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Fried Peppers and Onions with Feta and Parmesan

Sheila — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 05:26:18 +0000

There’s nothing like the smell of peppers and onions frying in olive oil!

I had absolutely no appetite when I came home from work, but when Kemal was cooking our peppers and onions, it smell so wonderful that my appetite came back!

The combination of vegetables, cheeses, and seasonings is just perfect and makes a wonderful accompaniment to most any meal. And it takes only minutes to make!

Fried Peppers and Onions with Feta and Parmesan

Ingredients:

3 red bell peppers
2 medium onions
1/4 cup olive oil
5 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
Parmesan cheese (for sprinkling on the top)
1 tsp. dried parsley
1 tsp. paprika
1 tsp. black pepper

Instructions:

Grate the Parmesan cheese and then refrigerate it until needed.
Wash the peppers, and then cut them into strips.
Peel the onions then chop it into big chunks.
Heat the olive oil in a large frying pan, and then put the peppers in the hot oil.
After the peppers have fried for 5 minutes, add the onions and fry for another 5 minutes.
Stir in the crumbled feta cheese and seasonings.
Transfer to a serving dish and garnish with freshly sliced Parmesan cheese.

Potato Stuffed Peppers (Version 2.0)

Sheila — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 04:36:36 +0000

We love stuffed peppers, and it seems like every time we make them, they’re a little different. Here are two other ways we’ve made them:

Vesna’s Cheesy Potato Stuffed Peppers and

Kemal’s Veal and Rice Stuffed Peppers, Zucchinis, and Tomatoes

This time, Kemal added anise and fresh mint, and the anise gives the stuffed peppers a wonderful taste and aroma. It was an incredibly delicious dinner!

The mint flavor, unfortunately, didn’t really come through so next time we’ll definitely add more.

These peppers make a perfectly satisfying meal…filling yet not heavy. I love the sweetness of the peppers and tomatoes combined with the soft, comforting potatoes. The spices pull everything together, making you ooh and ahh with every bite!

What’s neat is that if you have any extra filling, you can just add some more beaten eggs to the filling, pour it in a greased pan, and make a frittata…like this:

Or you could just add any leftover filling to scrambled eggs.

Anyway, here’s the recipe. Hope you enjoy your peppers.

Potato Stuffed Peppers (Version 2.0)

Ingredients:

8 small red bell peppers
4 medium-sized potatoes, diced
2 small onions, diced
1 zucchini, shredded
1 bunch green onions, sliced
40 fresh parsley leaves, chopped
10 fresh mint leaves, chopped
2 large eggs
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
1 tbsp. paprika
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. sea salt
3/4 cup olive oil
6 oz. crushed tomatoes (canned)
1/2 cup water
1/2 tsp. anise
1 tbsp. dried oregano

Step One: Prep Work

Wash, peel, and dice the potatoes
Wash all the peppers and then cut the tops off all of them.
Peel the yellow onions, and then dice them.
Wash the green onion, and cut it into thick slices.
Wash and chop the parsley and mint.
Shred the Monterey Jack and Parmesan cheese.
Beat the eggs.

Step Two: Cook the Potatoes, Make the Filling, and Stuff the Peppers

Fry the potatoes on medium (uncovered) heat with 1/2 cup of olive oil. Cook until they’re halfway done.
After the potatoes are done, put them (and the any warm olive oil that’s still in the pan) in a large mixing bowl.
Add all the vegetables (except tomatoes), cheeses, eggs, and spices to the potatoes. Mix thoroughly.
Stuff all the peppers with the filling that you just made.
Grease a Dutch oven or other baking dish with a little bit of olive oil, and then place the stuffed peppers on it.

Step Three: Make the Sauce

Mix together the crushed tomatoes, water, and 1/4 cup olive oil.
Stir in the anise and oregano.
Pour the sauce over the peppers.

