Dinner Time

I have been searching for recipes that are easy to prepare, but yummy. I like to cook complicated meals, but that is a thing of the past with Jagger, so I have been doing more slow cooker recipes and things that make alot that can be frozen and brought out again when there is no time to cook. So, I am think of starting to post these recipes for other mother's that are looking for a quick, easy, delicious, and nutritious dinner to serve your family. I will also, of course, be including dessert ideas!

First up, stuffed peppers, mashed potatoes, and orange sherbet for desert.

Stuffed Peppers

• 6 large green bell peppers
• 1 pound ground sausage
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 (10.75 ounce) cans tomato soup
• 2 2/3 cups water
• 1 tablespoon chili powder
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• salt and pepper to taste
• 1 pound Cheddar cheese, shredded, divided
• 3 cups uncooked instant rice

1. Slice tops off of green peppers; remove seeds and membranes, and rinse well. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add peppers and cook for 15 minutes, or until tender-crisp.
2. Place sausage and onions in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium high heat until evenly brown. Reduce heat to medium and stir in tomato soup, water, chili powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper; bring to a low boil. Reduce heat to low, stir in 3/4 of cheese and simmer for 1 hour.
3. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
4. Prepare instant rice according to package instructions. Fluff with a fork and then stir into tomato mixture. Simmer for 30 minutes.
5. Spoon rice mixture into peppers.
6. Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Sprinkle remaining cheese on peppers and place under broiler until cheese is melted and bubbly.

I did not boil the peppers first because we like our vegetables crunchy. They get softer when you cook them, but they are not mushy like they would be if you boiled them. This made enough for us to have 12 peppers. I froze enough of the stuffing for four peppers at a time.

Mashed Potatoes

This is all just a guesstimate because I just put whatever I think needs to be in it!

• 4 red skin potatoes
• 1 sitck of butter or margarine
• 1/4 cup milk
• salt and pepper to taste

1. Cube potatoes and place in a pot of boiling water. Boil until tender.
2. Drain and place into a stand mixer.
3. Place stick of butter, salt and pepper, and milk in bowl with potatoes. Turn on medium to high speed and beat until the desired constancy. I do not like lumps in mine, so I beat for 1-2 minutes on high.
4. Serve with gravy, cheese, or whatever your favorite topping is.

Orange Sherbet

• 7 ounces sugar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons finely grated orange zest
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 cups freshly squeezed orange juice, approximately 2 to 3 pounds oranges~I used Simply Orange Orange Juice
  
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups very cold whole milk~I used soy milk since I can't have regular because of Jagger

In the bowl of a food processor combine all of the ingredients except the milk and process until the sugar is dissolved, approximately 1 minute. Transfer the mixture to a mixing bowl and whisk in the milk. Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator until the mixture reaches 40 degrees F or below, approximately 1 hour.

Pour the mixture into an ice cream maker and process until it is the consistency of soft serve ice cream. You may serve now or transfer to a lidded container and place in freezer until firm, approximately 3 hours.

This was fantastic!! It tasted more like an orange dreamsicle and you could not even tell I used soy milk instead of regular.