Mini/Maxi Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers

These are wonderfully flavorful, and the whole thing can be made ahead - for the refrigerator or freezer!!  It's very healthy, with brown rice, turkey sausage, and the only other fat coming from the cheese on top (which you could leave off, I suppose) I had most of a bag of those cute mini sweet bell peppers leftover from another dish, and this was the perfect way to use them up.  But you could also just use regular large bell peppers and cut them in half (for the maxi).  I've made lots of extra stuffing in the pan for kids, or others who aren't fans of bell peppers.  These could even be healthy appetizers at a buffet - enjoy!


Mini/Maxi Italian Stuffed Bell Peppers

2C dry brown rice + 4C water (or 6C cooked leftover rice)

about 12 mini sweet bell peppers, or 6 large ones, cut in half
    note - you could probably use 3-4 doz mini peppers or more, but i wanted lots of 
    extra filling for the kiddos ;-)

1 20oz package turkey italian sausage (sweet or hot)
1 large onion, diced
1 tablespoon italian seasoning
1 tablespoon dried basil
2 teaspoons dry mustard powder
1 teaspoon oregano
1 teaspoon marjorum
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon salt

28 oz diced or crushed tomatoes
8ox tomato sauce

2C shredded provolone or mozzarella cheese (or about 12 slices) (or sub cheddar, but it will be less italian ;-)

1. Heat the oven to 350.
2. Start your rice - place 2C dry long grain brown rice and 4C water in a large saucepan.  Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover and cook slowly for about 45-60 minutes, or until the rice is tender and the liquid is gone.  You can turn off the heat when there is just a small amount of liquid left, but leave the lid on to steam for about 15 more minutes.
3. Meanwhile, begin to brown the Italian turkey sausage.  If you have links, slice the skin open and remove it - cook the ground meat until it begins to brown.  Add the onions and all the spices and cook until the meat is cooked through. note - this seems like a lot of seasonings, but remember we are mixing it with all that plain rice and plain tomatoes.
4. Also meanwhile, make a long slit into the side of each mini pepper (or cut whole peppers in half, and clean out the veins).  Place the slit side down on a dinner plate, add a couple tablespoons of water, cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 5 minutes.  Remove from the microwave to cool, but leave them covered with the wrap to continue steaming.
5. Put it all together - in a large mixing bowl, place the hot cooked rice, seasoned meat and diced tomatoes.  Toss well until combined.  Stuff each pepper with filling - it's fine to have the seam a bit open. (I tried using a small spoon, but honestly, my fingers worked better)
6. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with oil.  Pour the rest of the meat/rice filling into the dish.  Arrange the peppers on top, seam side down, squishing them down into the rice a bit.  Make them in rows, or a fun pattern!  Spoon the tomato sauce over the peppers - this keeps the skins from burning, and makes a kind of caramelized sticky crust.
7. Spray a sheet of foil with oil, then cover the dish (oil side down, of course)  Bake for 45 minutes.
8. Remove from oven, uncover, and sprinkle the whole dish with cheese (or lay slices over all).  Return to the oven (do not cover) increase temp to 400, and bake about 15 more minutes, or until cheese is bubble and browned.

For buffet appetizers, use enough mini peppers to use all the stuffing, and place them slit side up with just a drizzle of tomato sauce, and uncovered on a baking sheet.  Roast at 400 for about 20-25 minutes When they are tender and beginning to blacken, sprinkle with cheese and broil.  

The whole dish can be made ahead and kept in the fridge.  Bake for 1 hour the first time, then 15 minutes with the cheese.

To freeze, instead of spraying a casserole in step 6, line it with heavy foil.  Assemble the whole dish (without cheese) and place in the freezer until hard.  Pop the foil out of the pan, then wrap well with more foil, then plastic wrap, label and place back in the freezer.  When you are ready to cook, remove the outer layers of plastic and foil, and plop the original foiled casserole into the original pan. Bake, covered at 350 for 2 hours, then 15 minutes with the cheese.

Sausage and Smoked Turkey Casserole

This is a favorite childhood recipe that I recently had my Dad send me.  It is best made with leftover smoked turkey, but thanksgiving leftovers would probably do just fine.  Maybe add a dash of liquid smoke to make up for it.


Sausage and Smoked Turkey Casserole
(originally called "Turkey Jambalaya", although it bears no resemblance to any type of jambalaya - no tomatoes!!)

2 lbs Jimmy Dean Hot Sausage (or regular for less heat)
2 large onions, chopped
2 6oz pkgs. Long Grain & Wild Rice Mix (Like Uncle Ben's)
1 lb. fresh sliced mushrooms
2T butter
4C chopped, cooked, smoked turey (about 1.5 lbs)
2 2.5oz cans sliced black olives
2 8oz cans artichoke hearts, sliced (optional, but tasty!)
sliced green onions for garnish

Heat oven to 350

Brown sausage and onions until sausage is fully cooked.  Drain.  Add wild rice along with seasoning packets.  Add package-reccomended amount of water for 2 boxes.  Turn to a low simmer and cover, cooking until water is absorbed.

Meanwhile in a skillet, sautee mushrooms in butter.  Drain any extra liquid.  When rice is cooked add mushrooms and all remaining ingredients (except green onions)  Spray a 9x13 casserole dish with spray oil, spread casserole in dish and garnish with sliced green onions. (I cant remember how full the casserole is - you may need a 10x15 dish, or a few smaller ones...)

Bake for 30 minutes or until crispy on top and heated through.  Serve with Tabasco for those who are more heat tolerant!!

Un-Stuffed Peppers

A casserole twist on an old favorite. Great for when you don't have enough peppers for all your dinner party. For people who don't like brown rice – you don't notice the heavier texture mixed in with the beef. It's a good way to learn to like your whole grains!

