Pam's Midwest Kitchen Korner: Bell peppers

Showing posts with label Bell peppers. Show all posts

Beefy Sour Cream Noodle Bake

It’s Spring, but it's still chilly rainy here and here’s a classic recipe that may be the epitome of comfort food for this weather! It’s a layered combination of meatiness, cheesiness and creaminess!

Beefy Sour Cream Noodle Bake is a mouthwatering hearty dish of ground beef, tomato sauce and egg noodles combined; a layer of cottage cheese, sour cream and green onions, topped with a layer cheddar cheese. Simple ingredients that most people like.

Dolly Parton and Her Casserole

She's a country music singer, guitarist, philanthropist, and actress known for pioneering the country-pop crossover.

Rustle Up This Tasty John Wayne Casserole for Supper!

He was an American icon,
ranking right up there with
Washington, Elvis, Lincoln, MLK, Jr, Superman,
JFK, Marilyn Monroe and Davy Crockett...

Painting by Norman Rockwell

He's the Duke, John Wayne!

Slightly Spicy Summer Veggies and Bacon Skillet

Turn your farmers’ market pickings into a vegetable stir-fry dish for dinner, it’s as colorful as it is tasty!

Bill and I both really liked this; just the right amount of seasonings with the extra flavor of smoky bacon.

Baked Chili-Lime Chicken Kabobs

It may be Spring according to the calendar, but by looking around outside now, it's still Winter for sure ~ thanks to the sleet/snow/wind combo over the weekend, we have another 3" snow on the ground yet again...

Because of the above, it's not grilling season here yet, so our chicken kabobs came from the oven.

Turn Your Easter Ham into a Lighter Ham Tetrazzini!

When Easter's over, wow those around your dinner table with this tasty ham dish!

I’ve made Turkey Tetrazzini from time to time, but this slightly adapted recipe from Cooking Light, replacing turkey with ham, caught my eye. It’s filled with the same great tetrazzini flavors and is easy to make also, however, it’s that touch of horseradish that takes it up a notch!

It's Stuffed Peppers with Grits and Italian Sausage!

You ask, “What could possibly make a cheesy grits and Italian pork sausage combo taste better?”

Southern Living magazine has the answer:
It’s seasoned cheesy grits and Italian pork sausage, stuffing a tender bell pepper with mozzarella cheese sprinkled over all and baked!

Deliciousness comes together in this flavorful and easy meal for your family and friends too, it's that good!

Surprisingly, all bell peppers contain more Vitamin C than an orange, ranging from 95 mg in a green to a whopping 341 mg in a yellow. They're also super low-cal, containing just 45 calories per cup, making them the the perfect snack. Maybe we should be eating bell peppers instead of of reaching for a glass of sugary orange juice to ward off a cold!

And who doesn't like grits?

Here's the Ten Commandments of Grits:

1. Thou shalt not put syrup on thy Grits.
2. Thou shalt not eat Cream of Wheat and call it Grits; for this is blasphemy.
3. Thou shalt not covet thy neighbors Grits.
4. Thou shalt only use Salt, Butter and Cheese as toppings for thy Grits.
5. Thou shalt not eat Instant Grits.
6. Thou shalt not put syrup on thy Grits.
7. Thou shalt not put syrup on thy Grits.
8. Thou shalt not put syrup on thy Grits.
9. Thou shalt not put sugar on thy Grits either.
10. Thou shalt not put sugar or syrup on thy Grits.

Amen, right on!

There are 8 colors in the bell pepper family. Besides the usual green, red and yellow, the family includes orange, black, brown, ivory and purple.

Any color bell pepper could be used in this slightly adapted Southern Living recipe, I opted for red peppers simply because red is my favorite color. The important thing is to make sure the peppers are large enough to be stuffed with the cheese and grits filling, 3 of them should total about 20 ounces.

After stuffing the peppers with the savory filling, and baking them, whisk a simple vinaigrette, then toss in a few grape tomatoes to drizzle over the peppers before serving.

We all really liked this savory and satisfying version of stuffed peppers, so the recipe is a keeper!

Yield: 6 servings Author: Pam

Stuffed Peppers with Grits and Sausage

Cheesy grits and Italian sausage provide a savory and satisfying filling for bell peppers!

prep time: 15 MINScook time: 1 hourtotal time: 1 hours and 15 mins

INGREDIENTS:

3 large red bell peppers (about 20 oz.)
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
3 hot Italian pork sausage links, casings removed
1 cup chopped sweet onion
1/2 cup stoneground grits (or regualr)
11/2 cups chicken broth
1 cup whole milk
1 teaspoon kosher salt, divided
3 ounces mozzarella cheese, shredded (about 1 cup), divided
3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups grape tomatoes, halved

