Given my love of food and blogging, you’ll be surprised to know how over whelmed I feel while I’m browsing the Internet looking at pictures of food. It’s the decadence. Twelve pancakes, stacked on a platter, stuffed with caramelized apples drizzled with chocolate glaze and finished with a shovelful of whipped cream found under “breakfast ideas”. I’d need to go back to bed to digest after a breakfast like that!.
I love food fantasy as much as the next food obsessed voyeur but what I’m seeing doesn’t feel honest. Pumping opulence into our food now and then is fine but, when we need every dish to look like a hot fudge sundae, it doesn’t feel real.
Honest food is at the very heart of great cooking. It lets the main ingredient shine by lifting it with complimentary and interesting embellishments. The current trend would have new cooks believe their cupboards need to be stuffed with pounds of chocolate, cream, cheeses, butter and sugar. I’m trying not to lecture but clearly failing… Suffice to say, be inspired to create not follow. Use your body as your guide. How do you feel after you’ve finished a high fat, high sugar, high salt meal? You need to ignore how much fun it is to eat! The fantastical creations being uploaded all over the web are just that, food fantasy. Outrageously decadent, delicious looking food to be gazed at but rarely eaten. It’s tough always being the mom!
The funny thing is I struggle with my own blog. If I was to be totally honest you’d see a lot of boring photos of me peeling carrots or slicing onions. Spills, dirty dishes and empty wrappers clutter my kitchen while I cook. You see close-ups of the finished project or carefully composed food shots. None of the ‘every day’ for my readers! Sigh… When I’m able to show you the beauty in the ordinary, I’ll feel I’ve done my job. Until then, I’ll continue to look for inspiration but keep my eye on the honesty.
These miniature bell peppers appetizers were meant to be served at my Super Bowl party. It never happened. Hours before our guests were to arrive, I got hit hard with a blast of food poisoning. Party got cancelled and food got wrapped and put away…
Ralph had them for lunch yesterday.
Miniature Bell Peppers stuffed with Beef and Mozzarella
Peperoni ripieni di carne di manzo e mozzarella
Preheat oven 400*F
Makes 20 pieces
10 miniature yellow, orange or red bell peppers
1 cup Bolognese sauce click here for my Bolognese recipe If you can’t find veal, substitute ground beef.
1 cup shredded mozzarella
THE STEPS:
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper – I do this for an easy clean-up!
- Wash and dry peppers
- Halve peppers and remove membrane and seeds
- Divide sauce between pepper halves
- Divide shredded cheese over stuffed peppers
- Place baking sheet with stuffed peppers in the preheated oven
- Bake for 20 minutes
- Remove and serve
THE LOVE: This is where frozen left-overs come in handy. I always have a container or two of Bolognese in my freezer in case of “whatever“. This is one of those whatever moments! You could use a commercial sauce but I don’t think it would be as good – just sayin’…
click here for printable recipe
one year ago: chocolate chip cinnamon whole wheat muffins
two years ago: braised zucchini salad
Thanks for reading.
