Stuffed Banana Peppers

June 13, 2020June 15, 2020Leave a comment

I have officially found a new summer food love!

Cream Cheese. Sausage. Cheddar. Ranch. Banana Peppers!

The best quarantine decision I made was getting a weekly vegetable box from a local farm. I do not know what I’m getting until a few days before pickup, but it has yet to disappoint. It has also afforded me the opportunity to try new recipes with the freshest ingredients, some of which are not carried in my local grocery store. When I think back on these veggie boxes the recipe that makes my mouth water the most is Stuffed Banana Peppers!

I must admit, I have not ever bought or prepared fresh banana peppers before this summer. I was under the impression that banana peppers where generally about the size of a jalapeno or straight from a jar. Boy was I wrong! Also, if I’m being honest the only way I have really eaten banana peppers is from a jar prepared on a pizza or Mississippi Roast (you should defiantly give that if try if you haven’t already!).

When I opened my vegetable box and saw the beautiful nearly foot long peppers. I knew these where too pretty to just chop up but should be stuffed…with cheese, cheese, and sausage! I am seriously getting excited just typing this out!

After that first taste I immediately ordered three extra pounds for the next week and have been enjoying them ever since!

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Stuffed Banana Peppers

Banana Peppers stuffed with Sausage, Ranch, and Cheese! A delicious summer side!

Prep Time15

Cook Time40

Course: Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: 6

Author: The Food Practitioner

Ingredients

6-7 Banana Peppers large size
1 pound sausage cooked, crumbled, and drained
8 ounce cream cheese
1 pkg dry ranch mix
2 cups cheddar cheese

Instructions

Slice Banana Peppers in half then scoop out and discharge the seeds. Place in a large, sprayed baking dish with center facing up.
Mix together the cream cheese, cooked sausage, dry ranch mix, and cheddar cheese.
Spoon filling into the Banana Peppers.
Bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 40 minutes.

Notes

The inside sausage filling made enough for me to fill 14 halves of the large peppers (depends on size). You can easily freeze sausage mixture for a later usage.

I will certainly be keeping this recipe for many years to come! Some helpful tips I found, If there is a curved edge to the pepper half the pepper with the curved part in the air then slice down the exposed center that way the pepper will lay flat in the baking dish. Also the filling does make a lot. I froze my remaining mix and we made two meals out of these peppers and I was not mad about that! The filling would also be amazing baked on top of a crescent roll dough. Just bake until the dough is cooked through!

Tomato Pie

June 4, 2020June 4, 20202 Comments

Calling ALL Tomato Lovers!

Nothing says summer like the taste of fresh vegetables. I personally wish I had room (and ability and time) for a large backyard garden that I could peruse for mealtimes. That being said, I gratefully accept all tomatoes! You can not beat the deliciousness and simplicity of a BLT with mozzarella, fresh basil, a little mayo, on homemade white bread. Tomatoes are so versatile. You can slice and eat on a sandwich or make the most delicious sauces. However, at the top of my list is Tomato Pie.

Don’t let the name fool you. I feel like this amazing side star needs a more robust name as it certainly is a show stopper! You start with a store bought deep dish pie crust, fill it with the juiciest and freshest tomatoes, then top with a gooey, melty, cheese topping. Simply put, it is amazing!

Tomato Pie makes me wish for summer and that says a lot for a southern girl! Seeing my counter lined with fresh and plump tomato beauties makes breaking out into a sweat walking to the mailbox worth it!

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