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350°. Microwave bell peppers on HIGH 2 minutes to soften slightly. Cut bell peppers in half through the stem. Remove seeds and white membranes using a serrated tomato corer or melon baller. Discard seeds and membranes.
Heat vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add sausage to skillet; cook 4 minutes, stirring to break into small pieces. Add onion to skillet; cook, stirring occasionally, until sausage is cooked and onion is tender, about 3 minutes. Remove sausage mixture from pan.
Add grits to skillet; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add broth, milk, and 3/4 teaspoon of the salt to skillet; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat to medium, and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid is absorbed, about 20 minutes. Stir in sausage mixture, and half of the cheese.
Divide mixture evenly among bell pepper halves. Place side by side on a baking sheet. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese.
Bake in preheated oven until cheese is browned and peppers are tender, about 30 minutes.
Whisk together olive oil, vinegar, black pepper, and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
Add tomatoes; toss to coat. Serve over peppers.

Enjoy!

Our Prayers and Best Wishes to everyone in the path of the hurricanes!

And let's remember, honor and pay tribute to all those affected by the events of 9/11...

Not Quite so Dirty Rice

No road trip to 'N’awlins', as Bill calls it, for this tasty little dish ~ you can make it right at home!

We remember our first taste of dirty rice many years ago ~ and Bubba does too. It was from Popeye’s, the restaurant chain originating in New Orleans. And then, our many visits to N'awlins...

However, this time, I made it at home in the Instant Pot now that I have one. It’s a one pot meal that does the cooking for you quickly.

The Arcadian classic version of this dish normally comes with chicken livers added for that distinctive flavor and dark color making it “dirty” in appearance.

It always includes the Cajun holy trinity, you know, celery, onions and bell peppers.

It's the foundation of so many of the world’s greatest dishes ~ from gumbo to jambalaya to chicken fricassee and étouffée, with every cuisine having its version of it.

French cooks call it mirepoix, the combo of onions, carrots and celery.
Italians call the same combination of ingredients soffritto.
Greek cooks prefer lemon juice, olive oil and oregano.
In Spain, garlic, onion and tomatoes are combined.
Thai: Kaffir lime, lemongrass and galangal (relative of ginger.)
Cuban cuisine: garlic, bell pepper and onion.
In Spain, it’s garlic, onion and tomato.
Brazilians season with dende oil, coconut milk and malagueta pepper.

You get the idea ~ every country has its own version of the holy trinity for their cuisine.

I didn’t add chicken liver to the mix this time, but the basic concept is still there: ground beef, the holy trinity, spices and rice. It’s delicious, no matter.

It’s spicy, but not too spicy, you can always bump up the heat if you prefer. It’s a loaded dish with the best flavors in it.

We enjoyed it with grilled catfish, but I could definitely make a meal of just dirty rice. And, it tastes even better leftover, after the flavors have mingled longer.

One pot Not-Quite Dirty Rice is a great dish to try in your Instant Pot (providing you can get the lid on.) It's a perfect dish your family will want second helpings of. No Instant Pot? Cook it in a Dutch oven on the stove top.

Next time, same recipe, with the exception of substituting Andouille sausage and chicken liver for the ground beef.

And perhaps a Dirty Martini or two on the side ~ with a little jazz or Zydeco music!

Woo hoo!

Enjoy!

Yield: 6 servingsAuthor: Pam

Not Quite so Dirty Rice in an Instant Pot

No road trip to 'N’awlins' for this tasty little dish ~ you can make it right at home!

prep time: 10 MINScook time: 35 MINStotal time: 45 mins

INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 small green bell pepper, finely chopped
1 pound lean ground beef
2 cups white rice
4 cups chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon seasoned pepper
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

INSTRUCTIONS

Heat oil in Instant Pot on sauté setting, or in Crock Pot.
Add garlic and onion, cooking until onion starts to soften and brown a little.
Add celery and bell pepper, sauté for a minute or two.
Remove from pot and set aside.
Add beef, brown and crumble, drain fat.
Return veggies to pot, add remaining ingredients to meat in IP.
Mix all ingredients well, scraping the bottom of the cooker.
Place lid on, set the vent to Sealing and press Slow Cooker, low setting for 30 minutes.
Do a Quick Pressure release and fluff rice mixture with a fork.
If needed, adjust seasonings.
Serve immediately, or set IP to warm setting for amount of time you prefer until ready to serve.

Created using The Recipes Generator

Chicken Pizzaiola with Capers ~~~ Lightened Up

I’ve never made, nor even eaten, Chicken Pizzaiola before, but I positively plan on cooking it again!

Chicken Pizzaiola is a traditional Italian food, as far as I know. A lot of you, my foodie friends, out there are Italian, so please let me know if that is true---what is the origin of this dish? I believe the original recipe combines the taste of herbs with tomato sauce, poured over cooked chicken and topped with slices of mozzarella cheese.

