Tuesday, November 8, 2011

It’s Dreary Here Today, So Let’s Talk Cooking

 

If your like me, this time of year makes you want to cook! I love that about autumn. The cool temperatures that make your cheeks pink, the gray skies that make you light candles, the fact that your spending a bit more time indoors than out.  All these things make me want to whip up big batches of bread, baked goods, and my favorite winter time meals.

Pure Comfort!

One of my favorite fall recipes is:

Stuffed Green Peppers

stuffed green peppers-w

 

4-5 large green peppers

1 lb of ground sausage, ground venison or ground beef (I use a combination of sausage and venison)

1/2 c  onion, chopped

1 15oz can diced tomatoes

1/2 c  long grain rice

1/2c  water (or enough to make 1 c liquid when combined with tomato juice)

1/2 t  salt

1/4 t  pepper

1 T  Worcestershire sauce

3/4 t  dried basil, crushed

3/4 c  shredded Cheddar or Monterey Jack

 

Halve peppers lengthwise, remove stems and seeds.  Immerse peppers into boiling water for 3 minutes.  Remove, sprinkle insides with salt. Invert on paper towels to drain well.

In skillet cook meat and onion to brown. Remove any fat.  Stir in undrained tomatoes, uncooked rice, Worcestershire, basil, water, salt and pepper.  Bring to boil; reducing heat. Cover and simmer for 15-18 min. or till rice is tender. Stir in 1/2c of the cheese.  Fill peppers with meat mixture. Place in greased 9x13 pan with any remaining meat mixture.

Bake 375 for about 15 minutes or till heated through.  Sprinkle with remaining 1/4c cheese. Place back in oven till cheese is melted.

Serves 6

(altered from recipe in Better Homes in Gardens New Cook Book)

 

And while your whipping up some super, scrumptious, stuffed peppers you better make a loaf of

 

Poppy Seed Braid loaf

poppy seed braid bread

Combine:

1 T yeast

1 c warm water

1t sugar

Let these set until the yeast is proofed (bubbly).

Stir in:

1 egg, beaten

1/4c oil

1t salt

Add:

4-5 c flour

Stir in 3 cup of the flour beat well.  Add in as much of the remaining flour as you can with the spoon. Then knead in remaining flour. Knead for about 8-10 minutes or until smooth and elastic.

Place in a greased bowl, cover and let rise until doubled (about 1 1/2 hours).

Line baking sheet with parchment paper.

Punch down dough and gently knead for 2 minutes.  Split into 3 pieces and make into 15” ropes.  Braid.  Let rise 30 minutes.  Brush loaf with milk and sprinkle with poppy seeds.

Bake at 425 for 25 minutes or until golden brown.

(recipe taken from The Secrets of Jesuit Breadmaking)

 

What are some of your favorite fall recipes?

12 comments:

  1. Those stuffed peppers make my mouth water!!! I made those a few months ago and completely forgot how much we loved them. I need to put them on the dinner list for next week, so I'll try your recipe!

    This may sound completely ignorant, but when making breads, how do you add yeast? Do you make your own? Or do they sell that?

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  2. yum! those peppers sound easy and good! must try..i love new recipes to try venison with...if only we had some venison now! ;)

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  3. Sarah Kate,

    Just put in your warm water...You want it warm not HOT. It will kill the yeast if it is too warm. Put your warm water into your mixing bowl then sprinkle in the yeast and sugar. Mix it up slightly then let is set for about 10 minute. That's all it takes. Super simple.

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  4. Sarah Kate,

    I just went back and read your question. I suppose you would like a proper answer! :) Just look in the baking aisle at your grocery store. You'll find it in packets there.

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  5. I love rainy days!
    I love comfort food!
    I love cooking!
    I'm also coming right over!
    XO

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  6. So dreary, isn't it? I turned my ankle and can't walk without pain, can i come for dinner??

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  7. Your stuffed peppers look yummy! I like how you lay them on their side. I always try to stuff them from the top.....and it's kinda frustrating sometimes.

    Favorite fall recipes for me are jsut about anything with squash. Squash soup and squash rolls (originally sweet potato rolls but I altered the recipe) plus just regular ol' squash with a bit of brown sugar are my comfort food!

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  8. I can talk food.
    all.
    day.
    long.

    I've never tried stuffed peppers. but seeing as we have a boat load of them I will have to try this.
    it frosted last week and we had to pick evrry single one.
    I was hoping to get a few red ones in the batch but only one.
    i made a batch of roasted red pepper hummus. have you tried that? we eat it on bread, tortillas and dip ever THANG in it;)


    I'm in love with soup too this time of year. I've been thinking of adapting my menu plan and making Saturdays for soup.
    soups on Saturdays!

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  9. UMMM! Amanda you better do a post about that Roasted Red Pepper Hummus, post haste! We do soup and homemade bread EVERY Thursday through the fall and winter!

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  10. Oh glory I wanna bit of those delicious lookin' peppers. My man doesn't like 'em and I haven't sunk my chompers into them for years!!!

    MMMMMMMMmmmmmmm!!!! Now I want some.

    BTW: The bread looks magnificent too sweetie!

    God bless and have a fun fall day!!! :o)

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  11. YUMMM I want these for dinner tonight!!! AHHHH Love your blog...I am your newest follower...xoxo

    ReplyDelete

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