Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers II

An Easy and Tasty Entree for Dinnertime. 

My mom made Stuffed Peppers when I was young and this recipe is close to her's.

...and there's just something about the Love that goes into a dish which makes it even better.   

Ingredients:

3 large green or yellow bell peppers

5 cups water, Boiling, Salted

1 lb lean beef, Ground

1/4 cup onion, Chopped, 1 small

1/2 cup celery, Chopped

1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce

1 teaspoon salt

1/4 teaspoon garlic salt

1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce

1/2 cup instant rice, Uncooked

1/2 cup water

Directions:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cut each bell pepper lengthwise in half.
• Wash the insides and outsides of the peppers after removing the seeds and membranes.
• Cook the peppers in the boiling salted water for 5 minutes then drain and set aside. Cook and stir the meat, onion and celery in a large skillet until the meat is brown.
• Drain off the excess fat. Stir in half of the tomato sauce and the remaining ingredients, heat to boiling then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 5 minutes.
• Place the peppers, cut sides up, in an ungreased baking pan 9 X 9 X 2 or 8 X 8 X 2-inches.
• Spoon the meat filling into each of the pepper half evenly and then cover the pan with aluminum foil.
• Bake for 25 minutes then uncover and top with the remaining tomato sauce and bake an additional 5 minutes

Lemon-Orange Chiffon Cake

Just a Spectacular Addition to the Dessert Buffet or for when having guests over fot High Tea.

Ingredients:

2 1/2 cups sifted cake flour

1 1/3 cups sugar

1 tablespoon baking powder

1 teaspoon salt

1/2 cup vegetable oil

5 large eggs, separated

3/4 cup fresh orange juice

3 tablespoons orange zest

1/2 teaspoon cream of tartar

Lemon-Orange Buttercream Frosting (Recipe Follows)

Garnishes: edible flowers, kumquat slices

Preparation:

1. Preheat oven to 350°. Combine first 4 ingredients in bowl of a heavy-duty electric stand mixer. Make a well in center of flour mixture; add oil, egg yolks, and orange juice. Beat at medium-high speed 3 to 4 minutes or until smooth. Stir in zest.
2. Beat egg whites and cream of tartar at medium-high speed until stiff peaks form. Gently fold into flour mixture. Spoon batter into 3 greased and floured 9-inch round cake pans.
3. Bake at 350° for 17 to 20 minutes or until a wooden pick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pans on wire racks 10 minutes; remove from pans to wire racks, and cool completely (about 1 hour).
4. Spread Lemon-Orange Buttercream Frosting between layers and on top and sides of cake.

Lemon-Orange Buttercream Frosting

Ingredients:

1 cup butter, softened

3 tablespoons orange zest

1 tablespoon lemon zest

1 (32-oz.) package powdered sugar

3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

5 tablespoons fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon additional fresh orange juice

Preparation:

Beat butter, orange zest, and lemon zest at medium speed with an electric mixer 1 to 2 minutes or until creamy; gradually add powdered sugar alternately with lemon juice and 5 Tbsp. fresh orange juice, beating at low speed until blended after each addition. Add up to 1 Tbsp. additional fresh orange juice, 1 tsp. at a time, until desired consistency is reached.

Fried Mozzarella Balls

Bite-size mozzarella balls have a crisp outer shell and a perfectly gooey center.

 

  

Makesabout 3 dozen

Active time:25 min

Start to finish:45 min.

Ingredients:

About 5 cups vegetable oil

1 lb drained marinated bocconcini (small mozzarella balls), patted dry

3 large eggs, beaten

1 cup plain fine dry bread crumbs

Heat about 1 1/2 inches oil to 360°F in a 3 1/2- to 4-qt heavy saucepan.

Meanwhile, double-coat bocconcini by dipping in eggs, then in bread crumbs, and repeating. Transfer to a sheet of wax paper.

Working in batches of 10, lower balls into oil with a slotted spoon and fry, turning occasionally, until golden brown, about 30 seconds per batch. Transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt. (Return oil to 360°F between batches.)

