Tomatoes, Onions, Peppers

Stuffed Green Peppers

2 large green peppers

3/4 pound ground beef

1/3 cup chopped onion

1 (7-1/2 oz) can or 1 pint bottle, tomatoes, cut up

1/2 cup water

1/3 cup dry long grain rice

1 Tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce

1/2 tsp, dried basil or oregano, crushed

1/2 tsp salt

1/4 tsp pepper

1/2 cup shredded cheese

Half peppers and clean; boil for 3 minutes.

Remove from water. Dry peppers on paper towel or plate.

Cook meat and onion together.

Add tomatoes, water, uncooked rice,

Worcestershire sauce, basil, salt, and pepper; bring to a boil.

Reduce heat and simmer, covered for 15-18 minutes.

Stir in 1/4 cup cheese. Fill peppers with meat mixture

and bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes. Sprinkle with

remaining cheese and let stand 2 minutes before serving.

It's Cherry Season

Try this tasty nutritous breadfast.

Oatmeal Buttermilk Pancakes with Cherry Topping

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned oats

1/2 cup wheat germ

1 cup white flour

2 teaspoons baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/2 cups buttermilk *

1 cup milk *

1/4 cup vegetable oil

2 eggs

Place oats in food processor or blender and blend until fine. In a large bowl, mix eggs, buttermilk, milk, oil, and sugar. In another bowl, combine soda, powder, salt, oats, wheat germ, and flour. Add wet mixture to dry and stir until just barely combined. Let sit 5 minutes while preheating griddle (medium- low heat). Use 1/4 cup batter for each pancake. Makes about 18.

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*If you don't have buttermilk, you can use:

1 can evaporated milk and 1/2 cup milk in place of:

1 1/2 cups buttermilk and 1 cup milk. It works fine.

Tastes the same.

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Cherry Topping:

4 cups fresh pitted cherries

2/3 cup sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch

1/4 tsp salt

1 1/2 cups cool water

2 Tbsp fresh lemon juice

Stir all ingredients together in a saucepan. Boil for 2 minutes, stirring constantly, then remove from heat. Spoon over the top of pancakes followed by whipped cream.

Try a Cherry Berry Smoothie

2 cups fresh pitted cherries

2/3 cup frozen blueberries

2 cups vanilla Yoplait yogurt

1 cup cold milk

2 tsp vanilla

2 tsp freshly squeezed lemon juice

4 ice cubes

Blend all ingredients for one minute. Serve immediately. Makes 6 (1 cup) servings.

Happy eating!