Cooking is a relatively new interest, but I like to think I've hit the ground running. I try to make at lease one "good" meal a week. Something that actually takes effort and has quality ingredients. I'll show off some of the recipes I've tried and their outcome, good or bad.
Stuffed Bell Peppers (4 Servings)
4 large bell peppers (I prefer red and yellow)
1 lb lean ground turkey, leaner the better
2 tablespoons chopped onion
1 cup cooked rice, white or brown works fine
1 teaspoon salt
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
1 can (15oz) tomato sauce
3/4 cup shredded mozzarella cheese (3 oz)
Cut thin slice from stem end of each bell pepper to remove top of pepper. Remove seeds and membranes; rinse peppers. If necessary, cut thin slice from bottom of each pepper so they stand up straight. In 4-quart Dutch oven, add enough water to cover peppers. Heat to boiling; add peppers. Cook about 2 minutes; drain.
In 10-inch skillet, cook beef and onion over medium heat 8 to 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beef is brown; drain. Stir in rice, salt, garlic and 1 cup of the tomato sauce; cook until hot.
Heat oven to 350°F.
Stuff peppers with beef mixture. Stand peppers upright in ungreased 8-inch square glass baking dish. Pour remaining tomato sauce over peppers.
Cover tightly with foil. Bake 10 minutes. Uncover and bake about 15 minutes longer or until peppers are tender. Sprinkle with cheese.
Apple-Orange Glazed Chicken (2 Servings)
1 tablespoon butter
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
2 tablespoons red wine vinegar
2 boneless skinless chicken breast halves
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon ground mustard
1/4 cup orange juice
2 tablespoons apple butter
1 tablespoon soy sauce
Salt and pepper chicken breasts.
Melt butter in an 8-inch skillet or 3-qt. saucepan over medium heat. Cook chicken in butter about 5 minutes, then add red wine vinegar (vinegar will smell awful when reducing, but taste great in the end). Cook another 10 minutes, turning once, or until juice of chicken is no longer pink when center of thickest piece is cut.
While chicken is cooking, mix cornstarch and mustard in a small bowl. Stir in remaining ingredients.
Place chicken on serving plate; cover to keep warm.
To make the glaze, pour orange mixture into skillet. Heat to boiling over medium heat, stirring constantly. Boil about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until glaze is thickened. Pour over chicken
Buffalo Salmon Filets (2 Servings about 650 calories each)
1 lb Salmon Fillet Divided in 8 oz each
1/4 Cup Hot Sauce, I prefer Franks
1/3 Cup Breadcrumbs. Panko prefered, Italian works too.
2 Tablespoons Butter
If using a single large salmon fillet divide into two smaller fillets. Should be about 8 oz each.
Combine hot sauce, breadcrumbs, and melted butter. Mix thoroughly into a paste like consistency.
Apply mix over top of each fillet making an even coating across whole fillet.
Bake in a preheated oven at 420 degrees for 20 minutes or until internal temperature of fillets is at least 145 degrees.
Recommended to enjoy with wild long grain rice.