I'm a straight foodie to the core. I love the way it can transform an ordinary visit from loved ones into a destination stop. This time while entertaining, we were given carte blanche on the menu's items. We about lost our minds having fun coming up with dishes. The theme was tapas and the appetites and taste buds were ready for a delectably pleasant ride. Here's what we made...

Roasted Tomato and Tofu Stuffed Bell Peppers
Stove Top Pan Glazed French Green Beans
Garlic Infused Sauteed Cremini Mushrooms
Red White and Yellow Roasted Pearl Onions
Pan Fried Plum Tomatoes with Fresh Basil
Sauteed French Lentils
Stuffed and Glazed Omelet
Papaya and English Cucumber Salad
Sweated and Seasoned Oven Roasted Potatoes
Casserole Roasted Baby Zucchini
Pan Seared and Oven Roasted Portabella Mushrooms
Limeade
Spiced Cider Strawberry Lemon Soda

We're going to highlight the stuffed pepper recipe today.

I love peppers in every type that I've had thus far. There are so many things you can do with them. From stuffing, to roasting, to picking, to sauteing, to making into sauces, etc., peppers will have their place in my culinary repertoire for the long haul and fortunately they make the perfect selection for a themed gathering. With 'Tapas', you can bend it in pretty much any direction you want, just keep it in bite sized portions or 'finger food' size.

Here's what you do:

Roasted Tomato and Tofu Stuffed Bell Peppers

EQUIPMENT LIST
1 baking dish
1 large skillet
1 large mixing bowl
1 spatula
1 oven
1 gas or electric range

INGREDIENTS
4 bell peppers [one for each person, topped - green, red, yellow, orange, purple, white or brown] we used green
1 1/2 cups plum tomatoes [pan roasted with caramelized onions]
tofu mixture [cooked and seasoned - sausage-style]
1 1/2 cups soy cheese [shredded]
10 cloves garlic [crushed and coarsely chopped]
1 tbsp fennel seeds
1 yellow onion [large, chopped]
2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
1/4 cup parsley
2 tsp fresh rubbed sage
2 tsp fresh rosemary
sea salt [to taste]

DIRECTIONS
Step 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Step 2. Place cooked and seasoned tofu in mixing bowl.
Step 3. Saute the rest of the ingredients, except for the peppers and cheese, in the skillet until onions are translucent, then add to mixing bowl with tofu.
Step 4. Add cheese to ingredients on mixing bowl and fold everything together.
Step 5. Stuff ingredients into topped bell peppers and place into greased baking dish, drizzle with a little olive oil and place into oven. Bake until juicy and tender [about 30 - 45 minutes]
Step 6. Remove from oven, let cool no cooling rack 10 - 15 minutes and serve.

This also goes well with coconut rice, millet, barley, buckwheat or pasta with a fresh herb salad on the side.

As always, it's my pleasure sharing these recipes with you. Until next time...