Not Sure what to cook?

Stuff it!

I often get asked how I come up with what to cook in the firehouse. And the truth is, I usually dont know until I am at the supermarket and something catches my eye, like a sale or seasonal item. But sometimes I cant decide and I am forced to go back in to my repertoire of dishes, and one always makes a great choice, stuffed peppers!

Peppers are a great vehicle for stuffing because they are basically a blank canvas flavorwise, especially the milder bell pepper variety. I have found that there is a slight difference in sweetness between the green and other colored bell peppers, with red usually being the sweetest. I also feel that organic, if budget allows, is the way to go for more flavor.

dont feel like you are limited to just bell peppers. Poblano peppers are used in Chile Relleno, a classic Mexican dish of peppers stuffed with cheese and fried. They offer a lot more flavor than bell peppers and pack a little heat to go along with it. Another favorite of mine is the cubanelle pepper, or Italian Frying Pepper. These bright, light green peppers are sweet but have the flavor reminiscent of a hot pepper.

The advantage of bell peppers however, are their size and shape, which makes them a lot easier to stuff, not to mention they are usually cheaper than other varieties. In the recipe below, I cut the peppers in half lengthwise because that offers more surface area for the breadcrumbs or cheese if you were to use some. And when it comes time to decide what flavor profile you are going for, have fun with it. Here are some classic combinations you may want to try:

-- Mexican Rice, Beans, Ground Beef, Taco Seasoning, Cheddar
-- Greek Quinoa, Kalamata Olives, Tomato, Onion, Grilled Chicken, Tzatziki Sauce -- Tuscan Cannellini Beans, Fresh Rosemary, Mushrooms, Peas, Ground Pork
-- Chicken Parm Ground Chicken, Tomato Sauce, Garlic, Mozzarella
-- Asian Rice, Bok Choy, Ground Beef, Hoisin Sauce

Stuffed peppers make great firehouse meals because you don’t need five different pots and pans so clean up is nice and easy, which I am sure the entire crew will appreciate, especially the probies! All you need is a baking/sheet pan, cast iron pan or any ovenproof skillet. They are also a great way to introduce healthier cooking into the firehouse through the use of more vegetables. You can even go vegetarian and use protein and fiber packed quinoa or farro instead of rice. So next time you need to come up with something new for the firehouse menu, think about stuffing some peppers.

Stay safe, eat well!
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