Springfield Nature Center Experience

Today's blog is not about food, but rather healthy living.
I truly believe, as part of our healthy living, we should spend time in nature every single day.

The Springfield Nature Center is close to my home and just down the road from Harter House on Republic Road.  So visit the Nature Center, then come visit Harter House!  

After the rains of this past week, I knew I wanted to walk at the Nature Center.  I love when the creeks are up and the streams are flowing.

It is still cloudy today and perfectly cool while walking.  We saw 11 dear today scattered out along the trails.

The Nature Center features eighty acres of forests, fields and creeks, along with frontage on Lake Springfield, and nearly three miles of trails,
as short as a fifth of a mile, and as long as two miles.

Experience the wildlife, including deer, foxes, mink, muskrat, raccoons, squirrels, birds, turtles, turkeys, frogs, bugs and just about everything else that lives in the Ozarks

 





Follow the boardwalk over the marshy shallows of the lake.
This is the Boardwalk

See a map of the all the trails here
Springfield Nature Center Trail Map.

This area is on the long trail, on the back side of the bluff.

Can you hear the sounds of waterfalls as they flow downstream?  It's absolutely lovely!

 I love watching the little kids on the trail.

                                      They love seeing the wildlife so up close and personal.
                                              Their pure joy and enthusiasm is contagious.

It's nice to walk with someone.
Today, bring a friend!
~Shelly 


Learn More Here
Springfield Conservation Nature Center

4601 S. Nature Center Way
Springfield, MO 65804-4920

Phone: (417) 888-4237
Fax: (417) 888-4241     

Stuffed Jalapeno Peppers

Well, I'm ready for some spicy grilled jalapenos for my upcoming party. 

My favorite Jalapeno Poppers are stuffed with a mixture of cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and a little garlic powder.  Then Bacon Wrapped and cooked in the oven 15-20 minutes at 350 degrees.  YUM.

Cheese-stuffed jalapenos are always popular. There’s a flavor explosion in each crisp and tender pepper.   There are many ways to spice them up.   I also have made a bacon-wrapped version.  If you scrape the jalapenos clean, they won't really be spicy, just a little heat afterwards but definitely not 'burn your mouth run screaming for a glass of water.. The trick with these is to grill them slowly. If you try to cook them over the hottest part of the grill, you'll end up with crispy bacon and raw peppers.  

If you're not into grilling, (But who is not into grilling?) you can bake these in the oven, I'd say about 15-20 minutes at 350, then you can finish them under the broiler if you want. 

You could also cook them in the smoker.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
• 1/2 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika or paprika
• 10 jalapeno peppers

Directions

• In a small bowl, combine the first seven ingredients. Cut a lengthwise slit down each pepper, leaving the stem intact; remove membranes and seeds. Fill each pepper with 1 tablespoon cheese mixture.
• Prepare grill for indirect heat. Place peppers in a disposable foil pan. Grill, covered, over indirect medium heat for 8-10 minutes or until peppers are tender and cheese is melted. Serve warm. Yield: 10 appetizers.

 Note: You may want to wear disposable gloves when cutting hot peppers; the oils can burn skin. Avoid touching your face.

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Bacon Wrapped Jalapeno Peppers

5 large jalapenos (or more if they're smaller)1/2 c cream cheese
1 c shredded cheddar

1 teas salt

pinch of pepper

3/4 teas smoked paprika

1 clove garlic, crushed

5 slices bacon

Slice your jalapenos from stem to tip of the pepper. Carefully open the peppers, and scrape out the seeds and white membranes. Gloves again recommended. Set the cleaned peppers aside. In a small bowl, combine the cream cheese, cheddar, salt, pepper, paprika, and garlic. Stuff each pepper with as much cheese mixture as you can. Wrap each pepper tightly in a slice of bacon, and secure with toothpicks or on a skewer.

Grill on the side of the grill, where it's not too hot, for anywhere from ten to twenty five minutes, depending on how hot the grill is. You can grill them on foil, so you don't ruin your grill grate with cheese. These peppers need slow heat and a little time. Let them cook so that the peppers are cooked.

