Stuffed Peppers

It is GORGEOUS outside here in Texas and makes me think that pesky groundhog was wrong about six more weeks of winter. With excitement for spring but the threat of more snowy and cold days ahead I wanted to post a recipe that kind of covers both.

These stuffed peppers are a recipe that I have adapted from Kayln's Kitchen. It's really wintery comfort food that is still on the lighter side. They have proved to be a very popular and easy weeknight meal over at my house. My dad has requested them multiple times. If you know my dad that truly speaks to their quality. He will eat everything but never seems to really "like" anything!

So one of the best things about this recipe is it's flexibility. You can really customize it to meet your family's tastes. You could substitute italian sausage for turkey sausage, ground beef with taco seasoning, or even just chicken you pull off a rotissiere chicken. Don't like corn? No problem just switch out the vegetables however you like! Experimenting with the flavors is half of the fun.

I've also been testing out different flavored olive oils. And it's amazing how it can impact the flavor of your dish. So far my favorites have come from O Olive Oil in California. They have been on my favorite "bargain" shopping website Ruelala a bunch, so I have been able to try quite a few of the flavors for a heavily reduced price. My personal favorites are the Jalapeno Lime and the Fresh Basil (I use this when making my Pasta Sauce recipe!. But there are several to choose from.

Another way to mess with this recipe is the type of rice you use. I use pearled cous cous, Kalyn's Kitchen uses brown rice, but you could really use any. I bet Zattarain's boxed Spanish Rice would taste pretty good as well.

If you mix up the recipe let me know some of the variations you try! I'd love to have a running list of great variations so that I can mix it up. If certain flavors work well for you feel free to post them in the comment section so everyone can benefit!

Stuffed Peppers

                   Ingredients

                  1 Box of Pearled Cous Cous

            4 Large Bell Peppers, any color

            1 Large Onion, Diced

            Olive Oil

            1 Lb. Spicy Italian Sausage

            Oregano

            1/2 Bag of Frozen Corn

            3 Green Onions, diced

            Parmesan Cheese

            Salt and pepper to taste 

            Panko Bread Crumbs

            2 tbsp. Butter

            Cabbage

Step 1: Chop the tops off of the peppers and pull out the seed balls. You can use a knife to carefully shave the bottom of the peppers so they will stand up. Cut is much as you can off of the discarded pepper tops and chop it up to use in your stuffing mixture.

Step 2: Cook to CousCous according to the packages instructions.

Step 3: Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. While your Cous Cous is cooking. Dice the onion. Heat the olive oil in a frying pan with high sides. (don't have one? a sauce pan works ok too!). Add the onion, green onion, diced peppers, corn, and oregano  to taste until soft and fragrant. 

Step 4: Remove the vegetable mixture and pour into a bowl and set aside. Using the same pan heat a tad more olive oil and cook the sausage until browned. Then add the vegetable mixture back into the pan and sautee for about 3-5 minutes to blend the flavors. Add salt and pepper to taste. 

Step 5: Mix in about 1/3 C. of parmesan into the mixture until melted.

Step 6: Line your pan with a very thin layer of olive oil. Stuff each pepper with the mixture and set into your pan. Mix 1/2 C. of parmesan and 1/2 C. of Panko bread crumbs together in a small bowl. Pour on top of your peppers. (and by pour i mean use your hands to create a thin layer of it over the peppers). Bake the peppers for about 20 minutes or until the pepper is soft and the tops are turning brown and crispy.

Step 7: If you have extra stuffing you can cook it in it's own dish with panko and parmesan on top. I love eating it for breakfast!

Step 8: While your peppers are cooking. Use the same pan to melt 2 Tbsp. of butter. Saute the cabbage until soft and slightly wilted. Season with Salt and Pepper.

Step 9: When everything is done make a bed of cabbage on your plates and lay the pepper on top and enjoy!

It may seem like there are a lot of steps, but there really isn't and it's fairly easy. If you do the chopping up front it will save you a lot of time as you work through the recipe. I hope you enjoy it, it's one of my new favorite recipes!

Happy Eating!

Tanner

Strawberry French Macaroons

F.I.N.A.L.L.Y. I have semi-succeeded in making a macaroon. *Applause please!*

Seriously, if baking was in the Olympics then French Macaroons would be the equivalent of surviving the moguls or landing a quad in figure skating. It has taken me several attempts to finally get the fluffiness of the cookie, and this particular batch would have received some minor deductions, but they look pretty and they taste GREAT so definitely a gold medal recipe. (Like the theme I'm going with here?)

I was first introduced to macaroons on a trip to Montreal (a former Olympic site I might add) I took in college. I was in heaven. The store we went too had such a variety of flavors, and even though they were a littttttttle pricey we bought a whole box. Suffice it to say those lasted about a second, so of course we had to go back later in our trip. 

I had no idea what these little cookie balls were. I grew up loving what I thought were the "real macaroons" those toasted coconut cookies that are so delightful. Unfortunately, I quickly learned that their French cousins are far superior. French macaroons aren't exactly what you first anticipate them to be. It looks like a cookie sandwich, but when you pick it up its as light as a feather! Then you bite into the cookie and it just dissolves in your mouth. They are light and airy and not to mention beautiful to look at!

From a cooking perspective what's really fun about these cookies is how many flavors you can create. There are lots of cupcake flavors and such but you are still kind of limited. With these there are no limits. There are so many flavors that you can turn them into, and a lot of that rests in the cream or jelly you put in the center. I had one in New York this winter that was called the Elvis and was a peanut butter and banana macaroon...scoff all you want it was DELICIOUS. For this recipe I stuck with a basic flavor and a basic jelly because I was so determined to just get the cookie right! 

