This is the time of year I just want to be outside planting things, breathing in the scented air. I don’t want to be inside over a hot stove or outside trying to get a fire to light in the grill.
It’s not quite time for grilling yet, still too chilly in the evenings here. However, I do want to stay out (and play) as long as I can before having to even think about dinner. This is when I am glad that I did some batch cooking during winter. I didn’t do a whole lot this year, but just a little something like stuffed bell peppers can be easily baked and joined by a salad, biscuits or crusty bread.
Sometimes, the real men that I live with actually do like quiche. That is a good thing and another quick dinner choice. We like ours hot and then another one mild. I vary them each time using on-hand ingredients like leftover ham, jalapenos, broccoli, asparagus, scallions, onion and, maybe, some mushrooms and artichokes. Today I made one with chopped red bell pepper and corn kernels. A long, long time ago we went to someone’s home and had the dish described below. It is very good and very easy. We made it part of our regular favorites.
Pepperoni Pie
8 ounces of shredded Muenster cheese
1 egg
3/4 cup flour
Salt to taste
1 cup milk
1 stick pepperoni, shredded in processor
1/2 teaspoon oregano
Take half of the cheese (4 oz.) and mix with the egg. Add flour, milk, pepperoni and oregano. Put this in a greased pie plate and bake for 30 minutes at 425 degrees. Take out of the oven and sprinkle the rest of the cheese on top, bake two minutes more. (No, I didn’t forget the crust, it kind of makes its own, delicious).
As for stuffed peppers, if the peppers are small, cut a slice off the top and make sure it can stand up straight, or straight enough not to topple over. If you have really large peppers, they can be cut and stuffed lengthwise. Take out the insides, the seeds, the pith (some call it white membrane). Sprinkle the insides of the peppers with salt and bake them at 350 degrees for 10 or 15 minutes. They will “cry,” so shake out any liquid and get ready to fill them.
Fillings can really vary. You should use leftovers when possible. I recommend rice, corn, cheddar cheese, ground buffalo, ground turkey, seasoned stuffing, quinoa, wild rice and even chopped spinach or chopped up artichoke. This is a fun dish to try things out. Use butter, fresh garlic, eggs (to bind) and any seasoning you would ordinarily use with the food you are using to fill the peppers. Bread crumbs, tomato sauce and sprinkled cheese are all good toppings. After filling, place peppers in a baking dish and preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Bake 30 minutes to 45 minutes or until tops are brown. Note: If you are going to freeze some of them, remove from the oven after 20 minutes, wrap tightly and freeze.
Lemon-Mint
Lamb Chops
6 – 8 lamb chops, loin
1/2 cup fresh squeezed lemon juice
1/2 teaspoon lemon rind, grated fine
3 large sprigs of mint
1 clove of fresh garlic, minced
Put the lamb in a flat glass baking dish. Mix together the lemon juice, the rind and garlic. Pour this over the chops and lay the mint on top of the meat. Marinate all for half and hour, turn over chops and marinate for another half hour. Broil or grill for about four minutes per side. Watch carefully. Season with salt and pepper.
Corn Tortilla
Appetizer (or lunch)
10 small 5-inch corn tortillas
1 can refried beans, traditional
1 small can chopped jalapenos
8 ounces shredded cheese, Monterey, Muenster, or Cheddar
Spread the tortillas with the beans, sprinkle jalapenos on top, then the cheese. Broil in toaster oven a couple at a time or in the oven on a cookie sheet until cheese melts and starts to bubble up and brown. For appetizers, cut in quarters with a pizza cutter. Serve with guacamole, salsa and sour cream as toppings.
Guilty Dessert
1 cup molasses
2 eggs
1 tablespoons butter, softened
2 cups flour
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 dash nutmeg
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 cup raisins
1/2 cup walnuts
1 cup chopped up apples
Whipped cream
Put molasses, eggs and butter in a bowl and beat. Add the flour spices, baking soda and vanilla to first mixture and blend well. Fold in the raisins, nuts and apples. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a baking dish, put in mixture and bake for 25 to 30 minutes. Dessert should be moist, not dried out. Let cool a bit and cut in squares. Serve topped with whipped cream.
Notes & Tips:
*If using rice for your stuffed peppers, use a broth or other liquid instead of water for more flavor.
*Lamb is from a less than one-year-old sheep, after that it is called mutton. Always buy lamb chops at least 1-inch thick. Lemon tenderizes the meat.
*Wacko Facto-s
If you yelled for more than eight and a half years you would produce only enough sound energy to heat one cup of coffee.
Butterflies taste with their feet, but you probably knew that.
*These are real headlines from 2002:
Juvenile court to try shooting defendant.
If strike isn’t settled quickly, it may last awhile.