Cajun Stuffed Peppers
Courtesy of Food Network Magazine, January/February Issue


Normally, I will make a pretty basic stuffed pepper. However, when I tend to see the words "cajun" and "andouille" in the same recipe, I can't ignore that for a second. Here is the recipe as we made it, if you would like it verbatim, I will post a link towards the bottom of this post.


Ingredients:
1 cup brown rice (we used minute rice)
1/2 cup quinoa
2 large red bell peppers, halved lengthwise and seeded
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 medium white onion, chopped
1/4 pound andouille sausage, finely chopped
3 cloves garlic, chopped
1/2 teaspoon oregano
large pinch allspice
Kosher salt
1 14 oz can low sodium diced tomatoes
1 small bunch kale, stems removed, leaves chopped
dried parsley, for topping
Adobo, as needed


1) Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil; add the brown rice and the kale, boil for 15 minutes. Once cooked, drain until a little water is left in the bottom of the pan, set aside.
2) Meanwhile, drizzle the bell peppers with a little water, and put about a half of an inch of water in the bottom of a microwave safe bowl (we used an 8x8 pyrex dish). Place the peppers in the microwave safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave for 10 minutes.
3) Heat the olive oil in a wide skillet or saucepan over medium high heat. Add the onion and cook, until golden brown, about 5-7 minutes. Add the sausage, garlic, oregano, allspice, and salt (about 1/2 teaspoon). Cook, continuously stirring, until the sausage is brown and crisp, about three minutes.
4)Add the tomatoes and 1 cup water to the pan. Pile the kale on top, cover and cook until the kale has a vibrant green color, about 3-5 minutes. Stir the kale into the sauce and bring to a simmer. Arrange the bell peppers on top, cover, and simmer until the kale is tender, about 8 minutes.
5) Divide the peppers among plates. Stir the grains (rice and quinoa) into the kale mixture and season with Adobo, per your own preference. Spoon into the peppers and top with a touch of parsley.


Here is what our finished product looked like:

Not the prettiest plate in the world, but it was definitely tasty. It needs that little kick of Adobo to help the flavors. If you don't have Adobo, a mixture of salt, pepper, cumin, and garlic salt should help. 

Here is a link to the Food Network recipe for these Cajun Stuffed Peppers

Enjoy and let me know what you think!

Spinach and Goat Cheese Omelet with Bacon on the side


So, when I made my first omelet a few months ago, I hadn't made an omelet since high school. I was a bit nervous, because eggs require a lot of attention, they aren't an ingredient you can just walk away from and go do something else. After some playing around, I have finally gotten my omelet making skills to the point where I am proud to show them to the public :-P This isn't a recipe I found anywhere, because you can put almost anything in an omelet. For me, it's the technique that can really make or break an omelet, so here you go!


Ingredients:
3 Eggs (or 3/4 cup of Egg Beaters, depending on your preference)
Baby Spinach, chopped (no measurement, it's based on preference)
Crumbled Goat Cheese (again, as much as you want based on preference)
Salt and Pepper
Butter (or cooking spray) to coat the frying pan.
Bacon, 4-6 strips


Go ahead and cook the bacon first, however you normally would cook it. I usually cook my bacon in the oven by lining a baking sheet with aluminum foil. I then place the bacon on the baking sheet, and pop the sheet into the COLD oven. Next, I turn the oven to Bake at 400 degrees for 15-16 minutes. Once the bacon is cooked to your liking, put on a plate with paper towels and set aside.


For the omelet, I first spray whatever frying pan I am using with a liberal amount of butter (or cooking spray), and turn my burner to a medium to medium high heat.


Next, I beat/whisk the eggs together with the salt and pepper. Your omelet doesn't need a lot of other spice, but based on the ingredients you're adding, you can always add some different things. I also use Kosher or sea salt instead of regular salt, as it provides a better flavor. 


Once your pan is nice and hot, go ahead and pour in the eggs, making sure they coat the bottom of the pan evenly. Once you have your spinach and goat cheese ready, you add the next ingredient: PATIENCE. As long as you are patient with your eggs, they will be fantastic. 


As your eggs start to cook, gently push the eggs away from the sides of the pan, so you can easily flip the omelet later. As you push the eggs away from the sides, tilt your frying pan so any uncooked egg reaches that hot surface and starts to cook. 


Once your eggs are mostly cooked through, add your spinach and goat cheese to one side of the omelet. Let the omelet cook just a little longer, about 2 minutes, until you can easily get the edges of the omelet away from the frying pan and even slide the omelet around a little without it breaking. Once the omelet gets to that point, flip or fold the side of the omelet with no filling onto the side with the filling. Then let the omelet cook for another 2-3 minutes


At that point, your eggs should be completely cooked, and your cheese should be melted from the heat of the eggs. Slide the omelet off of the pan, add your bacon, and enjoy! Here is a picture of my finished product:

If you have any questions or feedback, post a comment to the blog! Thanks and happy eating!!!

Introduction:

Hey everyone! So, after much consideration and some semi-agonizing comments on my Facebook page, I've decided to make a blog about food! I find myself posting pictures of the recipes that I cook on a semi-nightly basis, and decided to find a more constructive, dynamic way to share these great recipes with everyone. My blog will contain a picture of the tasty, finished product (or, not so tasty depending on the recipe), a link to the original recipe, and my transcription of the recipe as I made it. Enjoy!