Bell peppers in general are loaded with lot’s of nutrients, such as vitamin C, thiamine, vitamin B6, beta carotene, and pholic acid.  They also contain a large amount of phytochemicals that have exceptional antioxidant activity.   Now after researching I learned that RED bell peppers contain lycopene which is a carotene that helps to protect against cancer and heart disease, according to this link here.  Please enjoy!

For more red curry recipes, click here. 

• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 sweet onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 1 lb. pork tenderloin, cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 red bell pepper, sliced into 3-inch pieces
• ¾ lb. cremini mushrooms, quartered
• 1 tbsp. red curry paste
• 1-1/4 cup, lite coconut milk
• 2 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1-large can tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro
• 1 tbsp. yogurt per serving, spooned on top (optional)

In a large non-stick frying pan, heat your oil to a medium heat.   Add your onion, stirring often until slightly softened.  Add your garlic and continue stirring for about 2 minutes.  Add your pork, and continue cooking until lightly browned.  Add the bell peppers, mushrooms, and curry paste (making sure your curry paste is well combined).  Continue stirring until mushrooms and bell peppers are slightly limp.  Add your soy sauce, reduce heat to medium low and cook for another 2 minutes.  Add your coconut milk, bring to a boil, and simmer until the sauce has reduced and thickened, about 5 minutes.

Lastly, add the tomatoes and cilantro, stirring to combine, and continue simmering for another 5 minutes before serving.

Serves: 4

Total time: 60 minutes

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Stuffed Bell Peppers
2. Sausage and Peppers with a Tomato Cream Sauce over Pappardelle
3. Pork Mushroom & Snow-Pea Stir-Fry

I used Poblano peppers, a large dark green chili with thick walls, perfect for stuffing.  The time consuming element of this recipe was preparing the chilis for stuffing, they need to be evenly blackened and blistered.  You then place the chilis in a sealed bag for about 20 minutes to steam.  This allows the skin to peel off very easily.  My stuffing consisted of tender yukon golds that were mixed with cheese.  Please enjoy!

For more chili rellenos recipes, click here.

• 6 Poblano Chiles
• 2 medium size Yukon gold potatoes
• 1 cup cream cheese
• 2 cups “Sargento”, shredded montery jack, cheddar, queso quesadilla, and asadero cheese
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup flour, mixed with ¼ tsp. each, salt and pepper
• Corn oil

With a sharp knife, make a slit down one side of each Chile.  Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat, add Chiles to pan, cooking long enough for your skins to blister (turning frequently).  Place the Chiles in a strong airtight bag and allow to steam for about 20 minutes.  Remove Chiles from bag and peel off the skins.  Carefully remove the seeds through the slits with a small spoon.  Set aside.

Cut your potatoes into 1-inch pieces.  Boil potatoes on a low simmer until barely tender, drain immediately, cooling for about 5 minutes.  Meanwhile in a medium bowl mix together your cheeses, add your potatoes, salt, and pepper, and combine thoroughly being careful not to mash your potatoes.  Fill each Chile with potato/cheese mixture and set aside on a plate.  Cover with saran wrap and place in refrigerator for at least one hour.

Separate your yolks and whites into separate bowls.  Beat your whites to firm peaks.  Beat your yolks for about 1 minute, fold in your whites.  Pour egg mixture into a plate large enough for dipping.  On another large plate place your seasoned flour.  Remove your Chiles from the refrigerator, remove your saran wrap and let sit for about 15 minutes, bringing your Chiles to room temperature.  Heat a non-stick pan with enough oil to coat pan generously.  Bring heat to medium-high to high heat, your temperature should be about 375 degrees.  Coat your Chile in flour, then into your egg mixture.  Fry Chiles on each side for about 2 minutes until golden brown.  Serve immediately.      

Serves: 6

Total time: 2 hours

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Crock Pot Chili
2. Panko Crusted Halibut Tacos with a Creamy Avocado Cabbage Slaw

 Arugula is a good source of vitamins A, C, folate, calcium, and magnesium.   Related to both the radish and watercress, which explains it’s spicy flavor.  We served this wonderful salad with barbecued Bratwurst which was a nice balance.  Suzanne found this recipe from Cooking Light.  Please enjoy!

For more potato salad recipes, click here.

