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Smoked Jalapeno Poppers with Gorgonzola and Buffalo Sauce

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Nothing says Super Bowl Sunday like stuffed jalapeño poppers and this recipe is a game day winner.

Nearly everyone serves stuffed jalapeños at their tailgate parties but what separates my recipe from theirs comes down to one added ingredient. Hickory smoke. These spicy bites will still satisfy game day guests even if you can’t smoke them on a Traeger because of the added gorgonzola and buffalo sauce flavor. And everything tastes better wrapped in bacon!

Watch the droolers gather around the kitchen when you bring in a platter of perfectly smoked poppers. The heat of the jalapeño, not the hottest on the Scoville Chile Heat Rating Guide for peppers, still brings noticeable mild to medium heat. If you’re serving beer, I strongly recommend you try a few of my more recent favorites Old King Krolsh (purchase a growler at Bricktown Brewery) or Boulevard Brewing Company’s Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale. They’re considered approachable beers by most craft brew drinkers and pair well with this appetizer.

If you leave the pepper’s membrane or seeds inside you’re guaranteed to light your mouth up with much more heat. Remove the insides with a metal spoon prior to stuffing them.
After mixing the cheese ingredients, you can begin stuffing each pepper with the filling.

The key to preparing this appetizer before game kick off time is to make sure you’ve prepped and preheated your smoker. We used Pit Boss’ BBQ Hardwood Pellets in Competition Blend pellets inside our Traeger the day we smoked these beauties.

Beginning at one end of the pepper, tightly wrapped the entire pepper in a slice of center cut bacon. You don’t need a toothpick to secure it.

While this recipe is meant to serve two people using three large halved jalapeño peppers you can certainly multiply it if creating more poppers for guests. I chose to include a small amount of store bought buffalo sauce into the mixture. If you wanted to crank up the heat even more, you could simply drizzle it on top making for a more colorful presentation too.

Should your team fall to the opponent during the game, you’ll still feel like a winner knowing that you served a delicious appetizer that everyone loved. Now, go fire up the smoker!

6 poppers

Smoked Jalapeno Poppers Gorgonzola and Buffalo Sauce

Your guests will rush the kitchen when they see you're serving smoked jalapeno poppers on game day. Touchdown!

15 minPrep Time

15 minCook Time

30 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 3 large jalapenos
  • 1/3 of a 8oz cube of cream cheese, softened
  • 2 T. gorgonzola cheese
  • 1 T. buffalo sauce
  • 6 sliced center cut bacon

Instructions

  1. Turn on the smoker according to directions to 350 degrees. (If you're not using a Traeger, prep your smoker according to directions.)
  2. Half each jalapeno with a knife.
  3. Hollow out each jalapeno halve using a metal spoon to rid of all membrane and seeds.
  4. Using a fork, mix the filling ingredients in a small bowl.
  5. Fill each jalapeno halve with cheese filling.
  6. Gently wrap each jalapeno halve with one strip of bacon. Tuck the ends under the pepper and place end side down on the grill.
  7. Smoke the jalapeno poppers with the lid closed for 15 minutes.
  8. Remove and let rest a couple minutes before serving.
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https://onedelightfullife.com/smoked-jalapeno-poppers-with-gorgonzola-and-buffalo-sauce/

Dutch Oven Bolognese Sauce

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This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to make a purchase through my links, at no cost to you. Please read my disclosure for information. 

Bolognese, or ragu, is a meaty tomato based pasta sauce that can be served on your preferred pasta. Often created with beef and some kind of sausage, it typically includes a tomato paste, chopped vegetables, and a liquid such as broth and/or wine.

When I began to make Cooking Light’s 2014 recipe for Beefy Bolognese over Penne Pasta, I quickly realized that I was out of red wine. The horror! So, I substituted more chicken stock in its place. Instead of using ground beef, I used ground turkey. The addition of chopped center cut bacon completed the meaty trilogy. Incorporating finely chopped onion, carrot, celery, tomatoes, and garlic elevated the flavors and was a sneaky way to include more vegetables into our dinner entree.

I think you’ll enjoy my Dutch Oven Bolognese Sauce, a healthier, alcohol-free version of the Cooking Light recipe. Thick in consistency, it can be layered on top of freshly cooked pasta or nestled between lasagne noodles. The longer it simmers on the stove, the better it tastes at dinner time.

