Inside My Mid-life Crisis

Since the weather has been a very wintery mix this past couple weeks I have taken advantage of being inside by sewing and cooking of course! I think you will see by my projects that I have Spring on the brain--FLORALS!

This one is for me and the smaller one with the 2 matching pot holders is for a housewarming gift for a friend of mine--who has yet to invite me over!


This wall hanging was made using a panel and the triangles were all scraps from my Christmas wall hanging. I love me some Chickadees.



As far as the cooking goes, I did not photograph but made super good and good for you stuffed peppers yesterday:

6 large bell peppers (I used red, yellow and green; pick ones that will stand up)
2 C Cooked rice ( I used wild rice cooked in chicken stock-yum)
1 lb ground lean turkey
1 onion chopped
1 T garlic
2 T Olive Oil
1 can mushrooms
1 can diced tomato
1 small can tomato sauce
salt & pepper
"Bavarian" seasoning (any savory seasoning blend will do, Italian, Bouquet Garni, etc)
2 T Grated Parmesan Cheese (optional)

Cut the tops off the peppers and clean the seeds out, sit upright in a casserole dish sprayed with non-stick spray. Set aside, preheat oven to 350.

Saute the onion and garlic in the olive oil in a large skillet, add the ground turkey and brown. When the turkey is done add the remaining ingredients, mix well.

With a large spoon, stuff each pepper but don't smash too much in there. Bake at 350 for about 20 minutes. The peppers will be cooked but not to mush!
Sprinkle grated Parmesan on top then serve with a big crisp tossed salad!

This is only 6 Weight Watchers Points Plus (if you are counting) per pepper.

Today I am making a white bean, chicken and butternut squash WW Chili recipe. If it's any good I will post. As usual I found their seasonings bland and took poetic licence with them.

Chili Colorado Roja (or "what the hell do you do with venison") Crock Pot Dish

Ingredients:
1 lb Stew Beef Cubed 1"-2"
1 lb Venison Cubed 1"-2"
1 C chopped onion
1 T chopped garlic
1 C Flour (for dredging meat)
2 T Olive Oil per batch of meat
1 Can diced tomatoes
2 C stock (chicken/beef or a beer)
1 small can tomato sauce
Salt & Pepper to taste
"Mexican Seasoning" such as taco seasoning, chipotle, cajun, cumin etc...You will use about a T per batch so using premixed taco seasoning might be the way to go.

After all meat is browned and placed in the crock pot, deglaze your skillet with a splash of your stock, add your onion and garlic to the skillet and saute until onion is translucent. Add onion, garlic and any liquid in the pan to the crock pot. Add your tomatos, tomato sauce and stock at this time as well.

Welcome, come Inside My Mid-Life Crisis. See what is inside my minds-eye.