Rice and spinach stuffed zucchini boats recipe

These delicious "boats" are a yummy and healthy summer entree when its simply too hot to eat meat. 

RICE AND SPINACH STUFFED ZUCCHINI BOATS
Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• salt and pepper, to taste
• dash cayenne pepper
• 1 cup white rice, rinsed
• 2 cups frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of excess liquid
• 2 1/2 cups water
• 1/4 cup half and half
• 1/4 cup sun-dried tomatoes, diced
• 1 cup shredded Parmesan cheese, plus more for serving
• 4 medium zucchini

Directions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. In a large saucepan, saute garlic in olive oil with salt, pepper and cayenne until fragrant. Add rice, spinach, water and additional salt and pepper if desired. Bring to a boil then immediately reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender, about 20 minutes. Fluff rice and stir in half and half, tomatoes and cheese. Add additional half and half if needed. Slice the zucchini in half lengthwise and remove the seeds. The halves will resemble a boat. Place the zucchini boats on a baking sheet and fill with the rice mixture. Bake until fork tender, about 20 minutes. Before serving, sprinkle with a little more Parmesan. 

Watermelon margarita recipe from Fruit2O

Here's a new take on a classic summer cocktail from the folks at Fruit2O. 

WATERMELON MARGARITA

• 1 ounce lime juice
• 1 ounce St. Germain
• 2 ounces silver tequila
• 1 cup chilled Watermelon Fruit2O

Directions
Combine all ingredients in a shaker and give a couple shakes to combine. Serve on the rocks with salt and a small slice of fresh watermelon.

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Cheesy chicken enchilada recipe

This hearty dinner is a great way to use leftover chicken, or purchase a roast chicken from the deli to cut down onyour prep time! It has just enough heat to make it flavorful without overpowering more tender tastebuds. If you wish to warm it up more, use two cans of jalapenos instead of one jalapeno and one of green chilies.Recipe, En

CHEESY CHICKEN ENCHILADAS

Ingredients

• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 green pepper, chopped
• olive oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• 3 cups shredded cooked chicken breast
• 1 small can green chilies, chopped
• 1 small can jalapenos, chopped
• 1/4 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 2 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup sour cream
• 1 cup Mexican cheese blend, divided
• 12 small corn tortillas
• small can black olives for garnish

Directions

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Saute onion and green pepper in olive oil until tender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, if desired, and combine with chicken, green chilies and jalapenos. Combine flour and coriander in a sauce pan and add broth. Stir until smooth. Cook over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook until thickened then remove from heat. Add sour cream and half of the cheese and stir until smooth and creamy. Add 1/2 cup of the sauce mixture to the chicken mixture and combine. Warm tortillas and fill each with approximately 1/3-1/2 cup of the chicken mixture. Roll and place seam side down in a 13 X 9 baking dish lined with foil. Spoon remaining sauce over the top of the enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. If desired, top with black olives. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until cheese is melted and enchiladas are heated through.

Celebrate National Watermelon Day with delicious watermelon tomato gazpacho

Today is National Watermelon Day. If you didn't know that, don't feel bad. I didn't until a few weeks ago. Anyway, now we are all now in the know and it is time to figure out how to celebrate this yummy day! The following recipe is one that I adapted from the current issue of Better Homes and Gardens and is a delicious and unique way to incorporate watermelon into gazpacho. Enjoy!

WATERMELON TOMATO GAZPACHO
Ingredients

• 2 slices sourdough bread, crust removed and torn into pieces
• 3 tablespoons dry white wine
• 1 tablespoon water
• 5 cups watermelon, cubed with seeds removed
• 4 large heirloom tomatoes, quartered and seeded
• 1 medium size red pepper, quartered, seeded and roasted
• 1 small white onion, quartered
• 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• sea salt, to taste
• sour cream, for garnish
• lime zest, for garnish

Directions
Combine bread, wine and water in a small bowl. Let stand ten minutes until all liquid is fully absorbed. Puree all ingredients, except those needed for garnish, in small batches until smooth. Combine the pureed ingredients in a large bowl and stir until well combined. Tightly cover and refrigerate for up to 2 days, until ready to serve. Top each serving with a dollop of sour cream and a little sprinkling of lime zest. For added color, consider garnishing with a small slice of watermelon on the side of the bowl.

*If this recipe sounds delicious, please visit Dayton Moms Blog and check out my watermelon salsa recipe! ~Aimee~

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The Craft Critique: Bell's Brewery 30th Anniversary Ale

Every once in awhile a beer comes along that I simply must try. I thought I had missed my opportunity to enjoy a bottle of Bell's 30th Anniversary Ale until a friend of mine surprised me with a bottle a little over a month ago. I have been waiting for the right time to pop the top off this bad boy and give it a try, and even though it's not a lager, I decided National Lager Day was as good a time as enjoy to indulge.

Appearance 30th Anniversary Ale is an Imperial Stout, and as such, I was expecting something deep, dark and mysterious and that's exactly what I got! This beer is so dark and murky that when I held my glass up to the light, not a single ray penetrated through its depths. The beer was topped with a thin to medium sized, caramel hued head that dissipated fairly fast and left a thin wash of lacing. The pour appeared to be a bit on the thin side, but what it lacked in body it more than made up for in flavor.

Smell The aroma of Bell's anniversary brew is packed full of roasted malts, syrupy coffee, light notes of vanilla and a touch of dark chocolate and dark fruits. It isn't the most distinctive smelling stout I have tried, but it stays true to its style.

Taste The flavor of 30th Anniversary is as packed with roasted malts as the aroma is, and for me, that's a delicious thing. It has an intoxicating blend of sweet, roasted malt, coffee, burnt sugar, fig and toasted bread flavors. If you like strong, dark flavors, this is definitely not the beer for you. However, if you like strong flavors such as espresso, dark chocolate or licorice this may very well be the beer for you. The booziness of this beer, in smell and flavor, creeps in slowly as the beer warms and fully opens up.

Mouthfeel At first, while this beer was still fairly cool, it felt somewhat thin in my mouth but as it warmed, the viscosity definitely increased until it felt creamy. It's a medium weight beer with a lighter carbonation that accentuates the flavors beautifully. As the beer warms in temperature, a boozy warmth also makes its appearance across the tongue.

Overall Stouts and porters are my favorite styles of beer, so I was excited at the prospect of trying this imperial stout, especially after I thought the window of opportunity had closed. It is the epitome of why I enjoy stouts so much-the flavor is as dark as its color. I would recommend serving this brew between 45-50 degrees from a goblet to maximize both its aroma and flavor. When pairing with food, I would suggest buttery cheeses, such as brie and Havarti, if serving with an appetizer, smoked meats with an entree and dark chocolate or raspberries with a dessert.

For more information about Bell's Brewery, please visit their website, Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.

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