Italian Seasoned Stuffed Yellow Bell Peppers

I found a delicious way to use ground chicken or turkey.  This recipe was created by me for you and it's called Italian seasoned stuffed yellow bell peppers.

As busy as we are and I am sure we'll be really busy the next few months  since the holidays will soon approach so some comfort food is on the agenda.  Fall is the time for comfort food and today I decided to play with the ground chicken I had bought at the store this week and make a comfort food meal.

Our "fussy" grandson came to visit and although he gives his mom a hard time when dinner comes around he doesn't give me a very hard time.  He has been a difficult eater since a baby so I am sure he has been catered to and that probably contributes to his picky eating. When we moved to be close to our children and grandchildren he was a youngin of 4 and I cared for him several days a week to help out his parents while they worked.  I made him try everything I made and quite honestly he ate what I asked.  Those foods he didn't care for I didn't force him to eat but insisted he at least try them which he did.

His bad habit is he smells the food first and if his nose doesn't like it he doesn't want it.  Sad but true.

I knew he was coming over for several hours today so I decided I would try making something that he probably would like but something that I was told he didn't like.  His mom said he didn't like them peppers or the sauce that peppers would flavor.

 I had bought yellow peppers and figured I'd stuff them with chicken and my Italian seasoning.  I used Tuttorosso Tomato sauce (I love Tuttoroso products) and well he ate several pieces of the pepper and since I did make some meatball shaped balls for the sauce too he ate 5 and he tried the peppers and said they weren't BAD! lol  and he didn't even realize there was spinach in them!!!! I feel yellow, orange and red peppers are much sweeter than green so maybe he just didn't like the green pepper taste.  I do think green peppers can be a little bitter at times.  Below is my recipe and hubby gave it a thumbs up as well.  Enjoy!

1 lb. fresh ground chicken (organic if possible)
1 egg beaten slightly
1/2 medium onion grated
1 tsp. salt
pinch or two pepper
1/2 tsp. Italian seasoning
1/2 cup chopped fresh baby spinach
1/2 cup garlic herb bread crumbs (I use Progresso)
1/2 cup Pecorino Romano cheese finely grated
 

1 large can Tomato Sauce (approx. 28 oz.)

Mix above chicken mixture with hands gently. Hollow out peppers and clean out all seeds and pulp. Wash well.  Fill peppers .

In a large Dutch oven place several tablespoons olive or canola oil. (I used a medium size pot and it was very tight).  Place filled peppers in pot and on medium heat brown slightly.   Peppers should fit close but allow room for extra meatballs. Add sauce, salt and pepper and cover and simmer on low heat.   (I made meatballs with leftover chicken mixture and baked them in a 400 degree oven for 10 minutes and added them to my sauce while simmering.  Cooking time varies.  Peppers should be fork tender. Delicious, light and served with some fresh bread is always a good choice.  If you are watching carbs. choose a salad in place of bread.

Lasagna Cupcakes

I'm posting this recipe as a back up for you lasagna lovers.  I haven't had a chance to make it as of yet but it looked so good I just had to share it with you today.

I love Won Ton wrappers and have made meat ravioli with them so have no fear they are super easy to use for recipes.  You'll find them in the refrigerated section of the super market. I found mine in the produce area??  Yes I have.  Ask someone if you have problems finding them.  Great for fast and easy recipes. 


Ingredients

Meat Sauce:
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 whole cloves(I don't use cloves)
One 1-inch cinnamon stick( or this either)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium onion, finely diced (about 1 cup)
Kosher salt
1 pound mild Italian chicken sausage, casing removed
1/4 cup tomato paste
One 28-ounce can crushed tomatoes
1/4 cup chopped fresh basil
Freshly ground pepper
Ricotta Filling:
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella, plus more for topping
3/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan, plus more for topping
3/4 cup part-skim ricotta
1/3 cup mango chutney(new idea but I've never used this ingredient)
Kosher salt and freshly ground pepper
1 package wonton wrappers (at least 48)(very nice and easy to use)
12 whole small fresh basil leaves

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.

For the meat sauce: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, warm the olive oil until it shimmers. Add the whole cloves and cinnamon stick, and remove after a few minutes. Add the garlic and onions, sprinkle with a little salt and saute until softened but not browned.

Add the sausage, breaking up the clumps with your spoon. Cook until the sausage is no longer pink, 2 to 3 minutes. Stir in the tomato paste and cook 1 to 2 minutes. Add the crushed tomatoes, basil, as well as some salt and pepper. Stir to combine and simmer uncovered, for about 15 minutes, stirring every now and then. Allow the meat sauce to cool, about 15 minutes, before building lasagna cupcakes. As the meat sauce is cooking, prepare the ricotta filling.

For the ricotta filling: Stir together the mozzarella, Parmesan, ricotta and mango chutney. Season with salt and lots of pepper, about a teaspoon, and set aside.

To assemble the cupcakes: Pull out your favorite cupcake pan. If your pan is not nonstick, spray the cups with cooking spray. Place a wonton wrapper in each cup. Don't worry if you're using square ones.

Drop about 1 teaspoon of meat sauce into the bottom of each cup. Then add 1 teaspoon of ricotta filling. Then cover with another wonton wrapper, rotating it about 90-degrees so that the corners of the first wrapper and the second wrapper aren't right on top of each other. Repeat this until you've built three layers total. Top each with a small basil leaf, then another wonton wrapper. Finish each cupcake with a spoonful of meat sauce, a little shredded mozzarella and pinch of grated Parmesan.

Pop them into the oven and bake for 20 minutes. When time's up, resist the temptation to eat them right away or else you'll burn your mouth! Let them rest on the counter for about 10 minutes, and they should slip out of the muffin tin easily. Top with more shredded basil if you like. Enjoy!

Recipe courtesy of www.foodnetwork.com


 

Question to all who are viewing this post?

I never ever get comments on my blog posts.  Could or would someone answer this question for me.

Thank you kindly ,

M.J.