Step Four: Bake the Peppers

Preheat to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Bake uncovered until the potatoes are soft. If you like your peppers really soft, cook them until they become dark and blistered on the outside. We usually fix them that we, but this time we cooked them a little less…so the peppers were still a little firm but the potatoes soft. So it’s really up to you how long you bake it.
Garnish with some dried parsley and oregano if you like.

Kemal’s Veal and Rice Stuffed Veggies

Sheila — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:04:14 +0000

One of our favorite meals is stuffed veggies, and we always make it a little differently every time we make it. We enjoy variations of the meal I guess because we like trying a new twist on an age-old recipe; it keeps things interesting. Here’s the stuffed veggies Kemal made for us last night:

Sometimes we core out potatoes and eggplant and stuff them as well, and we’ve also stuffed onions too. Basically we just stuff whatever we have on-hand. You can also make this meatless or use a different type of ground meat. Just play around with the ingredients. You really can’t go wrong.

Kemal’s Veal and Rice Stuffed Veggies

Ingredients for the Stuffed Veggies:

1 lb. ground veal, uncooked
5 medium-sized tomatoes
2 medium-sized zucchinis, cored
5 small bell peppers
1 onion, diced
1 peach, diced
15 grapes, diced
7 cloves garlic, diced
1/2 cup Arborio rice, uncooked
15 almonds, finely chopped
4 tbsp. olive oil
1 tsp. parsley
1 tsp. Hungarian sweet paprika
1 tsp. cumin
1 tsp. dried mint
1 tsp. black pepper
1 tsp. salt
the insides of the zucchinis that were removed when cored

Ingredients for the Sauce:

1 can (14.5 oz.) diced tomatoes
1 tsp. oregano
1 tsp. dill
1 tsp. cinnamon
the insides of the peppers that were cored, as well as the pieces of the tops of the peppers that were cut off
the pieces of the tops of the tomatoes that were cut off and the insides of the tomatoes

Instructions:

Wash all the fruits and vegetables.
Finely chop the almonds.
Grease your baking dish (we used a large Dutch oven) with 2 tbsp. of olive oil.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Core the zucchinis, peppers, and tomatoes. Make sure you set aside the insides of the zucchinis, peppers and tomatoes because you’ll be using that for the sauce. Also make sure you save the pieces of the top parts of the tomatoes and peppers that you cut. You can dice up that flesh and use it for the sauce as well.
Dice the onion, peach, grapes, and garlic.
In a large mixing bowl, mix together the raw meat, the uncooked rice, 2 tbsp. of olive oil, the almonds, the diced garlic, onions, grapes, and peach, as well as the insides of the zucchinis. Also, mix in the parsley, paprika, cumin, mint, salt, and black pepper.
When all the ingredients are mixed thoroughly, stuff the veggies with this stuffing mix, and then place the stuffed vegetables on the greased baking dish.

Note: If you like your veggies to be extra soft, before you stuff them just place them in a pot of boiling water and cook them about 5 minutes. Also, if you have left over stuffing, just freeze it for the next time you make it. Or you can just but it in the baking pan with the stuffed veggies and cook it.

Bake covered on 350 degrees until the meat and rice are cooked and the zucchini is soft enough to your liking.
While the stuffed veggies are baking, make your sauce.
In a medium-sized bowl, mix together the diced tomatoes with the juice, the oregano, the dill, the cinnamon, and the insides of the peppers and tomatoes, as well as the pieces of the tops of the tomatoes and peppers.
After the stuffed veggies are cooked (it took about 1 1/2 hours for ours to bake), pour the sauce over them. By the way, if you’re not sure if the meat is done, just use a cooking thermometer. We cook the veal until it’s at at least 150 degrees.
Turn off the heat to the oven, and then place the stuffed veggies with the sauce on them in the back in the oven uncovered just long enough for the sauce to get warm (about 10 minutes).
When you’re ready to serve the stuffed veggies, take a ladle and pour some of sauce either over the stuffed veggies or on the plate.

