Tag: vegetables

Stuffed Peppers and Stuffed Onions with Old El Paso® Enchilada Sauce, Beyond Tacos

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Where in the world has Coco Cooks been?  The answer to that is Portugal, Sweden, and adjusting to a new job, with a catering gig here and there. Life is good. And you will love this recipe for Old El Paso’s Beyond Tacos. It’s all about surroundings and who you surround yourself with. It’s an easy lesson, but sometimes learned the hard way.

portugal

Certain Someone and I started out our  European vacation this year in Estoril , Portugal. Our good friends , one Russian, and one Indian got married in a huge multi million euro villa by the sea . The theme was obviously Vodka Curry. Did I mention it was a two day ceremony encompassing both cultures? They turned the indoor pool into a dance club for the final reception.I’ve never seen a anything like it. I was busy doing the makeup for the bride during the ceremonies. The food of Portugal was outstanding and I became inspired. What little down time we had was spent on the beaches of Estoril, the Casino, and naturally eating our way up the coast.

sweden

After Portugal we went to our second home in Sweden. It’s been a few years for me, and it was great to see old friends and my extended family, in addition to Certain Someones parents. Our friends threw us a lovely crayfish party with beautiful fish dishes, cheeses, pies, and drinks. We ate , sang , and drank Schnapps throughout the night.  I love Sweden  and wish I could spend more time there.

OEP 2

Now onto this recipe…

Family meal time is the most important part of the day. And the most memorable meals are those filled with comfort and love. Onions and Peppers, stuffed with Mexican Cheesy Rice and meat, are baked to tender goodness with Old El Paso Enchilada Sauce. Serve Traditional Old El Paso refried beans on the side.I got my inspiration from the foods of the Mediterranean and Middle East with this. I love the technique of boiling onions, and peeling away the layers. then stuffing. It’s one of Certain Someones favorite meals.

Stuffed Peppers and Stuffed Onions with Old El Paso® Enchilada Sauce, Beyond Tacos
 
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Prep time
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Author:
Recipe type: Entree
Cuisine: Mexican
Serves: 6
Ingredients
  • 2 large onions
  • 7 smaller sweet peppers to stuff. Use various colors is possible for variety.
  • 1 ½ lbs ground meat (beef, pork, chicken, or turkey). I mixed beef and pork.
  • 1 Old El Paso Mexican Cheesy Rice Kit
  • 2 10 oz Cans of Old El Paso Medium Red Enchilada Sauce
  • ½ can ( 5 oz) water
  • 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
  • 1 can of Old El Paso Traditional Refried Beans to serve on the side.
  • Chopped cilantro and paprika for garnish
Instructions
  1. Bring a large pot of salted water to a rolling boil.
  2. Preheat oven to 350 °
  3. On a cutting board cut the root end off of each onion.
  4. Carefully cut vertically each onion on the side (root to tip) down to the center part (the halfway point, about 6 layers). Do not cut in half. The outside papery layer will be easy to remove, but leave onion intact.
  5. Drop each onion in boiling water and cook for 15 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and let cool until able to handle with ease. (Plunge in cold water to stop cooking and speed up cooling time).
  6. Once cool carefully peel each layer apart until you reach the smaller center/ core. The layers may not be as cooked towards the center, which is fine. Save and chop for filling.
  7. In a bowl mix ground meat and contents of the Old El Paso Mexican Cheesy Rice Kit. Add some chopped leftover onion from the cores of onion. Mix with hands until all is incorporated.
  8. Take a cast iron skillet or oven proof casserole and brush with olive oil.
  9. Take each onion layer and carefully fill with meat mixture and roil over and close.
  10. Stuff each pepper as well.
  11. Arrange in pan.
  12. Pour cans of enchilada sauce and water over stuffed vegetables.
  13. Cover tightly with aluminum foil.
  14. Bake for 1 hour. Carefully brush bastes each vegetable with the sauce and juices from vegetables.
  15. Remove foil and turn up oven temperature to 400°. Bake for another 15 minutes until bubbly and browned.
  16. Serve with heated refried beans as a side.
  17. Garnish with chopped cilantro and paprika .
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You can find this and other great creative recipes on the Old El Paso website. Stay tuned for some great new holiday recipes.

 

 

Baked Radicchio with Parmesan

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Spring is gradually rolling in . With that comes more vibrant and hued fruits and vegetables  for our table to take us out the winter doldrums. Last week in my organic delivery box, I received several heads of Radicchio. I really didn’t envision myself eating a bunch of salad with radicchio. Nor was I feeling making a starchy risotto which was also a very popular option with this  member of the Chicory family. Let me start off by saying Radicchio is bitter, very better and pairs either with more salt or sweet ingredients.  Many roast theirs with Balsamic for that sweeter edge and some with saltier cheeses, like I chose to.

