Stuffed Peppers With Italian Sausage Food

ITALIAN STYLE STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• WASH bell peppers; REMOVE 1- 1 1/2 inch off pepper tops levelly using a knife (reserve tops); REMOVE seeds and ribs from peppers with a tea spoon; PREHEAT oven to 350°F.
• PREPARE your favorite recipe for quick-cooking rice, to yield 2 cups rice; BROWN 1 pound bulk Italian sausage in a skillet and drain fat.
• INTO a large pot (with an accompanying vegetable steamer basket set aside) combine 2 cups water, 3 tablespoons white vinegar, 2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning; INSERT steamer basket into pot; PLACE peppers cut-side down, along with pepper tops, into steamer insert in pot; COVER; BRING to boiling; BOIL for one minute; REDUCE heat to medium high. STEAM until tender yet firm (about 10 minutes).
• CAREFULLY remove peppers and tops from steamer basket using tongs and place onto onto paper towels to drain.
• DICE pepper tops around the stems (discard stems); STIR in the diced peppers and cooked sausage to cooked rice, along with 2 tablespoons of the parmesan cheese, and 3 tablespoons sliced black olives.
• POUR desired amount of marinara sauce into the rice/meat mixture to moisten; SEASON rice/meat mixture to taste with a little Italian seasoning and/or salt and pepper, if desired; BLEND.
• POUR enough marinara sauce into an 8 x 8 x 2 square baking dish, just to cover bottom; ARRANGE the steamed peppers upright in baking dish.
• STUFF peppers upright, mounding slightly, with the rice/meat mixture; POUR remaining marinara sauce over stuffed peppers.
• DIVIDE and distribute shredded mozzarella cheese over prepared peppers; SPRINKLE peppers with remaining parmesan cheese; TOP center of peppers with a whole black olive (or olive slice).
• BAKE peppers upright in a baking dish until heated through, about 10 minutes; SERVE and enjoy!

ITALIAN-STYLE STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Spray a roasting pan (large enough to accommodate 8 pepper halves in a single layer) with cooking spray.
• Combine the ground sirloin, Italian sausage, brown rice, Italian seasonings, salt, pepper, garlic, Parmesan cheese, egg, and 1/2 cup Classico® Tomato & Basil sauce in a large bowl. Mix until combined.
• Divide meat mixture evenly among the green pepper halves; press to compress slightly. Arrange halves in prepared pan. Spoon the remaining Classico® Tomato & Basil sauce onto the tops of the meat and peppers. Cover tightly with foil.
• Bake until the peppers are soft and internal temperature of the meat reaches 165 degrees F, about 1 1/2 hours.
• Remove from oven. Remove foil and top each pepper with shredded cheese.
• Turn oven to broil. Place peppers, uncovered under the broiler. Broil until the cheese is melted and bubbly, about 5 minutes. Sprinkle with parsley.

ITALIAN STUFFED JALAPENOS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and set a rack in the middle of the oven.
• Place jalapenos on a sheet tray and roast for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool. Turn broiler on medium.
• Heat the oil in a medium saute pan. Add the sausage and cook for 5 to 7 minutes. Add the onions, peppers, and garlic and cook to soften for about 5 minutes. Remove and place in a large bowl. Cool to room temperature, then add mascarpone, and Parmesan. Mix ingredients thoroughly and season with salt and pepper.
• Place approximately 1 tablespoon of mixture into each jalapeno half, and top with 1/2 teaspoon of mozzarella cheese.
• Place the sheet tray of stuffed peppers in oven and broil until mozzarella cheese melts.

STUFFED PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix first 9 ingredients in large bowl until well blended. Fill pepper halves with sausage mixture, dividing equally and mounding slightly. Arrange in 13 x 9 x 2-inch baking dish. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cover; chill.)
• Bake peppers uncovered until tops are browned and thermometer inserted into filling registers 165°F, about 1 hour. Transfer peppers to platter. Garnish with rosemary sprigs and serve.

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.

