Hatch Chilies- Put That In Your Sandwich And Stuff It

It's Hatch chili time again. Last year I roasted them, peeled them and made salsa. This year I want to do something different that really puts the pepper right out there to enjoy. I heard the Hatches were back in the big grocery stores so I went on a quest to find them. I struck out at the first store, where I had got them last year. Darnit. I was afraid I might have waited a couple days too long and was going to miss out. A quick plea to my friends on social media connected me with the right locations and Hatch chilies were acquired. Whew!

I'm not just playing with these guys though. I stopped at the local farmers market a couple days ago and snagged a nice bag full of gorgeous hot banana peppers- some yellow, some red. I love these guys! I have some great memories of banana peppers- my dad always grew them in the garden, my mom always made fried peppers and onions with dinner in the summer, and from my waaaay back years I remember getting a nice butt-paddling after overhearing my dad call the peppers in a neighbor's garden "bananas" so I went and picked them. All of them. Oops.

Of course no pepper experiment would be complete without America's favorite pepper- the jalapeno. To use them in this recipe I had to hunt down really good sized ones, and even at that, I'm going to tell you guys- don't bother with jalapenos. The banana peppers were thin and pliable and super easy to clean. Same with the Hatch chilies, but the jalapenos and their thick "meat" were really tough to get in there and get all the membrane out. If you REALLY must, they are delicious, but labor intensive. 

Growing up, one of Mom's summer specialties was the good old stuffed bell pepper. She made a simple stuffing- hamburger, rice, onions, tomatoes, some diced pepper, seasonings, piled into bell peppers and draped with slices of cheese, then baked until the cheese was browned and delicious. Nothing gourmet, but just really good and homey. I loved them. So as an adult I find myself experimenting with not only new pepper types and heat levels, but often revisiting those classic dishes and recipes and making them more "me" and more my cooking style. 

If you're not an Iowan you will never understand the deep rooted love we have for our Graziano's* Italian sausage, although I'd be willing to bet you have your own local favorite. For us Grazi's is the Holy Grail of sausage, for pizza and pasta and for fantastic Italian sausage sandwiches. We love our Grazi's cooked, draped with marinara sauce and cheese and served on crusty bread. I'm swooning just thinking about it. Many people like to pile theirs with grilled onions and peppers. All these flavors seemed to be speaking to me as I pondered what to make with the peppers I have, and then it hit me. Why not take that sausage, add some breadcrumbs, cheese and a little of my homemade habanero pizza sauce, squish it until it's meatloafy (yes folks, that IS a professional culinary term, I promise) and stuff it in those peppers? Genius! I couldn't just do a stuffed pepper though- that's too obvious and every day, and I wanted to do something completely different and that, my friends, is how Stuffed Pepper Po Boys became a thing.

Simple ingredients, you choose the heat level you like in your sausage, in your sauce. I used homemade habanero pizza sauce, but marinara or regular pizza sauce works just fine. Add crushed red pepper to any part of this dish- the meat, the sauce, sprinkle it on top. Use hot Italian sausage or mild, it's totally up to you. It is going to be delicious.

Stuffed Pepper Po Boys

1 lb Italian sausage

3/4 cup dry breadcrumbs

1/2 cup marinara sauce

1 egg

1/4 cup minced onion

1 cup shredded mozzarella

10-16 peppers

additional marinara sauce

additional cheese

crusty baguette bread

Prepare the peppers- use a sharp knife and cut the stem end off. Carefully run the knife down the length of the pepper on ONLY one side- do not cut the pepper in half. Spread the pepper open and remove seeds and membrane and set aside. 

In a medium bowl combine the sausage, marinara sauce, egg, breadcrumbs and cheese. Mix well with your hands.

Again, spreading the peppers open with your fingers, stuff the meat mixture into the peppers, mounding slightly. Spoon a little additional marinara sauce on top of each pepper, spreading it out a bit. Place on a baking sheet and pop in a 375 degree oven for 35 minutes.

Remove from oven when done and turn on the broiler. Sprinkle each pepper liberally with shredded cheese. Place under the broiler until the cheese melts and starts to turn brown. Remove and let rest a few minutes.

Cut your baguette into sandwich size pieces and split in half. Spread with softened butter (garlic better is awesome) and broil until toasted and starting to brown. 

The stuffing stays so juicy- yum! You can serve with additional
sauce for dipping if you like, but it's not needed.

