Cous Cous Party in a Pepper

You will need:

4 Large sturdy red, yellow, orange, green, whatever peppers hollowed out (no seeds or white stuff at all!). Save the tops or not.
4 Cloves of Garlic minced
1 Zucchini chopped
2 small or 1 big Yellow Squash chopped
1 Eggplant chopped
1 Handful of Sun-dried Tomatoes chopped
1 Cup of Israeli Cous Cous (cooked)
2 Cups of chopped Turkey Bacon
Splash of Hot Sauce of your choice (I like Crystal)
Half a cup of Marinara Sauce
Salt/Pepper
Olive Oil
Red Pepper flakes
Mozzarella or Provalone cheese

- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F
- Line a cookie sheet with aluminum foil and drizzle Olive Oil on it
- Throw all of the zucchini, squash, garlic, bacon, and eggplant onto the pan and drizzle again with oil
- Season the veggies with salt, pepper, red pepper flakes, hot sauce and toss together
- Spread veggies out evenly on pan and let roast in the oven for 15-18 minutes
- Take veggies out and add the sun-dried tomatoes, cous cous and marinara sauce and put back in the oven for a few more minutes or until the veggies have a soft enough texture of your taste.
- Stuff the peppers with the cous cous and top with cheese
- CAREFULLY put the peppers in the oven until they're cooked through. You'll know when because their colors will change. Compare with the tops you've cut off the peppers
- If you're a strict Veg you can always leave out the bacon and maybe substitute Artichoke Hearts. If you want more meat this is perfect for some chopped up shrimp or bits of Sausage.

Stereotypical Guinea Shrimp Dish

You will need:

1 lb of medium sized peeled, de-veined (no shrimp shit!) shrimp
1 Airplane bottle of white wine (found in convenient 4-packs at 7-11)
3 tbsp of BUTTER Y'ALL!!! (I won't say the word "butter" unless it's in a Paula Deen accent)
1 lemon
3 Cloves of finely minced Garlic
Half a cup of chopped fresh Parsley
Salt/Pepper
Olive Oil
Angel Hair pasta or whatever you like

- Heat your pan on med/high and just drizzle a small amount of Olive Oil
- When the oil is hot enough throw in the garlic
- Add the butter and the wine and let the butter melt
- Put your shrimp in a bag and season with the salt/pepper. Seal the bag and shake and then toss the shrimp into the pan.
- Add the parsley and the juice of your lemon. For extra flavor you can throw the skins in (no seeds!) just make sure you remove them before you serve.
- Meanwhile you should have boiled water, added pasta, blah blah blah.
- Plate the pasta and using tongs, place the shrimp on top. Then add the remaining sauce over the pasta, garnish with a little more parsley and enjoy.
- Every Italian has their own way of making the shrimp/white wine sauce. This mine because it's easy and tasty and eating shrimp at home makes me feel rich.

Sweet Peach Savannah Salsa, Y'all

You will need:

3 or 4 ripe ass Peaches peeled, de-cored, and diced
3 or 4 Tomatoes diced
1 Red or Orange or Yellow pepper diced
1 Red onion diced
2 Jalapenos gutted (no seeds!) and diced
3 Garlic cloves minced
1 tablespoon of Cilantro
Apple Cider Vinegar
Honey
Sugar
Red Wine Vinegar
Salt/Pepper
Red Pepper flakes

- This recipe is so fun because NOTHING IS EXACT!
- Pretty much throw all this shit into one big pan, bring to a boil and then down to a simmer.
- Keep tasting it to help you decide if it needs more of this or that.
- Once you've gotten everything to the exact taste/textures you want, throw it into a container and let it chill overnight in the fridge.
- PS: I fuckin HATE Cilantro but I only use a teeny tiny bit in this recipe because it really works well with the jalapenos and salsa just tastes naked without it. But if you love it, go nuts. You can also use fresh mint for a refreshing blast that doesn't taste bitter.