Top with shredded parmesan (optional) and more flat leaf parsley.

I like to organize my ingredients before starting the cooking process so I diced all vegetables and opened cans and jars before turning on the stovetop. This kind of preparation makes cooking much easier and enjoyable. You don’t feel rushed in a panic when preparing multi-step recipes like this one.

I chopped the raw bacon into small pieces before adding them to a medium-high dutch oven pot.

After cooking the bacon for about five minutes or until it reaches the crispness you prefer, add the ground turkey and Italian sausage. Cook six minutes or until brown. You will have to continually stir it to get it to crumble and cook evenly.

The Italian sausage leaves just enough grease in the pan once browned to cook the vegetables in the following steps but not enough grease to ruin the recipe.

After the meat has cooked thoroughly, remove it from the pan and set aside. Immediately add in the onion, carrot, celery, and garlic to saute for about five minutes.

Chopped your vegetables so that they are all the same size to guarantee that they cook evenly.

Add tomato paste and sauté while mixing one minute. Add stock and bring to a boil. Cook one minute, scraping the pot to loosen any browned bits.

Make sure to stir frequently.

Return the beef mixture to the pot and stir in the chopped tomatoes, pepper and salt. Cover and reduce heat to low and cook one hour. Make sure to stir the sauce several times to prevent it from sticking to the pot. Then, cook pasta according to package directions. Once the hour has expired, spoon the bolognese on top of your pasta of choice. Garnish with shredded parmesan and flat leaf parsley.

4 cups

Dutch Oven Bolognese Sauce

An even lighter version of Cooking Light's meat bolognese sauce. The perfect slow simmer Sunday dinner!

30 minPrep Time

1 hr, 30 Cook Time

2 hrTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 3 chopped center-cut bacon slices
  • 8 oz lean ground turkey
  • 4 oz ground Italian sausage
  • 1 1/2 c finely chopped onion
  • 1/2 c finely chopped carrot
  • 1 T. minced garlic
  • 1/4 c unsalted tomato paste
  • 1/2 c unsalted chicken stock
  • 1/3 c. dry red wine (I used more chicken stock)
  • 1 (14.5oz) can unsalted diced tomatoes, undrained
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 1/4 tsp. salt
  • 8 oz. pasta
  • chopped fresh flat leaf parsley (optional)
  • 1 T. shredded parmasen (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place bacon in a Dutch oven or deep pot with a lid over medium-high heat.
  2. Saute 5 minutes until crisp.
  3. Add ground turkey and ground sausage to pan and cook 6 minutes or until browned.
  4. Stir until it crumbles.
  5. Remove meat mixture from pan.
  6. Add onion, carrot, celery, and garlic; saute 1 minute.
  7. Add stock and bring to a boil. Cook 1 minute, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
  8. Return meat mixture to pot; stir in tomatoes, pepper, and salt.
  9. Cover, reduce heat to low, and cook 1 hour, stirring several times.
  10. Cook pasta according to box directions. Serve bolognese on top of pasta and top with optional parmesan and chopped parsley.
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66
https://onedelightfullife.com/dutch-oven-bolognese-sauce/

Nutrition

Calories

1957 cal

Fat

61 g

Carbs

121 g

Protein

94 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

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Thin Crust Alfredo Pizza with Bacon and Kale

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Restaurant pizza is yummy. But homemade just-the-way-you-like-it pizza is far more delicious even decadent especially when it’s topped with bacon.

I live with a native New Yorker so you can bet we eat a lot of pizza. We’ve made homemade crust and purchased a case of Sam’s frozen pizza crust. No matter how you slice it, preparing homemade pizza crust is labor intensive and messy. By the time the pizza was on the plate, we were exhausted and the kitchen was a flour-covered mess that we didn’t want to clean. Then, I discovered Mama Mary’s oven-ready crust! My Thin Crust Alfredo Pizza with Bacon and Kale doesn’t take more than 30 minutes to prepare.

