Heather's Stuffed Peppers

Make these to your heart's content while local peppers and tomatoes are in season, then stow them away in the freezer for a quick meal when summer's bounty is long gone!

Source: adapted from a recipe from my neighbor, Heather G.

6 large bell peppers, halved and seeded

1 lb. Italian sausage (remove casings if using links)

2 1/4 c. chicken broth

4 plum tomatoes, chopped

1 1/2 c. brown rice

1 1/2 c. chopped fresh basil

1 1/2 c. finely shredded smoked Gouda cheese, divided

Position oven rack in upper third of oven; preheat broiler.

Cook rice in chicken broth following package instructions, or follow Martha Stewart's "Better Brown Rice" method.

Place peppers cut side down on a steaming rack.  Steam just until peppers are softened, about 7-10 minutes.  Place peppers on a baking sheet.  

Meanwhile, cook sausage in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, breaking into small pieces with a wooden spoon until cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Stir in tomatoes and simmer until liquid is reduced.

Stir rice, basil, and half the cheese into the rice mixture.  Divide the filling among the peppers, then top with remaining cheese.  Broil until cheese is melted, about 2-3 minutes.

Note: I place the filled peppers on a parchment-lined baking sheet, then freeze until firm.  Then, I bag them individually so I can easily pull out the quantity needed at a later date.

Hamburger Squash Skillet

This is a super easy skillet recipe that doesn't really warrant a recipe!  It's home cooking from garden bounty at it's easiest - reminiscent of those love-filled skillet dinners my mother would concoct when I was a child.  I turned to this recipe often to make use of the abundance of yellow squash coming from my garden this summer!

Source: recipe adapted from Low Carb Yum

1/2 lb. hamburger

 2 cloves garlic, minced

1 medium onion, diced

sea salt & pepper to taste

1 medium yellow squash, coarsely chopped

1 medium tomato, chopped

1 medium green or red pepper, chopped

fresh parsley, chopped

fresh basil, chopped

Brown hamburger in skillet with garlic, onion, salt, and pepper.  Stir in vegetables and herbs.  Continue cooking on low heat about 20 minutes or until vegetables are tender.

Enjoy!

Succotash Salad

Source:  The Kitchn

Great way to use fresh soybeans while fresh corn and tomatoes are readily available as well!

2 T. unsalted butter

1 large sweet onion, chopped (about 1 c.)

1 1/2 c. fresh or frozen soybeans, cooked al dente*

Kernels from 6 ears of corn (about 5 c.)

1 pt. cherry or grape tomatoes, halved

1 T. freshly squeezed lemon juice

1/4 c. feta cheese, crumbled

1/4 c. basil, sliced into thin ribbons (chiffonade)

Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

In medium saucepan, melt butter.  Add chopped onion and a small pinch of salt and cook, stirring, over medium heat until translucent and tender, about 5 minutes.  Lower the heat, add the beans and corn and stir over medium-low heat for about 1 minute, until tender, but still crisp.

Transfer cooked ingredients to a large bowl and toss with tomatoes and lemon juice.  Serve immediately with the feta, basil and black pepper sprinkled on top, or let the mixture cool, then top with feta, basil and black pepper.

*You could also use lima or fava beans too!

Serves 6

Rice Salad with Asparagus and Peas

Source:  marthastewart.com

1 clove garlic

3 anchovy fillets

Coarse sea salt

1 T. sherry vinegar

3 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 c. Arborio rice

 6 oz. asparagus (about 1 bunch), trimmed and sliced 1" thick on the bias

1 c. fresh shelled or frozen peas

1/2 c. finely chopped red onion

4 oz. radicchio, finely shredded (about 1-1/4 c.)

1/2 c. julienned fresh basil leaves

Finely mince garlic and anchovies together with 1 t. salt on a cutting board until a paste forms.  Transfer to a bowl; whisk in vinegar and oil.

Cook rice in a pot of salted boiling water until tender, about 13 min.  Add asparagus and peas; cook until crisp-tender, about 2 min.  Drain and transfer to bowl with vinaigrette.

Add onion and radicchio, toss to combine, and season with salt.  Let stand 30 min.  Add basil, toss to combine, and let stand 30 min more before serving.

Serves 6.

