Carmen Sweet Italian Pepper Food

STUFFED CARMEN PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat 350 degrees
• Cut off tops of peppers.
• Remove ribs and seeds
• Brown turkey.
• Add salsa and cumin.
• Lower heat and add cream cheese and shredded cheese.
• Fill peppers and place the tops back on.
• Pack tightly into a vegetable oil sprayed glass baking pan.
• Bake for 35 minutes.
• Serve with chopped lettuce, tomatoes and a dollop of sour cream.

GRILLED ITALIAN SWEET PEPPERS

Steps:

• Prepare the grill and while it is getting hot, rinse the peppers with cold water and wipe them dry with a paper towel, then brush them with the olive oil.
• In a small sauce pan, add the vinegar, water and salt and bring it to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer.
• Add one pint jar to a sauce pan of water and bring to a boil to sterilize it, reduce the heat to simmer and add the lid and screw band. Keep in the simmering water until needed.
• When the grill is ready at medium-hot, arrange the peppers and allow them to get slightly charred and blistery, turning them as needed. Remove them from the grill and reserve.
• With a jar lifter or tongs, carefully remove the sterilized jar from the boiling water and add the peppers to about one inch from the top of the jar. Add the vinegar, water and salt mixture to cover the peppers. Insert a table knife inside the jar between the jar and the peppers and run it all around the inside of the jar to release any air bubbles. Press down on the peppers, add more brine solution if needed to cover the peppers. There should be at least 1/2-inch of headspace between the peppers and the rim of the jar.
• Wipe the rim of the jar with a damp paper towel, add the lid and screw band. Allow the jar of peppers to cool then keep them refrigerated.
• When removing peppers from the jar, keep any remaining peppers covered with water.

ITALIAN STUFFED SWEET PEPPERS

Steps:

• Remove casings from sausage and crumble in pan and brown, drain off excess drippings, and put cooked sausage into a bowl,let cool enough to handle, while you chop your onion and cut tops off and remove seeds from the peppers. Add onion,basil,and garlic, bread crumbs and cheese. Mix well. Stuff mixture into peppers while heating the same skillet that you cooked the sausage in with the 3 Tbl or olive oil. When the oil is medium hot add the peppers, cooking and turning them until they are they are starting to brown and wrinkle. Add chopped tomato, garlic and basil to the hot skillet, let cook over uncovered over medium heat for 5 minuutes. Serve over top of hot pasta or Parmesan polenta.