Instant Pot Stuffed Peppers

Stuffed green peppers!!

4 bell peppers
1 small chopped onion
1 chopped roma tomato
1 lb uncooked ground beef
1 C cooked rice or quick oats
1 egg
1/2 t pepper
2 t oregano
2 t garlic powder
2 t dried parsley
15 oz tomato sauce

Hollow out peppers. Mix all ingredients together (including chopped pepper tops) except tomato sauce. Fill peppers with meat mixture. Place 2/3 tomato sauce plus 1.5 water in the IP. Place trivet, add stuffed GP, top with remaining tomato sauce. Manual high 15 minutes. NPR. Top with mozzarella if desired.

Blistered Cherry Tomatoes

This year I planted 6 cherry tomato plants.  I'm not sure what I was thinking....Needless to say, I had to get pretty creative in order to use them up.  I found an awesome yellow tomato sauce recipe and a large portion of my yellow cherries went to that (will share the canning recipe later).  For a quick and easy yet delicious side, here is a recipe I used frequently.

• Ingredients:
• 2 teaspoons butter
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, minced
• 2 teaspoon dried basil
• 1 pint cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 teaspoon white sugar (optional)
• salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1.  Melt butter.

2.  Saute garlic in butter.

3.  Add basil and tomatoes.

4.  Sprinkle with salt, pepper and sugar to taste.

5.  Cook over medium heat until tomatoes start to "blister."  I shake the pan back and forth to get them evenly cooked on all sides.  

These are great served over steak!  The garlic adds a tremendous flavor!  I sometimes use extra butter and garlic to make more sauce.  This is definitely one of my favorites!

Enjoy!

Sun-Dried Tomato Pesto

I don't know about you, but I just LOVE sun-dried tomatoes.  I recently had a tomato and mozzarella sandwich at Panera Bread that had a sun-dried tomato spread.  It was amazing!  So, I came up with my own recipe to try to duplicate the spread.  This is what I came up with....not to brag....but I think mine might just be a smidge tastier!  :)

2 cups oil-packed sun-dried tomatoes

1 c parmesan cheese

1/2 c olive oil

4 T chopped onion

3 cloves chopped garlic

1/4 c balsamic vinegar

1/4 c fresh basil

1/4 c fresh parsley

Place all ingredients in the food processer until a coarse paste consistency is reached.  This adds pizzaz to any sandwich.  

Enjoy!!

How to Roast Tomatoes

This summer I have had quite an abundant supply of tomatoes from my garden.  I have canned, frozen, dried and consumed more tomatoes than I can count....in just about every way imaginable.  Made tomato soup, tomato sauce, salsa, pizza sauce, tomato juice.....One of my favorites this summer has been to roast them with any variety of seasonings and add them to sandwiches, pizza, pasta....pretty much endless possibilities.  Here's how I do it...

I line my baking pan with aluminum foil.

Into a ziplock bag, I placed halved and seeded tomatoes and toss with a little olive oil, salt, pepper, thyme, oregano, basil and minced fresh garlic.

I then spread onto the pan

and place in the oven at 400 degrees for 25-45 minutes..depending on the size of your fruit.  They will be slightly browned and shriveled but not burned.  

I never measure my spices.  You should experiment and adjust to your own tastes.  Fresh spices are always best!