RECIPE: Stuffed Peppers

Ingredients

• 8 medium bell pepper
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 4 large leeks, white and palest green parts only, chopped and well rinsed
• 2 to 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 4 cups cooked corn kernels
• 4 cups diced zucchini
• ¼ cup minced fresh parsley
• 1 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin, or more, to taste
• Crumbled sweet Italian sausage (optional)
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
• Parmesan cheese for topping

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2. Cut the peppers in half; remove the seeds. 
3. Arrange peppers in glass pyrex casserole dishes.
4. Heat the oil with two tablespoons of water in a large skillet. Add the leeks and garlic. Sauté over medium heat, covered, lifting the lid to stir occasionally, until the leeks are tender.
5. Stir in the remaining ingredients except the parmesan cheese. Cook, stirring, another 5 minutes.
6. Distribute the stuffing among the peppers. Top each with a sprinkling of parmesan cheese.
7. Bake for 20 minutes uncovered.until the peppers are tender but not collapsed. Keep warm until ready to serve.

Escarole with sausage and white beans-feeds a crowd!

1. escarole with sausage and white beans
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 12 Italian sausages (about 3 pounds), casings removed
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 1/2 cup chopped prosciutto (about 2 ounces)
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon dried crushed red pepper
• 1 large head escarole, chopped (about 10 cups)
• 3/4 cup dry white wine
• 4 15-ounce cans Great Northern beans, rinsed, drained
• 1 cup chicken stock or canned low-salt chicken broth
• Freshly grated Parmesan cheese (optional)

1. Heat oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Working in batches, sauté sausage until cooked through, breaking up with back of spoon, about 6 minutes per batch. Using slotted spoon, transfer sausage to bowl, leaving drippings in pot. Reduce heat to medium; add onion to pot and sauté until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add prosciutto and sauté 1 minute. Mix in garlic and crushed red pepper. Add escarole and sauté until wilted, about 2 minutes. Add wine and cook 2 minutes. Add beans, stock and sausage and simmer 10 minutes to blend flavors. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Transfer to large bowl. Top with grated Parmesan, if desired.