Vegetable Stuffed Peppers

Happy Boozday Tuesday  ~ Happy Fat Tuesday! 

The sun is shining and the temperature pretty mild for this time of year in Long Island.  The day started off positive for my boyz, so I knew it would be a good day.  Taking them out for a short walk instantly set off my spasms, so it was back to the heating pad for me.  After a while I got the spasms to settle down a bit and headed to the kitchen to prepare dinner, as I had a feeling the relief might be short lived. 

I had some beautiful red peppers in the fridge and decided that's what was going to be for dinner tonight.  My mother loved to make stuffed peppers and my father and I always enjoyed eating them.  Her recipe was made with a rice/meat filling and tomato sauce.   They were so delicious, even after all these years, I remember how amazing they smelled and tasted.  

                   Vegetable Stuffed Peppers

ingredients:
3 red peppers, halved with ribs and seeds removed
1/2 small onion, chopped
1 zucchini, grated
1 carrot, grated
1 garlic clove, chopped
1 cup orzo
4 cups chicken stock (I recommend Kitchen Basics)
kosher salt and pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil

directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.  In a small skillet over medium to low heat add your olive oil, onion, garlic and pinch of salt.  Cook until translucent but not browned.  Remove from heat and set on the side.  

In a medium saucepan bring chicken stock to a boil.  Add the orzo and cook for 6 minutes so the orzo is partially cooked.  With a slotted spoon transfer orzo to a small bowl.  In a large bowl grate your zucchini and carrot.

Add the orzo and onion/garlic mixture.  Season to taste.

Mix everything together.  Arrange your peppers in a baking dish/roasting pan with 2 cups of the chicken stock left over from the orzo.

Spoon the orzo/vegetable mixture into each pepper. 

Cover with foil and bake for 45 minutes.  Remove foil and bake for another 10 minutes.  Arrange pepper on a serving plate and dinner is served.  It's a light and hearty dish.  If you're a cheese fan, add your favorite cheese after the foil is removed and bake until cheese is melted and golden.  Also, you could use rice instead of orzo.  There are so many ways to switch up this dish to make it your own. 

Here is Max and Prince waiting for the timer to go off.  They are wherever there mama is.  A house is made of walls and beams ... a home is built with love and dreams.

Home is where the heart is.  Friends are the most important ingredient in the recipe of life.   Live ~ Love ~ Laugh and always think positive!


Enjoy and Bon Appetit!


** the secret ingredient is lots of love ღ