• 2 lbs. Yukon gold potatoes, peeled, cut into 1-inch pieces (we used fingerlings, skin on)
• 2 tbsp. plus 2 tsp. extra virgin olive oil
• ½ cup finely chopped shallots (3 small)
• 1½ tbsp. sherry vinegar
• 2 tsp. stone-ground mustard
• 1 tsp. grated lemon rind
• 1 tsp. lemon juice
• ½ tsp. salt
• ¼ tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 2 ½ cups loosely packed arugula, chopped

Place potatoes pieces in a medium saucepan.  Cover with cold water 2 inches above potatoes.  Bring to a boil over medium-high heat.  Reduce heat to medium, and gently simmer 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.  Drain potatoes.

Heat a small skillet over medium heat.  Add 2 tsp. olive oil to pan and swirl to coat.  Add shallots to pan, sauté 3 minutes or until lightly browned, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat.  In a small bowl add shallots, vinegar, mustard, lemon rind, lemon juice, salt, and pepper.  Stir with a whisk, and gradually add remaining 2 tbsp. olive oil, stirring constantly until well combined.  Pour dressing over warm potatoes, tossing gently to coat.  Cool completely.  Add arugula to potato mixture, toss gently.  I topped it with just a little more olive oil.  Serve immediately.

Serves: 6

Total time: 45 minutes

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Potato-Leek Gratin
2. Spinach Salad With a Fig Balsamic Vinagarette
3. Grandpa Tom’s Macaroni Salad

If you have not tried smoked paprika, you really should.  It has a deep smokey and slightly sweet flavor, that is not at all like the regular paprika that has almost no flavor.  Smoked paprika is made in spain from smoked, ground pimiento peppers.  There are varying intensities, from sweet to mild (dulce), to medium (agridulce), and to hot (picante), according to this link here.  I found the start of this recipe from my Sunset magazine, but changed it up, to fit our own taste buds.  Please enjoy!

Click here to find more recipes using smoked paprika. 

• 1 lb. chicken breasts tenders, cut into bite size pieces
• 4 tbsp. olive oil
• 3 small tomatoes, diced
• 1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced, including greens
• ½ jalapeno seeded and diced
• ½ lime juiced

Chicken rub:

• 1 tbsp. smoked paprika
• 1 tsp. each salt, garlic powder, and cumin
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes

Avocado/cream sauce:

• 2 ripe avocados
• ½ cup sour cream
• ½ cup cilantro chopped
• ½ jalapeno seeded and diced
• ½ lime juiced
• Salt and pepper to taste

4 Medium size white corn tortillas
4 cheese mexican blend (sargento)
Spring mix, cabbage or lettuce of your choice

Place your chicken in a plastic bag, pour rub ingredients over and shake vigorously coating chicken completely.  Place in refrigerator for at least one hour.  Prepare tomatoes and onions and set aside.  In a medium size bowl add avocado, sour cream, cilantro, jalapeno, and lime juice.  Mash the avocado and mix ingredients completely, adding salt and pepper to taste.  Set aside in your refrigerator.

Preheat your oven to 400 degrees.  After your chicken has marinated for at least one hour, in a large non-stick pan heat your olive to a medium heat, add your chicken stirring to coat with the oil, then sauté chicken until slightly crispy and cooked through, about 5 minutes.  Add the tomatoes, onions, and lime juice to the chicken, stirring to combine.  Cook an additional 3-4 minutes until tomatoes and onions are slightly limp.  Place your tortillas in foil, and heat in oven for about 5 minutes.  To serve spoon chicken mixture into warmed tortilla, top with cheese, avocado cream sauce and spring mix.  Serve immediately.  

Makes:  4 medium burritos

Total time: 90 minutes

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Lupita’s Grilled Chicken Breasts with White Sauce Poblano
2. Roasted Chicken And Corn Summer Chowder
3. North Indian Style Spinach Chicken

Now I have to share with you that when I purchased my cottage cheese, I did not realize that I had bought cottage cheese with chives.  “Oops” is what I said when I took it out of the refrigerator….there was nothing I could do, I was not going back down to the store.  My sister and I both agreed you could barely taste the chives, and I believe it really complimented the whole pancake.  So I guess it was meant to be, my version of these cottage cheese pancakes now include chives.  The optional ingredients that include sugar and lemon juice, indicated a more cake like taste.  I have not tried this, if you do, please let me know what your thoughts are. 

Important note: make sure you let the batter rest for about 10 minutes, allowing it to thicken.  Please enjoy!

For more pancake recipes, check out this link here, to a website dedicated to just making pancakes.   

