Looking for a fun way to liven up your vegetables? The Scotto family shares unique recipes to stuff mushrooms, baby eggplants, onions and more:

Recipe: Stuffed vegetables

The Scottos

Ingredients

• For the vegetables
• 12 or more large white stuffing mushrooms, stems removed
• 3 or more ripe medium-size tomatoes, cut in half crosswise, pulp and seeds removed
• 6 baby Italian eggplants, ends trimmed, sliced in half lengthwise, pulp and seeds removed
• 6 small to medium-size Vidalia onions, peeled, 1/4 of top removed, and center removed with melon ball scooper, cavity about 1 1/2″ deep
• 1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil, or as needed
• 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
• Butter to grease baking dishes, 9- x 13- inch each
• 1/2 cup freshly grated Grana Padano or Parmigiano-Reggiano
• Stuffing for mushrooms
• 1 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• 1 teaspoon capers
• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Butter to grease pan
• Stuffing for tomatoes
• 1 cup fresh ricotta
• 1/2 cup cubed mozzarella cheese
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup grated pecorino cheese
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Butter to grease pan
• Stuffing for baby eggplants
• 1 cup feta cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1/2 cup seasoned bread crumbs
• 1 egg
• 1 teaspoon dry oregano
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh Italian parsley
• 4 tablespoons olive oil
• Butter to grease pan
• Stuffing for Vidalia onions
• 1 pound seasoned loose Italian sausage
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup Parmesan cheese
• 1/4 cup seasoned bread crumbs soaked with 1/4 cup whole milk
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped parsley
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 cup extra-virgin olive oil, reserving 2 tablespoons to grease the casserole dish

Preparation

Serving

Stuffing for mushrooms: Place all ingredients and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a bowl and mix thoroughly. Stuff mushroom caps, place in greased baking pan, and drizzle each mushroom with the remaining olive oil. Bake in 350° oven for 30 to 40 minutes.

Stuffing for tomatoes: Place all cheeses in a bowl and mix. Stuff the tomatoes, place in greased baking pan, and drizzle each tomato with remaining olive oil. Bake in 350° oven for 20 to 25 minutes.

Stuffing for baby eggplants: Place all ingredients in a food processor and mix until well blended. Stuff the eggplants, place in greased baking pan, and drizzle each eggplant with remaining olive oil. Bake in 350° oven for 25 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

Stuffing for Vidalia onions: Place all ingredients in a food processor. Squeeze excess milk out of bread crumbs, add to mixture and pulse processor on and off until ingredients are well mixed. Stuff the onions, place in greased casserole dish, and drizzle each onion with extra-virgin olive oil. Bake in 350° oven for 35 to 45 minutes or until onions are soft to the touch.

Serving Size

Makes about 3 dozen stuffed vegetables – Recipe is from the todayshow.com recipe section

Recipe for Stuffed Vegetables… add flavor to mushrooms, tomatoes, eggplants and more is a post from: TasteForCooking

Home Farming Join the Movement sponsered by Triscuit is a post from: TasteForCooking

My husband cleared a small planter full of beautiful flowers and plants, and suggested I grow an herb garden. I was furious, as those plants were expensive, and besides, I was too down to think about a new hobby and I hate bugs! 

Months went by, and the planter was filled with weeds. Finally in late March I decided to go outside and pull the weeds.

During our next trip to Home Depot, I walked around the garden center. I was drawn to the smell of the fragrant herbs. Then I noticed the price…just $3 for the plant, where I have payed as much as $5 for a small amount of dill.  I chose a few favorites and decided to give it a try. I bought parsley, cilantro and oregano, and although I don’t eat tomatoes often, I grabbed a plum tomato plant as I as excited at the prospect of making my own sauce.

We knew the planter did not have the best soil, so we bought a large bag of organic soil, and then my hubby grabbed a bag of organic compost. Compost? I wanted to have nothing to do with that, but he said if I wanted the best herbs that we should mix it in the soil. The process of mixing the two and getting it all down, took us about 2 hours. By the time we planted the herbs and tomato plant, we were exhausted. Did I mention that the compost smelled like cow poop and was difficult to get off my feet and from under my nails?  Make sure and use gloves and closed shoes!

In less than a week, the tomato plant had yellow flowers everywhere, and I could not contain my excitement when I saw the first few baby tomatoes. I wanted more plants – I had the room in the planter so why not? I did a little research on the Internet and started learning about companion plants. Who knew there were so many things to consider?  I ended up planting sweet basil and chives on either side of my tomato plants, followed by cilantro next to the basil, and then the oregano and rosemary.  Less than a week later, I also bought dill, thyme, tarragon, and mint, which I read repels ants. Last but not least, I planted a few marigold near each tomato plant, as they also deter bugs.

Ok, I had a little more room, so I went back one more time, and bought a cherry and Big Boy tomato plant as well as one each of red and green peppers. Compulsive? Perhaps but everything looked great! For someone who didn’t want a new hobby, I was looking forward to going outside every morning to see the changes.

Regardless of how many tomatoes or peppers I would get this season, I had already started using my herbs for cooking and the taste was amazing. I felt confident that I would get my monies worth along with the satisfaction of growing my first garden. 

For those of you interested in starting a garden, as you can see from the photo, you can put a lot of plants in a small area.  I invested about $100 and 8 hours my first month of gardening.

Watch for updates on my garden’s progress.

My First Herb and Vegetable Garden is a post from: TasteForCooking