Sausage Quinoa Stuffed Peppers Food

SAUSAGE QUINOA STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Arrange seeded and halved peppers in a shallow pan or Dutch Oven hollow side facing up.
• In a large saute pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. When oil is shimmering but not smoking, add onions and allow them to cook until soft, stirring occasionally. Add minced garlic and cook until fragrant (about 1 minute) stirring so that the garlic does not burn. Add loose sausage and cook until the sausage is browned through. (If you use high quality sausage, there will be no oil to drain off at this point, if you have used lesser quality sausage, you will need to drain off all except 2 tbsp of the excess grease.)
• Add beans, tomatoes, oregano and salt and pepper. (I roast tomatoes and remove skins in large batches and put them in the freezer for this type of use. So I thaw them and pull them apart with my hands as I put them in the pot.) Mix well.
• Add uncooked quinoa and chicken or vegetable stock to the pot and stir well. Allow the mixture to cook together until the quinoa is completely cooked. It will take about 20 minutes. You will be able to see the spiral in the quinoa when it is cooked. There mixture will be thick but juicy. Taste carefully and adjust salt and pepper to taste.
• Use a measuring cup (or coffee mug!) to carefully scoop the sausage quinoa mixture and pour it into the hollow peppers, making sure to fill the peppers completely but allowing the mixture and juice to spill over the sides. Once all peppers are filled, pour remaining juice into the bottom of your pan or Dutch Oven. Put the pan into the pre-heated oven and cook for approximately 30 minutes or until the peppers are tender.
• Pull the cooked peppers from the oven, top with grated cheese and cook for an additional 5 minutes or until the cheese is melted. Remove from oven and garnish with parsley. Enjoy!

SAUSAGE & HERB STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Slice 1/4 inch off the top of the peppers. Remove the core and seeds as best you can. (Pulling it out by hand usually works best.) Line peppers cut side up in a greased baking pan large enough to fit them all. A 9×13 inch dish is a great size for this recipe. A cast iron skillet could work too.
• Preheat oven to 375°F (191°C).
• Heat olive oil and onion in a large skillet over medium heat. Cook for 3-4 minutes until onions are soft, then stir in the sausage, mushrooms, garlic, oregano, parsley, basil, salt, and pepper. Cook and break up the sausage with your spoon/spatula as best you can until the sausage is almost fully cooked through, about 6-7 minutes. Carefully spoon out most of the grease/fat, if there is any. Stir in the chicken broth. Cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat. Stir in 1 cup of cheese and all of the cooked rice.
• Spoon filling into each pepper, filling all the way to the top.
• Optional, but helps keep the peppers moist as they bake- pour about 1 inch of warm water into the bottom of the pan around the peppers.
• Bake, covered, for 35-38 minutes or until the peppers are nearly fork tender. Remove from the oven, and evenly sprinkle the peppers with the remaining cheese. Return to the oven, uncovered, and bake for 5 more minutes.
• Sprinkle with additional parsley or other herb, if desired. Use tongs to carefully remove the peppers from the pan and serve warm.
• Cover and store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat in the microwave or cover and bake in a 300°F (149°C) oven for 20 minutes or until warm in the center.

QUINOA AND VEGETABLE STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F.
• Bring the quinoa and stock to a boil. Cover and simmer until the liquid is absorbed and the grain looks translucent, 12 to 15 minutes. Then fluff with a fork. You will have about 4 cups of cooked grain.
• Drizzle the bell pepper halves with EVOO and season both sides with salt and pepper. Roast cut-side down until the skins begin to char and the peppers are just tender, about 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool to room temp, then arrange in a baking dish cut-side up.
• Meanwhile, heat 3 tablespoons EVOO, 3 turns of the pan, over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, eggplant, zucchini, onions and chiles, and season with salt and pepper. Cook partially covered to tender, 10 to 12 minutes. Add the herbs and tomatoes, and combine with the quinoa.
• Fill the pepper halves with the quinoa and vegetable stuffing and drizzle with EVOO. Cool and chill for a make-ahead meal. To serve, roast in a 375 degree F oven until the peppers are hot through. Serve the pepper halves topped with lots of cheese crumbles.

QUINOA UNSTUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• In a small saucepan, bring stock to a boil. Add quinoa. Reduce heat; simmer, covered, until liquid is absorbed, 12-15 minutes. Remove from heat., In a large skillet, cook and crumble sausage with peppers and onion over medium-high heat until no longer pink, 8-10 minutes. Add garlic and seasonings; cook and stir 1 minute. Stir in quinoa. Freeze option: Place cooled quinoa mixture in freezer containers. To use, partially thaw in refrigerator overnight. Microwave, covered, on high in a microwave-safe dish until heated through, stirring occasionally.

SAUSAGE & QUINOA STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
• Prepare the peppers by cutting off the tops and cleaning out the insides. Either boil or bake until softened.
• Heat a small frying pan over medium heat. Add oil.
• When shimmering, add the onions and cook until translucent.
• Add the sausage and brown.
• Drain the fat from the sausage.
• In a mixing bowl, combine the quinoa, sausage, 3 oz. cheese, and 3/4 Celsius tomato sauce.
• Add salt and pepper to taste.
• Spoon mixture into the peppers and place into glass baking dish.
• Top peppers with remaining sauce and cheese.
• Bake 15 minutes until cheese is melted.

SAUSAGE STUFFED BELL PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Cut off the top quarter of each bell pepper and reserve. Scoop the seeds and veins out from the inside of each pepper and discard. Set bell pepper shells aside. Remove and discard the stems from each bell pepper top. Dice enough of the bell pepper tops to make 1/2 cup. Set aside.
• In a large skillet, over medium-high heat, crumble and brown the sausage until cooked through, about 4 minutes. Add the onions, 1/2 cup diced bell pepper, and the celery. Saute for 4 minutes, or until the vegetables are soft. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Add the rice and mix well. Season with salt, pepper and Essence. Cook for about 1 minute. Remove from the heat and stir in the green onions and parsley. Season the insides of the bell pepper shells with salt and pepper, to taste. Spoon the rice mixture into the bell peppers.
• In a small bowl, combine the bread crumbs and cheese. Season with a pinch of Essence and mix well. Sprinkle the crust over each pepper. Top each crust with 1 teaspoon of butter and place the peppers into an 8-inch baking dish or pan. Add just enough water to cover the bottom, about 1/3 cup. Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the tops are crusty and brown and warmed through. Serve hot.
• Combine all ingredients thoroughly.
• Recipe from "New New Orleans Cooking", by Emeril Lagasse and Jessie Tirsch, Published by William and Morrow, 1993.

QUINOA STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Line a deep baking dish with aluminum foil.
• Mix quinoa and water together in a saucepan; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until quinoa is tender and water is absorbed, about 15 minutes.
• Heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat; cook and stir onion and garlic until fragrant and slightly translucent, 5 to 7 minutes. Add zucchini, eggplant, and tomato; cook until slightly tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir tomato sauce into vegetable mixture; cover and simmer until vegetables have softened, about 10 more minutes.
• Stir quinoa into vegetable mixture. Season with salt and pepper. Fill bell peppers with quinoa-vegetable mixture. Place peppers in prepared baking dish. Cover dish with aluminum foil.
• Bake in the preheated oven until bell peppers are slightly tender, about 18 minutes. Remove aluminum foil cover; sprinkle peppers with mozzarella cheese. Bake until cheese is bubbling and melted, about 5 more minutes.