You can find oven-ready pizza crust in medium to large sizes in your grocery store next to store bought sauces and near ethnic foods. A lover of white garlic pizza, I created my version of Granite City’s bacon flatbread pizza. Topped with Alfredo sauce, crumbled pork-bacon sausage, thinly sliced red onion, finely chopped kale, sliced mushrooms, shredded mozzarella, and crumbled blue cheese, my homemade pizza took minutes to prepare and less than 10 minutes to bake. Now that’s decadent!

Since the New Year, I’ve taken the time to prep my vegetables and recipes starters during the weekend so I’m ready for the work week. This dedicated time in the kitchen has helped me so much! I don’t throw out half-rotten produce and I’m preparing more flavorful, healthier meals. My energy level during the day has improved because my intake of nutrients and fiber comes from prepared lunches stocked with fruits and vegetables. So, this pizza was easy to get on the table because I already washed and sliced my produce.

Tip: After slicing the red onions, place them in a bowl with water for at least 30 minutes and then drain. This reduces the robust raw onion taste that can overpower other pizza flavors. I do this in advance and store my onions in the refrigerator for later use.

If you want another pizza recipe, you’ll also enjoy my semi-homemade Grilled Greek Pizza!

5-6 pizza slices

Thin Crust Alfredo Pizza with Bacon and Kale

This thin crispy crust is the platform for delicious white pizza flavor you won't be able to resist.

15 minPrep Time

10 minCook Time

25 minTotal Time

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Ingredients

  • 1 Mama Mary's thin crust
  • 1 tsp olive oil
  • Toppings:
  • 1/4 c. Barilla Creamy Alfredo pasta sauce
  • 1 c crumbled Farmland pork bacon
  • 1 c sliced mushrooms
  • 1/8 c. diced kale
  • 1/8 c. sliced red onion
  • 1 diced garlic clove
  • 1/2 c mozzarella
  • 1 T crumbled blue cheese
  • shredded parmesan (optional)
  • salt and pepper

Instructions

  1. Brush crust with olive oil.
  2. Add half the mozzarella.
  3. Add the remaining toppings.
  4. Add the other half of the mozzarella.
  5. Sprinkle with light coating of parmesan.
  6. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper.
  7. Bake for 71/2-10 minutes until the crust edges are golden brown. (Bottom of crust will not brown but will be crispy.)
  8. Allow to cool a few minutes before slicing to serve.
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https://onedelightfullife.com/thin-crust-alfredo-pizza-with-bacon-and-kale/

Nutrition

Calories

277 cal

Fat

8 g

Carbs

32 g

Protein

3 g
Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Homemade Bacon Cheddar Dog Biscuits and Frozen Yogurt Pupcakes

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My  first puppy, a tan cocker spaniel male, won me over. We drove to a local farmer’s house to possible adopt a puppy only to find him the one of the last two boys in the litter sitting on the front porch. He hid timidly behind the leg of a antique metal chair and looked up at me with nervous eyes that said “take me home.” He was mine. I named him Waffles, for the color of his coat, and he became my buddy. Boy did he change as he grew up. He was a rambunctious dog that pulled my tall clumsy frame down the street with abandon. The neighbors would stare at us, but he didn’t care. He was born to explore.

I was food obsessed at an early age to name my first dog Waffles.
Isn’t he cute? That’s a picture of me doing my homework after school. Check out the stylish Trapper Keeper.

Many years later, when I turned sixteen, I knew exactly what I wanted for my birthday. Most teen girls want a car. Not me. I wanted to adopt a shelter pup, a collie to be specific. We brought Shelby, a blue merele collie, home and she stole our hearts for many years. She passed away while I was away at college leaving mom’s empty nest a bit more empty.

Always ready to cuddle, Shelby melted hearts.
Always ready to cuddle, Shelby melted hearts.

After college I lived with roommates’ dogs. I remember three labrador brother dogs that ate trays of holiday candied nuts and got so sick they had to sleep in the garage on Christmas Eve. Oh, and there was a white Akita that walked delicately through the house leaving a trail of fur puff balls in his path. But these dogs weren’t mine and I wanted one of my own.

Today, my heart melts for Sasha, our nine year old lab mix. She was adopted by my boyfriend from the Bartlesville, Oklahoma SPCA shelter as a puppy and I met her three years later. She is our fur baby. We try to take her everywhere with us. So it was no surprise to our friends that I hosted a birthday party for her several years ago and invited their fur babies to join in on the fun. Every dog deserves to be celebrated!

