Not much cooking going on lately. Sorry!

Hey Gang,

Sorry, I haven't been posting anything lately.  I have been busy looking for a new place to live.  I found a great apartment!  So excited and relieved that I found the perfect place.  I will be packing and then moving so I don't think you will see much activity from me until some time in July.

Don't give up on me.  I will be back.  I plan on making pasta from scratch on my next group of postings in July.  There is nothing as delicious as fresh made pasta from scratch.  Looking forward to sharing it with you.

Talk to you soon!!!!!

OX
Scott

Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed peppers make me think of Mom's cooking when I was a kid.  She use to make them every couple of weeks.  It was one of my favorite meals.  These came out really good.  I have to thank Mom.  I remember her making them and I did it pretty much like she did with my own twists, of course.  I use ground chicken instead of ground beef.  I used yellow and red peppers instead of just green.  (I don't think that yellow and red were as available back then.)  I added in grated zucchini and seasonings like basil.  Mom only used salt and pepper.  There was the occasional bay leaf but I think salt and pepper was it.  Tomato juice makes the perfect sauce.  Just pour it over the peppers and bake.  Anyone that is interested in the recipe I will see if I can remember what I put in them.

These are best served with mashed potatoes.  I did a little twist on mashed potatoes.  I use fingerling potatoes.  Boiled and then lightly mashed with a fork just enough to brake them apart.  Add butter and serve.  The juice from the peppers is simply delicious over the potatoes.

Stuffed Artichokes Anyone?

Don't you just love stuffed artichokes?  I was in Trader Joes the other day and they had the most beautiful artichoke.  They were large and perfect.  I had to buy a couple of them although I think I am the only one in the house that "loves" them.  I made a simply dipping sauce from olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper.  Hollandaise is the ultimate dipping sauce for this.  Nothing is better with artichokes.  It's not easy to make.  Sorry, but worth the effort.  It was heaven.  The stuffing was truly delicious and very simple.  It anyone wants the recipe just let me know.