Avocado / Pesto stuffed Sweet Peppers

These peppers are the small yellow, red and orange peppers. I buy them at Costco.
I have a great Sweet Pepper Soup recipe on the blog that I make with them.

I recently came across this appetizer recipe and it looks very appealing.

I use my own recipe for homemade Pesto, recipe to follow. You can buy a jar of Pesto if you don't want to make your own. I happen to grow Basil and have a field of it. I make fresh Pesto and freeze so I have it whenever I need it. I simply bring it back to room temperature and use it in any recipe calling for fresh Pesto.

This is a small recipe only using 10 of the peppers. The bag I buy has a lot. I simply adjust the recipe, double or triple for the amount of peppers needed.

10 small sweet peppers ( remove the stem and seeds) I have a jalapeno seed remover that I use. It's an amazing gadget ( maybe it's a "Texas Thing")
2 ripe Avocados
2 TBS of Pesto
Salt and Pepper to taste

Process the Avocados and Pesto in a food processor until creamy
Season to taste with salt and pepper

Place filling in a Zip Lock Freezer Bag ( they're sturdier than a regular zip lock bag)
Snip off one of the corners
Pip the filling into each pepper.

That's it!
Arrange the peppers on a colorful serving platter for a great appetizer.


Pesto:

2 C loosely packed Fresh Basil leaves
2 medium cloves of Garlic
1/2 C Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/3 C Pine Nuts
1/2 C Grated Romano or Parmesan Cheese ( hold back on the salt if using Romano)

In a Food Processor:
Add Basi leaves
Garlic
Puree until well incorporated
Add Cheese and Pine Nuts
Process to a thick paste
Gradually drizzle in Olive Oil until desired consistency
Season to taste with salt and pepper

I freeze it in mini muffin tins lined with a paper liner
After frozen, store in zip lock freezer bags until needed
Bring to room temperature for any recipe that requires Pesto

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Copper Pennies

Rather than re- write the recipe, I'm just posting the vintage newspaper clipping.
This was a childhood favorite that my grandmother and mother made.
I hadn't thought about these carrots in years.
A fellow food blogger was asking us to post our favorite vintage recipes and I immediately thought of Copper Pennies.
Another odd, All American Recipe!
I may have to research the history.

This is a Double Recipe.
I adapted it based on what I had. I didn't have a Bell Pepper but I added 2 small cans of Diced Green Chiles and a Medium Jar of Pimientos and quite a bit of chopped fresh Parsley. 

As I began to do research on the history of this recipe, I discovered that it's also referred to as a salad.
I found this recipe in a Mennonite recipe book from my mother in law in Kansas. I'm going to continue to see if I can find the earliest version of the recipe.

This is from my mother in law's Mennonite Recipe File

This is my wife's handwritten recipe from the 70's

I just discovered this in my mother's recipe collection.

Asparagus with an Herbed Marinade Dressing

This is a very simple, easy and very fresh way to serve asparagus.
We have friends in Provence, France and they serve fresh asparagus with hard boiled eggs and homemade Aioli. I've noted at the bottom of this recipe as an option , you can garnish the asparagus with 2 chopped hard boiled eggs.

1 pound of fresh asparagus, ends trimmed
1 small jar of pimentos
1/2 C vinegar
1/4 C olive oil
1 TBS sugar
1 TBS fresh chopped parsley
1 TBS fresh chopped rosemary
1 TBS fresh chopped dill
2 tsp dried minced onion
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp fresh ground black pepper

Steam the asparagus in a small amount of water in a deep skillet just until bright green and still crisp, drain and place in a serving dish.
Refrigerate until the asparagus is cold

Place the remaining ingredients in a glass measuring cup and whisk well
Pour the dressing over the asparagus, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for several hours.
Serve cold.

Garnish option:
2 chopped hard boiled eggs sprinkled over the top of the asparagus

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Chicken Casserole ( Vegetarian or non Vegetarian)

This is simply a hearty, comfort food recipe.
I make it with Quorn Chick'n Tenders, but you can certainly adapt it by using 3 C of cooked and diced chicken.

Quorn Chick'n Tenders are fully cooked and ready to heat and serve. I always thaw them and saute them in 1 TBS of butter just to brown them and add a bit of flavor.


2 bags (12 0z. ea.) Quorn Brand Chick'n Tenders or 3 C cooked and diced Chicken
2 C cooked white rice
1 (8oz.) can of sliced water chestnuts, drained, roughly chopped
1 C diced celery
1 C sliced fresh mushrooms
1/4 C diced onion
1 tsp lemon juice
1 TBS fresh chopped rosemary
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp fresh ground black pepper
1 (10 3/4 oz.) can of Cream of Mushroom Soup, undiluted
3/4 C mayonnaise

Topping:
3 TBS butter
1/2 C crushed Corn Flakes
1/2 C slivered almonds

Combine the first 10 ingredients in a large bowl and mix well
In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise and the soup together well
Fold the Soup mixture into the Chicken mixture

Spoon it into a 2 1/2 - 3 qt. casserole dish sprayed with a vegetable spray.

