Chicken stuffed mini peppers

Sweet peppers!  Yummy!  If you have any doubt about a green pepper as far as strong or bitter taste by all means try variegated peppers.   Red, yellow and orange sweet and flavorful peppers are the best choice for sweetness and great flavor.  Note;  how about using this stuffing for your favorite hot peppers? Hmmm

Today I decided to stuff these tiny long peppers and have a side salad and potato as well.  A light and tasty meal.

Enjoy!

Any extra filling I froze into patties.

1lb. Ground moist chicken

1egg

1 tsp. Italian seasoning

1tsp. Salt 

1/2 tsp. Pepper

1/2 tsp. garlic powder 

I small onion grated

1/2 to 3/4 cup breadcrumbs 

Fresh jar sauce( I use Victoria brand marinara sauce)

Shredded mozzarella 

Pecorino Romano cheese 

Wash and remove seeds from peppers.  Fill with as much chicken stuffing as you are able to.  I had about 8 peppers so I’m thinking one and a half to 2 dozen variegated peppers might work if you are not having as many sides as I.  

Place sauce in baking pan.  Add stuffed peppers. Top with more sauce, Grated mozzarella and Pecorino Romano Cheese.

Place in preheated 325 degrees in oven covered for approximately 60 minutes.

Yummy!

Air fryer coconut chicken cutlets

Coconut chicken for lunch and a side salad.

When I went grocery shopping I bought a large package of frozen individual chicken breasts.  They are super handy for our meals.  Last night we had 3(they ere a good size and I was able to filet them).  I served the coconut chicken with brown butter gnocchi and a cucumber/tomato salad. 

You can also prep them earlier in the day or the day before and use when needed in the refrigerator.   If I’m making several and I have extra I’ll freeze the cutlets for later meals.

Enjoy!

About 1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts

1/2 cup Panko bread crumbs

1/2 cup sweetened coconut 

1 egg beaten with 1 tsp. Water

1/2 cup flour 

Pinch salt and pepper

2 scallions cut thin

Cooking spray

You’ll need 3 bowls.  One: Place panko bread crumbs and scallions in a bowl.  Two: eggs water, salt and pepper.  Three flour.  Dip chicken in eggs, then flour and then into coconut scallion mix.  Pat well into coconut.. so it sticks well.

Set Air Fryer on 365 or 370 degrees.  Spray basket with cooking spray.  Also spray chicken on both sides with olive oil or cooking spray.

Place chicken in basket 2 or 3 fillets fit in my basket depending on size of chicken breasts.  

Air fry 7 minutes and turn chicken and spray chicken again for approximately another 7 minutes.  

Air fryer cooking and having moist chicken requires patience to not overcook.  I make Pork chops in my air fryer and they are moist and juicy too.  Note:  I find a thicker piece of chicken or pork chop works the best to keep inside moist!  

Enjoy!

Check my labels under Air Fryer recipes for more of my recipes.

Enjoy!

 

 

Shrimp in marinara over Polenta

Hubby and I didn’t eat lunch today so I made an early dinner.  Shrimp in marinara over polenta.  I had never made it over polenta and really liked it because I have ordered shrimp and grits when I order out so I was just about positive I would like it.. 

My Italian hubby wasn’t as convinced as I was.  He says polenta with meat sauce is the only way to go. 

Most days he wins and some days I win.  Score 😂😋😋😋

1 lb. cooked and deveined large shrimp( I removed tails)

Olive oil

Butter

Minced garlic

Fresh basil(you can use dried)

Parsley

Red pepper

Place olive oil, butter , garlic, parsley in large skillet. Sauté until garlic starts to sizzle.  Add marinara sauce and basil. Cook low until sauce is warmed .  Add shrimp and warm a few minutes and serve with Parmesan.  Yummy!

Polenta

4 cups water

I tsp. Salt

1 cup (*instant polenta)

Grated Parmesan 

Bring salted water to a boil.  Using a whisk quickly add polenta whisking until thickened.  It takes less than 5 minutes to thicken.  Note: it does splash so have a lid handy!

Place large spoonfuls of polenta on a platter.  Add shrimp and sauce and lots of grated Parmesan.

Enjoy!

Crockpot rice pudding

An old favorite that my mom made long ago.  She would stand over the stove for more than a hour making creamy rice pudding.  I decided to try her  recipe in the crockpot.  Creamy and delicious and I didn’t have to stand over the stove for an hour or better.  Great solution to those who want a hands free option.

Enjoy!

3/4 cup pudding rice (Arborio)

1/2 cup Sugar

4 cups whole milk

2T butter

Pinch salt 

Pinch cinnamon

Place all ingredients in your crockpot. Stir well.  Set temperature to high.  I stir again after and hour and cook approximately 1 to 1/2 hours. Check after 1 hour and stir.

Note:  if it thickens too much add some milk and stir.

Alton Browns meatloaf with adjustments

Hi everyone!

I’ve made various meatloaf recipes from day one on this blog.  I never used someone else’s recipe.  I played with my ideas. I do that with  most recipes I make.  I like adding my little changes.  Enjoy!

This is a first.  I was intrigued reading Alton Browns meatloaf recipe and after months of procrastinating I made it today and both hubby and I totally enjoyed it.  It was delicious!  We ate it warm.  Hubby’s on a crusty roll,  me along with red beets.

I did adapt it to our taste.  At least my taste! Lol

I will note my changes.  The first being the most important I used **1 lb. ground round.  This would have been way too large a recipe for two people.

**The other ingredients and herbs I just cut in half the amount or less.

**I did add 1tsp.dried parsley which he didn’t use. I use parsley in a lot of my recipes.

Alton’s recipe 

1 cup flavored croutons ( I used 1/2 cup plain bread crumbs)

1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper  

1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

1 teaspoon chili powder

1 teaspoon dried thyme

1/2 onion, roughly chopped

1 carrot, peeled and broken

3 whole cloves garlic ( I used garlic powder)

1/2 red bell pepper

18 ounces ground chuck ( I used 1lb. Ground round)

18 ounces ground sirloin

1 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 egg

For the glaze:

1/2 cup catsup

1 teaspoon ground cumin

Dash Worcestershire sauce

Dash hot pepper sauce

1 tablespoon honey

1. Heat oven to 325 degrees F.
2. In a food processor bowl, combine croutons, black pepper, cayenne pepper, chili powder, and thyme. Pulse until the mixture is of a fine texture. Place this mixture into a large bowl. Combine the onion, carrot, garlic, and red pepper in the food processor bowl. Pulse until the mixture is finely chopped, but not pureed. Combine the vegetable mixture, ground sirloin, and ground chuck with the bread crumb mixture. Season the meat mixture with the kosher salt. Add the egg and combine thoroughly, but avoid squeezing the meat.
3. **I did pat the mixture into a loaf pan but only used half of the pan to mold it.

1. Pack this mixture into a 10-inch loaf pan to mold the shape of the meatloaf. Onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, turn the meatloaf out of the pan onto the center of the tray. Insert a temperature probe at a 45 degree angle into the top of the meatloaf. Avoid touching the bottom of the tray with the probe. Set the probe for 155 degrees.
2. Combine the catsup, cumin, Worcestershire sauce, hot pepper sauce and honey. Brush the glaze onto the meatloaf after about 10 minutes.
3. **Note:  My meatloaf was cooked in 1 hour 10 minutes
4.