Watermelon and Tomato Salad with Basil Oil

I had been wanting to try this recipe, so was very grateful Julia and Alan volunteered (or should I say, were volunteered - no one else in the group wanted to attempt the basil-infused oil!) to make this salad for our food group this evening.  It was yummy, and their presentation was just as lovely.

Source:  Martha Stewart Living magazine, August 2011

BASIL OIL:

2 c. fresh basil, plus more for garnish

1 1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil

SALAD:

6 c. cold cubed watermelon (from about 4 1/2 lbs. watermelon), rind removed

3 heirloom tomatoes, cut into 1/2" wedges

1 Kirby cucumber, cut into 1/2"-thick slices on the bias

1 T. extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

1 t. fresh lemon juice

1/2 c. crumbled soft goat cheese (4 oz.)

sea salt and freshly ground pepper

BASIL OIL DIRECTIONS:

Prepare an ice-water bath.  Bring a saucepan of water to a boil.  Blanch basil for 1 min.  Transfer to ice-water bath to stop the cooking process.  Drain.

Puree basil in a blender with olive oil until smooth.  Strain mixture through a cheesecloth-lined fine sieve set over a bowl.  Let stand until oil drips through, about 1 hour (do not squeeze cheesecloth).

SALAD DIRECTIONS:

Toss together watermelon, tomatoes, cucumber, olive oil, and lemon juice in a bowl.  Transfer to a serving platter, and sprinkle with goat cheese.  Drizzle with basil oil and more olive oil.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper.  Garnish with basil.

Serves 4

Caprese-Salad-Inspired Eggplant Rounds

I found this baby eggplant when I was cleaning out my garden over the weekend.  It was just the right size for some Caprese-Salad-Inspired Eggplant rounds - I simply used a slice of roasted eggplant on the bottom, then added slices of tomato and mozzarella cheese, topped with fresh basil and drizzled with my favorite Chef Tim's Sweet Balsamic Vinaigrette.  Or, you can layer ingredients on a platter and turn it into the Eggplant, Tomato and Mozzarella Salad as directed in the recipe below.  (The frost last weekend ended my fresh basil for the season, but thankfully I had smipped a few stems and stuck them in a vase of water to hold me over as I finish up some of my fresh produce.)

Source:  Everyday Food magazine, July/August 2009

6 T. extra-virgin olive oil

1 medium eggplant, cut crosswise into 1/4"-thick slices

Coarse sea salt and ground pepper

1 lb. fresh mozzarella, sliced

1 lb. sliced tomatoes

1/4 c. loosely packed fresh basil leaves, torn

2 T. balsamic vinegar

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Brush two rimmed baking sheets with 1 T. extra-virgin olive oil each.  Arrange eggplant slices on sheets.  Brush tops with 2 T. oil and season with salt and pepper.  Roast until eggplant is golden and tender, about 20 minutes.  Let cool to room temperature.

On a serving platter, layer eggplant and sliced mozzarella and tomatoes.  Top with basil leaves and drizzle with remaining 2 T. oil and balsamic vinegar.

Roasted Eggplant with Roasted Red Pepper, Mozzarella and Basil

Easy and delicious!

1 eggplant, peeled, and cut into cubes

olive oil

1 red bell pepper

6 oz. mozzarella cheese, cubed

fresh basil, torn

Chef Tim's Balsamic Vinaigrette

sea salt and pepper

Toss eggplant with olive oil and place on a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.  Rub pepper with olive oil and place on baking sheet, along with eggplant.

Roast at 425 degrees for 20-30 minutes, turning pepper once.  Remove pepper from oven and place in a small bowl; cover with a plate.  Allow to sit for 10 minutes.  Continue roasting the eggplant for 45 minutes total, or until tender (will depend on how mature your eggplant is).

While eggplant is roasting, remove skin from pepper, then cut open and remove stem and seeds.  Cut into chunks.

Remove eggplant from oven and allow to cool slightly.  Toss eggplant, red pepper, mozzarella and basil with vinaigrette.  Season with salt and pepper.

Yum, yum, yum!!

(For more detailed information on roasting peppers, click here.)

(And, if you'd like to try making your own raw milk mozzarella cheese, click here for directions!)

Heather's Fresh Tomato Sauce

This is fabulous for pizza sauce when making a simple, classic Pizza Margherita.  My neighbor Heather used this last summer on their pizzas, and I swear, it was the best pizza I have ever eaten!!

