When I was a little girl, I thought Mother was the best cook in the whole world–I’m a little more worldly now, and I know she was a great cook–with what she had to work with. There were only a few things she ever made that I found totally repulsive–lima beans, calf brains, and stuffed peppers. I still hate lima beans and calf brains, but I have come to appreciate suffed peppers.

Growing up in Oklahoma, my parents were children of the Great Depression. By necessity, they learned to be frugal and “made-do.” We always had plenty to eat–we were a meat and potatoes family. Most vegetables came canned, either canned from the garden or canned from the grocery store–I don’t remember very many fresh vegetables, except onions, iceberg lettuce, carrots, and the dreaded green peppers.

It wasn’t so much that I hated peppers, I hated the way she made them–peppers steamed till limp, then filled with ground beef mixed with Spanish rice–from a can.

Until I married and moved to Texas, I had never tasted rice except Spanish rice from a can. I know–most of the world considers it a staple, and my dad saw plenty of it while he was in the Army in WWII. When he got home, he decreed that he would never eat rice again, and he never did–nor did we! Except about twice a year, in stuffed peppers.

Fast-forward several decades–It’s 2 pm my thoughts turn to dinner. What to make, what to make–from the rest of the hamburger in the fridge and the cup of rice in the pantry. There’s a beautiful green bell pepper in the fridge. It is February in North Carolina and I can only speculate where that pepper originated, yet it will make a tasty dinner, with home-made beef and Spanish Rice.

No limp peppers, though, maybe just a few minutes in the microwave to soften slightly, then finish in the oven while the cheese is melting. And freshly made rice with tomatoes and chopped pepper and onions. Yum! Here’s the recipe.

Filling the peppers

Spanish Rice Stuffed Peppers

Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 40 minutes
Preheat Oven 350 F.
Serves 4

1/2 to 1 pound lean ground beef or turkey
1 medium onion, diced
1/2 poblano pepper, diced
1 tsp garlic, minced
1 can (16 oz) diced tomatoes, juice drained and reserved
2 Tbsp. tomato paste
1 cup white or brown rice
1 tsp. beef bouillon paste (Better than Bouillon)
1/2 tsp. ground cumin
1 tsp. ground chili powder
1/2 tsp. ground oregano or 1 Tbsp. fresh oregano
1/4 tsp. cayenne (optional)
salt and pepper to taste
water + reserved tomato juice to make 2 cups
1 cup shredded cheese, cheddar, pepper-jack, Mexican blend

Melty cheese–the best part!

Method:

1. Cut two of the bell peppers in half vertically, remove seeds. Place cut side down on a plate and microwave till peppers begin to soften, 4 to 6 minutes.

2. Dice the onion, poblano and remaining bell pepper.

3. In a large skillet, break ground beef into pieces and begin to brown. When about half done, add diced onion and diced peppers and saute an additional 2 minutes. Drain excess grease from skillet.

4. Add rice to mixture in skillet and saute, stirring frequently, till rice begins to toast.

5. Add drained tomatoes, tomato paste, and seasonings. Measure reserved tomato juice and add water to make 2 cups liquid and add to skillet. Bring to boil, cover and reduce heat to maintain a simmer. Cook till rice is tender, adding more liquid if necessary.

6. Spray baking dish with non-stick cooking spray.

7. When rice is done, remove from heat. Pile the rice mixture into pepper halves and place into baking dish. Place any remaining rice around the peppers. Top with cheese and place in oven till cheese is melty and browned, 10 – 15 minutes.

8. Serve hot with cornbread or warm tortillas.

Serve with cornbread or warm tortillas!

Which came first, the chicken or the egg?

The chicken, of course. In the beginning, God created animals, not eggs. Adam named animals, not eggs. If eggs had come first, Adam would have had noodles but no chicken. So that brings up the next question:

Where do noodles come from?

Well, ya gotta break some eggs! Actually, pasta is one of the simplest foods–a pile of flour, a few eggs, a pot of boiling water–simple. Here’s the tasty recipe for my home-made Chicken and Noodles. Apologies for the last pic–gotta get more light in the kitchen so the camera will focus.

My Pretty Brown Eggs

On your counter or large cutting mat, pile up the flour, sprinkle the salt over the flour, mix it in a little and make a well in the center of the flour–just stick your fingers in the flour and make a bowl shape to hold the eggs. Crack the eggs and, with a fork, begin incorporating the flour into the eggs, working from the center out. You’ll know when to switch from the fork to your hands. You will end up kneading in most of the flour–don’t feel that you have to use all the flour or add a little more if its really sticky. Just knead it like clay till it forms a fairly smooth ball. At this point I usually cover it with some plastic wrap and let it rest on the floured board. Actually, I am letting me rest, but the dough probably needs it, too–to give the flour time to actually absorb all the egg.

Rollin’ the Dough!

Because I have a small counter space, and because it is easier to work with smaller amounts, I usually divide my dough into several pieces. Use plenty of flour on your board and your rolling pin. Just roll and turn and roll some more till the dough is as thin as you want it. I make mine as thin as I have energy for–the noodles will be twice as thick once they are cooked, so don’t quit too soon! And don’t stress if your dough splits along the side or takes on a funny shape–we’re making noodles here, not pie crust.

What’s Harder than Watching Noodles Dry?

Once your dough is rolled thin, it’s time to cut. Use the pizza cutter or a knife to cut them as wide or as narrow as you like–remember, they will be a little wider once they are cooked–and the cuts don’t have to be perfect. Noodles are an artisan dish. A quick way to breeze through the cutting is to roll the flattened dough up, jelly roll style, cut off slices then shake them out into a loose pile. Spread noodles out to dry, sprinkle lightly with flour, let them sit uncovered for at least an hour–several is better.

Turning Those Noodles into Dinner

Chicken and Noodles

For the Noodles:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the “Chicken and Noodles”

1 medium onion, diced
3 carrots, diced
3 celery ribs, diced
2 Tbsp Canola or Olive oil
4 cups chicken stock
salt (amount depends on how salty the stock is–taste it)
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1 bay leaf (optional, but it really enhances the flavor)
1/2 tsp. dried rubbed sage or 2 teaspoons fresh thyme or rosemary, minced
1 recipe egg noodles
2 cups cooked chicken, broken into pieces

Method:

Make and dry the noodles according to directions above. After the drying period, noodles may be cooked immediately or stored in an air-tight container, in refrigerator for up to 2 days or in the freezer for up to 2 weeks.

When ready to cook noodles, begin heating a large dutch oven or stock pot over medium heat, add oil, onions, carrots and celery. Sweat the veggies for a few minutes till onions become slightly translucent. Add stock, salt, pepper, bay leaf and sage. Increase heat and bring to a boil. Add the noodles, and any flour that clings to them. (There should be enough liquid to cover noodles.) Adjust heat and simmer till noodles are tender–about 20 to 22 minutes. Stir in the chicken to heat through. Adjust salt and pepper. Serve steaming hot. Serves 2 to 4