Garden Fresh Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers are fun to make all the time. Get creative with it... experiment with different meats, vegetables and cheeses. And as always, have fun with it.

 

Ingredients:

- 4 large peppers, sliced down the middle, seeds and stems removed

-  1 cup ricotta cheese

- 1/2 eggplant, peeled and cubed

- 1 bell pepper, diced

- 8 garlic cloves, minced

- 1 large onion, diced

- 1 tbsp. tomato paste

- 4 cups diced tomatoes, with juice

- 3 carrots, peeled and diced

- 2 celery stalks, diced

- 1/2 cup olive oil (added in gradually)

- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese

- 1 ball fresh buffalo mozzarella sliced

- 1 lb. ground beef, turkey, chicken, or boca crumbles

- salt

- pepper

- crushed red pepper flakes

- oregano

- fresh parsley

- fresh basil

- 1 cup brown rice (cook according to package directions)

 

To Make:

 

In a large pot, drizzle 2 tbsp of olive oil and saute the crushed red pepper flakes for 1 minutes. Then add meat, (whichever meat you desire), eggplant, celery and carrots for 5-6 minutes on medium low heat until they start getting tender. Season with salt and pepper.

 

Note: pre-season the meat with salt and pepper

 

Next, add in onion, bell pepper and garlic and another 2 tbsp of olive oil. Mix together. Cook on medium low heat until all veggies are tender.

 

Add in diced tomatoes with juice and mix together. Then mix in the tomato paste. Season with salt and pepper. Add in 1 tsp. of dried oregano.

 

Mince a handful of fresh parsley and mix in.

 

Cook together for at least 25 minutes on low heat.

 

Turn off the heat in the pot and add in the Parmesan cheese and ricotta cheese. Add salt and pepper to the ricotta cheese. Mix thoroughly together. Add in the brown rice. Taste and season more if necessary.

 

Begin filling the pepper with the mixture. Arrange in a large baking dish and cover with aluminum foil. Place 1/2 cup water in the bottom of the Bake for 40 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover, add a slice of mozzarella cheese on each piece and broil for 5 minutes.

 

Let cool for at least 10 minutes. Serve with freshly diced basil on top. Enjoy!

 

Sweet Potato Cakes

Sweet Potato cakes are such an easy side dish and they go with basically any protein you're serving. Healthy, colorful and yummy make these a winner every way you look at it.

Ingredients:

- 4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and sliced into 4 pieces each
- 2 long green onions chopped
- 3/4 cup Parmesan cheese
- olive oil
- 2 cups panko
- 2 eggs
- salt
- pepper
- garlic powder
- Shriacha Sauce


To Make:

Bring a medium pot of salted water to a boil. Boil the sweet potatoes until they are fork tender.

Using an electric mixer, mix together in a large bowl, the cooked sweet potatoes, 1 tbsp olive oil,  1 tsp salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix in the Parmesan cheese and 2 eggs.

On a flat surface spread out the panko and season liberally with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Mix together with hands.

Stir in the green onions and begin forming into small cakes. Flatten with hands and coat in panko.

Heat 1/2 cup olive oil in a medium  pan and cook each cake for 2-3 minutes on medium heat until browned on both sides.

Place on paper towels to drain.

Serve with a drizzle of Shriacha sauce to finish.

Scallops with Sun-Dried Tomato Sauce

Scallops are succulent pieces of seafood that should be complimented and not hidden. I like to pair them with creative sauces that enhance their natural flavor. This sun-dried tomato sauce with a hint of lemon pairs perfectly with their delicate flavor.

 

Ingredients:

 

- 2 lbs. fresh sea scallops

- 1/2 cup sun dried tomatoes, diced

- 1 lemon

- 1/2 cup minced garlic

- 1 tsp. vegetable bullion

- sea salt

- olive oil

- fresh basil

 

To Make:

 

Dry scallops completely. Season with sea salt.

 

Heat olive oil in small pan. Add garlic and saute for 1 minute on medium-low heat. Add diced sun dried tomatoes. Squeeze 1/2 lemon juice into mix. Heat up the vegetable bullion in microwave with 1/2 cup water for 1 minute. Add into the sun-dried tomato mixture. Mix together and cook for 2 minutes until thickened. Turn off heat.

 

In medium pan, heat olive oil and cook scallops 2-3 minutes per side.

 

Arrange scallops on a plate, spoon sauce over top. Add lemon zest if desired. Serve with fresh basil over-top.



Lobster Ravioli

Red Potatoes with Green Onions and Feta

Sexy Chef Liz: red potatoes with green onions and feta cheese

This is a great dish for summer because the green onion and parsley really give the potatoes a fresh flavor but also, it's really simple to make.

