Yummy Dinner

I am so not a food-blogger.  I just love food.  But, I won't be taking any pictures of what I've eaten with steam rising and a beautiful bouquet in the background.  Regardless, I find food good for the soul.  I don't have time for many essentials in my life, but cooking well and healthy make me feel like I'm doing well for my family.  And, selfishly, I just like yummy food.

I've been trying to increase my ability to feed us more organically.  The real motivation, is that I can justify baking sinfully good brownies if I've made sure our veggies have made it in our bellies.  The girls are good at trying most things.  Some days, Jossie will look at what I've made and cry and say, "It's the worst day ever!!"  Then I always force her to take at least 3 bites with me watching before she can talk me into a back-up plan.  Most every time she exclaims, "Mmmm... This is soooo good!  It's the BEST DAY EVER!!!"  

She vacillates a lot.

Tonight I wasn't sure if it would be a winner.  We recently discovered that they all like stuffed peppers (you know, with beef, rice and tomato sauce).  So tonight, I thought I'd make some, then realized one of my peppers was bad and that left me a little short.  So, a back-up plan had to be found.  Here it is:

Title:  I don't know??  Italian beef and pepper bake (Just throwing out an idea, you can call it whatever you want).

1 lb. ground beef (lean)

1 onion diced

2 carrots diced

3 garlic cloves diced

1 large red, orange, or yellow pepper chopped

Fresh tomato chopped.

1/2 of large zucchini chopped

1 jar marinara sauce (my favorite is Archer Farms)

Fresh herbs from garden (basil and flat-leaf parsley)

3/4 cup dry brown rice

Goat cheese (optional)

Can chopped black olives (optional)

1/2 bag of shredded mozzarella

Directions: 

Cook brown rice as directed.  Brown beef, and break up into small bits.  If beef is lean and pan is not dripping in grease then add onion, carrots, garlic, tomato, and pepper and saute until soft.  (If greasy, drain first).  The last few minutes, add sauce, zucchini, herbs, goat cheese, olives and heat through.  I don't like mushy zucchini, so that's why.  Add your cooked rice.  Pour into large cooking-sprayed corning ware dish.  Top with shredded cheese, and heat through til melted and bubbly in 350 oven for 10 minutes. 

It really turned out delicious.  Like, I'm really looking forward to lunch tomorrow.  And nobody claimed it was the worst day ever.  In fact, it went down with many comments about its yumminess.

Enjoy!  

Let me know if you try it, and what you think!