Serve with ranch dressing. Or just eat as is, they're perfect.

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Here's a different idea;

Beth took a few recipes and combined them to make these. She mixed cheddar cheese and cream cheese to stuff in some Jalapenos and put a little smokie in some of the others and then covered them with cream cheese. The first picture was taken before the ones with smokies had cream cheese on them and they were wrapped in bacon. She grilled them and then put them under the broiler for a bit to crisp up the bacon.

Grilled Jalapeno Poppers

jalapenos

cheddar cheese

cream cheese

little smokies

bacon (cut each slice in half)

Cut jalapenos in half, taking seeds out. Mix equal parts of cream cheese and cheddar cheese and 'stuff' into peppers. Wrap with bacon. For the ones with smokies: Put the smokie in the pepper, cover with cream cheese and wrap with bacon. Grill until bacon is crispy.

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 OK, so this isn't grilled Jalapenos exactly, but it looked SO GOOD I thought I would share it also.

Grilled Jalapenos and Corn

with ParmesanThis is an extremely easy yet tasty side dish to prepare. This is only fun on the grill, when you can just toss all the ingredients into a strip of tinfoil, wrap it up and toss it on.

Ingredients

• 1-1/2 cup corn (frozen corn works great)
• 1 jalapeno pepper, diced
• 1 teaspoon diced scallions
• ¼ cup Parmesan cheese
• ½ teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon butter
• 1 teaspoon red pepper

Cooking Directions

• Heat a grill to medium heat.
• Add all ingredients to a long strip of tinfoil and fold the foil up around the ingredients. It should look like a big Hershey’s Kiss.
• Set on the grill’s top rack and grill 12-15 minutes, until ingredients are nice and hot.
• Stir and serve!

Salmon Avocado Poke Bowl

 

Salmon Avocado 
Poke Bowl

(pronounced Po-Kay)

Hawaiian poke is a rice bowl topped with fresh fish and lots of fun toppings, like avocado.

A super simple, light meal, using sushi-grade or Sashimi-grade salmon.

Makes 2-3 servings

Ingredients

For the poke bowl:
1 cup short-grain white rice
1 pound sashimi-grade salmon
1/4 cup soy sauce
1 1/2 tablespoons rice vinegar
1/2 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
2 scallions, thinly sliced

Other toppings for your bowl

Sliced cucumber
Sliced radish
1 large avocado, cubed
Red pepper flakes
Wasabi

 
Method

Cook the rice according to package instructions or in a rice cooker.

Cut the salmon into 1/2-inch cubes. Add the salmon into a medium bowl and set aside.

In a small bowl, stir together the soy sauce, rice vinegar, sesame oil, sugar and garlic powder. The garlic powder and sugar will not dissolve completely, but that's fine.

Divide the rice between each bowl and then the salmon. Top with the rest of the sliced scallions, sliced cucumber, sliced radishes, diced avocado, and red pepper flakes, if you like. The poke bowl is best enjoyed immediately.

FROM:
SimplyRecipes.com

Baked Pineapple Salmon

This recipe comes from Delish.com.
I have made this recipe and I really liked it.  Of course, I really like salmon

Ingredients

Cooking spray, for pan
17 pineapple rings, fresh or canned 
1 large salmon fillet (about 3 lbs.) 
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
3 tbsp. melted butter
3 tbsp. sweet chili sauce
2 tbsp. freshly chopped cilantro
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 tsp. freshly grated ginger
2 tsp. toasted sesame oil
1/2 tsp. crushed red pepper flakes
Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish
Thinly sliced green onions, for garnish
Lime wedges, for serving

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and grease with cooking spray. In the center of the foil, lay pineapple slices in an even layer.
   
   
2. Season both sides of the salmon with salt and pepper and place on top of pineapple slices.
   
   
3. In a small bowl, whisk together butter, chili sauce, cilantro, garlic, ginger, sesame oil, and red pepper flakes. Brush all over salmon fillet.
   
