The weather has been ridiculous the past few weeks! With temperatures reaching 105+ degrees who has time for the heat in the kitchen? Why not lighting it up with three must-try recipes that are sure to keep you looking good and your appetite happy! I made this menu over the weekend and it was a huge hit! Some said, “it’s a keeper!”
First I started with making a strawberry salad, then homemade guacamole and finished with hearty mini chorizo pepper poppers.
Guacamole:
Ingredients
Directions
- In a medium bowl, mash together the avocados, lime juice, and salt. Mix in onion, cilantro, tomatoes, and garlic. Stir in cayenne pepper. Refrigerate 1 hour for best flavor, or serve immediately.
Strawberry/granola Salad:
Ingredients
- 1 head romaine lettuce, cut or torn into bite-size pieces
- granola 1/4 cup
- 1 (10 ounce) package shredded cabbage
- 1 1/2 cups golden raisins
- 1 cup red grapes, halved
- 1 pint strawberries, sliced
- 1/2 red onion, sliced
- 1 (12 ounce) bottle creamy poppy seed salad dressing
- 2 (2.25 ounce) packages pine nuts
- 2 (2.45 ounce) packages sliced almonds
Directions
- Mix the lettuce, cabbage, raisins, grapes, strawberries, and onion together in a large bowl; add the dressing and toss to coat. Top with the pine nuts and almonds to serve.
Mini Mexican Pepper Poppers:
Ingredients (makes 4 stuffed peppers):
– 4 red or green peppers – tops cut off, seeds and insides removed
– 1 Lb ground meat – I used veal (organic & pastured), but any ground meat would work
– 1 onion – chopped
– 3 cloves garlic – chopped
– 1 Cup celery – diced
– 1 Cup mushrooms – sliced
– 1 tomato – diced
– 2 Tbsp chili powder
– 1 Tbsp cumin and sprinkle dill on top
– 1 Tbsp olive oil
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add garlic and onion. Saute until softened – about 2 min.
- Add ground meat, saute until meat is browned
- Add celery, tomato, mushrooms and spices. Continue cooking for 5 minutes
- Stuff the peppers with this mixture. Put the peppers in a baking dish – preferably one where the sides of the peppers can touch eachother – they cook better this way. Put the tops back on if you want to style them like the picture when serving. Yes, I just referred to this step as “styling”.
- Bake for ~40 minutes until peppers have cooked.
- Serve with a dollop of guacamole on top.
- Enjoy!
Ingredients (makes 4 stuffed peppers):
– 4 red or green peppers – tops cut off, seeds and insides removed
– 1 Lb ground meat – I used veal (organic & pastured), but any ground meat would work
– 1 onion – chopped
– 3 cloves garlic – chopped
– 1 Cup celery – diced
– 1 Cup mushrooms – sliced
– 1 tomato – diced
– 2 Tbsp chili powder
– 1 Tbsp cumin
– 1 Tbsp olive oil
– salt & pepper to taste
Directions:
- Pre-heat oven to 350
- In a large skillet, heat olive oil. Add garlic and onion. Saute until softened – about 2 min.
- Add ground meat, saute until meat is browned
- Add celery, tomato, mushrooms and spices. Continue cooking for 5 minutes
- Stuff the peppers with this mixture. Put the peppers in a baking dish – preferably one where the sides of the peppers can touch eachother – they cook better this way. Put the tops back on if you want to style them like the picture when serving. Yes, I just referred to this step as “styling”.
- Bake for ~40 minutes until peppers have cooked.
- Serve with a dollop of guacamole on top.
- Enjoy!
XOXO BESOS,
Anna Castillo
Celebrity Make-up Artista – www.inkcosmetics.com
