Stuff this - a guide to stuffing just about anything in your kitchen

I remember watching Julia Child as a young girl and being blown away by her cooking, even if I only got to see and not taste it.  Best SNL skit for me will always be the one where she is stuffing a turkey.  In my home the only thing we ever stuffed besides ourselves was the turkey.  I think I was in college after we moved to Arizona that I saw a stuffed pepper for the first time.  Please don't get me wrong, there is a lot of variety in Iowa with food, my family was just very traditional when it came to cooking (and simple). 

Since we just got done looking at Armenian food and they stuff a lot of different things, I thought it might be good to take a more in-depth look at stuffing in general (and not just what we do for Thanksgiving).  If you think about it, stuffed food is all around us.  And most of it is really yummy.  So if you are not sure what to cook today or how to start, here you go.

Vegetables -
There are many different vegetables that you can stuff.  They are usually stuffed with some type of meat with flavoring, cheese, rice or a vegetable mix and then baked.  Here is a list of common vegetables to stuff:

• Tomatoes
• Bell Peppers
• Egg Plant
• Zucchini
• Mushrooms
• Squash or Gourds of all types
• Potatoes (whole or mashed)
• Artichokes
• Onions
• Chili

Leafy Greens -
Many Middle Eastern, Asian, Northern Europe, Tropical and Mediterranean dishes use different types of fresh stuffed greens.  Usually they are stuffed with flavored meat and boiled.  You might be surprised though at the amount of North and South American dishes that are made with dried leafy greens and stuffed with vegetables, dough and sweets.

• Cabbage
• Grape Leaves
• Seaweed (yep, think about sushi is stuffed/rolled rice)  :)
• Collard Greens
• Swiss Chard
• Mustard Greens
• Spinach
• Kale
• Corn Leaves (fresh if in Southern America and dried if in Central or North America)  These are used fresh for Humitas and dried for Tamales
• Banana leaves (South Pacific and Tropical areas)

Proteins -
Some things come ready to stuff like fish and fowl.  Other things can also be stuffed but is requires more work like the inside of a cow or pig, but it is usually very delicious.  Stuffing an entire animal usually indicates that you will be slow cooking (roasting, baking, etc.).  Stuffing a portion of meat also takes times but usually is started off in the pan and finished in the oven.  Also, stuffed ground meat is common across many different cuisines.  And don't forget the rolled meats.  Stuffing can take all tastes and forms.

• Ham and Cheese (cordon bleu)
• Vegetable Medley
• Many different kind of Bread can be used with vegetables and spices (Thanksgiving)
• Cheese

Pastries -
There are so many different stuffed pastries I really don't know where to begin.  Lets just say that they can be rolled or puffed, sweet or savory and are usually baked.

As you can see there is a lot to start with.  Pick one you would like to try, check the Internet for easy recipes and get the whole gang involved.  Have a stuffing night where everyone stuffs there vegetable or whatever with the ingredients they choose.  Pick some simple flavors you love and have fun.  :)