Stuffed Peppers with a Taco Twist

Like stuffed peppers but want to try something a bit different? This delicious dish is easy to make, and since there isn't a lot of extra sauce, the peppers don't get mushy. Instead, they're tender crisp.

1 1/2 pounds 95% lean ground beef
1 medium onion, diced
1 15-ounce can black beans, drained and rinsed
1 package taco seasoning
1 15-ounce can tomato sauce
1 large green bell pepper
1 large red bell pepper
1 large orange bell pepper
1 large yellow bell pepper
1 1/2 cups low-fat shredded cheddar cheese
1/2 cup diced tomatoes
1/2 cup fat-free sour cream
1 cup salsa

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Dice onion. Brown ground beef and onion on medium heat. Add black beans, one package taco seasoning, and tomato sauce. Stir. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes.

Wash peppers. Cut tops off. Slice each pepper in half, vertically, forming pepper cups.

Place pepper halves in an ungreased baking dish. Fill each pepper cup with ground beef and bean mixture. Bake, uncovered, in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Peppers will be tender crisp.

Sprinkle with cheese and tomatoes. Top each pepper with a teaspoon of sour cream. Serve salsa on the side.

Make Yourself a Dang Quesadilla for National Dairy Month

Maybe Napoleon Dynamite's grandma appreciated qualtiy dairy products.

Or maybe she just thought he could fend for himself.

June kicks of the annual Dairy Month celebration. And, as the wife of a dairy farmer, I can proudly say that we believe integrating dairy products into your diet does more than build strong bones. By incorporating the 3-a-day plan, you can meet calcium and vitamin D needs.

At our house, not only do we drink a lot of milk - sometimes using a gallon or more a day - but we eat our fair share of cheese.

One of our favorites, featuring cheese, is black bean and cheese quesadillas. Try it for a spicy snack or make several and serve as a main dish.

Black Bean and Cheese Quesadillas

• 1/2 cup black beans, drained and rinsed
• 1/3 cup chunky salsa
• 1 T. chopped green onion
• 1 T. chopped cilantro
• 1 1/2 shredded Pepper Jack cheese
• 1 c. shredded cheddar cheese
• 8 tortillas
• 1 T. butter OR butter-flavored cooking spray
• 1 t. cumin

Mash beans. Combine with salsa, onion, cilantro, cheese, and cumin. Divide mixture on four tortillas, spreading close to the edge. Top with a tortilla.

Melt butter or spray cooking spray into skillet. Over medium low to medium heat, cook until lightly browned, approximately 2 - 3 minutes per side. Cut into wedges before serving.

Stuffed Portobello Mushrooms - Veggie Delight!

Portobello mushrooms are a huge favorite of mine. After marinating, they make a great grilled sandwich or panini. Slice them for a stir-fry style side dish. Or stuff them with cheese. Even the biggest meat eater in our house enjoys them!

Just a couple weeks ago, the local grocery store (I live on a farm outside a town of 400 residents) had packages of portobellos priced at 5 for $10. Each package had 3 fairly good sized mushrooms, so I purchased them and served them several different ways.

The website The Gourmet Sleuth has a wonderful read on portobello mushrooms.

Here's a good stuffed mushroom recipe that makes a great side dish or a vegetarian entree.

• 4 large portobello mushrooms
• 3/4 chup shredded mozzarella cheese
• 1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup chopped walnuts (I substituted almonds and thought it was good)
• 1/3 cup chopped onion
• 3 T. Parmesan chese
• 1/4 t. salt
• 1/4 t. black pepper
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 T. vegetable broth

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 15 x 10 baking sheet with cooking spray.

Remove stems from mushrooms. Combine 1/4 c. mozzarella, bread crumbs, nuts, onion, Parmesan cheese, salt and pepper. Stir in egg and broth. Blend.

Spoon the cheese mixture into mushroom caps. Sprinkle with remaining mozzarella cheese. Place on baking sheet and bake uncovered for 20 - 25 minutes. Mushrooms should be tender.

Hash It Over

Once considered a traditional breakfast side dish, hash has been dished up in both diners and home kitchens alike. I will admit that when I think of hash, I get a queasy feeling in the pit of my stomach and think of some can on a shelf in the canned vegetable aisle at the grocery store. The picture isn't appetizing, and I question why someone would subject themselves to such a foodstuff.

But since hash consists of finely-chopped ingredients mashed into a paste, the end result of a homemade hash certainly makes the canned variety pale in comparison. Corned beef is the preferred choice of meat; however, any leftovers will suffice. Typically, leftover beef, onions, potatoes, and spices serve as the basis for the dish. Quite often, the mixture accompanies eggs and toast on the breakfast plate.

But depending on your geographic region, hash might resemble a completely different dish. In Cuba, hash is a.k.a. picadillo - shredded beef (although sometimes shredded chicken), garlic, tomatoes, onion, and spices - used as a stuffing for tacos. Occasionally, additional vegetables are added to the mix; the Cuban version, featuring raisins and olives, is a well-known rendition.

In the southern U.S., shredded pork and barbeque sauce marinate into a spicy mixture and the meat is served over rice.

Traditional corned beef hash remains relatively simple to make. Serve this one beside eggs cooked to your style for a hearty breakfast. The ingredients list includes:

• 2 lbs. cooked corn beef, cubed
• 3 potatoes
• 2 T. butter
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 T. Worcestershire Sauce
• 1 whole egg
• 4 T. butter

Boil potatoes until tender but firm. Drain, cool and dice. Saute pepper and onion in 2 T.butter. Mix cubed corn beef, potatoes, pepper, onion, egg yolk, and egg until a firm consistency, similar to a meatloaf. Form into patties. You may chill overnight or fix immediately. Melt 4 T. butter over medium heat, add meat mixture, and cook thoroughly (approximately 8 - 10 minutes).

If you prefer to utilize those meaty leftovers for another main dish meal, try a Texas hash. This dish is a family favorite!

• 1 1/2 lbs. beef
• 3 onions, diced
• 1 t. minced garlic
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 can Rotel tomatoes, with juice
• 1/2 c. uncooked long-grain rice
• 1 t. chili powder
• 1/2 t. salt
• 1 t. black pepper

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 2 quart casserole dish. Brown beef and onions. When onions are transparent, add peppers and garlic. Cook until green peppers are soft. Remove from heat. Add remaining ingredients and pour into casserole dish. Cover and bake for 45 minutes. Remove lid and bake an additional 15 minutes.

4 - 6 servings.