Here is what to do…
Start with four Cubanelle peppers, washed, cut in half long-ways and seeded.
1 package of Italian sausage in casing (can be spicy or not depending on your tastes) it ends up being around 1lb., give or take.
Crushed red pepper flakes to taste
2 cups (1 jar) approx., marinara sauce
Parmesan cheese to taste

Preheat oven to 400 degrees (F). Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Line sheet pan with peppers. Take the sausage and squeeze the meat out of the casing until pepper halves are just full. You don’t want any casing in the pepper, just the meat. Do this until the sausage is gone. Sprinkle crushed red pepper flakes on top if you like it spicy and put them in the oven for 20 minutes. The corners of the peppers should be turning brown, and the sausage cooked through.

Take them out of the oven and plate them, two per serving. Put a ladle of marinara sauce on top and sprinkle the Parmesan cheese on top.

Add ground beef to skillet and cook until browned. Once the meat is browned, carefully away from the flame, tilt pan and remove excess fat with a large spoon.

Add the white wine and stir for another minute. Then add the chopped cherry tomatoes, tomato paste, pimento stuffed Spanish olives, raisins, dried oregano, cumin and cayenne pepper. Simmer over low heat for another 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season with salt and pepper.

Serve warm:

As a filling for empanadas or tacos

Over white rice with fried plantains or black beans

With a side salad and black beans

To make Picadillo soupier for serving over rice, add additional wine, chicken or beef stock.

Recipe courtesy Ingrid Hoffmann, 2007

1 1/2 lb. ground beef
3 tbsp. oil
Pinch of cumin
12 corn tortillas
1/4 c. ripe olives, chopped
1 1/2 c. grated Cheddar cheese
3/4 c. onion, chopped
3 c. enchilada sauce
2 tsp. salt
Oil for frying

Saute’ meat and onions until meat is crumbly and onions are limp. Add 1 1/2 cups enchilada sauce, cumin, salt and simmer 30 minutes. Meanwhile, soft fry tortillas in oil and drain on paper towels. Dip each tortilla in remaining heated enchilada sauce, coating both sides. Add ripe olives to cooked meat and divide mixture among the tortillas. Roll and place overlapped side down in baking dish. Spoon remaining sauce over. Bake at 375 degrees for 20 minutes. Sprinkle with grated cheese.
If you want to try a different variation, you could also  substitute cooked chicken for the ground beef.

To make the enchilada Sauce:

1/4 c. onion, chopped
1 clove garlic, minced
2 tbsp. oil
2 cans chicken broth
1 tbsp. chili powder
1/4 c. flour
1 tsp. salt
1 tbsp. oil
1 (10 oz.) can red chili sauce

Saute onions and garlic in oil. When tender, add to boiling broth. Mix all other ingredients with chili sauce to make a heavy paste. Reduce with some of the broth to pouring consistency, to avoid lumping, and gradually stir into hot broth. Stir 5 minutes, let simmer 10 minutes. Makes 1 quart.

Portuguese Meat Stuffing

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter • 2 tablespoons vegetable oil • 1 1/2 cups finely chopped yellow onions • 1 cup finely chopped green bell peppers • 1 cup finely chopped fresh parsley • 1/2 cup ground beef • 1/2 pound ground pork • 1 tablespoon minced garlic • 1 1/2 teaspoons crushed red pepper, or to taste • 3/4 teaspoon salt • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper • 1/2 pound chaurice or other spicy sausage, cut into small pieces • * 1 1/2 loaves French bread, torn into 1/2-inch pieces (about 12 cups) • 1 1/2 cups chicken stock • 3 large eggs

1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Grease a large baking pan with the butter and set aside.

2. In a large sauté pan or skillet, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the onions, green peppers, and parsley and cook, stirring, until the vegetables are soft, about 3 minutes. Add the beef, pork, sausage, garlic, red pepper, salt and black pepper. Cook until the meat is browned, stirring with a heavy wooden spoon to break up the lumps, 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

3. Place the bread into the bowl and add the meat mixture, mixing well. Adjust the seasoning to taste. Add the stock and mix well. Add the eggs, beaten one at a time, mixing well to combine. (*NOTE: Alternately, use 1 day-old stale bread torn into pieces, as Miss Hilda does when she makes this. Place the bread in a large bowl and cover with water. Let sit until soft, about 5 minutes. Drain in a colander and squeeze the excess water from the bread with your hands. Return to the bowl and add the remaining ingredients, except the stock.)

4. Turn into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 20 minutes. Uncover and bake until the cooked through and the top is golden brown, 25 to 30 minutes.

