Category Archives: Food

Stuffed Peppers

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Stuffed Peppers

After I bought the ingredients for the quiche I made last week, I had a bunch of ingredients left over–and I’m like HEY, what else can I make with all this spinach and cubed ham? Welcome to my take on Stuffed Peppers:

(Makes 4 stuffed peppers)

Ingredients:

  • 4 bell peppers – any color.
  • 3/4 cup cubed ham
  • 1 (8 oz) can of stewed tomatoes
  • 1 (8 oz) can of tomato sauce
  • 1/2 large red onion
  • 1/2 cup baby spinach
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1/2 cup cheddar cheese
  • 1/2 cup pepper jack or mexican blend cheese

Directions:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
  2. Slice the tops off your peppers and set aside. Remove the cores of pepper body.
  3. Place your peppers upright in a bread pan.
  4. Pour the can of tomato sauce into the bottom of the pan.
  5. Pop out the middles of your pepper tops and discard. Dice remaining pepper rings, and onions.
  6. Put the diced peppers, onions and ham in a pan with the olive oil and sauté until slightly brown.
  7. Fold in spices.
  8. Place the entire mixture a medium bowl. Add stewed tomatoes. Stir well.
  9. Fill your peppers with the meat mixture and cover with cheese.
  10. Cover with a lid. If you don’t have one, cover tightly with aluminum foil.
  11. Bake for approximately 50 minutes at 350 degrees F.

yellow and red peppers pre-cooked stuffed peppers cooked stuffed peppers

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Crustless Ham and Spinach Quiche

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Crustless Ham and Spinach Quiche

I hate it when blogs make you read a whole spiel about why they baked it, the events surrounding the day when you baked it, and the history behind the food, etc. Just makes me work harder to scroll past it all to find the actual recipe. WITHOUT further ado, the recipe: (click to make bigger and to see the PDF)

Crustless Quiche Recipe

Click to make larger and to view the PDF

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Mini Pecan Pies

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Mini Pecan Pies

So last week was Pi Day and I went to a pie party…and of course, made mini pies. Because WHY NOT. Everything is mini nowadays. But seriously, this recipe is TO DIE for. I literally could have eaten the filling plain right then and there. And I almost did. I also made blueberry ones, but those are pretty much the same recipe with different filling.

Basically this is how it works:

  • Mini muffin tin, sprayed, oven preheated to 325 degrees F.
  • Pillsbury Pie Crusts (the box that comes with two, makes about 30 one-crust mini pies if you re-use the scraps until they’re too small to do anything with)
  • Cut out about 3″ diameter circles
  • Gently press them inside the cups
  • Add the filling (see below for Pecan Pie filling recipe)
  • Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until crust is golden

Pro-tip: If you use the filling from a can, you might need to add a top crust, because the liquid will evaporate otherwise and leave the pie filling with a gelatin-like texture. You could also dilute it a little. Best to make your own fillings–I’m still perfecting my blueberry filling, so if I cook it again and get it to turn out just as good, I’ll post it here.

PECAN PIE FILLING

  • 1 egg
  • 1 c. brown sugar (I used dark brown sugar)
  • 1 tsp. butter
  • 1 tsp. vanilla
  • 1 dash salt
  • 1 c. chopped pecans
  1. Beat egg, sugar, butter, vanilla and salt until combined.
  2. Fold in pecans.
  3. Fill mini pie crusts 3/4 full.
  4. Bake 17-20 minutes, or until crust is golden.

Trust me, you’ll want to devour these little guys whole. Make sure they cool adequately, though, because the insides will be SO HOT. So very hot. And delicious. They got scarfed up at the party!

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Keep up-to-date on my new postings by following me on Twitter. You can also contact me through my website here, email me at brittany@lacelollipops.com, or send me a message to my Facebook. Thank you!