I made a number of batches as my tomatoes came in and stashed it away in the freezer for pizza this winter.

Source:  Heather Grove

3 T. extra-virgin olive oil

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 lbs. beefsteak tomatoes (about 4 large), cored, peeled, and cut into 3/4" chunks

1/2 t. sea salt

1/4 c. chopped fresh basil

sea salt and pepper

Stir oil and garlic together in large skillet.  Turn heat to medium and cook until garlic is sizzling and and fragrant, about 2 min.  Stir in tomatoes and 1/2 t. salt.  Bring to rapid simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, reducing heat if sauce begins to stick to bottom of pan, until thickened and chunky, 15-20 min.  Remove from heat.  Stir in basil and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Grilled Pizza with Cheesy Corn, Fresh Tomatoes, and Basil

This is a fun twist on pizza.  The corn, Parmesan and garlic puree gives it great flavor!

Source:  Martha Stewart Living magazine, August 2012

15 oz. store-bought pizza dough

1 1/3 c. corn kernels (from 2 ears)

1/2 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (1/4 c.)

1 medium garlic clove, minced (3/4 t.)

4 T. extra-virgin olive oil, divided

coarse sea salt

2 small tomatoes (5-6 oz. total), thinly sliced (7-9 slices)

4-6 oz. mozzarella, thinly sliced

1/2 c. fresh basil leaves

Let dough sit at room temperature (in package) 4 hours.

Puree corn, Parmesan, garlic, 2 T. oil, and 1/2 t. salt in food processor until smooth with small chunks.

Spread remaining oil on a baking sheet or pizza pan.  Place dough on pan, and stretch to an even thickness, turning to coat both sides with oil.  Let rest 1 hour, then restretch.

Preheat grill to medium.  Season dough with salt, and transfer to grill, making sure to keep dough flat and even.  Cover grill, and cook until dough is just charred on bottom, 5-6 minutes, checking frequently.

Flip dough.  Spread corn mixture on dough, and top with tomato slices.  Season with salt, and top with mozzarella.  Cover and grill, and cook until toppings are warmed through and mozzarella has melted, 5-6 minutes.  Top with basil and serve.

Serves 6.

Note - Instead of using the grill, I simply baked it in the oven.

Peter Reinhart's Pizza Margherita

This is simple, classic pizza at its best!! Peter Reinhart is a genius!

Source:  Better Homes and Gardens magazine, February 2012

Peter Reinhart's All-Purpose Pizza Dough

Peter Reinhart's All-Purpose Pizza Sauce

Mozzarella cheese

Parmesan cheese

basil leaves

olive oil

Simply top each pizza with 1/4 - 1/2 c. pizza sauce, 1/2 c. shredded mozzarella cheese, 1 T. grated Parmesan cheese and a few basil fresh leaves brushed with olive oil.  Bake as directed in Pizza Dough recipe above.

Genius!

Peter Reinhart's All-Purpose Pizza Sauce

"Many people don't realize how easy it is to make your own [sauce] and how good it is.  Resist the urge to use too much; the sauce should just kiss the dough."

- Peter Reinhart

Source:  adapted from Better Homes & Gardens magazine, February 2012

1 28-oz. can crushed tomatoes*

1 1/2 t. red wine vinegar

1/2 t. granulated garlic or garlic powder (or 2 cloves garlic, minced)

1/2 t. dried basil (or 1 1/2 t. fresh basil, finely chopped)

1/4 t. dried oregano (or 3/4 t. fresh, finely chopped)

1/4 t. dried thyme (or 3/4 t. fresh, finely chopped)

1/4 t. ground black pepper

1/4 to 1/2 t. salt

1/4 to 1/2 c. water

In a medium bowl whisk together all ingredients except salt and water.  Taste sauce and whisk in 1/4 c. water and enough salt to taste.  If necessary, add more water to thin.  (According to Peter, "If the sauce is thick at this stage it will be pasty on the pizza.  It should easily spread over the dough.")  Taste again and adjust the salt, if needed. 

Makes 3 cups

*Peter's note: "The best brand of tomatoes for pizza sauce is the one you already love.  They all work well.  This sauce doesn't need cooking because the tomatoes are cooked when they're canned and the sauce cooks in the oven."

*My note:  I found that my tomatoes were a bit too juicy (they weren't a paste variety), so I drained them, but reserved the juice in case I needed it later.  I also did not need to add the extra water.

