The Budget-Winning Weeknight Kitchen

Ingredients

• 0.75 cup water
• 0.5 cup uncooked white rice
• 4 green bell peppers
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 8 ounces textured vegetable protein
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• salt to taste
• 4 ounces shredded mozzarella cheese

Instructions

1. Cook the white rice with water until tender and the liquid is absorbed, then set aside.
2. Preheat your oven and prepare the bell peppers by removing their tops and seeds, then arrange them in a baking dish.
3. In a skillet, sauté chopped onions and any usable parts of the pepper tops in olive oil until softened.
4. Add textured vegetable protein and fresh parsley to the skillet, cooking for a few more minutes.
5. Stir the cooked rice and a portion of the tomato sauce into the skillet mixture, seasoning with salt to taste.
6. Spoon the filling evenly into the prepared bell peppers.
7. Cover the baking dish and bake the stuffed peppers until they are tender.
8. Uncover the dish, top each pepper with shredded mozzarella cheese, and bake for an additional few minutes until the cheese is melted and bubbly.

Ingredients

• 2 red peppers, cored and cut into 1-inch wide strips
• 2 zucchini, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 2 summer squash, quartered lengthwise and cut into 1-inch cubes
• 4 cremini mushrooms, halved
• 1 yellow onion, peeled and sliced into 1-inch strips
• 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 teaspoon salt, divided
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
• 1 tablespoon dried Italian herb mix or herbs de Provence
• 1 pound penne pasta
• 3 cups marinara sauce (store bought or homemade)
• 1 cup grated fontina cheese
• 1/2 cup grated smoked mozzarella
• 1 1/2 cups frozen peas, thawed
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan, plus 1/3 cup for topping
• 2 tablespoons butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. On a large baking sheet, combine the red peppers, zucchini, summer squash, mushrooms, and onion. Drizzle with olive oil, sprinkle with half of the salt, half of the pepper, and the Italian herbs. Toss to coat evenly and roast for about 15 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
3. While the vegetables roast, bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the penne pasta and cook for approximately 6 minutes, aiming for a texture that is still quite firm as it will finish cooking in the oven. Drain the pasta thoroughly.
4. In a large mixing bowl, combine the drained penne with the roasted vegetables, marinara sauce, fontina cheese, smoked mozzarella, thawed peas, the remaining salt, and the remaining pepper. Gently stir everything together until the pasta and vegetables are well coated in the sauce and evenly distributed.
5. Transfer the pasta mixture to a greased 9x13 inch baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining 1/3 cup of Parmesan cheese over the top and dot with the small pieces of butter.
6. Bake for about 25 minutes, or until the topping is golden brown and the cheese is bubbly and melted.

Ingredients

• 6 large bell peppers (ensure they have a flat base so they will stand up when cooking)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 lb ground beef
• 2 tablespoons taco seasoning mix ((see recipe below to make your own))
• 1 medium yellow onion (diced)
• 15 oz black beans (drained and rinsed)
• 1 cup cooked brown rice
• 1 cup frozen corn
• 16 oz medium chunky salsa
• 1 ½ cups grated Mexican blend cheese (divided, plus more for serving)
• guacamole (for serving)
• sour cream (for serving)

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven and prepare the bell peppers by slicing off their tops, removing the seeds and membranes, and placing them upright in a baking dish. Bake them for about 20 minutes to soften.
2. While the peppers are pre-baking, heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the ground beef, breaking it apart, and stir in the taco seasoning until well combined.
3. Add the diced yellow onion to the skillet with the beef and cook until it becomes tender.
4. Reduce the heat to medium and incorporate the drained black beans, cooked brown rice, and frozen corn into the beef mixture. Stir in the salsa.
5. Mix in 1 cup of the grated cheese until it melts into the filling, then remove the skillet from the heat.
6. Generously spoon the beef and bean mixture into the partially baked bell peppers. Top each filled pepper with the remaining ½ cup of cheese.
7. Return the stuffed peppers to the oven and bake for another 15 minutes, or until the cheese is bubbly and golden.
8. Serve the taco-stuffed peppers hot, garnished with your favorite toppings like guacamole and sour cream.

Ingredients

• salt (to taste)
• 16 oz dried spaghetti noodles
• 15 mini sausages
• 3 tablespoons vegetable oil (divided)
• ½ lb ground beef
• 1 shallot (diced, divided)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (divided)
• 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes
• freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
• 5 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 carrot (diced)
• 2 celery stalks (diced)
• ½ cup diced mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons Chinsu hot sauce
• 2 14-ounce cans diced tomatoes
• 1 cup chicken stock
• ½ cup freshly grated parmesan cheese

Instructions

1. Cook spaghetti in well-salted boiling water until al dente, reserving about a cup of the pasta water before draining.
2. While the pasta cooks, score the mini sausages diagonally and lightly brown them with half the shallots in a tablespoon of oil in a large pot.
3. Remove the sausages and sauté ground beef in the same pot, breaking it up until no longer pink, then season with fish sauce and pepper.
4. Drain excess fat, then add the remaining oil and shallots to the pot. Sauté until softened, then add garlic, carrots, and celery, cooking until tender.
5. Stir in the mushrooms, fish sauce, and hot sauce, cooking for another couple of minutes.
6. Add the diced tomatoes and chicken stock, bring to a simmer, then cover and let the sauce reduce for about 40 minutes, returning the cooked beef and sausages to the pot halfway through.
7. Season the sauce to taste with salt and black pepper.
8. Serve the finished sauce over the cooked spaghetti and top with grated Parmesan cheese.