What do you do with 15 pounds of assorted peppers? Roast them! My Italian in-laws wasted no time when we arrived home from picking peppers at our garden plot last week. They quickly cleaned and cut up three bags of peppers, piled them onto cookie sheets, drizzled them with canola oil and Italian spices, then roasted them in a 375 degree oven for about 30 minutes (making sure to check and stir them about every 5 minutes). The peppers were done when soft, yet a bit firm. We enjoyed them between two slices of crusty bread. Pepper sandwiches are delicious hot or cold!
cooking with peppers
A Peppery Thanksgiving Thought
A couple week ago I pulled out the last of the pepper plants in our community garden plot. I collected several pounds of small to medium-sized, but crisp and tasty bell, banana and cubanelle peppers. It took a little creativity to use all these peppers. I made pepper and cheese casserole, Italian turkey sausage with sauted peppers and onions, tortilla chicken soup with peppers, and roasted peppers marinated in garlic and extra virgin olive oil. I blanched, then froze about eight cups of chopped peppers. Finally, I took a grocery bagful of peppers to our local food bank. I am happy to say that we did not waste our last crop of peppers!
Here is my peppery Thanksgiving Day thought….just like my peppers, I do not want to waste the gifts, big or small that God gives to me. In God’s economy a grateful heart grows and produces more fruit.
May we all give thanks and celebrate the blessings in our lives this Thanksgiving holiday. Have a safe and joyful Thanksgiving Day! (and enjoy the leftovers!)
Our Garden Plot 