How to Roast Peppers (both Hot and Bell):
1) Clean peppers and dry. Brush peppers with vegetable oil and arrange on baking sheet on highest rack in oven.
2) Broast until top of peppers begin showing dark splotches. Remove from oven, turn peppers and return to oven. Broast again until top of peppers begin showing splotches.
3) Remove from oven, place in bowl large enough to contain all of the roasted peppers, and cover tightly with plastic wrap. Let set for about 20 minutes. The steam will loosen pepper skins.
4) Remove from bowl, pull stem out of pepper and peel skin off. Then hold pepper up and squeeze down the length of the pepper and the seeds will fall out. Roasted peppers freeze well and can be used on sandwiches, in Mexican dishes, or in salads all year long.
What to do with excess bell peppers: Dice the peppers and place in freezer bags. These work well in chili, soup, fajitas, egg dishes, and other hot dishes.

Basic Marinara Sauce
2 large yellow onions peeled and diced
2 TBS olive oil
5 cloves garlic minced
2 TBS dried herbs (basil oregano, thyme, rosemary or a mix)
½ cup red wine
12 cups peeled fresh ripe tomatoes (blanch tomatoes in boiling water for 1 to 2 min and skin will slip off)

1) In large soup pot heat oil and cook onions slowly until carmelized (brown and soft).
2) Add garlic and herbs and cook for another 5 minutes.
3) Add wine and cook 2 minutes more; being sure to stir while cooking so nothing burns or sticks.
4) Add tomatoes with their juice and bring to a boil. Decrease heat and simmer for 1-2 hrs. Salt and pepper to taste. This sauce stores well in a glass jar in the refrigerator.

Bell Pepper Sauce (4 servings)
4 bell peppers cut into strips
4 medium onions sliced
2 tsp olive oil
4 TBS beef broth or bouillon
Salt and pepper to taste
Heat oil to nearly smoking in large skillet. Saute peppers and onions, stirring frequently.
Add bouillon, stir, and cook another 2 to 3 minutes.
Serve over any type of meat or enjoy as is.

Festive Fruity Cheese Ball (Laurie Vander Weide)
2 pkg (8 oz) cream cheese, softened
1 can (8 ½ oz) crushed pineapple, juice squeezed out
¼ cup finely diced green pepper
1 TBS diced green onion
1 tsp seasoned salt (Lawry’s or other)
10 maraschino cherries, diced fine
1 cup chopped pecans (optional)
Assorted crackers
Combine cream cheese, pineapple, green pepper, onion, and salt. Blend well.
Fold in maraschino cherries. Chill for several hours.
Shape into a ball. Roll in chopped pecans if desired and serve with crackers.

Ricotta Boats
1 medium bell pepper, seeded and quartered
8 TBS ricotta cheese, divided
Black pepper
Top each quartered bell pepper with 2 TB cheese and a grind or 2 of black pepper.


Brookfield Bacon Dip
1 cup mayonnaise
1 cup sour cream
¼ cup horseradish
¼ cup finely chopped red or green bell pepper
4 strips bacon, cooked crisp and crumbled
Stir all ingredients until well mixed. Serve with crackers or chips.

Easy Summer Pepper Salad

1 green, 1 red, and 1 yellow bell pepper
1 cucumber
1 sweet onion
¼ cup fresh parsley,
1 TBS olive oil
1 TBS vinegar
8 oz crumbled feta cheese.
Cut vegetables into slices and mix all ingredients. Top with feta cheese before serving.


Tomato and Pepper Salad

3 medium tomatoes chopped
1 cucumber chopped
1 green pepper chopped
1 stalk celery sliced
3 TBS white vinegar
1 TBS sugar
½ tsp salt
Pepper to taste
Mix vegetables in bowl. Mix remaining ingredients and pour over vegetables. Toss and refrigerate for 2 hours before serving.
Crunchy Egg Salad

18 hard-boiled eggs
1 medium red onion diced
1 large bell pepper diced
1 cup diced celery
½ cup mayonnaise
¼ cup plain yogurt
1 TBS yellow mustard
1 TBS black pepper
1 TBS salt
1 TBS paprika.
Dice eggs and combine with remaining ingredients. Mix well. Serve on whole- wheat bread or a bed of lettuce.
Macaroni Salad

