Our table had been host to ground beef stuffed bell peppers three times that summer, and there was a fourth time as we picked some peppers from our garden.

I made a fresh tomato sauce from garden tomatoes for this dish, but you can use canned tomatoes to make this homemade tomato sauce.

I have never been a green bell pepper fan, always choosing the red or yellow peppers, but when baked slowly in tomato, and filled with a meat filling, they are a summer food with winter comfort. Ground beef stuffed bell peppers take a little more prep than many of my dishes, because I take the time to blanch the peppers.  I use a dutch oven with the lid to bake them for about an hour, and then I take the lid off to brown them a little bit.

The Meat Recipe is Similar to Italian Meatballs

I season the meat the same way I make meatballs, using bread, Italian cheese, fresh parsley and basil. I do make a paleo option for myself, skipping the bread. The peppers continue to cook in the tomato sauce and the beef takes on the flavor of both. This is so good that even people I know who don’t like bell pepper (me included) love this dish.

This is a basic stuffed peppers recipe that offers you many options using one technique.

There are Several Options for Stuffed Peppers

Choose your grain or no grain.  While many stuffed peppers recipes add rice to the beef, I have never like that combination, as I don’t like rice with tomato sauce. You can replace the bread with rice, but I find the bread gives a much more satisfying texture. You can use bread crumbs instead of bread pieces if that’s what you have.

Paleo Option: I made some of the peppers (for me) with a paleo option, just skipping the bread and cheese altogether. Add in extra olive oil to the meat for moisture.

Sausage or Ground Pork Option: On of the three times I added in some ground sausage to the ground beef for extra flavor, or you could add in ground pork. The ratio is up to you. I recommend 1/4 pound sausage to 3/4 pound beef.

Ground Turkey Option: You can substitute ground turkey for the beef. In that case, add in some olive oil, as ground turkey does not have the flavor of ground beef or the fat. You can pump up the flavor by doubling the cheese, and adding in more aromatic herbs such as sage and rosemary.

Ground Beef option: You might be wondering what kind of ground beef to use for the ground beef stuffed bell peppers. I used grass fed beef, which is on the lean side, but your favorite ground beef will be fine.

More Ground Beef Recipes

• Ground Beef with Peas (most popular post)
• Ground Beef with Cabbage Stir Fry
• Easy Hamburger Steak Recipe
• Cuban Picadillo

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Stuffed Peppers with Ground Beef, Tomato Sauce

An Italian version of Ground Beef Stuffed Peppers with Paleo Option.

Course Entree

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 2 hours hours

Total Time 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 6 large Bell Peppers
• 2 pounds ground beef
• 2 eggs
• 4 slices bread torn or 1 cup fresh breadcrumbs(optional)
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/2 onion diced, sauteed
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon salt
• generous helping black pepper
• 4 to 6 cups tomato sauce recipe using canned tomatoes here or fresh tomatoes here

Instructions

• Cut tops off bell pepper. Save to use later if you want to, cut out seeds.
• Blanch peppers in boiling water for five minutes to soften.
• Remove, put in ice bath, cool.
• Mix ground beef with eggs, bread or breadcrumbs, parsley, cheese, salt and pepper.
• Stuff peppers.
• Put tomato sauce into baking dish. I used a dutch oven. You can use either a baking dish or dutch oven. The sauce should come about half way up the peppers.
• Put in oven at 400 degrees uncovered for twenty minutes. Reduce heat to 325. Cover and bake for at least one more hour, or until peppers are softened.

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We wait all winter for the first crop of corn on the cob. So many months go by, that I tend forget how to grill it.

Did I grill it in the husk or out of the husk? Should I cook it first before I put it on the grill. Should I keep it in the husk, or warp it in foil?

Sometimes corn is so fresh and tender, it doesn’t even need butter.

Sometimes you want to make the corn a little more special by adding flavor and fat. Whichever method you use, make sure your corn is as fresh as possible. Corn loses flavor as it ages, but fresh corn is sweet, so do try to buy local.



Before adding flavor, fat and spice, decide upon the method to grill corn. 

1. No Trouble Corn on the Grill – Throw the corn on the grill in the husk, unshucked. This will result in very sweet, tender, steamed corn. Grill 10 minutes. Husk will be very black, but corn should be steamed and perfect. Add butter and salt at the table.

2. Microwave – Wrap corn husk and hairs in a wet paper towel. Microwave for three minutes. Done.

3.  Tin Foil – This is an option if you don’t like charred corn. Shuck corn, clean and wrap in foil. You can butter or wait till after the corn is done.

4. Naked Corn – Grill directly with or without seasoning.

5. Semi-Naked Corn – Remove hairs, keep corn in husk and then grill for 10 minutes. (This is my favorite method).

It  takes about 10 minutes to get corn browned on a hot grill.

Grill Corn Seven Different Ways.

Once you have decided how to cook the corn, here are some ways to enhance the flavor.

1. Butter and Lime – Add lime zest and a squeeze of lime to softened butter. Mix together. Spread on corn. Grill 5 minutes on each side or until done to your liking. Season with salt and pepper. Lime does something magical to corn and you might want to add it to any of the variations below.

2. Steak Sauce, Butter, Lime- Use your favorite steak sauce. Mix even amounts with softened butter. Season as needed with salt and pepper. Grill corn 5 minutes on each side or until done.

3. Basil Pesto – rub pesto into the corn. Grill 10 minutes. You can put the pesto on the corn at the end as an option.

4. Bacon, Mayo, Chives, Parmesan Cheese – Rub corn with mayonnaise. Grill corn for ten minutes, turning after five minutes. Add bacon, chives and cheese before serving.

5. Cayenne, Butter, Lime. Make a mixture of butter, lime juice and cayenne pepper. Grill corn. Season with salt.

6. Smoked Paprika, Butter, Salt. Grill corn with a smoky flavor.

7. Butter and Salt – Traditional and if the corn is fresh, you really don’t need much.

You might love these summer corn recipes.

Grilled Corn & Tomato Salad

Fresh Corn Salad

Summer Chicken Soup

So tell me, what is YOUR favorite way to eat or grill corn on the cob?

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How to Cook Corn on the Cob

Corn on the cob can be microwaved, or grilled

Course Vegetable

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 15 minutes minutes

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• corn on the cob

Instructions

microwave corn

• Wrap entire corn on the cob unshucked in wet paper towel and microwave for three minutes.

Grilled Corn

• For steamed-like corn, grill for ten minutes, turning once, in entire husk, unshucked.
• For charred corn, remove hair and return corn to husk and grill for then minutes. You can at this time add your butter or mayonnaise.
• For charred corn, you can put the corn out of husk, directly on grill for 10 minutes, turning at least once.

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Grain Free Chicken tenders are good for dinners, salads, tacos, sandwiches, and snacks.

There are two ways to make grain free chicken tenders. You can dip them into buttermilk or beaten egg. I had great luck with the both, and if you’re not able to eat eggs, the buttermilk works well.

I used almond flour and grated Pecorino Romano cheese. You could also use grated parmesan. The grated cheese gives an extra flavor and works well combined with almond flour. (amazon affiliate).

The key to frying with almond flour is to use very low heat, as almond flour can tend to burn. Low heat also helps to keep the chicken tender.

The thing that most puzzles me sometimes is what to serve with chicken tenders. Sometimes I like ketchup. Sometimes I like honey mustard. Sometimes, I like comeback sauce I made here.

More Low Carb Grain Free (Keto Friendly) Chicken Recipes

Grain Free Chicken Picatta

Grain Free Chicken Marsala with Proscuitto and Mushrooms

Grain Free Chicken Pot Pie

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Grain Free Chicken Tenders Come Back Sauce

Grain Free, Keto Friendly Chicken Tenders with Balsamic Mayonnaise.

Course Entree

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 8 minutes minutes

Total Time 18 minutes minutes

Servings 10

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• Chicken Tenders
• 1 pound chicken tenders
• 2 cups almond flour may not use all
• 1 cup freshly grated pecorino Romano or parmesan cheese
• 2 eggs beaten or 1 cup buttermilk
• salt
• pepper
• 1/4 cup olive oil avocado oil,or coconut oil (choose one)

Instructions

• Chicken Tenders Instructions
• Pat tenders with paper towel.
• Mix almond flour with parmesan cheese.
• Season chicken with salt and pepper.
• Dip into egg, dip into breadcrumb mixture.
• Heat oil to medium heat.
• Place chicken in pan (not touching or crowded).
• Turn heat down to low and fry a few minutes on each side, to a internal temperature of 165 degrees F.
• Fry in oil of choice.(A few minutes on each side).
• Drain on paper towels.

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The post How to Make Grain Free Chicken Tenders Almond Flour, Keto Friendly appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

A few years ago I wrote a great informative post on How to Make Perfect Risotto, including the mistakes to avoid.  That post is worth reading through, as I did a lot of research with the Italians I trust.

Italians take their risotto very seriously. There are strong arguments on how much broth to rice ratio, as well as whether to add in heavy cream at the end, which authentic risotto should never ever have. I solve some of that debate, but then tell you, you must be the judge of the broth. I will give you a guideline that has been tested many times, but your own eyes will tell you when it’s done.

A good risotto can also make good leftovers.

A Funny/Not Funny Story about Risotto while Dining Out

I have a funny story about risotto. Last September we were at a very expensive Nashville restaurant. There was a dish on the menu, pumpkin seed risotto. One would think it was a dish that had rice and pumpkin seeds. However, in today’s super trendy world of celebrity chefism,  it was just a dish of pumpkin seeds.

We had to sit through what felt like a full 20 minute description of the chef’s food and this “risotto.

When the pumpkin seed risotto was served, it was a bowl of seeds. We asked where the rice was and we were told it’s a riff on risotto.

That’s not what we thought or we wouldn’t have ordered it. When I said “that’s not really risotto,” I was told by the server “risotto has changed through the ages.”  Another food blogger was with us, who is also Italian. It was actually her dish.

I said, “no, risotto is risotto. If you say risotto, you need to serve risotto. It hasn’t changed through the ages. You should tell people you’re giving them a bowl of pumpkin seeds and call it stewed pumpkin seeds but please don’t call it risotto.

By the way, Google defines risotto as an Italian dish of rice cooked in stock with other ingredients such as meat and vegetables.

It is NOT seeds! I actually take offense to wonder bread chefs messing with Italian food.  Too harsh? It was my birthday!

We left hungry, went to Fido’s Coffee House and had cake and coffee for dinner. It’s a night we will never forget.

We gave it an honest review on open table and the chef wrote to me and was nearly raging,  claiming I was one-sided and unfair to him. He talked down to me as if I wasn’t “foodie hipster” enough to get it. Sorry/not sorry.

If you know me around here for the past nine years, I do not get into arguments with chefs, nor do I post anything negative. This was my exception,

You don’t need to be foodie hipster coolness to understand Italian food.  Risotto is classic Italian  comfort food, made with care and finesse.  A few months later, he was not longer working there.

This stirred me up so much, I had to come home and make authentic risotto, which led to risotto cakes.

This is risotto.

That’s when my risotto cakes were born.

I made the risotto cakes from the above risotto the next day!

The crispiness on the outside and the gooeyness on the inside makes this the perfect comfort food bite.

These risotto cakes are so easy, and quite versatile. You can eat them for lunch as a stand alone. You can enjoy them  as a side or appetizer for dinner. You can make them small and serve them at a party.

This is made with my basic risotto recipe, but it would be stellar with this caramelized vidalia onion  and corn risotto.