Polenta Fritters with a Sweet and Spicy Bruschetta Relish

You will need:

1 Tube of pre-made polenta (any flavor can work but I use Basil/Garlic)
3 Big leaves of Basil
2 Garlic Cloves
1 Tomato
1 Red Onion
Olive Oil
Red Pepper Flakes
Oregano flakes
Salt/Pepper
Balsamic Vinegar
Honey
2 eggs
Grated Parmesan Cheese
Pile of Italian seasoned breadcrumbs

- Heat a saucepan on med/high heat and fill about one third up with Olive Oil
- Slice the polenta log into half inch slices
- Wash the polenta slices in egg and then cover in breadcrumbs
- Toss (GINGERLY) into the pan and turn over when browned
- When the polenta is browned on both sides place onto a dish lined with paper towels to absoarb excess grease
- Meanwhile, mix half a cup of olive oil and half a cup of balsamic into a bowl
- Mince the garlic and add that
- Add red pepper flakes, oregano, salt and pepper to taste
- Add one big squirt of honey and mix like fuckin crazy!
- Chop the tomato and onion into small cubes
- Spread the tomato/onion mix over polenta fritters
- Drizzle the dressing over the relish and top with grated parmesan cheese and chopped basil

Jolly Green French Fries

You will need:

1 Pack of Asparagus
Olive Oil
Salt/Pepper
Grated Parmesan cheese

- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
- On a baking sheet, cover with aluminum foil
- Snap the asparagus ends off and spread onto the baking sheet
- Drizzle with olive oil and salt/pepper to taste
- Shake the tray to evenly distribute the oil and seasoning
- Lightly top with the grated cheese
- Bake for 15 - 20 minutes depending on how crispy you want the fries to be

You can also add whichever favorite spice you like to this dish. I like the Italian grinder seasonings. Even a bit of minced garlic can really pump up this dish.

This very same recipe also works with substituting Yellow Squash or Zucchini.

Dante's Sweet Sausege and Peppers

You will need:

1 Loaf of Italian bread
1 Pack of mild Italian turkey sausages
2 Red bell peppers
1 Red onion
2 Cloves of garlic
Sliced Mozzarella cheese
Olive oil
Balsamic vinegar
salt/pepper

- In a pan pour in a cup and a half of water
- Drizzle into the water about 2 tablespoons of Olive Oil
- Poke some holes in the sausage to ventilate it and add to pan. The water will steam the sausages so they are cooked through nice and plump and the minimal oil will brown the outside without making the casing too hard.
- Turn on your broiler.
- Mince the garlic and add to pan.
- Chop up the onion and red pepper into long thin slices and add to pan when all the water has evaporated.
- Add as much or as little balsamic as you like and season with salt and pepper. You can also add red pepper flakes for a great kick.
- Meanwhile, slice the bread into 6 inch long hoagie rolls and slice them wide open.
- Line the bread with the mozzarella cheese and put under the broiler until the cheese is melted and bubbly.
- Add contents of sausage pan to the rolls and enjoy!

Baby-Meatloafs with Big Ass Baked Potatoes topped with a Rosemary Herb Butter, Bitches

for the MEATLOAF (makes 4 baby loaves)

you will need:

1lb of ground chicken
3 turkey sausages (mild italian flavor)
3 rods of Rosemary
handfull of parsley
1 cup of minced red onions
3 garlic cloves
3 minced baby carrots
1 can of chicken stock
2 slices of honey wheat bread
1 egg
salt/pepper
onion powder
sliced mozzarella

- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F
- Pam up a big baking dish (glass, ceramic, whatever)
- chop/mince the shit out of the parsley, rosemary, carrots, garlic and red onion
- take the sausage out of the casings and combine with the pound of ground chicken
- throw in the veggie/herb mixture
- throw in the salt, pepper, and onion (as much as you like)
- add the egg
- add about a half cup of chicken stock
- in a separate bowl put in a half cup of chicken stock and add the bread slices
- squeeze out as much stock as you can from the soaked bread and add it to the bowl of meat
- use your hands and mix up all those ingredients
- using just your hand divide the meat into 4 sections.
- each section makes a baby meatloaf. shape and put in the baking dish.
- dish goes in the oven for 40 - 50 minutes.
- as the meat begins to get a nice brown (about 40 minutes) you can take it out of the oven and top with a slice of mozzarella, place back in oven and then when the cheese melts. it's ready.

BAKED POTATO!

you will need:

- Big brown Idaho potatoes
- Aluminum foil
- 2 springs of Rosemary
- one and a half cup soft butter (room temp)
- salt/pepper

- with a fork, stab the shit out of those potatoes
- wrap them individually in foil and toss them into the oven same time as the meatloaf
- in the meantime, mince the rosemary and mix it into the butter
- salt/pepper to taste and toss the butter in the fridge

ADD ONS FOR YOUR TATERS

you can also serve your potato with the old favorites:

- fry up some turkey bacon or pancetta and chop
- sour cream
- shredded cheddar
- whatev!

Enjoy, bitches.

* this recipe also goes fantastic paired with some south florida chronic *