Stuffed Peppers

Last week was a busy one... I didn't find much time to cook. Then with friends visiting, Jeremy and I ended up eating out a bit the last couple days (and eating leftovers when we didn't). Tonight I found the time to make some stuffed peppers in and around my work. These aren't very quick but since there isn't much to do while they sit in the oven, I usually don't count that time. :)

Growing up, I thought stuffed peppers were gross... of course my only experience with them was Stouffers... and I didn't like peppers then. Go figure. A couple years ago I decided to try to make my own and they turned out great. My recipe varies from time to time depending on my mood. Sometimes it has rice, sometimes breadcrumbs. Sometimes I steam them in some white wine, sometimes (like tonight) they cook in beef broth. But all-in-all, the basic technique remains the same

I make these with ground venison usually, thanks to fairly regular deliveries from my parents, but a lean ground beef works equally well. The beef would likely just need to be drained. I've made a vegetarian version of these (which I loved... although Jeremy said it caused "veggie overload"). The vegetarian version had edamame, more diced up pepper, and more rice in it. Still very delicious.

This recipe makes way too much filling for one dinner. I'll refrigerate the rest and either make more stuffed peppers later in the week or put it on bread for a messy open-face sandwich. Either way it's very tasty. 

Tonight, Jeremy and I each ate one pepper. We rounded out the dinner with a salad and some fresh Italian herb bread, thanks to a Christmas present - a bread-machine mix from Williams-Sonoma. :)

Stuffed Pepper with Italian Herb Bread

The Filling

Recipe:

3/4 c. rice

1 1/2 c. beef broth (or water)

1 lb. ground venison (or beef, turkey, etc.)

2 medium green bell peppers

1 large onion

4 cloves garlic

1 can (15 oz.) diced tomatoes

1 tsp. dried oregano

1/2 tbs. dried parsley

1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper flake

salt and pepper to taste

1/2 c. spaghetti sauce - plus a couple tablespoons for under/on top of the peppers (I used a tomato basil sauce)

1/4 c. parmesan cheese, plus two teaspoons for topping

2 tbs. Italian style breadcrumbs

1/4 c. beef broth or dry white wine

1. Preheat oven to 375.

2. Put the 1 1/2 c. beef broth in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add the rice and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer until liquid is absorbed (15-20 min.). Set aside.

3. Cut the tops off the peppers. Set the peppers aside. Dice the pepper tops to add to the filling.

4. Dice the onion and mince the garlic.

5. Heat a large frying pan over medium heat. Add 2 tbs. olive oil. Brown the ground meat in the pan.

6. Add diced bell peppers, onion, garlic, diced tomatoes, oregano, parsley, crushed red pepper flake, and salt and pepper to taste. Saute until veggies begin to soften.

7. Add rice, mix to coat.

8. Add 1/2 c. spaghetti sauce and 1/4 c. parmesan cheese. Mix and reduce heat to low. Continue to simmer until liquid is mostly gone. Turn heat off.

9. In a glass baking dish, place one tablespoon of spaghetti sauce under each bell pepper. Fill bell peppers with the filling. Top each pepper with one tablespoon of spaghetti sauce, one teaspoon of parmesan cheese, and 1 tbs. of breadcrumbs. Add beef broth (or wine) to the baking dish. Cover loosely with foil - try to keep it off the tops of the peppers if possible. 

10. Bake for 45 minutes. Serve with any sauce/liquid left in the bottom of the baking dish.

Chicken and Bean Tacos

Tonight I wanted a fairly quick meal so that I didn't miss too much of the football games. Our fridge/cupboards are a little bare (we're going grocery shopping tomorrow) but tacos sounded really good to both of us and luckily I had all of the ingredients. I make these fairly frequently as the entire meal - from the start of cooking until when I sit down with a plate - comes together in about 20 minutes. Plus this makes quite a bit of filling so it ends up feeding us for a couple lunches as well. Just refrigerate the leftovers and reheat before placing in taco shells and topping. 

