penne and a quick, fresh tomato sauce (see below), but you could make them with any side you want, or eat just by themselves.

You'll need:
3 long sweet red peppers, halved, seeded
1 pound ground spicy Italian sausage
1/2 cup yellow onion, finely chopped
2 med cloves garlic, minced
1/3 cup fresh parsley, minced
1/2 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
1/4 cup fine dry breadcrumbs
1 large egg
1/4 cup shredded mozzarella
1/4 cup shredded parmesan
1 teaspoon black pepper
3/4 teaspoon salt


Sauce*:
1 large can diced tomatoes
1 teaspoon fresh rosemary, minced
2 tablespoons fresh parsley, minced
1 teaspoons fresh oregano, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste


1 box penne pasta


*If you would prefer to use a jar sauce or your own favorite recipe, be my guest. I was in the mood for chunky, fresh made.


Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Mix ingredients (besides peppers) in large mixing bowl until well blended.
Combine sauce ingredients in a separate large mixing bowl.
Pour sauce in 13 x 9 x 2 inch baking dish.
Fill seeded pepper halves with mixture, mounding on top.
Arrange peppers over top of the sauce in the baking dish.
Top peppers with additional cheese, as much or little as you prefer.
Bake for 45 minutes to an hour, or until sausage is fully cooked (165 degrees)
Cook pasta according to box, drain.


Once peppers and pasta are finished, plate and top with tomato sauce from baking dish.

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Pan Roasted Chicken & Vegetables

This dish is great because it's quick and allows for very minimal clean up and dishes.


You'll need:
4 boneless, skinless chicken breasts
1 pound of potatoes, cut into chunks
1/2 pound baby carrots, cut into thirds
1 large onion, cut into wedges
2 (4 oz) cans sliced mushrooms, drained
1 (10 oz) bag fresh baby spinach (remove stems)
5 cloves garlic, sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 tablespoon dried rosemary
2 teaspoons black pepper (or to taste)
1 teaspoon salt (or to taste)
1 large roasting pan


Directions:

In large roasting pan, combine potatoes, carrots, onion, garlic, olive oil, salt, pepper, and rosemary. Toss to coat evenly in the oil. Roast veggies at 475 degrees for 25 minutes.

Gently stir veggies so they don't stick. Lightly salt and pepper chicken and add to roasting pan, along with mushrooms. Roast for 15-20 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Once chicken is done, place spinach over the mixture and return to the oven for 5-6 more minutes, or until spinach wilts.


Remove from oven and place chicken in a frying pan on the stove for 5 minutes on each side, to achieve a crisp, golden brown exterior. Toss veggies, plate with chicken, and serve.














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Mediterranean Orzo Salad

Like all of my recipes, this one is very versatile - you can add more of any ingredient, leave things out, or even add additional items to it (like cherry tomatos, sun dried tomatoes, chickpeas, or artichoke hearts). It's really up to you. It's also quick and easy and goes great with almost any meal as a side dish. I normally make it with grilled chicken. It's light, but very filling and tastes even better the next day as leftovers.


You'll need: 
1 (1 lb) package orzo pasta
2 medium cloves garlic, chopped
3 cups pre-washed baby spinach
1/2 medium red onion, chopped
1 jar kalamata olives, pitted and sliced
4 oz feta cheese, crumbled
1 cup balsamic vinaigrette dressing
1-2 tablespoons oil
2 teaspoons pepper
salt to taste*


Directions:
Cook orzo as directed on package, drain.
Heat oil in saucepan or skillet on medium and add onion and garlic, stirring occasionally so it doesn't burn. Once the onion is cooked (translucent in color), stir in orzo, kalamata olives, and balsamic dressing until entire mixture is hot. Add spinach - it's important to put the spinach in last since it doesn't take very long to cook and you don't want it to get too soggy. Add feta and pepper, stir and serve.

* Keep in mind kalamata olives are salty, so taste before adding additional salt to salad.

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