Salmon Veggie Pasta Salad

Sheila — Fri, 09 Apr 2010 05:07:47 +0000

When it’s warm outside, Kemal and I enjoy cold salads for lunch and dinner. One of our favorites is a pasta salad with blackened salmon and fresh vegetables. We never make the salad the same. Sometimes we add tomatoes, and olives, and other times we add hard boiled eggs or peas. Whatever we decide to toss in the salad, we always enjoy it and find it refreshing and light, which is important when it’s really hot outdoors and you don’t want to feel heavy. It’s also very healthy and delicious.

This recipe will serve about 6 people. You can easily scale it down if you’re cooking for two and don’t want leftovers.

Salmon Veggie Pasta Salad

Ingredients:

16 oz. fresh salmon
16 oz. pasta (whatever kind you like)
1 small head cauliflower, broken up into small florets
1 bunch green onions, diced
1-2 lbs. asparagus, cut into approximately 3 inch pieces
1 small red bell pepper, cut into approximately 1 inch pieces
2 small yellow bell peppers, cut into approximately 1 inch pieces
8 cloves garlic, diced
1/4 bunch fresh parsley, diced
2 small zucchinis, cut into thin “coin’ slices
8 oz. raw spinach leaves
8 oz. feta cheese, crumbled
olive oil
salt to taste
pepper to taste
chili powder to taste
blackening seasoning to taste
oregano to taste
basil to taste
salad dressing of your choice (I used Italian pesto)

Step One: Prepare the Salmon

Preheat your oven to 425 degrees.
Grease a baking dish with olive oil.
Brush the salmon with olive oil and then sprinkle blackening seasoning on top of the oil. How much you use will depend on how spicy you like your food.
Place the salmon on the baking dish with the blackened side up, and bake uncovered until the salmon reaches an internal temperature of 150 degrees.
When the salmon is done, let it cool at room temperature for awhile.
Cut the salmon into small, bite-sized pieces, and then refrigerate.

Step Two: Prepare the Pasta

Put a pot of water on to boil.
After the water boils, add the pasta, some salt, and a little olive oil.
Cook uncovered until the pasta is slightly firm (al dente).
Then drain the water off the pasta.
Run cold water over the pasta and then set it aside to cool.

Step Three: Prepare the Veggies

Wash all the vegetables, and then cut and dice them.
Then heat some oil olive in a large pan and then add the cauliflower to the hot oil. Cover the pan with a lid.
Cook the cauliflower and garlic for about 5 minutes so it’s still crunchy but not raw. Season with oregano and basil and then remove the cauliflower from the pan and set it aside to cool.
Now add some more olive oil to your pan and heat it, adding the asparagus when the oil gets hot. Cover with a lid.
Season with chili powder and cook for about 4-5 minutes. The asparagus will still be crunchy. Remove the asparagus from the oil and set it aside to cool.
Make sure your pan has olive oil covering the bottom, and then add the zucchini to the pan, cooking uncovered only for about 2 minutes. Remove the zucchini from the pan and season with salt and pepper. Set aside to cool.
Add more olive oil to the pan, and then add the peppers and onions. Cook uncovered about 3 minutes, and then remove the peppers from the oil and season with chili powder and salt. Set aside to cool.
Add more olive oil to the pan if needed, and then saute the spinach uncovered for about 2 minutes. Remove the spinach from the oil, add a little salt, and set aside to cool.

Step Four: Assemble the Salad

After the pasta and vegetables have cooled down, combine them together in a large pan, mixing well.
Mix in the crumbled feta cheese, diced parsley, and chilled salmon.
Chill the pasta.
Toss with salad dressing when you’re ready to serve it, adding more salt and pepper if necessary.

Chiles en Nogada (Chiles in Walnut Sauce)

Sheila — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:16:13 +0000

Have you ever seen the film, “Like Water for Chocolate”? It’s a foreign film that was released in the early 1990’s, and if you’re passionate about food and cooking and enjoy a good love story, I’d highly recommend this film. Throughout the entire movie, the heroine is cooking all kinds of wonderful meals that affect the people who eat it. Certainly food can have a powerful affect on people. For example, some foods are considered to be aphrodisiacs while other foods are calming, and soothing. But in this film, the heroine seems to possess a magical power in regard to her cooking.