• 2 cups cottage cheese, small curd
• ½ cup flour
• 6 tbsp. corn oil
• 6 eggs
• ¼ tsp. salt
• More oil for grilling

Optional:

•  1 tbsp. sugar and ¼ cup fresh lemon juice (taste more like cake)

In a large bowl mix all ingredients with an electric mixer until completely blended.  Let your batter rest for at least 10 minutes before you make your pancakes.  On a griddle or a large non-stick pan, add a small amount of oil, and heat to medium.  With a large ladle, spoon your batter onto your pan and cook on each side for about 3 minutes or until golden brown.  Serve with warm maple syrup.

Makes about 12 medium size pancakes.

Total time: 30 minutes

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Martha Stewart’s Old Farmhouse Chutney Cheese Ball

Arborio rice, a short grain rice that is firm and chewy, is most commonly used in cooking risotto.  Arborio rice is named after the town of Arborio in Italy, where it is grown.  My english peas fresh and sweet, were purchased from my friend Lynda’s produce stand in Half Moon Bay, called the “Farmer’s Daughter”.  The chef that created this very delicious risotto is Maria Hines, from “TilthRestaurant”  in Seattle Washington.  Please enjoy!

Check out this link here for other risotto recipes from inmamaskitchen.com

• 1 bunch green onions
• 1 tbsp. olive oil
• 1 shallot, minced
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 2 cups Arborio rice
• 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
• ¼ cup butter, cut into pieces
• 2 cups fresh or frozen petite English peas
• 2 cups pea vine leaves
• ¼ freshly grated parmesan chees
• ¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
• ½ tsp freshly cracked pepper
• ½ tsp. salt

Preheat oven to 450 degrees.  Trim green onions and place on a lightly greased baking sheet.  Bake until slightly browned and crisp, about 10-13 minutes.  Set aside to cool, then chop into 1-inch pieces. 

In a medium sauce pan, heat oil to medium heat.  Add shallot and garlic, sauté for about 1 minute.  Stir in wine; cook stirring constantly, 4 minutes or until wine is almost evaporated.  Add rice.  Cook stirring constantly, 1 minute.  Add ½ cup broth.  Cook stirring constantly, until broth is absorbed.  Repeat procedure, ½ cup at a time.  Total cooking time is about 20-25 minutes.  Add remaining ingredients, serve immediately.

Serves: 4

Total time: 60 minutes

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Fennel and Chicken Sausage Risotto with Fresh Herbs
2. Pork Mushroom & Snow-Pea Stir-Fry
3. Fried Brown Rice with Watercress and Bacon

Pomegranate molasses, also called pomegranate syrup, has a nicely balanced sweet and sour flavor.  A popular ingredient in the middle east, that can be found in most Eastern markets and various Asian markets.  Mom found it at Draeger’s, a gourmet food and wine grocery store.  The brand we purchased was called “Sadaf”, click here to learn more about this tasty syrup.  Veni’s source for this recipe was the New York Times….Please enjoy! 

For more recipes that include pomegranate molasses, click here.

• 1 stick unsalted butter, softened, plus more for greasing pan
• 1 ½ cups flour, plus more for dusting pan
• 1 ½ tsp. baking powder
• ½ tsp. salt
• ½ cup milk
• 3 tbsp. pomegranate molasses, plus 1 tsp
• ¾ cup granulated sugar, plus 4 tsp
• 3 large eggs
• 1 cup confectioners sugar
• 6 tbsp. light cream
• ¾ cup roughly chopped walnuts

Heat oven to 350 degrees.  Butter a 9-inch square baking pan, dust lightly with flour and knock out excess flour.

In one bowl stir together 1 ½ cups sifted flour, baking powder and salt.  In a separate bowl, combine milk and 2 tbsp. pomegranate molasses.  In a large bowl, cream together stick of butter and ¾ cup of granulated sugar with an electric mixer, until light and fluffy.  Add eggs one at a time, beating after each until well combined.

Add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk mixture.  Begin and end with flour, and mix after each addition until just combined.

Pour batter into pan and bake until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, about 35-45 minutes.  Cool for about 10 minutes, then run a knife around the edges, turn cake out onto a rack, and then turn right side up again. Whisk together confectioners sugar, cream, and 1 tbsp. pomegranate molasses.  Brush glaze over cake, letting it drip down the sides.

In a small, preferably non-stick skillet over medium heat, combine nuts, 1 tsp. pomegranate molasses and 4 tsp. sugar.  Stir constantly and watch carefully until sugar melts and coats nuts, about 3 minutes.  Sprinkle nuts evenly over cake.