Now my variety of Radicchio, the round Chiogga, is the type more used for salads. The Treviso , more elongated like Belgian endive, is actually milder and more suitable for cooking. Nevertheless it will still be bitter and its going to up to your personal preference if you enjoy this or not. I found after baking, some extra squeeze of lemon rounded out the flavor with the olive oil, cheese, and wine. I would pair this dish with pork or chicken  with a fruit or sweet based sauce to compliment the bitter spice of the radicchio.

 

Baked Radicchio with Parmesan
 
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Baked Radicchio
Author:
Recipe type: Side Dish
Ingredients
  • 5 heads of Radicchio cut into quarter wedges (you can use less and pare down your recipe to proportion)
  • Olive Oil to drizzle baking dish and radicchio
  • ½ cup dry white wine
  • 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
  • salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to 350 F.
  2. Coat the bottom of your baking dish with olive oil. Add quartered , washed radicchio.
  3. Pour wine over the vegetable and season with salty and pepper. Top with grated Parmesan.
  4. Cover with foil, to create steam and moisture, and bake for 25 minutes.
  5. Remove foil and bake for another 20 minuted until radicchio is wilted, color is more brown and cheese has melted.
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Giardiniera. It’s a Chicago Thing.

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I have a co worker who is a self described Giardiniera addict. We could go on and on about it. She’s one of the few kindred spirit’s I have found, that derives pure pleasure in salty acidic relishes. What is Giardiniera you ask? Well prior to coming to Chicago over ten years ago, I had never heard of it. I would get my heat and acid kick from the East Coats versions of crushed peppers on my submarines and cheese steaks, etc.

So naturally with the Mid West’s summer bounty upon us, and my refrigerator running over with heads of organic cauliflower, peppers, celery,carrots and such, it was time to attempt some Giardiniera. For my first attempt it was pretty good. The co-worker expert said it was “Freaking Good’“and wanted some more. The beauty of this recipe, is that you use whatever you have laying around. If  you like your Giardiniera mild, add sweet peppers only. If you like some heat and spice go crazy with the Serrano’s and Jalapenos.After all Giardiniera means “Woman Gardener” in Italian.

To Process or Not?

I went ahead and processed mine in a water batch or my dishwasher method, as I was taught  last year). There is some traditional debate on whether this is safe or not (dishwasher method).If you  do a traditional water bath (the safest method), only do so for minimal time (like 3-5 minutes). At first I thought they didn’t seal, but they did the next day. The veg was still nice and crunchy. I still kept all my jars in the fridge to be safe, rather than sorry, and I’m just about out. If you don’t process, consume within 2-3 weeks and store in the refrigerator.

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Giardiniera

Makes 5-6 pint sizes

Total time 4 days to process

  • 1 head cauliflower
  • 1 bunch celery
  • 4-5 large carrots
  • 2-3 Red or hued sweet peppers
  • 4 Jalapenos or more or less to taste. Not seeded!
  • 4 Serrano’s . Not seeded!
  • 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
  • 1 tablespoon dried minced garlic
  • 1 tablespoon Italian Herbs mix (dried oregano, basil, etc)
  • 1/2 to 3/4 cup Kosher Salt
  • 1 part Vegetable or Canola oil (to cover)
  • 1 part White Vinegar (to cover)

Preparation

  1. Sterilized jars, and lids. 1 pint size
  2. Clean and chop all your vegetables.Be sure to leave seeds from the heat peppers (Jalapenos and Serrano’s). In a non reactive container with lid, our salt  on vegetables and cover with cold water. Cover and store 24 hours in the refrigerator.
  3. Drain salt water. At this point you may rinse if you find the veg salty. I  like salt, so didn’t. It was just fine. In another container mix your 1 part Vinegar to 1 part Oil with the remaining spices. Mix well and make sure its combined or emulsified.
  4. Sterilize Jars and Lids. Pack the vegetables into clean sterilized jars and cover with the oil /vinegar mixture. Seal and either process in a water bath, or store in the refrigerator.
  5. If you process, let rest after process for 12 hour until sealed. If not sealed, follow instructions from jar manufacturer to reprocess, or store immediately in the refrigerator to consume within 2-3 weeks.
  6. Either way , once complete let, the jars rest for at least 2 days until consuming to allow the flavors to merge.

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Suggested Uses:

  • Chicago Beef Sandwich
  • Relish Trays
  • Antipasto  trays
  • Pasta Salads
  • Submarines
  • Pizzas
  • Accompaniment to Charcuterie
  • Or just plain out the Jar