5. Remove from the oven and let rest for 10 minutes before serving.

Makes 8 servings

Very Rich Meat Stuffing

Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 1/2 hours, plus 40 minutes more if not cooked in turkey Giblets from 1 turkey
4 cups cold water
6 thick slices bacon
1 cup chicken fat
3 tablespoons sweet butter
1 medium-size onion,
chopped 2 ribs celery,
chopped 1 clove garlic,
minced 1 cup sliced mushrooms
1/4 pound ground beef
1/4 pound ground veal
2 links sweet Italian sausage, casing removed 1 veal kidney (about 2 pounds),
chopped 9 chicken livers,
chopped 6 cups stale bread crumbs
1 tablespoon salt or to taste
1 1/2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper or to taste
1 cup minced Italian parsley
1 teaspoon dried mint
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon allspice
1 teaspoon cumin
1/2 cup Cognac or brandy
1 cup chicken broth
12 chestnuts, boiled, peeled and sliced
2 cups pine nuts, toasted.

1.Place the giblets in a saucepan with the water, and simmer for 1 hour. Strain, reserve the broth, cool the giblets and chop.

2.Place the bacon, chicken fat and butter in a large skillet, and cook for 3 minutes over low heat. Add the onion, celery and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms, stir well to combine, and cook for 2 minutes. Add the ground beef, ground veal and sausage, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring to break up lumps of meat. Add the kidney, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the giblets and the chicken livers, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring gently.

3.Place the mixture in a large bowl, and add the bread crumbs, salt, pepper, parsley, mint, thyme, allspice and cumin, and stir to combine. Add the Cognac and chicken broth and stir. Add the chestnuts and the pine nuts and stir well. Adjust seasonings. When cool, this stuffing can be baked inside the turkey, or if you prefer, placed in a casserole and baked for 40 minutes at 350 degrees.

Yield: about 16 cups.

Meat balls Basic:

500g ground beef
2 slices white bread
1 egg
1 finely chopped onion
1 finely chopped green chili (optional)
coarse salt and pepper to taste

Put egg into a dish, beat and soak the bread in it, chop onions nice and fine, in a large mixing bowl combine the mince and onion, then squish the bread into the mince along with any remaining egg. Add chili if you like, add salt and pepper to taste. (i also put some paprika in mine along with some dried Italian herbs, but I’m trying to keep this simple)

Then fry them in a bit of oil on a medium heat nice and slow!

For the meatball sauce:
1 large onion
1 tomato
2 table spoons tomato paste
a few squirts of soya sauce
finely chopped garlic (I use the ready chopped out of a tub!)
salt and pepper to taste

For the mac n cheese:

Macaroni
1/2 cup gouda
3 table spoons margarine
3 table spoon cake flour
milk as required (for the roux)
salt and pepper

Get a pot of macaroni on the boil, and cook to package instruction.

In the mean time, check your meat balls swirl them around the pan, try not touch them too much until they are firm and browned!

Chop the onion and one tomato for meatball sauce. When the meat balls are browned all over take them out of the pan and add a tiny bit more oil IF required, then add your onion and chopped garlic. cook for a bit on high add some soy sauce - a good few squirts but not too much as you want this sauce to be a little thick, then add your tomato and tomato paste. Cook until tomato cooks away slightly. Then put the meatballs back into the pan - cover and turn heat down to medium low - toward the end, remove lid and allow the sauce to thicken up, stirring the meatballs around

By this time the pasta should be reaching ready - now is when you make a basic roux in a separate pot ( roux for white sauce) add the grated cheese and a bit more milk if required and salt and pepper. A dash of paprika adds a nice flavor in this sauce

Drain pasta and add pasta to cheese sauce, stir in until well coated

Spoon onto a plate, put a few meat balls on top with a bit of the tomato relish!

1lb ground beef or Italian Sausage
(If you are substituting ground beef for sausage, then also add: 1/2 teaspoon each of dried oregano and basil and 1/4 teaspoon of fennel or anise seeds, crushed.)
1 container Ricotta Cheese (large)
1 block cream cheese
4 cups shredded mozzarella cheese
2 cans diced tomatoes (I use garlic and olive oil)
1 can tomato sauce
1 box shells
Olive Oil

-Brown and drain ground beef
-Mix with Ricotta, Cream Cheese and half of the Mozzarella (2cups) in a large bowl
- In blender put the tomatoes and sauce and blend
- Boil, drain and rinse the noodles
-In large glass baking dish, coat the bottom with Olive Oil
-Pour half of tomato mixture in bottom of dish
-Stuff the shells with meat and cheese mixture
-Pour rest of tomato mixture over top, then sprinkle rest of Mozzarella over top
-Bake at 350 for 30 minutes to melt cheeses

Salisbury Steak

1 pound ground beef
1 egg
3 tablespoons crushed buttery round cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons finely chopped onion
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon poultry seasoning
2 (4 ounce) cans sliced mushrooms with juice
3 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
3 cups milk
3 cubes beef bouillon

Directions

In a medium bowl, mix together the ground beef, egg, cracker crumbs, onion, salt, pepper and poultry seasoning using your hands. Shape into 6 patties about 1 inch thick.