The first few times I tried to make them were unsuccessful. I don't know if it was the weather, my impatience, or just inexperience. I have heard though, that much like gingerbread, a rainy day can ruin your batch. This recipe came from Ricardo Cooking and what I really love about is that it used actual almonds instead of almond flour. I'm not sure if it made the difference in the cookies working, but I'm going to assume it was the savior ingredient. 

If you try this recipe and it doesn't work the first time. Don't be afraid to give it another go! They make wonderful Valentine's day treats too!

Strawberry French Macaroons

   Ingredients 

1 1/2 C. ground almonds

1 C. powdered sugar

3 egg whites

Red food coloring

1/2 C. Sugar

2 C. Strawberries, chopped

1 C. sugar

1 Tbsp. lemon juice

Special utensils: candy thermometer, pastry bag

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line your baking sheets with parchment paper. 

Step 2: Use a food processor to grind the almonds and powdered sugar into a VERY VERY fine powder. (This is essential otherwise your batter will be a tiny bit clumpy). 

Step 3: Use your hand mixer to beat the egg whites and food coloring until soft peaks form. Click here (not up yet) for a primer on beating egg whites. Add the sugar just a little bit at a time and continue beating until you are seeing stiff peaks form. 

Step 4: Use a spatula or wooden spoon to gently combine the dry mixture with the egg whites.

Step 5: Use a pastry bag (DO NOT TRY THIS ANY OTHER WAY it never works, at least it didn't for me). Fit the pastry bag with any normal tip. You just want a plain circle that has a decent size opening. Then squeeze out 1 inch circles on your baking sheets. They shouldn't expand too much, but be sure to leave plenty of room between the cookies. Shake the tray or gently bang it on the counter to flatten your cookie.

Step 6: Bake one sheet at a time leaving your oven door open slightly. Bake for 10-15 minutes. Smaller cookies will bake faster so keep an eye on them!

Step 7: While those bake. Combine the strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice in a sauce pan and bring to a boil. Stir frequently.

Step 8: Once its at a boil place a candy thermometer in the center until it reaches 219 degrees. This is really important or it won't set right. Then let cool completely. 

Step 9: Spread some jelly on one cookie and then sandwich them together. And enjoy!

You could also use jelly from a jar if you prefer or don't want to make your own jelly. Just buy one that isn't too runny. 

This is a really tricky dessert to make even though it doesn't seem like it. So cut yourself some slack and keep trying if it doesn't go great the first time. Feel free to message me with any pointers or questions you might have!

I hope you love it! Happy Eating

Tanner

Cinnamon Sugar Bread

I'm not sure if I have talked about my obsession with bread. I haven't had the opportunity to cook a lot lately because I've been so busy, which is a HUGE BUMMER! That being said I am constantly looking for bread recipes.

I will be the first to say that I love Mrs. Bairds and Sara Lee, but there is something about cooking bread from scratch. The satisfaction that you made that, even after all the frustrating kneading or dough not rising right. And most importantly the smells! I remember my mom making them in her bread machine when I was little. It was always a real treat to get the homemade bread the really really good stuff. 

Unfortunately we no longer have a bread machine so I have had to find other, at times more difficult, ways to make breads. Over the next weeks as I post these bread recipes I will do my best to simplify and to let you know which ones are best when starting out. 

Bread is challenging especially if you've never seen it done before. You don't know what to expect, you don't know if the dough has risen enough..all are valid fears but you don't have to be so critical. It works a lot easier than you think! So...

 DON'T FEAR THE BREAD! BE THE BREAD!

This particular recipe I found on Averie Cooks. I really, really like it. And it wasn't too difficult...mostly because it doesn't use yeast. (so not a true bread) but that's ok. What matters is that it is scrumdiddilyumptious and you are going to LOVE it.

         Cinnamon Sugar Bread

                         1/3 C. Granulated Sugar

                         1 Tbsp. Cinnamon

                         1/4 C. Unsalted Butter, melted

                         1 Large Egg

                         1 C. Light Brown Sugar, packed

                         1/4 C. Vegetable Oil

                         1 Tbsp. Vanilla Extract

                         1 C. Buttermilk

                         2 C. All-purpose Flour

                         1 tsp. Ground Nutmeg

                         3/4 tsp. Baking Soda

                         pinch of salt

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350. Melt a tablespoon or two of butter and use a paper towel to rub the sides of the pan and coat lightly with flour. 

Step 2: Mix the Sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. You'll use this later.

Step 3: Melt 1/4 c. of butter in the microwave and cool slightly. In a large bowl combine the butter, egg, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla. Then whisk in the buttermilk.

Step 4: Add the flour, nutmeg, baking soda, and salt. Stop stirring once everything is combined. (the batter may not be smooth and that's ok). 

Step 5: Pour half of the batter into prepared pan(s). Gently pound the tray on the counter to smooth the batter. Pour some of the cinnamon sugar over over this to create a cinnamon ribbon in the bread. Then pour the remaining batter on top. Again gently pound the tray on the counter to smooth.

Step 6: Sprinkle the remaining cinnamon sugar on top! It will help the crust become crunchy. Stick it in the oven and bake! Averie Cooks recommends 45-55 minutes, I started checking on mine at 35 minutes and when it was no longer jiggly in the center stuck a tooth pick in. If it comes out clean you're done!

It's really really really good! I hope you enjoy eating it and that it's not too hard for you to make. If you like the recipe I hope you keep reading my blog for more, but also be sure to check out Averie Cooks to see more of her great recipes.

check back this weekend for some yummy Valentine's treats!

Happy Eating,

Tanner