Seriously, I love dogs. An advocate for shelter dogs, I created a Facebook page for dog lovers that promotes dog care, adoption events, and area veterinarians. I use this page to inform followers of adoptable shelter dogs and to let them know if the shelters in the area are running low on supplies. If I could adopt all shelter animals, we would have a zoo in our backyard.

Sasha has the longest tongue of any dog I've ever seen, but that makes her even cuter for photo moments like this one take on St. Patrick's Day 2011.
Sasha has the longest tongue of any dog I’ve ever seen, but that makes her even cuter for photo moments like this one take on St. Patrick’s Day 2011.

But since I can’t adopt every dog, I try to spoil them by making dog treats for my family and friends’ dogs. My Homemade Bacon Cheddar Dog Biscuits and Frozen Yogurt Pupcakes, are crazy easy to make and human-grade. You can even sample them yourself. I dare ya! If your pup is anything like Sasha, he or she will follow you around the house begging for just-one-more. Seriously people, your dog will be at your side like magnet. These treats are puppy approved!

Instead of buying a box of artificially dyed dog treats made with non-pronounceable ingredients, make the recipes below. Better yet, tag One Delightful Life on Instagram with a picture of your pup eating one of these yummy dog biscuits or a frozen pupcake. Don’t forget to follow my Facebook page made especially for dog lovers just like you!

homemade-bacon-cheddar-dog-biscuits11

To make the dog biscuits, simply combine all ingredients into a large bowl. Knead the dough with your hands for a minute.

homemade-bacon-cheddar-dog-biscuits2

Your dough should look like the below picture when you’re done gently kneading it. At this point, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

homemade-bacon-cheddar-dog-biscuits3

Roll out the dough to 1 1/2″ thickness on a flour covered cutting board. Use cookie cutters to create the biscuits shape.

homemade-bacon-cheddar-dog-biscuits4

homemade-bacon-cheddar-dog-biscuits5

Transfer the biscuits to a slightly greased cookie sheet. I used canola oil cooking spray.

homemade-bacon-cheddar-dog-biscuits6

Bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes. Remove biscuits from the oven and transfer to a cooling rack. Don’t try to give a treat to Fido just yet! The biscuits will be extremely hot and are guaranteed to burn their mouth.

homemade-bacon-cheddar-dog-biscuits7

Once cooled, let your pup enjoy his or her tasty treat. Sasha didn’t want to wait much longer.

homemade-bacon-cheddar-dog-biscuits11

homemade-bacon-cheddar-dog-biscuits8
Make sure to bag up extra treats for your friends’ furry friends too. Don’t forget to tell them the ingredients in case their dog is allergic to whole wheat or dairy products. The treats must be refrigerated and last up to six months. (The blue roasting pan in the photo was an awesome find at The Cottage Collective, a cute housewares store nearby that sells vintage items and collectables.)

homemade-bacon-cheddar-dog-biscuits

Ingredients

  • 2 1/2 c. whole wheat flour
  • 1 brown egg
  • 1/2 warm beef broth
  • 1 T. shredded cheddar cheese
  • 2 diced turkey bacon slices
  • pinch salt

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Combine all ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
  3. Use a fork to mix ingredients until completely incorporated.
  4. Using your hands, make a large ball out of the dog biscuit dough and let it rest in the bowl.
  5. Meanwhile, sprinkle a bit of whole wheat flour on to a cutting board and rolling pin.
  6. Transfer the dough to the cutting board and roll it out to 1/2" thick.
  7. Use cookie cutters to individual cut dog biscuits.
  8. Spray a cookie sheet with a light coating of cooking spray.
  9. Place cut out biscuits on the tray. (Don't worry if you need to crowd them as they don't spread out while baking.)
  10. Bake 30 minutes.
  11. Remove from the oven and transfer biscuits to cooling racks.
  12. After biscuits are cool, place them in a ziplock bag and refrigerate until serving.

Notes

Biscuits will keep in the refrigerator for about six months.

