Stuffing Stuff Is a Fun and Delicious Way to “Up Your Game!”
Sure, lightly steamed zucchini slices make an acceptable side dish. And baked acorn squash is tasty with a dab of butter and a sprinkle of brown sugar. Fresh avocado with a smidge of garlic powder is delicious when mashed and spread on toast. Bell peppers are delightful when thinly sliced and tossed into a green salad.
Shredded cabbage makes yummy coleslaw. Tomato slices are always a great addition to any burger or sandwich. Sauteed mushrooms are scrumptious in brown gravy. Grilled pork chops make a drool-worthy main dish. And who doesn’t like a baked chicken breast topped with a favorite sauce?
But do you know what all these foods have in common? Everyone of them can also be stuffed. Stuffing stuff is a fun and delicious way to up your mealtime game, and a smart way to use leftover dibs and dabs of this and that. Plus, stuffing stuff adds real pizazz to a food, giving it a chance to sparkle in new ways. For instance, here are some ideas from www.kitschencat.com plus a few of my own:
Zuccanoes (stuffed zucchini). This is an ultra-filling vegetarian dinner. You just stuff a couple zucchini halves with sliced almonds, cooked rice, savory veggies, fresh herbs and top with shredded cheese!
Acorn Squash Bowls. Canned chickpeas, cooked wild rice, fresh cranberries and mushrooms, and toasted pepitas or pecans make a hearty, healthy, and flavor-packed stuffing for acorn squash halves.
Avocado Boats. Take creamy avocados to a different level by stuffing with sweet and juicy grape/cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls. The tomatoes and cheese balls are tossed in basil pesto with a touch of garlic, then stuffed into avocado halves! It’s all finished with a drizzle balsamic vinegar.
Bell Pepper Cups. This is idea’s been around a long time, but always bears continued marketing. Filling your bell peppers with cooked ground beef, cooked rice or quinoa, and diced onion all mixed into a marinara sauce is a winner every time.
Cabbage Rolls. What works for bell peppers also works for cabbage leaves. They are a delicious combination of seasoned and cooked ground beef and pork and leftover fried rice topped with your favorite pizza or spaghetti sauce.
Fresh Tomato Cups. Tuna or chicken salad stuffed into a hollowed out fresh tomato is one of the best summer dinner entrees ever!
Mushroom Cups. A mixture of cooked ground Italian sausage and cream cheese stuffed into the caps of mushrooms, then baked for a short while, make an appetizer that stands alone. Make plenty, because no one can eat just one.
Stuffed Pork Chops. Here’s a tantalizing way to dress a chop. Cut a deep slice into a thick pork chop and stuff with a favorite bread or rice stuffing. Even diced veggies can stuff a chop (broccoli, green beans, cherry tomatoes, spinach…let your imagination run wild).
Stuffed chicken breasts. Move over Chicken Cordon Bleu. The chicken breast can do more than take on a French flair. The Italians know how to stuff a chicken breast as well! See what I mean with this wonderful recipe from www.thatlowcarblife.com:
4 chicken breasts about 6 ounces each
2 teaspoons avocado oil (extra virgin olive oil works well also)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese divided
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
32 slices pepperoni
1 teaspoon minced parsley
Directions:
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Shredded cabbage makes yummy coleslaw. Tomato slices are always a great addition to any burger or sandwich. Sauteed mushrooms are scrumptious in brown gravy. Grilled pork chops make a drool-worthy main dish. And who doesn’t like a baked chicken breast topped with a favorite sauce?
But do you know what all these foods have in common? Everyone of them can also be stuffed. Stuffing stuff is a fun and delicious way to up your mealtime game, and a smart way to use leftover dibs and dabs of this and that. Plus, stuffing stuff adds real pizazz to a food, giving it a chance to sparkle in new ways. For instance, here are some ideas from www.kitschencat.com plus a few of my own:
Zuccanoes (stuffed zucchini). This is an ultra-filling vegetarian dinner. You just stuff a couple zucchini halves with sliced almonds, cooked rice, savory veggies, fresh herbs and top with shredded cheese!
