Stuffed Peppers

1/2 lb.  Ground sausage (we used sweet Italian)

1/2 lb.  ground beef

6 Large peppers (we used red, yellow and orange but green is fine too)

1 Clove garlic

1 Onion, chopped

1 Cup cooked rice

1 Can mild Rotel

2 Cups shredded cheddar cheese

2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley

1/2 Tsp. salt

1/2 Tsp. pepper

Olive oil

Directions:
In a large skillet, brown sausage, beef, garlic, and onion in oil.
 Add the chopped parsley and cooked rice.  Stir in Ro-tel and 1/2 cup of cheddar cheese (it will melt, it doesn't matter).  Season with salt and pepper.


Cut off the tops of peppers, and trim the bottom so they sit flat in your dish.
 Chop scrap pepper tops and add to filling (optional, but I did it).
 Place peppers in baking dish and stuff until full.
 Drizzle peppers with olive oil.


Cover with foil and bake at 375 degrees for 40 minutes.
 Remove from oven and take off the foil. Use remaining shredded cheese to top peppers, bake uncovered another 15 minutes.

Rhonda

Shredded Chicken Nachos with Pico de Gallo

For the Chicken:
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 pounds boneless, skinless chicken breast diced into 3-inch strips
4 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups thinly sliced onions
1 tablespoon minced garlic
2 cups chicken stock
4 teaspoons fresh squeezed lime juice
4 cups shredded chicken
2 cups shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1/4 cup green onions finely sliced
3/4 cup sour cream, for garnishing
1/2 cup sliced pickled jalapeños, for garnishing
2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves, for garnishing

For the Nachos:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
2 cups milk
1 small can chopped green chiles, drained
2 cups grated sharp yellow Cheddar
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
8 to 10 cups corn tortillas

For the Pico de Gallo:
1 (14-ounce) can whole tomatoes, drained
1/4 cup chopped yellow onions
2 tablespoons minced cilantro leaves
1 jalapeno pepper, stem and seeds removed, finely chopped
2 teaspoons fresh lime juice
1 clove garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon Emeril's Red Hot Pepper Sauce
1/4 teaspoon salt

Directions

For the Chicken:
Set a wide-mouthed 3-quart saucepan with lid over medium-high heat and add the oil to the pan. Season the chicken pieces with the chili powder and salt and toss the evenly coat. Add the chicken to the pan and sear for 3 minutes per side. Add the onions to the pan and sauté for another 3 minutes. Add the garlic to the pan and saute for 1 minute. Pour the chicken stock over the chicken and bring to a boil. Reduce to a low heat and cover. Continue to cook the chicken until very tender, about 1 hour, stir the chicken to shred it and continue to cook, covered, for another 30 minutes. Once the chicken is cooked, stir and mash to shred the chicken meat and add the lime juice to the chicken. Set aside as you prepare the nachos.

For the Nachos:
Pico de Gallo, for serving, recipe follows

In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat and whisk in the flour. Cook, stirring constantly, for 2 to 3 minutes. Do not allow the flour to color. While whisking constantly, add the milk in a steady stream. Add the green chiles and bring the sauce to a boil. Cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes, or until the sauce is thickened and bubbly. Add the Cheddar, salt, and cayenne pepper and stir until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth. Cover and remove from the heat.

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.

In a large, ovenproof shallow casserole or on a large baking sheet, spread half of the tortilla chips in an even layer. Top with half of the chicken, and half of the Monterey Jack cheese. Top with the remaining tortilla chips and chicken. Pour the hot cheese sauce over the chicken, then evenly spread the remaining grated Monterey Jack over the top. Bake until the cheese is melted and bubbly and the nachos are heated through, 8 to 10 minutes. Garnish with the sliced green onions, sour cream, pickled jalapenos and cilantro. Serve with the Pico de Gallo alongside.

Yield: 6 servings

For the Pico de Gallo:
In the bowl of a food processor, combine all the ingredients and pulse until the salsa is of uniform consistency but still slightly chunky, about 7 pulses. Transfer to a bowl and set aside until ready to serve the nachos.

Yield: 1 cup

Recipe courtesy Emeril Lagasse, 2006

Ed and Rhonda

Chicken Marsala

2 tsp. Minced Garlic

2 tsp. Minced Onions

2 tsp. Marjoram Leaves

1 tsp.  Ground Black Pepper

2 tsp. Basil Leaves

1 ½ tsp. Parsley Flakes

 2 tsp. salt 

2/3 cup of flour 

1 cup of chicken broth 

¾ cup Marsala wine

4 tbsp. olive oil

4 tbsp. butter, divided

6 thinly slices boneless skinless chicken breast about 1 ¼ lbs. 

1 pkg. (8 oz.) sliced mushrooms (I use the larger pkg. of mushrooms

Directions:

Mix flour, minced garlic, marjoram, minces onions, salt and pepper in shallow dish. Reserve 2 tbsp. or 3 tbsp. mixture of flour.  Coat chicken with remaining flour mixture. 

Heat 3 tbsp. of butter and oil in large nonstick skillet on medium high heat. Cook chicken pieces until golden brown. Remove from the skillet.  Keep warm.  Add mushrooms to skillet: cook and stir 5 minutes or until tender. 

Mix broth and reserved flour mixture.  Add to skillet along with whine.  Bring to boil, stirring to release browned bits in bottom of skillet.  Stir in remaining 1 tbsp. butter and basil; cook 2 minutes or until sauce is slightly thickened.  Spoon sauce over chicken to serve.  Sprinkle with parsley. 

We serve this with rice. 

Ed and Rhonda

Cheddar Cheese Ball

1 (8 oz) package cream cheese
1 cup finely shredded cheddar cheese
2 tablespoon butter
2 tablespoon milk or dry white wine
1 green onion, finely chopped
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
6 slices chipped beef
2 tablespoon diced pimento

 Set out cream cheese, cheddar cheese, and butter to reach room temperature, and then combine. Add milk (or wine) onion, and Worcestershire sauce. Mix until well combined. Shred beef and add one half along with pimentos. Chill 4 hours. Roll ball in remaining beef.

Ed & Rhonda

A Man’s Barbecued Chicken (It’s good)

2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp pepper
1-1/2 cup canned tomato juice
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
1/4 tsp dry mustard
1 bay leaf
4-1/2 tbsp Worcestershire Sauce
3/4 cup cider vinegar
1 tsp sugar
3 cloves garlic
3 tsp butter
2-1/2 - 3 lb broiler fryer, quartered3 med onions, thinly sliced

Early in the day or the day before, make barbecue sauce by combining in a saucepan the salt, pepper, tomato juice, cayenne, mustard, bay leaf, Worcestershire, vinegar, sugar, garlic and butter. Simmer uncovered, 10 min. Refrigerate about 1 hour and 30 min.

Heat oven to 425°. Arrange chicken, skin side down, in single layer in shallow open pan. Sprinkle lightly with some salt & pepper. Arrange onions on chicken, tucking a few slices under wings, legs. Pour on barbecue sauce. Bake uncovered basting often 1/2 hour. Turn, bake basting for 45 min or until fork can be inserted easily into legs.

Makes 4-6 servings.

Ed & Rhonda

Chicken Parmesan

4 boneless chicken breasts
6 tbsp olive oil, divided
3 cloves minced garlic
1 onion minced or chopped
1 lb 4 oz can tomatoes
1&1/2 tsp salt
1 (8 oz) can tomato sauce
1/4 tsp thyme
1 egg
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/4 cup packed dried bread crumbs
1/2 lb mozzarella cheese

In 3 tbsp hot olive oil, sauté garlic & onions until golden. Add tomatoes, salt, pepper, breaking up tomatoes with spoon, simmer uncovered 10 min. Add tomato sauce, thyme, simmer uncovered 20 min.

Beat egg well. Combine bread crumbs & 1/4 cup Parm cheese. Dip each chicken piece into egg then crumbs, sauté in 3 tbsp olive oil until golden on both sides. Set pieces side by side in baking dish 12x8x2.

Heat oven to 350°. Thinly slice the mozzarella. Pour 2/3 of tomato mixture over chicken. Arrange mozzarella on top, spoon rest of tomato mixture on. Sprinkle with 1/4 cup Parmesan. Bake uncovered 30 min. Makes 4 generous servings.

Rhonda & Ed

Breast of Chicken Parisienne

4 double chicken breasts (boneless & skinless)
2 tbsp cooking oil
1/2 tsp tomato paste
1 tbsp flour
1/2 cup chicken stock (or canned broth)
1 to 1-1/2 cup milk - warm
1 tbsp parmesan cheese
Salt & pepper
4 tbsp butter
2 cups sliced mushrooms
Cayenne
1 tbsp sherry

Dust chicken with flour & brown in a large skillet. Add broth. Pour in wine & tomato paste. Remove chicken. Stir until thickened, add milk carefully. Season with salt & pepper. Return chicken to pan. Cover and cook gently 20 min. Arrange in oven-proof serving dish, cover with sauce, sprinkle with cheese, dot with butter, brown in broiler.

Separately, cook finely sliced mushrooms in very hot butter 5 min. Add salt & cayenne. Pour sherry over. Spoon over the chicken as it is served.

Ed & Rhonda

Dot's Meatballs

2 slices white bread
1/2 cup water
1 small onion, chopped
4 sprigs parsley, chopped
1 lb ground round beef
(or ground beef and pork)
3 tbsp shredded Parmesan cheese
1 egg
1 tsp salt
1/2 tsp pepper
1 clove garlic, crushed

Squeeze the moistened bread (with water). Add all the other ingredients, shape into balls. Brown in olive oil, add to sauce (Dot's Spaghetti Sauce).

Rhonda & Ed

Dot's Spaghetti Sauce

1 small onion chopped

2 garlic cloves
1/4 cup oil
2 small cans tomato sauce
1 small can tomato paste 3 cups water

1 tbsp sugar

1 tbsp oregano
1 tsp salt
1 tsp pepper

In a heavy bottomed kettle, sauté onion & garlic in hot oil until soft. Add remaining ingredients & cook slowly one hour. Add meatballs (Dot's Meatballs) and serve over cooked pasta.

Rhonda & Ed