Top each baguette bottom with stuffed peppers to fill the sandwich. Top with the upper piece of bread and enjoy.

You can add any additional toppings you like, just like in the sub shop. I prefer to keep mine simple so I can enjoy the fresh peppers and that incredibly delicious Graziano's sausage. 

* I realized as I was writing this that we have not had an official Foodie Field Trip to Grazi's yet- so look for that in the very near future! Graziano's is an old old neighborhood grocery store with an incredible selection of Italian products, fresh meats, marinated olives, fresh baked breads and pasta.

Eating Healthy with Wellmark

Somehow every summer I find myself with this same scenario- loads and loads of fresh veggies on the counter. Notice I didn't say problem? I LOVE having all the vegetables fresh from the garden. I raised them myself, many from seed, I know exactly what's NOT been sprayed on them, and I know how delicious and good for me they are. Definitely not a problem! 

In spite of the many vegetarian cookbooks and websites and Facebook pages out there I still find myself sometimes struggling to find different, creative and filling ways to use veggies in meals, and AS the entire meal. Salads are great but they do get boring after a while, and sometimes I just want something a little different. If I don't have to stand in front of the stove cooking it, that's even better! So how do you bring it all together into something delicious, easy, filling, and quick to put together, maybe even eat on-the-go? In a veggie sub of course!

Veggie subs aren't new, and I certainly didn't think this up myself. Sandwich chains offer them, restaurants offer them, but making them at home, especially with ingredients you grew yourself, makes it an inexpensive and super nutritious option your family will love, and like many recipes, it's flexible! Build it around what you like or have in season. I'm going to make this super easy and delicious recipe that Wellmark has included in their healthy eating initiative as part of their 75th Anniversary celebration (more on that below). Like I said, you can go crazy with veggies here, and I suggest sticking with a whole grain bun for the best nutritional benefits. If you can't find whole wheat hot dog buns, look for GOOD quality artisan rolls or whole grain baguettes- anything you can use to make your veggie masterpiece. 

To make these Garden Veggie Subs, you will need-

• 6 whole wheat hot dog buns
• 1/2 cup soft cream cheese with vegetables (Philly makes a great one)
• 3 Roma tomatoes, thinly sliced
• 1/2 medium cucumber, thinly sliced
• 1 sweet pepper, seeded and thinly sliced
• 3 radishes, thinly sliced
• 1 cup mixed baby greens (I used baby spinach because I love it!)

Spread the bottom half of the buns with the softened vegetable cream cheese.

Layer on the tomatoes, cucumber, pepper and radishes. Top with mixed greens.

Add bun tops. Wrap and chill until serving time.

(Nutrition info below)

Easy, right? Great for lunch at the office, picnics, tv snack- just about any time your tummy is grumbling at you. It's filling, loaded with vitamins and fiber and VEGGIES! What I love so much about this sandwich is the creamy veggie cream cheese spread- lots of healthy calcium and vitamins in there, and not just a bunch of empty fat calories like mayo brings to a sandwich. I like baby spinach A LOT so I chose to use that rather than mixed greens, and I might even throw a fresh onion ring or two on my sandwich. I love the crunchy texture of the different vegetables, and the Roma tomatoes are a little more meaty and less juicy than regular tomatoes, so the bread doesn't get all soggy.

Simple, quick to fix and easy to eat on the run, you can't go wrong with this Veggie Sub! I hope you will try it! 

Now, what does all this vegetable talk have to do with Wellmark? As I mentioned above, Wellmark is celebrating their 75th year this year with a fun campaign called "75 Days, 75 Ways."  This celebration includes not only lots of healthy recipes and health tips, but $75,000 is up for grabs for any non-profit 501c3 and 501c4 organizations who focus on and promote healthy lifestyles. 

If you know of a deserving organization, check out Wellmark's website for more details. The rules and regulations, because you know there are a few of those, are posted HERE and the link with full instructions on how to submit your entry is HERE.


This campaign is open to organizations in Iowa and South Dakota.

NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION  (per serving): 161 kcal cal., 3 g fat (1 g sat. fat, 1 mg chol., 294 mg sodium, 28 g carb., 2 g fiber, 5 g sugar, 6 g pro. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet

Disclosure of Material Connection: This is a "sponsored post." The company who sponsored it agreed to provide free promotion of Rockin' the Kitchen in exchange for preparing and writing about their recipe. Regardless, I only recommend products or serviced I believe are of good quality and safe. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising."