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Italian Feast: Turkey and Orzo Stuffed Bell Peppers on a Bed of Tasty Arugula

By mlb, on November 19th, 2006%

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Here’s a little experiment inspired by a recent issue of La Cucina Italiana, which featured stuffed bell peppers on the cover.

peppers and wine

As you can see, (here, alongside the wine of the evening) it does make quite an impression. The magazine’s recipe was actually a vegetarian version and in an out-of-character twist, I decided to make my stuffed peppers with meat. Oh, the insanity.

peppers

Turkey & Orzo Stuffed Bell Peppers
1 15 oz can diced tomatoes (or whole plum tomatoes will work too)
1/3 pound ground turkey
1 medium onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, crushed
3/4 cup dried orzo
1/4 cup red wine
1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 tsp fennel seeds
1 tsp dried oregano
salt & pepper
1 cup (or so) arugula leaves –(you could also use spinach
3 large bell peppers (yellow, orange and red) or 4 small medium-sized bell peppers, tops cut off, washed, and inside white rib part pulled off . . . → Read More: Italian Feast: Turkey and Orzo Stuffed Bell Peppers on a Bed of Tasty Arugula

5 comments   Autumn, Comfort Food, Italian, Pasta, Poultry & Fowl, Recipes, Vegetables

What Smells So Good? Easy Herbed Biscuits

By mlb, on November 15th, 2006%

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I made these the other day and they were quite good — but the recipe (from Everyday Food magazine) may need a bit of tweaking. It calls for 2 cups of milk, which results in very wet, sticky dough. I turned mine out onto a very well floured board and patted more flour into it until I could work with it, but you may want to just use less milk. I’d suggest about a cup and a half.

The herbs smell so good while these are baking! Very Thanksgiving-y with the fresh sage. I just used a combination of mostly chives and a little bit of everything I could snip fresh from outside — sage, rosemary, oregano and thyme.

Herbed Biscuits
4 cups all purpose flour
2 tbsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
8 tbsp (1 stick) cold unsalted butter cut into pieces
1/2 cup snipped fresh chives, thyme or sage, or a . . . → Read More: What Smells So Good? Easy Herbed Biscuits

8 comments   Baking, Breads, Holiday, Recipes

Roasted Sweet Potato, Lime and Chipotle Soup

By mlb, on November 13th, 2006%

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This was a recipe I found recently on Epicurious and I liked it a lot. The original called for more chicken stock (4-5 cups) but I like my soup a little thicker and I didn’t want to dilute the flavor too much. It also called for 1/2 cup of cream, which I skipped, as the soup was plenty creamy without it.

Plus, a little plain yogurt on top is just as good! Well, okay — but it’s much healthier.

Roasted Sweet Potato, Lime and Chipotle Soup
3 pounds yams or sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1 inch pieces
1 yellow onion, peeled and quartered
1/2 bunch chopped fresh thyme
1/4 bunch chopped fresh sage
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon coarse salt
3 cups chicken stock
4 dried chipotle chiles, stemmed and seeded or 1-2 tsp chipotle in adobo
Juice of 2 limes
1 tablespoon brown sugar
Pinch nutmeg
Cracked black pepper to taste
Fresh cilantro leaves for garnish
1/2 cup . . . → Read More: Roasted Sweet Potato, Lime and Chipotle Soup

5 comments   Autumn, Mexican, Recipes, Soups & Stews, Vegetables

Retro Recipe Challenge #4: Opulent Chicken with Wild Rice Pilaf

By mlb, on November 12th, 2006%

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I am really glad I came across this cooking event — Retro recipe Challenge (what a great idea for a monthly event, by the way), as I have in my collection, the perfect cookbook for an occasion such as this one. It’s the culinary classic, Saucepans & the Single Girl by Jinx Kragen and Judy Perry, 1965 (written before I was born — whee)! I purchased it used (duh), while going through an ironic housewife phase while in college, while being neither a housewife nor probably very ironic, as I liked to make casseroles in the dorm room kitchen during midterms (but that’s bedsides the point, I guess).

The inside cover proclaims, “A bright and bouncy new cookbook for the gal on the go — and on her own.” Huh. You can almost hear some sort of uplifting, Mary Tyler Moore-esque theme song in the background. Because you . . . → Read More: Retro Recipe Challenge #4: Opulent Chicken with Wild Rice Pilaf

6 comments   Autumn, Cookbooks, Food Blogging Event, Poultry & Fowl, Recipes, Rice & Grains

Thanksgiving Menu: 2006

By mlb, on November 11th, 2006%

thanksgiving

So, after giving it much thought and trying to figure out what will work the best timing-wise, I think I have a menu. Some things from last year stayed around — the awesome Martha Stewart Cranberry Relish, some things left — the sadly so-so Martha Stewart Green Bean Casserole.

Pre-Dinner Snacks

* Raw Veggies and Orange-Tahini Dip

* Rosemary Cashews

* A few cheeses (sage-cheddar and port salut, perhaps) with a lovely cracker selection

The Main Event

* Roasted Free-range, Organic Turkey (cooked like last year), Apple-Pecan-Sage Stuffing, and America’s Test Kitchen Giblet Gravy

* Roasted Sweet Potatoes & Shallots (just throw them in the roasting pan for the last 1/2 of turkey cooking, then finish them on a baking sheet, at a higher temp (400) while the turkey rests)

* Goat Cheese & Rosemary Mashed Potatoes or Smoked Gouda Mashed Potatoes — I can’t decide…

* Cranberry-Orange Relish

* Brussels Sprouts with Pancetta & Chicken Broth

* Carrots . . . → Read More: Thanksgiving Menu: 2006

5 comments   Autumn, Baking, Holiday, Pumpkin & Squash, Vegetables
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