Spicy Sausage and Ricotta Stuffed Bell Peppers

This dish was inspired by a couple different recipes I saw floating around Pinterest. I saw someone did a stuffed shell pasta with ricotta and spinach, which sounded amazing, but then I thought...what about stuffing a pepper? I absolutely love stuffing peppers, because they have way fewer calories than pasta, and it's an extra vegetable! I also just love how a whole meal can fit into one little food bowl. This spicy little stuffed pepper will leave you wanting more!

YIELDS: 4-6 servings / PREP TIME: 15 minutes / COOK TIME: 20 minutes

Equipment needed:

• Mixing bowl 2 Q or larger 
• Slotted spoon
• Medium skillet
• Medium baking sheet

Ingredients:

For the pepper stuffing:

• 3    green bell peppers, halved and "gutted" 
• 1    lb hot ground sausage (Anything labeled 'hot' or 'spicy' that's not in a casing will work)
• 2    C ricotta cheese
• 2    packed cups of baby spinach
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 tsp ground cumin

For the sauce:

• 14  oz tomato sauce (crushed tomatoes)
• 1/2 onion, finely diced
• 1    tsp salt
• 2    tsp ground cumin
• 2    tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp - 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes (adjust the heat as you like) 
• Crumbled feta cheese (optional)

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and coat a baking sheet with some non-stick spray (I like to use olive oil spray).
2. Cook the sausage in a skillet, making sure to break up all the larger chunks, then remove from the heat. Using the slotted spatula, transfer the sausage into a mixing bowl. Be sure to leave the leftover oil in the skillet, as we will use that later.
3. Add the ricotta cheese, spinach and spices to your sausage. Mix well, then transfer into your pepper halves, keeping the filling is as level as possible. 
4. Pop those peppers on a tray and put them in the oven. While your peppers are cooking, its time to make your sauce.
5. Return the skillet with the leftover sausage oil back to medium-high heat. Add your diced onions to the oil and let cook for a few minutes, until the become slightly translucent.
6. Add all the spices to the onions, mix thoroughly, then add the tomato sauce. Heat until the sauce begins to simmer. Reduce heat to low, stirring occasionally until your peppers are finished.
7. The peppers are done when they are slightly soft, and the edges begin to brown. I like a bit of crunch left in my pepper because it adds a nice, contrasting texture to the soft, creamy filling.
8. Add a bit of the marinara sauce to the top of your pepper, and serve with crumbled feta, if desired.

Serving Suggestions:

Because half a stuffed pepper may not be enough food for some appetites, I've made a quick list of how to make this meal a bit heartier.

• Simply serve two halves per person
• Cook your favorite pasta, and toss in the marinara. You may want to double the sauce recipe so you have enough to go on the pasta and the pepper.
• Replace 1 cup of ricotta with an extra 1/2 pound of ground sausage.

Pan Fried Tuna Patties

I feel like we all have those couple cans of tuna fish in our cupboards that we consistently pass over instead of eating them like we always tell ourselves we will. Fret not! I have a wonderful recipe to use up those couple cans of tuna. After trying this delicious patty, you'll wish you had a few more cans in the pantry!

YIELDS: 6 patties / PREPARATION TIME: 10 min / COOK TIME: 20 min

Equipment needed:

• Medium mixing bowl (about 2 Quarts)
• Fork
• 2 Spatulas (Slotted ones are preferred)
• Medium-Large pan deep enough for frying
• Plate
• Paper towels

Ingredients:

• 3     5 oz. cans of tuna, drained
• 3     eggs, lightly beaten
• 1      stalk of celery, chopped
• 1/3  C finely diced onion (I used a sweet onion, but any onion you like will work)
• 1      Tbsp mayo*
• 1      Tbsp mustard
• 1      Tbsp lemon juice
• 2     Tbsp of gluten-free flour mix**
• 1      Tbsp dill
• 1.5   tsp salt
• 1/2  tsp black pepper
• 1/4  tsp paprika 
• 1/2  C oil for frying (I used canola oil)

*Omit if allergic to eggs
**I prefer Bob's Red Mill gluten-free All-Purpose Baking Flour. 

Note: All of these spice measurements are estimations, as I usually just eyeball the amounts. I'll try to get better at measuring, as I continue though!

Directions:

1. Add enough oil to your pan so that the oil is about 1/4 inch high. For me, that was about 1/2 C. Turn the burner on high and allow the oil to heat. 
2. While waiting, add all ingredients together in the mixing bowl and mix with a fork. This recipe creates a rather wet mix, so I would suggest draining any excess liquid, Don't worry, though, the flavor will still be infused even after you drain the liquid.
3. By now, your oil should have little bubbles in it, indicating that's it's hot enough. Now it's time to make your patties. Use your hands to squish together a patty of your desired size. Try to get it about 1/2 inch thick throughout.
4. Transferring the patty into the hot oil can be tricky! Place the patty on one of the spatulas and use the other spatula to slide it off and into the oil.* 
5. Let cook for about 2 minutes, or until the edges turn a medium brown color.
6. Pick up the patty with one of the spatulas, then place your second spatula over the uncooked side of the patty, flip, the lower back into the oil so the other side can cook. Leave for about another 1-2 minutes.
7. Remove patty with your spatula and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to cool.
8. Repeat with the rest of your patties

*The theory of these double spatula methods are to keep your hands as far away from the oil as possible. It's no fun to get burned by hot oil! Believe me, I figured out this technique after I got burned a couple times.

Serving Suggestions:

Here are a couple good ways that I thought to eat this patty:

• In a toasted sandwich with mayo and white American cheese (like a tuna melt).
• With cranberry sauce speared over top
• In a lettuce wrap with Dijon and mayo 
• Plain, with a side of grapes or apples

I found that with the fried, salty flavor of the patty, it paired excellently with the sweetness of fruit! 

Welcome!

Hello everybody and welcome to my cooking blog! I am so excited to be starting this, as it is long overdue. For years and years I've been cooking without recipes and/or heavily modifying recipes I do use. I love to invent and to innovate! Now it's time to share some of my creations with you! 

You'll find that all my recipes are gluten-free, and most are corn-free as well. The reason is that I, myself am mildly gluten-intolerant and many of my family members are sensitive to both gluten and corn. Although I eat dairy products, I understand that dairy sensitivities and allergies are quite common. Therefore, I will try to supply modifiers to make the recipe dairy-free, when possible. 

MYTH: Gluten-free foods (or allergy-free foods) do not taste as good as food made with gluten containing ingredients. 

FACT:Allergy-free foods are often more flavorful and have many different textures to make the food even more delicious!

Okay, so that may be a bit bias, but the way I cook is just as delicious or more delicious than food made with gluten-containing/allergy-containing ingredients! I'm not just saying that either! I spent the first 16 years of my life not knowing I was intolerant to gluten and another 5 years before I really got diligent about eating gluten-free. So, I know what "regular" food tastes like.

I hope you try out these recipes and let me know how they work for you! As I am an innovator myself, I encourage you to take some liberties with these recipes. Add something I didn't think of, change up the measurements, make it your own! You're the one who will eat it, after all. And of course, I'd love to hear how you've enjoyed the recipes. 

Happy eating!