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!

Zucchini Frittata

Yum!

Source:  Everyday Food magazine, May 2005

4 c. Roasted Zucchini, Onion, and Peppers

1 t. olive oil

10 large eggs

1/2 c. grated Parmesan cheese

1 1/2 t. coarse salt

1/4 t. ground pepper

Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  Brush a 9 1/2" deep-dish pie plate with 1 t. olive oil.  Drain any liquid from roasted zucchini, onion, and peppers (if leftover from previous meal); place in pie plate.

In a large bowl, beat eggs with grated Parmesan cheese, coarse salt, and ground pepper; pour over vegetables.

Bake until top is golden and center is set, 35-40 minutes; cool 5 minutes before serving.

Note:  This recipe halves nicely.  Simply use a small pie plate and bake for 15-20 min.

Roasted Zucchini, Onion and Peppers

This is a quick and easy (not to mention yummy!) way to use up all the zucchini and peppers that are so abundant right now.

Source:  Everyday Food, magazine, May 2005

3 lbs. (7-8 medium) zucchini, cut into 1" rounds

2 red or yellow bell peppers, cut into 1" squares

1 medium red onion, cut into 1/2" wedges

2 T. olive oil

2 t. coarse salt

1/2 t. ground pepper

Preheat oven to 475 degrees.  Combine vegetables on a rimmed baking sheet; drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.

Roast until vegetables are tender and browned in spots, 20-35 min.

(If you like, save 4 c. of roasted vegetables for use in a Zucchini Frittata later in the week.)

Serves 8 (or 4 servings if reserving vegetables for Zucchini Frittata).

Grilled Ratatouille Muffaletta

I've been wanting to try this recipe, but it needed an event!  This evening's outdoor Harrisburg Symphony concert on the lawn of Lebanon Valley College was the perfect occasion.  It was so much fun sharing food with friends outdoors on a lovely summer evening.

Source:  Everyday Food magazine, July/August 2013

 1 medium eggplant, sliced into 1/2" rounds
coarse sea salt
1/2 c. pitted mixed olives, such as Kalamata and Cerignola
2 pepperoncini, stemmed
1/2 c. fresh parsley
1/4 c. mayonnaise
1/4 c. olive oil, plus more for grilling
4 small tomatoes (1 pound), sliced into 1/2" rounds
1 medium zucchini, cut lengthwise 1/4-inch-thick
1 jar (12 oz.) roasted red peppers, patted dry
1 (8-inch) round rustic bread, split horizontally and hollowed out

In a colander, toss eggplant with 3/4 t. salt.  Let stand 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, in a food processor, pulse olives, pepperoncini, and parsley until very finely chopped.  Transfer to a small bowl and stir in mayonnaise.

Heat a grill or grill pan to medium.  Clean and lightly oil hot grill.  Toss eggplant, tomatoes, and zucchini with oil and season with salt.  Grill, turning frequently, until tender and slightly charred, about 5 minutes for tomatoes and about 7 minutes each for eggplant and zucchini.

Spread bread with olive mixture.  Assemble sandwich with peppers, eggplant, zucchini, and tomatoes.  Serve immediately or wrap in plastic and refrigerate for up to 4 hours.
Slice with a good serrated knife to ensure clean slices.

Yield:  Serves 6

Looking back, I should have waited until next month when the tomatoes, eggplant, pepperoncini, and peppers were ready in my garden vs. buying all the ingredients at the farmers' market.  I'll keep that in mind for next year!

Also, I couldn't find the perfect loaf of artisan bread at market, so I tried making my own, but it didn't have a rustic enough texture to support the filling - the sandwiches ended up being soggy and droopy (even though the flavor was good!).  :(    I'll try again!

Baked Spaghetti Squash

Oooh, this was good!!  I found this recipe in my "Spaghetti Squash" file after I had used up my last spaghetti squash of the season, so I broke down and bought another one at the grocery store so I didn't have to wait  until next fall to try this recipe.  There were no local spaghetti squash left at Root's, so I had to settle for an imported one from Mexico.  (Maybe my guilt caused me to forget to include it in the picture above!)  But, I'm so glad I made it, and I'll be sure to prepare this dish next fall when winter squash and red peppers are available in my garden.  (I tried freezing several portions, so I'm thinking I can make it when the produce is available in the fall, then enjoy it over the winter.)  I was very happy to be able to use some Italian sausage I purchased at Rooster St Provisions in Etown (what a fabulous shop!!), along with some local Raw Monterey Jack Cheese made from 100% grassfed cows that I found at the Country Store. Yum!  And, I had just enough fresh (or should I say frozen!) Italian parsley remaining in the garden to sprinkle on top.  :)

Source:  adapted from Better Homes & Gardens magazine, Sept. 2006.

(Thanks, Julia H. for passing this recipe on to me!)

1 medium spaghetti squash (2 1/4 lbs.)

