Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers are so good. Easy to make. I make mine in a crock pot.  A great meal that your kids will surely enjoy.

Ingredients

1lb Hot or Sweet Italian Sausage - (Link or Mix)

1 lb Ground Turkey or Hamburger

2 cups cooked rice (Sticky Rice Is The Best)

Condiments - To Your Liking. I use a tsp each on average.

Crushed Salt

Crushed Ground Pepper

Crushed Red Pepper

Garlic (Minced)

Italian Mix Bread Crumbs

3 eggs

6-9 Large Bell Peppers (Red Sweet Or Green)

Spaghetti Sauce (Store Bought or Homemade)

Grated Parmesan and Romano Cheese

In a bowl add the meat and bread crumbs with eggs first. Hand mix thoroughly. Add the condiments and remix. Next add the rice and remix one last time. We have a Vietnamese grocery store that sells sticky rice. You can use any rice, however I have found sticky rice to be the best. Remix one last time.

Next, cut the tops off the bell peppers. Try to ensure they are firm and fresh. Stuff the pepper with the leaving about a 1/4 of an inch for the sauce. Pack firm, and top with the sauce. Next, add grated cheese. Place in the crock pot layer with about a 1/4 inch of sauce. (you can use water to dilute the sauce.) Set the crock on high for 2hrs. Then cook on low for an hour. Check for tenderness. A good bell pepper will remain firm. Some may become loose from being at the market too long.

Remove and serve.

Artichokes - You Might Have Choked Artie....But You Won't Choke Stymie

I fell in love with Artichokes thanks to the Little Rascals.....that's right the Little Rascals. One of my all time favorite scenes is when Stymie tries to eat an Artichoke and through frustration says the famous line, "You may have choked Artie, but you won't choke Stymie."

Artichokes are easy to prepare, and delicious. In honor of Stymie, I am including a simple recipe that hopefully will encourage others to try them.

Ingredients

Artichoke
Lemon Slices or Lemon Juice
Garlic Powder
Lemon Powder
Minced Garlic

Preparation

The tops of Artichokes are spiny. They are usually inedible. You will most likely have to cut 1/4 - 1/2 of inch of the top off the artichoke. This will allow for steaming, and the addition of ingredients within the artichoke.

In a medium pan, fill up the pan with 2 inches of water. Place the artichokes in the pan for steaming. Add between the wedges lemon, garlic, and seasonings.


Next, on a medium high heat, you will steam the artichokes for 45mins to an hour. You will be able to check the artichoke after 45 mins for tenderness.

Eating: The Artichoke has 2 parts to it. You will eat the leaves first by wedging your teeth between the leaves and scraping the fiber from the plant. Once the leaves are completely gone, you take a fork and remove the spiny fibers from the stem. (They will come off very easy) What you will have left is a base, know as the "heart." Many find this to be the treasure of the Artichoke. Very tender, and flavorful, the heart is the best part of the Artichoke.

Rice Balls - OOOOF - So Good!

 Rice balls are a local Italian tradition. I taught my children about the folklore of rice balls. Most likely, Italian immigrants added rice to the meatball mix to help save money. They inadvertently discovered a great recipe for an alternative to meatballs. The meat is also a great stuffing for Bell Peppers.

Ingredients

1lb Hot or Sweet Italian Sausage - (Link or Mix)

1 lb Ground Turkey or Hamburger

2 cups cooked rice (Sticky Rice Is The Best)

Condiments - To Your Liking. I use a tsp each on average.

Crushed Salt

Crushed Ground Pepper

Crushed Red Pepper

Garlic (Minced)

Italian Mix Bread Crumbs

3 eggs

In a bowl add the meat and bread crumbs with eggs first. Hand mix thoroughly. Add the condiments and remix. Next add the rice and remix one last time. We have a Vietnamese grocery store that sells sticky rice. You can use any rice, however I have found sticky rice to be the best. Roll the mix into small meatballs.