Fry the patties in a large skillet over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side, or until browned. Drain off grease, and remove patties to a platter; keep warm.

Melt the butter in the same skillet, and add the mushrooms. Cook and stir for about 2 minutes. Sprinkle the flour over, and mix in until blended. Stir in the milk and beef bouillon. Cook and stir over medium heat until smooth and starting to thicken. Return the patties to the gravy and cook over low heat, uncovered, for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Can be topped with shredded mozzarella or Swiss cheese.

2 pounds ground beef
1 large onion, chopped
1 medium green pepper, chopped
1 (14.75 ounce) can cream-style corn
1 (10.75 ounce) can condensed tomato soup, undiluted
1 (8 ounce) can tomato sauce
1 (2 ounce) jar sliced pimentos, drained
2 tablespoons chopped jalapeno pepper
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/2 teaspoon chili powder
1/4 teaspoon dry mustard
1/4 teaspoon pepper
1 (8 ounce) package medium egg noodles, cooked and drained
1 (4.5 ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained
1 1/2 cups shredded Cheddar cheese

In a large skillet, cook beef, onion and green pepper until the meat is browned and vegetables are tender; drain. Add the next nine ingredients and mix well. Stir in noodles and mushrooms. Transfer to a greased 13-in. x 9-in. x 2-in. baking dish. Sprinkle with cheese. Bake, uncovered, at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes or until heated through.

1 (6 ounce) can tomato paste
2 tablespoons garlic powder
2 tablespoons dried oregano
1/2 cup white wine
3/4 cup sugar
salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
1. In a skillet over medium heat, cook onion and bell pepper in oil until transparent. Add beef to onions and peppers; cook until brown. Set aside.
2. Place bacon in a large, deep skillet. Cook over medium-high heat until evenly brown. Reserve drippings and crumble bacon. Combine drippings and crumbled bacon with the beef mixture.
3. Add mushrooms, tomato sauce, tomato paste, garlic powder and oregano. Pour in wine while stirring. Stir in sugar, then salt and pepper. Cook until hot.

For the Dough:
Ingredients

* 2 (6.5-ounce) packages pizza crust mix (recommended: Betty Crocker)
* 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning (recommended: McCormick’s)
* 1 cup hot water

For the Filling:

* 1 tablespoon oil
* 1/2 pound lean ground beef
* 1/2 pound hot Italian sausage, casings removed
* 1 (2.5-ounce) jar sliced mushrooms, drained (recommended: Green Giant)
* 1 (2.25-ounce) can sliced black olives, drained (recommended: Early California)
* 2 1/2 cups marinara sauce, divided (recommended: Prego)
* 2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese (recommended: Kraft)

Set up grill for direct cooking over medium heat. Oil grate when ready to start cooking.

For the dough:

In a large mixing bowl, combine pizza crust mixes, Italian seasoning, and hot water. Stir about 20 times until a ball forms. Split ball in half and cover each with plastic wrap; set aside.

For the filling:

In a large frying pan over medium-high heat, add the oil and cook ground beef and sausage, stirring frequently to break up clumps. Cook until no longer pink but not totally cooked through, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in mushrooms, olives, cheese and 1 cup of the marinara sauce; set aside.

Unwrap dough and put onto 2 parchment lined baking sheets sprinkled with cornmeal. Press out into 2 (12-inch) circles about 1/4-thick; pinch together any holes. Spoon the meat mixture into center of each dough round. Slide the second dough circle off the parchment to top the meat mixture. Crimp the edges together. Gently pat entire surface of pizza until flat. Slide pizza onto hot oiled grill. Cook, covered, for about 5 to 6 minutes per side.

Warm the remaining marinara sauce in the microwave. Spoon some sauce on the plate and serve a hot slice of pizza on top.

INDOOR: Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Lightly spray baking sheet with cooking spray; set aside. Prepare stuffed pizza as directed. Place on prepared baking sheet and bake in preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown.