Suzy Eats

Today’s guest blogger is Karen Peek from http://www.inspiredartofcooking.com/. If you haven’t been over to her blog, I highly suggest you do. She has some very interesting posts. She also recently published her very own cookbook.

Below is a recipe that she wrote for Suzy Eats:

Ingredients

1½ cups whole- wheat orzo

4-6 bell peppers

3-4 diced shallots

½ – 1 cup chopped black olives, pitted

1 – 1½ cups crumbled feta cheese

2-4 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley (1-2 Tbsp dried)

ground black pepper to taste

1-2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar

¼ – ⅓ cup extra- virgin olive oil

½ -1 cup bread crumbs

½ – 1 cup grated parmesan cheese

2-4 Tbsp chopped chives (fresh/dried)

Preparation

1.      Preheat oven to 400°.

2.      Bring 4 cups water to a boil in saucepot on stovetop.  Add salt to boiling water to flavor pasta (optional).  Then add orzo to pot and cook until just tender (about 8-10 minutes).  Drain water.  Put orzo in a large bowl.

3.      Slice tops off bell peppers and carefully remove ribs and seeds.

4.      Place bell peppers upright in a tall-sided baking dish.

5.      Combine shallots, olives, feta cheese, parsley and pepper with orzo and mix all together.

6.      Stir in rice wine vinegar and 1-2 Tbsp olive oil with orzo.

7.      Spoon some mixture into each bell pepper, filling them to the rim.

8.      In a small bowl, mix bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and chives.  Spoon some bread crumbs on top of each pepper and then drizzle olive oil over bread crumbs.  

9.      Bake in oven 30-45 minutes.  Serves 4-6.

Alternatives

Tips

–          Place dried herbs in mortar and pestle and gently crush to draw out flavor.  If you do not own a mortar and pestle, gently rub herbs with both hands. 

–          To maintain freshness, wash herbs immediately when you bring them home from the store.  Dry off and store wrapped up in paper towels in a Ziploc® Brand Bag in refrigerator.

–          Store bread crumbs in freezer for longer shelf life.

–          To make homemade bread crumbs, process any type of bread in a food processor.  Flavor by adding herbs to processor.