Farmer’s Market Stuffed Peppers

So.  It’s been quite some time since I’ve shown ANY love to my blog, but for good reason!  A lot has happened within the last few months, a new job (woohoo!) moving to a new city (helloooo NYC) and adjusting to a tinyyyy apartment kitchen, where finding the motivation (and space) to create new recipes has been a challenge for me…  But, I’m back (semi settled in) and ready to start a new chapter, get motivated, and get my cooking juices flowing again.  One of the best parts about moving so far has been the fact that the world seems to be at my finger tips!  Need a special spice, the city has place for that, need ice cream at 2am, right around the corner!  Best of all are the amazing Manhattan Green Markets, where I can find farm fresh produce (and meats, cheese, breads) almost every day of the week! For my first real meal in my apartment I cooked these super simple, healthy, but still full of flavor, stuffed peppers!  I hope you enjoy, and bear with me as I navigate through this new chapter in my life!

 

Stuffed Peppers: Yields 4 

Fresh tomato sauce:

4 cups fresh cherry tomatoes

2 cloves garlic, minced

olive oil

sprinkle of crushed red pepper

handful of basil, chopped

salt and pepper to taste

In a pot over medium heat, coat the bottom of the pan with olive oil, add minced garlic and red pepper flakes.  Cooking, stirring, until garlic begins to brown. Add in tomatoes (I leave mine whole) and salt.  Continue to cook until tomatoes cook down and some liquid has evaporated, about 30 minutes.  Set aside.  This sauce is amazing over pasta as well!

Brown Rice

1 cup brown rice

1/2 onion, chopped

2 cups chicken broth

Olive oil

Salt

1 tsp Trader Joe’s 21 Seasoning Salute (optional) currently obsessed with this!

In a medium pot over high heat, coat the bottom of pan with olive oil.  Add onions and cook until they begin to brown.  Add dry rice and stir, toasting for about a minute to add another depth of flavor.  Sprinkle in 1 tsp salt and Trader Joe’s seasoning.  Bring to boil, reduce heat, and cover.  Cook according to bag instruction, about 25 min.  Set aside.

Pepper stuffing:

1 lb ground beef

4 large peppers, washed, tops cut off and insides cleaned

fresh tomato sauce (made above)

brown rice (made above)

Handful of basil, chopped

Salt and pepper

2 tsp Trader Joe’s 21 seasoning salute

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  In a mixing bowl combine all ingredients listed above.  Stuff mixture into peppers and cook for about 35-40 minutes or until thermometer reads 165 degrees.