Dressing Ingredients
4 oz cream cheese
¼ cup chopped leeks or shallots
¼ cup mayonnaise
1 tsp Dijon mustard
2 TBS lemon juice
1 TBS white wine vinegar
¾ tsp pepper
½ tsp salt
Salad Ingredients
8 oz large elbow macaroni
2/3 cup fresh peas
2/3 cup diced red bell pepper
¼ cup chopped green onion
¼ cup fresh parsley
4 thick bacon slices cooked and crumbled
Combine dressing ingredients in blender and process until smooth. Chill.
Cook pasta until tender, adding peas during last 3 min of cooking. Drain.
Combine all salad ingredients with pasta and dressing. Mix well and chill.
Sweet and Simple Tomato Pepper Salad

4 cup cherry tomatoes
1 small sweet onion thinly sliced
2 cup bell peppers thinly sliced
6 leaves fresh basil
3 TBS lemon juice
3 TBS olive oil
1/3 cup crumbled feta cheese
Salt and pepper to taste.
1) Combine all dressing ingredients and mix well.
2) Combine vegetables, feta cheese and dressing in large salad bowl and toss gently. Chill before serving.
Vegetable Macaroni Salad
1 lb curly macaroni
3 shredded carrots
1 large bell pepper, chopped
1 medium onion, chopped
1 can condensed milk
1 cup vinegar
½ cup sugar
1 pint mayonnaise
Salt and pepper to taste
Cook macaroni and cool. Add chopped vegetables.
Combine condensed milk, vinegar, sugar, mayonnaise, salt and pepper.
Stir dressing mix into vegetables and mix well. Chill overnight.

Seared Peppers and Onions
1 TBS EVOO
1 large green pepper, sliced thinly
1 large red pepper, sliced thinly
1 large yellow onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 jalapeno or Serrano peppers, seeded and finely chopped
1 cup tomatillo or green chili salsa (your choice)
2 TBS chopped fresh cilantro for garnish
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add EVOO, peppers, and onions. Stir-fry vegetables, tossing them to sear all edges.
Add the garlic and hot pepper, toss and turn the mixture for about 3 minutes more.
Add salsa and toss a minute longer or until thoroughly heated through.

Hot Pan Fried Peppers
1 each red, yellow, and orange bell peppers, seeded and sliced
2 medium size hot peppers, seeded and sliced (Anaheim chili or jalapeno)
1 white onion
2 TBS butter
Salt and pepper to taste
2 TBS olive oil
In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the butter and olive oil.
Add the peppers and onions and cook, stirring frequently for 10 to 12 minutes, or until peppers are softened and slightly browned. Season to taste.
Tastes great served over fried potatoes or grilled meats of choice.

Colorful Ham Strata Breakfast Bake (8 servings)
2 medium onions quartered and sliced
¾ cup each, julienned green and red bell peppers
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 loaf (1 lb) French bread, cut into ½ inch cubes
1 lb fully cooked diced ham
1 cup shredded Monterey Jack cheese
1 to 2 jalapeno peppers, seeded and minced (optional)
6 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp salt
½ tsp pepper
In a large skillet saute onions, bell peppers, and hot peppers on high heat.
Place ½ of the bread cubes in a greased 13” by 9” baking dish.
Sprinkle with half of the onion mixture, ham, and cheese. Repeat layers.
In a bowl, beat the eggs, milk, salt, and pepper. Pour over the bread mixture in baking dish.
Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before baking while you preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Bake 30 to 35 minutes or until knife inserted in center comes out clean.

Omelet in a Bag
Fresh mushrooms, sliced
Diced bell peppers (any color)
Shredded cheese
Cubed ham
Chopped onions
Fresh beaten eggs
Milk
Salt and pepper to taste
Bring large pot of water to a boil
In a sealable plastic bag place 2 eggs and a little milk, mix well.
Add whatever ingredients you would like, mix well by kneading bag.
Place in boiling water until done.