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Un-stuffed Peppers

3-4 bell peppers (any colors - one of each is very nice, and the colored ones are sweeter)
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 onion, chopped
2 C. cooked brown rice (white will do fine)
1 t. salt

appx. 1 t. each of:
basil
ground mustard
cumin
parsley
garlic powder
(these are minimums - I usually just sprinkle and taste...)

½ t. black pepper
¼ t. red pepper
16 oz. tomato sauce, divided
1 C. shredded mozzarella

1. Brown ground beef and onions in medium skillet until beef is done. Drain and pour into a large bowl.
2. Cut peppers into ½” pieces, add to bowl along with cooked rice.
3. Add seasonings and 12 oz. of tomato sauce – mix well.
4. At this point, taste the mixture and adjust the seasonings to your taste. It the tomato flavor is too acidic, add about 1 t. of sugar, mix and taste. It will also lose some acidity as it bakes - don't make it too sweet.
   
5. Pour mixture into 9x13 pan, or 12” round, deep casserole. Spread remaining tomato sauce over top. Cover with foil and bake at 350 for 35-40 minutes, or until mixture is bubbly around edges.
6. Uncover, sprinkle with cheese and bake or broil until cheese is browned.
7. This can be easily covered and refrigerated or frozen - to be baked later.

HINT ABOUT FREEZING: Huge tip here - line your casserole dish with 2 layers of heavy-duty foil. Fill, freeze, then remove the foil. You get your pan back, while the casserole stays wrapped in foil for the freezer - it will fit your pan perfectly when you're ready to bake, and no clean up!

Easy Ground Beef Pot Pie

This is a great make-ahead-and-freeze recipe for 3 beef pot pies! It's easy to make, but still tastes completely homemade because it uses real gravy, not canned. I usually make one, and freeze the rest of the filling in 2- 1 qt. freezer bags to have a quick and easy dinner in a pinch! Or, leave out the crust and bake all the filling in one greased 9x13 pan for a great casserole.

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Easy Ground Beef Pot Pie

2 lbs. lean ground beef
2 onions, chopped
1 t. thyme
6 t. beef bullion granules, or 6 cubes, crushed
3 C. frozen country hashbrowns (the cubed kind)
2 C. frozen mixed vegetables
1 C. frozen peas
1C frozen corn
8 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
5 T. butter
1/2 C. flour
5-6 C. milk
1 t. garlic powder
1/2 t. pepper
3 double 9" crusts (leave these out for casserole)

1. Pre-heat oven to 350.
   
2. Brown ground beef in very large skillet (or use 2 smaller skillets) when beef is about half-way cooked, add chopped onion. When beef is fully cooked and onions are tender, add thyme and beef bullion. Stir well and remove from heat.
3. Mix all frozen veggies and cheese in a very large mixing bowl. Add ground beef mixture and mix well.
4. In med. saucepan melt butter. Add flour and stir constantly with a whisk. At 2 min, it will look grainy, at 4 min it should look like a liquid again, at about 6 min, it should have a nice brown color and a nutty fragrance.
5. Add milk, 1C at a time WHISKING WELL AFTER EACH ADDITION. Now is the time to remove lumps. Add enough milk to make a 'gravy'. When it looks perfect, add 1/2 C more milk - it will thicken in the oven. Season with garlic and pepper to taste. No salt is needed - the bullion will add plenty.
6. Pour the gravy over the meat and veggies in the large bowl and mix well.
7. There should be about 12 C. of filling. Line a 9" deep dish pie pan with 1 crust, fill with 4 C. of filling and top with a second crust - fix the edge and slit the top as you like. Bake in a 350 oven for about 30 min, or until the crust is golden brown. Remove from oven and allow to set up for about 5 minutes before slicing.
8. For the casserole pour all filling into a greased 9x13 dish (or put 4 cups into a small, greased casserole dish) and bake until hot and bubbly - about 25-30 min.
   
9. Freeze remaining filling in 2-1 qt. freezer bags.
   

Your Mom's Macaroni and Cheese

Actually, this recipe is my mom's. Roughly... the secret is in the cheddar. Use the oldest, most mature, sharpest cheddar you can find. In the states, it's usually listed as 'extra' sharp or 'New York' sharp. Regular sharp just won' t cut it! If you've ever had my mac 'n' cheese, you'll understand why.

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Your Mom's Macaroni and Cheese

8 oz. elbow macaroni
1/4 C. butter (1/2 stick)
1/2 onion, diced finely
1/4 C. flour
1/2 t. salt
1/4 t. black pepper
1/2 t. granulated garlic, or garlic powder
2-3 C. milk
8 oz. extra sharp cheddar cheese, shredded

1. Pre-heat oven to 375.
2. Bring a large pot of lightly salted water to a boil. Cook pasta according to package directions until al dente (just a tiny bit tough - usually 1 minute less than the directions) Drain and set aside.
3. Melt butter in a medium sauce pan. Add onions and saute until onions are translucent - about 5 min. Add salt, pepper and garlic powder. (it might sound gross, but the garlic really is necessary!) Add flour and whisk together. Cook, whisking frequently, until butter mixture is beginning to turn brown - about 5 min.
4. Add 1 C. of milk, and whisk until very thick and all lumps are gone. Continue to add milk until it is the consistency of pudding.
5. Over low heat, add cheese, and stir until melted. It is very important to use EXTRA sharp cheddar - that's where the incredible taste comes from - even regular sharp won't do it.
6. The cheese sauce should be a little thin, so add more milk if necessary. Adjust seasonings to taste. Add pasta to sauce and stir well.
7. Pour into a greased 8x8 pan and bake for about 30 min or until top browns and the edges bubble.