I've also made these with ground beef or ground turkey - also very tasty. These are even good without meat. If I have cheese on hand, I sometimes add some on top of the tacos but as I don't have cheese around most of the time, these (like usual) didn't have any. These tacos could be topped with anything - Jeremy usually uses just lettuce, jalapeños, and taco sauce or salsa (or both). I add tomatoes to mine as well (but I was out of those tonight - still yummy though!). Jeremy prefers to use soft taco shells but I've always been partial to hard. We keep both around so we're both happy.

Jeremy's Taco

My Tacos

 

The filling - mid-cooking.

Recipe:

1 medium yellow onion, diced

3 garlic cloves, minced

3 chipotle peppers in adobo, minced

1 can (12.5 oz) chicken breast, drained

1 can (15 oz) pinto beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 oz) black beans, rinsed and drained

1 can (15 oz) corn, drained

1/2 tbs. chili powder

1 tbs. ground cumin

1 tsp. dried oregano

1 tsp. dried parsley flakes

1/8 tsp. cayenne pepper

1/8 tsp. paprika

salt and pepper to taste

assorted taco toppings (whatever fits your taste)

1. In a large skillet, heat 2 tbs. olive oil. Add onion and saute until slightly softened. Add garlic and chipotle peppers. Stir and continue to cook until the onions are soft. 

2. Add chicken, beans, and corn. Add seasonings. Add 1/2 c. water (this is just to help the spices spread evenly over the filling). 

3. Cook over medium to medium low heat until the water is evaporated.

4. Spoon into taco shells of your choice and top with whatever you like. 

Oven-fried Tilapia

It's been a while since I posted... the start of the new semester has taken up most of my time. Jeremy and I have still been eating... but a lot of it has unfortunately been take-out. And the meals I have made I've forgotten to take pictures. Well, tonight I got the time to make dinner and remembered to take a picture.

Tonight's dinner was oven-fried tilapia with rice pilaf and steamed broccoli. As part of our attempt to be a little healthier, we're trying to eat fish more frequently.I'm fairly picky about how I eat my fish but this was delicious. (I make a few other fish dishes on a regular basis but this was the first time I tried this.) I only needed one fillet but Jeremy had two. It had a nice crunch and nice spice. If you're not crazy about spice, you can go easier on the cayenne in the recipe. I think it helps to liven up what is otherwise a somewhat bland fish. Overall, I really enjoyed this and since the plates are empty, I'm sure I'll make this again.

Below are the recipes for the fish and the rice. I just steamed the broccoli in the microwave and then added a small amount of margarine.

Just a short note... The tilapia I used was bought frozen from the grocery store so I just thawed it before starting the recipe. I've found that most of the time the individually frozen fillets cook up just as well as fresh fish. And, it's easier for me to have fish more often if it's in my freezer... I don't have time to get to the grocery store frequently enough to buy fresh fish all the time.

Recipe:
Oven-fried Tilapia:
3 tilapia fillets (about 4 oz. each - adjust for the hunger of the people eating)
1/2 c. cornmeal
1/2 c. Italian style breadcrumbs
1/2 c. milk
1/3 c. AP flour
1 tsp. kosher salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1 tbs. melted butter or margarine

1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
2. Mix the cornmeal, breadcrumbs, salt, black pepper, and cayenne pepper in a shallow dish. Pour the milk into a dish (large enough to be able to dip the fish fillets into). Put the flour on a large plate for dredging.
3. Spray a baking sheet with non-stick cooking spray.
4. Coat each fillet in milk, then flour, then milk again, then breadcrumbs. Place on baking sheet.
5. Drizzle the fillets with the melted butter.
6. Bake for 10-12 minutes until fillets are flaky and golden brown. Turn the fillets halfway through cooking so both sides get crispy and brown. Serve immediately.

Rice Pilaf:
1 small onion, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 c. rice
2 c. chicken stock (or water)
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
1/2 tsp. dried parsley flakes
salt and pepper to taste

1. Heat two tbs. olive oil in a saucepan. Add onion and garlic and saute until softened. Add rice and stir to coat with the oil. Continue cooking for 3-4 minutes until the rice smells nutty.
2. Add chicken stock, thyme, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste. Reduce heat to maintain a simmer for 15-18 minutes or until all the liquid is absorbed.
3. Turn heat off and allow to sit for 5 minutes before serving.

