organic – Sweet Heat Chefs

Using leftovers in my house is ALWAYS a chore. 1: My kids and hubby hate leftovers, 2: it is hard to make only myself leftovers while they eat crap (aka boxed mac-n-cheese or cup of soups which my kids would live on if I’d let them) So today I decided I wouldn’t tell them I was using leftovers to create this dish, and see how that went over.

I had leftover ground turkey and some sweet peppers. I am rummaging through my fridge to see what I can make to go along with it. I always turn everything into a Mexican type meal so I was determined NOT to make this dish that way. Now I see your brow furrowing and your mind racing saying…wait the name of the dish begins with Mexican.

And…You are right, because there is simply no way for me to NOT make a Mexican based dish, I simply love it way too much. My favorite quote of the night was from my daughter, who upon returning home from the mall, ate dinner and stated: “It tastes like a party in my mouth” I do not know 1 chef who would not like that type of review! #missionaccomplished!

Now, this dish is packed full of flavor and guess what? FULL of nutrients too! How awesome is that?! Common, get your shopping list ready and get this dish done!

INGREDIENTS

18 sweet peppers, cleaned, top off and de-seeded
1/2 lb. ground turkey
1 can diced green chilis
1 clove garlic, minced (I use microplane)
juice of 1 lime
2 tsp onion powder
salt/pepper, to taste
olive oil, as needed
2 tbs fresh cilantro chopped & washed
1/2 cup Red Quinoa
1 cup beef broth
1/2 cup jack cheese, shredded

DIRECTIONS

Line a sheet pan with foil and drizzle olive oil over it, about 2 tsp.
In a skillet brown ground turkey
Add garlic, onion powder, and salt/pepper.
Once almost browned, add lime juice and green chilis.
Continue to cook over medium high until thoroughly cooked.
While cooking stuffing mixture, rinse 1/2 cup red quinoa in a strainer
Add to pot with beef broth.
Bring to boil and reduce heat cooking on low simmer for about 15 minutes or until all liquid is absorbed.
Once stuffing mixture is finished remove from heat and let cool.
Once quinoa is finished add 1/4 cup to stuffing mix, combine well and add 1 tbs chopped cilantro.
Using a teaspoon measure stuff the peppers until filled to the top.
Roll in olive oil on sheet pan and continue until all peppers are stuffed.
Top all peppers with shredded jack cheese evenly. (I push them all together to cheese is not wasted on pan, but ooey gooey goodness all over peppers)
Bake for 10 minutes on 375 degrees, then broil for 5-7 minutes.
Let cool for about 5 minutes. Serve peppers on top of remaining red quinoa and remaining cilantro, and prepare to lick your plate clean!

Additional Hint:

IF your kids are anti-peppers (I have 2) whether they are sweet or otherwise, wrap the filling into a corn or flour tortilla and heat up and roll like a burrito. They will be just as pleased with the dish as you. You still are getting that quinoa in them and a healthy meal!

The reality is we all have busy lives and when we want to please our kids or ourselves with a little Christmas Cheer and make the infamous Sugar Cookies during the holiday season, it is EASY to get wrapped up in the convenient pre-made store bought dough. If you do one thing this year, PLEASE make your own. You will see how easy it is AND you can easily double or triple the recipe and freeze it for your convenience later so you are not tempted to buy the pre-made dough.

A friend of mine Katrin over at Running with The Devil(ed) Eggs and I agree, MAKING cookies involves the process from buying ingredients to actually making the cookies. BAKING cookies involves pre-made slice and bake. Your kids and grandkids will have much fonder memories of the entire MAKING cookie process than the slice and bake version. The hope is they will continue the tradition and do the same with their kids and future generations to come. Honestly, the fondest memories I have are with my grandma MAKING cookies, pies, bread, noodles, bread everything was homemade.

As a society we have strayed so far away from that reality, I wonder if our kids or their kids will even know what homemade truly is and to me that is very sad. I just think it is important to show our kids fresh food, non processed food, the art of being together (isn’t that what holiday’s are for anyway?) quality time together, the fun of checking the oven to see if the food is done, the aroma your house has while it is cooking, the laughter between you while you listen to Christmas Music and mess up on the words! Pre-made dough has you in and out of the kitchen before you know it, much like the society we have turned in to; quick, easy, and impersonal.

Not only does homemade food taste incredibly better, but you know exactly what you are putting into it, there are no preservatives, you can make it organic and feel good about feeding your own belly, Santa’s and your kids’ 😀 *Stepping off soap box**

With all that being said, (and thank you for staying tuned this long) I just want to offer this recipe that is easy enough for the beginner baker and just as fun for the novice baker. With few ingredients and LOTS of decorations for the finished product afterward you are sure to build lasting memories, new traditions and fun for years to come.

INGREDIENTS:

3 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened (salted butter works too if you don’t have the other)
1 cup sugar
1 egg, beaten
1 teaspoon real vanilla extract
1 tablespoon milk
Powdered sugar, for rolling out dough ( learned this from my grandma, this is key to a soft non over-worked cookie)

DIRECTIONS:

Sift together flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

Place butter and sugar in large bowl of electric stand mixer and beat until combined.

Add egg and milk and beat to combined. Add vanilla extract.

Set mixer on low speed, gradually add dry ingredients, and beat until mixture pulls away from the side of the bowl. Don’t over mix here.

Create a disk, or divide dough up if you will be making different colors or adding candies to it. Wrap in waxed paper, and refrigerate for 2 hours. *NOTE* If you are adding colors or candies to the dough, now is the step to do it BEFORE you refrigerate for 2 hours. The dough will be hard once it is refrigerated. Ideas for add ins:

crushed candy canes + red food coloring color
roasted pecans
diced cranberries + green food coloring
macadamia nuts
white chocolate chips + blue food coloring
dark chocolate chips

When ready to start baking, preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.

Sprinkle your rolling out surface with a light dusting of powdered sugar. Remove 1 wrapped pack of dough (or the entire ball if you did not divide) from refrigerator at a time, sprinkle rolling pin with powdered sugar, and roll out dough to 1/4-inch thick.

Move the dough around as you roll and check frequently to make sure it is not sticking.

Using cookie cutters, cut into desired shapes.

Place at least 1-inch apart on greased baking sheet, parchment, or silicone baking mat, and bake for 7 to 9 minutes or until cookies are just beginning to turn brown around the edges.

Cool on wire rack.

Serve as is or ice as desired. Store in airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for 1 month in an airtight ziplock.