Family-Favorite Pasta Sauce

I've been searching for a good spaghetti sauce recipe for some time now.  While this recipe may not be my final destination, I was pleased with the flavors.  I'd love to be able to can some sauce when tomatoes are in season, but sometimes that's the last thing you feel like doing in the heat of the summer (or have time to do!).  This version is a nice option for the winter months, using summer's canned tomatoes.  I'm not so frightened of using sausage anymore since I have a good local source of pork from pigs that have been fed conscientiously, but I did use half the amount of sausage to keep my meat consumption down and save some money.  Believe it or not, my fresh parsley, thyme, oregano and rosemary is still hanging on in the garden, so I was happy to use them to enhance the flavor!

Source:  Taste of Home magazine, Aug/Sept 2011

1 lb. bulk Italian sausage

1 large sweet onion, chopped

3 garlic cloves, minced

1 T. olive oil

1 can (28 oz.) diced tomatoes, undrained

1 can (6 oz.) Italian tomato paste

1/2 c. water

2 T. minced fresh parsley

1 T. brown sugar

1T. balsamic vinegar

2 t. dried basil

1 t. salt

1/2 t. Italian seasoning

1/4 t. coarsely ground pepper

In a large saucepan, cook the sausage, onion and garlic in oil over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.

Stir in tomatoes, tomato paste, water, parsley, brown sugar, vinegar and seasonings.  Bring to a boil.  Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered, for 1 1/2 hrs. or until flavors are blended.  Serve with pasta.

Yield:  8 servings



Bruschetta with Tomato Topping

Absolutely fabulous with freshly baked French bread!

Source:  adapted from Gooseberry Patch Celebrate Winter Cookbook

8-oz. loaf French bread (baguette)

olive oil

1 clove garlic, peeled

4 plum tomatoes, chopped

1/8 t. pepper

2 T. olive oil

1/3 c. purple onion, chopped

3 T. fresh basil or oregano, chopped

1/2 c. Parmesan cheese, freshly grated

Cut bread into 1/2"-thick slices; brush both sides lightly with olive oil.  Place in a single layer on an ungreased baking sheet.  Bake in a 425 degree oven about 5 minutes, or until crisp and light brown, turning once.   Rub with cut garlic.

Combine all remaining ingredients except cheese to make tomato topping.  Spread each slice with tomato topping and sprinkle with cheese.  Return to oven and bake 2-3 minutes longer, or until cheese melts.

Roasted Tomato Sauce (for pizza)

Easy!

Can't wait to make some pizza and try it out.  I like the fact that you don't have to peel the tomatoes, thus saving time and labor as well as getting the nutritional benefit of the skins!

Source:  Adapted from Country Living Magazine, September 2011

2 1/2 lbs. plum tomatoes, quartered

1 yellow onion, diced

1 green bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces

1 red bell pepper, cut into 1" pieces

1/2 c. extra-virgin olive oil

1 1/2 t. coarse sea salt

1/4 t. crushed red pepper

1/4 c. chopped fresh basil

2 t. fresh oregano

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a 9x13" baking pan, toss together tomatoes, onion, bell peppers, oil, salt and crushed red pepper.  Roast for 1 hour.  Remove pan from oven and fold basil and oregano into vegetables.  Cook for 30 minutes more.  Cool slightly.

In a food processor, blend vegetables until pureed.  Use immediately, refrigerate for up to 2 weeks, or freeze or can.

Yields:  3 cups

Grains & Fruit Summer Salad

This salad is a bit unusual, but I couldn't resist trying it since it called for cantaloupe and yellow cherry tomatoes, both of which I had on hand, as well as plenty of basil.  I substituted red onion for the green onions.  I skipped the blueberries since fresh ones are no longer in season in our area.  The zucchini works nicely raw as long as it is cut into very, very thin slices or ribbons.

Source:  Better Homes & Gardens magazine, June 2011

1 c. lightly packed fresh basil

1/4 c. lemon juice

1/4 c. olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. black pepper

2 c. cooked grains (quinoa, wild rice, and/or brown rice)

1/2 c. sliced green onions

4 c. mixed salad greens (torn Bibb lettuce and/or spring mix)

2 c. blueberries

1 c. cantaloupe cubes

1 c. yellow cherry tomatoes, halved

1 small zucchini, cut lengthwise in narrow ribbons

1/2 c. walnut pieces, toasted

4 oz. smoked salmon, flaked (optional)

1/3 c. snipped or shredded fresh herbs (dill, basil and/or mint)

For basil dressing, in a blender or small food processor combine the 1 c. basil, lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.  Cover and blend or process until nearly smooth, stopping to scrape down sides as needed; set aside.