I clipped this light variation of Chicken Pizzaiola from our local newspaper, The Northwest Herald. It has the delicious tomato sauce with plenty of oregano, red pepper flakes and piquant capers. Instead of layers of mozzarella, this is topped with grated Parmesan cheese.

It was delicious! I served it with a green salad and cooked spinach. It would be great served with spaghetti!

Chicken Pizzaiola with Capers

Ingredients:

3 chicken breasts; boneless, skinless

1 teaspoon dried oregano

½ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon seasoned pepper

2 teaspoons olive oil

5 green onions, chopped

1 green bell pepper, sliced

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 (14-ounce can) tomatoes, no-salt-added

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 tablespoon capers, drained

¼ cup grated Parmesan cheese, optional

Method:

Place chicken between 2 pieces of plastic wrap.

With meat pounder or rolling pin, pound evenly to about ¼” thickness.

Sprinkle chicken with oregano, salt and seasoned pepper.

Spray large nonstick skillet with cooking spray and set over medium-high heat.

Add chicken and cook until golden brown, about 2 minutes per side.

Transfer to plate.

Add oil to skillet and reduce heat to medium.

Add onion and bell pepper; cook stirring frequently, until tender.

Add garlic and cook about 1 minute.

Return chicken to skillet along and add tomatoes, pepper flakes and capers.

Cover and simmer until chicken is cooked through, about 10-15 minutes longer; depending upon thickness.

Serve sprinkled with Parmesan, if desired.

Tender, Moist & DELICIOUS!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips on Tuesday’s and good and easy recipes every Friday!

Balsamic Succotash

I am a succor for succotash and always have been!

Normally, I prepare it the “traditional” way; just corn and lima beans with milk, a little butter and salt and pepper, and a sprinkling of sugar; especially at Thanksgiving time – that’s the way Mom always made it.

This is an updated, sophisticated finish to an old-time favorite from Cooking Light. Instead of 2 tablespoons butter, I coat the skillet with cooking spray and add 1 or 2 teaspoons butter, for less fat.

You know the sweet/tart taste of balsamic vinegar – it’s perfect here, blending with the other ingredients. This makes a lot for a mouthwatering side dish, but it’s a great lunch in my book, packed with protein and fiber! If you like succotash too, try this new version! It’s truly delicious!

Balsamic Succotash

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter (I use cooking spray and 1-2 teaspoons butter)

1 cup chopped onion (I used sliced shallots)

1 teaspoon minced garlic

2 cups frozen whole-kernel corn

½ cup chopped red bell pepper

2 teaspoons fresh basil, or ½ teaspoon dried

1 (10-ounce) package frozen baby lima beans

½ cup fat-free, lower-sodium chicken broth

½ teaspoon sugar

1/8 teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon seasoned pepper

1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar

Method:

Melt butter in a large skillet over medium heat.

Add onion and garlic; cook 3 minutes or until onion softens, stirring occasionally.

Add corn, bell pepper, basil and beans, and cook for 4 minutes.

Add broth, sugar, salt and pepper.

Cook 7 minutes or until liquid almost evaporates.

Remove from heat and stir in vinegar.

6 servings of 2/3 cup each = 159 calories

fat 5.4 grams

carbs 24.7 grams

fiber 4.5

protein 5.1

This is a delectable veggie side dish!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking. She is having a great cookbook giveaway now!

Cheesy Baked Mostaccioli

A lot of recipes for mostaccioli call for 5 or 6 Italian sausage links and then tell you to remove the casing before cooking. I don’t know about anyone else, but why bother… just buy the sausage in bulk form to make the job easier.

This recipe makes a lot of mostaccioli ~ note the size of the baking dish! It’s great for a small group and is perfect for a potluck; or, half would freeze well for a later meal. This is easy and delicious and gives you that satisfied feeling after eating it. Use jarred pasta sauce if you want to make it even easier. It’s delicious!

Cheesy Baked Mostaccioli

Ingredients:

16 ounces mostaccioli

2 pounds bulk Italian sausage

1 green bell pepper, chopped

1 large onion, chopped

4 garlic cloves, minced

2 cans (14.5 ounce) Hunts Fire-roasted Diced Tomatoes

1 (8-ounce) can tomato sauce

1 (6-ounce) can tomato paste

½ cup water

1 (8-ounce) can sliced mushrooms, drained well

½ cup black olives

2 teaspoons sugar

1 teaspoon dried basil

1 teaspoon seasoned pepper

4 cups (16 ounces) shredded mozzarella cheese

½ cup grated Parmesan

Method:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Cook mostaccioli according to package directions, drain well; set aside.

In a large saucepan or Dutch oven, crumble sausage.

Add bell pepper and onion and cook until sausage is done.

Add garlic and cook for 1 minute.

Stir in tomatoes, tomato sauce and paste, mix well.

Add additional ingredients up to cheese.

Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes.

Stir in mostaccioli.

Coat an 11” x 16” baking dish with nonstick spray.

Place half of mostaccoli mixture in baking dish.

Top with half of mozzarella cheese.

Spread remaining mostaccoli over all.

Sprinkle remaining mozzarella on top.

Top with Parmesan.

Cover with foil and bake at 350 degrees for 30 minutes or until heated throughout.

Remove foil and bake for 5 minutes.

Let stand for 5-10 minutes before serving.

12 servings

Try it for cheesy goodness!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and delicious easy recipes!

Chile-Dusted Shrimp with Quick Corn Relish

The sugar, in the spice rub here, caramelizes during cooking and turns the shrimp a nice golden-brown color.

This is a recipe adapted from Cooking Light. The shrimp has a mild spicy taste and the vegetable mix has a sort of sweet-sour flavor to even the spicy shrimp. The original recipe also had chipotle chile powder. A can of Del Monte Fiesta Corn with red and green peppers would be great; omit the pimentos.

We were pleasantly surprised with this dish; it’s really delicious ~ I will be making it again soon!

Chile-Dusted Shrimp with Quick Corn Relish

Adapted

Ingredients:

1 tablespoon chili powder
1 tablespoon ancho chile powder

1 teaspoon sugar

¼ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon seasoned pepper

2 tablespoons olive oil, divided

½ cup onion, chopped

½ cup green bell pepper, chopped

2 tablespoons pimentos

2 teaspoons minced garlic

1 teaspoon roasted ground ginger

1 (15-ounce) can whole-kernel corn

1½ tablespoons cider vinegar

1½ pounds peeled and deveined shrimp

Method:

Combine chili powder, sugar, salt and seasoned pepper in a shallow dish.

Add shrimp to spice mixture and stir well to coat.

Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat.

Add onion, bell pepper, garlic and ginger to pan.

Sauté for 3 minutes.

Add corn and pimentos to pan and cook for 2 minutes.

Stir in vinegar; cook 30 seconds.

Transfer corn mixture to a bowl.

Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in skillet over medium-high heat.

Add shrimp to pan.

Sauté 3 minutes or until done, turning once.

Serve over corn mixture.

It’s really scrumptious and quick too!

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog, My Kind of Cooking. She's hosting a giveaway now for one of her cookbooks and cute kitchen towels!

Spicy Sloppy Joes for Super Bowl Sunday

Growing up, this was a favorite messy meal of mine, and still is today!

Sloppy Joes are perfect for a delicious quick meal for your family or a crowd too ~ like for your Super Bowl party that’s coming up Sunday! It’s a comfort food dish that is cheap also. I make it just like Mom did, in an electric skillet. It’s great for Sloppy Joes, but a slow cooker works just as well.

These Sloppy Joe’s are not sweet, like most are, and they’re not runny either ~ making them not so sloppy! Serve these Super Bowl Sunday for raves from your fans!

Spicy Sloppy Joes

Ingredients:

2 pounds ground round

1 large onion, chopped

1 green bell pepper, chopped

2 cups tomato sauce

2 tablespoons tomato paste

¼ cup brown sugar

2 teaspoons McCormick’s Montreal Seasoning

2 tablespoons red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

1 tablespoon dry mustard

Method:

To a large skillet, over medium-high heat, add ground beef and break it up.

Sauté until no longer pink.

Reduce heat to medium and add onions and bell peppers and sauté for 5 minutes.

Stir in tomato sauce and paste.

Turn heat to low and add remaining 5 ingredients.

Simmer on low for at least 5 minutes.

Serve piled on toasted buns.

4-6 servings

Enjoy with tangy cole slaw and your favorite sides.

Have a great Super Bowl Day and I hope your team wins! Sadly, mine’s not playing…

Be sure to visit my friend, Linda’s blog @My Kind of Cooking for great tips and recipes.

Pages

Beefy Sour Cream Noodle Bake

Dolly Parton and Her Casserole

Rustle Up This Tasty John Wayne Casserole for Supper!

Slightly Spicy Summer Veggies and Bacon Skillet

Baked Chili-Lime Chicken Kabobs

Turn Your Easter Ham into a Lighter Ham Tetrazzini!

It's Stuffed Peppers with Grits and Italian Sausage!

Stuffed Peppers with Grits and Sausage

INGREDIENTS:

INSTRUCTIONS

Not Quite so Dirty Rice

Not Quite so Dirty Rice in an Instant Pot

INGREDIENTS:

INSTRUCTIONS

Chicken Pizzaiola with Capers ~~~ Lightened Up

Balsamic Succotash

Cheesy Baked Mostaccioli

Chile-Dusted Shrimp with Quick Corn Relish

Spicy Sloppy Joes for Super Bowl Sunday

DINNER PARTY

ᴡᴏᴏ ʜᴏᴏ!!!

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