You can use any color of bell peppers for stuffing in any of the following stuffed pepper recipes


Hash Brown Stuffed Peppers

4 frozen hash brown patties
4 bell peppers with tops cut off and seeds removed ½ lb ground beef
1 lb green beans cooked or 1 can (15 oz)
1 fresh jalapeno pepper diced (optional)
Salt and pepper
Pinch cumin
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese.
In skillet cook hash browns, mash with fork, and set aside.
In same skillet brown beef and drain.
Mix all remaining ingredients, including hash browns with browned ground beef.
Stuff peppers with above mixture and place in baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees until peppers are tender.
Bolognese Stuffed Peppers

6 bell peppers prepared for stuffing as above
½ cup white rice
2 TBS olive oil divided
1/8 cup minced carrots
1/8 cup minced celery
½ lb ground beef
1/3 lb smoked bacon diced
1 ½ cup prepared marinara sauce (see recipe above or purchase)
¼ cup red wine
1/3 cup heavy cream
½ cup grated Parmesan cheese divided
1 finely diced jalapeno pepper
Cook rice in saucepan until tender and fluffy. Set aside.
Heat 1 TBS olive oil in large skillet.
Cook and stir carrots, celery, and jalapeno pepper until tender.
Add ground beef and bacon and cook until browned and tender. Drain. Return to heat.
Add marinara sauce and wine, simmer for 10 min.
Stir in cream, ½ Parmesan cheese, and cooked rice. Simmer until most of liquid is absorbed.
Place peppers in baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Fill with mixture, drizzle with remaining olive oil and top with parmesan cheese.
Bake 30 minutes uncovered or until peppers are tender.

Basic Stuffed Peppers

6 bell peppers prepared for stuffing
1 egg
4 slices wheat bread cubed
1 small onion chopped
1 tomato diced
2 cloves minced garlic
½ cup chili sauce
1/8 cup prepared mustard
3 TBS Worcestershire
1 TBS salt
1 TBS pepper
Preheat oven to 350 degrees and spray 8x8 or 9x9 baking dish with nonstick cooking spray.
Mix all ingredients except peppers. Stuff peppers with prepared mixture and bake for 1 hour.
Summer Stuffed Peppers (8 servings)
8 medium bell peppers of any color
1 ½ lb ground beef
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 medium onion minced
½ cup finely chopped cabbage
1 medium carrot, shredded
½ cup shredded zucchini (optional)
4 fresh tomatoes, skinned and chopped
½ cup uncooked long grain rice
1 TBS brown sugar
½ tsp dried basil
Salt and pepper to taste
Cut top off peppers and reserve. Remove seeds and cook peppers in boiling water until crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Remove from water and keep warm.
Remove stems from pepper tops and chop finely.
In a large skillet, brown ground beef. Add garlic, onion, cabbage, carrot, zucchini, and chopped pepper tops. Saute until the vegetables are tender.
Stir in tomatoes, rice, sugar, basil, and pepper. Cover, reduce heat, and simmer until rice is tender, about 25 minutes.
Stuff hot mixture into peppers and serve.

Crockpot Stuffed Green Peppers

4 medium green peppers, tops removed and seeded
¾ lb ground beef
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
1 cup shredded American cheese
½ cup chopped onion
½ cup frozen corn
1 tsp Worcestershire
2 garlic cloves, minced
½ tsp pepper
2 TBS ketchup
1/3 cup raw rice, cooked

Brown beef in Corning Ware casserole on stovetop. Drain.
Add remaining ingredients except ketchup. Stir well.
Stuff peppers; place in crock-pot and put 3 TBS water in bottom of crock.
Pour ketchup over the top and cook on low for 6 to 8 hours.

Salmon Celery Loaf
1 can (1 lb) salmon with juice
½ cup cracker crumbs
2 TBS chopped onion
½ cup chopped bell pepper
2 eggs, beaten
2 can cream of celery soup
Combine all ingredients and mix well.
Pat into greased loaf pan and bake 50 to 60 minutes at 350 degrees.
Serve with tartar sauce.

Corned Beef Sandwiches (8 servings)
1 can (12 oz) corned beef
2 TBS chopped onion
3 TBS chopped bell pepper
¾ cup chili sauce
2 TBS chili sauce
2 TBS vegetable oil
Heat oil in skillet and cook onion and peppers until soft, not brown.
Add corned beef and chili sauce and mix well.
Cook until well heated through and serve on buns.