In a medium bowl stir together cooked grains and green onions.  Stir in about 2 T. of the basil dressing to coat.

For the salad, line a large bowl with greens.  Top greens with grains mixture, blueberries, cantaloupe, tomatoes, zucchini, walnuts, and salmon.  Drizzle with half the remaining basil dressing; toss gently.  Sprinkle with fresh herbs.  Pass remaining dressing. 

Makes 8 side-dish or 4 main-dish servings.

Peaches + Basil + Red Onion

I saved the very last peach from my neighbor's bounty for this lovely recipe.

Source:  Martha Stewart Living magazine, June 2011

3 peaches, sliced 1/2" thick

1/4 red onion, very thinly sliced

1/3 c. fresh basil, leaves torn if large

juice of 1/2 lemon

1/2 t. coarse salt

freshly ground pepper

1 T. extra virgin olive oil

Toss first 6 ingredients together.  Drizzle with olive oil.

Serves 4

Quinoa with Asparagus and Preserved Lemon Dressing

This recipe is way more effort than I normally undertake, but it seemed fitting for the final recipe of the 2011 asparagus season - #18!  Plus, I was intrigued by the preserved lemon dressing - had never heard of such a thing, so wanted to give it a try.  I'm not sure why I couldn't get the dressing to emulsify (maybe because I used the blender instead of the food processor as instructed??), but the flavor was delicious none the less.

Source:  adapted from marthastewart.com

1 lb. asparagus, trimmed, cut into 2" pieces

2 T. olive oil

1 red onion, finely chopped

1 c. quinoa, rinsed and drained

1 1/2 c. water

1/2 t. sea salt

1/2 c. toasted pine nuts

1/4 c. thinly sliced fresh basil

Preserved Lemon Dressing (see below)

Steam asparagus until crisp-tender, about 2-4 minutes.

Heat olive oil in saucepan.  Add onion and cook, stirring, about 2 minutes.  Add quinoa, water and salt.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and let simmer until all water has evaporated, approximately 20 minutes.  Fluff with a fork.

Transfer quinoa to a serving platter.  Add asparagus and toss to combine.  Drizzle with dressing and sprinkle with pine nuts and basil.  Garnish with chopped preserved lemons.  Serve hot or at room temperature.

Yield:  6 servings

Preserved Lemon Dressing

1 lemon from Preserved Lemons (see below)

7-8 T. olive oil

1 t. ground cumin

1 t. ground coriander

1/2 t. freshly ground black pepper

Rinse lemon in water, drain and cut in half.  Removed seeds and flesh from half of the lemon and chop rind into little pieces; set aside.

Remove seeds from remaining lemon half and add to the bowl of a food processor along with olive oil, cumin, coriander, and pepper; process until pureed.  If dressing seems too thick, add water to reach desired consistency.  Stir in preserved rind.

Preserved Lemons

8 lemons plus more as needed

juice of 4 lemons plus more as needed

coarse sea salt

1/2 c. olive oil

Leaving one end in tact, cut lemons lengthwise into quarters.  Using your fingers, stuff about 2 T. salt inside each lemon, close them, and transfer to an 8-cup, sterilized, wide-mouth jar.

Measure lemon juice in a liquid measuring cup, add to jar along with half that amount of water, making sure liquid almost covers lemons.  Add more freshly squeezed lemon juice, if necessary.

Loosely cover jar and let stand, at room temperature, for 2 days, shaking the bottle each day.

If there is room, add more cut lemons with salt and add to jar, covering with more lemon juice, if necessary, and olive oil. 

To use lemons, rinse with water. Remove seeds and pith and discard.  Use peel as desired.



Strawberry Goat Cheese Bruschetta

This is fabulous!!

Be sure to plant some basil early in the season so you can enjoy it in this recipe. 

