April 25 – Kentucky Maid & Mini Stuffed Peppers

When the weather is this nice, it makes it doubly difficult to NOT make weekend plans, like barbecues, picnics, hikes, beach trips, restaurant resas, the list goes on. Alas, we continue to make our own fun at home (beer pong anyone?) so food and drink planning is always going on to keep all participants happy. I have an overabundance of mint, so decided a cocktail in the Maid family was needed. A Maid is your choice of liquor combined with lime, mint, and cucumber. Today I’m making a Kentucky Maid (bourbon) with Stuffed Mini Peppers.

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Kentucky Maid

Makes 1 cocktail

  • 2 oz bourbon

  • 1 oz lime juice

  • 3⁄4 oz simple syrup

  • 3 cucumber rounds

  • 6 mint leaves

  • Cucumber round and mint for garnish

Add the lime juice, syrup, cucumber, and mint to a cocktail shaker. Muddle to release juices.

Add ice and bourbon and shake vigorously for 20 seconds. Strain into an old fashioned glass filled with ice. Garnish with a cucumber round and mint.

Mini Stuffed Peppers

Use up leftover veggies by chopping them and combining with onions, spices, and rice or quinoa to create a stuffing for peppers. If you have a little extra tofu, add that in too. Add a lot of cheese, and it will be delicious, I promise.

Serves 4

  • 8 mini sweet peppers

  • 1 T olive oil

  • 3⁄4 c chopped mushrooms, or other leftover veggies

  • 1⁄4 c chopped onions

  • 1⁄2 c cooked rice or quinoa

  • Salt and pepper

  • 1⁄4 t garlic powder

  • 1⁄8 t smoked paprika

  • 1⁄4 t ground cumin

  • 1⁄2 c crumbled feta cheese, or cheese of your choice

  • Cilantro for garnish

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Cut peppers in half lengthwise. Remove seeds and ribs. Place on a sheet pan lined with parchment or a baking dish. Set aside.

Heat oil in a medium skillet. Add chopped vegetables and sauté, stirring frequently, until softened. If the vegetables were already cooked, you’re first cooking whatever is raw, then adding in the cooked veg to warm it through. Sprinkle with salt and pepper and paprika and cumin. Add the rice or quinoa and stir to combine. Taste for seasoning. Stir in half of the cheese.

Fill each pepper half with filling. Top with more cheese.

Bake for 20 minutes until peppers are softened and cheese is melted. Top with cilantro.

Drinks, AppetizersCharlotte PlaKentucky Maid, Peppers, Bourbon