Skillet Sizzled Corn Bread

Ingredients:

1 C. cornmeal
1 T. baking powder
¼ tsp. salt
1 large egg
¼ C. vegetable oil (I use olive oil)
1 C. all-purpose flour
¼ tsp. baking soda
1 ¼ C. yogurt
2 to 4 T. maple syrup
2 to 4 T. butter (I always use 4 T.)
Pan used: 10″ cast iron pan

Prepartation:

Preheat oven to 375ºF.
Combine cornmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a bowl. Whisk to incorporate well.
In another bowl, whisk together the yogurt, egg, maple syrup and oil. Put the butter into the cast iron pan and melt in the preheating oven.
Mix the wet into the dry ingredients just enough to fully saturate all of the dry mixture. Scrape the batter directly into the hot butter in the cast iron pan.
Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the top is lightly browned and the corn bread is starting to pull away from the sides of the pan a little bit. This recipe yields a crispy golden crust with a delicious moist interior!

Broccoli and Cheese Soup II

This is a Great Soup for a Soup and Sandwich Lunch.

Ingredients:

• 1 stick butter
• 1 whole onion, diced
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 2 cups half-and-half
• 1 pinch nutmeg
• 4 heads broccoli, cut into florets
• Salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 3 cups grated cheese (mild Cheddar, sharp Cheddar, Jack, etc.)
• Chicken broth, if needed

Directions:

• Melt the butter in a pot over medium heat, and then add the onions. Cook the onions for 3 to 4 minutes, and then sprinkle the flour over the top. Stir to combine and cook for 1 minute or so, then pour in the milk and half-and-half. Add the nutmeg, and then the broccoli, a small dash of salt and plenty of black pepper.
• Cover and reduce the heat to low. Simmer until the broccoli is tender, 20 to 30 minutes. Stir in the cheese and allow to melt.
• Taste the seasonings and adjust if needed. Then either serve as is, or mash with a potato masher to break up the broccoli a bit, or transfer to a blender in two batches and puree completely. (If you puree in a blender, return the soup to the heat and allow to heat back up. Splash in some chicken broth if needed for thinning.)

Russian Tea Mix (Instant)

 

Ingredients: 

1 cup instant tea powder

2 cups orange-flavored drink mix (e.g. Tang)

1 (3 ounce) package powdered lemonade mix  

2 cups white sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground cloves

Directions:

1. In a large bowl, combine instant tea powder, orange drink mix, lemonade powder, sugar, cinnamon and cloves. Mix thoroughly. Store in a sealed jar.
2. To use, mix 3 to 4 tablespoons of mix with 1 cup hot or cold water. Adjust to taste

23 Doughnut Recipes

No, I didn't just get Lazy, but there are 23 Fab Doughnut Recipes at Epicurious for us to peruse.  I've my favorites and thought to share the entire selection with my readers. 

(Click epicurious Logo for link...)

 

Lemon Sole (Pan Seared)

INGREDIENTS:

• 6 – 8 fillets of lemon sole
• 3 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil or olive oil
• Salt and pepper to taste
• A pinch of garam masala

Method:

1. Heat a frying pan over medium heat and add the butter and oil.
2. Season the fish with salt and pepper and place the fillets in the pan.
3. Fry for about one and a half minutes on each side.
4. You will need to press the fillets down with your finger as they will bow up when you turn them.
5. Sprinkle with the garam masala and rest on a hot plate for a minute or two.
6. Serve with the coriander chutney.

Home Bar 101

 

Essential liquors

• vodka
• whiskey
• tequila
• rum
• gin

Not-so essential liquors

• vermouth
• red wine
• white wine
• bottled beverages (prepared cocktails, beer)

Mixers

Fresh juices improve taste, but if you're in a squeeze, bottled juices will do. Remember to pick up plenty of soda and water for those designated drivers.

Essential mixers

• soda water
• cola
• simple syrup
• cranberry juice
• pineapple juice
• ginger ale

Not-so essential mixers

• apple juice
• grapefruit juice
• tonic water
• grenadine syrup
• premade mixers are for a do-it-yourself bar. You can use them to make your favorite cocktails.

Garnishes

Bright, fun and sometimes funky, a garnish is the perfect finishing touch.

• fresh mint
• fresh strawberries
• maraschino cherries
• fresh lemons
• fresh limes
• bitters
• sugar
• salt
• rimmers (glass-top flavorings for mojitos, cosmos and flavored martinis)
• and of course, don't forget the ice!