   
4. Bake until the salmon is cooked through, about 25 minutes. Switch the oven to broil, and broil for 2 minutes, or until fish is slightly golden. Garnish with sesame seeds and green onions and serve with lime wedges.
   
   
   

Homemade Spaghetti and Meat Sauce

This easy meat sauce takes just a few minutes of prep and then a low simmer on the stove for a deep, meaty-flavored, classic spaghetti everyone will love.

Ingredients

2 pounds lean ground beef or Harter House Boston Burger
1 yellow onion chopped
4 stalks celery chopped
4 garlic cloves minced or pressed
1 29- ounce can diced tomatoes
1 29- ounce can tomato sauce
1 6- ounce can tomato paste
2 7- ounce cans sliced mushrooms
1 cup red wine
1 15- ounce can beef broth
5-6 whole cloves
2 bay leaves
2 tablespoons sugar
1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley or 4 teaspoons dried
1 teaspoon basil
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 pound dried spaghetti noodles
grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. In a large heavy bottomed stock pot over medium high heat, cook the ground beef until browned, about 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drain the rendered fat and add the meat back to the pot.
2. Add the chopped onion, celery and garlic and cook until the vegetables soften, about 5-7 more minutes.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the spaghetti noodles and Parmesan), stir, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, stir and cover with a lid, and cook for at least three hours on medium low heat, stirring occasionally.
4. Cook the spaghetti according to the package directions in generously salted water. Drain and mix into the spaghetti sauce.
5. Serve with grated or ground Parmesan cheese and chopped fresh parsley if desired.

Recipe Notes

I love to add some Harter House Homemade Sweet Italian Sausage.

The meat sauce can be refrigerated for up to 1 week or saved in a gallon ziplock bag and frozen for up to 3 months.

This recipe comes from:  Foodiecrush.com

Asparagus, Artichoke, and Mushroom Saute with Tarragon Vinaigrette

 

4 se4rvings

Ingredients

Vegetable Saute: 

2 tablespoons olive oil
1 large shallot, sliced
1 clove garlic, minced
8 ounces mushrooms, sliced
1 bunch asparagus (1 pound), sliced into 3-inch pieces
1 (8-ounce) package frozen artichoke hearts, thawed
1/2 pint cherry tomatoes, halved
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Tarragon Vinaigrette:

6 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon leaves
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

Directions

1. For the Vegetable Saute: Warm the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the shallot and the garlic and cook until tender, about 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms and asparagus to the pan and cook until tender. Add the artichoke hearts and season with salt and pepper, then cook until the artichoke hearts are heated through. Remove the skillet from the heat, then add in the tomatoes and stir to warm them up. 
   
   
2. For the Tarragon Vinaigrette: Combine the oil, vinegar, tarragon, salt and pepper in a glass screw-top jar. Seal the jar and shake vigorously to mix the vinaigrette. 
   
   
3. Toss the vegetables with the vinaigrette and serve. 
   
   

This recipe come from:  Cooking Channel TV

Tomato, Cucumber, and Red Onion Salad with Mint

 

Ingredients

2 large English hothouse cucumbers
1/3 cup red wine vinegar
1 tablespoon sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 large tomatoes, seeded, coarsely chopped
2/3 cup coarsely chopped red onion
1/2 cup chopped fresh mint
3 tablespoons olive oil

Preparation
6 SERVINGS 

Cut cucumbers in half lengthwise; scrape out seeds. Cut halves diagonally into 1/2-inch-wide pieces. Place in large bowl. Add vinegar, sugar and salt. Let stand at room temperature 1 hour; toss occasionally

Add tomatoes, red onion, mint and oil to cucumbers and toss to blend. Season salad with salt and pepper. 

Add a chunk of crusty bread to soak up the juices!

Variations
Try adding Feta Cheese and Kalamata Olives.
Substitute Basil for Mint.
Top this on grilled Fish or Chicken.

This recipe is from my mother and Epicurious.