dlyn: Bonus Recipe - Refrigerator Pickled Hot Peppers

dlyn: Bonus Recipe - Refrigerator Pickled Hot Peppers

The brine:
2 quarts water
1 cup cider or white vinegar
1/2 cup canning & pickling salt
Bring to a boil and stir to make sure salt is completely dissolved. Keep at a low simmer until you use it. This much brine will make about 3 quart jars of pickles. I a batch and a half and came out with the 5 quarts you see here.
You also need 1 or two cloves of garlic for each jar - peeled. 

Follow the link for detailed instructions. I just bring the brine to a boil, turn off the heat and toss in the hot pepper rings, and, if desired, slivered sweet onion, carrot pieces, and a couple cloves of garlic. Put all of it in a jar and leave on the counter for 48 hours, then refrigerate. Eat the next day. Should keep for a couple months at least.

Karen's stuffed peppers, vegetarian/quinoa

Wash and slice the very tops off of 3 or 4 medium green bell peppers and rinse out the seeds, chop the tops and add to the vegetables below IF they are organic, otherwise discard them.
CHOP the following veggies and saute UNTIL fairly tender in 3T of olive oil, stirring occasionally while preheating your oven to 325 degrees:
2 small celery stalks
1 small to medium onion
1 small carrot
about 3/4 cup of cabbage
one small hot pepper if desired *or use black pepper or red pepper flakes, or nothing hot if you desire
one small green or red pepper if you have it and if you don't have the pepper tops
 * you can add softer veggies at this time, i.e.
     Zucchini, mushrooms,olives, eggplant, tomato, pine nuts...what ever is around in small quantities
    (this is a good way to use leftover veggies)
add about a half tsp of salt, and pepper TO TASTE (as well as any seasonings you tend to like)  and a small clove of garlic
after a few minutes add spinach, allow to wilt down
add 1/4 to 1/3 cup of raw quinoa and simmer for a few more minutes
stir in about 2 to 3 T of tomato paste and remove from the heat
stuff  3 or 4 medium peppers and place in a casserole, cover in tomato sauce and cook covered for about an hour.
This is very low calorie and low fat, you should sprinkle Parmesan over the pepper when served, or not if a vegan dish is desired. The tomato paste in the stuffing does the trick of punching up the flavor without meat.

Quick one bowl no mixer Banana Bread

3 to 4 mashed bananas
stir in with a fork:
1/3 cup of melted butter
1/2 cup of white sugar or 1/4 cup of dark brown sugar
1 beaten egg
1 tsp vanilla
1 tsp baking soda
1 1/2 cups of whole wheat flour
add in:
1/2 to 1 tsp of cinnamon- to taste
1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
1/3 cup of raisins, or cherries, or chocolate chips
1/4 cup of coconut
bake in 350 degree preheated oven, in a greased loaf pan for 1 hour
or bake in 2 smaller loaf pans for 25 to 30 minutes- both until the toothpick or knife comes out clean
cool on rack
*adapted from recipe found online