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Blog

Filtering by Tag: peppers

a meal for summer's end

Andrea

The final days of summer are upon us.  Already I've worn a scarf, contemplated tights, and polished my boots. The weather this Sunday past was Perfect (yes, with a capital 'P')...temperature in the upper sixties, sunny skies, a crisp breeze. Our windows have been flung wide open, the air conditioner *hopefully* retired until next June.  Brian happily gave our lawn what he wishes to be its last cut, and I've planted the garden beds full with beets, carrots, collards, and lettuce.  We're ready...for Fall festivals, warm jackets, rosy cheeks, mulled cider, creamy soups, firey leaves, golden light, and crisp air.

As a send-off to Summer we're embracing her end-of-season bounty.  There are still local peppers and corn to be had and I, ever the fan of fresh, local corn, am consuming as much as I possibly can until it is gone.  We've had corn chowder, corn pancakes, cornmeal cake.  And now, perhaps my favorite thus far, corn bread stuffing laced with green chilies. And alongside that, a roast chicken stuffed with local plums and nectarines.  The perfect meal for these last Summer days, when cooler temperatures have us craving warm and comforting fare at their end.

I expected the stuffing to be very, very spicy, but was pleasantly surprised by the mild heat the chilies provide. Still, if you have an aversion to spice, consider substituting anaheim peppers for the jalapenos.

Roast Chicken with Summer or Fall Fruit

serves 2-4, depending on the size of the bird

Ingredients

  • one fresh, organic, whole chicken (this bird was about 2.5 lbs)
  • a few tablespoons of canola oil
  • salt + pepper
  • 12 fresh thyme sprigs
  • 2-4 nectarines, peachs, or plums (or a mix of all three) cut into wedges (and, when Fall hits full-force, this would be delicious with apples, too)

Method

  1. The morning you are planning to cook the bird for dinner, rub him down with oil. Work your fingers between the skin and meat of the bird's thighs and breast, separating the two to form pockets for the herbs. Stuff the thyme underneath the skin in as many places as you can, reserving a few sprigs. Finally, rub the bird thoroughly with salt and pepper, over top and underneath the skin. Refrigerate the bird until you're ready to cook him.
  2. Preheat your oven to 325° and place a rack in the middle. Lay the remaining thyme sprigs in the center of a medium cast iron pan. Place the bird, breast-side up, on top of the thyme. Stuff as many fruit wedges as you can inside of the cavity, and lay the rest in the pan around the bird.
  3. Cook the chicken for 45 minutes, then remove from oven and turn him over. Cook for another 45 minutes, remove from oven, and turn him again. Make a small incision in the breast to see if the meat is cooked through, white and not pink. For a small bird, 90 minutes is about all you need. If you're cooking a larger bird, he will take longer. Just keep turning him every 45 minutes until the meat is white and the interior juices run clear.
  4. When the chicken is done, turn the oven to broil. Place the chicken, breast side up, back in the oven on the middle rack.  Broil until the skin browns and crisps, about 5 minutes.
  5. Remove the chicken from the pan, retaining the juices and fruit in the pan. Let the chicken rest for about 15 minutes before carving him.
  6. Bring the juices and fruit to a boil on the stovetop. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes, until the juice is reduced to a thicker glaze. Spoon the glaze and fruit over top of the carved chicken, on individual plates.

Corn Bread Stuffing with Green Chilies

adapted from bon appétit

serves 10

Ingredients

  • 10 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 1-1/2 cups fresh poblano chilies, seeded, chopped
  • 6 small jalapeño chilies, seeded, chopped
  • 6 ears corn, kernels removed from cobs
  • 1-1/4 cups chopped green onions
  • Buttermilk Corn Bread, 1 day old (recipe below)
  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/4 cup sugar
  • 2-1/4 teaspoons salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method

  1. Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add all of the chilies and saute until they begin to soften, about 8 minutes. Stir in half of the corn and all of the green onions. Transfer the mixture to a large bowl. Coarsely crumble the day-old cornbread into the bowl and mix together.
  2. Blend the rest of the corn, the eggs, sugar, salt, and pepper in a food processor until you have a course puree. Stir the puree into the stuffing mixture.
  3. Preheat oven to 350°. Generously butter a 13x9x2 or a 10x10x2 baking dish. Transfer the stuffing mixture to the baking dish and pat down into dish. Butter a piece of aluminum foil and place the foil, butter side down, over the stuffing. Bake until heated through, about 40 minutes.  Uncover the dish and bake until the stuffing is slightly crisp and golden, about 15 minutes.

