Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Healthy Stuffed Peppers


I got this recipe from parenting magazine back in 2006 and finally tried it! I tweaked the recipe a bit based on what I had in my pantry and my own tastes, so I'll post what I did. (The original called for mushrooms, which I am not fond of, so I often omit them from recipes or avoid recipes altogether if they call for mushrooms!).

4 red bell peppers, halved lengthwise, stems, seeds, and ribs removed
3/4 cup cooked rice
3/4 lb lean ground beef (I think next time I might try half beef and half ground pork)
14.5 oz can seasoned diced tomatoes, drained
1/2 small onion, finely chopped
3/4 cup corn
3/4 tsp paprika
1 cup grated low fat colby jack cheese (or enough to top each pepper half)

1. place peppers cut side up in a large roasting pan
2. mix remaining ingredients except cheese in a bowl. fill each pepper half, mounding the tops, then top with cheese. cover pan with foil and bake, covered at 400 degrees for 45 minutes, then uncovered 25 minutes.

You can also freeze the peppers and bake frozen at a later date. Bake covered at 400 for an hour, then uncovered for 25 minutes.

Each half is only 158 calories!

This recipe will be a new family favorite. I am so glad I finally tried it!

Sunday, June 20, 2010

Navy Band Great Lakes Brass Ambassadors




Husband's quintet did a series of kid concerts in schools a few months back. Here is a short clip of them playing in the North Chicago schools. Sadly my camera died soon after this was taken so this is all I have.

Saturday, June 19, 2010

First California Beach Experience




Here is a video of the kids' first California beach experience. Ben wasn't quite sure what to think, he mostly wanted to play in the sand. I don't blame him, that water was COLD!! There were lots of little crabs scurrying along the sand. I picked up some that were in shells but the kids weren't nearly as interested as I was. I apparently didn't do well with video taping the kids because this is a compilation of all the videos I took while at the beach. I had many photos of my daughter with her grandparents, but no videos. Oops!

Friday, June 18, 2010

Eating My Words

There are things I have said in the past, when I was childless, that I SWORE I would never do when I had children. When you are an adult but without children it is so easy to comment on parenting. Little do you know that being a parent is entirely different!

I am about to embark on the long drive from the Chicago area to Pittsburgh with my two small children all on my own. A very frightening thought, in my mind. So my husband decided it was time to buy dual screen portable DVD player. You know, the portable DVD player I SWORE we would never buy because I grew up doing long car trips and NEVER needed one myself? Yeah, that same DVD player just spent 10 hours in the car for a test run. And my goodness, am I glad we purchased them. I have never heard the back seat so pleasant for so long.

So here I sit, tired from the long drive, eating my words. I am sure another situation will happen again soon where I will be feasting again!