Stuffed Green Peppers

I made this back before I left for Colorado, but just now having the chance to share.  This was an easy dinner- I just made a little extra to freeze for a future dinner.   Stuffed Green Peppers are an all-time comfort food and can be prepared fairly healthy as well.  This dinner was prompted by the fact that we happened upon a sale at the store advertising 3 green peppers for a $1.00.  Hubby can't pass up a deal and we ended up with ten green peppers. (We actually bought 12, but used two for another recipe.)  Hence, the reason for stuffed green peppers.  I chose to substitute ground turkey sausage instead of ground beef in my mixture. If frozen, you can even warm them up in the crock pot during the day for an easy, wholesome dinner.

Ingredients:

4 green peppers

1 lb. of lean ground meat (beef, turkey, or Italian sausage) 

1/2 cup chopped onion

1 1/2 cups cooked rice

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon black pepper

dash of garlic salt

1 15 oz. can of Italian diced tomatoes

1 jar or can of spaghetti or tomato sauce 

I started be steaming my rice first.  I have a rice cooker, so I used this while I was able to concentrate on cutting the tops off of the peppers, de-seeding them, and cleaning them.

I began to brown the meat.  Next, I chopped up the onions. Once the meat was thoroughly browned, I added the onion. After the rice was cooked, I added this to the meat mixture on the stove.

My next step was to add the can of diced tomatoes.  I like this added touch and it adds a bit more body and flavor. 

I let this warm slightly on the stove, remembering to give it a good stir every now and then to keep it from sticking. While I did this, I poured about 1/3 of the tomato sauce in the bottom of the pan.  

(*Note: I made a batch of four and then a batch of 6 for the freezer, so this is my "freezer" pan.)

I then scooped out a generous amount of the meat and rice mixture into each green pepper and very carefully arranged them in the pan. This was difficult to do in such a spacious pan.  My advice would be to make sure that you buy peppers that are fairly "flat" on the bottom so they "sit" better.  I did not think of this in our green- pepper-buying frenzy and was somewhat regretting it at this stage of the game...

Once I had the peppers arranged and ready to go, I poured the remaining tomato sauce over the top.  I like them saucy. 

Bake in the oven for approximately 40 minutes at 450 degrees.  Remember to periodically spoon the sauce in the pan over the peppers to keep them from drying out.  Feel free to top with cheese if that is your thing. 

If you would rather freeze, cover with foil and freeze the pan for dinner some other night. 

Enjoy! 

What I learned from an Iowan Funeral: Tabbouleh

I have learned much since I moved to Iowa.  Much to my dismay, I have learned that college football determines people's schedules and wardrobes on most weekends.  I have learned what a Hawkeye is (I think?) By the way, I cannot find any definition for "hawkeye" in a quick internet search. I have been informed of what a Muskie is (of both varieties). I fished for the very first time in my life...but still haven't caught anything. I have learned what a combine does and what "detasseling" is. Oh, and thank goodness I was lucky enough to stumble upon a "loose-meat" sandwich- a simple, yet satisfying typical mid-western meal!  

Although a seemingly sad occasion, I have also learned that Iowans truly know how to celebrate the life of someone whom has recently passed.  Over the past few years, I attended funerals for both of my husband's grandmothers. Iowans know how to honor those they love, and they do it with FOOD!  Lots of food.  I had never seen anything like it- Iowa funerals are rather somber, traditional, orthodox events; however, they typically end with a full-on catered celebration!  

At one of these family gatherings is where I was first introduced to tabbouleh.  When you Google "tabbouleh", you may turn up results with about eight different variations of the spelling. Tabbouleh is so perfect and simple, no matter how you spell it.  Thank you, Aunt Clara, for allowing me to sample this perfect summer (or winter) salad. 

I was getting bored of the same old tossed salad. I then I remembered this delicious recipe that I first tried at Grandma’s funeral. Tabbouleh is one more example of a nutritious alternative to your typical salad- perfect for a quick lunch.

According to Wikipedia, tabbouleh is a Levantine Arab salad traditionally made with bulgur- a cereal made from wheat.  It is higher in fiber and protein than rice. However if you are gluten-free, as many of my friends are, OR if you live in small-town Iowa, like me, where you cannot find ANY bulgur within an hour's drive, I recommend you make a brown rice tabbouleh alternative. 

          Brown Rice Tabbouleh

Ingredients : 3 cups cooked rice 1 cup chopped, Italian flat-leaf parsley ¾ cup chopped cucumber ¾ cup chopped tomato ¼ cup minced mint leaves ¼ cup olive oil ¼ cup lemon juice 1 teaspoon salt 1 teaspoon ground black pepper The directions are simple:  In a large bowl, combine the cooked rice, parsley, cucumber, tomato, mint, olive oil, lemon juice, salt and pepper. Toss well. I made a large batch and divided it up into small containers.  We ate it about every other day for lunch, and it lasted about a week and a half this way between two of us. This was healthy and delicious!