Buttermilk Corn Bread

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 cups yellow cornmeal
  • 1 cup unbleached all purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper

Method

  1. Preheat oven to 400°. Butter a 13x9x2 inch baking pan. 
  2. Melt butter in a large saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the buttermilk, and then whisk in the eggs.
  3. Mix all of the remaining ingredients together in a large bowl. Stir in the buttermilk mixture.  Transfer batter to the buttered baking pan.
  4. Bake corn bread until edges are lightly browned, about 20 minutes. Cool completely in pan. Cover the pan tightly and store at room temperature for at least one day, and up to two days.

Those of you local to Charlottesville or Richmond: I've been providing Relay Foods with recipes and photography for some time now.  I typically try to post recipes here, on Bella Eats, prior to their appearance on Relay, but have been a little swamped lately.  So, this means that if you're interested in adding the ingredients for the Corn Bread Stuffing with Green Chilies to your Relay order with just one click, you can do so here.

categories chicken, dinner, grain
tags charlottesville, corn, cornbread, end of summer, first of fall, meal, peppers, stuffing, virginia

back on track

Andrea

After all of the indulgent foods that we consumed between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, Brian and I have been more than ready to get back into our typical, mostly healthy*, eating routine.  We've bookmarked page after page of easy-to-prepare, full-of-veggies, yet still homey and comforting meals in some of our favorite cookbooks, and also in some new titles gracing the bookshelf. It is my hope that the month of January on Bella Eats will help all of us to get back on track and break our dependence on cheese plates before and dessert after most meals, as lovely as that may have been.

*To be clear, Brian and I believe in non-restrictive eating and the idea that nothing is off limits as long as moderation is practiced. So don't be surprised when small amounts of butter, cream, bacon etc. still appear in the lists of ingredients for recipes that claim to be healthy. Balance is key to a healthy diet, and we strive to prepare meals that are full of flavor and satisfying so as not to feel deprived of something that is important to us - delicious food!

Mustard Greens-6

Whenever I feel off-track, out of balance, the need for a healthy meal after weeks of parties and holidays and travel and restaurants...I turn to dark greens.  Full of nutrients and flavor, the consumption of a heaping pile of kale, collard greens, swiss chard, mustard greens or spinach as a side dish or addition to soup or salads has me instantly feeling like myself again.  The most common preparation for us is to simply saute' any of the above greens with extra-virgin olive oil and garlic, finishing them with a light drizzle of balsamic vinegar or lemon juice and a sprinkle of sea salt and freshly-ground pepper.  Occasionally though, I'll have the desire to try something different, such as when our friends gave us a heaping pile of mustard greens from their garden just before the big snowstorm hit in December.

Mustard Greens-2

Mustard greens have a spicy, peppery taste, and these particular greens were especially flavorful.  We'd sauteed some in our typical fashion and, while still enjoyable, the spiciness was on the verge of being too overwhelming for us.  I turned to Vegetables Every Day for an alternative method of preparation (our go-to book for veggies, always) and was so pleased with the result of my search. The creamy sauce and sweet onion tempers the spiciness of the greens but still allows their mustardy flavor to shine through. I could have eaten the entire bowl-full as a meal on its own.

Brian and I enjoy greens on the side of many dishes, but a recent discovery has been the deliciousness of greens on top of one of our favorite meals, sausage with peppers and onions. We stocked up on pork sausage from Double H Farm to get us through winter, and will throw a few links on the grill for a quick and tasty lunch or dinner quite often. Saute' red bell peppers with sweet onions in a bit of olive oil and garlic until tender. Serve sausage on a bun (whole wheat, for a healthier alternative) topped with peppers and onions and a generous helping of these greens. Add extra Dijon mustard if you're as big a fan as we are.

Mustard Greens-5

Mustard Greens with Creamy Mustard Sauce

from Vegetables Every Day by Jack Bishop serves 4 as a side dish, or topping for sausage in a bun Ingredients
  • 1-1/2 pounds mustard greens (or turnip greens)
  • salt
  • 2 tbsp unsalted butter
  • 1 medium onion, minced
  • freshly ground black pepper
  • 1/4 cup cream (light is fine)
  • 1 tbsp Dijon mustard
Method
  1. Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil in a large pot.
  2. Wash the greens in several changes of cold water, then strip off the leafy green portion from either side of the tough stem.  Discard the stalks and rip the leafy portions into small pieces.  Add the greens and 1 tsp salt to the boiling water.  Cook until the greens are tender, about 8 minutes.  Drain well.
  3. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Add the onion and cook over medium heat until golden, about 5 minutes.  Add the greens and toss to coat with the butter and onion.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
  4. Whisk the cream and mustard together in a small bowl. Add this mixture to the skillet and cook just until the greens absorb some of the sauce, 3 to 4 minutes. Adjust the seasonings and serve immediately.
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categories dinner, lunch, sandwich, vegetable
tags greens, mustard, peppers, sausage