Source:  adapted from shutterbean.com

25-30 crostini (see below)

1 pt. strawberries, hulled and quartered or cut smaller, depending on size

8 oz. goat cheese

2 T. Chef Tim's Balsamic Vinaigrette*

5-6 basil leaves, sliced thin

sea salt

Place strawberries in a bowl with vinaigrette and let sit for 10 minutes.  Spread 1 T. goat cheese on each crostini, top with a few basil shreds, then place a spoonful of strawberries on top.  Sprinkle salt on top of each crostini and serve.

Crostini:

(Makes 20-25 small crostini, depending on how thin you cut the bread)

1 baguette, cut into 1/2" thick slices

2-3 T. extra-virgin olive oil

salt & pepper

Put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Place bread slices on large rimmed baking sheet; brush both sides of slices with olive oil.  Season lightly with salt and pepper, then bake until pale golden, about 10-15 min. 

*Note:  Be sure to use Chef Tim's Balsamic Vinaigrette - it's the secret to the fabulous flavor!

Quinoa Salad with Roasted Asparagus and White Beans

Source:  thedailygreen.com

1 c. quinoa, regular or red, thoroughly rinsed

2 c. water

1 bunch asparagus, trimmed and cut into 2" pieces

1/4 c. extra-virgin olive oil

juice of 1 lemon

sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1 16-oz. can white beans, drained and rinsed

1 roasted red bell pepper, cut into 1/4" x 2" strips

1/2 c. celery, thinly sliced

salad greens for serving

2 T. fresh parsley or basil, chopped, for garnish

Preheat oven to 425 degrees.

Combine the quinoa with water in saucepan and bring to boil.  Salt the water, reduce heat to low, and simmer 10-15 min. or until all liquid is absorbed.  Drain well and place in a large bowl.  Set aside to cool.

Arrange the asparagus on a light oiled baking pan and drizzle with 1 T. olive oil.  Season to taste with salt and pepper.  Roast until tender, about 10 min.

In a separate bowl, combine the remaining olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper.  Add the white beans, roasted pepper, celery, and scallions, along with the roasted asparagus and cooked quinoa.  Toss gently to combine.  Serve on salad greens garnished with parsley.

4 servings

Stuffed Green Peppers Casserole

I still have a lots of  red and green cubanelle peppers in the garden, as well as some scroungy-looking tomatoes sitting on my kitchen counter, so I decided to make a double batch of this casserole for the freezer.  It also allowed me to make use of some fresh basil and oregano before the frost hits.  It's basically a recipe for stuffed peppers that I turned into a casserole so I could feature cubanelle peppers in place of the bell peppers; the cubanelles don't lend themselves to being stuffed, but they work nicely in this recipe.  Cubanelle peppers are similar to sweet Italian frying peppers and have a wonderful flavor.  Plus, for whatever reason, I have no trouble growing them, unlike Bell peppers!

For the meat, I usually use a mixture of sausage and ground beef for the best flavor.  But, since I'm trying to avoid pork these days (unless I can get it from a reputable source at a reasonable price - not very likely!), I simply used grass-fed ground beef that I get from the farmer down the road.  It was still tasty!

Organic cheese is terribly expensive, so I used just a sprinkle of a non-organic brand.

Source:  Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens New Cookbook

2 large green peppers, or the equivalent of cubanelle peppers (red or green), seeded and coarsely chopped

3/4 pound ground beef, ground pork, ground lamb, or bulk pork sausage

1/3 c. chopped onion

1 8-oz. can tomatoes, chopped or 1 c. fresh tomatoes

1/3 c. brown rice

1 T. Worcestershire sauce

1 t. fresh basil, chopped, or 1/4 t. dried basil

1 t. fresh oregano, chopped, or 1/4 t. dried oregano

1/2 c. water

1/4 t. salt

1/4 t. pepper

1/2 c. shredded cheddar cheese

In a skillet, brown meat with onion; drain fat if necessary.  Stir in undrained tomatoes, uncooked rice, Worcestershire sauce, basil, oregano, water, salt and pepper.  Bring to boiling; reduce heat.  Cover and simmer until rice is tender, approximately 45 minutes.

While the meat and rice mixture is cooking, parboil peppers in a pan of boiling water for 3 minutes; drain.

When rice is tender, stir in 1/4 c. cheese and peppers.  Place in an 8x8x2" baking dish.  Bake at 375 degrees for 5-10 minutes or until heated through.  Remove from oven and sprinkle with remaining cheese; let stand for 1-2 minutes.

Serves 4.