Crockpot Sausage Pepper Sandwiches (6 servings)
5 uncooked Italian sausage links (about 20 to 24 oz)
1 green and 1 red bell pepper cut into 1 inch pieces
1 large onion, chopped
1 large tomato, chopped
1/8 tsp pepper
6 hoagie buns, split
In a large skillet brown sausage links over medium heat. Cut into ½ inch slices. (Do not overcook. Should be pink in center.)
Place sausage in crock-pot and add peppers, onion, tomatoes, and pepper.
Cook on low for 6 hrs. Serve on hoagie buns using a slotted spoon.

Pizza Burgers (8 servings)
8 large hamburger buns
1 lb ground beef and 1 lb bulk sausage, grilled until done
Place Ingredients on bun in this order:
1 slice mozzarella cheese
1 slice deli ham, shaved
1 TBS pizza sauce
Grilled meat patty
Green pepper, seeded and sliced crosswise
Onion, thinly sliced
Pepperoni
1 slice mozzarella cheese
Wrap each sandwich in foil and bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes or until warmed through and cheese melted.





Chicken and Bell Pepper Fajitas
4 skinless boneless chicken breast halves
5 TBS vegetable oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice
5 cloves garlic minced
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp pepper
8 6-in diameter flour tortillas
1 large red onion cut into strips
1 large red bell, 1 yellow bell, and 1 green bell pepper all cut into ¾-inch-wide strips
Sour-cream, guacamole and salsa for toppings
Using meat mallet lightly pound chicken between sheets of waxed paper to ½ inch thickness.
Mix 2 TBS oil, lime juice, garlic, salt and pepper in large glass baking dish. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes up to 1 hr.
Heat 2 TBS oil in large skillet over medium-high heat and sauté onions for 3 minutes. Add bell peppers and sauté until tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Transfer vegetables to large bowl and tent with foil to keep warm.
Heat 1 TBS oil in same skillet and sauté marinated chicken until cooked through. Salt and pepper. Cut chicken into 1-inch-wide strips. Combine with vegetables.
Meanwhile flour tortillas should be heating in oven or microwave. Fill tortillas with meat and vegetable mixture and serve with sour cream, salsa, or guacamole.


Sizzling Steak Fajita

2 TBS fresh lime juice
1 bottle beer
1 ½ tsp chili powder
¼ cup brown sugar
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp oregano leaves
3 green onions finely chopped (optional)
1 jalapeno, seeded and minced
¾ tsp salt
1/3 cup olive oil
1 TBS fresh cilantro chopper (optional)
1 ½ lb sirloin steak trimmed
1 large yellow onion peeled and cut into thin strips
3 large bell peppers (green, yellow, and red) seeded and cut into thin slices
8 flour tortillas
Sour-cream and guacamole
¾ lb shredded cheddar cheese.
Take a large Ziploc bag and add all of the ingredients up to the steak. Mix well.
Then add steak and place in the refrigerator overnight.
Next day grill the steak and slice it thinly.
Sauté the bell peppers and onions until tender.
Heat the tortillas to piping hot, and have condiments ready all at the same time. First ready the condiments. Then while grilling steak be sautéing your vegetables and heating tortillas. Serve all together piping hot.
Confetti Chicken Fajita Casserole

½ cup guacamole
½ cup sour cream
1 cup Cheddar cheese
1 cup Monterey Jack cheese
8 taco size flour tortillas
½ cup picante sauce
1 can cream of mushroom soup
2 TBS fajita seasoning
2 TBS oil
2 medium onions cut into strips
3 bell peppers (red, orange, yellow or green) cut into ½ in strips
3 whole boneless skinless chicken breast cut into ½ inch strips
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Brown the chicken strips in 1TBS oil on high heat in a skillet.
Remove meat and sauté the peppers and onion until tender-crisp.
Season the meat and the vegetables, each with 1 TBS fajita seasoning.
Break 4 tortillas into a 9-13 glass pan, spread with ½ chicken mixture and ½ vegetable mixture. Top with ½ of each kind of cheese.
Repeat all layers as above finishing with the cheese layer. Cover with aluminum foil but try to keep it up off the cheese. Bake 35-45 minutes unto warm and bubbly.
Spanish Beef Hash (6 servings)
1 lb ground beef
2 cups chopped bell peppers
1 onion, chopped
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 small potatoes, peeled and cut into ¾ inch cubes
2 medium potatoes, chopped
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
2/3 cup chopped pitted green olives
½ cup sliced fresh mushrooms
½ cup dry red wine or beef broth
1 TBS Louisiana-style hot sauce
1 TBS Worcestershire sauce
1 ½ soy sauce
1 tsp pepper
½ tsp salt
½ tsp dried oregano
¼ tsp Cajun seasoning (optional)
Hot cooked rice (about 2 to 3 cups raw)
In a Dutch oven, cook the beef, peppers, onion, and garlic over medium heat until meat is no longer pink; drain.
Add potatoes, tomatoes, tomato sauce, olives, mushrooms, red wine, and seasonings.
Bring to a boil. Reduce heat; simmer, uncovered for 30 to 35 minutes or until potatoes are tender. Serve with rice.