bella terra: stuffed

Andrea

Hello hello! Goodness, there were a few days there that I felt like I was never going to get back to Bella Eats. Life has been busy, my friends, but in a very good way. The kind of way that makes you feel really good about what you’re doing, and very thankful for the support of your understanding husband who winds up single-handedly taking on the domestic tasks of keeping us both fed and in clean clothes, while simultaneously helping me make invitation design decisions and proofreading documents for presentations. He’s a keeper, that one, as are all of you for your very sweet comments on my last post. I apologize for not being as present in comment response as I should be, but wanted you all to know how much each and every one means to me. If you asked a question, and I think there were only a couple, I answered it in the last day or so at the bottom of the comments. And please, if you ever have a question for me that requires a timely response, feel free to send me an email - I’m usually better with those. Stuffed There has been a lot of stuffing happening around our house these last few weeks, and I don’t just mean boxes full of wedding invitations for a friend or images into a presentation for a big board meeting. I mean stuffed peppers. And squash. It all started with a dinner party thrown by our dear friend Amy, who hosts fabulous gatherings at which everybody cooks a dish based on a theme for the evening. Sometimes the theme is a specific ingredient such as almonds or chocolate, and other times it is based on a method of cooking or assembly. A month or so ago the theme was “stuffed!”, and we enjoyed the food so much that Brian and I have been replicating recipes ever since. Stuffed-5 The timing worked out perfectly, as we had just traded extra bell peppers from our garden for a friend’s over-abundance of homegrown pattypan squash. If you’ve ever grown squash, you know that two people can’t possibly consume all of the bounty from one little squash plant. Its unreal. We planted summer squash two years ago and were so over it by the end of the season that we haven’t planted any since. The same goes for eggplant. Next year we’re planning to coordinate with our friends and plan more regular produce swaps, to take advantage of the space we each have and be sure that nothing will go to waste. Our own mini version of a CSA. Stuffed-2 Peppers are a different story. I never get tired of them, and the only reason for sharing is when I know that we can’t possibly finish them before they start to get soft. I haven’t always felt that way as growing up, I only knew of one type of bell pepper - green. They made appearances in the stir fries, fajitas and supreme pizzas of my childhood, their distinct earthy flavor permeating whatever dish they graced. I wouldn’t have called myself a fan, but I didn’t mind them either. Like milk with breakfast and  brushing my teeth before bed, the emerald bells were just an ever-present part of my life that I didn’t bother to question. Stuffed-6 Sometime in college I discovered that bell peppers came in colors other than green, and the rainbow beauties started making their way into my cart each week at the market. I found the sunset-hued varieties to be much more versatile than the green, and added them to my usual pepper-laden dishes as well as pastas, quiches and salads. They aren’t inexpensive, so when I found out we could grow them in Virginia I was quite excited. Our garden has seen them all. The first summer we were a little over-zealous with our pepper patch, planting green, purple, red, yellow and orange bells, along with one lone (although incredibly productive) banana pepper plant. Our kitchen saw much pepper experimentation that season, as we learned that we really weren’t fans of green bells anymore, that the beautiful eggplant color fades from the purple bells when they are cooked (leaving you, essentially, with a green bell) and that we couldn’t possibly keep up with the harvest from one banana pepper plant (although, now that we know how to pickle, I think we’ll try again next year). Stuffed-7 As summer winds down we are cherishing the last red and yellow bell peppers coming out of the garden.  Smaller than those we were getting a couple of weeks ago, but every bit as tasty, they’ve added a mild sweetness and lovely color to frittatas, stir fry, fajitas, homemade pizzas and summer salads. Our favorite use lately has been to sauté thinly sliced red peppers with strips of onion, minced garlic and fresh kale, then to pile the whole mixture on top of grilled spicy Italian sausage drizzled with dijon mustard and encased in a crusty bun. So delicious, so summer. And then, of course, there is the Stuffed! pepper option.  Always a winner in my book, I finally convinced Brian of their merit a few years ago when I made them using red and yellow bells instead of green.  We tried the same stuffing recipe with pattypan squash, with much success.  Pattypan has such a mild flavor that it lends itself well to a full-flavored filling. Stuffed-8 I came up with this recipe on a whim, adding ingredients to the stuffing until it looked and tasted the way I thought it should.  The result was quite tasty but I encourage you to tweak to suit your own tastes. Stuffed Peppers or Squash serves 4 Ingredients:
