OW Cooks: How to Butcher a Bell Pepper

The farmer's market has started back up for the year. GUESS what I'm having for lunch tomorrow???

 No really. Guess.

 First of all, that tomato is 1lb 9.8oz. I bet you didn't notice the little one... I grew that. It's the only tomato my black krim has made so far. I bought this black krim plant from the farmer's market at the beginning of last year's season.

You know what I must do with this giant tomato. You know.

I'm going to toast TWO--

TWO.

Slices of .... BREAD.

--slathered in kitty crack.--

--and put on ONE.

ONE.

Slice of BREAD.

--a center cut from this tomato. Then I will sprinkle on Bacos and heap it with the green ends of romaine.

And I will have a sandwich!!

I might make him a sandwich, too. He doesn't really seem as excited as me.

"Wife! Make me a sandwich!" Of course. I love making him lunches! :) I was a Sandwich Artist at two different restaurants for several years.


--but for the college kid in a few years that stumbles on this, you are probably interested in cutting up veg... I hope. I do so hope. So on to it. My favorite farmer's market stall was selling bell peppers 3/$1--I consider the buying price to be 2/$1-- so we bought six. I cut up three for the next three days. Once washed or prepared in any way, veg rapidly goes bad.

Slice both ends off of a bell pepper and set them aside. Then make one slice perpendicular along the edge.

Unroll it. The knife is just weighing it down for the picture. Use your hands to pull out the seeds and webbing.

Slice this roll into strips. This is for Alex's salads. If frozen, it can be used in Fajita Veg (upcoming entry) which is very low cal and high volume.

Returning to the top end slice--

 Turn it a quarter way and slice again. Repeat.

 Slice the bottom, and then dice your slices from the top/bottom.

This is all that's left. I'd call all but the little top bit in the lower right (the stem) edible, but my family discards everything in the picture above. You might lightly toast the seeds to eat or plant them with a portion of the flesh. Seeds can also be spread on paper/newspaper and dried then planted later. The flesh would likely go unnoticed in any cooked application... but I'll let you decide when to hide black beans in brownies or put some pureed liver in dressing...

... lol ...

MWHAAHHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!

These three baggies of slices from the sides go in the fridge for quickly assembled salads--

--and I added the diced peppers to the freezer. Bell peppers can be pretty expensive so we pick them up on Quick Sell/Manager's Special. I cut out any bruised, moldy, or sickly lookin' part. Then, I cut them up and freeze them. Diced peppers usually go on pizza and slices in stir fry. Frozen peppers are wet, limp, and no longer too great on a salad.

Love and I still don't know what I'm making this week (peanut butter broccoli stir fry or steamed edamame or romaine/red onion/olive/Goddess-dressing salad or nut bar[which was scheduled for last week. I made it and have been munching.... munching... munching. It's on the counter in the kitchen as you enter the den, so easy to grab a few!]),

A Fairy Princess Photographer... with sparkles!

PS: Oh, we went to the zoo Sunday! $5/ea! I got some great shots:

This lemur eyes you suspiciously...

"Boo!"

squabbling over who's tallest

I want to do another one of these on the 'fast' setting.

Alex had to take this as both myself and the tortoise are quite short. This lil' 3' fence set 3' away was quite an obstacle.

He 'nommed' himself forward. It was cy00t!

If you piece the highest points of his shell together in your mind, you can see how far he's come. He was an ickle wickle! --and I've no doubt some has rubbed off.

I leave you with my favorite:

They've put in a petting zoo with goats! I LOVE GOATS!!