I Love the Way that Peppers Love Me

Who doesn't love the challenge of hot peppers? They use all of their chemical wiles to thwart being eaten, yet we pluck them from nature, and, if you are like me, daringly cut them up without gloves in hungry anticipation of a tiny inferno in our mouths. Then, once the burning subsides from the palate, that insidious capsaicin makes its way into our eyes and we are blinded by a brief but memorable moment of pain and regret that we were ever so silly as to try and conquer the safeguards of nature without gloves! Well, perhaps you are not so silly as I, but let's face it, peppers tend to make their presence known.

I will never learn to heed the warnings of working with exposed pepper seeds. At this point, it must be that I love the way that peppers love me - pain and all. But, I do not want to play favorites, all peppers - even those benign little sweet ones - are staples of my kitchen and today I've got three recipes that are packed with peppery goodness!

Mixed-Bag Bake: Sweet Peppers, Potatoes, Butternut Squash & Shallots

Ingredients:
1 butternut squash cubed
8 small potatoes halved
2 shallots quartered
6 cloves garlic in skins w/ tops cut
8 small sweet peppers
olive oil
rosemary
salt and pepper

This is a very easy recipe. Throw everything into a baking pan and copiously cover with olive oil. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Add sprigs of rosemary. Bake uncovered for 45-50 minutes at 350 degrees or until a fork goes easily through the potatoes and squash. Salt and pepper to taste.


Pepper Pizza

Ingredients:
1 pizza crust (I make my own, but you can use already made wheat pizza crusts)
1.5 C tomato sauce
2 tsp thyme
1/3 C chopped onions
1 green pepper, chopped
1/3 C banana peppers
Hot pepper oil

1. Quickly saute' the onions and green peppers
2. Spread the tomato sauce on the crust and sprinkle with thyme
3. Scatter the onions, green peppers and banana peppers over the pizza
4. Lightly pour on some hot pepper oil.
5. Bake at 400 degrees for 10 to 15 minutes or until the crust is crisp.

Philly Pepper Sandwich

Ingredients:
1 semi-hot pepper chopped
1 cubanelle chopped
2 small onions chopped
1/3 C mushrooms chopped
1 T olive oil
1 tsp liquid smoke
1 T Vegan Worcestershire Sauce (*usually you can find this in Asian Groceries)
soft sandwich buns

1. Saute' onions, peppers and mushrooms together in olive oil for about 7 min until soft.
2. Add the liquid smoke and Worcestershire sauce and saute' until absorbed.
3. Fill your sandwich bun until it overflows and enjoy!


Mmmmmm peppers! Followed later by Oooouuuuch peppers!