  • 4 bell peppers (preferably red or yellow), 4 medium patty pan squash
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice
  • 1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
  • 1/2 cup raw red onion
  • 1/2 cup diced bell pepper (from the tops that you'll cut off)
  • 3 roma tomatoes, seeds removed, diced
  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • 1/4 tsp ancho chile pepper, OR 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus 2 tbsp to sprinkle on top
Method:
  1. Preheat oven to 400*.
  2. For Peppers:  Cut the tops off of the peppers.  Cut out the interior ribs and remove all seeds.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and drop the peppers in so that they fill with water.  Boil for 1-2 minutes, until the peppers are starting to soften and turn a brighter shade of yellow/red/green.  Remove from water, drain and set aside.
  3. For Squash:  Cut tops off of squash as you would a pumpkin.  Scrape out interior seeds and strings, discard.  Bring a large pot of water to a boil, and drop the squash in.  Boil for 5-8 minutes, until the squash is fork-tender.  Remove and drain, set aside.
  4. In a medium-size bowl, mix together the cooked rice, corn, red onion, diced bell pepper, and roma tomatoes.  Drain the beans and press or squish with your palms before adding to the rice mixture (some beans will remain whole, but most should be squished).  Add cumin, chile pepper, salt and pepper, mix well.  Add 1/2 cup cheese and set aside.
  5. Line a baking dish with foil and set peppers or squash in dish.  Fill with rice mixture until full, and sprinkle top with cheddar cheese.
  6. Bake at 400* for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.  Turn on broiler for last minute or two if you want to brown the cheese a bit.  Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving on a bed of rice.
Stuffed-9 Chiles Rellenos serves 4 This recipe is nearly identical to the one above.  But, there are a couple of ingredient changes and the method for preparing the peppers is a little different. Ingredients:
  • 6-8 medium-size poblano peppers
  • 1 cup cooked brown rice
  • 1/2 cup corn kernels, fresh or frozen
  • 1/2 cup raw yellow onion
  • 1/2 cup diced bell pepper
  • 3 roma tomatoes, seeds removed, diced
  • 1 can black beans, drained
  • 1/4 tsp cumin
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • 1/2 cup shredded cheddar cheese, plus 2 tbsp to sprinkle on top
Method:
  1. Move rack to top of oven.  Turn broiler on hi.
  2. Place peppers in a baking dish.  Place under broiler and broil until all sides are charred, turning accordingly, for 3-5 minutes.  (See photo on left below for peppers just after charring).  Remove and turn off oven.
  3. Put hot peppers in a gallon-size ziplock and seal.  Let "sweat" for 30 minutes in bag.
  4. After 30 minutes, remove peppers from bag.  Skin should be easy to peel from peppers - remove it all.  Cut a slice in one side of each pepper and remove all ribs and seeds from interior.  IMPORTANT - If you are sensitive to heat, make sure to remove ALL of the ribs as this is where the heat lies.  Also WASH YOUR HANDS many many many times with soap and water before touching your eyes, nose, mouth etc.
  5. In a medium-size bowl, mix together the cooked rice, corn, onion, diced bell pepper, and roma tomatoes.  Drain the beans and press or squish with your palms before adding to the rice mixture (some beans will remain whole, but most should be squished).  Add cumin, salt and pepper, mix well.  Add 1/2 cup cheese and set aside.
  6. Line a baking dish with foil and set peppers or squash in dish.  Fill with rice mixture until full, and sprinkle top with cheddar cheese.
  7. Bake at 400* for 20-25 minutes, until cheese is bubbly.  Turn on broiler for last minute or two if you want to brown the cheese a bit.  Remove from oven and let cool for a few minutes before serving on a bed of rice.
Stuffed Merge 2 This weekend, Brian and I are off to Brooklyn for a childhood friend's (mine) wedding.  We are so excited, even though we'll only be in the city for about 48 hours.  As with all of our vacations, we are planning this one entirely around food (except for the wedding of course, but the lovely bride has Baked! catering the desserts!!!).  If you have any suggestions for your favorite foodie havens in Lower Manhattan and Brooklyn...send them on!  And expect a full photographic review of our trip next week...!
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categories dinner, garden, vegetable
tags peppers, squash, stuffed