Time: about 1 hour

Serves: 8

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Norwegian Butter Cookies
2. Snowball Cookies
3. Angel Thumbprint Cookie

Also, please check out this recipe for the “Glazed Smoked Ham” that we have been feasting on, it was by far the best ham we have ever done.  Tyler Florence from the foodnetwork created it, no wonder it was so good!

For more stuffed bell pepper recipes, click here. 

• 2 large green bell peppers
• 1 ½ cups ground cooked ham
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 tsp. garlic powder
• 1 tsp. red pepper flakes
• Fresh ground black pepper to taste
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• 3 slices cheddar cheese

Preheat oven to 300 degrees.

In a large pot bring water to boiling.  Prepare your bell peppers for par-boiling; slice top of bell peppers, removing seeds and white pith from the inside.  Place your bell peppers into the boiling water, and boil until just barely tender, about 4 minutes.  Remove immediately, set aside and let cool.  In a large bowl combine ground ham, cooked brown rice, garlic powder, red pepper flakes, fresh ground pepper, and ¾ of the can of tomato sauce.  Take 1 piece of your cheddar cheese and chop into very small pieces, add to your ham mixture  and combine thoroughly.

In a medium casserole dish, spread bottom with 1 tbsp. tomato sauce and a little olive oil to lightly coat.  When bell peppers have cooled enough to handle fill tightly with your ham mixture, place in your casserole dish and pour remaining tomato sauce over your stuffed bell peppers.  Cover loosely with foil and bake in oven for about 20 minutes or until heated through.  Remove foil, top with 1 slice of cheddar cheese and continue baking until cheese is melted.  Serve immediately.     

Serves: 2

Total time: 60 minutes

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Sausage and Peppers with a Tomato Cream Sauce over Pappardelle
2. Red Curry Pork with Red Peppers
3. Stuffed Chicken Breast Rolls

Cucumber, avocado, baby spinach, and fresh mint leaves are the star ingredients in this creamy dressing, with the addition of garlic, green onions, lemon juice, and a small amount of olive oil.  So fresh, so healthy and chock full of nutrients, whats not to love?  Please enjoy!

For more healthy and creamy dressings, check out this link here. 

• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• ½ cucumber, roughly chopped
• 1 avocado, pitted and peeled
• 1 cup baby spinach
• ½ cup fresh mint leaves
• 2 green onions, roughly chopped
• 1 lemon, juiced
• 2 tbsp. olive oil
• ½ tsp. freshly ground pepper
• 1 tsp. salt

Puree all ingredients in food processor with ¾ cup water, until smooth.

Makes: 2 cups

Total time: 10 minutes

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Panko Crusted Halibut Tacos with a Creamy Avocado Cabbage Slaw
2. LooLoo’s Pasta Salad
3. Creamy Coleslaw

For more recipes with pablano peppers, click here. 

• 1 large Poblano pepper
• 2 chicken breasts
• ¼ tsp. onion salt
• ¼ tsp. cumin
• Freshly ground pepper
• 4 tbsp. vegetable oil, divided
• 1 large handful fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 cup half and half
• 2 shallots finely chopped
• 2 large portabellas, chopped
• 2 slices jalapeno pepper cheese

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Place your poblano pepper on a skewer.  Char entire Pablano over an open flame on your gas stove.  Set aside to cool.  Meanwhile, pound chicken breasts to ½ inch thickness, sprinkle with onion salt, and cumin, set aside.  Roughly chop portabellas, and shallots, set aside.  Peel cooled poblano to remove all of the charred skin, remove stem, seeds, and roughly chop.  To a blender add the poblano pepper, cilantro, and half and half.  Blend completely, and set aside.  

In a large oven proof non-stick pan heat 2 tbsp. of the vegetable oil to medium heat, and brown portabellas and shallots.  Set aside.  To your pan add the remaining oil, heat to medium, saute chicken breasts to a nice golden brown, about 4 minutes each side.  Turn the heat on your pan down to low and add the portabellas, shallots, and pablano white sauce.  Lightly stir to combine.  Once your pablano white sauce is heated through, place the jalapeno cheese on each chicken breasts.  Place in oven until jalapeno cheese has just melted.  Serve immediately with cilantro rice, spooning your pablano white sauce over both the chicken and rice, YUM!

Serves: 2

Total time: 45 minutes

If you enjoyed this post, you may also like...

1. Garlic and Lemon Marinated Chicken Breasts With Gnocchi and Sage Butter Sauce
2. Sauteed Chicken Breasts with Rosemary Sauce
3. Smokey Chicken Burritos