March 28, 2024

At Home with GCH: Veggie Stuffed Peppers

Here on our At Home with GCH blog, Mondays are always focused on healthy but oh-so-yummy! recipes.  This month we are going to spotlight vegetarian dishes.  Each Monday will actually be a Meatless Monday!  Now that we are <finally!> out of the winter months and moving towards S-P-R-I-N-G, we will have many more seasonal veggies available to us.  I’m thinking asparagus, baby salad greens, oh and my onion-of-choice, the Vidalia, has it’s best offerings in the spring! IMG_0164

This week we are making Veggie Stuffed Peppers!  This dish allows you to use the veggies that you already have in your refrigerator and the ones that you know your family will enjoy (and eat!).  We have these rice-stuffed peppers regularly in our meal rotation because they are so adaptable, and the variety keeps them from being boring.

Consider using red and yellow and orange (or even purple, if you can find them) bell peppers rather than plain green ones as their taste is much milder than traditional green peppers.  If you are having the stuffed peppers as your main dish, plan on 2 halves per hungry adult; but if serving as a side dish, then half of a pepper will probably suffice.  The proportions in this recipe are for four whole peppers.

Veggie Stuffed Peppers (makes eight halves)

cooked rice  (see recipe below)

olive oil
5 big red, yellow, or orange bell peppers
1 green bell pepper
2 medium Vidalia onions, diced small
5-6 good-sized Baby Bella mushrooms, diced small
3 tablespoons chopped garlic (I use jarred)
2 cups (your choice) chopped veggies*
½ of a 10 ounce box frozen chopped spinach–or kale! (defrost)
Kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons herbs (thyme, basil, tarragon)
1 cup (or more) shredded cheese, plus 1/4 cup to finish
4 cups cooked rice (see below)
1 cup vegetable broth (or water)
1 cup seasoned tomato puree or sauce

Get the rice cooking…wash your veggies…preheat oven to 425.  Lightly coat a large baking sheet with a small amount of olive oil.  Take (4) of the brightly colored peppers and cut in half, down through the stem.  Important to keep the stem on so that the peppers hold their shape during cooking.  Remove seeds and any whitish parts of the insides.  Place the halved peppers, cut side down, on the baking sheet and roast for 15 minutes…just ‘til they start to get a teeny bit browned.  Remove from oven to cool.  Reduce oven temperature to 350.

Cut the other two peppers (one brightly colored, one green) in half, remove seeds, and chop into ½” dice.  Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large saute pan over medium heat, then add onions and chopped peppers. Saute for 5 minutes; then add mushrooms, along with any veggies that need a little precooking (i.e., carrots, zucchini).  Cook for an additional 5 minutes or so.  Stir in other veggies of your choice along with the cooled rice; mix together well.  Season with salt, pepper, and herbs. Stir in shredded cheese.

Using your hands, scoop up rice/veggie/cheese mixture and stuff firmly into precooked pepper halves, mounding up slightly.  Distribute all mix among the pepper halves.  Place filled peppers into a 13X9 baking pan, filled side UP.  Pour broth inside the bottom of the baking pan.  Lastly, pour the tomato sauce over the tops of the filled peppers.  Cover tightly with aluminum foil.  Bake for 20-25 minutes.  Remove foil and sprinkle with just a bit more shredded cheese.  Place back in oven for 5 minutes ‘til cheese is melted.  DONE!  Serve immediately.

*zucchini, carrots, cauliflower and/or broccoli florets, butternut squash, corn, baby peas, grape tomatoes, etc.IMG_0165

Cooked Rice
1 teaspoon butter or olive oil
1+1/2 cups rice (lots of choices out there!)
3 cups water or broth
salt, pepper

Easy-peasy!   In a medium saucepan, heat the butter or olive oil.  Add the rice and stir for one minute making sure all of the rice is coated.  Add 1 teaspoon each salt and pepper along with the water or broth.  Raise heat and stir well.  Bring to a quick boil, and immediately reduce heat to very low; cover pan.  Cook until water is completely incorporated into the rice.  Remove from heat, give a quick stir to fluff; set aside to cool.

 

God loves you!  ♥  (Don’t ever forget that!)

  coleen

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If you would like to send a personal message to Coleen concerning this series, you may email her at: Coleen@girlfriendscoffeehour.com

GCH:What’s on Your Plate? – Cheesy Chicken and Rice with Bacon

Cheesy Chicken and Rice with Bacon

Cheesy Chicken and Rice with Bacon

What you need:

1/2 lb bacon (save 2 tbsp bacon grease), crumbled

4 tbsp butter

1/4 cup all purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon black pepper

1/4 teaspoon chili powder

1 1/2 cups chicken broth

1 1/2 cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 cups cooked, shredded chicken

4 cups cooked white rice

1 cup shredded cheddar cheese (for topping)

9×13 casserole dish

skillet for cooking bacon

medium saucepan

whisk

large spoon

Instructions:

Cook bacon, drain and set aside.  Reserve 2 tablespoons of bacon grease.  After bacon has cooled, crumble into pieces.

Place butter into a medium saucepan over medium heat.  Once melted, whisk in flour, pepper, salt, and chili powder until smooth and bubbly.  Slowly whisk in chicken broth.  Increase heat to high while whisking broth until thickened.  Reduce heat to low and stir in 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese.  Reduce heat to a simmer and set aside.

Put shredded chicken and cooked rice in a casserole dish and mix in the 2 tablespoons of reserved bacon grease.  Add cheese sauce, mix to combine all ingredients.  Top with 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese, then top with crumbled bacon.  Place under oven’s broiler for 3-5 minutes until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.

Makes 4-6 servings.

God is great, God is good… let us thank Him for our food! 🙂

<3 Shauna

PS – you can also find Shauna on her personal website, www.workhomeplay.net

GCH: What’s on Your Plate? — Beef Tips & Rice

I love meals like this one….delicious, and oh so easy!  It’s a family favorite.  I hope your family enjoys it, too!

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Beef Tips & Rice

(no picture available this time)

Ingredients:

2 lb Sirloin Steak – cut in 1-inch strips

1 can Cream of Mushroom Soup

½ cup Beef Broth

½ cup White Cooking Wine

1 pkg Hidden Valley Ranch Dry Dressing Mix

1 pkg Lipton’s Dry Onion Soup Mix

Mushrooms, optional

Directions:

Mix together all ingredients, except the Sirloin Steak, in a large bowl.  Mix well.  Place Sirloin Steak in crock pot and cover with mixture.  Stir.  Cook on low for 6 hours.

Serve with Rice (White or Brown), Egg Noodles, or Mashed Potatoes.  Other options is to add broccoli florets, carrots, or cabbage.  This is a recipe that is very easy to add options and still have a delicious dish!

Bon appetit,

Christi