Zimmy's Nook - @zimmysnook

Top down view of how these stuffed peppers should be placed in a pan.

If you’re like me, your pantry may not be stocked with everything that you desire at this moment. So, I put together this Stuffed Peppers in Tomato Sauce recipe to encourage you to make do with what you’ve got… experiment, substitute ingredients and just have fun with cooking at home! You will be surprised how good it will be!

Ingredients

6-8 multi-coloured bell peppers (no peppers? try using a hollowed-out squash)
1 large sweet potato (small cubes – roasted)
1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
1 lb. ground turkey (or beef, or pork, etc.)
½ cup rice (uncooked) plain or flavoured (I had an open bag of olive oil & roasted garlic flavor)
1 cup orzo pasta (or other small pasta – or substitute an additional ¾ cup uncooked rice)
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
28 oz can diced tomatoes – drained
2 ¾ cups tomato sauce – divided (homemade or store bought – I used a jar of arrabiata sauce)
¼ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon pepper
¼ teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoons Italian seasoning
2 cloves garlic (minced)
1 onion (diced)
2 celery stalks (diced)
¾ cup grated parmesan cheese (or mozzarella, asiago, etc.)
2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil (or parsley, cilantro, oregano, etc.) – plus more for garnish
salt (to taste)
pepper (to taste)

Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Toss diced sweet potato cubes with 1 tablespoon of olive oil and season with salt, pepper & paprika (to taste). Spread sweet potato on a baking sheet in an even layer. Roast for 10 minutes then flip and cook for an additional 10-15 minutes until edges are crisp and middle is soft. Set aside to cool.

Cook the rice and orzo (if using), as per the package instructions and set aside to cool.

Lower oven to 350°F.

Drizzle extra-virgin olive oil into a skillet over medium heat and sauté the onions & celery for 2-3 minutes. Add the garlic and sauté 1 minute, then add the ground turkey, ¼ tsp each of salt, pepper & paprika, Italian seasoning and cook until browned. Remove to a paper towel to drain.

In a large bowl, combine meat mixture, cooked rice/pasta, drained diced tomatoes, ¾ cup tomato sauce, ¼ cup parmesan, chopped basil. Mix together and then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove the tops, seeds, and membranes of the bell peppers. Arrange peppers in an oven-proof pan or baking dish with the hollowed sides facing up.

Spoon the meat mixture equally into each pepper, well packed. Optional, top the peppers with the pepper lids. Pour remaining 2 cups of tomato sauce around the stuffed peppers (lift peppers to allow sauce to run under).

Cover the pan/dish with a lid/foil and bake for 45-55 minutes (until peppers are beginning to slightly wilt). Remove the lid/foil and spoon a little tomato sauce over each pepper, then sprinkle peppers with remaining ½ cup of cheese. Cook for an additional 15 minutes until cheese is beginning to brown.

Sprinkle with fresh chopped basil and serve.

Hestan Culinary Nanobond 5qt Essential Pan

GIVEAWAY ALERT!

During this time when we all will be cooking from home more, Hestan Culinary and I have partnered to give one randomly chosen winner a Nanobond 5qt Essential Pan. The Essential Pan is perfect for whipping up a big batch of chili, soup, curry, paella, pasta, roasting a chicken, braising a roast or baking stuffed peppers in tomato sauce! From our kitchen to your kitchen, from our family to your family and from our home to your home, we are one community in this together! Be well friends! #HestanAtHome

Click here for details on how to enter. Contest closes at 6 pm EDT April 3, 2020

A baked pie with a lattice, apple and leaf cut out design. Apples also surround the pie.

Celebrating #PiDay with an Ambrosia apple pie… an apple lover’s pie, with a short crust pasty. Be well my friends!

Short crust Pastry

Ingredients

2 ¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ tsp salt
¾ cup cold unsalted butter, cubed
8 tbsp ice water, approximately

Preparation

In a food processor, combine the flour and salt. Add the butter and pulse for a few seconds at a time until the butter is the size of peas. Next, add the water and pulse again until the dough just begins to form. Add water as needed. Remove the dough from the food processor and form two discs.

Cover in plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.

Roll out the dough on a floured work surface 1/8-inch thick sheet.

* too little water will cause a crumbly texture making it difficult to roll out a sheet of pastry without cracks

Two rounds of dough wrapped in plastic wrap.

Ambrosia Apple Pie Filling

Ingredients

12 cups peeled & sliced Ambrosia apples (about 9 apples – sliced 1/4-inch thick)
1 tablespoon lemon juice
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/3 cup brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tbsp rolled oats
1 egg mixed with 2 tbsp water, for brushing
sugar and cinnamon, for sprinkling

Ten Ambrosia apples with a peeler on the counter. Foodland Ontario tag is on the Ambrosia apple.

Large stainless steal bowl with sliced apples and four bowls of pie filling ingredients.

Pie Preparation

Preheat the oven to 400°F.

Toss the sliced apples with the lemon juice. Place half of the apples in a sauté pan or saucepan and heat over medium heating, until some of the juices cook out and the apples soften, about 10 minutes. Remove the apples from the pan using a slotted spoon and stir with the remaining uncooked apples to cool.

In a large bowl toss the sliced apples with the granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg & salt to blend, then mix in the lemon juice and set aside.

Dust a 9-inch pie plate with flour and line the plate with the rolled-out pastry. Sprinkle the bottom of the shell with the oats so that they will help absorb any excess juices. Spoon the apple filling into the shell. If using a full crust, place the second rolled-out pastry over the apples. Trim any excess dough and pinch the edges of the crust together to create a fluted edge. Brush the pastry with the egg wash. Stir a little sugar and cinnamon together and sprinkle generously overtop. Lastly, use scissors to snip opening in the top crust to allow steam to escape.

Optional – use pie dough cutters to create fun shapes and adorn the pie in a creative manner unique to you! Then brush with the egg wash and sprinkle with sugar/cinnamon mixture.

A wire rack with strips and cut outs (apple and leaf shaped) of pie pastry. A pie filled with apple slices ready for the strips and cut outs to get place on top. A rolling pin and a red and green cut out is beside the pie.

An unbaked pie with a lattice and apple and leaf cut out design.

Place the pie on a parchment-lined baking tray and bake for 10 minutes at 400°F. Reduce the oven temperature to 375 °F and continue to bake for another 45 to 60 minutes, until the crust is golden brown and the filling is bubbling.

Cool the pie for at least 2 hours before slicing to serve.

Ontario Ambrosia apples are available now at fine grocery retailers across the province of Ontario: Loblaws, Superstore, No Frills and Costco

In addition to this Ambrosia Apple Pie recipe, you can find more of my favourite dessert recipes here.