Matzo Ball Soup

I made this a couple nights ago when Jeremy was first getting sick... now that he's successfully given me his cold too, I'm glad that I still have leftovers. Nothing beats a hot chicken soup to make you feel slightly better while sniffling.

This certainly isn't the most traditional matzo ball soup but it's reallllly tasty. I think it's probably closer to a cross between matzo ball soup and chicken noodle soup than a traditional matzo ball... but since I've only had my matzo ball soup and my mother-in-law's matzo balls, I have nothing to compare it to. But since Jeremy's not complaining, I think it's ok. :)

This recipe fed the two of us for dinner and then had 5 servings leftover. If this isn't filling enough... it goes quite well with some nice crusty bread.

Recipe:
2 cups unsalted matzo meal
8 eggs
1/2 c. water
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 tbs. dry parsley flakes
3 carrots, diced
4 ribs celery, diced
1 onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
1/2 tsp. dry thyme leaves
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
5 c. chicken stock
1 - 1 1/2 c. water
salt and pepper to taste

1. Beat eggs in a large bowl. Add water, oil, salt, pepper, and parsley. Mix well. Add matzo meal and stir until combined. Refrigerate for 30 - 60 minutes.
2. Heat a large soup pot over medium heat. Add 2 tbs. olive oil. Add carrots, celery, and onions and saute until veggies begin to soften. Add garlic, bay leaves, thyme, and crushed red pepper and saute for 1-2 minutes until garlic is fragrant.
3. Add chicken stock and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 10-15 minutes.
4. Bring soup to a boil. Roll the matzo mix into 1" balls and drop into the boiling liquid. (I got around 30 balls last time.) Once all the balls are in, reduce heat to a simmer and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
5. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning as needed. Add water if there isn't enough broth.

Spicy Veggie-Noodle Stir Fry

Tonight I was in the mood for Chinese. Given that Jeremy and I are on a health-kick (which will hopefully last longer than just a kick...) we're avoiding ordering take-out because we always eat too much and are fairly certain that it's awful for us. So I made a very yummy stir fry. 

Being able to make my own Chinese food is great. (I've been working on teaching myself to cook different dishes for a few years so I can minimize ordering it.) It satisfies my cravings and also helps me get lots of fresh veggies. Making it myself also allows me to control all of the ingredients so I don't have to eat things I don't want to (i.e., icky mushrooms - I can say with near certainty that you will NEVER find a mushroom in a recipe I make.). This recipe uses spaghetti rather than actual asian noodles... I find they taste fine in the stir fry and it's easier to keep just spaghetti in my pantry as it saves some space and can be used in more ways.

This stir fry is nice and spicy... if that's not your flavor, leave out the jalapeño and crushed red pepper flake. (If you REALLY hate spice, then leave out the sriracha too... although it adds a nice flavor to the stir fry, in my opinion.) And this works equally well with any combination of veggies or meat you feel like putting in it. For meat, simply stir fry the meat before adding the veggies. And any other veggies might just need an adjustment on the cooking time. I frequently make a variation on this with some sliced chicken - but again, I forgot to defrost anything... so we're vegetarian again tonight. :) 

This recipe easily feeds the two of us with enough leftover for a good lunch tomorrow. (Be careful, it gets hotter while it sits... yum.) If the leftovers are dry, just add a little chicken stock, water, or soy sauce. 