On a separate burner, using a medium to large saucepan, add 1/8 inch to 1/4 on an inch of olive oil. Heat the oil to a medium heat. Add the rice balls. Cook slowly and brown completely. Set aside. Eat on their own or add them to your sauce. Enjoy!

Couscous Salad

Couscous is a great salad with many options for preparation. I prefer pearl couscous for the robustness, but regular couscous is awesome either way. What makes couscous fun is that it can be simply made on it's own as a dish, or you can create a salad of multiple trimmings. The secret is the lemon/oil dressing. Choose ingredients that compliment this kind of dressing. (Pretty unlimited when you think about it. You could experiment and add roasted peppers and garlic.

1 box couscous (1cup)

1 cup chicken broth or water

3 freshly squeezed lemons or limes

3 tbsp. of olive oil (to your liking)

1/2 tsp of cumin

1/2 cup diced red onion

1/2 cup of red diced green, red pepper. (Or both)

Cracked Salt and Pepper

Optional Ingredients

Cilantro, Mint or Parsley

Black or Garbonzo Beans

Whole Kernel Corn

Most recipes call for the couscous to be made in Chicken Broth. I think water is just as good. Once you prepare the couscous, you have to set aside if you want to make a salad. Let it get to room temperature naturally or refrigerate for an hour to allow for a cool down.

Next, dice all the vegetables. Mix with the salad. I recommend adding the oil and vinegar first prior to adding the ingredients. The slippery nature of oil allows for the ingredients to added without clumping. Season to flavor, stir a few times. Add mint, cilantro or parsley and  let the ingredients settle and you have a great salad.

                         

Tuscon Corn and Sun Dried Tomato

A nice side dish we recently tried was Corn and Sun Dried Tomato. We served it along side a roast beef melt. Delicious! We will defintely be eating this yummy side dish over and over.

Ingredients

• 2 cups corn (Fresh off the Cob, Canned, or Frozen)
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 1/2 cup small-diced red onion
• 1 cup chopped sun-dried tomato
• ¼ cup red wine vinegar
• ½ cup olive oil
• Cracked Salt
• Cracked Pepper

In a pan, add the corn, butter, onion and cook on a medium heat for 8-10 minutes. Next, add the olive oil, vinegar and Sun-Dried Tomato (Diced). Simmer for five - 7 mins. Add the cracked pepper and salt to your preference. If you would like, try basil and garlic as a nice addition. Enjoy! 

Potato/Stuffing Breakfast Cake

Leftovers! Sometimes it is easier to reuse them, than reheat them. Let's face it, the kids are tired of reheated food. Yet you can recreate some leftover items into new meals. Here is a simple one from your Turkey Dinner. Try this for a breakfast treat.

Ingredients

Mashed Potatoes

Stuffing

Bread Crumbs or Semolina Floor

Cracked Pepper

Sea Salt

Slap Your Mama Seasoning (Optional)

Eggs (Beaten)

Combine the stuffing and mashed potatoes into a bowl. Create small flat pancake style patties. Dip the patty in beaten eggs. (This will help keep things together) In an additional bowl, dip into bread crumbs or semolina flour. Heat a skillet coated coconut or olive oil to a medium heat. Drop the patties in the pan, and browns both sides. Add to a plate of sunny side eggs and toast, and you have a wonderful reuse of your leftovers.

Semolina Pizza Dough

Here is a nice recipe for a thin crust pizza dough that I discovered that is easy to make, and change from the ordinary.


Semolina Dough Recipe

Ingredients

2 cups Whitge Flour

1 cup Semolina Flour

Yeast Package (Follow the directions - Warm the yeast in a separate bowl)

1tsp Salt

2 tsp Olive Oil

Add one cup of baking flour, olive oil, and salt in a bowl with the yeast. Mix for about 3 minutes on low beat. Slowly integrate the rest of the flour. Add the semolina last and knead it into the dough for about 5 minutes.

Set aside and cover with a towel while you prepare the rest of your pizza. Should rise within 10-15 mins.