Setting up the bar

• Pick an area with enough space for people to gather.
• Accent your bar area with fun prints on the napkins and the tablecloth.
• Make sure you have enough glasses-caterers generally stock have as many glasses as guests. If you're running short, disposable cups come in all shapes and sizes.
• Put out a large pitcher of drinking water for those designated drivers.

If you're looking to save a few bucks, try creating a theme around a few cocktails, like classic and flavored martinis. Many of the spirits and mixers listed above can be stored for future parties. Have fun!

Essential Gadgets for the Home Bar
Even though you may not be bartending all the time, having the right tools for mixing and serving drinks can help make all your parties a hit.

 

Essential hardware:

Jigger

Properly measuring the ingredients for your cocktails ensures a balanced taste. Most jiggers (or measuring glasses) have a half ounce measure on one side and a two ounce measure on the other.

Shaker

The Boston shaker (with pint glass) is the shaker of choice for professional bartenders. A standard cocktail shaker works just as well for your home bar, plus, it looks stylish.

Hawthorne Strainer

You'll typically use a Hawthorne strainer with a Boston shaker. It keeps ice in the shaker while allowing fruit pulp to pass through.

Cutting Board and Knife

Prepare garnishes before you start serving, but keep a small cutting board and knife handy if you start to run out.

Bar Spoon

For layering or stirring. It's also handy for pulling cherries and olives from jars.

Muddler

For mashing fruit or mint leaves into the bottom of a glass.

Corkscrew

If you plan on serving wine - a winged corkscrew makes opening bottles a breeze.

Ice Bucket

Bartending requires mountains of ice, no matter how small the party. The right bucket keeps ice from melting and is especially handy if you're bartending outside.

Not-so essential hardware

Blender

If you already have a blender, make sure it's able to crush ice.

Bottle Stoppers

Especially useful for maintaining the bouquet in wine.

Julep Strainer

A smaller strainer that's handy if you're straining into narrower glasses.

Glassware

Try chilling your glassware in the freezer, or by filling with ice cubes, before use. Always hold glassware by the base or stem to avoid leaving finger marks.

Essential glassware

Martini Glass

Also known as a cocktail glass, its chic neck lets your guests hold the glass without warming the drink.

Old Fashioned Glass or Rocks Glass

A short glass with a heavy base for drinks served on ice. It's the quintessential tumbler for enjoying whiskey.

Highball Glass

Similar to a rocks glass, but taller. It's typically used for drinks that have larger amounts of mixer, such as a Scotch & Soda. A highball glass is also known as a collins glass.

Wine Glass

Grasping the long stem keeps chilled wines from getting warm. The bowl shape of the glass converges the wine's flavors or the "bouquet." Red wine glasses typically have a larger bowl than white wine glasses.

Not-so essential glassware

Champagne Flute

The narrow shape helps retain champagne's carbonation.

Snifter

Usually used for serving brandy, the bulbous shape helps hold aroma.

Margarita Glass

The best way to serve Margaritas or other frozen drinks. The wide rim is perfect for salting.

Pint Glass

Improves beer's drinkability and is useful for serving low-alcohol and non-alcoholic drinks. A must-have if you're using a Boston shaker.

Shot Glass

Thick-walled glass for serving shots or spirits.
TIP:
Discount stores will carry most of these essentials

Ghee

How to Make Ghee In The Crock-Pot [Link]

Naan

(Click Nitu Didi for Recipe/Video)

It's hard to be "The Hostess or Host of the Year" when preparing a Great Indian meal without a couple sides: a nice Tzatziki Sauce and a dab of refreshing Mint Chutney.  Now there's only one more essential to the feast - a Great Naan.  

Because Indian Cuisine is my favorite and I've many Indian friends; it's just an imperative I know a few recipes for it.  Cooking with Nitu was the first Indian Recipe Site I found on my quest for them.     

Instead of listing the recipe for this naan as I usually do, I'm just giving you the link to Nitu's site.  Nah, I didn't get lazy; it's just she has a video worth seeing to walk us through the preparation.  She's Great!

Note: I add minced garlic to the recipe.
Hint: 550 g = 17.6 oz