It was Thanksgiving at my house yesterday. I made all the fixings for a Thanksgiving feast, and invited a few friends over to dive in. I decided to post this recipe out of everything that was made because (1) it’s not on my blog yet, and (2) my friends want to make it for there families this Thanksgiving. Sourdough Chorizo Cherry Stuffing…. It doesn’t get better than that.

Ingredients for Sourdough Chorizo Cherry Stuffing:

• 8 – cups sourdough bread cubes (2 medium loaves cut into 1 inch cubes)
• 18 – oz. Mexican soy chorizo (plastic casing removed)
• 5 – oz. can of black olives sliced
• 1 – onion (chopped into small cubes)
• 7 – stalks of green onion (chopped)
• 1 1/2 – cup grated carrots
• 1 – cup julienned sun dried tomatoes (boiled to plump/moisten)
• 1 1/4 – cup dried cherries
• 1/4  –  cup fresh basil (chopped)
• 16 – tablespoons butter or Vegan butter
• 1 1/2  – tablespoons fresh minced garlic
• 2 – cups vegetable broth
• 1 – cup shredded parmesan or jack cheese cheese
• 1 – cup salted shelled pistachios

Directions:

1.  Cut sourdough loaves into 1 inch cubes, place in a bowl, and allow to sit over night.
2. Preheat oven to 373 degrees Fahrenheit
3. Place sourdough cubes on a cookie sheet and bake for 20 minutes. Mixing cubes at the 10 minute mark will prevent them from burning on one side.
4. In a large frying pan over a medium flame add in chorizo and cook for 5 minutes until soy chorizo is crumbly and cooked through. I break the chorizo up with a spatula and mix it the whole cooking time to make sure it is cooked properly. Set to the side.
5. In a small pan filled with water bring to a boil and add sundried tomatoes. Boil for 6 to 8 minutes to plump and moisten. Remove from water and drain completely. Set to the side.
6. In a giant bowl add in sourdough cubes, chorizo, black olives, onions, chopped green onions, shredded carrot, sundried tomatoes, dried cherries, fresh basil, pistachios and cheese. Mix with your hands until completely incorporated. Set to the side.
7. In a frying pan over a medium flame melt butter, once butter melts add in garlic and let cook for 4 minutes.
8. Add in the vegetable broth to the butter garlic mixture and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
9. Pour butter/garlic broth over stuffing mixture. Mix well to combine, careful because it is hot.
10. Place entire mixture into an oven proof baking dish.
11. Bake for 30 minutes.

I made this recipe for the first time about 6 years ago. I found myself in a strange house a top the hill in Mount Washington. My Aunt Brilla was here in Los Angeles visiting, and had rented this beautiful home, it being my first time in this kitchen made cooking a little difficult since I had no idea where anything was. I searched the drawers and cabinets and could only find a baking dish, a sharp knife and a frying pan.  We had a house full of visitors who had come by to see my Aunt since she’s not in town that often and many of them were vegetarians. I thought fast on my feet and started frying up some cubed potatoes to make a vegetable stuffing for the pile of bell peppers a friend had brought over. Simple. Delicious. Easy to make. I stuffed the peppers popped them in the oven for 45 to an hour and by the time they were done so was the rest of the meal.

Ingredients for Baked Stuffed Bell Peppers:

• 3 – Idaho Potatoes (peeled, diced into cubes and fried til crisp and cooked through)
• 1/2 – cup cheddar cheese (cubed)
• 1/2 – cup pepper jack cheese (cubed)
• 1/2 – cup parmesan cheese (grated)
• 3/4 – cup tomato (chopped into small cubes)
• 1 – onion (sliced)
• 8 – mushrooms (chopped into quarters)
• 2 – tablespoons butter
• 10 – fresh basil leaves (torn into pieces)
• 4 – slices of rosemary bread (toasted and cut into cubes)
• 1 – tablespoon garlic (minced)
• 1/2 – vegetable broth
• 10 – bell peppers

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to   degrees Fahrenheit
2. Fry potatoes and once cooked remove from flame and set to the side.
3. Cut cheeses, and tomatoes and set to the side.
4. In a frying pan add butter and saute onion and mushrooms together for about 10 minutes or until onions are limp. Remove from heat and set to the side.
5. Toast Rosemary bread and cut into cubes. Set to the side.
6. In a large bowl add potatoes, cheeses, tomatoes, onions and mushrooms, basil leaf pieces, toast, and garlic. Mix well. Then pour broth over top and mix again. Set stuffing mixture to the side.
7. Wash and dry bell peppers. Then cut off tops of bell peppers (reserve tops to the side) and remove seeds and veins from the inside. Set to the side.
8. Place empty bell peppers in a baking dish, then once they are snug take a huge spoonful of stuffing mixture and fill to the top. Then top each pepper with the top. 
9. Bake for 45 to 60 minutes.
10. Enjoy!