Acorn Squash Bowls. Canned chickpeas, cooked wild rice, fresh cranberries and mushrooms, and toasted pepitas or pecans make a hearty, healthy, and flavor-packed stuffing for acorn squash halves.
Avocado Boats. Take creamy avocados to a different level by stuffing with sweet and juicy grape/cherry tomatoes, fresh mozzarella balls. The tomatoes and cheese balls are tossed in basil pesto with a touch of garlic, then stuffed into avocado halves! It’s all finished with a drizzle balsamic vinegar.
Bell Pepper Cups. This is idea’s been around a long time, but always bears continued marketing. Filling your bell peppers with cooked ground beef, cooked rice or quinoa, and diced onion all mixed into a marinara sauce is a winner every time.
Cabbage Rolls. What works for bell peppers also works for cabbage leaves. They are a delicious combination of seasoned and cooked ground beef and pork and leftover fried rice topped with your favorite pizza or spaghetti sauce.
Fresh Tomato Cups. Tuna or chicken salad stuffed into a hollowed out fresh tomato is one of the best summer dinner entrees ever!
Mushroom Cups. A mixture of cooked ground Italian sausage and cream cheese stuffed into the caps of mushrooms, then baked for a short while, make an appetizer that stands alone. Make plenty, because no one can eat just one.
Stuffed Pork Chops. Here’s a tantalizing way to dress a chop. Cut a deep slice into a thick pork chop and stuff with a favorite bread or rice stuffing. Even diced veggies can stuff a chop (broccoli, green beans, cherry tomatoes, spinach…let your imagination run wild).
Stuffed chicken breasts. Move over Chicken Cordon Bleu. The chicken breast can do more than take on a French flair. The Italians know how to stuff a chicken breast as well! See what I mean with this wonderful recipe from www.thatlowcarblife.com:
Pizza-Stuffed Chicken
Ingredients:
4 chicken breasts about 6 ounces each
2 teaspoons avocado oil (extra virgin olive oil works well also)
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon Italian seasoning
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 cups grated mozzarella cheese divided
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
32 slices pepperoni
1 teaspoon minced parsley
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Spray a 9x13 baking dish with non-stick spray.
2. Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the side of each chicken breast.
3. Drizzle both sides of the chicken with oil and season with the garlic powder, Italian seasoning and salt.
4. Place 1/4 cup of mozzarella in the pocket of each chicken breast. Add 4 slices of pepperoni over the cheese.
5. Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish and drizzle with the pizza sauce. Spread the sauce out to cover the tops of the chicken.
6. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Top with the Parmesan and remaining pepperoni slices.
7. Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
8. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
2. Place the chicken breasts on a cutting board. Use a sharp knife to cut a pocket into the side of each chicken breast.
3. Drizzle both sides of the chicken with oil and season with the garlic powder, Italian seasoning and salt.
4. Place 1/4 cup of mozzarella in the pocket of each chicken breast. Add 4 slices of pepperoni over the cheese.
5. Place the chicken in the prepared baking dish and drizzle with the pizza sauce. Spread the sauce out to cover the tops of the chicken.
6. Sprinkle with the remaining mozzarella. Top with the Parmesan and remaining pepperoni slices.
7. Bake, uncovered, for 30-35 minutes or until the chicken is cooked through.
8. Sprinkle with fresh parsley before serving.
Recipe formatted with the Cook'n Recipe Software from DVO Enterprises.
Alice Osborne
Weekly Newsletter Contributor since 2006
Email the author! alice@dvo.com
Sources:
- www.thescramble.com
- www.kitschencat.com
- www.bettycrocker.com
- www.accidentalhappybaker.com
- www.thatlowcarblife.com