summery tostada and a giveaway

Andrea

Its August 4th. Can you believe it? If the summer season were a train, loaded down with multi-colored heirloom tomatoes, plump red bell peppers and blackberries the size of my thumb, I’d be the overwhelmed woman running after it, trying desperately to catch up while grasping wildly at any produce falling off the back. That’s how I feel when I go to the farmer’s market, visit our garden or just take a peek at the bella eats drafts folder. tostada merge 2 I’m feeling very behind, watching a pile of seasonal recipes I want to share grow taller and taller and realizing that I’ve been spending a lot of time in the kitchen and behind the camera but not enough at my computer. There are simply too many wonderful foods in season right now and not enough time in the day to cook all of the recipes I’m itching to try, let alone write about them. tostada merge 1 I was so overwhelmed last weekend that instead of sitting down to write in order to relieve some of the pressure, I simply closed the lid of my MacBook Pro, poured a lovely glass of vino verde and started baking.  It did help, my de-stress baking (or maybe it was the effervescent white wine?), and made me realize that more important than giving you long, wordy posts is sharing with you the quick, simple and healthy meals we've been having at our house. tostada4 That is what summer is all about, right?  Wonderful, fresh, delicious produce cooked simply and paired with other whole, healthy (hopefully local!) ingredients?  If you're on board with that thinking then I have a nice little recipe to share with you.  This one was a collaboration between Brian and I, thought up shortly after visiting our farmer's market and coming home with a basket full of local produce and even some locally made chevre.  We happened to have a bottle of Saucy Mama Lime Chipotle Marinade in the pantry (for the recipe contest I am participating in) and decided that the tangy, smokey, pleasantly spicy sauce would pair nicely with roasted peppers, sweet corn and creamy goat cheese.  Toss it all on top of a toasted whole wheat pita and you've got yourself  a delicious, fast and filling summer meal. tostada6 Now, as much as I appreciate Saucy Mama asking me to participate in their contest and as much as I really, really, love each of the products I've tried, the purpose of this blog is not product advertisement.  So, while I do recommend the Saucy Mama Lime Chipotle Marinade, I know that you can make this recipe with other sauces as well.  Look for something tangy with a nice spice that hits you at the sides or back of your mouth, not right at the tip of your tongue. And, two lucky readers will actually get to try out the Saucy Mama Lime Chipotle Marinade!  Just leave me a comment telling me about your favorite summer produce by Sunday, August 9th Monday, August 10th at 6pm EST.  I'll announce the winners at the beginning of next week.  I'll be hosting one more giveaway, courtesy of Saucy Mama, during the month of August so stay tuned... Summery Chicken Tostadas serves 4 for a light dinner Ingredients:
  • 3 medium-sized boneless, skinless chicken breasts
  • Saucy Mama Lime Chipotle Marinade, to marinate chicken in and also to drizzle on top of tostadas
  • 1 red bell pepper, sliced into strips
  • 1 poblano pepper, seeds removed and sliced into strips
  • 1 medium onion, sliced into strips
  • 2 ears of fresh corn, corn removed from husk
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt + pepper
  • 4 oz chevre (goat cheese), crumbled
  • 4 whole wheat pitas (8"), brushed with olive oil and toasted in oven
Method:
  1. First, turn your oven on to 350*.  Coat chicken breasts with marinade and let sit in small glass dish for 10 minutes.
  2. As the oven preheats and the chicken marinates, chop up your veggies and toss in a 9x13 glass dish.  Drizzle with olive oil and toss to coat.  Sprinkle with salt and pepper to taste.  Place in oven and set timer to 30 minutes.
  3. When oven timer has 20 minutes remaining, pour excess marinade out of chicken dish.  Bake chicken for remaining 20 minutes at 350*.
  4. Pull chicken from oven and bump oven temperature up to 400*.  Stir veggies and let roast for an additional 5 minutes, while chicken cools slightly.  Place pitas directly on rack to toast, turning halfway through 5 minutes.
  5. After 5 minutes, shred chicken with a fork.  Pull pitas and veggies from oven.  Place one pita on each plate and top with shredded chicken, roasted veggies and crumbles of chevre.  Drizzle Lime Chipotle Marinade over top of tostada, to taste.
tostada7
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categories dinner, healthified favorites, meat, product review, recipes
tags chicken, corn, goat cheese, healthy living links, peppers, pitas, tostadas