Boston Sweet Potato Casserole

This recipe was first made by my sister, Carolina, for Thanksgiving in Boston in 2006. Since then, it has continued to be a crowd favorite, especially around the holidays.


Ingredients
3-4 large sweet potatoes 
Baby marshmallows (bag)

Wet mix
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
1 stick butter softened
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Crunch topping
1/3 cup melted butter
1/3 cup flour
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup chopped pecans/oatmeal 
1 tbsp cinnamon 

Directions

Boil potatoes until tender. Remove skins when cooled. Put in a large bowl and whip until fluffy. Add wet mix. Pour into greased casserole and top with the crunch topping. Bake at 350 for 45 minutes. Add marshmallows to the top! 

Glo's Stuffed Peppers

One day I bought a package of 6 peppers. One day I wondered what to do with 6 peppers. One day I decided to be creative. One day I fell in love with stuffed peppers.

Ingredients

• 1 pound ground beef or turkey
• 1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice (or brown rice)
• 6 bell peppers (green, yellow or orange)
• 2 (8 ounce) cans tomato sauce
• 1-2 (8 ounce) cans of canned tomatoes (depends how much you like tomatoes)
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Directions

Preheat oven to 350

Place the rice and water in a pot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 20 minutes. (For brown rice, cook 40-45 minutes)

In a pan, cook the beef or turkey until evenly browned.

Remove and discard the tops, seeds, and inside of the bell peppers.

Arrange the peppers in a baking dish with the hollowed sides facing up. (Slice the bottoms of the peppers if necessary so that they will stand upright.)

In a bowl, mix the cooked browned meat, cooked rice, tomato sauce, canned tomatoes, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. (If mixture is too dry, add 1/2 cup water)

Spoon an equal amount of the mixture into each hollowed pepper

If you have remaining mixture, pour it around the stuffed peppers

Bake 1 hour

Top with sour cream and cheddar cheese (optional)

S'more Bars

Aubrey is an incredible baker and her presentation of desserts is absolute perfection. Try her S'more Bars, they will not disappoint man, woman or child.

Ingredients
1 stick of softened butter
3/4 cup sugar
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 and 1/3 cups flour
3/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1 and 1/3 cup chocolate chips or 5 Hersheys chocolate bars
3 cups marshmallows

Directions
Heat oven to 350.  Grease 8 inch square baking pan.
Beat butter and sugar until well blended.  Add egg and vanilla, beat well. 
Stir together flour, graham cracker crumbs, baking powder, and salt.  Add to butter mixture, beating until blended.
Press half of dough into prepared pan and bake 15 minutes.
Sprinkle chocolate chips or broken hershey bars over baked layer. Sprinkle with marshmallows, scatter bits of remaining dough over marshmallows, forming top layer.
Bake another 10 to 15 minutes or just until  lightly browned.
Cool completely on wire rack and cut into bars.

Turkey Chilli

My Canadian friend, Christine, introduced me to her turkey chilli and it was love at first bite. The thing I love most about this recipe is that it's SUPER easy to make and it's low in calories. I made it a few weeks ago and it was my lunch for several days... I wasn't complaining!

Ingredients
1 1/2 lbs ground turkey, browned and drained
2 onions, diced
2 garlic cloves, crushed
2 cans of diced tomatoes (14.5oz)
2 cans of tomato sauce (14.5oz)
2 cans dark red kidney beans (14.5oz)
2 - 3 Tablespoons chili powder
1 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cocoa

Directions

• Combine all ingredients in crockpot and cook on low for 7-9 hours.
• Or on the stove,  combine all ingredients in a large pot. Heat to boiling, reduce heat and simmer for an hour and a half to two hours, stirring occasionally.
• Top chilli with sour cream and/or cheese (optional)

Spinach, Pepperoni and Cheese-Stuffed Chicken

This is one of mine! I modified it based on another recipe. I seriously love this recipe because it's quick and it makes for a really delicious meal.


Ingredients 
4-5 Egg whites
2 teaspoons cold water
1 cup Bread crumbs
6-8 Skinless boneless chicken breasts
1 package Frozen or fresh chopped spinach
1 package of sliced Swiss cheese (or cheese of your choice)
1 package Ready-to-eat pepperoni slices
2 tbs. butter

Directions
1. Preheat oven to 425. Spray nonstick baking sheet with nonstick spray.
2. Whisk together egg whites with water in a small bowl.
3. Place bread crumbs in another small bowl.
4. Lightly pound chicken between 2 sheets of wax paper with a mallet or rolling pin (to make them flat)
5. Top each chicken breast with spinach, cheese and pepperoni. Roll up each chicken breast from a short side.
6. Dip the chicken, one piece at a time, into the egg white mixture, then in to the bread crumbs. Place the chicken, seam-side down, on the baking sheet.
7. Bake until chicken is cooked through and the crust is golden, about 25-30 minutes.
8. Melt butter in microwave (5 minutes before chicken is done cooking).
9. Take chicken out of oven 5 minutes before it's done cooking and pour butter on top of chicken. Top with salt and pepper.
10. Stick chicken back in the oven for the remaining 5 minutes.

Enjoy! :)

Brittany's Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

My friend Brittany makes these oatmeal chocolate chip cookies that she is famous for here in Palo Alto. They are to die for. I have actually not attempted to make them myself for fear they won't come out like hers, but one of these days I will. Thanks for the recipe Brit!


Ingredients
1 cup butter
3/4 cup sugar
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 eggs
2 cup flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 cup oats ( I use whole, but it doesn't matter!)
1 bag chocolate chips (semi-sweet or milk)
 
Directions
Cream:
1 c butter
3/4 c. sugar
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla

Add:
2 eggs

Then add:
2 c flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
2 c oats ( I use whole, but it doesn't matter!)

Add as many chocolate chips as you want!  I usually put almost all of the bag!

Bake 350 for 8-10 minutes

Peas & Rice

My sassy coworker, dear friend and neighbor, Dina, definitely has it when it comes to cooking. I have been fortunate enough to taste many of her meals. Her peas & rice recipe is delicious and super healthy! Dina is a straight shooter in life and in cooking. I'm just going to let her Directions speak to that.

Ingredients
Rice (1-2 cups)
Peas (1-2 bags frozen)
1 can stewed tomatoes
Couple tomatoes - cut
Half-onion - cut
Butter
Some garlic
Baby carrots cut (optional)
Cilantro handful (optional)
 
Directions
1. Rice (cook it)

2. Peas and Tomatoes

Ok, in a pot - melt butter
Put in onion - fry
Add carrots and cilantro
Let cook/fry a bit
Then add fresh tomatoes
Add salt (generous)
Add frozen peas
Pour can of tomatoes on top
Let boil, stir some
After about 15 minutes simmering lower a bit, put lid on but slightly open
About 30 minutes in, put another piece of butter and mix around
About 45 minutes it’s done. Let it cool. It’s better to cool off quite a bit.
Serve with rice
Side of yogurt or feta

Done, mk?