Anyway, it’s a beautiful film, and we also bought the book which is wonderful as well. And of course, Kemal and I, who are both passionate about food and cooking, couldn’t help but want to try to make some of the meals the heroine was preparing in the story. Kemal said of all meals that were featured in the film and the book, the one that he really wanted to try more than any of the others was the chiles in nogada, (chiles in walnut sauce) which was served for guests at a wedding feast.

We did make some changes with the recipe, but perhaps the next time we make it we’ll do so by not deviating from the recipe. We changed how the peppers are prepared, and Kemal was a little disappointed that the changes he made resulted in the peppers being firmer. Poblano peppers apparently have a tougher skin than bell or Cubanelle peppers because when we stuff bell peppers or Cubanelle peppers, the skin becomes very soft. Personally, I didn’t mind that the poblanos were firm, but Kemal said he likes them better softer, and for that reason, next time he’ll make the peppers according to recipe.

As far as the taste of this meal is concerned, I have to say it’s exquisite. The contrasting textures and colors was perfect. There was crunchiness of the pomegranate seeeds and almonds, the slightly chewiness of the peppers, and the soft creaminess of the sauce. The red, green, and white colors were festive, and the mixing of sweet, tangy, and salty made for a perfect combination. There was also just a hint of heat from the peppers which were mild but just a little warmer than bell peppers.

Each bite was heavenly, and the meal was oh-so satisfying. We will definitely make this again and again.

Chiles en Nogada (Chiles in Walnut Sauce)

Adapted from: “Like Water for Chocolate” by Laura Esquivel

and from The Hungry Engineer’s adaptation of Laura Esquivel’s recipe

Chicken Chili with a Black Bean Bisque

Sheila — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 20:11:42 +0000

After making quesadillas, we had some extra chicken thighs and peppers, so Kemal decided to use them to make a pot of chicken chili using a package of black bean bisque that we had in our pantry. He used not only the leftover chicken and peppers, but he also added fried up some more since what we had leftover from making quesadillas wasn’t quite enough.

Kemal’s chili is unlike any chili I’ve ever had before because not only does it not have a tomato base, but it’s also made with potatoes. It’s very creamy, has just the right amount of spiciness to it, and the potatoes give it an interesting twist. I quite like his take on chicken chili, and I can’t wait for some leftovers tonight!

Chicken Chili with a Black Bean Bisque

Ingredients:

chicken thighs
Cubanelle peppers
red bell peppers
jalepeno peppers
olive oil
2 small onions
32 oz. package of Imagine Bistro Organic Cuban Black Bean Bisque
chili powder
8 small potatoes
1 can black beans
taco seasoning
1/3 cup chipotle salsa
Optional: tortilla strips

Instructions:

Quarter the potatoes, keeping the skins on, and then boil them in a pot of water until they’re soft. Drain the water off the potatoes and set aside.
Slice the peppers and dice the onions.
Cut the chicken thighs into small pieces.
Fry the chicken and peppers in a little olive oil until the chicken is cooked, and then add seasonings to taste.
In a large pot, mix together the chicken/pepper mixture with the potatoes.
Then add a can of black beans, as well as the black bean bisque.
Simmer on low for about 20 minutes.
If you want to top your soup with tortilla strips, just cut some tortillas (we used red chili tortillas) into thin strips and bake them in the oven on 400 degrees until they’re crunchy.

Sheila’s Chicken Fajita Soup and Mom’s Taco Soup

Sheila — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 18:33:51 +0000

For several days last week, all I could think about is how much I want to make a chicken fajita soup. I wasn’t exactly sure how I would make it, but then I remembered my mom makes a wonderful taco soup that I could modify and use to make a yummy chicken fajita soup. So I got Mom’s taco soup recipe (I’ve posted it below the chicken fajita soup recipe), went shopping for peppers, and made an incredibly delicious hot and spicy soup. The habanero peppers make it hot, but just two of them in the soup isn’t too bad…at least for my taste buds anyway.