My favorite way to eat Italian Risotto Cakes  is to top one with an egg and have it for breakfast.

I oven bake my fried eggs and you can find that recipe here.

I added in a little bit of grated mozzarella to the mix and very lightly applied some tapioca flour. I think you could honestly skip the flour because you’re going to make this with cold risotto.

I thought back and forth if I would want a sauce for these and I decided no, but I’m not opposed. I would love to know what you think?

Here are a few ideas from some of my fellow bloggers.

The Original Risotto 101 Post

More Italian Recipes from Spinach Tiger

How to Make Aoili from House of Nash

Easy Allioli – Catalan Garlic Sauce from Fuss Free Flavours

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Italian Risotto Cakes

Risotto Cakes can be a side dish or an appetizer. Cheesy and easy made from left over risotto.

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 10 minutes minutes

Total Time 20 minutes minutes

Servings 6

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 2 cups risotto recipe here
• 1/4 cup mozzarella cheese shredded
• 2 to 4 tablespoons avocado oil for frying
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour or all purpose flour
• chopped parsley for garnish
• parmesan cheese for garnish

Instructions

• Add shredded mozzarella to risotto cakes.
• Season with salt and pepper if necessary.Heat oil in frying pan to medium high.
• Form into patties, Dredge lightly in tapioca flour. (I didn't use flour).
• Once placed in pan, turn heat to medium. Turn when golden brown, about 4 minutes each side.
• Garnish with parsley and parmesan cheese.

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This is the quintessential northern Italian type recipe that is simple, minimalist and will make you close your eyes at the first bite.This might be my most favorite oven roasted cauliflower recipe ever, and there’s a lot of them here at Spinach Tiger.

When I was tasting this dish, I thought of Marcella Hazan who wrote this legendary cookbook that stands worn-out in my kitchen. If you even dream of understanding authentic Italian cooking, this book is a must and get it in hardcover. You’ll have it for years.

She also writes a book called Ingredienti, Marcella’s Guide to the Market, that is simply charming and useful, as she believes ingredients almost outweigh a recipe, which should be non-complicated.

Buttery Oven Roasted Cauliflower Recipe Process

The cauliflower is sliced medium-thin, and fried in clarified butter, before roasting. You must clarify the butter, because you will be frying the cauliflower at medium high heat.

You can learn how to clarify butter here.

The cauliflower slices are then layered with salt, pepper, and authentic parmigiano-reggiano cheese and broiled for about five minutes.

The problem with cauliflower is that not all parts will slice the way you want them to. Some will crumble. That’s okay. Just put those to the side and fry those together. You can put them either in the center or middle of the layers. Put your best layers on top.

I call this cauliflower crack, as it’s buttery and gets flavor from parmigiano reggiano cheese.

Food should be made with the best ingredients you can find, and as few of them as it takes to create a culinary experience.

Take that in for a moment. Good food has finesse and draws you close to its source. When you taste this cauliflower, it should make you want to ask more about this dish, like what cheese is this, what butter did you use?

As simple this oven roasted cauliflower recipe is, it makes you want to know more about it.

I used unsalted Irish butter, because it’s amazing and makes grocery store butter taste like fake butter.

I used organic cauliflower, making sure to look for a head that had no black spots.

I used AUTHENTIC parmigiano-reggiano from Italy, not fake substitutes. You will pay more, but you will use less. Treat this king of cheese as it deserves.  It’s very subtle, yet has an umami flavor and it comes from the special cow’s milk produced by cows in a small protected area of Italy. Don’t buy pre-grated, as it begins to lose moisture immediately.   Don’t use pecorino in this recipe, as it will overpower the dish and be too salty.

I used or pink himalayan salt and freshly ground black pepper.

Use Cast Iron Pans to cook from Stove Top to Oven

Because I like to use high heats and place this under the broil, I used this size cast iron pan. If you have never cooked with cast iron, I urge you to invest in a few sizes. Not only are they affordable, they last through generations. I only purchased a few of my 14 cast iron pans, inheriting the rest. I use at least one of them  every single day.

