Saturday, August 10, 2013

Orzo-Stuffed Peppers

Prep : 30 minutes              Makes 4 servings

Packed with orzo, Italian sausage and summer flavors, these stuffed peppers make a fun, fast-fixing meal. Get colorful with green, orange, red or yellow peppers. Use more or less pepper flakes to adjust the level of heat to your liking!

4                    large green peppers
1                    cup uncooked orzo pasta
1                    pound bulk Italian sausage
1/2                 cup chopped red onion
2                    teaspoons minced garlic
2                    cups marinara or spaghetti sauce
1                    medium tomato, chopped
1/4                 cup minced fresh basil or 1 tablespoon dried basil
2                    teaspoons dried rosemary, crushed
1                    teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1/4                 cup shredded part-skim mozzarella cheese
2                    tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese

1 .        
Cut tops off peppers and remove seeds. In a large Dutch oven, cook peppers in boiling water for 3-5 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water; set aside.
Cook orzo according to package directions. Meanwhile, in a large skillet, cook the sausage, onion \over medium heat until meat is no longer pink. Add garlic; cook 1 minute longer.
Drain. Drain orzo; stir into meat mixture. Add the marinara sauce, tomato, basil, rosemary and pepper flakes. Spoon into peppers.
2 .           Place in a greased 11-in. x 7-in. baking dish. Cover and bake at 350° for 10 minutes. Uncover; sprinkle with cheeses. Bake 5 minutes longer or until cheese is melted.
Serve immediately or before baking, cover and freeze casserole for up to 3 months.
To use frozen casserole: Thaw in the refrigerator overnight. Remove from the refrigerator 30 minutes before baking. Cover and bake according to directions. Yield: 4 servings.

TIP :
Shred and Freeze Cheese:
It’s usually cheaper to buy cheese in blocks than in shredded form. So I purchase large quantities of cheddar, Monterey Jack and mozzarella, then shred them myself in my food processor. I store the shredded cheese in the freezer in heavy-duty resealable plastic bags, so I have it at my fingertips whenever it’s needed.

Pairing :

Medium-Bodied Red Wine
Enjoy this recipe with a medium-bodied red wine such as Chianti, Sangiovese, Malbec or Zinfandel.

14 comments:

  1. This is a great recipe! Thank you for sharing it!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Oh goodie! My friend Katie just gave me a bunch of peppers. I think I'll stuff some, lol...

    Thanks for sharing, Nee...

    ReplyDelete
  3. You are so very welcome Nellie ,I do so enjoy trying new things .:)

    ReplyDelete
  4. Hi Louise ,
    The peppers are good and you can use different seasoning to suit your taste . You can have a salad ot soup and the meal is complete, lol right bat atcha you :) .

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love orzo! Never used it to stuff peppers, though, for some strange reason. I gotta! Thanks for this.

    ReplyDelete
  6. John , you have to try the orzo with the peppers while the peppers are plentiful . Thanks for stopping by :)

    ReplyDelete
  7. Wow, this looks good, something different and I love your picture, so cool!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Thanks Cheah ,
    if you like orzo you will like this . Thank you for stopping by :).

    ReplyDelete
  9. Hi Nee,
    This is just lovely! Orzo in a pepper! I have never tried cooking orzo before, have always wanted to!
    Wish I could have one of your stuffed peppers! Sounds delicious!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Hi Joyce,
    Try it and you will like it . There always room at my table for one more friend ... thanks for stopping by . :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. hello nee! this sounds so tasty with the cheese! i guess it must be so much fun eating from the bell pepper!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Hi Lena , it really tasty and i tell my kids the peppers are the bowls . Thanks for stopping by :).

    ReplyDelete
  13. I would love to be eating at your home each night. You come up with the best recipes. xo Ginger

    I am pinning several of your recipes.

    ReplyDelete
  14. Hi Ginger , I would love to have you , just a southern gal that loves to cook .

    Help yourself to any recipes you want . Thanks for stopping by :).

    ReplyDelete

Hi friends, thank you for stopping by and for taking the time to say hello. The welcome mat is always out and the coffee is always hot .I really appreciate your sweet gesture!