Mini Mojito Cupcakes

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Mini mojito cupcakes

Oh my heavens, are these little guys delicious! I ended up making these for St. Patrick’s Day and I will make them again. The original recipe was a good starter, but I honestly changed is too much to call it anything but a new recipe. First of all, I didn’t have any legit rum, so I used imitation extract. Also, I am serving these to people who don’t drink alcohol, so I thought a more mild taste would go over better. Without further ado, the darling Rum/Mint/Lime Cupcakes:

Mini Mojito Cupcakes

(Makes around 34-38 mini cupcakes)

RUM CUPCAKES:

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick of butter ( ½ cup), softened
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon lime zest
  • 3 ½ teaspoon rum extract
  • ¾ cup unsweetened apple sauce

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line one and a half mini 24-muffin pans.
  2. In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a separate bowl, beat butter and sugar until creamy, about 2 minutes.
  4. Add the egg, lime zest, rum and vanilla, beat until combined.
  5. Alternate adding the flour mixture and apple sauce, beginning and ending with the flour. Mix until just combined.
  6. Divide the batter between the muffin cups, about ¾ full.
  7. Bake about 17 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick comes out clean.
  8. Remove from oven, then immediately place the cupcakes onto a cooling rack.

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MINT AND LIME CREAM CHEESE FROSTING

  • 1 stick of butter, softened
  • 1 (8oz) cream cheese, softened
  • 2 cups of powdered sugar
  • 2 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 lime)
  • Lime zest of 1 lime
  • ½ teaspoon + 1/8 teaspoon mint extract

DIRECTIONS:

  1. Beat butter in a bowl until creamy.
  2. Add cream cheese and beat until combined.
  3. Gradually add powdered sugar until well blended.
  4. Add lime juice, mint extract and half of the lime zest, mix.
  5. Frost your cupcakes once they’re cool, garnish with remaining zest and enjoy the heck out of them.

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Optional thing I considered but didn’t actually do: pull out the green food coloring. I just couldn’t help but not want to artificialize the cupcakes any further. Anyway, Happy St. Patrick’s Day! Have a good one!

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Keep up-to-date on my new postings by following me on Twitter. You can also contact me through my website here, email me at brittany@lacelollipops.com, or send me a message to my Facebook. Thank you!

Unhealthy Eating Behaviors and their Remedies

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I just weighed myself for the first time in a year. I didn’t realize it’d been a year, but yes. It’s been almost exactly one year. I have gained almost 10 lbs since I moved back to Utah from California. 9.1lbs to be exact.

I exercise way more than I did in California, it’s just that I ate like a bird because I never had enough money to buy anything substantial! Isn’t that sad?! I lived on avocados, toast and oranges. Oh, how things have changed.

Oh, how they need to change again. I just need to find that happy medium.

This semester, I’m taking a fitness class for fun, just a one credit class, and one of our homework assignments was to study unhealthy eating habits. I have a lot of these. Here they are, according to my textbook:

  • Overeating, when seeing a certain restaurant, entertainment, or at events
  • Binge-eating certain foods and beverages; or when very hungry; or when feeling certain emotions
  • Choosing food portions that are too large or too high-calorie
  • Eating too fast; everything on the plate even when no longer hungry; leftovers because it’s “a sin to waste food;” while watching TV, reading, or doing other passive activities; throughout the day; or when not hungry
  • Overeating when stimulated by the sight, smell, nearness of food, in social situations, or at the persuasion of family and friends
  • Eating as a reward
  • Skipping meals, but overeating at dinner or later in the day.

Luckily, there are more solutions than there are problems, in a handy-dandy A-Z list:

Preface: my only problem with this list is under “Q,” and their quote “nothing tastes as good as slimness feels!” It’s only a step away from Kate Moss’s declaration that anorexics have taken as their own sort of motto (just Google “nothing tastes…” and you’ll see it). SOOOO, I’m going to suggest amending that to say “Nothing tastes as good as healthiness feels!” Silly, silly fitness book.

Solutions to Overeating (click to see the PDF)

Solutions to OvereatingSo let’s all vow to do better. Overeating = bad. Finding a balance = good. Also, sorry for the 3 of you that look at the blog regularly. It’s already the 8th and this is only my first post of the month. You don’t want to hear my excuses. Have a healthy weekend!

