Easy Weeknight Dinner: Baked Stuffed Peppers

Everyone likes this, yeah sometimes my kids leave the pepper and eat the inside, and I have to prod them to eat some of the pepper, and they do...but even a few bits of it is good, they are chock full of vitamin c and a...

I get my peppers at Sam's Club, usually about $5.99 for 6 large peppers...red, orange and yellow beauties. I cut them in half lengthwise, take out the seedy membrane, and lay them in my Pampered Chef stoneware baker, ready to fill.

The filling is basically my standard ground turkey meatloaf,  you can use "extra lean" ground breast of turkey, or the just "lean" version. Both turn out well. They cost about 8.99 for a 2-pack of 2.5 pounds each. My secret is the pinch of pumpkin pie spice in the meat mixture. It just makes the turkey taste better.

You can make these ahead of time then just heat them up in the microwave. Or make them and keep in the fridge until baking time.

Ann's Stuffed Peppers

6 large sweet bell peppers, halved and cleaned of seeds (any color peppers, I like the red/orange and yellows because they are sweeter)

ground black pepper, salt

2.5 lbs ground turkey

1.5 cups of grated romano or parmesan cheese

2 large eggs

1 cup bread crumbs(or 2 slices white bread, crushed)

1/4 cup milk

1 small onion, chopped fine

1.5 cups frozen vegetables (I use the pea/corn/carrot blend, or frozen spinach)

pinch oregano, pumpkin pie spice, and garlic powder

1/4 cup good olive oil

1 14 oz can diced tomatoes w juice, or pureed tomatoes, or even leftover tomato sauce

Reheat oven to 375 degrees. Place the peppers cut side up in a large baking dish which has been sprayed with Pam. season the inside of the peppers with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Now mix the meat, cheese, spices, eggs, milk, breadcrumbs together in a large mixing bowl until just combined (do not over-mix, it makes the filling cook up tough). Now add the onion and the frozen veggies, and just mix to combine. Use about 1/4 of the mixture to fill each of the pepper halves..push them together they should just fit. Top with the tomatoes in juice, and the drizzle on the  rest of the olive oil. Cover lightly with foil and bake for about 1 hour. Take off the foil and let the top brown, another 15 mins or so. Let rest upon removing from the oven for about 10 mins. I serve this with sour cream on the side, a salad and some italian bread.

Salvation Army Frugal Finds!

OK, now I am hooked to my local Salvation Army. Two weeks ago we got a NordicTrac elliptical machine for $70.00, and it works great. We were about to buy new, but luckily, I was too cheap and was hesitating. Those dern things are pricey new!

So, today I went and got this cool wine-rack, its handmade of galvanized metal and wood... very shabby industrial chic, yes? I am thinking of staining the wood darker. price? $3.50

then got this cool stretch glass bowl. Not too valuable (the website I consulted said its only work 18.99!!) but no matter, I like it. It was less that $ 2.00 with the 25% discount!

then this adorable sewing table...works great with spring-tension leafs on the side...I plan on refinishing this baby and really using it as a sewing table. 10 bucks.

and this two-tiered one.. these seem to be everywhere lately. I am planning to use this next to my computer for the printer and the paper....it seems perfect for that application, right? with the tiers? This one was marked $14.50 but it got slashed 50% because it was there more than a month...

well, thats it for now...

linking up to :

I will be linking this post to: Tales from Bloggeritaville and Frugalicious Friday---and a new fun blog I found..Kojo Designs Friday Finds party.... c u there!!