Ingredients:

- 1 pound red potatoes, washed and cut into bit size pieces

- 1/2 small white onion, minced

- 3 garlic cloves, minced

- 1 bunch green onions, chopped

- 1/2 cup feta cheese

- 1 handful chopped flat leaf parsley

- salt

- pepper

- crushed red pepper flakes

- olive oil

- vegetable broth

To Make:

Start out by heating a large pan with olive oil on medium heat. Add in a tsp. of crushed red pepper flakes. Saute them lightly for 10 seconds then add in the white onion and garlic. Mix together and lightly season with salt. Cook for 2-3 minutes. Reduce to medium low and add in the potatoes. Add in 1 tbsp. of olive oil and mix together. Season with salt and pepper. Cook for 10 minutes, mixing every 2 minutes. Add in 1/4 cup vegetable broth and cover for 3 minutes. Remove cover and mix together. Repeat this process until the potatoes are soft. Then cook an additional 3-4 minutes uncovered.

Add in the feta cheese and mix together. Next add in the chopped green onion. Lastly add in the freshly chopped flat leaf parsley.

Taste and add more salt and pepper if needed. Serve immediately. Goes great with grilled meats or fish.

Vegetable Neopolitan

This dish is fun and very tasty. It can be eaten as a main course or an appetizer. The layers of flavor and texture are incredible and will make your guests drool.

Ingredients: (2 servings)
- 2 cups ricotta cheese
- 1/4 cup sun dried tomatoes, (dried and diced)
- 2 onions, diced
- 1/2 cup Romano cheese (grated)
- 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese (grated)
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 1 beefsteak tomato
- 1 eggplant
- 1 green bell pepper
- 1 red bell pepper
- 1 large vidallia onion
- 1 cerrano pepper, minced
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 6 basil leaves
- 1 tbsp butter
- 2/3 cup aborrio rice
- 1/2 cup milk
- salt
- pepper
- oregano
- crushed red pepper flakes
- olive oil
- 1 liter vegetable or chicken stock
- 1 can diced tomatoes

To Make:

Begin by sauteing in olive oil 1/4 cup diced onions in olive oil on medium heat. Add in the diced sun-dried tomatoes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Cook for 5 minutes. Add in the diced cerrano pepper. Add in 1 tsp of stock. Mix together.

In  a bowl, add the above mixture with the ricotta cheese. Add in the Parmesan and 2/3 of Romano. Add in 3 chopped basil leaves and mix together. Season with salt and pepper, oregano and crushed red pepper flakes.

Mix together the panko and the rest of the Parmesan and Romano cheese. Season with salt and pepper. Slice 4 large sections of eggplant down the middle to form 4 thin circles. Slice the top off of both bell peppers and the bottoms. Using a knife, slice off the tops to make them flat.  Slice the onion down the center forming 2 large circles. Do the same with the tomatoes, making thick slices.

In a small bowl, add milk. Dip the veggie circles into the milk and then dip into the panko cheese mixture. Set aside on a dish.

In a sauce pan, saute in olive oil 1/2 cup onion and 2 minced garlic cloves. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until done then add in diced tomatoes. Season with salt and pepper and oregano. Cook on low heat. Mix every 5 minutes.

In a medium pot, melt the butter and add 1/2 cup diced onions and arborrio rice into the pot. Season with salt. Mix together until the rice starts to slightly brown. Add 1 tsp olive oil. Begin adding the stock slowly and mixing together until it absorbs into the rice. Continue until the rice is cooked yet still al-dente. Add in 2 tbsp of Romano cheese.

In a deep pan, fry the veggies in olive-oil until cooked. Start with the eggplant and cook for 2 minutes each side. Then add peppers and onions. Cook for 3 minutes each side. Lastly add tomatoes, cook for 2 minutes each side.

To Plate:

Arrange risotto on the dish. Place one slice of eggplant in the center. Lay ricotta cheese mixture in the center. Place a bell pepper over top. Add 1 tbsp of sauce. Add another eggplant layer and cover with cheese. Add another bell pepper and cover with cheese. Lay tomato over top and place a small dab of cheese, then top with onion. Lay sauce over top and top with fresh basil.

Serve while hot.

Fresh Fruit & Angel Food Cake Dessert

I love making this on a hot summer night because when you're in the mood for something sweet but you're already full from dinner this is the perfect compliment to any summer meal.

Simply purchase a plain angel food cake, slice up your favorite fresh summer fruits and add a dollop of whipped cream (or "whipped topping").

That's it. Simple. Easy. Fresh. Delicious.

Isn't that what summer dessert is all about?