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.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE STUFFED MINI PEPPERS

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Slice each mini sweet pepper in half lengthwise, then slice/scoop out the pith and seeds and discard. Place each pepper half on a sheet pan with the cut-side up.
• Once all of the peppers are on the pan, lightly drizzle them with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Bake for 7 minutes to slightly soften them up, then set aside. Lower the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) once the peppers are done.
• Add Italian sausage to a pan set over medium heat, breaking it into small crumbles as it cooks. Once fully cooked (no longer pink), transfer sausage crumbles to a paper-towel lined plate to cool.
• Clean out pan to use again. Add 1 Tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and set it over medium/low heat. Once heated add diced onion and cook for 5-6 minutes, then add garlic. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are golden and tender. Remove the pan from the heat.
• In a medium mixing bowl, add cooked and crumbled sausage, sauteed onion and garlic mixture, cream cheese, 1 ounce (about ⅓ cup) of the shredded cheese, parsley, basil, and crushed red pepper. Stir well to break up the cream cheese until all ingredients in the filling mixture are evenly combined.
• If you find excess liquid has pooled in the peppers as they've cooled, you may wish to blot it before stuffing them so the filling doesn't slide around. Stuff each pepper half with the filling, pressing it into the peppers well. Top evenly with the remaining shredded cheese.
• Bake (now at 350°F) for 8-10 minutes, or until the cheese has melted and the stuffed mini peppers are heated well throughout. Serve warm.

ITALIAN SAUSAGE STUFFED BANANA PEPPERS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Set out a 9 x 13 inch baking dish and a large mixing bowl.
• Prep the banana peppers by cutting off the stems. Use a small knife to slice down one side of each pepper from top to tip. (You don't want to cut the banana peppers in half, but just create a slit so they're much easier to stuff.) Remove the seeds inside and discard. Make sure to wash your hands well with hot soapy water. Even though banana peppers are usually mild, they may leave oils on your hands that can burn your eyes.
• Next, set a small skillet over medium heat. Add the butter, diced onions, and garlic. Salt and pepper liberally, then sauté to soften for 3 to 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, combine the Italian sausage, cream cheese, Parmesan cheese, egg, Italian seasoning, and crushed red pepper in the mixing bowl.
• Once the onions and garlic have softened, move to the bowl, and mix the sausage mixture by hand until smooth and even.
• Pour the marinara into the baking dish.
• One at a time, scoop up the sausage mixture with your hands and press it down into the banana peppers. Use your finger to press it all the way to the tip filling the banana pepper entirely. The peppers do not have to be closed along the seam, but they also shouldn't be so stuffed that the pepper could crack.
• Place the stuffed banana peppers in the baking dish. Alternate the directions in which they lay so they fit neatly in the dish. Cover the top of the baking dish tightly with foil. Bake for 55 minutes undisturbed.
• Remove the foil and check that the peppers are very soft. Sprinkle the shredded Italian cheese over the top of the banana peppers and place back in the oven for five minutes to melt.
• Serve warm, with marinara and a sprinkling of chopped parsley

STUFFED ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and position the oven rack to the center.
• Carefully cut the Italian sausage links lengthwise, making sure to only cut about halfway down into the sausage.
• Insert a piece of string cheese into each sausage and then pinch the top of the raw sausage closed over the top of the cheese. Place the stuffed sausages into the bottom of a 9x9 baking dish.
• Drizzle the cup of marinara sauce over the top of the sausages.
• Bake the stuffed sausage recipe for 30+ minutes or until the sausages are cooked through and reach an internal temperature of 160 degrees Fahrenheit.

STUFFED PEPPERS WITH ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Heat a Dutch oven or soup kettle over medium-high heat. Add sausage and onions, breaking up sausage with a spatula. Cook until the sausage loses its raw color and the onions soften, about 10 to 12 minutes. Add soup, sauce, chili and garlic powders, Italian seasoning, water and rice. Bring to a boil and stir frequently. Reduce heat to low, cover and cook until rice is tender and mixture is thick enough to be spooned into peppers, about 25 to 30 minutes. Stir in 3/4 cup of the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.
• Meanwhile, bring 1 gallon of water and 2 tablespoons of salt to a boil and preheat oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C). Working 4 at a time, add peppers to the water; simmer until crisp-tender, about 5 to 7 minutes. Set them upright on a baking sheet.
• When rice is ready, spoon a portion into each pepper, filling each. Top with remaining cheese. Bake in preheated oven until peppers are fully cooked and filling is heated through, about 30 minutes. Serve.