Couscous & Feta-stuffed Peppers

Original Recipe HERE

I was nervous about this dish because I don't always like cooked peppers.  Roasted, yes.  But so often they're served as part of something else and are mushy, limp, and almost bitter.  I'm pleased to announce that this dish has assuaged my fear and will be made again.  I assume the trick is to use sweeter peppers instead of green.

*J* ate the filling but didn't like the pepper shell, which was not a surprise.  What did shock me was how much *N* loved the entire thing, even asking for seconds.  I was so excited that she was eating peppers for once, instead of fastidiously picking them out of her meal, that I even let her use a "grown up knife" (under eagle-eyed supervision) to cut the pepper into bite-size pieces.

Ingredients
Vegetable-oil cooking spray
1 1/4 cups fat-free chicken or vegetable broth
2/3 cup couscous
4 extra-large or 5 large bell peppers [red, yellow, or orange]
2 teaspoons olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onion
2 zucchini or yellow squash [or a combination of both] peeled, quartered lengthwise, and sliced across thinly
1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup cherry tomatoes, cut in half [or one large tomato, diced with seeds removed]
15 ounces canned chickpeas, drained and rinsed
4 ounces crumbled feta cheese
3 tablespoons tomato paste

Directions
(1) Preheat oven to 350°F. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray.
(2) Bring the broth to a boil in a small pot.  Add the couscous; cover and remove from the heat.
(3) Cut stems and top half inch off peppers.  Scoop out seeds and membranes.
(4) Place peppers upright in the baking dish.  Roast for 15 minutes or until they soften.  Remove from the oven.
(5) Heat oil in a nonstick skillet. Add onion, zucchini, squash, oregano, and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, for 5 minutes or until vegetables are softened.
(6) Remove from heat and stir in tomatoes, chickpeas and tomato paste. Scrape the couscous into the skillet and toss with the vegetables. Stir in crumbled feta.
(7) Fill peppers with the couscous mixture. Bake 15 minutes. Serve immediately.
 
Notes: Only change I would make is to make the tomato flavor more pronounced (via pasta sauce or more tomato paste) to fit my personal preference.
 

Kid Participation: None.

Garden Chicken Delight

Original Recipe HERE

I tried the recipe word-for-word, and it was a bust.  The chicken was still mostly raw after the allotted cooking time, so I had to improvise to ensure I was feeding my family a salmonella-free meal.  It turned out fine in the end, though I can't say much for its presentation, and it's an easy and pretty healthy meal no matter which way it's made.

The thing that caught my eye and made me want to make it was its use of Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Salt.  This was a mainstay on the table during my childhood - especially with corn-on-the-cob.  Husband doesn't understand its sentimental value to me, but *N* likes it on her hardboiled egg, so I've got a disciple.

Ingredients

4 chicken breasts [to serve 4 people]

1 summer squash

1 zucchini

1/2 onion [optional]

Jane's Krazy Mixed-Up Salt [or regular salt & pepper]

olive oil

1 cup marinara [or favorite pasta sauce]

1 cup low-fat mozzarella cheese

1/4 cup parmesan cheese

Directions

1) Preheat oven to 350.

2) Season both sides of each breast with Jane's.  Sautee in olive oil for a few minutes on each side until lightly browned and juices stay sealed in.  Place them in lightly greased baking dish.

3) Peel squash and zucchini.  Cut in half length-wise, then slice each piece into 1/4-inch half-circles.  Thinly slice onion, if using.  Arrange vegetables over and around chicken.

4) Pour marinara over contents of baking dish.  Sprinkle with both cheeses.

5) Cover and bake 30-40 minutes, or until chicken is cooked through.

Notes: Next time I'll make it my way from the get-go and see how it goes.

Kid Participation
* Toss vegetables into baking dish
* Pour marinara
* Sprinkle cheeses