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Keep up-to-date on my new postings by following me on Twitter. You can also contact me through my website here, email me at brittany@lacelollipops.com, or send me a message to my Facebook. Thank you!

Mini Cheesecake Bites

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Mini cheesecake bites

Some of the most amazing treats I’ve ever made by far. I usually make some form of yums each Sunday, and these are definitely some of my favorite. If I weren’t so determined to try something new each week, I’d probably make these and these only forever more. BEST PART: graham cracker crust. Could just eat that plain, but then add creamy cheese fluffiness with unsweetened blueberries on top–and I’m in heaven.

This is the recipe I used, slightly modified as seen below:

Crust:
1 cup cinnamon graham cracker crumbs
1/8 cup Sugar
1/4 cup Butter; melted
Filling:
16 oz cream cheese
1 tsp vanilla
2 eggs
1/2 cup Sugar
1 cup fresh fruit, or 1/2 cup canned

Mini cheesecake bites

Mini Cheesecake Bites Preparation

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. Line mini muffin pan with mini muffin cups.

3. Combine graham cracker crumbs, sugar, and melted butter.

4. Add 1 tsp crumb mix to each cup. {She said “It’s ok to be generous,” but I say don’t be too generous or you won’t have enough room for your yummy cheesecake.}

5. Firmly press down in cup to pack the crumbs.

6. Combine cream cheese, vanilla, eggs, and sugar. Mix well. {I’d suggest mixing it super well to make it fluffy and nice}

7. Add 1 tb of cream cheese mixture to each cup.

8. Bake 14 minutes at 350 degrees. {This ended up being perfect.}

9. Top with a dollop of fruit of your choice.

10. Refrigerate at least one hour prior to serving.

Notes

This recipe is to be used in a 24 quantity mini muffin pan.

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Original recipe-lady said it makes 50 mini cheesecakes–this made barely a pan and a half for me! So what is that…math…hmm…*opens up calculator app* *gets frustrated, does math in head instead* uhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh I think 8 is half of 24, so 32. Whew. Haha, this is why I have a major that has one required math class and that’s it.

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Keep up-to-date on my new postings by following me on Twitter. You can also contact me through my website here, email me at brittany@lacelollipops.com, or send me a message to my Facebook. Thank you!

Hawaiian Chicken with Rice

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Hawaiian Chicken with Rice

This recipe was really easy. Sorry the photo looks so saturated. The purpley/blue is just a reflection from the window. Those parts are actually just black. Didn’t feel like fixing it! But back to the recipe: it’s really easy. ALSO, for like once ever, I made it myself without a recipe to start off of from Pinterest! *takes a bow*

Ingredients:

  • some chicken
  • soy sauce (should be 1:1 ratio to water)
  • water
  • garlic powder
  • brown sugar
  • diced onion
  • pineapple wedges
  • sesame seeds
  • coconut oil
  • rice

That’s what I used.

Most detailed recipe ever.

I didn’t really measure anything out, especially since I was just making one portion. Then, I just let the chicken marinate in the soy sauce & water, garlic powder, brown sugar and onions for a bit, then dumped it all in a frying pan on low for about 10 minutes on each side. In a bigger pan, I took the leftover white rice from Chinese takeout yesterday and warmed it up/fried it with about a half-teaspoon of coconut oil. I added some of the marinade mixture from the pan with the chicken, but not a lot. Then I sprinkled in some sesame seeds. After the marinade reduced a little and the chicken was almost done, I added the pineapple wedges, continued to cook on low for the remainder of the time, then turned up the heat and seared both sides of the chicken. I took all the chicken and rice off the heat, then let the soy-sauce marinade cook a little more ’til it was pretty much caramelized, then drizzled it on top of the chicken. Et voila!

P.S., it was SOOO yummy. Mmm mmm mmm.

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So many words. Thanks for reading if you did! Keep up-to-date on my new postings by following me on Twitter. You can also contact me through my website here, email me at brittany@lacelollipops.com, or send me a message to my Facebook (show your support and send me a like!) Check out my Pinterest, too! Thank you all so much!