Melt the topping butter and toss with the Corn Flakes and Almonds
Sprinkle over the Chicken
Bake uncovered at 350 degrees for 30 minutes

Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Broccoli Casserole with French Fried Onions

As a vegetarian I'm always looking for new vegetable recipes that look and taste great.
Most Americans love Green Bean Casserole, you know? the one with those French Fried Onions!
I think we all serve it at Thanksgiving. I know we always had it during the Holidays at my Grandmother's house.
Here's a spin on that All American Casserole.

Broccoli Casserole ( with French Fried Onions)

2 - 10 oz. packages of frozen broccoli ( cuts or florets, not chopped)
1 TBS butter
1 C chopped onion
1 - 10 3/4 oz.can of Cream of Mushroom Soup
1/2 tsp ground mustard
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp black pepper
6 hard boiled eggs, sliced, divided ( slice 3, set aside, slice the other 3 and set them aside)
2 C shredded sharp cheddar cheese
1 can of french fried onions

Broccoli:
Cook according to directions, drain and set aside
Melt butter in a saucepan and saute onions until translucent
Add:
soup, undiluted
ground mustard
salt
pepper
whisk well
cook until bubbling

Place half of the broccoli in a 2 qt,  buttered casserole
Top it with half of the eggs
Half of the cheese
Half of the soup mixture
Half of the onions
Repeat ( except for the remaining onions) Save them for the last 5 minutes of baking.

Bake at 350 degrees for 20 - 30 minutes
Top with remaining onions and bake an additional 5 minutes


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Summer Berry Pull Apart Bread

This is a great Summer bread. The berry of choice is Blueberries. It's Summer, Blueberries are in season. I hope you try this bread.

A friend of mine passed this recipe on to me and I thought it looked  great for Summer.
This is an adaptation of the original recipe.


Summer Berry Pull Apart Bread

1 C of fresh Texas Blueberries...... or Michigan, or Maine..... !
1 tsp sugar
2 cans of buttermilk biscuit dough
3/4 C the best maple syrup you can buy!
2 TBS brown sugar
1 C chopped pecans, divided
1 1/2 TBS cinnamon,divided
1/2 C any canned vanilla frosting

Before starting the recipe:
Place the Biscuit  dough cans in the freezer just until you complete the following instructions:

Mix the blueberries and sugar together in a small bowl and set aside.
Preheat the oven to the temperature on the biscuit cans.
Spray a loaf pan with vegetable spray.

Remove the biscuit cans from the freezer and open them.
Separate the biscuits and cut each one into quarters, place them in a large mixing bowl.
Pour in 1/2 C of Maple Syrup.
Add :
Blueberries
brown sugar
1/2 C pecans
1 TBS Cinnamon
Mix well by hand

Pour the bread into the loaf pan.
Bake for 25 - 30 minutes

Microwave the frosting in a glass bowl for 20 seconds.
Drizzle the bread with the remaining maple syrup and then drizzle with the frosting.
Sprinkle with remaining cinnamon and remaining pecans.

Cool completely
Remove from the pan onto a serving plate.
Slice or pull apart and serve.


Enjoy!
Peace in the Kitchen!

Texas Black Bean Stew

Texas Black Bean Stew:

This is an original recipe, from my collection of favorites.
It's a Best of the Best Recipe.
Don't be afraid of it because it's vegetarian.
For non vegetarians, you can add 1/2 lb. of Chorizo Sausage ( sliced) and 4 Chicken Breasts, boiled and then cubed.
Continue with the recipe as directed.


2 TBS vegetable oil
1 - 12 oz. package of Smart vegetarian Chorizo Sausage links, sliced
1 12oz. bag of Quorn Chick'n Tenders
1 onion, small dice
3 cloves of garlic, minced
2 stalks of celery, small dice
2 - 1lb. sweet potatoes, peeled and medium dice
1 red bell pepper, small dice
2 - 14.5oz. cans of diced tomatoes with the juice

1 medium jalapeno pepper, seeded and small dice

1 1/2 C vegetarian chicken stock

2 TBS adobo seasoning

2 - 16 oz. cans of black beans, rinsed and drained

1/2 C fresh chopped cilantro

1/4 tsp salt

Heat oil in a Cast Iron Dutch Oven  on medium heat.

Cook the Chorizo and Chick'n Tenders 2-3 minutes.

Add onion and cook until tender

Add garlic and celery and cook until tender

Add sweet potatoes, bell pepper, tomatoes with juice, jalapeno pepper and chicken stock.

Bring to a boil, reduce to low heat, add adobo seasoning.

Cover and simmer for 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender.

Add the beans and cook uncovered until heated through.

Add the cilantro and season to taste with salt.

Cover and leave on the lowest heat until ready to serve.

Stir occasionally.

This can be served over cooked rice.

EnjoyPeace in the Kitchen!