Hey Amy!

This recipe is my dish for vegetarian Christmas. I know what many of you are going to write and say…”It’s not vegetarian if it has cheese. I don’t do dairy!” I have been round and round with some of my most serious vegetarian friends about dairy. Some say they would never touch it and a true vegetarian does not. Others who I view as very strict in their beliefs say the product isn’t the animal, so therefor it is permissible. I am not sure what to believe as I am not a vegetarian as we all know. However I do want to know what you think. Please write and let me know if this should or should not be classified as vegetarian.

In the meantime, it’s a lovely dish for any lover of goat cheese and I think would make a perfect addition to your Christmas meal.

Ingredients:

2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 3/4 c. chopped tricolor bell peppers
1 c. sliced brown mushrooms
1 1/2 c. chopped onion
1 1/2 tsp. herbes de Provence
1/2 tsp. salt
2 Tbsp. cornmeal
8 oz. goat cheese
1 c. part-skim ricotta cheese
2 eggs
1/2 tsp. black pepper

Preheat oven to 350. Heat oil in a 10 inch or larger ovenproof skillet over medium heat. Toss peppers, mushrooms, onion, herbes and salt in skillet. Cover and cook for about 3 minutes or until vegetables begin to give off liquid. Remove the cover and continue cooking, tossing occasionally for 5–7 minutes or until vegetables are brown. Keep an eye on the onions, you don’t want them to brown before the other vegetables. If it starts to happen, reduce heat. Stir in cornmeal. Reduce heat.

Mash goat cheese in large mixing bowl with a fork or whatever you use to mash goat cheese. Mix in ricotta, eggs and pepper. Beat until smooth. Dollop over the vegetables and spread to cover. Bake for 20 minutes. Viola!

This not only can be a main dish but is a lovely side dish as well. The best part? The leftovers are strong for days! I substitute zucchini, squash, carrots and all sorts of vegetables as I am allergic to the bell peppers. Any way you create this dish, the flavors are bountiful. Enjoy!

xo–me

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