Pretty Pickled Peppers

You don't want to know how long these have been in my fridge, but i think they get better with time.  Isn't pickling... like a fine wine?  Ok... June 13th.  And i'm sure my mother is asking "of what year?"  I had everything ready to go for this post, then i had my nasty fall and never got around to posting this.  I just re-discovered a jar of these in my refrigerator and was surprised at how tasty they were and i thought i should share with you!

As a kid i thoroughly loved raw green bell peppers.  Then, at 7, i had my tonsils removed and, ever since, you couldn't pay me to eat a bell pepper.  Whether green, orange, yellow, red or purple - i won't get near them with a 10 foot pole.  Then, on the evening of Tuesday, February 22, 2011, the stars must have aligned in a way that amazed me... i watched a little boy eat a baby orange bell pepper, and you could see how much he enjoyed it, while at the same time it emitted an aroma that i thought was so fresh.  I got up and got one of those same orange peppers, and LOVED it!  In fact, i ate two more -- one yellow and one red, and the entire time i kept thinking "i can't wait to call mom and tell her that i now eat bell peppers, albeit, not green"!

So now that i love these little sweeties, i'm finding a lot of goodies to incorporate them in, but the first thing is some pickled sweet peppers...

Ingredients:

• Mixed baby peppers (whatever colors you like)  
• 1-1/2 c. white taragon vinegar
• 2 T. pickling spices
• 1/4 c. sugar
• herbs are optional (dill, taragon, almost anything)

Wash the peppers and stick each one with a fork so that they don't pop or burst when you boil them.Place the uncooked peppers in a pot of boiling water for just a few minutes.  You don't want them too soft; it's nice if they have a little snap when you bite into it.
Remove the peppers from the pot of boiling water and let them cool.
Meantime, boil the vinegar, pickling spice and sugar for about 5 minutes or until the sugar is completely dissolved. 
Stack the peppers in a canning jar any way you like.  I lined mine all vertically and alternated colors.
Pour the cooked vinegar mixture over the peppers to fill the jars.

 Voila! 

Mom's Chille Relleno Casserole

On the heels of my last two posts, which were both very healthy, i'm posting this chille relleno casserole which, for the most part, i wouldn't suggest making unless you don't mind the calories or know others will devour it, because it's just too fattening for me. 

Most people that know me know i can't stand any type of peppers, other than an occasional peppadew or bell pepper, any variety other than green.  But when i was at my parents', my mom had made this chile relleno casserole that I never would get near, but this time decided to try.  Yummm... it was tasty and very easy to make.   This would make a great breakfast, snack, or even hors d'oeuvres. 

Layering the chillies and the cheese

Making the egg mixture to pour over the chillies and cheese.

Ingredients --

•  4, 4oz cans of whole green chillies, rinsed and drained.
• 1 cup of shredded cheddar cheese*
• 1 cup of shredded jack cheese*
• 4 beaten eggs or 1 cup of egg product
• 1, 12 oz can of evaporated skim milk
• 2 Tablespoons of flour
• 1/2 teaspoon of garlic powder
• 1/2 teaspoon of cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon of cumin
• 1/4 teaspoon of cilantro
• 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt

*Sidenote -- i used a pre-packagaed grated mexican cheese mix.

 
Grease a 2 quart baking dish.
drain the peppers, remove the seeds and pat dry with paper towels.
Layer half of the peppers lengthwise in the casserole.
Sprinkle with half of the two cheeses.
Repeat a layer of peppers and then the second half of the cheeses.
Combine eggs, milk, flour and seasonings in a bowl.
Stir well and pour over the peppers and cheese.
Bake uncovered at 350°F. for 30-35 minutes.

This is also delicious with a dollop of sour cream or salsa, or maybe both!

Enjoy!