Recipe:
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
2 carrots, sliced into matchstick pieces
2 ribs celery, diced
1 green bell pepper, quartered and sliced
1 medium onion, diced
1 jalapeño, halved and sliced
1 1/2 c. fresh baby spinach, sliced
1 can sliced water chestnuts, cut into 1/4" pieces
1/2 lb. whole wheat spaghetti
1 tbs. grated fresh ginger
1 tsp. sriracha
4 tbs. soy sauce
1 tsp. sesame oil
1 tsp. spicy oyster sauce (or regular oyster sauce if you don't want it spicy)
1/2 tsp. lime zest
1 c. cashew halves, diced

1. Heat a pot full of water for the spaghetti.When it boils, add the spaghetti and cook until al dente.
2. Heat a wok over medium high heat. Add 1 tbs. vegetable oil. Add the garlic and crushed red pepper flake and fry until fragrant.
3. Add carrots, bell pepper, jalapeno, onion, and celery. Stir fry until veggies begin to soften.
4. Add spinach, ginger, and water chestnuts and stir.
5. Add sriracha, soy sauce, sesame oil, and oyster sauce. Stir to coat. Put a lid on the wok and allow to cook over low heat for 2-3 minutes.
6. Remove lid and add spaghetti to the wok. Mix thoroughly. (If it looks dry, add a bit more soy sauce.)
7. Add the lime zest and cashews. Mix and serve.

Veggie Pizza with (Mostly) Whole Wheat Crust

I've been making my own pizza for a while now... it's fun and I get to control how much of everything I get on my pizza. And I choose how long it cooks... so none of the veggies are undercooked etc. Sometimes I resort to premade dough from the supermarket (not frequently though). But with a small amount of planning ahead, I've found I can usually make my own dough and while it's not quite a pizzeria pizza, it's pretty close.

Well, tonight I tried a new recipe for the dough. And it was really good. Easy to make and even easier to roll out (which mine is usually a little finicky). Tonight's pizza was topped with spinach, tomatoes, green bell peppers,  onions, garlic, and mozzarella cheese. I didn't have any sauce so it's sauceless... but I think the tomatoes more than make up for that.

The crust was a little bland... so next time I'll try adding some chopped herbs and perhaps some garlic to it. I also baked the crust without the toppings for a few minutes... but it got a little too crispy so I'll skip that next time.

Recipe:
1 1/4 c. AP flour
1 1/4 - 1 3/4 whole wheat flour
1 c. water (at 120 - 130 degrees)
2 tbs. olive oil
1/2 tsp. salt
1 packet active dry yeast

1. Mix AP flour, yeast, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Add water and oil. Using a handmixer, mix on low speed for 30 seconds until all ingredients come together. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Mix on high for 3 minutes. Begin incorporating as much of the whole wheat flour as possible, mixing with a spoon. (When it gets more difficult, I started using my hands.) Turn out onto a floured cutting board or counter. Kneed for around 8 minutes until it is smooth and elastic.
2. Place the dough in a bowl and cover and roll around in a little olive oil. Cover and allow to sit on the counter for 30 minutes. (If you want multiple pizzas, cut the dough and place in separate bowls.)
3. Place a pizza stone in the oven and preheat to 450 degrees. (Alternatively, preheat the oven and just use a baking sheet.)
4. Place the dough on a large cutting board or counter. Roll out using a rolling pin (or just pat out with your hands) until 1/4 inch thick.
5. Place dough onto stone (or baking sheet) and top.
6. Bake for 15-20 minutes until crispy and lightly browned.

Spinach and Feta Stuffed Chicken with Rice Pilaf

After last night's vegetarian dinner, I decided to give Jeremy a nice meaty dinner tonight. (He gets a little whiny if we eat too many vegetarian meals in a row...) And I needed to use up some fresh spinach. So I decided to try stuffing some chicken breasts. As Jeremy loves spinach and feta and the combination is yummy, an idea was born. I paired this with some simple rice pilaf as rice is also one of our favorite ingredients. This could certainly be made using frozen chopped spinach but I needed to use some fresh spinach before it spoils. Overall, this was a delicious dinner that took just a little more work than usual. I will certainly be making this again.

As I'm writing this, Jeremy's complaining that there isn't anymore chicken in the kitchen for him to eat. Maybe I'll have to double the recipe next time...