Kemal and I were very pleased with how the soup turned out, and I think Kemal must have told me a dozen times yesterday how much he enjoyed it. He said his stomach just purred like a kitten after he ate it. It makes you feel all warm and cozy inside, especially on chilly days like today.

Chicken Fajita Soup

Ingredients:

2 lb. chicken thighs
1 yellow onion, diced
1 bunch green onions, diced
3 fresh tomatoes, diced
1 can tomato soup
6 cups water
1/2 cup prepared jalepeno ranch dressing (You can make your own easily by mixing finely chopped jalepenos to prepared ranch dressing)
1 pkg. taco seasoning mix or make your own seasoning mix (I used carne arsada seasoning mix which included chili powder, course salt, black pepper, red pepper, and lime)
1 can black beans
2 large poblano peppers, diced
2 habanero peppers (substitute with milder peppers if you don’t like really hot peppers)
2 red chili peppers, diced
1 small yellow bell pepper, diced
1 small red bell pepper, diced
dried cilantro
1 celery stalk, diced
4 medium-sized potatoes, diced
2 tbsp. olive oil
Optional: 1/2 cup frozen corn (I was going to add it, but I forgot)
Optional: 1/2 cup dried red lentils

Instructions:

Take the corn out of the freezer if you decide to add it to your soup, and set it on the counter top to thaw out.
Wash the potatoes and then dice them with the skin on.
Now dice your celery.
In a large pot, cook the chicken thighs and potatoes in about 6 cups of water on high heat until the water starts to boil. (If you want to add lentils to your soup, add them with the chicken and potatoes.)
Then, add the diced celery and turn the heat down to medium high and continue cooking.
While the chicken and potatoes are cooking, clean and dice the remaining vegetables (except the corn).

Note: I never remove the pepper seeds with the exception of habanero pepper seeds which are very hot. If you don’t want your soup to set your mouth on fire, remove the habanero pepper seeds before dicing them.

Take the diced green onions, yellow onions, and habanero peppers and fry them in some olive oil until they’re soft. Set them aside.
Take the remaining diced vegetables (not the fried onions/habaneros) and puree them in the blender.
After the chicken and potatoes are cooked, turn the heat down to low and let it simmer. If you decide to put corn in your soup, add it now.
Remove the cooked chicken pieces while the soup is simmering, and let them cool.
After the chicken cools a little, then cut the thighs into small pieces, putting it back in the pot when done.
Add the pureed vegetables, the black beans, the can of tomato soup, the ranch dressing, and the seasonings to the chicken and potatoes. Don’t drain the water.
Simmer on low heat about 30 minutes or so.

Note: When you put the soup in a bowl to serve it, you can then garnish it with sour cream, jalepeno ranch dressing, or shredded Monterey Jack cheese if you like. Corn chips, corn tortilla chips, and/or cornbread make an excellent accompaniment to the soup. I garnished my soup with jalepeno ranch dressing and used blue corn tortilla chips that were covered in chili powder to accompany our soup.

Now that you’ve made chicken fajita soup, you might be interested in making the taco soup that my mom makes. It’s really delicious, and here’s the recipe if you’re interested in trying it:

Mom’s Taco Soup

Ingredients:

2 lbs. ground beef
1 onion, chopped
1 can tomatoes and green chilies
1 can cream-style corn
1 can tomato sauce
2 cups water
1 pkg of dry ranch dressing
1 pkg taco seasoning
1 can yellow hominy
2 cans of beans of your choice (Mom uses black beans, Great Northern beans, and a handful of red lentils)
Optional: sour cream

Instructions:

Brown the ground beef and cook the onions with the beef.
Transfer the beef and onions into a large pot and then add the remaining ingredients (except the sour cream)
Simmer for 30 minutes and serve.
Add a dollop of sour cream on top of the soup if you like. You can also grate some cheese and add that to the top if you prefer.
Enjoy the soup with corn chips, corn tortillas, or cornbread.

