#Tempting Tuesday: Help With Some Fuzzy Critters

Tuesday, September 6, 2011




I know I promised you some great recipes today, and those are coming. But I'm hoping some of you can help me. Grace collected three fuzzy caterpillars yesterday, and I'm trying to figure out what they are and how to care for them. I think they're a type of wooly bear that will turn into moths, but I'm not sure of the exact breed. Anyone know?

Now, onto the recipes!


Bacon Cheddar Burgers
I was desperate for a different kind of burger that wasn't going to shoot up my calorie count, and this is what I found. Including the bun, they're about 450 calories and very filling.

  • 1 pound ground beef
  • 1/2 cup shredded 2% Cheddar cheese
  • 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 cup real bacon bits
  • 4 Sara Lee Mini Buns (these come in whole grain, multi-grain, wheat)

Mix and cook on grill until done. I like to put a tiny bit of butter on the bread and heat up


Italian Sausage and Peppers With Penne Pasta
This one isn't low calorie or carb, but you can get your veggies and using whole-grain pasta makes the dish healthier.

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 lb Italian sausage
  • 2 medium green and/or red peppers, cut into 2-inch strips
  • 2 medium onions, thickly sliced (I usually use one - depends on your tastes)
  • 1 (26 ounce) jar Prego® Traditional Italian Sauce or Prego® Organic Tomato & Basil Pasta Sauce
  • 3/4 pound uncooked tube-shaped penne pasta, cooked and drained
  • Grated Parmesan cheese to taste
  1. Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat. Cook until well browned. Remove sausage with a slotted spoon and set aside.
  2. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining oil. Add the peppers and onions and cook for 5 minutes.
  3. Stir the pasta sauce into the skillet. Heat to a boil. Return the sausage to the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Cover and cook for 20 minutes or until the sausage is cooked through and the vegetables are tender. Serve over the pasta and sprinkle with cheese.

Enjoy!

11 comments:

Kelly Hashway said...

Okay, my mouth is officially watering!

Stacy said...

Kelly, they are both really good. The pasta has some kick to it, but I love it. And the burgers are awesome. The horseradish makes up for the 93% lean beef without piling on too many calories.
Thanks!

Michael Ann said...

The burger sounds good! The caterpillar, not so much :-) I have no idea what kind those are!! I found a couple of little green ones on my Geranium this morning. It ate ALL the leaves down to nothing :( I already have a black thumb. I didn't need that!

Stacy said...

LOL. I thought about how silly putting the two together was after I posted it. I know caterpillars can be a pain, but these are so cute and Grace is loving watching them.
Thanks!

Jessica R. Patch said...

Ok...YUM! I'm always looking for good recipes that won't sky rocket my calorie intake. :)

Stacy said...

You'll love the burgers, then, Jessica. Thanks!

Annie Boreson said...

I think I have to try those burgers. Wish I knew something about caterpillars so I could offer some help, but it seems nature and I took different forks in the road.

Stacy said...

You'll love the burgers. LOL, I know what you mean. I don't have much insect knowledge.
Thanks!

Anonymous said...

I've tried your Italian sausage recipe. I tweaked it a little bit and turned it into a casserole. It was still good, though. I might try the burgers. The addition of horseradish interests me. Our supermarket sells these burgers that have pieces of bacon and cheese ground into them. They are sooooo good.

Anonymous said...

I feel weird saying YUM right after seeing fuzzy caterpillars :)

Stacy said...

Catie
You'll have to tell me what you did to turn it into a casserole. I've not made a lot of those but I'd love to try. Our market sells burgers like that, but they aren't as good as these.

LOL, I know, me too.

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