Also, I need to give a big thank you to Jeremy, my awesome dishwasher. The pan for the chicken looks like it might be a little more difficult to clean than usual. But like always, he'll manage to clean it all up so I can make a mess again tomorrow. :)

Recipe:

Chicken

2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts

5 oz. fresh baby spinach

1/2 c. crumbled feta

1/2 c. Italian bread crumbs

1/4 tsp. freshly ground black pepper

1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

Rice Pilaf
1 medium onion, minced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 c. long-grain rice
2 c. chicken stock
1/2 tsp. dried thyme leaves
salt and pepper

1. Place spinach in a large glass bowl with 2 tbs. water. Microwave for 3 minutes, stir, and microwave again for 2 minutes. Allow to cool. Squeeze liquid from the spinach, chop finely, and return to bowl. Add feta, black pepper, and nutmeg and mix until combined.
2. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Butterfly chicken breasts. Pound out with meat mallet or skillet until 1/4" thick.
3. Place 1/2 of filling on each chicken breast, leaving about an inch uncovered at one end. Begin rolling at the filled end, ending with the uncovered end.
4. Place breadcrumbs on a large plate. Roll the chicken rolls in the breadcrumbs until coated.
5. Heat an ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil to cover the bottom. Add the chicken to the pan seam-side down and cook about 2 minutes on each side until golden brown all over. Transfer the skillet to the oven to continue cooking for 18-20 minutes.
6. While the chicken is cooking on the stove, heat another pan on medium heat for the rice pilaf. Add olive oil to coat the bottom and add the onion and garlic. Cook for 3-4 minutes until slightly tender. Add rice and stir to coat in the oil. Cook for 2-3 minutes until the rice smells nutty. Add chicken stock, thyme, salt and pepper (to taste). Stir to combine. Place a lid on the pot and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Rice should cook for about 20 minutes. When all liquid is absorbed, turn the heat off and allow to sit for about 5 minutes. Fluff with a fork before serving.
7. Chicken is done when a thermometer in center registers 170 degrees (in both meat and filling). Allow to rest of 2-3 minutes before serving.

Moroccan-ish Couscous

Moroccan-ish Couscous (which Jeremy calls crapcrap - although he seems to like it more now) is a yummy, random recipe I came up with when I wanted something with a lot of vegetables, couscous, and lots of spice. I make it fairly frequently now and absolutely love having the leftovers for lunch for a couple days afterward. It's a simple recipe that just involves a number of pantry ingredients, all of which can be adjusted to fit individual tastes. As we like it spicy, that's normally how it turns out. :)

I make this by cooking the vegetables in one pot and then spooning them over the couscous which was prepared in a separate pot. I've also made this with diced up chicken breasts when Jeremy's not in a vegetarian mood. This recipe could be made entirely vegetarian by simply swapping out the chicken stock for water or vegetable broth. All in all, this has found a place in the usual rotation.

Don't be scared by the list of ingredients... it's really easy to make. I usually eyeball the spices and it's delicious every time. I would've included a picture but I didn't get to it until after I had already eaten... and it's not as appetizing looking in my plastic leftover containers. But it has a lovely orange-ish color from the tomatoes, curry powder, and tumeric.

Recipe:
4 stalks celery, diced
2 (medium) green bell peppers, diced
1 large onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 cans (15 oz) diced tomatoes
2 cans (15 oz) chickpeas, drained and rinsed
1 c. chicken stock
2 bay leaves
1/8 tsp. allspice
1 tsp. ground cumin
1/2 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. dried parsley
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp. paprika
1 tbs. curry powder
1/2 tsp. ground turmeric
1/4 tsp. ground ginger (fresh is yummy too)
1/8 tsp. freshly grated nutmeg
salt and pepper to taste

2 c. couscous
2 1/2 c. water
1/4 c. olive oil

1. Heat a pot over medium heat. Add olive oil to coat the bottom. Add the celery, bell peppers, and onions and saute for 3-4 minutes. Add garlic and saute another 1-2 minutes. Add the tomatoes, spices, chickpeas, and chicken stock. Stir and bring to a simmer. Let simmer for 20-30 minutes until veggies are tender.
2. When the veggies are simmering, bring the water to a boil in a separate pot. Add the olive oil and couscous and stir. Bring the couscous back to a boil for 1 minute then turn off the heat. Let the couscous sit with the lid on for 5 minutes until all liquid is absorbed.