Tag Archives: good friday

Italian Stuffed Peppers

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Coming to you from mom’s not so itty bitty, just outside of the city, kitchen.

Since it was Easter, we spent the weekend at my parents’ house.

Since it was Good Friday, we couldn’t make our usual Friday night pepperoni pizza and salami bread.

The pizza was no problem- just lose the pepperoni and there you have Good Friday ready, meat free dinner.

But what to go with it?

Salami bread without the salami is just bread.

Bread…

How about take some bread and stuff it into peppers?

Italian stuffed peppers and pizza? Perfect Friday night dinner.

You will need

  • cubanelle peppers
  • bread, any kind will do, leftover rolls, white bread, whatever
  • Italian seasoned bread crumbs
  • olive oil
  • vegetable oil

Wash the peppers, cut off the tops and remove the insides.

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In a bowl, loosely tear the bread. We made four stuffed peppers and used 7 slices of white bread. The amount of bread will depend on how big the peppers are. Worst case scenario? You start stuffing peppers and run out of stuffing and make some more.

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To the sliced bread

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add about 1/4 cup bread crumbs

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and drizzle in 1-2 tablespoons of olive oil

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mix and add more oil or bread crumbs as needed. you want a moist but not oily mixture.

Take your hollowed pepper

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and start stuffing, making sure to push the bread all the way down

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and stopping a bit from the top. If the pepper is overstuffed, the filling will fall out when you are trying to fry the pepper.

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place your stuffed pepper in a skillet with enough vegetable oil to coat the bottom of the pan.

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Stuff your remaining peppers and place in the pan.

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Cook over medium heat for about 20 minutes total, turning the peppers so they are cooked on all sides.

You want the skin to get nice and blistered and the filling to get crispy.

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The perfect light dinner with a big salad or the perfect accompaniment to Friday night pizza!

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Easy Asparagus Soup

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Is there anything more Springy than Asparagus?

Okay, I mean, sunny days, warm breezes, and the return of sandal season are way more springy, but since we don’t have any of those things here in New York, asparagus is the springiest thing around.

I know what you’re thinking. Soup is decidedly not Springy, right? Well for those out there in the Northeast whose spring means chilly nights, this is a great way to use a newly in season vegetable yet still get the warm and satisfying dinner you need

Plus, with Easter coming up, this is an easy vegetarian option for Good Friday or Holy Week.

The ingredients:

  • half a white onion, diced
  • two cloves of garlic, diced
  • 1 pound of asparagus, chopped
  • 1 32 oz container of vegetable broth (or chicken if vegetarian is not a concern)
  • 1 bag of spinach
  • olive oil
  • salt
  • pepper

Start by sauteeing the onions in olive oil.

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While they cook down, chop up your asparagus spears into one inch pieces and dice your garlic cloves.

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Once the onions are translucent, add your asparagus to the pot and your diced garlic. Season with salt and pepper and let these cook for about 15 minutes, until everything is tender.

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Pour in the chicken broth

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The add the spinach.

 

 

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It always seems like you added way too much spinach, but then it wilts down to this

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Once the spinach has wilted, grab your immersion blender (or let the mixture cool some and pop it in a blender of food processor) and blend until smooth.

 

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The grass may still be bare, but this soup is a lovely vibrant green that will chase away those winter grays.