Cajun Stuffed Peppers

Hello Readers,

I stumbled upon this Cajun Stuffed Peppers recipe in my latest edition of Food Network magazine. I love spicy food and the hot Italian sausage that I used as a substitute for the Spanish Chorizo they say to use was amazing! I decided I would post a link for this recipe and let your mouth water over the pictures. Enjoy!

Link courtesy of foodnetwork.com:

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/food-network-kitchens/cajun-stuffed-peppers-recipe/index.html



**I used couscous as a substitute for quinoa since the store did not have it.


The Final Product!

Cod with Steamed Veggies

Hello Readers!

This particular recipe I found in my 'Cook Like a Rock Star' cookbook that my brother gave me for Christmas. It is to die for if you need a fun way to cook a simple fish and veggies dish. This is also a very healthy meal for those of you that are watching your figure for the New Year.

Ingredients:

Cod or Halibut (either will work and Cod is much easier on the wallet)
Cooking white wine
Salt and Pepper
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 large red onion, sliced in rings
2 zucchini, sliced thinly
2 Roma tomatoes, sliced thinly (you can also use 1 large tomato, but Roma's were on sale this week)
Fresh thyme
1 lemon, sliced thinly (you need about 8 slices)
Aluminum Foil for steaming packets (you can also use parchment paper, but aluminum stays together much easier)

Instructions:
1. Cut all veggies, place in a large bowl, and set aside.

2. Drizzle olive oil on the veggies and let ingredients marry for about 5 minutes.
3. Rip off 4 sections of aluminum foil and place on baking sheet (these will hold your fish and veggies so make sure you rip them big enough so that there is room for all ingredients).
4. Divide veggies up evenly among the 4 sections.

5. Divide up your Cod or Halibut and place on top of the 4 packets of veggies.
6. Place your thinly sliced lemon on top of each of the 4 packets (about 2 slices per packet).

7. Drizzle about 1/4 cup of white cooking wine in the bottom of each packet.
8. Rip off another 4 sheets of aluminum foil (enough to cover and secure the 4 packets you have made.

9. In a 500 degree oven, bake for about 10-12 minutes (or until fish is flaky). The reasoning for the hot temperature oven is to allow the fish to steam properly.

Enjoy! These little packets are so fun to make. I hope that you all enjoy them as much as we did.

Turkey Meatballs with Whole Wheat Pasta and Red Pepper-Tomato Sauce

Hello Readers!

Well, the holidays are finally over and it is time to get back into a groove. I feel for those of you that have to go back to work tomorrow or start your 'normal' routine. On another note, I am sure many of you have made New Year's Resolutions that you want to keep throughout the year. I encourage you to not lose heart and fulfill those resolutions without regret. One of my personal resolutions was to get rid of some technology to spend more time with my husband and become more faithful with this cooking blog since those two are my passion and loves in life. I decided to move away from my personal Facebook page and create a page solely for this blog. For those of you that have not already become a fan, here is the link: http://www.facebook.com/OntheMenuTonight. Make sure to click 'Like' on the left-hand side so that you can follow when a new recipe has been posted. I also plan to pose questions for you, as readers, to give me your feedback, opinions, and favorite recipes or tips. I appreciate all of your support and shared love for cooking!

Now on to the recipe:

I received a 365-day Food Network calendar for Christmas and my word is it amazing. It is a little desk calendar with multiple recipes throughout the year. I decided to make the recipe that was shared for January 1st. This recipe is hearty for a cold, winter day and also, is a very low-calorie and low-fat meal for those of you that have chosen to eat healthier this year. Enjoy this delicious meal!

**Note: If you do not have a food processor or immersion blender, buy a can of regular marinara sauce. Make sure to cut the veggie amount in half if you do this as you will only need some to make the meatballs with. Just alter step 6 to allow your marinara sauce to heat for when you add the meatballs.

Ingredients:

Extra-Virgin Olive Oil
1-2 medium white onions, chopped
3 ribs celery, chopped
1 red pepper, seeded and chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 (28 oz) can of crushed tomatoes with juice
1 lb. ground turkey or ground beef
1 (10 oz) bag of frozen spinach, thawed and juice squeezed out
1/2 cup quick cooking oats
1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (more for serving)
2 dashes, Worcestershire sauce
Whole wheat spaghetti

Instructions:

1. In a large pot, bring salted water to a boil for the pasta.
2. In a large skillet, drizzle olive oil and allow for this to get hot. This is where your veggies will be sauteed.
3. Chop celery, onions, and red pepper finely and place in hot skillet. Let saute for about 5 minutes or until tender.
4. Add minced garlic and let cook for another minute.

5. Take half of your veggies that have been sauteed and place in a bowl to set aside (these will be used to make the meatballs)
6. Add can of crushed tomatoes to the skillet with the other half of the sauteed veggies and let cook for about 7 minutes (make sure to put a lid on this sauce as it will spit and sputter). Add salt and pepper for seasoning. You can also add some oregano or other Italian spices if you choose to add extra flavoring.

7. Transfer your heated sauce to food processor or immersion blender and set to your puree setting. Puree until smooth.
8. Add turkey, thawed and drained spinach, oats, W sauce, 1/2 cup of the Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper, and 1/2 of the veggies that you set aside in step 5. Use your hands here and combine the mixture. Form 10-12 large meatballs and place in your skillet with the sauce.

**Tip: If you are using ground turkey, it is very lean and does not stay together very well. I would suggest adding some olive oil to your mixture to help keep the meatballs formed. If you are using ground beef, you should not need to do this since it has more fat.
9. Cover the skillet and let your meatballs cook for about 10-12 minutes or until the meatballs are cooked all the way through. Make sure to turn them every so often so that all sides get cooked.

10. Add your spaghetti to your pot of boiling, salted water. Let cook until al dente (about 10 minutes) then drain.


Get out some large bowls and layer with spaghetti, a few meatballs, sauce, and sprinkle on some Parmesan cheese. Enjoy!


Recipe courtesy of Food Network, G.P and can be found at http://www.foodnetwork.com