stuffed bell peppers

Stuffed Bell Pepper Recipe

6 large bell peppers (green, orange, red or yellow)
1 pound ground beef
1 small onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 small can sweet corn, drained (8 ounce)
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon thyme
3 cups long-grain cooked rice
2 cups tomato juice
shredded cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

2. Prepare bell peppers for baking by cutting off the tops and removing the spines and seeds. The peppers need to be softened before baking. Softening of the peppers can be accomplished in one of two ways: 1) Steam the bell pepper on a wire rack above water for 10 to 15 minutes 2) Or cover the bell peppers with water and boil for 3 minutes. After softening process set bell peppers aside.

3. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, stir and cook ground beef until it is browned. Be sure to separate beef into small pieces while stirring. Next add onions and garlic cloves, stir and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

4. Remove skillet from heat. Stir in sweet corn, salt, pepper, thyme, cooked rice and 1 cup tomato juice. Mix all ingredients well, then stuff mixture into peppers.

5. Place stuffed bell peppers upright into shallow baking dish and add the remaining tomato juice. Cover with aluminum foil and bake stuffed bell peppers at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes. Remove foil, add cheese topping and bake an additional 5 to 10 minutes, until cheese melts.

6. Spoon the remaining tomato juice from the baking dish over the stuffed bell peppers and serve hot.

Pasta with Peppers

Monday Penne with Sausage and Peppers (and just a little onion)

1/2 small Vidalia onion, sliced into thin half-moons
3 bell peppers, preferably different colours, seeded and sliced into thin strips
1 package (6 links) sweet Italian turkey sausage (I use the Maple Leaf one and it is awesome)
olive oil
1/2 box whole wheat penne or other short pasta

Begin by boiling a pot of water; when it is boiling, drop in the sausages whole and raw; boil for six to seven minutes. Meanwhile, heat about 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a nonstick frying pan. Cook onion until beginning to brown lightly; add a little more oil and the peppers and increase heat to medium-high; cook, stirring.

Drain sausages and slice into 1/4" coins, removing casings if they come off easily (they should). Start a large pot of water boiling for the pasta.

Toss the sausages into the pan with the peppers and onions; increase heat to high and cook, stirring constantly, until sausages are well-browned and peppers are wilted. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain, reserving about 1/2 cup of cooking water.

Combine pasta and sausage mixture; add about 1/4 cup of cooking water if mixture appears dry. Stir well and serve immediately. A little grated hard cheese on top would be nice if you have it (I did not).

Zucchini Muffins

ZUCCHINI MUFFINS*

Ingredients

1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon ground

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon nutmeg ground

1/2 teaspoon Stevia Powder Concentrate mixed with 1 Tablespoon of water

1/4 cup Canola oil

1/2 cup applesauce, unsweetened

1 egg

1 egg white

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups zucchini, grated

1 cup raisins

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Combine flour, baking power, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and nutmeg in a large bowl. Stir well and set aside.
3. In a small bowl, whisk together oil, applesauce, egg, egg white, Stevia/water mixture and vanilla. Add to flour mixture. Mix until dry ingredients are moistened. Stir in zucchini and raisins.
4. Spray muffin pan with non-stick spray. Spoon batter into muffin tins. Bake 20 to 25 minutes until tester comes out clean.

Vickie's Notes:

I replaced 1 cup of brown sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of powdered Stevia concentrate dissolved in one tablespoon of water. I increased 1/4 cup of applesauce to 1/2 cup of applesauce. *Original recipe is Loaf of my Life from Looneyspoons Cookbook by Janet and Greta Podleski which was modified by me.

One Last Note...

The rule of thumb for replacing sugar for Stevia Powder Concentrate in a recipe is 1/2 teaspoon of Stevia for 1 cup of sugar. You can adjust the amount of Stevia used to suit your own taste buds.

FLAX AND CARROT MUFFINS

FLAX AND CARROT MUFFINS*

Ingredients

1 cup ALL-BRAN® Cereal

1 cup buttermilk

1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/8 teaspoon salt

2 teaspoons cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon allspice

1/2 teaspoon Stevia Powder Concentrate mixed with 1 Tablespoon of water

1/4 cup flaxseed ground

3 tablespoons flaxseed whole

1 cup raisins

1 1/2 cups carrots grated

1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons orange juice

1 egg slightly beaten

3 tablespoons vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare muffin tins by spraying with vegetable oil spray.
2. In a large bowl, combine bran cereal and buttermilk. Let sit for 10 minutes.
3. In another large bowl, combine whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, allspice, ground flaxseed, and whole flaxseed. Stir well to blend. Stir in raisins and set aside.
4. Into the bran/buttermilk mixture, beat in the grated carrots, orange juice, beaten egg, Stevia/water mixture and vegetable oil. Add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until blended. Do not over mix!
5. Spoon into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until tester comes out dry.

Vickie's Notes: I replaced 1/2 cup of brown sugar with 1/2 teaspoon of powdered Stevia dissolved in one tablespoon of water. I increased orange juice from 1/2 cup to 1/2 cup plus 2 Tablespoons of orange juice. I increased raisins to 1 cup. *Original recipe was published in Ottawa Citizen newspaper and modified by me.

Brainstorm

Too Many:
Tomatoes
Peaches
Red Bell Peppers
Onions
Garlic
Lettuce
Corn on the Cob
Summer Squash
Zucchini

What to make:
Slice a bell pepper for ranch dip
Make summer squash soup from Vita-mix recipe
Slice and freeze peaches
Make peach pie
Make cream of corn soup
Make burgers with corn (tomatoes and corn)
Make a homemade marinara sauce
Tomatoes on tacos
Tomatoes in salad
Salad: Lettuce, Spinach, peaches, tomatoes, avocado,
Zucchini muffins

What to buy:
Chicken
Steaks
Avocado
Milk
Feta cheese
Parmesan Cheese
Tortilla
Hamburger Buns
Apple Sauce (unsweetened)

Spaghetti Squash with Tomato Meat Sauce

1 can tomato sauce
1 can petite tomatoes
1 can Italian flavored tomatoes
1 onion, chopped
6 garlic cloves, minced
1 and 1/2 pound ground beef
Salt to taste
1 large Spaghetti Squash

Directions for the Squash:
1. Brown the meat with salt
2. Heat up the sauce, onions and petite tomatoes in a sauce pan on Medium seat.
3. Puree the Italian tomatoes in a blender.
4. Add the puree to the sauce.
5. Bring the sauce to a boil, and then stir and reduce heat.
6. Add the meat to the sauce.
7. Serve on a plate of cooked Spaghetti Squash.

Directions for the Squash:
1. Cut the squash in to pieces long ways.
2. Place both halves face down on a jelly roll pan.
3. Bake for 1 hour and 30 minutes at 350 degrees.
4. Remove the seeds and yucky parts by gently scraping it off the top of the cooked squash.
5. Use a fork to fluff the cooked Squash before adding sauce.