12 oz. bulk Italian sausage

1 1/2 c. sliced fresh mushrooms

1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

1/3 c. finely chopped onion

3 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 t. dried Italian seasoning, crushed

1/8 t.black pepper

1 1/2 c. red pasta sauce

1 1/2 c. shredded Monterey Jack, mozzarella, or Italian blend cheese

1/4 c. snipped fresh Italian parsley

Halve squash crosswise; remove seeds.  (Be sure to save seeds for toasting at another time!)  Oil rims of squash with olive oil.  Place cut sides down on a rimmed cookie sheet.  Roast squash at 450 degrees for 25-30 minutes until just tender (when the tip of a paring knife can be slipped into the flesh with slight resistance).

While squash is roasting, in a large skillet, cook sausage, mushrooms, pepper, onion and garlic over medium heat until sausage is no longer pink; stir to break up sausage.  Drain off fat.

After removing squash from oven, turn heat down to 350 degrees.

Scrape pulp from squash (about 3 cups).  Oil a 2-quart rectangular baking dish.  Spread half the squash in dish.  Add half the sausage mixture.  Sprinkle with Italian seasoning and black pepper.  Top with half the sauce and half the cheese.  Top with remaining squash, sausage and sauce.

Bake for 30 minutes.  Sprinkle with remaining cheese.  Bake for 5 minutes or until cheese is melted.  Let stand for 10 minutes.  Sprinkle with fresh parsley.

Serves 6

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!)

Cajun Pork with Spicy Beans

I waited all summer for the red peppers to ripen so I could make this recipe - it was worth the wait!  Feel free to substitute chicken for the pork. 

Source:  adapted from foodnetwork.com

2 t. Cajun spice mix (see recipe below)

4 boneless pork chops (about 1-1/4 lbs.)

1 T. olive oil

1 red onion, chopped

1 can (19 oz.) black beans, drained (do not rinse)

1 can (8 oz.) corn, drained

2 T. barbeque sauce

Sprinkle 1 t. spice mix on both sides of chops.  Heat oil in nonstick skillet over medium heat.  Add chops; cook 3 minutes.  Turn over.  Add onion and pepper around meat; cover and cook 7 minutes or until pork is almost cooked in center.

Stir in remaining 1 t. spice mixture; cook 1 minute.  Add black beans, corn and barbecue sauce; simmer 2-3 min. or until heated through.  Serve with brown rice or mashed potatoes.

Cajun Spice Mix

source:  adapted from allrecipes.com

2 t. sea salt

2 t. garlic powder

2-1/2 t. paprika

1 t. ground black pepper

1 t. onion powder

1 t. cayenne pepper

1-1/4 t. dried oregano

1-1/4 t. dried thyme

1/2 t. red pepper flakes (optional)

Mix together; store in airtight container.

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

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

Roasted Red Pepper Hummus

I love this hummus recipe!  The mayo adds creaminess and gives it a bit of a different twist; it's a nice recipe to use if you're not sure your folks are hummus lovers.  I made it for our Christmas luncheon at work today, and got good feedback.  :)
I have a stash of roasted red peppers from this summer in the freezer; I froze them in 1/4 c. quantities, so it's easy to pull them out for this recipe.

Source: adapted from Kristy Y.'s mother- in-law/Taste of Home Magazine

1/3 c. mayonnaise*

1 T. fresh lime juice**

1 can garbanzo beans, drained and rinsed

1/4 c. roasted red peppers, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

1/2 t. chili powder

1/4 t. cumin

1 t. sea salt

Blend above ingredients in food processor until smooth.

Notes:
*I sometimes substitute olive oil for the mayo.  The texture won't be quite as creamy, but the flavor is still good.
** I often don't have a fresh lime on hand for this recipe, so I use fresh lemon juice instead.

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.

Tomato and Roasted Red Pepper Salad

Here's another variation on a Tomato Bread Salad.  Again, I used some of my Rustic Italian Bread that I had in the freezer - it was the perfect texture for toasting in the oven; actually, it was the best part of the salad!!

Source:  Everyday Food, September 2010

2 c. crusty bread, torn into bite-sized pieces

5 t. olive oil, divided

sea salt

pepper

2 t. sherry vinegar

1 garlic clove, minced

2 T. coarsely chopped almonds, toasted

2 medium tomatoes, cored and cut into 1/2" wedges

2 red bell peppers, roasted and cut into 1/2" strips

1 T. fresh parsley leaves, chopped

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.

On a rimmed baking sheet, toss bread with 2 t. olive oil and season with sea salt and pepper.  Spread bread pieces in a single layer and bake until golden brown, about 7 minutes.

In a large bowl, combine 3 t. olive oil, vinegar, garlic and almonds.  Season with salt and pepper and stir to combine.  Add tomatoes, peppers, parsley and toasted bread; toss to combine.

Serves 4.