Gluten Free Stuffed Peppers

Cliff and I got invited to a cookout the other day and I was asked to bring a dish to pass around dinner.  As you may know, I am on a gluten free diet as I have Celiac Disease and because of this, I was nervous about preparing a dish for people who aren't gluten free.  Anyway, I stumbled upon this recipe and decided to cook it for Cliff and our son before I brought it to the cookout.  Absolutely delicious!!!! :) 





Ingredients: (Serves 6 if you follow this list)

-1 lb ground beef                                   -1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
-1/2 cup uncooked long grain white rice     -1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
-1 cup water                                          -1/4 teaspoon onion powder
-6 green bell peppers                              -Salt and Pepper to taste
-2 (8 ounce) cans of tomato sauce            -1 teaspoon Italian seasoning

Prep Time= 20 minutes  Cook Time=1 hour

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
2. Place the rice and water in a saucepan, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and cook 20 minutes. In a skillet over medium heat, cook the beef until evenly browned.
3. Remove and discard the tops, seeds, and membranes of the bell peppers. Arrange peppers in a baking dish with the hollowed sides facing upward. (Slice the bottoms of the peppers if necessary so that they will stand upright.)
4. In a bowl, mix the browned beef, cooked rice, 1 can tomato sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Spoon an equal amount of the mixture into each hollowed pepper. Mix the remaining tomato sauce and Italian seasoning in a bowl, and pour over the stuffed peppers.
5. Bake 1 hour in the preheated oven, basting with sauce every 15 minutes, until the peppers are tender.

Really easy to put together and it tastes great!  Great reviews from the cookout so I decided to share it here with you all!

Enjoy :)

-Tiff

                                      

Sunshine State!

As many argue that winter in Florida is the best weather in the United States, and many travelers come to experience relief from cold winters elsewhere, I would have to agree from my previous trips down and the fact that Vermont is nice and chilly these days, let me tell you!  However, travelers to Florida will need to prepare for some of the unique elements of winter in the Sunshine State. Here are a few tips for travelers to consider.

1) Prepare for All Weather

Weather in Florida tends to be unpredictable, and winter in Florida is especially difficult to project ahead of time. While temperatures rarely drop below 40 degrees in Florida even during winter, it is not uncommon for the temperature to reach into the 80s during cold months. Because of this, travelers will want to ensure that they are prepared for weather conditions that can change rapidly. Fortunately, winter weather in Florida is fairly pleasant, but travelers will want to be ready for a wide range of temperatures.  I think this advice would apply more for the January/ early February time frame as we went in late February and the weather was an average of about 80 for us and its only going up!!!  But it’s better to be safe than sorry!

2) Plan Ahead

Florida's population changes dramatically depending on the season.  In winter, Florida becomes home to many people from the Midwest and the Northeast.  Because of this, travelers to Florida want to make their reservations ahead of time just to be safe.  It should be noted, however, that Florida's infrastructure is ready for this influx of visitors and temporary residents, so travelers should not be too concerned about bad traffic and difficulty in making reservations, especially if you travel to a tourist area like Orlando, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, etc.!

3) Spend Some Time at the Beach

While the water may be a bit too cold for swimming, you will want to spend at least a bit of time at the beach while visiting Florida. The beach can be a great place to spend an afternoon or evening, and many of Florida's best restaurants and tourist locations are located near the coast. In addition, those on the east coast of Florida may wish to explore the barrier islands, which is home to some of the most interesting locations in the state. Fortunately, all locations in Florida are relatively close to the beach so all travelers can at least make a day trip and spent some time watching the waves.

Those who have been to Florida in the winter understand its appeal, and those who have never been to the Sunshine State may wish to visit in winter. With a bit of preparation, travelers can ensure that their winter trips to Florida will be enjoyable and memorable.  Great trip to make to get some sun in the winter!

P.S. for you eco-friendly comrades out there, there is a South Florida Chapter of the USGBC. 

Get your Green on!

-Cliff and Tiff