Sunday, September 14, 2008

Veggies...what are they good for?

Hot Peppers

Peppers are commonly broken down into three groupings: bell peppers, sweet peppers, and hot peppers. Most popular pepper varieties are seen as falling into one of these categories or as a cross between them… The chili pepper, chilli pepper or chili, is the fruit of the plants from the genus Capsicum, which are members of the nightshade family, Solanacae. Even though chilis may be thought of as a vegetable, their culinary usage is, generally, a spice, the part of the plant that is usually harvested is the fruit, and botany considers the plant a berry shrub. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chili_pepper)

Spicy Black Beans with Bell peppers and Rice

· 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
· 1 large onion, diced
· 1 cup chopped green bell pepper
· 1 cup chopped red bell pepper
· 3 large garlic cloves, chopped
· 1 tablespoon ground cumin
· 1 jalapeño chili, seeded, chopped
· 1 teaspoon dried oregano
· 2 15- to 16-ounce cans black beans, drained
· 2 cups canned crushed tomatoes with added puree
· 1/4 cup orange juice
· 1 1/2 teaspoons hot pepper sauce (such as Tabasco)

· 1 1/3 cups raw rice, cooked

Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Add onion, bell peppers, garlic, cumin, jalapeño and oregano; sauté until vegetables begin to soften, about 8 minutes.
Mash 1/2 cup beans. Add mashed beans, whole beans, tomatoes, orange juice and hot pepper sauce to skillet. Bring to boil, stirring frequently. reduce heat, cover and simmer 15 minutes. Uncover and simmer until reduced to thick sauce consistency, stirring occasionally, about 15 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

Mound rice in center of platter. Spoon black bean mixture over.
(http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/SPICY-BLACK-BEANS-WITH-BELL-PEPPERS-AND-RICE-667)

Corn Jalapeno Muffins

· 1 cup milk
· 1 large egg
· 1/4 cup vegetable oil
· 2 cups all-purpose flour
· 2 tablespoons sugar
· 2 tablespoons cornmeal
· 1 tablespoon baking powder
· 3/4 teaspoon salt
· 1 cup corn kernels, frozen thawed or canned drained
· 2 tablespoons minced jalapeno, or use mild chiles

Whisk together the milk, egg, and oil. In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, sugar, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Stir in first mixture until all ingredients moistened, then stir in the corn and peppers. Spoon into greased muffin cups. Bake at 400° for 20 minutes, or until a wooden pick or cake tester inserted in center comes out clean. Cool in pan for 5 minutes, then remove from pan and serve warm.
http://southernfood.about.com/od/cornbread/r/bl40313f.htm

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