Quick Pacific Cod and Shrimp Cioppino (serves 6)
1 TBS olive oil
1 medium red onion, diced
1 red and 1 green bell pepper diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
25 oz jar marinara sauce (or homemade)
8 oz bottle clam juice
2/3 cup dry white wine
Pinch red pepper flakes
¼ tsp dried basil
¼ tsp dried oregano
¾ lb cod, cut into 1-inch pieces
¾ lb raw shrimp, peeled and deveined
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley, plus more for garnish
In a large skillet or saucepan over medium-high, heat the oil. Add onion and peppers; sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Then add garlic and sauté another minute.
Stir in the marinara sauce, clam juice, wine, red pepper flakes, basil, and oregano. Simmer, uncovered for 10 minutes.
Add the cod and simmer for 5 minutes. Add shrimp and parsley and simmer until the shrimp are opaque and cooked through. Serve immediately, garnished with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.

Chicken Fajitas
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
5 TBS vegetable oil
¼ cup fresh lime juice
1 TBS minced garlic
½ tsp salt
¼ tsp black pepper
8 6-inch diameter flour tortillas
1 large red onion, sliced
1 large red, 1 yellow, and 1 green bell pepper cut into ¾-inch wide strips
Using meat mallet, lightly pound chicken between sheets of waxed paper to ½ inch thick. Mix 2 TB oil, lime juice, garlic salt, and pepper in large glass baking dish. Add chicken and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate at least 30 minutes or up to 1 hr.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Wrap tortillas in foil and heat in oven until warmed through, about 10 minutes. Turn off oven and leave tortillas in oven.
Meanwhile, heat 2 TBS oil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion and saute 3 minutes. Add bell peppers and sauté until vegetables are tender-crisp, about 4 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer vegetables to large bowl and tent with foil to keep warm. Do not clean skillet.
Heat 1 TBS oil in same skillet over medium-high heat. Remove chicken from marinade; discard marinade. Add chicken to skillet and sauté until cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. 5)
Season with salt and pepper. Cut chicken into 1-inch wide strips. Combine with vegetables.
Divide vegetable and chicken mixture among plates. Serve with tortillas, Chipotle Pico de Gallo, sour cream, and shredded cheese.

Baked Tilapia with Mozzarella Cheese
¼ cup celery, sliced
¼ cup onion, chopped
¼ cup sweet bell pepper, chopped
3 TBS butter
3 TBS flour
Salt and pepper to taste
½ tsp dried tarragon
½ tsp dried basil
1¼ cup milk (2% or whole)
1 cup Mozzarella cheese, shredded
In large skillet sauté celery, onion, and pepper in butter until soft. Add salt, pepper, tarragon, and basil. In covered jar add flour to milk and shake well to mix. Add to skillet.
Cook slowly, stirring frequently until mixture is thickened.
Add Mozzarella cheese and stir until melted. Do not boil.
Position the fillets in an 8” by 12” baking dish; spoon the sauce over the tilapia fillets.
Bake at 425 degrees for 10 minutes or until fish chips easily when tested with a fork.

Italian fish fillets with Julienned Vegetables (4 servings)
1 medium bell pepper of any color, julienned
1 small onion, julienned
½ cup Italian salad dressing
½ tsp Italian seasoning
2 lbs fresh tomatoes diced, or 2 can (14 ½ oz) diced tomatoes, drained
1 ½ lb cod fillets, thawed and blotted dry.
In a large skillet cook peppers, onions, salad dressing and Italian seasoning for 5 minutes or until vegetables are crisp-tender.
Stir in tomatoes, add fillets, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until fish flakes easily with a fork.