Posted by Quad Community Press, MN on January 24, 2010 at 15:43:31:
Stoplight sausages head to French's National Cook-off
Mary Alice Lund of Circle Pines is cooking her Stoplight Sausages twice a week to prepare for French’s National Cook-off in New York City. -
Circle Pines woman selected to one of top five in competition for $25,000
by Nicholas Backus
CIRCLE PINES — The peppers are heading to the Big Apple, and they could be worth some real dough.
That’s what Circle Pines resident Mary Alice Lund is hoping for next month when she competes in the French’s National Cook-off in New York City. Her Stoplight Sausage Stuffed Peppers beat out over 2,500 entries to make their way to the top 20 last November. Now French’s judges have named her one of five finalists in the competition. If Lund wins the live cook-off in front of six celebrity judges, she’ll take home $25,000.
Lund’s been making the recipe twice a week since she made it to the finals. “I want to be able to do it in my sleep,” said the 46-year-old registered nurse.
Lund, who has never been to New York City before, will fly to the competition with her husband. She plans on spending extra time in the Big Apple if she wins. She said she would also use the cash to pay off student loans and save the rest.
Other finalists are from Iowa, Florida, California and Washington State.
With all the cooking contest success, does Lund ever dream of quitting her day job to pitch a program to the Food Network?
“No, but my husband jokes about it all the time,” she said.
Lund said everyone who has tried the sausages wants the recipe (below).
“I thought it would be a fun challenge to create a recipe with only eight ingredients using a French’s product that could be made in an hour or less,” she said about the inception of the sausages idea. “I’m a little nervous about the live cook-off but I’m confident in my recipe, it’s really good.”
STOPLIGHT SAUSAGE STUFFED PEPPERS
Servings: 6 • Cook Time: 30 min. Prep Time: 30 min.
1 1/2 gal water
6 bell peppers (2 red, 2 yellow, 2 green)
4 tsp. salt, divided
1 1/2 lb. hot or sweet bulk Italian sausage
8 oz. baby portabella mushrooms, chopped
4 Tbsp. French’s Spicy Brown Mustard, divided
1/4 tsp. pepper
1 egg slightly beaten
5 slices, firm textured white sandwich bread, cut into 1/2 inch cubes
3 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided (12oz)
1/3 cup chopped fresh basil
Preheat oven to 350°. Fill a large pot with water, put on stove over high heat to boil. Cut tops off peppers, reserve one top of each color, chop and set aside.. When water boils, add 3 tsps. salt, and bell peppers. Boil 5 minutes; remove peppers and drain. Meanwhile brown Italian sausage, mushrooms, and chopped peppers until sausage is no longer pink and vegetables are tender. Add 1 tblsp. French’s Spicy Brown Mustard, 1 tsp. salt and pepper. Stir in egg, bread cubes, 2 cups cheese and basil. Brush insides of peppers with 3 tblsp. French’s Spicy Brown Mustard and divide sausage mixture between peppers. Place peppers in pan and top with remaining 1 cup cheese. Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes or until cheese is melted and lightly browned.
Nicholas Backus can be reached at quadnews@presspubs.com, 651-407-1235 or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/quadpress.
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