I started tracking the "Halloween appropriate" movies I would watch every October with the goal of a thirty-one in thirty-one days. It combined my love of Halloween, movies, and data.
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| Guess which year kiddo number one was born! |
I have come to accept this is a lost hobby for the next several years. So I am trying to get my Halloween thrills in other ways.
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| The next best thing to a Texas Chainsaw Massacre marathon? |
Jack-O'-Lantern Stuffed Peppers (original recipe)
Resources:
4 orange bell peppers
Extra-virgin olive oil
Kosher salt
Black pepper
1 onion, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoon chili powder
1 lb lean ground beef
1 cup cooked white rice
1 cup chicken stock, divided
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes
1 1/4 cup shredded Mexican cheese blend, divided
Method:
Preheat oven to 350°.
Cut off and reserve the top of each pepper. Remove and discard the cores and seeds. Carve a Jack O'Lantern face into each pepper. Drizzle the inside of each pepper with olive oil and season generously with salt and pepper. Place the peppers upright in a large baking dish along with the pepper tops.
Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a large nonstick skillet. Sauté onions until soft, about 5 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add beef and sauté until browned and cooked through, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon. Drain the fat.
Return skillet to stovetop. Reduce heat a little. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in the chili powder. Add the fire-roasted tomatoes, 1/2 cup chicken stock, cooked rice and 3/4 cup of cheese. Stir until the mixture is evenly combined. Remove from heat.
Divide rice and beef mixture between the hollowed out peppers. Top with remaining cheese.
Pour remaining 1/2 cup chicken stock into pan. Cover with foil and bake for about 30 minutes. Remove the foil and cook for another 10-15 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the cheese is melted.
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| Round two. |
Stuffed Skulls (original recipe)
Resources:
1 cup shredded pizza cheese blend
1/2 cup pizza sauce
1/2 teaspoon oregano
8 oz cream cheese
one medium chicken breast, cooked, cubed
1 teaspoon minced dried onion
1 tube pizza dough (14ish ounces I think)
Mix the pizza cheese, pizza sauce, and oregano in a bowl. In a separate bowl mix the cream cheese, chicken, and onion.
Roll out the pizza dough and roll flat and thin. Cut into six equal rectangles.
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| Evil baking. I dig it. |
Commentary:
The jack o' lanterns are great but just any old stuffed pepper at the end of the day.
The skulls were ok. My son and I liked the cream cheese skulls more. My wife liked the pizza skulls better. Naturally you can put just about anything in them.
Skull pans are hard to come by outside of Halloween time stock up appropriately!
The only challenge is getting the dough even. About half came out perfect. The rest leaked or had big dough sides.
Conclusion:
Ultimately, both will be made again.
Also the wifey said, no stuffed peppers without face EVER. Yes dear.
Also the wifey said, no stuffed peppers without face EVER. Yes dear.
