“Ding Dong Bell,
Pussy's in the well.
Who put her in?
Little Johnny Flynn.
Who pulled her out?
Little Tommy Stout.
What a naughty boy was that,
To soak a Pussy cat,
Who never did him any harm,
But scared all the mice in the farmer's barn.”
While the original version of this rhyme is from John Lant, the organist of Winchester Cathedral, in 1580, the version we mainly know and have heard is from New Nursery Rhymes for Old by Geoffrey Hall, published in 1949. Other versions of the rhyme have a darker nature where the poor kitty is left to perish, however, the main concept was to teach children about animal cruelty and how wrong it was.
In fact, several Mormon leaders have explicitly spoken out against animal cruelty, such as:
David O. McKay (9th President): He frequently spoke in general conferences about kindness to animals, stating, “a true Latter-day Saint is kind to animals, is kind to every created thing, for God created all.”
Joseph F. Smith (6th President): He taught that harming animals is spiritually corrupting, noting that “doing wrong to animals is but a stepping stone to the doing of wrong to our fellow men.”\
Joseph Fielding Smith (10th President): He similarly taught that cruelty toward animals disqualifies a person from the companionship of the Holy Spirit and emphasized that animals are living souls destined for resurrection.
George Q. Cannon (First Counselor in the First Presidency): While not church president, he was historically the most vocal general leader on animal welfare, preaching heavily in the 19th century against cruelty, neglect, and hunting for sport rather than sustenance.
Even though I am non-Mormon, I travel along the same road of thought, as these men did, about animal cruelty, and do respect their outspokenness on the subject.
Originally, I wanted to start with, “Why are bell peppers called bell peppers?”, then I remembered the rhyme, and there I went on one of my tangents. Now, back to the original concept.
Simple answer is, “Bell peppers are called that because their plump, squat, lobed shape resembles a traditional hand bell, and they belong to the pepper family.”
The more detailed, historical, answers are:
Bell - English settlers, of North America, noticed the hollow, wide-bottomed shape looked like a hanging church or hand bell. Records show the term "bell-pepper" used as early as the late 1600s, and were ideal for pickling.
Pepper - Christopher Columbus and early European explorers mistakenly called plants in the Capsicum genus "peppers" because their spicy or pungent varieties added heat to food, reminding the black peppercorns (Piper nigrum). Even though bell peppers are mild and lack the chemical compound capsaicin that makes other peppers hot, they kept the family name.
Do the colors of bell peppers have distinct characteristics? First off, all bell peppers start off with a deep green color, but as they mature, or are allowed extra time to ripen, they change color and flavor.
Green: Crisp, firm, with a bright, grassy, and slightly bitter taste.
Yellow: Mild, sweet, and slightly fruity or citrusy.
Red: Sweet, juicy, and much less bitter as natural sugars increase.
Purple, White or Brown (rare colors): White and purple taste crisp and grassy like green peppers; chocolate tastes sweet like red peppers.
Bell peppers contain vitamins A, B6, C, potassium, folate and antioxidants; one cup of raw is only nine grams of carbohydrates, ½ gram of fat. 3 grams of fiber, 1.5 grams of protein, and they simply just taste good.
Recipe wise, probably everyone has one for stuffed peppers handed down through the generations.
Instead of a standard recipe, I am giving you two to add to your collection; Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers (made with roasted beef), and Cajun Seasoned Turkey and Rice Stuffed Peppers (using ground turkey for those who do not, or cannot, eat beef).
Hope you enjoy making these. Also, let’s remember to be as kind to animals, as we are to humans, considering Homo sapiens is scientifically classified as an animal species too.
Philly Cheesesteak Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
1 Tbsp. olive oil
1/2 cup chopped onions
1/2 tsp. ground black pepper
½. tsp salt
1 and 1/2 cups chopped roasted beef
1 cup shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
Preparation:
Preheat oven to 375F; spray a one-quart baking dish with nonstick spray.
Cut tops off peppers, remove seeds, stem and white pith; set aside tops and bodies of peppers.
In a small skillet, medium-high heat, sauté onions until they soften (about 5 minutes); season with salt and black pepper.
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| After Baking. |
Makes two servings.
Now, if you really need that bread, make some crusty dinner rolls, fill them with some of the green bell pepper and cheesesteak filling. There you go, Philly Cheesesteak Sliders!
Cajun Seasoned Turkey and Rice Stuffed Peppers
Ingredients:
1 and ½ lbs. ground turkey
2 Tbsp. no-salt seasoning mix
1 cup chopped mushrooms
1 (8 oz.) package Zatarain’s Red Beans and Rice
6 tsps. Olive oil
1 (14.5 oz.) can diced tomatoes
Salt (if deemed necessary for taste)
6 large red, green or mixture of both bell peppers; seeds and white pith removed, set aside tops and bodies.
Preparation:
In a large skillet, medium-high heat, brown together the ground turkey, no-salt seasoning and mushrooms until turkey is no longer pink. Prepare the Zatarain’s according to package directions.
Preheat oven to 375F; line the cups of a large muffin tin with aluminum foil; pour a teaspoon of olive oil into each foil lined cup.
In a large mixing bowl, combine the skillet mixture, Zatarain’s and diced tomatoes; taste to see if salt needs to be added.
Stuff each of the bell peppers; place tops back on and put half teaspoon of filling into holes; place each stuffed pepper into a foil lined cup. Bake for 30 minutes.
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| Before Baking. |
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After Baking.
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Makes six servings.
Mary Cokenour
