Stuffed Peppers

Last night I gave my kids a choice: I would make stuffed green peppers or hamburger minestrone.  To my surprise, they picked the peppers.  After years of feeding them "weird", healthy food, they are pretty much game for anything.  I used to make these with extra filling baked in a pan so the kids didn't have to eat the pepper, but this time Olivia said "Make sure I get a pepper, Mom."  

I did have a hard time actually buying the peppers at the grocery store instead of using fresh from Red Goose Gardens or raiding my freezer for our summer leftovers.  I noticed a huge difference in the taste, too.  These were definitely not as fresh as we get straight from the farm, but I guess beggars can't be choosers when you're buying produce in January in Minnesota.

Stuffed Green Peppers (Makes 5 pepper halves)
1 lb. hamburger
1 medium onion, chopped
6 green  peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded.  Chop 1 pepper half.
1 T. minced garlic
1 packet taco seasoning
2 c. cooked rice, orzo or quinoa (this time I used quinoa but have used brown rice and orzo as well)
1/2 c. shredded cheese (I used a cheddar/pepper jack mixture)


Brown hamburger with onion, garlic and 1/2 chopped pepper. Meanwhile, boil a 2 quart pot of water.  Blanch peppers for about 2 minutes in boiling water.  (Put the peppers in the water and cook for a few minutes.  This ensures that they aren't still raw when you eat them.)  Remove from water and set aside.  When hamburger is cooked, stir in taco seasoning, a little water and cooked rice or quinoa. Stir until seasoning is mixed in and water is absorbed.  Fill pepper shells with meat mixture, being careful not to burn your fingers!  Top with shredded cheese and bake in a 400 oven for 15-20 minutes, until cheese is brown and bubbly. 

These are a great way to get more veggies in your diet without feeling like you are eating only a salad for every meal.  I have also used large tomatoes as the shells in a pinch (when I have a lot in the summer).  They tend to get a little mushy but the family loves them.

Our Daily Breakfast...

I could spend a long time ranting about the goodness of steel-cut oats, but I'll try to keep it short.  I have never been a huge fan of oatmeal, but steel cut oats have changed my mind.  When you think of oatmeal, you probably think of the flattened out flakes that take a few minutes in the microwave to cook.  Steel cut oats are different than that.  They look like rabbit food...pellets, really. 

Every Sunday afternoon or evening (if I remember), I make a big pot of steel cut oats.  I divide them into 5 individual containers for Phil to take to work and put the rest in a big container for me and the girls.  This provides breakfast for the whole week.  This small amount of planning ahead makes a quick weekday breakfast.  It's as easy as pouring a bowl of ceral...scoop some in a bowl and heat it in the microwave.  Add milk and it's a nice hot breakfast. 

Steel Cut Oats (I quadruple this recipe for our family)
1 c. steel cut oats
3 c. water
cinnamon
brown sugar
raisins

Put the oats and water in a big pot.  Bring to a simmer and turn down so it doesn't boil too rapidly.  Cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally until it comes together like oatmeal should.  Remove from heat.  Stir in cinnamon, brown sugar and raisins to your taste.  Eat immediately or divide into containers and refrigerate.  To reheat, microwave for about 2 minutes. 

I like to cool this down a little with some soy milk before I eat it.  When I eat this for breakfast, I am not hungry for hours.  I even sometimes have a hard time eating my lunch because I'm still full. 

I have tried adding pureed pumpkin to this and have also cooked diced apples with the oats.  Both turned out well, but we prefer the brown sugar, cinnamon and raisins. 

Sunday Dinner

How many people still make "Sunday Dinner?"  Once in a while, I decide that I want to make something really big and delicious to cap off an awesome weekend.  Last night, I made Chicken with 20 Cloves of Garlic.  I found the recipe in Relish Magazine a few weeks ago and this is the second time I have made it. Of course, I changed it a little to fit our tastes, but this is essentially the recipe as I found it.   What really makes the meal is the baguette slices served on the side that you top with the roasted garlic and cherry tomatoes.  I often find day old baguettes on the clearance cart at our local Wal-Mart of all places.  When I find them, I buy them all and put them in the freezer for later. 

Chicken with 20 Cloves of Garlic
Chicken hind quarters, cut apart and skinned (I use 3, but use as many as you need to feed your family)
1 T. butter
1 T. Olive oil
salt and pepper
20 cloves of garlic, peeled
1 c. cherry tomatoes
1/2 c. chicken broth
20 slices of baguette, lightly toasted in oven

Preheat oven to 425.  Heat butter and oil in oven proof skillet.  Brown chicken about 3 minutes on each side, seasoning with salt and pepper.  Remove chicken from skillet.  Add garlic to pan, browning for about a minute, maybe two.  Remove from heat.  Put chicken back in pan.  Add cherry tomatoes and chicken broth.  Bake for about 30 minutes. 

Should look like this when it is done. 

On the side, I made Quinoa with Vegetables and Sauteed Kale.   Never had Quinoa (pronounced keen-wah)?  Give it a try, you just might like it.  Quinoa is a seed grown in South America.  It is high in protein and fiber and relatively low in carbs.  I use it in place of rice in a lot of dishes.  The cheapest way I have found to buy it is in bulk at Amazing Grains in Grand Forks. 

Quinoa with Vegetables
1 c. quinoa, rinsed in colander
2 c. liquid (I used a combination of chicken broth, water and white wine...I was drinking anyway, so I decided to share a little with the food)
1 c. small mixed vegetables (carrots, peas, beans, corn)

Put quinoa and liquid in small pot.  Bring to a boil and simmer for about 15 minutes.  You will know it's done when it looks like there are a bunch of planets with rings around them in the pot.  When they are almost finished, add the veggies and cover the pot.   Simmer until the liquid is gone and keep covered to heat up the veggies.  Add salt and pepper if you like.


I also made sauteed kale.  Okay, so greens are not my favorite, but we keep getting them in our weekly vegetable boxes from Red Goose Gardens, so I have to come up with ways to use them.  This time, I just decided to use them up.  Phil loves sauteed greens...the girls and I, not so much.  The way I see it, it's a good way to get your veggies, and you don't need very much.  I had a huge colander full of washed and torn greens and it cooked down to a cup or so. 

Sauteed Greens

A whole bunch of greens, large ribs removed (Kale, Chard, Spinach, etc., whatever you have)
2 crushed & minced cloves of garlic
1 T. Olive Oil
1/2 c. chicken broth
salt and pepper

Heat oil in large nonstick skillet.  Add garlic and cook for a minute or so.  Don't burn it!  Add greens and stir until coated with oil.  Add chicken broth, cover and cook for about 15 minutes, stirring often.  Add salt and pepper if desired before serving. 



This is Phil's plate, isn't it pretty?

 Now don't get me wrong, I don't always cook like this, sometimes we just order Chinese (yes, they deliver all the way out here!), but I like to when I have the time and energy.