Jambalaya

I make a lot of chicken and rice.  I'm not gonna lie.  But I'm always trying to come up with more flavorful ways to cook it.  Jambalaya seems to fit that bill!

Jambalaya

Original recipe: Cooking Light  Adapted by Amy's New Kitchen
Serves 5

Ingredients:

• 2 tsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup green bell pepper, chopped
• 1/2 cup red bell pepper, chopped
• 2 jalapenos, seeded and chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 3/4 cups uncooked, long-grain white rice
• 3 cups low-sodium chicken broth
• 2 tsp paprika
• 1 tsp oregano
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1/2 tsp dried thyme
• 1/4 tsp  ground cayenne pepper
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 tsp of your favorite hot sauce (or to taste)
• 1 can (14.5 oz) diced tomatoes, undrained
• 1 can (6 oz) tomato sauce
• 2 boneless, skinless chicken breasts, seasoned then grilled and cut into bite-sized pieces
• 3 beef smoked sausages, grilled and cut into bite-sized pieces

Heat oil in a a dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add onion, bell peppers, jalapenos and garlic and saute 5 minutes or until vegetables are becoming tender.


Stir in rice, cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add broth, paprika, oregano, black pepper, thyme, cayenne pepper, bay leaf and hot sauce; bring to a boil. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer 15 minutes. Add chicken, sausage, tomatoes and tomato sauce; cook, uncovered, 5-10 minutes or until liquid is absorbed.  Remove from heat and remove bay leaf.  Let stand 5 minutes.

This is a fun and easy recipe that is a great weeknight meal.   It's not too spicy but has a nice kick to it that won't let you down.  Make some cornbread, or maybe some Garlic Cheddar Biscuits on the side and you've got yourself a seriously delicious meal! 

Cheddar Stuffed Jalapenos

My brother, dad and husband are big fans of peppers.  Most of the time, the hotter the better.  So for Father's Day, I decided to make some stuffed jalapenos for my bro and my dad.  And I guess Jeffrey too since he is a doggy dad!

The only problem with most recipes is that they all involve cream cheese.  An ingredient that Jeff does not approve of.  So, I made up my own and they were a hit!  My 8 year old nephew even loved them-always a bonus!  And they're colorful-which is just they way I like it.

Cheddar Cheese Stuffed Jalapenos 
Servings: 6; 2 per serving

Ingredients:
6 slices bacon
6 jalapenos
4 oz sharp cheddar cheese
2 Tbsp pimentos
Garlic powder


Partially cook bacon slices, side by side, in oven for 8 minutes at 400º on a shallow, rimmed baking sheet.  Do not discard the bacon grease.  Cut each slice of bacon in half and let cool.  Turn oven heat up to 450º.


Split jalapenos in half, lengthwise (removing the stems or not depending on preference), and remove seeds and membranes.  Fill each half of jalapeno with a thick piece of cheese cut to fit jalapeno.  Add pimentos on top, sprinkle with garlic powder and wrap in ½ a piece of bacon, or lay bacon slice on top of jalapeno.  If wrapping in bacon, lay the seams of bacon underneath each jalapeno to keep in place on baking sheet; if necessary secure with a toothpick.  Place closely together on baking sheet (with bacon grease) and bake in oven for 10-12 minutes or until bacon is nice and crisp.


For a spicier pepper leave the membranes in each jalapeno.

These were fun and easy.  But here's a word of warning.....your hands will remain spiced like a jalapeno for hours.  Don't touch your eyes or they will burn!  Trust me.  Next time I will be wearing latex gloves when cutting up the jalapenos.  You better believe it!

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

For Father's Day I wanted to make a man's meal.  Grilled meat, grilled veggies, bacon-wrapped jalapeno's, things that sound very manly to me.  I found this recipe for Red Pepper Dip and I knew it was perfect for our appetizer for our Father's day meal.

On a side note - recently, the people at POM Wonderful contacted me to sample their product.  I love pomegranate juice but haven't had this specific brand before so I was excited to try it!  And I was excited for the possibilities of what I could make!

This Red Pepper Dip calls for 1 cup of pomegranate juice, exactly the size of one small POM Wonderful bottle.  Perfect!  My first recipe with pomegranate juice.  :)

Roasted Red Pepper Dip

source: Everyday Food, slightly adapted by Amy's New Kitchen
makes 2 cups

Ingredients:

• 1 cup pomegranate juice
• 1 package whole-wheat pitas, 1 pita torn into 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup walnuts, toasted
• 3/4 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1 jar (16 oz) roasted red peppers, drained, rinsed, and roughly chopped
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• Coarse salt

In a medium sauce pan, simmer pomegranate juice over medium-high until thick and syrupy, ~14 minutes (you should have about 2 Tbsp syrup).


 Meanwhile, in a food processor, process torn pita until coarse crumbs form. Add walnuts, paprika, cumin, and cayenne and process until finely chopped. Add peppers, lemon juice, and syrup then process until mixture is a smooth paste. With machine running, slowly pour olive oil through feed tube and process until well combined. Season with salt and serve with remaining pitas, toasted and cut into wedges.

This dip is not your average dip.  It has a nice little kick to it, which I really like.  I love the tartness that the pomegranate and lemon juices bring to the recipe.   I did add just a little bit more lemon juice than the original recipe called.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

There is nothing like a good stuffed bell pepper.  I've been messing around with the ingredients in my recipe and so far, this is my favorite combo.

Stuffed Bell Peppers

Serves 6

1 lb lean ground beef
1/2 cup chopped onion
1/2 cup frozen whole kernel corn
1 packet Garlic and Herb salad dressing mix
1 can tomato sauce
1/2 cup water
1 cup cooked rice
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese, shredded
6 bell peppers


Brown the ground beef, onions, and corn until the meat is no longer pink.  Drain any grease.  Add the packet of Garlic and Herb salad dressing mix, tomato sauce, water, rice and about 1/4 cup of the shredded cheese.  Stir to mix.  Let simmer until sauce thickens.


Preheat oven to  350º


Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds.  Stuff the peppers with the beef mixture and top with the remaining cheese.  Add one cup of water to the bottom of a baking dish.  Place peppers in dish and cover and bake in the oven 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the peppers.  Remove cover halfway through cooking.

Sometimes if we want a little charring for flavor on the peppers we will cut the baking time, then grill them for about 10 minutes until they're tender.  So good!