Tag Archives: peppers

Marinated Peppers and Mozzarella

Sorry if I’ve been a little obsessed with appetizers lately. They are just so easy to make and most of the time they are much easier to keep portion controlled than a bigger meal. But when I first used mini bell peppers for this appetizer a while ago, I’ve kind of been looking for another recipe for them. And when I saw them on sale at my grocery store this weekend, I grabbed them without a second thought. I’m not really sure how I came across this recipe for Marinated Peppers and Mozzarella (on page 6 of the booklet) but I’m sure glad I did.

Mini bell peppers are broiled until blackened and soft and then mixed with olive oil, garlic, lemon rind and red pepper flakes. After marinating in the refrigerator overnight, lemon juice and fresh basil are added, livening up these low-carb peppers which are RIDICULOUS. The peppers are perfectly soft, sweet, and mellow, the mozzarella is creamy and rich, the red pepper flakes are mildly spicy, the lemon is bright and the basil is perfectly aromatic. I used half the amount of olive oil indicated in the recipe and still think I could have used less so use your judgment. These are fantastic just the way they are but would also be great served on some baguette slices or even with the peppers cut up in some pasta. Mini bell peppers, I’m officially in love with you.

Preheat broiler to high. Arrange sweet peppers in a single layer on a foil-lined jelly-roll pan; broil peppers 4 minutes on each side or until blackened and tender. Cool.

Combine peppers, olive oil, garlic, lemon rind, crushed red pepper, salt, and mozzarella balls; toss. Cover and refrigerate overnight, tossing occasionally.

Let stand at room temperature for 30 minutes. Stir in basil leaves and lemon juice before serving.

Additions: None

Omissions: None

Substitutions: None

Overall Rating: Love It

Source: cookinglight.com

Chicken Cacciatore

It’s hard to believe that it was so sunny this past weekend and not terribly cold and now it’s freezing and we are getting up to 10″ of snow. Really? Just when I think winter isn’t so bad, things go drastically south. Tonight it’s supposed to be 8 degrees. I don’t even know how to process that. Some people hate being cooped up inside when it’s snowy and cold but I thinks it’s a perfect time to do some cooking. This Chicken Cacciatore is a quick, tasty, and comforting dish to help satisfy that specific hunger that only comes with winter.

Diced chicken is tossed with dried basil, oregano, and red pepper flakes before being sautéed with fresh red pepper and earthly mushrooms. The secret weapon of jarred tomato and basil marinara sauce helps to keep this dish simple and a little red wine adds an extra dose of bold flavor. As the dish simmers, the flavors meld together to make a perfectly easy chicken cacciatore that can be served with your favorite pasta, quinoa, rice or simply vegetables. Talk about a perfectly warm dinner for a cold and snowy night.

The ingredients:

Heat a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle chicken evenly with oregano, dried basil, and red pepper.

Coat pan with cooking spray. Add chicken to pan; sauté 2 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms and bell pepper to pan; sauté 5 minutes.

Stir in pasta sauce and wine; bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 10 minutes. Stir in salt and black pepper.

Sprinkle with cheese and fresh basil.

Additions: None

Omissions:

Basil

Substitutions:

Baby portabella mushrooms

Overall Rating: Like It

Source: Cooking Light magazine

Fried Brown Rice with Red Pepper and Almond

January 16, 2014
Shannon
1 comment
almonds, curry, food, peppers, rice, vegetarian

I’m not the biggest fast food fan. We ate fast food here and there when I was a kid but for the most part, my mom usually cooked each night. Considering she worked a full time job and then came home to make us dinner, I can understand why we had fast food every so often. But I don’t really have a palette for fast food anymore (unless I’m on a road trip when all I want is French fries and a milkshake) but instead, when I don’t feel like cooking, I instinctively call the Chinese food restaurant for takeout. My guilty pleasure go-to dish is vegetable fried rice which is probably one of the worst things a) on the menu and b) ever. Since homemade fried rice dishes are never as good as the real thing, I’m hoping I’ll find a homemade recipe that I like enough to keep me from picking up that phone. A girl can hope. This time, I tried Fried Brown Rice with Red Pepper and Almond.

Onion, garlic, red pepper, and sliced almonds are sautéed in peanut oil briefly before adding in precooked rice (a HUGE time saver). Fresh lime juice, curry paste, and cilantro leaves are adding such unique flavors that you don’t even realize that there isn’t a lick of soy sauce anywhere. The curry paste is mild and has a very subtle flavor, much different than curry powder, so don’t be scared of it and don’t leave it out. It really adds a great bold flavor to this rice. The peppers and onions are sweet and the lime juice really gives this a vibrant flavor boost. This vegetarian dish comes together quickly so you don’t have to spend much time over the stove after a long day. Still not your cup of tea? Try one of the other fried rice recipes in the link. You just might find one you like that will keep you from order Chinese food or hitting that fast food restaurant.