Grilled Stuffed Peppers

Aaaah, if not for the 50- and 60-degree days in January, no on would live in Texas.

Feeling an urge to soak up some midwinter sun, yet still craving the comforts of an open fire? How about some tiny, sweet peppers in all the colors of sunshine, wrapped in bacon, and grilled to tasty perfection?

Sunshine? Check.

Fire? Check.

Tasty? Check, check, check!

Courtney's Grilled Stuffed Peppers

Assume 4-5 per person

This recipe stuffed about 30

1 cup fresh breadcrumbs (I used French bread)

1 cup shredded cheese (I used a colby/jack mix)

4 oz cream cheese, at room temp (1/2 package)

1 tsp garlic powder

1 tsp onion powder

2 large eggs

Dulcetta (small sweet) peppers, split from top to tail and any present seeds removed

Thick-cut bacon, one slice for every three peppers

Wash, split, and de-seed peppers (it is not necessary to remove the stem- in fact, leaving it on will enable
you to more completely close in the stuffing and prevent leaks while grilling).

In a medium-sized bowl, combine cream cheese, eggs, shredded cheese, garlic powder, and onion powder.

In a food processor, pulse 3-4 slices of fresh bread until a coarse
crumb is achieved (you are looking for about 1 cup crumbs). Add
crumbs to egg/cheese mixture.

Mixture should have a thick and relatively dry texture.

Carefully scoop filling into cleaned, split peppers, being careful not to break peppers apart.
My peppers held an average of 2 tsp of filling per pepper.

Once peppers are filled and squished closed, cut bacon
slices into thirds and wrap 1/3 piece of bacon around each pepper.
Slide on to skewer*, making sure skewer pierces overlapping
bacon ends to ensure a good wrap.

Place skewers of peppers over heated coals (avoiding open flames like in photo, unless super-charred is your style).
Peppers are ready when bacon is crisp, pepper skin is slightly charred, and filling is hot and gooey.

These peppers are a crowd pleaser, and a for-sure hit for any Super Bowl party that may be coming up, so put a pin in this and enjoy!

*If no grill there be, you can use toothpicks and your broiler!

Avocado Pasta

This weekend we got 3 perfectly ripe avocados in our co-op share, and we had no chips... what to do, what to do? No guacamole, that's getting a bit tired anyway. How about... a bright green, creamy, rich, healthful, and crazy-easy pasta? Perfect.

Courtney's Creamy Avocado Pasta

Makes enough for 4-5 

3 medium-sized ripe avocados

olive oil

lemon thyme

1/2 lemon

garlic powder

salt

1 lb pasta (we used bowtie)

water and salt 

In a large pot, fill with enough water as to give your pasta room to move without overflowing the pot itself once the pasta starts a-cookin'. Toss in a few tablespoons of salt and bring water to boil. Toss in pasta and cook to your texture preference.

In a food processor or blender, puree 2 of the ripe avocados with a pinch of thyme, a pinch of garlic powder, the juice from 1/2 a lemon, and salt to taste. Slowly drizzle in the olive oil (while processor or blender is going) until sauce becomes the thickness of a really good alfredo. 

Pour avocado sauce into a heat-safe bowl, and then scoop cooked pasta directly from hot pasta water and into avocado sauce (don't worry about excess pasta water, you actually want some of it in the avocado sauce). Toss pasta in avocado puree, and then cube the third avocado and gently fold into pasta. Serve with fresh tomatoes, an extra squeeze of lemon, or some freshly grated Parmesan, and enjoy!

(Try not to lick the plate)

Citrus Cookie "Bars"

It's the first of a new year. Let's start it right... with something bright and rich. Who wouldn't want to start a year like that?

Courtney's Citrus Cookie "Bars"

Makes one 9x13" pan of awesomeness

For the shortbread:

3 sticks softened butter

1 (scant) cup sugar

3 1/2 cup unbleached all-purpose flour

~1/2 tsp salt

1 generous tsp good vanilla

Cream together butter, sugar, and vanilla. Add flour and salt and mix until mostly combined (there will be a few
crumbles left out of the 'ball,' no worries).

Turn out dough (and crumbles) into a nonstick-sprayed
9x13" baking dish and press to flatten into an even thickness. 

Bake shortbread in a preheated 350-degree oven for about 20 minutes, or until edges are browned and pulled away
from dish slightly. Allow to cool while making the citrus curd topping.

For the citrus curd:

Citrus of your choice- you could do all one type, like lemon or orange, or a combo of several...

I used lemon, orange, and grapefruit. You'll need enough citrus for

1 TBS citrus zest

1 cup citrus juice

1 (scant) cup sugar

3 TBS cold butter (don't use substitutions!)

3 eggs, beaten in advance

In a good-sized saucepan, add zest, juice, and sugar, and mix
with a wire whisk. Don't turn on the heat yet!

To the zest/juice mixture, add eggs, and turn heat to a medium.
As mixture heats up, add lump of butter, and whisk constantly.
Continue cooking over medium heat until mixture thickens
and will coat the back of a spoon, then immediately pour
into a heat-safe bowl to stop the cooking process.

Score the top of the cooled shortbread with the point of a knife or a fork. Pour hot citrus curd over shortbread and place
in a cool place until set (about 30 mins). Cut into desired sized bars and devour.

Note: these bars have an unusually thick shortbread crust (compared to other citrus-y bars like lemon bars, for example), which is a nod to my mummy who as a child always wished for more cookie under her lemon goo. 

Enjoy, mom, and everyone else, of course!