Once the dish came out of the oven, I realized I topped it with some fresh basil, the only fresh I had. You can use fresh parsley or thyme, but I wouldn’t burden it with any stronger flavors, because the beauty of this dish is how nuanced it is.

If you like this, you’ll be inspired by this most popular cauliflower recipe, Cauliflower Hash, which is similar.

More Cauliflower Recipes

More Vegetable Dishes

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Buttery Oven Roasted Cauliflower Recipe

Buttery Oven Roasted Cauliflower with layers of Parmigiano Reggino

Course Vegetable Side Dish

Cuisine Italian

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 20 minutes minutes

Total Time 30 minutes minutes

Servings 4

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 head cauliflower
• 4 tablespoons clarified butter unsalted.
• Celtic Sea Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1/3 cup freshly grated parmigiano reggiano cheese
• fresh basil or parsley for garnish

Instructions

• Preheat broiler or oven to 425 degrees
• Trim Cauliflower, Slice medium thin sliced thickness, about 1/4 inch, not shaved
• Use a small cast iron pan that will make three layers.
• Heat clarified butter in pan. To make clarified butter, heat in medium heat and skim off all foam. What is left is clarified butter.
• Add cauliflower one layer at a time, not to crowd pan. Fry until nearly golden brown or golden on edges. Remove to dish, as you cook each layer.
• Season each layer with salt and pepper. Make sure each layer has some of the melted butter.
• Layer each with a parmigiano reggiano cheese.
• Save the nicest cauliflower pieces for the top.
• Sprinkle top with cheese.
• Either roast at 425 for about 10 minutes, until the cheese is golden, or place under broiler for about five minutes. You may need to watch this closely to not burn it.
• When it comes out of the oven, sprinkle chopped parsley or basil.
• Serve immediately.

Spinach Tiger is an Amazon affiliate and earns a small commission on products ordered.

The post Buttery Oven Roasted Cauliflower Recipe with Parmigiano Reggiano appeared first on Spinach Tiger.

I’ve tried to give it some Italian flair by adding in some freshly grated parmesan cheese, and it was so good, I made it twice in the same day. I used sour dough bread from our local bakery, Provence, because it was left over from the much promised grilled cheese served at last week’s birthday party.

I was assigned Cupcakes with Sprinkles from the Secret Recipe Club, where each month we cook a dish from someone else’s blog, This is a great exercise as a blogger, because it makes me stop and appreciate someone else’s published work. This might be one of the easier dishes, but it’s something I’ve been wanting to make since I saw Moonstruck.

I had to pick a quick dish, as there is a lot on my plate right now. Right now, I’m staring at a cake with a naked Barbie and trying to sort out yet another birthday party. I could have made Meghan’s  root beer float cupcakes for the party, but perhaps another time. Meghan has three small children and in her words a “smarty pants” husband, so I’m sure there’s a lot of fun food going on over at her house. This is probably her quick go meal to keep her going. I know I appreciated it today. I love runny eggs and since I’m only eating my favorite part of the bread, the crust which is crunchy, after it’s fried, it feels like a real treat.

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Egg in a Hole with Parmesan Cheese

Egg in the hole is a great way to enjoy a fried egg inside a piece of toast. I gave this Italian flavors with some parmesan cheese that turned golden brown.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 1 minute minute

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 6 minutes minutes

Servings 1

Author Angela Roberts

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• Parmesan cheese
• 1 piece of bread with center removed
• olive oil
• 1 teaspoon butter
• salt
• pepper

Instructions

• Place oil and butter in non-stick pan, enough to cook the egg and toast.
• Place bread in pan, once the pan is hot. Keep pan on medium low.
• Sprinkle the cheese into hole, add egg.Sprinkle more cheese on top of egg.
• Turn over to an over easy egg when ready.
• Season with salt and pepper

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