Sweet Baby Bell Pepper Poppers

I couldn't help taking a bit out of this one!

I love the baby bell peppers that are popping up in grocery stores these days. They are so adorable and brightly colored! Our local store doesn't carry them all the time, but I tend to buy a bag when I do. I like to add bell pepper to scrambled eggs, sandwiches, and salads, but I'm never able to use a whole bell pepper before it goes limp and sad. The small ones are perfect!

Zucchini Fritters

It's zucchini time again! Over the weekend, Nathan and I seeded, shredded, bagged and froze what has to be 15lbs of zucchini. The frozen zucchini can be used in zucchini bread, fritters, soup, etc. I used some of the zucchini before we froze it to make fritters.

I attempted fritters once before, but I think that with my fear of frying, I sort of missed the mark. This batch was much better in large part due to my not being afraid of the hot oil. I also changed up the spice mixture so that they were more flavorful.

The first few that I made, I used WAY too much and ended up with big pancake sized fritters. The small size, about 2-3 inches across, were easier to flip and took less time to cook. They're also easier to eat as a finger food.

Orange Cranberry Vinaigrette Salad with Goat Cheese, Dried Cranberries, and Toasted Pecans

I wish I had an awesome name for this salad. Maybe a Madras Vinaigrette since it has cranberry and orange juices? Suggestions welcome...

Anywho... this is a delightful vinaigrette that I made mostly from memory. It's a salad that my mom makes sometimes and while the vinaigrette is pretty awesome, the toppings of the goat cheese, pecans, and dried cranberries sort of make it for me. It's the combination of flavors that makes it truly delicious. The creamy tangy goat cheese, crunchy buttery pecans, and the tart and chewy dried cranberries topping the crisp romaine dressed in a sweet and tart vinaigrette is nothing short of perfection. It's light and summery for a barbecue, but also pairs well with most fall foods.

I'm basically in love with it.