Beautiful Birthday Recap <|:-)

   When I was younger I used to love all the extravagant birthday parties—my mom was a birthday party pro; she always made sure everything was fit for a queen. =) Nowadays I would rather just spend time with the family in a nice low-key celebration which is exactly what I did. I also did a few things to bring me back to my childhood that I don’t make time to do anymore. I colored, took a stroll with good ol’ daddy and did some rock picking, and I ate butternut squash fries which I used to eat like all the time!(recipe below) I also requested NO presents just because I have everything I could possibly need and more, but of course mom and dad couldn’t resist and after I opened it I was not complaining! They got me three beautiful Cutco knives! The idea is that each knife can only be used for a certain task, and as the years go by you add to your collection(rather slowly for now since they are expensive!) But they have a lifetime guarantee so it’s worth it! Can’t wait to put these to the chopping test!

<—The most meaningful card in the background. And how cool are the knives?! They even have grooves in the handles to get the best grip.

         I love the pearled handles too! It matches with my KitchenAid mixer perfect. I am glad she picked the pearl vs. the black. Thanks again mom and dad! =)

Now onto the eats. I had planned this dinner for a couple days. I am so happy to finally be able to bring out the good delicious summer recipes. Much lighter but oh-so-satisfying and fun! Don’t get me wrong, comfort food rocks, but when you eat it all winter you’re ready for some fruit, veggies, and the grill!

I decided on Stuffed Veggie Peppers from the new Hungry Girl cookbook, but I changed it up a bit so I could share! =) I used soy crumbles(which the recipe called for), and even my carnivorous dad did not notice. So for all you out there who have shied away from soy, give it a shot! So much healthier and cheaper=double bonus!

Posh Pineapple Peppers

Serves: 4 Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:

*2 large red bell peppers

*1/2 C chopped green pepper

*1/2 C chopped onion

*1/2 c chopped pineapple

*2 medium Roma tomatoes, chopped

*4 TBSP of mixed shredded cheese

*1 C soy crumbles

*1 C chopped mushrooms

*1 tsp taco seasoning

*1 tsp minced garlic

*1/2 C tomato sauce

Directions:

• Wash all produce first! Take red bell peppers, cut off tops, de-seed and slice horizontally. Place cut side up on sprayed baking sheet and bake at 375 for 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile take and dice onion, mushroom, pineapple, and green pepper and sauté in pan on medium heat until tender (3 min), add garlic and let cook 1 more minute. Transfer cooked veggies to bowl.
• Add in the seasonings, sauce, cheese, Roma tomato and soy crumbles.
• Once red peppers come out of the oven, allow to cool briefly(5 min), then pat with a paper towel to absorb moisture. Lower oven temperature to 350.
• Fill each pepper evenly and sprinkle with additional cheese if desired.
• Pop in the oven for 20 minutes, take out, and dig in!

<—Check out that cheesy goodness! Of course I had to pair this with a stunning side dish as well, which is where HungryGirl inspired Bake-tastic Butternut Squash Fries come in. Make sure you head on over and get the recipe!

Once you try the Butternut Squash fries, potato fries will be a thing of the past. If you want to turn these into a sweet treat, I love em’ with a pinch of cinnamon and a dash of sugar!