Salmon Alfredo Pesto Pasta

Sheila — Thu, 24 Sep 2009 05:10:37 +0000

Kemal was in the mood for a salmon Alfredo pasta for his birthday dinner. While we were at the store purchasing the fish, he spotted some small bell peppers that he wanted to have with the pasta, and they ended up being the perfect accompaniment.

I had some buttermilk in the fridge that needed to be used, and while I would normally make our family’s famous buttermilk biscuits (more about those later), I decided to try making a loaf of buttermilk bread to go with the pasta. It was a new recipe I’d never tried before, and the bread turned out fine, but the next day it was too dry. I think from now on when it comes to buttermilk bread, I’ll stick to making my grandmother’s recipe.

Finally, for dessert we had something simple. Kemal was in the mood for fried apples. I thought maybe he might prefer something like apple pie, apple strudel, apple pita, or perhaps apple crisp, but he said all he really wanted was fried apples, so that’s what I made.

The entire dinner was delicious, and the best part is having leftovers so we can enjoy it again!

The recipes for everything are below, but keep in mind I don’t always measure things out when I cook: I just usually add ingredients until I get the desired result. I’ll try to give you a basic idea of how much I used though.

Blackened Salmon Alfredo-Pesto Pasta with Roasted Peppers

Ingredients:

Fresh salmon (we purchased two 8 ounce pieces)
olive oil
blackening or chili seasoning
pasta (your choice)
pesto sauce (about 3 tbsp.)
goat cheese (about 6 to 8 ounces)
Parmesan cheese (about 1 cup)
milk (3 cups)
Alfredo seasoning mix (2 packets)
bell peppers (we used several small yellow, orange and red ones)
green onions (one bunch)
parsley
sea salt
butter (about 3 tbsp)

Directions for Preparing the Fish and Peppers:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees
Oil a baking pan with olive oil
Brush salmon and whole peppers (stems included) with olive oil
Generously cover fish and peppers with blackening seasoning or chili powder
Bake until fish is cooked to your likeness (we prefer our fish well done). Depending on the size of the peppers you use and whether or not you like your peppers firm or soft, you may need to cook peppers more or less than the fish.

Directions for Preparing the Pasta:

Put a pot of water on high heat until it boils
After the water boils, add pasta, salt, and a tbsp. of olive oil
Stir pasta frequently until it’s cooked firm (al dente)
Rinse pasta with cold water and then pour into large casserole pan

Directions for Preparing the Sauce:

In a medium saucepan, fry the onions in a little olive oil.
After the onions are soft, add the milk, butter, goat cheese, and the two packets of dry Alfredo seasoning mix. Keep your heat at about medium high and stir constantly.
After the butter and cheese melts, turn the temperature down to medium.
Add the Parmesan cheese and pesto sauce
Stir constantly until the Alfredo sauce thickens. I make mine so it’s not too thick and not too runny but rather somewhere in between.

Directions for Assembling the Pasta:

How you assemble your pasta is all up to you. There are several ways you can do it, but I’ll tell you how I did it. I put my pasta in a large, rectangular, glass baking pan and then we cut the salmon in small pieces and placed it on top of the pasta. Then we added the roasted peppers, and after that we poured the Alfredo sauce over the pasta and fish. Finally, we sprinkled some parsley and a little Parmesan cheese on top to garnish it.

Final Thoughts and a Photo:

By the time we finished cooking it was around 1 a.m. and we were both starving so I didn’t photograph the pasta before we ate. I did take a picture of Kemal’s plate the next day when he had some leftovers for lunch. I really hate that you can’t see the Alfredo sauce. Trust me, I put a LOT on it, and it’s extremely moist. Hopefully next time I make this pasta I won’t be starving so I can photograph it immediately and you can see how saucy it really is. Okay, here it is with a loaf of the buttermilk bread in the background: