A Gardeners Forum Forums General Discussion The Food Garden Forum Vegetable Gardening Bell Peppers Galore!!!

We just picked 2 bags full of ripe, green bell peppers. They are so fragrant & beautiful! Does anyone have any good recipes they'd like to share? :) We'd love to hear them.

Jodi

Classic Stuffed Bell peppers

Serves 4

Salt
4 med Bell pepper, 1/2 inch trimmed off tops,
cored and seeded
1/2 cup Long grain white rice
1 1/2 Tbsp Olive oil
1 med Onion, diced
12 oz Ground beef
3 cloves Garlic, minced
1 can Diced tomatoes, drained, 1/4 cup joice reserved
5 oz Monterey jack cheese, shredded 1 1/4 cups
2 Tbsp Fresh Parsley leaves chopped
Ground black pepper
1/4 cup Ketchup

1. Bring 4 quarts water to boil in large stockpot or Dutch oven over high heat. Add 1 tablespoon salt and bell peppers. Cook until peppers just begin to soften, about 3 minutes. Using slotted spoon, remove peppers from pot, drain off excess water, and place peppers cut-sides up on paper towels. Return water to boil; add rice and boil until tender, about 13 minutes. Drain rice and transfer to large bowl; set aside.

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 350 degrees.

3. Meanwhile, heat 12-inch heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until hot, about 1 1/2 minutes; add oil and swirl to coat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and beginning to brown, about 5 minutes. Add ground beef and cook, breaking beef into small pieces with spoon, until no longer pink, about 4 minutes. Stir in garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Transfer mixture to bowl with rice; stir in tomatoes, 1 cup cheese, parsley, and salt and pepper to taste.

4. Stir together ketchup and reserved tomato juice in small bowl.

5. Place peppers cut-side up in 9-inch square baking dish. Using soup spoon, divide filling evenly among peppers. Spoon 2 tablespoons ketchup mixture over each filled pepper and sprinkle each with 1 tablespoon of remaining cheese. Bake until cheese is browned and filling is heated through, 25 to 30 minutes. Serve immediately.


Stuffed Bell peppers

Makes 4 Servings

4 Green bell peppers 1 lg Tomato, peeled & chopped
1/4 cup Oil pinch Nutmeg
1 sm Yellow onion, diced 1 1/4 cup Rice, cooked
1 clove Garlic, minced 1 Tbsp Majoram leaves
1/4 lb Hamburger 1 Tbsp Thyme
1/4 lb Ground Pork 1 Tbsp parsley
Salt and pepper to taste 1/4 cup bread crumbs


Remove seeds from bell peppers and blanch.

Heat 2 Tablespoons oil in skillet over medium heat. Add onions & garlic cook about 20 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high. Add beef & pork and brown 7 to 10 minutes. Reduce heat to medium season with salt & pepper stir in tomato and nutmeg. Cook for 5 minutes. Remove from heat & stir in rice, marjoram, thyme, parsley & 1 Tbsp oil.

Preheat broiler. Fill peppers & place on cookie sheet. Sprinkle with bread crumbs, drizzle with remaining oil. Broil until bread crumbs are golden brown, serve hot.


Sweet & Sour Meatball Simmer

Makes 4 servings

3/4 lb frozen prepared meatballs
1 medium each red and yellowor green pepper, cut into chunks
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup apricot jam
1/4 cup Catalina Dressing
2 Tbsp Soy sauce
3/4 tsp each ground ginger and garlic powder
2 cups Minute White Rice, prepared according to package directions

Combine all ingredients except rice in large skillet; cover. Cook on medium heat 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Increase heat to medium-high; uncover. Cook 8 to 10 minutes or until sauce is thickened and meatballs are heated through. Stirring occasionally.

Serve over the hot cooked rice.


Slow-Cooker Fajitas

Makes 8 servings

1-1/2 lbs Flank steak
1 Onion, thinkly sliced
1 Red or green bell pepper, sliced
1 clove Garlic, crushed
1 Jalapeno chile, seeded and diced
2 tsp Chili powder
1/2 tsp Cumin, ground
1/4 tsp Salt
1/4 cup Vegetable oil
1 Tbsp Lemon juice
8 to 10 Flour tortillas, warmed
1/2 cup Sour cream
1 Avocado, peeled and sliced

Cut meat across the grain into 1/2 inch diagonal strips. Place in a slow cooker. Top with onion and bell pepper. In a small bowl, combine garlic, chile, chili powder, cumin, salt, oil and lemon juice. Pour mixture over meat. Cover and cook on low 6 to 7 hours or until meat is tender. Spoon several slices of meat with sauce into center of each warm tortilla. Fold over. Top with sour cream and avocado.

Antipasto Sauce or Bagna Calda Recipe

Serves 4-5 people

1 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
1 pound sweet butter
15 cloves of peeled garlic (now we're talking!)
4-5 small cans of anchovy fillets

On a very low heat, place the garlic into a pot with the oil. Do not make it too hot, it must be on low. Cooking low and slow, it should take about an hour. The garlic is ready when you can mash it easily. Next add the butter and let it melt and then add the anchovies. While it's cooking, prepare raw washed vegetables for dipping. I like to use, assorted bell peppers, zucchini, cauliflower, broccoli, celery, cabbage - you get the picture. You can also use boiled baby potatoes, grilled onions, shrimp and good French bread. The incredible flavor of this dip along with the crunch of the veggies will make you crazy so watch out!

NOTE: Other sides to use with the dip - black olives, green stuffed olives and cubes of salami, Italian ham, etc. and cubes of different kinds of cheese.


Parmesan Confetti Dip

Makes 20 servings

1 cup Sour Cream
1/2 cup Grated Parmesan Cheese
1/2 cup Mayonnaise
1/2 cup Finely chopped green pepper
1/2 cup Finely chopped red pepper
1/2 tsp Garlic powder

Mix all ingredients; cover. Refrigerate until ready to serve. Garnish with additional 1 tsp chopped peppers if desired.

Serve with Wheat thins Snack Crackers.


Tree-Shaped Crescent Veggie Appetizers Recipe

Makes 2 trees; 32 servings
2 cans Pillsbury refrigerated cresent dinner rolls, 8 oz each
1 pkg Cream cheese, softened, 8 oz
1/2 cup Sour Cream
1 tsp Dried dill weed
1/8 tsp Garlic powder
3 cups Assorted vegetables (bell peppers, broccoli, carrot, cucumber or green onions)

Heat oven to 375 degrees F. Remove dough from cans in rolled sections (2 sections from each can); do not unroll. Cut each section into 8 slices (16 slices from each can).

Place slices, cut side down, on ungreased cookie sheets to form trees. To form each tree, start by placing 1 slice for top; arrange 2 slices just below, with sides touching. Continue arranging row of 3 slices, then row of 4 slices, ending with row of 5 slices. Use remaining slice for trunk. Refrigerate one tree.

Bake one tree at 375 degrees F. for 11 to 13 minutes or until golden brown. Cool 1 minute; carefully loosen with pancake turner and slide onto wire rack to cool. Bake and cool second tree.

Place each tree on serving platter. In small bowl, combine cream cheese, sour cream, dill and garlic powder; blend until smooth. Spread mixture over both trees. Decorate trees with assorted vegetable pieces. Garnish as desired. Refrigerate until serving time. To serve, pull apart slices of tree.

I also blanch them and then freeze them diced to use in hashbrowns through out the year. I never have enough.

I sometimes use stuffing, stove top, in place of rice in my stuffed bell peppers.