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https://onedelightfullife.com/homemade-bacon-cheddar-dog-biscuits-and-frozen-yogurt-pupcakes/

Nutrition

Calories

385 cal

Fat

13 g

Carbs

55 g

Protein

18 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

Recipe for Frozen Yogurt Pupcakes

Ingredients:

  • 1 c. non-fat grade A plain yogurt
  • 1/4 c. creamy peanut butter
  • 3 T. whole grain oats

Directions:

Combine all ingredients in a bowl. Transfer mixture into six baking cupcake liners. Freeze until solid (about 2 hours). frozen-yogurt-pupcakes

frozen-yogurt-pupcakes3

Remove paper liner before serving.
Remove paper liner before serving.

Happy tails, I mean trails.

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Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Turkey Bacon and Balsamic

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We eat a ton of discount vegetables in our home thanks to the deep discounts in our local grocer’s produce section each week. My eyes are light lasers zeroing in on the bright orange stickers. $1.99 for a bag of Brussels sprouts? Into the cart! You should see my level of stalking excitement when I witness the produce manager stamping sale stickers on packages portobellos or fresh herbs.

Because I often buy so many veggies, I try to cook them up different ways: grilled, roasted, sautéed, and raw. Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Turkey Bacon and Balsamic are like little savory cabbages caramelized in savory, tangy flavor. Grab a baking sheet and get to roastin’!

roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-turkey-bacon-and-balsalmic2

Roasted Brussels Sprouts with Turkey Bacon and Balsamic
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Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 lbs. Brussels sprouts (trim off the bottom stems)
  • 4-5 diced turkey bacon strips
  • 1/2 diced (medium-large chunks) sweet yellow onion (optional)
  • 2-3 T. olive oil
  • 1/3 c. balsamic vinegar
  • heavy pinch salt
  • heavy pinch pepper

Instructions

  1. Heat oven to 400 degrees.
  2. Rinse the Brussels sprouts and trim off their stem ends. Discard any brown leaves.
  3. Dice the turkey strips.
  4. Dice the onion into medium to large chunks. (optional)
  5. Toss all veggies in a large bowl with olive oil and salt and pepper.
  6. Pour veggies on to a large ungreased cookie sheet or baking pan.
  7. Top with chopped turkey bacon.
  8. Roast Brussels sprouts for 8 minutes. Open oven, remove pan and rotate Brussel sprouts using a spatula. Add the balsamic vinegar. Return to the oven and finish roasting for 8 additional minutes.
  9. Serve hot.
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https://onedelightfullife.com/roasted-brussels-sprouts-with-turkey-bacon-and-balsamic/

Nutrition

Calories

715 cal

Fat

51 g

Carbs

19 g

Protein

46 g

Click Here For Full Nutrition, Exchanges, and My Plate Info

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Spinach Fruit Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

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I don’t know about you, but sometimes I get tired of catering to my meat-and-potatoes man and I want to lighten up my entreé. While he wouldn’t be caught dead eating this fruit loaded salad, it’s one of my indulgences. It makes a layered lunch or dinner salad that tastes tangy, sweet, and finishes with a hearty bacon flavor. And well, Spinach Fruit Salad with Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing  just looks gorgeous. Yay for pretty food!

Note: You could use a store-bought raspberry vinaigrette, but the recipe is simple if you have the time to whisk it up.

spinach-fruit-salad-with-raspberry-vinaigrette-dressing

To make the salad base, simply layer or group the following ingredients in a large bowl. Drizzle with Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing recipe below.

Ingredients:

  • spinach leaves
  • blueberries
  • sliced strawberries
  • sliced kiwi
  • sliced Gala apple
  • shredded cheddar cheese (feta or goat cheese could be substituted)
  • crumbled hickory bacon
  • slivered almonds (toasted walnut could be substituted)
  • Raspberry Vinaigrette Dressing

 

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup raspberries
  • 3/4 cup olive oil
  • 1/4 cup water
  • 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
  • 1 T honey
  • 1 T dijon mustard
  • pinch of black pepper
  • pinch of salt
  • pinch of black poppy seeds (optional)

Instructions

  1. Combine all ingredients in a bowl and whisk until well blended.
  2. Refrigerate in a jar for one hour prior to serving, if time allows.
  3. Shake jar before serving.

Notes

This dressing will last one week in a jar in your refrigerator.

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https://onedelightfullife.com/spinach-fruit-salad-with-raspberry-vinaigrette-dressing/

spinach-fruit-salad-with-raspberry-vinaigrette-dressing

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